Alcohol Addiction: A Solution
Alcohol addiction: A solution?
Drinking alcohol can make you happy, relieve stress and anxiety, and help you de-stress. However, it can also cause a vicious cycle of addiction that could cause a lot of havoc in your life. If you're concerned about your drinking or someone else's, learn more about what causes it and how to stop here!
An excerpt from the blog post: "Alcohol addiction is an illness that involves abuse of alcohol. It is not a choice nor is it fun nor funny." Alcohol addicts will often be very secretive about their drinking because they don't want to worry others or for others to worry about them. However, if you are worried about your drinking it is OK to reach out and ask for help. It is important that you don't try to 'fix' yourself or others through alcohol. There is a lot of stigma that surrounds alcohol addiction and many people are afraid to go public with their struggles.
The use of drugs, such as cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana and opioids, can lead to hard drug addiction. If you have used hard drugs in the past or currently have a drug problem, check out this blog post from Drugabuse.gov: Help Me Find Treatment . You may find it helpful to join Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) for support and guidance in managing your relapse.
Statistics from Alcoholism-and-Drug-Addiction-Help.com: 7% of teens will develop a drinking problem before they graduate high school.
30% of college students now report feeling sick (i.e., hungover) after drinking alcohol in the past month.
There are over 7 million alcoholics in the US and up to 17 million people struggling with a drinking problem.
In 2015, over 30,000 deaths were caused by excessive alcohol use in the US - or about 88 deaths each day.
An excerpt from the blog post: "Alcoholism affects not just the alcoholic but his family, friends and coworkers."
The substance abuse problem in the United States is a huge problem, but it has been increasing rapidly since 2000. This is due to a variety of factors. One of them is the rise in prescription drug abuse and addiction, another is that more people are seeking treatment for their drinking habits and alcoholism. While over 1 million people have tried to get help for their alcohol addiction, only about one-tenth end up successfully completing treatment for alcoholism. Why is this?
When someone challenges the common belief that alcoholics can’t help themselves and will always do what they want to do, they are often called “self-pitying.” They are also called “unemotional” or “not a true alcoholic.” Talking about it can result in a lot of tension in your immediate surroundings and even your home. You might not be able to find a job or be able to keep your family together before the alcohol has stopped taking over your life. However, if you do it can be done.
The government has been trying to tackle the problem of substance use disorders in the US and they have given $7.5 billion in funding to a variety of programs aimed at helping alcoholics and addicts. If you suspect that you or someone you know may have a substance abuse problem, it is important to find the right treatment center for their needs. There are many options out there, some covered by your insurance and others that are not. Find what works best for your situation!
If you're struggling with addiction, STAT Treatment Finder can help. Learn more here: https://treatmentsfinder.samhsa.gov/.
An excerpt from the blog post: "Alcohol cross-substances affect all mammals, including humans."
We use the term addiction in many different ways. Someone can be addicted to drugs or alcohol and still be able to function in everyday life without any problems. The person may be able to work, go to school and hold down a job without any problems as long as they're not high on drugs or alcohol very often. But addiction is different than dependence.
Addiction is a condition of being hooked on something like drugs or alcohol. While dependence is an emotional or psychological condition related to living in proximity to the substance. The addict gets a certain “high” from drinking or using drugs and when the drug is removed, the addict will often experience withdrawal symptoms (cravings, anxiety etc.). The addicted individual may have trouble functioning in daily life without their addiction. They may not want to be away from their drug or alcohol of choice or they may get very anxious if they are unable to use their drug of choice.
An excerpt from the blog post: "Alcohol has been around for ages and there's no reason it can't continue as a constantly-used (i.e., drunk) product. It is just different. It can be consumed with food. It has no per-unit risk."
Beer and wine have been around for ages, but it is only in the past 20 years that these alcoholic beverages have become available in cans, bottles, and small boxes for enjoyment at home. The alcohol content of beer and wine can vary widely depending on what country or region the beverage is coming from.
According to the TABC (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission) an 80-proof can of beer holds about 11 ounces of beer and a 1.75 ounce serving (about 7 fluid ounces) of wine will typically give you about 10% of your daily recommended amount of alcohol. It's important to know that serving sizes can vary depending on who is doing the serving and it can also vary depending on what kind of glass or container you are drinking out of. Beer and wine have a lower alcohol content than spirits so people will often consume more before feeling the effects of alcohol. This lower alcohol content, when compared to hard liquor, can result in more frequent and dangerous binge drinking episodes.
An excerpt from the blog post: "The drugs most frequently used by addicts are stimulants, narcotics, and depressants."
Stimulant Addiction - Stimulants make you feel focused, concentrated and alert. Common stimulants include: Cocaine, methamphetamine, Adderall, Ritalinic Acid, etc.
Narcotic Addiction - Narcotics (or 'downers' as they're called) are either depressants or sedatives used in the treatment of pain. Common narcotics include: Morphine, Morphine Derivatives such as Fentanyl and Hydromorphone (Dilaudid), etc.
Dissociative Addiction - Dissociative drugs can cause bizarre experiences like out-of-body or dissociative hallucinations (seeing things or hearing things that are not happening). Common dissociatives include: Ketamine, PCP, DXM (Evekeo), Opioids.
Conclusion
Alcohol addiction is a complex mental illness that can affect anyone, regardless of their gender, race, religion or other factors. The majority of people who use alcohol responsibly also struggle with addiction at some point in their lives. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about 15 million people age 12 and older—or about 8 percent—use alcohol daily. Alcohol abuse is the most prevalent substance abuse disorder in the United States.
When someone challenges the common belief that alcoholics can’t help themselves and will always do what they want to do, they are often called “self-pitying.” They are also called “unemotional” or “not a true alcoholic.