The Fitness Blog

Wendy was the mother of three children. Wendy had been feeling quite nervous lately and started to “medicate” herself by having a few shots of whisky every night after she tucked her children into bed. After around three months of this drinking routine, she at long last grasped the fact that instead of helping her ”lighten up” and deal with her problems, drinking made her feel less tranquil when she got up in the morning. This, in turn, made her feel even more anxious throughout the day.

After thinking about her “condition” for two or three weeks, Wendy made up her mind to discuss her drinking situation with her best friend. In truth, about twenty minutes into their discussion, Wendy’s friend, Londyn, mentioned that she knew about a very supportive and competent physician at the local alcohol and drug rehabilitation facility. After talking to her friend, Wendy without much ado got motivated to call the treatment center and schedule an appointment.

Five days later she eventually got to meet the doctor her friend had been talking about. After their brief introduction, Wendy explained to the psychiatrist that ever since she and her husband got divorced, she has been having an extremely difficult time emotionally, spiritually, and financially.

At times, she felt that the divorce was behind her. Recently, on the other hand, she has been feeling quite depressed about the fact that she and her former husband couldn’t stay married and “make it”. When asked by the doctor how long her ex-husband and she dated before they got married, Wendy told the psychiatrist that Robert, her former husband, and she went out for four-and-a-half years and then lived together for two-and-a-half years before they got married.

As Wendy was talking to the doctor, she underlined the point that she really thought that she and Robert waited long enough to know each other well enough before they got married. After the kids started to arrive, conversely, their lives seemed to fall apart. To make mattes even worse, both she and Robert began to drink, and their alcohol abuse negatively affected their relationship, their love for one another, and their finances.

When things became less than cordial between them, Robert got a lawyer and filed for a divorce. Even though things were visibly not going well and although she was habitually depressed, Wendy told the psychiatrist that she didn’t want their relationship to come to an end. Once she received the divorce papers, however, she knew that their relationship was over.

The psychiatrist explained to Wendy that the stress, anxiety, and tension that she has been going through concerning her irresponsible and abusive drinking are some of the usual alcohol abuse effects and that the best solution for this state of affairs is rehabilitation for one’s alcohol abuse. In fact, getting alcohol abuse treatment is very important because long-term drinking can get the drinker into even more dangerous alcohol and alcoholism difficulties.

After eleven or twelve therapy sessions with her doctor, Wendy was slowly but surely able to understand that the real source of her anxiety and her depression was that she had not gotten to the bottom of her nasty feelings she has for her former husband who had divorced her two-and-a-half years ago. With these insights and with the meds her psychiatrist prescribed, she eventually abstained from drinking, she started to feel significantly less depressed, and she began making more time for social activities with her friends and family. A few months after getting counseling from her physician, she even began to date once again.

It was clear that Wendy had come a long way. In truth, just about four months after she completed her therapy, Wendy had finally laid the harmful feelings of Robert, her former husband, to rest and was beginning to feel more self esteem and more spiritually “sound” and emotionally “together” than she had ever felt in her life.

When I was in the tenth grade in high school, I enrolled into a substance abuse class. At that time, I did not understand that alcohol abuse in reality was a sub category of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse and especially about alcohol side effects, I read a lot about Alcoholic Anonymous, their meetings, how their programs have twelve steps, and how successful the Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program has been for people all over the world. I also learned quite a bit about alcohol rehabilitation and the different alcohol rehab facilities that are frequently available to individuals who engage in heavy drinking.

Detrimental Effects That are Linked to Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse

Some of the harmful end results associated with alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class without a doubt terrified me. The ruined lives and many problems experienced by most alcoholics made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. In short, I did not want to face the disaster and devastation that alcohol addicted individuals almost always experience.

Reflect on this for a moment. What fifteen-year-old person wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What young person wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that ingesting alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What young person wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related difficulties before he or she becomes twenty-one?

What teenager wants to experience alcohol withdrawals when he or she tries to stop drinking? Why would a person engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause difficulties in every area of his or her life? Drinking later in life after a person has a career, a family, and develops personal responsibilities makes sense. But why would a teenager want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that revolves around irresponsible drinking?

These issues were so important that I discussed some of them in class throughout the school year. What was utterly astonishing to me was the number of students who basically didn’t care about the negative effects of abusive drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t be bothered with the truth and how these results can destroy their lives. For the first time in my life I started to grasp something that my grandfather used to articulate all through my teen and pre-teen years: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t force it to drink.

It’s Beneficial, Enlivening, and Important to Keep Away From the Damaging and Unhealthy Effects of Alcohol and Drug Abuse

And even at my young age, I also began to realize how important, beneficial, and enlivening it is in life to stay away from the unhealthy and debilitating consequences of alcohol and drug abuse.

Dante was a seventeen year old high school junior who was exhibiting numerous alcohol-related difficulties at school. Therefore, the principal informed him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school counselor, before he would be allowed to come back to school.

Later that afternoon when Dante went home after school, he had to go over his school situation with his parents. His Mom and Dad were “fairly traditional” and explained to Dante that getting suspended from school was not an acceptable educational plan of action. They told Dante that failing to graduate from high school would probably be like a lead weight around his legs that may hamper his educational attainment for the remainder of his adult life. In addition, Dante’s parents were extremely displeased that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his buddies in the second.

His parents told Dante that although he may be a teen, he needs to comprehend fairly swiftly that drinking is the pathway to pain, financial problems, failure, and ill health.

It was apparent that his Mother and Father were completely in accord with Dante’s principal and informed Dante that he had better make up his mind to see Miss Johnson, the school counselor. After his dialogue with his Mother and Father, Dante in due course agreed to see Miss Johnson the next school day. So Dante phoned the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next morning before school.

The Psychologist Asks Dante if He Understands Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Behavior Caused Quite a Bit of Apprehension By the School Administrators

When Dante got to his scheduled appointment with Miss Johnson, she immediately went over all of the alcohol-related difficulties Dante had gotten into and asked him if he knew why his recent alcohol-related behavior caused quite a bit of anxiety by the school administrators.

Quite candidly, Dante was not sure why the principal explained to him that he had to see a school counselor. As he expressed to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional counselor about his drinking activities? Because nearly all of his classmates drink about as much as he does, fundamentally, drinking shouldn’t be such a big thing. Stated more directly, if nearly everyone is drinking, why is this such a major problem?

Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink alcoholic beverages. He said that some of his older buddies introduced him to drinking wine coolers when he was twelve or thirteen years old and in the seventh grade.

Miss Johnson explained to Dante that while his buddies may in fact drink more than he does and that they may be a bad influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting discharged from school due to alcohol-related delinquency, absenteeism, and fighting, not his buddies. What is more, Miss Johnson also stressed the fact that Dante, and not his pals, is the one who is failing and who is missing at least one day of class per week because of his alcohol related difficulties. Lastly, Miss Johnson underlined the fact that due to his drinking situation, Dante is getting into a harmful cycle of abusive drinking that can in time wreck his life.

In short, Dante’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was beginning to foil his ability to function as an accountable young man. As verbalized by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your peers drink beer, wine, hard liquor, or wine coolers does not mean that it is right for you.”

Dante Learns That In Due Course He Must Be Responsible For Himself In Order to Avoid Dangerous, Destructive, Unhealthy, and Damaging Consequences In the Foreseeable Future

Miss Johnson informed Dante that one’s friends can indeed influence a person in an unhealthy way, but that the individual herself or himself has to eventually take responsibility for himself or herself in order to prevent dangerous, destructive, unhealthy, and damaging outcomes in the future.

Luckily, Miss Johnson was very well equipped for her scheduled time with Dante. She showed him reports and research studies she had highlighted that outlined diverse drinking facts and statistics that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante quite a bit of information that applied chiefly to underage drinkers.

As an illustration, Miss Johnson stressed the difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction and explained to Dante that drinkers who continue to drink abusively frequently become dependent on alcohol.

Miss Johnson also articulated the concept of binge drinking which she defined as follows: drinking five or more drinks in one sitting for males and consuming four or more drinks in one sitting for females.

The Counselor Articulates Numerous Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse Facts and Statistics

Then Miss Johnson articulated various alcohol facts and the following eight alcohol abuse statistics:

1. Alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse cost the United States an estimated 0 billion in 2005. This dollar amount was more than the cost linked to obesity (3 billion) or with cancer (6 billion).

2. More than one-half of U.S. adults have a close relative or family member that has or has had alcohol dependency.

3. More than 75% of female victims of nonfatal, domestic violence stated that their assailant had been drinking or using drugs.

4. In the United States on an annual basis, more than 33% of pedestrians killed by motor vehicles were legally drunk.

5. One national research study uncovered the fact that students are less likely to use alcohol if they are socially accepted by others at school and feel that teachers treat students fairly.

6. Research demonstrates that teens who use alcohol may remember 10 percent less of what they have learned than those who don’t drink.

7. Nearly ten to twenty percent of the individuals who drink in a hazardous manner in the long run develop cirrhosis of the liver (i.e., a scarring of the liver that can be fatal).

8. Up to 40% of the U.S. industrial fatalities and 47 percent of industrial injuries are associated with alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency.

Dante Gets A Relevant Wake Up Call Concerning the Long Term and the Short Term Outcomes of Teenage Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse

After Miss Johnson stated the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction facts and statistics, it was evident that what Miss Johnson made known to Dante was a realization for him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to put in plain words the long term and the short term effects of alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse, but she also took the time to support what she was saying with alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse facts and statistics that related to people in general, and principally to teens.

Indeed, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante at once comprehended why he should not be engaging in abusive and excessive drinking with or without his peers anymore. Dante thanked Miss Johnson for her concern and for the information she presented.

Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical exam and an alcohol evaluation for the alcohol abuse or alcoholism rehab he would probably need.

Dante thought about this for few minutes and then agreed to get a thorough physical examination and to go through a complete assessment of his drinking situation so that he could start an alcohol rehab program promptly.

Jennifer is a thirty-year-old accounts payable manager who has been ingesting alcohol in an irresponsible and abusive manner since her live-in boyfriend and she broke off their relationship. Indeed, for the past ten months she has been drinking nearly a bottle of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking more than a few cocktails all through the day. In short, Jennifer has been drinking so abusively that it’s amazing that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.

After feeling dejected because she was beginning to neglect her health, Jennifer at long last told herself that she’s had enough, that it’s time to stop the self pity act, that it’s time to quit the abusive and irresponsible drinking, and time to move on with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 8:00 AM, she determined that she would stop drinking suddenly and completely without planning or preparation.

When She Stopped Drinking She Felt Horrific, She Vomited Several Times, She Had Utterly No Appetite, She Started to Perspire Extensively, She Was Extremely Stressed Out and Moody, and Her Head Was Pounding

When Jennifer stopped drinking, she thought that she would probably be tempted to take a drink or two, but she never envisioned that she would feel so sick. More accurately, approximately two hours after she quit drinking, she had utterly no appetite, she vomited numerous times, she started to sweat extensively, her head was aching, and she was extremely moody and anxious.

When she called her best buddy and informed her that she had stopped drinking and that after a few hours she suddenly began experiencing flu-like symptoms, Helen, her best pal, told Jennifer to call her medical practitioner and tell him what she was experiencing.

She Admits to Her Doctor That She Has Been Drinking In a Hazardous and Irresponsible Manner, That She Just Tried to Quit Drinking, and That She is Suffering Through Extremely Unpleasant Flu-Like Symptoms

So Jennifer called her doctor, told him that she has been drinking in an excessive and irresponsible manner for more than a few months and that when she tried to totally quit drinking earlier in the day, within a few hours she felt as if she had the worst case of the flu that she had ever suffered through.

Her medical practitioner told her that she may be experiencing symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a friend or relative drive her to the emergency room ASAP.

As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a neighbor to drive her to the emergency room. Interestingly, all the way to the hospital, as sick as Jennifer felt, the only thing she could think about was whether or not she might be addicted to alcohol.

Apparently her healthcare practitioner had phoned ahead and informed the emergency room personnel to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two ER workers who promptly asked her to get in the wheelchair they had with them. After getting taken to the emergency room and undergoing a few basic tests, it was verified that Jennifer was in fact going through alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detoxification.

A healthcare professional gave her some meds to address her flu-like symptoms and also gave her some meds to help get rid of the alcohol that was still in her circulation system.

An Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency Healthcare Professional Explains in a Clear Manner That She is Alcohol Dependent and Then Goes Over What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcoholism Stages Are

After an hour or two, Jennifer was removed from the emergency room and wheeled to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for approximately an hour-and-a-half, Doctor Jefferson, an alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse specialist, came to visit her. He took quite a bit of time and explained in a clear fashion that Jennifer had suffered through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she stopped drinking because she had become an alcoholic.

He then explained that with continuous and heavy drinking, the person’s brain over time becomes accustomed to the alcohol in order to carry out tasks and operations in a “normal” fashion. When the individual then abruptly abstains from drinking alcohol, it can be noted, the brain responds by creating alcohol withdrawal symptoms. What is more, her healthcare professional also explained the various alcoholism stages that an individual who is alcohol dependent usually experiences as the disease gets worse over time.

It is Verified that Jennifer is in the First Stage of Alcohol Dependency and She Obtains a Good Forecast For a Complete Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Therapy She Requires

Fortunately for Jennifer, it was confirmed that she was in the earliest stage of alcohol dependency and, consequently, she got a favorable projection for a full recovery if she will get the alcohol dependency therapy she needs.

Jennifer told the doctor that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to regain her life and her health. She also articulated that she has an exceptional hospitalization insurance plan that will probably pay for most, if not all, of the costs needed for rehabilitation. It was obvious that Jennifer was extremely grateful about her positive medical forecast and felt at ease knowing that she will be able to get the alcohol treatment she requires so that she can start on the path to recovery.

Jennifer is a thirty-six-year-old fixed assets manager who has been consuming alcohol in an irresponsible and excessive manner since she and her boyfriend decided to discontinue their relationship. In truth, for the past seven months she has been drinking almost a bottle of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking several mixed drinks all through the day. In short, Jennifer has been drinking so hazardously that it’s amazing that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.

After feeling unhappy because she was beginning to let her health go downhill, Jennifer finally told herself that she’s had enough, that it’s time to stop feeling sorry for herself, that it’s time to quit the irresponsible and abusive drinking, and time to get on with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 9:00 AM, she decided to quit drinking suddenly and completely without preparation or planning.

When She Quit Drinking She Felt Awful, She Had Absolutely No Appetite, Her Head Was Aching, She Started to Sweat Extensively, She Was Extremely Moody and Restless, and She Vomited a Number of Times

When Jennifer stopped drinking, she reasoned that she would more likely than not be tempted to have a drink or two, but she never supposed that she would feel so dreadful. More specifically, around an hour-and-a-half after she stopped drinking, she had utterly no appetite, she vomited numerous times, she started to sweat extensively, her head was aching, and she was extremely moody and anxious.

When she called her best buddy and informed her that she had quit drinking and that after a few hours she without any warning started to have flu-like symptoms, Julia, her best friend, told Jennifer to call her medical doctor and clearly explain what was happening.

She Admits to Her Physician That She Has Been Drinking Heavily, That She Just Tried to Quit Drinking, and That She is Going Through Extremely Painful Flu-Like Symptoms

So Jennifer called her doctor, informed him that she has been drinking in an abusive and excessive manner for a number of months and that when she tried to totally quit drinking earlier in the day, within a few hours she felt as if she had the worst case of the flu that she had ever experienced.

Her healthcare practitioner informed her that she may be experiencing symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a friend or neighbor drive her to the emergency room as soon as humanly possible.

As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a family member to drive her to the emergency room. Interestingly, as sick as Jennifer was, all she could think about all the way to the hospital was whether or not she might be addicted to alcohol.

Obviously her healthcare professional had called ahead and informed the emergency room personnel to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two ER workers who promptly asked her to lie down on the portable bed they had with them. After getting transferred to the emergency room and undergoing a couple of basic tests, it was corroborated that Jennifer was in actual fact experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detoxification.

A doctor administered some meds to lessen her flu-like symptoms and also administered some medications to help get rid of the alcohol that was still in her circulation system.

An Alcohol Addiction Medical Practitioner Discusses That She is Alcohol Dependent and Then Goes Over What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Addiction Stages Are

After an hour or two, Jennifer was taken from the ER and wheeled to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for approximately two-and-a-half hours, Doctor
Alessie, a chemical dependency and substance abuse specialist, came to talk to her. He took plenty of time and explained in a clear fashion that Jennifer had gone through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she quit drinking due to the fact that she had become dependent on alcohol.

He then discussed the fact that with heavy drinking on an everyday basis, the individual’s brain slowly becomes accustomed to the alcohol in order to operate in a “normal” way. When the individual then all of a sudden refrains from ingesting alcohol, it can be noted, the brain responds by giving rise to alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Furthermore, her doctor also went over the various alcoholism stages that a person who is alcohol dependent typically suffers through as the disease advances.

It is Established that Jennifer is in the First Stage of Alcohol Addiction and She Receives a Favorable Projection For a Complete Recovery if She Gets the Alcoholism Rehabilitation She Requires

Fortunately for Jennifer, it was verified that she was in the first stage of alcoholism and, as a result, she received a good projection for a total recovery if she receives the alcohol rehabilitation she requires.

Jennifer told the medical practitioner that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to reclaim her health. She also stated that she has a first class hospitalization insurance policy that will quite possibly pay for most, if not all, of the treatment costs that will be incurred. It was obvious that Jennifer was quite thankful about her encouraging medical prognosis and felt reassured knowing that she will be able to get the alcohol dependency therapy she requires so that she can start on the road to recovery.

It is remarkable to articulate something that family members who have been unfavorably affected by the alcohol dependency of another family member apparently do not grasp. It appears that by shielding the alcohol dependent individual with untruths and dishonesty to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have basically created a condition that makes it easier for the alcoholic to persevere and advance with his or her damaging, detrimental style of life.

Clearly, rather than helping the alcohol dependent individual and themselves, these family members have in truth become enablers who have inadvertently helped deteriorate the alcoholic’s drinking problem even further.

Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcohol dependent person will continue drinking in an excessive and abusive manner and experience various “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include deteriorating relationships, considerable financial problems, legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DUIs), employment difficulties, diminished mental functioning, and poor health.

The Possibility of a Relapse is Real

According to the research literature and statistics on alcohol dependency, another key alcohol dependency issue concerns alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol addicted person has effectively gone through alcoholism rehab and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this predicament flies in the face of sound thinking and looks so improbable that it forces a person to wonder why anyone who has gone through the awfulness of alcoholism can return to drinking a short while after effective alcohol therapy and in turn after attaining sobriety. There are, for sure, many credible reasons for this.

It should be noted, then again that alcoholism research that has focused on the lasting outcomes of alcohol addiction has demonstrated-proven that long after the alcoholic has halted his or her drinking, key alterations in the way in which the alcohol dependent individual’s brain operates are still present. As a consequence, all a recovering alcohol dependent individual has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the modifications that have taken place in the brain is to begin drinking once again.

The Need for A Drastic Lifestyle Change

There are other reasons why numerous recovering alcohol dependent individuals return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after attaining sobriety. According to the alcoholism research literature, to make an effective recovery, the alcoholic needs new ways of acting and thinking in order to deal more effectively with tough alcohol-related circumstances that will take place.

Conditions such as returning to the same alcohol addictive environment or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the days when the alcohol dependent individual was drinking abusively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these circumstances can bring about memories that can prompt psychological tension or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcoholic to engage in excessive drinking once again. Sadly, all of these circumstances may not only contradict long standing alcohol recovery for the alcoholic but they can also result in relapse and therefore short-circuit one’s sobriety.

The Good News: Quality Help is Readily Available

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol addicted individual, family members can essentially cause unintentional destruction by enabling the negative drinking behavior of the alcohol dependent person.

The drug abuse research literature demonstrates the fact that most individuals who successfully complete alcohol therapy go through at least one relapse. Alcohol dependent persons and their family members need to know this so that they do not get crestfallen or beleaguered when a relapse occurs.

Fortunately, taking part in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up therapy and training have resulted in more productive, long standing alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency rehab outcomes, have helped decrease alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol addicted persons achieve enduring alcohol recovery.

Jennifer is a forty-year-old data warehouse manager who has been ingesting alcohol in an excessive and abusive manner since her fiancée and she broke up. In actual fact, for the past eight months she has been drinking very nearly two bottles of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking more than a few wine coolers all the way through the day. In a word, Jennifer has been drinking so abusively and excessively that it’s a miracle that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.

After feeling dejected because she was beginning to forget about the importance of her health, Jennifer at last told herself that she’s had enough, that it’s time to quit the self pity party, that it’s time to stop the irresponsible and excessive drinking, and time to move on with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 9:30 AM, she decided to stop drinking cold turkey.

When She Attempted to Stop Drinking She Felt Ill, Her Head Was Pounding, She Vomited a Number of Times, She Was Extremely Moody and Anxious, She Had Utterly No Appetite, and She Started to Sweat Extensively

When Jennifer stopped drinking, she thought that she would probably be tempted to sneak a drink or two, but she never visualized that she would feel so terrible. More to the point, just about three hours after she stopped drinking, she vomited numerous times, she was extremely moody and uptight, she started to sweat extensively, her head was pounding, and she had utterly no appetite.

When she called her best pal and informed her that she had quit drinking and that after a couple of hours she all of a sudden started to have flu-like symptoms, Kaitlin, her best friend, told Jennifer to call her medical practitioner and discuss what she was experiencing.

She Admits to Her Physician That She Has Been Drinking In an Excessive Manner, That She Just Tried to Stop Drinking, and That She is Suffering Through Dreadful Flu-Like Symptoms

So Jennifer called her doctor, told him that she has been drinking in an irresponsible and excessive manner for a number of months and that when she attempted to suddenly stop drinking earlier in the day, within a few hours she felt as if she had the worst case of the flu that she had ever experienced.

Her doctor told her that she may be suffering from symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a relative or friend drive her to the emergency room as soon as humanly possible.

As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a friend to drive her to the emergency room. Interestingly, all the way to the hospital, as sick as Jennifer felt, the only thing she could think about was whether or not she might be alcohol dependent.

Apparently her doctor had phoned ahead and told the emergency room treatment team to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two nurses who promptly asked her to get in the wheelchair they had with them. After getting transported to the emergency room and undergoing a few important tests, it was validated that Jennifer was in actual fact experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detox.

An emergency room doctor administered some medications to lessen the discomfort of her flu-like symptoms and also gave her some medications to help eliminate the alcohol that was still in her circulatory system.

A Drug and Alcohol Abuse Healthcare Professional Explains in a Clear Manner That She is Dependent on Alcohol and Then Discusses What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Addiction Stages Are

After two or three hours, Jennifer was transferred from the ER and transported to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for approximately three-and-a-half hours, Doctor Siegel, an alcohol and drug abuse specialist, came to see her. He took his time and explained in a clear fashion that Jennifer had gone through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she stopped drinking because she had become dependent on alcohol.

He then stated that with excessive drinking on an everyday basis, the person’s brain steadily adjusts to the alcohol so that it can carry out tasks and operations in a “normal” manner. When the person then all at once refrains from consuming alcohol, it can be stressed, the brain reacts by eliciting alcohol withdrawal symptoms. What is more, her medical practitioner also discussed the various alcoholism stages that a person who is alcohol dependent typically goes through as the disease progressively gets worse.

It is Determined that Jennifer is in the Earliest Stage of Alcohol Addiction and She Obtains a Favorable Prognosis For a Full Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Dependency Rehab She Needs

Fortunately for Jennifer, it was discovered that she was in the earliest stage of alcohol addiction and, as a consequence, she was given a good forecast for a total recovery if she gets the alcohol addiction rehab she requires.

Jennifer told the healthcare professional that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to re-establish her life. She also stated that she has a first-rate hospitalization plan that will more likely than not pay for most, if not all, of the costs required for rehabilitation. It was obvious that Jennifer was very grateful about her positive medical forecast and felt reassured knowing that she will be able to get the alcoholism rehabilitation she needs so that she can start on the path to recovery.

Jennifer is a twenty-five-year-old benefits manager who has been drinking quite abusively since she and her fiancée broke up. In fact, for the past nine months she has been drinking very nearly a bottle of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking several shots during the day. In a word, Jennifer has been drinking so hazardously and excessively that it’s a miracle that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.

After feeling down in the dumps because she was starting to neglect her health, Jennifer at last told herself that she’s had enough, that it’s time to quit the self pity routine, that it’s time to stop the excessive and irresponsible drinking, and time to get on with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 9:30 AM, she made up her mind to quit drinking suddenly and completely without preparation or planning.

When She Attempted to Quit Drinking She Felt Dreadful, Her Head Was Throbbing, She Vomited Several Times, She Started to Sweat Profusely, She Was Extremely Anxious and Moody, and She Had Absolutely No Appetite

When Jennifer quit drinking, she thought that she would quite possibly be tempted to sneak a couple of drinks, but she never imagined that she would feel so terrible. More specifically, about an hour after she quit drinking, she started to perspire profusely, her head was throbbing, she had absolutely no appetite, she was extremely anxious and moody, and she vomited several times.

When she called her best buddy and told her that she had quit drinking and that after a couple of hours she suddenly started to have flu-like symptoms, Ana, her best friend, told Jennifer to call her physician and explain what was going on.

She Admits to Her Medical Practitioner That She Has Been Drinking In a Hazardous Manner, That She Just Tried to Quit Drinking, and That She is Going Through Awful Flu-Like Symptoms

So Jennifer called her physician, informed him that she has been drinking abusively for several months and that when she honestly tried to suddenly quit drinking earlier in the day, within a few hours she felt as if she had the most painful flu-like symptoms that she had ever gone through.

Her medical practitioner informed her that she may be suffering from symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a neighbor or relative take her to the emergency room as soon as humanly possible.

As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a relative to take her to the emergency room. Interestingly, all the way to the hospital, as sick as Jennifer felt, the only thing she could think about was whether or not she might be addicted to alcohol.

It appears that her healthcare professional had called ahead and informed the emergency room treatment team to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two ER workers who without hesitation asked her to lie down on the portable bed they had with them. After getting moved to the emergency room and undergoing a couple of important tests, it was corroborated that Jennifer was in actual fact experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detoxification.

An emergency room healthcare practitioner administered some drugs to address her flu-like symptoms and also administered some drugs to help get rid of the alcohol that was still in her circulatory system.

An Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse Healthcare Professional Clearly Explains That She is Dependent on Alcohol and Then Clearly Explains What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Addiction Stages Are

After two or three hours, Jennifer was taken from the ER and wheeled to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for just about two hours, Doctor Castro, an alcoholism and alcohol abuse specialist, came to talk to her. He took plenty of time and explained in plain words that Jennifer had gone through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she quit drinking because she had become alcohol dependent.

He then explained that with excessive drinking on an everyday basis, the person’s brain progressively gets acclimated to the alcohol so that it can work in a “normal” manner. When the individual then all of a sudden quits drinking alcohol, as one would expect, the brain takes action by producing alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Not only this, but her medical practitioner also discussed the various alcoholism stages that an alcoholic commonly suffers through as the disease gets progressively worse.

It is Confirmed that Jennifer is in the Earliest Stage of Alcohol Dependency and She Receives a Good Prognosis For a Full Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Addiction Rehab She Requires

Fortunately for Jennifer, it was established that she was in the earliest stage of alcohol addiction and, consequently, she obtained a good forecast for a total recovery if she obtains the alcohol treatment she needs.

Jennifer told the healthcare practitioner that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to get back her life and her health. She also mentioned that she has an outstanding hospitalization insurance plan that will quite possibly pay for most, if not all, of the costs required for treatment. It was apparent that Jennifer was very pleased with her encouraging medical prognosis and felt reassured knowing that she will be able to get the alcoholism rehab she needs so that she can begin the path to recovery.

How do you know that you have a problem with your drinking? When is it evident that you are engaging in irresponsible drinking?

If you have unsuccessfully struggled to stop drinking or if you promised yourself that your drinking days are over and then you were made aware that you were drinking in a hazardous manner just a few days later, chances are quite good that you have drinking problems. The bottom line is that if you have attempted to terminate your drinking and cannot get this done, then your drinking is controlling you, instead of the other way around.

In a similar manner, if it takes larger amounts of alcohol to get the same “high,” you probably need to recognize the fact that you have a drinking problem.

You may be telling yourself that the reasoning for your drinking is so that you can lower your stress or get rid of the hurt that you feel. In a similar manner, you may be trying to avoid an unsafe circumstance and may be looking for something more beneficial, more constructive, or less regretful.

As you keep on drinking, nevertheless, you will grasp the fact that drinking does not bring forth the same high and you will also comprehend that drinking doesn’t help stamp out whatever brought about your problem in the first place.

As you continue to drink in a hazardous manner, unfortunately, you may become addicted to alcohol and, as a consequence, you may add another essential difficulty to deal with rather than discovering more effective and beneficial ways of coping with your alcohol induced problems.

An Alcohol Assessment is Probably Required

If you have concluded that you have a problem with your drinking, perhaps the most positive thing you can do for yourself is to call your medical doctor or healthcare provider and arrange for an appointment for a physical and for a review of your drinking circumstances.

If you openly think that you have a dangerous drinking problem, it might be a good idea to get prepared to hear that you need to get alcohol therapy.

At this point in your life, what are your options? You can certainly say no and refuse to see your doctor and persist with your pattern of abusive drinking.

It really doesn’t take a wiz kid, on the other hand, to have a handle on the fact that continuous, heavy drinking, if left untreated, will go downhill over time and almost certainly result an early death. Therefore, your most expedient option is to face up to your drinking situation and obtain the alcohol treatment you require.

The Facade of the Functioning Alcohol Addicted Person

It is ironic to note the fact that numerous individuals who are addicted to alcohol lead busy and active lives and have pets, vehicles, houses, jobs, families, and any number of material possessions similar to non-alcoholics.

Many of these “functional” alcohol addicted people may have never been arrested for a DWI and may have been fortunate enough to avoid all alcohol-related legal difficulties. Despite this good fortune, nonetheless, these alcohol dependent individuals need to drink in order to function on a day to day basis while keeping up their facade as they associate with the outside world.

Ask anyone who has seen them when they are engaging in one of their drinking binges or in a drunken stupor or ask a family member about the problem drinker’s alcohol dependency, conversely, and they will be quick to maintain the reality of the drinker’s situation and the essentials about the alcoholic’s drinking circumstances and about his or her alcohol induced predicaments.

Why Do Alcoholics Fail to Deal With Their Drinking Difficulties?

As alcohol addiction research and statistics on alcohol abuse have highlighted, no matter how observable the alcohol generated predicaments seem to those who interact with the alcoholic, alcohol dependent individuals normally deny that drinking is the cause of their alcohol induced issues. Not only this, but alcohol dependent people commonly blame their alcohol-related difficulties on other individuals or upon other situations that surround them instead of seeing their part in the issue.

The source of the issue is that alcohol addiction is a disease of the brain. Once the drinker has become dependent on alcohol, he or she commonly resorts to denial, manipulation, and lying as a way of coping with the fact that his or her drinking is out of control. And to make things worse, the experience of alcohol withdrawal symptoms commonly circumvents the alcohol dependent person’s rare attempts to abruptly quit drinking. As dismal as the alcoholic’s existence is, then again, the good news is that quality assistance is typically accessible – if the alcohol addicted individual reaches out and gets alcohol rehabilitation.

Conclusion

Owning up to the fact that drinking is leading to difficulties in your day to day functioning is perhaps the easiest way to determine if you have a problem with your drinking. Stated another way, if your drinking is causing issues with your health, at work, in your relationships, with your finances, at school, or with the law, then you have a drinking problem that needs to be dealt with.

If you have a problem with your drinking, furthermore, this means that you are getting involved with irresponsible drinking.

While some drinkers may be able to recognize their “alcohol signs,” pinpoint their difficulties, and substantially decrease the quantity and incidence of their drinking, other individuals, to the contrary, need to address their drinking difficulties by getting professional alcoholism therapy. What is more, due to their tendency to deny the facts and warp the truth, alcohol addicted people definitely require professional alcohol counseling for their abusive drinking.

What are the central factors in a successful alcohol intervention? Why do some alcohol dependency interventions go well while several bomb?

The Requirement for a Distinguished Record of Intervention Accomplishment

Scientific investigation makes obvious the fact that a “winning” addiction intervention needs to be managed by an intervention professional who has a distinguished history of intervention attainment.

Basically this means that rather than opting for an “everyday” alcohol abuse counselor or psychologist for an alcohol intervention, the person who is chosen to oversee the intervention needs to be educated in alcohol dependency intervention methods and needs to exhibit a record of fruitful alcohol dependency interventions.

A Few Fundamental Illustrations of The Most Productive Time For an Alcohol Intervention

Scientific inquiry and alcoholism facts about interventions has also displayed that the most favorable time for an alcoholism intervention is following an important event in the life of the alcoholic or abusive drinker. The following represents a few illustrations of these kinds of meaningful occasions:

• The alcoholic or abusive drinker has been caught stealing something of significance.
• The alcohol abuser or alcohol-dependent person has been caught lying about something of importance.
• The alcohol dependent individual or abusive drinker has been imprisoned for driving under the influence.

In situations like these, the alcohol-dependent person or abusive drinker is more apt to feel sorry or to feel guilty, therefore making him or her more amenable to getting the quality alcohol therapy that he or she requires.

At this time, additionally, it is also necessary to note the fact that the abusive drinker or alcoholic needs to be free of alcohol during the alcohol dependency intervention. In brief, if the alcohol abuser or alcohol addicted individual is drunk during an alcohol intervention, failure is practically a sure thing.

Moreover, scientific analysis has also demonstrated the fact that the abusive drinker or alcohol dependent individual has to at least try to listen to what is said in an alcohol dependency intervention. Stated more clearly, during an alcohol dependency intervention, the alcohol abuser or alcohol dependent individual needs to listen to what his or her drinking difficulties have done to those who care for him or her the most.

The Impact of Alcohol Rehabilitation For the Irresponsible Drinker

And lastly, scientific exploration demonstrates that the main reason for an alcohol dependency intervention in the first place is to induce the hazardous drinker or alcohol dependent individual to get the professional alcohol counseling he or she needs. Stated more explicitly, even if the individual who manages the intervention has a marvelous history of productive interventions and even if the alcohol abuser or alcohol dependent individual sincerely listens to every single word that is said all the way through an intervention, if the alcohol abuser or alcohol dependent individual is not inspired to ask for quality alcohol rehabilitation after the alcohol addiction intervention, then the intervention will be a fiasco.

Without a doubt all of these factors are needed for a successful alcohol abuse intervention. If, nevertheless, the abusive drinker or alcohol addicted person is not stimulated to request alcoholism therapy after listening to his or her family members communicate the agony, wrath, and frustration they feel about the abusive drinker’s or alcohol addicted person’s hazardous drinking behavior and the concern they feel for the problem drinker, then every other aspect of the alcohol addiction intervention will for the most part be a waste of time.

Even Successful Alcohol Abuse Interventions Can Fail In the Long Term

It also needs to be pointed out that despite the fact that the alcohol abuse intervention can be seen as productive in that it helped put the abusive drinker or alcohol-dependent person in a more “open” state of mind and honestly helped the alcoholic or hazardous drinker make a decision that he or she required alcohol therapy or professional help for alcoholism or alcohol abuse, the simple fact that the intervention transpired might lead to resentment, irritation, and distrust in the future.

Briefly, even when addiction interventions are seen as successful in the short run, in the long run, conversely, they may backfire and, thus, may make the family and/or the alcohol dependent individual’s circumstance even poorer than it was before the alcoholism intervention took place.

No matter how unjust or ironic this seems, try to keep in mind that it is simply one of the central alcohol facts that has to be tackled when doing an alcohol intervention.