Addiction Recovery

Although the use of the term ‘alcoholism’ is common, it has varying definitions. It usually refers to any condition which causes a person to keep drinking alcohol despite the evident negative medical and social consequences. The compulsion to drink alcohol, and a lack of awareness of the negative effects of heavy drinking are also referred to as ‘alcoholism’. Not all definitions of alcoholism specify that recent or continuous intake of alcohol is a required, and some note the long-term effects of alcoholism such as
symptoms of withdrawal.

The behaviour regarding alcohol consumption which leads to alcoholism varies wildly. It is impossible to predict the probability of becoming an alcoholic based on drinking habits, though obviously some alcohol intake is required. The biological processes which cause alcohol dependence are not fully understood, though influences such as mental health, genetic predisposition and social surroundings have been researched.

The word ‘alcoholism’ was first used in Sweden by Dr. Huss in 1849, but it was not brought into common usage until the 1940s with the founding of the Alcoholics Anonymous. The AA didn’t have a clear definition for the disease, so they likened it to a kind of allergy.

A study done in 1960 by Dr. Jellinek put forward the modern theory that alcoholism is a disease. Although the medical definition in usage has been altered since, the perception of alcoholism as a disease has a large influence and following. A few medical experts still content that alcoholism is not a disease and refer to it instead as ‘heavy drinking’ when talking about alcohol dependence.

Multiple tools are available to those wishing to conduct screening for alcoholism. Identification of alcoholism may be difficult because there is no detectable physiologic difference between a person who drinks frequently Read the rest of this entry »

On first impression I’d say that it seems to be a quite an ordinary question that one would ask one self, but could you really tell whether you had a serious drinking problem, I ask myself.

The incredible truth is that in fact most people throughout the world are just not capable of owning up to their alcohol drinking condition. People just tend to remain blind to the fact and simply refuse to make an effort to change their sorry lives. You can take it for granted too that these sort of people are not the types for owning up to their addiction to alcohol.

Well we may just ask ourselves just what are the first signs of having a drinking problem. The answer is simple enough and it’s just by analysing our own behaviour. It may appear that any diagnosis of alcoholism would be quite obvious, and it is if you follow a logical pattern as you would with an ordinary illness.

Let’s now go over 11 questions that we should probably be asking ourselves. If you believe that you can associate yourself with any of these points then you shouldn’t be in two minds about getting treatment urgently…

1 - Do my drinking habits get me into trouble?

2 - Am I always happy to drink more even once I’ve reached my limit?

3 - Is this the first time I am considering quitting?

4 - Have I begun hiding booze around the house?

5 - Am I more forgetful after drinking?

6 - Does Alcohol turn me into someone else?

7 - Do I tend to be a pain in the but while drinking?

8 - When I get down or sad, do I start sniffing for booze with amazing speed?

9 - Do you tend to fall out with family and friends under the influence?

10 - Do you worry that drinking affects your health constantly?

11 - Have you actually ever asked yourself what life could really be like without alcohol?

The time has come to quite hone Read the rest of this entry »

Addictions are a worldwide phenomenon adversely affecting the lives of millions across all geographical boundaries and cultures. Addictions cause enormous personal harm to not only the addict, but to their families and friends as well. Psychological dependence does not have to be limited only to substances; even activities and behavioural patterns can be considered addictions, if they become uncontrollable, e. In many cases, addictions involve both physiological and psychological aspects.

Problems

Addiction is one of the toughest problems facing our culture today. The growing problems within the family, as well as many other cultural stressors, make addiction a national and international problem that is growing by leaps and bounds. In some cases, individuals are brought to the attention of professionals because of legal problems related to their addiction. The theory behind counseling is that people become addicts because of serious problems in their lives. If those problems can be resolved, they may be less inclined to depend on addictive substances or behavior.

Withdrawl

Withdrawal means that an individual has a very painful physical and/or emotional reaction when the substance or behavior is stopped. Withdrawal happens in two phases: acute withdrawal and post-acute withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms vary, depending on the abused substance. Physical dependence, abuse of, and withdrawal from drugs and other miscellaneous substances is outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV TR).

Groups

Your best bet for getting good information about 12-step meeetings in your area is to contact the national groups; they all have information for this purpose. This might mean that you need to find a new group of friends who will be 100% supportive. Many people find that joining a suppor Read the rest of this entry »