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Check out this quick list of alcoholism facts.
I'm sure you'll be surprised at some of the items in this list.
Alcoholism cuts across gender, race, and nationality.
Learning about the disease and how to protect yourself from it is essential.
Here are the ten facts on alcoholism you ... Views: 1447
I started this article as a reply to a question related to these two articles:
* Tactics Used to Avoid Accountability 1
* Tactics Used to Avoid Accountability 2
There are more tactics coming in the near future.
Here is the Question.
"So when we notice these things in a ... Views: 3316
AT THE END OF YOUR ARM
The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your own arm. --Swedish proverb
Every now and again a quote comes to you that is just so obvious but true!
There are so many looking for help, looking to others to “fix” them and take responsibility for ... Views: 4159
This is the second post in the series of tactics used by addicts and alcoholics to avoid accountability. Accountability is necessary for all of us. People in recovery need to do everything in their power to remain accountable—this will help them deal with temptations and triggers when they ... Views: 3298
There are many ways people with addictions avoid accountability. Here is the first of several articles discussing these tactics. These tactics are what addicts and alcoholics use to to take the focus off them and continue doing what their addiction wants them to do. These tactics are used by ... Views: 5309
I think one of the main reasons people relapse is they stop working their program of recovery. In my years as an addictions counselor I have heard it over and over again when I ask what led up to a relapse…”I quit working the program.”
There are many ways you can quit working the program. ... Views: 1800
Relapse prevention is an ongoing requirement to maintain recovery. Some will say that you will get to a place in recovery where you don’t need to “work at it” anymore—that it becomes automatic. I have known a few people who seemed to put down their drug or behavior of choice—what they were ... Views: 3993
I am going to share 4 defense mechanisms that are frequently used by people in addiction to justify or substantiate their drug or alcohol use. I’m sure you have heard of some of these—you might have even heard of all of them. I hope to share some insights you may not have considered ... Views: 4319
Here are ten common situations that are very dangerous to a person in recovery. Recognizing these dangers will help you avoid a possible problem in the future.
1. Believing you are finally cured of your addiction. This is a dangerous form of denial. The lie is that you either are finally ... Views: 2573
As a substance abuse counselor I have worked with many clients who were on the fence about their addiction. They would have some issues in their life that made then think they were addicted but they would also have some reasons why they couldn't be addicted. I have found it helpful to explore ... Views: 1627
Here are some qualities to look for in a sponsor. I have set the standard high since this is a very important relationship for you and your recovery. You may not be able to find someone with all the qualities I suggest due to many factors including the size of your town, number of people who ... Views: 3923
People do not easily come to the conclusion that they have an alcohol or other drug problem. The telltale signs have been there quite some time. Addiction carries with it its own camouflage devices. It can look like a lot of other illnesses from the perspective of an outsider looking in. ... Views: 2007
Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults. These disorders fill people's lives with overwhelming anxiety and fear.
Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event such as a business presentation or a first date, ... Views: 1992
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function.
Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of Bipolar are severe. They can result in damaged ... Views: 2446
It is estimated that about three-quarters of the population drink alcohol. Of this number, about 10% will find that their alcohol consumption leads to serious problems involving their health, work, finances, and relationships with family and friends.
When a person uses alcohol despite ... Views: 3695
Determining the right time for drug and alcohol treatment is different for each person. Some individuals will go and get help as soon as they feel like they're developing a problem.
Others seek treatment when they feel they're becoming dependent on drugs or alcohol to cope with life. Still, ... Views: 1554
Not too long ago, four local elementary school children ended up on respirators in the ICU after they each took 20 Coricidin tablets to get high. It was a good 36 hours before they were out of the woods. What started out to be an afternoon of fun, turned out to be a life-and-death struggle for ... Views: 1792
If you haven't heard of the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) 12 Step Program, you are a rare individual. AA started the 12 Step Program in 1935. The 12 steps collectively make up the methodological approach developed for fighting alcoholism, as well as other addictive behavior patterns.
Dr. Bob ... Views: 1489
There are many substance abuse professionals who are trained to help others to overcome substance abuse problems. It doesn't really matter how your addiction started, what matters is what you're willing to do about it now that you're in its grip.
It can be very difficult to release control of ... Views: 976
Just as drug addiction has been on a steady rise throughout the United States, so has a steady growth in the number of drug abuse rehabilitation centers to help those struggle with drug addictions.
As long as people can get their hands on alcohol, cigarettes, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, ... Views: 1186
When Is One Drink, One Drink Too Many?
A growing number of individuals in our society are being born with, or have developed, an inability to tolerate alcohol. If, for genetic reasons, an individual lacks the natural enzymes and chemicals necessary to metabolize (break down) any food ... Views: 3075
Let’s look at the opiates first. An opiate is a narcotic pain killer like Roxycodone, Oxycodone, Loratabs, Loracet, Methadone, Vicodin, Actiq, and Stadol. The action of these drugs may last varying amounts of time and has varying doses. For example, some people can be on 100mg a day of Oxycontin ... Views: 12277
Initially the attraction is euphoria taking a mini vacation. Someone once told me getting high is like God putting a warm blanket around you and rubbing your temples telling you everything will be alright. This is a powerful draw. The mini vacation to escape life’s hardships becomes more ... Views: 2400
It’s the Holy Grail in the world of addiction to find drugs that will block the craving for alcohol. There are three medications on the market that have been studied and show some benefits.
Pros and Cons of Drug Used for Alcohol Dependency or to Block Craving
Campral, also known as ... Views: 8833
I want to share two stories to help those with drug problems -- or those with loved ones who have drug problems -- see how addiction works and how it can be overcome.
My clients, Belle and Bob, were both addicts. Belle managed to dig herself out. Bob did not. At the most basic level, these ... Views: 2354
Drugs are presented to every teenager at one point or another. No matter what the discussions at home have been, no matter what a “good boy or girl” that your kid really is, the curiosity of what drugs are about will likely grab him or her at some point in time because here is what the trend ... Views: 3547
Do you need to WANT to get well for treatment to work?
We have all heard the line… “You can’t force someone into treatment, they have to want to get well for it to work”. I must say, I wholeheartedly disagree and I believe this fallacy has lead to devastating consequences for people who ... Views: 1415
What Treatment Coordination and Advocacy Suggests you
Ask When Choosing a Treatment Center
Choosing a treatment center can be an overwhelming and confusing process for anyone, let alone someone who is scared, anxious and may be seeking treatment for the first time. This is one reason why ... Views: 1001
How can he be so selfish? He can clearly see how much pains he's causing - why doesn't he care? I can't take the stress any longer. He's destroying all of our dreams. Our lives have become Hell. Isn't he tired of living this way?
These are the typical thoughts that run through your mind when ... Views: 1609
There is so much "information" on the internet about addiction and recovery and unless you already have some knowledge about addiction and recovery, all resources may appear equal to you. This is not the case.
There are advertisements, articles, and blog posts about addiction recovery ... Views: 1702
New research shows that smoking bans spare many children with asthma from being hospitalized, a finding that suggests smoke-free laws have even greater health benefits than previously believed.
Other studies have charted the decline in adult heart attack rates after smoking bans were adopted. ... Views: 1133
A very concerned mother recently wrote to us because she had discovered that her 17 year-old son was smoking pot. She was worried about addiction and asked us what we would do in her situation to help him realize the spiritual and other consequences of his choices.
Even though we intuitively ... Views: 3482
Drug addiction and abuse can be prevented. Research has shown that prevention programs that involve families, schools, and communities can help reduce drug abuse. It is important for the youth and general public to understand the real risks of drug abuse and addiction. Community leaders must ... Views: 1686
For someone who has never had a problem with alcohol, it can be difficult to understand why someone cannot simply stop drinking. Doing battle with a true addiction is never going to be easy, which is why an alcohol rehab center can be so beneficial.
What to Expect from an Alcohol Rehab ... Views: 1248
Whether you plan to abstain from alcohol for a day, a week, a month, or a lifetime, the use cognitive behavioral strategies has been proven to greatly increase your chances of success. Dr. Jeffrey Brandsma's (1980) classic study showed that people who learned cognitive behavioral strategies were ... Views: 4165
Just because you want your teenage son to quit drinking, that does not mean he is ready for an alcohol and drug treatment program. The odds are he does not even think he has a problem. Most addicts do not. An addict has to desire change himself. If he’s not ready to change, then he will make no ... Views: 995
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR MOST EFFECTIVE DRUG OR ALCOHOL TREATMENT PROGRAM (A Chapter from “AA Not the Only Way”
By Melanie Solomon
http://www.aanottheonlyway.com
Note: This is NOT a free product. You do not have the right to give it away or sell it without proper written consent from the ... Views: 1591
Alcoholism and drug addiction are two maladies that have severely afflicted scores of people across the globe. Now, whether these two should be categorized under diseases like cancer or heart disease is a debate that seems to rage on and create great controversy.
The medical community today ... Views: 2126
One of the most important tasks of early recovery from alcohol and other drug addiction is learning to replace the chemical with health living skills. When you have taken the chemical out of your life, it leaves a big gaping hole, where something of substance was. Alcohol or other drugs have ... Views: 10872
I just watched Oprah interview Geneen Roth about her new book, Women, Food, and God (written for men as well as women). Oprah experienced many breakthroughs reading the book and is recommending it to anyone who has ever struggled with weight. It seems that however Oprah goes, so goes the ... Views: 3745
"Enabling" can be described as a behavior pattern of the significant people in the life on an addict or alcoholic. "Enabling" involves rescuing the alcoholic/addict from the negative consequences of his or her behavior. When the addict has those negative consequences of his/her addiction ... Views: 3050
"My spouse went to recovery. Now they tell me that he needs to go on to additional counseling. What is that all about?"
"Recovery" and "treatment" are not the same thing. Inpatient treatment, detox, or outpatient treatment, in and of itself, is not "recovery". Recovery is generally a return ... Views: 2655
The majority of patients who successfully complete inpatient and have the desire to stay clean and sober relapse in the first year after acute care treatment. Anyone who has been to inpatient treatment has noticed that the among the other patients around them, that there is a large percentage ... Views: 2668
It is a common belief that nicotine addiction is the reason it’s hard to quit smoking. However, talk to any smoker who has tried to quit using the patch or gum (maybe you’re one of them), and most will tell you they still want to smoke.
So why would do you still want to smoke when you are ... Views: 2880
What are addictions? The Merriam Webster dictionary explanation is:
1: the quality or state of being addicted 2: compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; ... Views: 1988
Drug and alcohol addiction recovery is a process, and a process that continues for life.
Unfortunately, because no one is ever "cured" completely from the temptations of addiction, relapse is too often a part of the recovery process.
A drug or alcohol relapse does not mean the end of ... Views: 3149
Serving Your Country
Most people believe you must be in the military or be voted in to serve a community, state, or country. Such as a Mayor, Congressman, or Judge someone that the people approve to be a servant of the people.
We serve our families, neighborhood's, communities on up, in a ... Views: 1669
The success of community based substance abuse treatment programs is based, according to Dr. Darryl Inaba, on the fact that they are uniquely able to provide care and support that is sensitive to culture, gender and place. As one of the original founders of San Francisco’s Haight Ashbury Free ... Views: 1624
One of the common experiences of the earliest efforts toward quitting drinking and becoming sober, is grief over the loss of the chemical. For many people with an alcohol or other drug problem, the chemical, (whether it is alcohol or oxycodone) has become the addict's best friend and constant ... Views: 4410