What many people don't realize is that excess alcohol consumption can create a feeling of depression. If you drink too much and then feel depressed and out of control, you will drink again to try and suppress or numb the feelings and a vicious cycle begins.
The cycle continues with the possibility of a relationship or
marriage being jeopardized, divorce, job loss leading to financial worries, loneliness - all results of drinking which contribute to further
depression which leads to more drinking.
The only
person who can permanently stop someone from drinking excessively is the drinker themself. No amount of yelling, begging, explaining, cajoling,
persuading or threatening from loved ones seems to make any difference. As with anything in life that is worth having or getting, it all begins with
a decision. Making up your mind comes first and then action follows.
Hypnosis works well alone by itself or in conjunction with other programs as reinforcement. Only you can decide what's right for
you. Maybe you're in a Detox Program but need greater inner resolve to make it a success? Perhaps you're already attending AA meetings but need more
help? Or perhaps AA isn't to your liking and you're looking for a different kind of program? You might be attracted to the privacy and
confidentiality of one-on-one sessions with a Hypnotist.
Hypnosis has been used successfully to help people with an alcohol issue. It still requires the drinker to take
responsibility for themselves and their life choices. Hypnosis sessions or alcohol self-hypnosis CDs may just give you enough insight to help you
take control of your drinking, take back control of your life and start enjoying life again.
Do You Have a Drinking Problem?
1. Do you feel drinking makes you a happier person?
2. Do
you have a sense of regret after drinking?
3. Have you missed time from work or school because of your
drinking?
4. Has the quality of your performance at work or school declined?
5. Do
you drink alone?
6. Have you ever blacked out or forgotten where you were while drinking?
7.
Has your drinking been the cause of tension or arguments with friends, colleagues or loved ones?
8. Do you think about
drinking during the day?
9. When you are drinking does it change your personality?
10.
Do you spend money you really can't afford to at bars or on alcohol?
If you answered yes to some of these questions, then hypnosis is
the right tool for you to take back your control over alcohol and your life. Hypnosis is effective in changing your thinking about how and how much
you drink. Hypnosis can help you safely reduce the amount you drink or find the confidence to stop altogether.
Hypnosis, or the hypnotic state, getting down into a special
trance-like state between sleeping and waking, is an amazing place because we are so much more likely to take a suggestion deep into our mind and
therefore our behavior. Hypnotherapy, self-hypnosis, hypnotism: it's about getting around the skeptical part of us, the part of the brain that
blocks us from moving forward and getting through to that part that will help us.
Does living without drugs or alcohol sound boring or scary? Alcohol numbed our pain when we needed it,
provided social ease and fun, but eventually turned negatively on us. Hypnosis and self-hypnosis can provide the same joy, reinforce the goals we
really want, re-energize our tired engines without the negative side effects.
New brain scan technology shows that hypnotic suggestions can cause the pleasure centers of our brains to light up. In a
2005 hypnosis and brain-imaging study conducted at the University of Iowa, Doctors found that hypnosis actually blocks pain signals from getting to
the part of the brain responsible for discomfort. This goes for everything from emotional pain to surgery in a dentist's chair!
Good hypnotherapists know that people who drink too much do so
for many reasons, not just to avoid pain. Sometimes there seems to be a biological imperative to drink too much. Sometimes childhood memories seem
to drive us to drink. Sometimes we just want to drink for personal reasons. To relax, to forget, to remove boredom. Hypnosis has proved to be one
of the most effective tools available.
The
American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, April
2004 cites a study where 261 veterans were admitted to Substance
Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs. Results in this study on alcohol and hypnosis revealed that the individuals who played the
self-hypnosis CDs "at least 3 to 5 times a week" for at least 6 weeks reported, at their two month follow-up, the highest levels of self-esteem and
serenity, and the least anger/impulsivity, in comparison to the minimal-practice and control groups.
Pick up one of the great self-hypnosis CDs for Alcohol Control and Alcohol Moderation in our Online Store.
The Journal's study also showed that the groups who used the self-hypnosis CDs felt more in control of all their habits, their drinking, their eating, their social behaviors, and showed significantly
higher abstinence rates than the groups that just got stress-management therapy. At the one year follow up, the group who continued to use hypnosis and self hypnosis CDs on a regular basis had insured themselves against relapse.
It is important to make listening to your CD a good experience and a relaxing one. Keep your hypnosis CDs
where you can play them whenever you want to and before you really need to (but never while driving or operating machinery).
The challenge with controlling alcohol and quitting drinking
permanently is the same challenge one would face with any compulsive habit such as gambling, cocaine use, smoking, overeating or anything
similar.
You engage in the activity, enjoy the activity, regret
doing the activity, promise yourself you will never do it again, and then find yourself doing it again as if you had never made that
promise.
You repeat this pattern over, over and over until you
bottom out. Until something happens to you that makes you decide once and for all that you are done with this repetitive cycle that controls you.
When you finally decide that Freedom is more important and compelling than the substance or behavior. You've had it and want out.
How many times when you felt down and out, felt like alcohol
controlled you and was ruining your life and negatively affecting your relationships with friends, family, and even people you met for the first
time, did you know what was happening and say 'never again,' this is the last time. Unfortunately at those moments you were probably
drunk.
And so that power that
you had in that moment of feeling terrible at the end of a night of drinking tended to disappear and be wiped away the next morning or afternoon
when you woke up somewhat sober.
As the day progressed,
you tended to forget those great reasons for quitting drinking and re-focus on your reasons for drinking. However, once you have lost excess money,
health, friends, self respect, and things which really matter to you, then you have the ultimate power you need to stop drinking once and for
all.
It's at that time that people finally and resolutely turn
to methods such as hypnosis to help them successfully take back their control.
Whether or not you have bottomed out doesn't matter. Hypnosis for alcohol abuse is helpful whether you have just begun
drinking or whether you are pretty good at it. Hypnosis can help.
Realize that you're not alone - that many people have been where you are now. Many people have been to the
point where they thought their life was out of control or they thought that alcohol was controlling them. They felt powerless, they felt they could
not get better, they could not stop drinking, and yet they were able to with the power of hypnosis.
People can change in an instant and if you decide right now to never drink again, you
have the power with or without hypnosis to have that be true in your life. But if you feel that you need help to get there, my sessions and my CDs
are here to help you achieve Freedom From Alcohol!
Hypnosis is the easiest way to affect AMAZING and LASTING change in your life because the positive messages go straight to your subconscious mind
effortlessly. You can accomplish your goals!
Anxiety Disorders and Alcohol
Abuse
(Re-printed from Anxiety Disorders Association of America - www.ADAA.org)
For some people, a glass of wine after a long day at work is used
to help "take the edge off," or a drink at a party to help "loosen up." For many of these individuals, alcohol use in moderation is not of concern. However, for people with anxiety disorders, using alcohol or other substances can make anxiety symptoms worse and can even trigger panic attacks. Moreover, the risk and
occurrence of alcohol abuse is high in people with anxiety disorders. This makes alcohol use an important issue to consider for people with anxiety
disorders.
According to a major study released in 2004 on co-occurring alcohol abuse and mental health disorders (called the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related
Conditions and conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism), about 20 percent of Americans with a current anxiety or
mood disorder (such as depression) also have a current alcohol or other substance abuse disorder, and about 20 percent of those with a current
alcohol/substance abuse disorder also have a current anxiety or mood disorder. Other studies have put these numbers even higher.
While having co-occurring alcohol abuse and anxiety disorders can make an individual's situation more
complex, the good news is that these disorders are treatable - separately and together. Read on to learn more about the co-occurrence of anxiety
disorders and alcohol abuse, and how they can be treated.
Are people with anxiety disorders more likely to suffer from alcohol abuse than the general population and vice versa?
People with anxiety disorders are two to three times more likely to have an alcohol or other substance abuse disorder at some point in their lives than the general population, and vice versa. However, as explained in more detail later in this piece, the risk and prevalence of alcohol abuse is more common among people with certain anxiety disorders than others.
Which occurs first in
people with co-occurring disorders - the anxiety disorder or alcohol abuse?
There is a lot of variability in how people experience these conditions together. Possible courses of the
co-occurring conditions include:
- The alcohol abuse and anxiety disorders are independent of one another, meaning that one does not cause the development of
the other. However, the symptoms of one can make the symptoms of the other worse.
- An anxiety disorder leads an
individual to use alcohol or other substances to "self-medicate," or attempt to alleviate their anxiety symptoms on their own (which does not help,
and only exacerbates, their anxiety).
- An alcohol abuse problem causes
heightened anxiety during certain specific periods of abuse, such as during the actual time of drinking and/or withdrawal states (some studies have
shown the withdrawal from alcohol may activate the same neural pathways as anxiety). These anxiety symptoms may go away during other times and
usually are eliminated completely after the problem drinking stops.
- An
alcohol or other substance abuse problem leads to development of a substance-induced anxiety disorder in which a person's substance abuse causes
anxiety to exist all or close to all the time during a period of alcohol or other substance abuse in one's life. This may happen because some
substances change the way brain cells communicate with each other, including affecting the amount of neurotransmitters (or chemical messengers) in
an individual's nervous system. Thus, substance abuse can damage parts of the brain that keep anxiety in check. This type of anxiety disorder will
last during the period of substance abuse, and sometimes for a short period of time after the substance abuse has stopped.
In the past, there was a general consensus that among people who
abuse alcohol, those who also had an anxiety and/or mood disorder were usually substance-induced and the disorder would disappear once the substance
abuse was treated.
However, according to the earlier-mentioned National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol
and Related Conditions, the vast majority of people with both alcohol/substance abuse and anxiety disorders experience them independently, with
none or only some of anxiety episodes being induced by alcohol or drugs. This is important point for both patients and therapists, who should not
assume that treating substance abuse will solve an anxiety disorder on its own. Treating both disorders together is often
necessary.
What added difficulties
can arise from having both alcohol abuse and anxiety disorders?
Having both an anxiety disorder and alcohol abuse disorder can
have a "vicious cycle" effect. For example, someone with an anxiety disorder may use alcohol to alleviate their anxiety symptoms, causing them to
experience more anxiety as a side effect of using these substances, which then leads them to drink more alcohol. Other complications may include:
- People with the co-occurring disorders are at high risk for many additional problems such as
hospitalizations, financial problems, family problems and medical illnesses.
- People with both disorders may have lower treatment compliance than people with just one disorder.
- People with both an anxiety disorder and alcohol abuse have an increased risk of relapse into
alcohol abuse than people who have an alcohol problem without anxiety.
- People with both disorders may be at an increased risk for experiencing dangerous
interactions between prescription medication and alcohol (in the event that they relapse into alcohol abuse) than people with an anxiety disorder
alone.
-
People with an anxiety disorder may have more pronounced alcohol withdrawal symptoms than alcohol abusers without
anxiety.
This makes it of the utmost importance to treat both disorders.
The above points should all be discussed with a doctor when determining an individual treatment plan.
Are there specific anxiety disorders that are more often
associated with alcohol abuse? How does the relationship between anxiety and alcohol differ based on a person's specific anxiety
disorder?
While individuals with any anxiety disorder can also have an alcohol abuse problem, research has found this co-occurrence is more common in people with certain anxiety
disorders, including social anxiety
disorder (SAD) and post traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD).
Moreover, some research has shown the order in which the disorders
develop often varies based on the type of anxiety disorder (although, as noted earlier, any order of development is possible as every person is
different). For example, alcohol abuse in people with SAD and agoraphobia usually develops after the onset of the anxiety disorder (with people
reporting they are using the alcohol in an attempt to control anxiety, i.e., "self medication").
On the other hand, alcohol abuse commonly begins before or at the same time as anxiety symptoms
in people with generalized anxiety
disorder (GAD) and panic disorder. Again, this
is not always the case.
Some disorders also have noteworthy considerations/circumstances when co-occurring with alcohol abuse. These include:
Panic Disorder - Panic attacks can often be caused by use of alcohol or drugs, worsening the course of a person's disorder (or even inducing it). Panic disorder has also been singled out in research as a risk factor for a major substance abuse relapse among people with both disorders.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - PTSD and alcohol abuse may commonly occur together for a variety of reasons, including alcohol abuse may increase the likelihood of being exposed to trauma (and thus developing PTSD), or individuals with PTSD may use alcohol to "self medicate" in an attempt to ease their symptoms. Many characteristics of substance abuse can exacerbate symptoms of PTSD, including sleep disturbance and irritability. While professionals in the past often treated substance abuse before treating co-occurring PTSD, many now treat them together because symptoms of PTSD (such as intrusive thoughts and sleep disturbance) can drive relapse to substance abuse.
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) - Often, people with social anxiety report that alcohol helps lessen their social anxiety, which is likely why
alcohol abuse is so common in this population. However, in reality, substance use often makes anxiety worse. There are also special treatment
considerations for people with co-occurring substance abuse and social anxiety. Certain treatment approaches commonly used for substance abuse, such as group therapy or 12-step programs (used by Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous) may be difficult for a socially anxious person. Thus, a
more individualized treatment strategy may be necessary for people with co-occurring SAD and substance abuse.
Can an anxiety disorder and substance abuse be treated at the
same time and by the same professional?
Many
professionals will suggest treating these conditions at the same time to offer the best chance for successful recovery and lessen the chance of
relapse, particularly when one disorder is not causing the other. (For a substance-induced anxiety disorder, the substance abuse would be addressed
first because the anxiety should improve after abuse terminates). Many professionals or treatment teams can treat these disorders together. Ask your doctor if he or she can treat both conditions by him/herself, or in conjunction with another professional as part of a treatment
team.
What treatments are
available for people suffering from both?
Researchers are still exploring how to best treat people with both conditions. Many therapists will attempt to use non-medication
treatments for people with both anxiety and substance abuse disorders because of the increased risk for abuse of medication among substance users.
When prescription medications are used, therapists aim to use ones that have low abuse potential and that are safe if taken with abused substances
should a person relapse into alcohol or drug use. (Note that even when considered "safe" by an interaction standpoint, medications that treat
anxiety and/or substance abuse are less effective when used with alcohol or drugs.)
While medications that
effectively treat both anxiety disorders and substance abuse are still being explored, many doctors will suggest using an SSRI, a group of
antidepressants commonly used in the treatment of anxiety disorders that include Prozac (fluoxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), Luvox (fluvoxamine),
Paxil (paroxetine), Celexa (citalopram) and Lexapro (escitalopram), often in conjunction with therapy.
Many
doctors will avoid prescribing people with both disorders benzodiazepines, another group of medications also used to treat anxiety disorders,
because they can carry an increased risk of abuse, tolerance and physical dependence and thus may not be the best option for someone with current or past substance abuse.
The choice of medication
should be discussed carefully between doctor and patient and will always depend on individual circumstances. This choice will also depend on the
specific anxiety disorder a person suffers from (i.e., panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, etc.), as some medications will be more
effective than others for an individual disorder.
Other
treatment options for both anxiety disorders and substance abuse, which can be used alone or in combination with medication,
include:
Hypnosis - Individuals learn to use their subconscious
mind to successfully gain control over undesired behaviors and to move into the positive behaviors they desire. Hypnosis has proven effective with
anxiety as well as substance abuse disorders. (This comment has been added by the New Behavior Institute and was not in the original
article.)
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Individuals learn to identify, challenge and gain control over unwanted behaviors.
These therapies have been demonstrated effective in both anxiety and substance abuse disorders.
Individual psychotherapy - Individuals explore areas of emotional and social conflict. This is used for both disorders.
Group psychotherapy -
Individuals gather in a group to discuss shared and individual experiences. This is also used for both disorders.
Self-help/other treatment groups - Individuals with similar needs or experiences meet, and meetings are facilitated by a consumer, layperson or
survivor. Self-help groups for anxiety disorders can be found on ADAA's website here. You can also contact Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous for meetings
in your area.
References and Resources
About.Com: "Anxiety Disorders Can Prompt Alcoholic
Relapse"
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcohol Research & Health: "Social Anxiety Disorder and Alcohol Use" (Vol. 26, No. 2, 2002)
American Journal of Psychiatry: "Alcohol Use and Anxiety: Diagnostic and Management Issues" (164:2, February
2007)
Narcotics Anonymous
National Drug Intelligence Center
(Department of Justice)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism
National Institute of Mental Health
Psychiatric
Times
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
The
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
WebMD: "Anxiety Disorders Linked with
Alcoholism Relapse"
Facts about Alcohol:
Alcohol contributes to 100,000
deaths annually, making it the third leading cause of preventable mortality in the U.S., after tobacco and diet/activity patterns (J McGinnis &
W Foege, "Actual Causes of Death in the United States," Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Vol.270, No.18, 11/10/93, p.
2208).
Among 9,484 deaths attributed to non-medical us of other drugs in 1996, 37% also involved
alcohol (SAMHSA, Annual Medical Examiner Data 1996, 7/98, p. iii).
Drugs and Alcohol at Work
21% of workers reported being injured or put in danger, having to re-do work or to cover
for a co-worker, or needing to work harder due to others' drinking (Ibid, p.2).
Up to 40% of industrial
fatalities and 47% of industrial injuries can be linked to alcohol consumption and alcoholism (M Bernstein & JJ Mahoney, "Management
Perspectives on Alcoholism: The Employer's Stake in Alcoholism Treatment," Occupational Medicine, Vol 4, No. 2, 1989, pp. 223-232).
60% of alcohol-related work performance problems can be attributed to employees who are not alcohol
dependent, but who occasionally drink too much on a work night or drink during a weekday lunch (TW Mangione, et. al, "New Perspectives for Worksite
Alcohol Strategies: Results from a Corporate Drinking Study," JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., Boston, MA, 12/98, p.1)
Employees who were in serious trouble with alcohol showed significant improvement in drinking behavior and
job adjustment during the months immediately following an intervention to confront problem drinking that was intruding on their work (NIAAA, Alcohol Health & Research World (AHRW): Alcohol and the Workplace, Vol. 16, No. 2, 1992, p.147).
Questionnaire
Do you have a problem with drugs or alcohol?
Take a moment to ask yourself the following questions. Be sure to read through them all and be honest about your answers.
Are you unhappy?
Do you find yourself focusing on drugs/alcohol to the exclusion of work and family
responsibilities?
Do you feel that you are
different? That you are not an addict - that if it weren't for your spouse, job stresses, money problems, etc. that you would not be
using?
Does the thought of living without drugs
and alcohol seem impossible, too painful?
Do you ever feel trapped - that you can't stop using and you can't go on the way you're living?
Do you switch from vodka to beer to wine, from one drug to another,
thinking that a particular type of substance is the problem?
Are you in jeopardy of losing your job or family because of your drinking/drug use?
Do you use or drink alone?
Do you refuse to go places where you cannot use or drink?
Do you hide your use or lie about the amount you drink or
use?
Do you have any legal problems, like a DUI,
felony arrests or other "brushes with the law" where your drug/alcohol use was present?
Have you ever used cocaine, crack, heroin, pot? Ecstasy, blue ice, pcp, acid or any other
designer drugs?
In the
past, have you stopped, cut down, or decided to use/drink "only on weekends," only to find your use back in full swing after a short
time?
Do you ever feel like you are going crazy,
that your life is out of control?
Is it
getting harder to keep it all "under control" - hiding your use, showing up for work, looking and acting "normal," pretending to be
ok?
Do you use to manage feelings of anger,
loss, loneliness and other emotional pain?
Has anyone commented about your use being excessive?
Do you feel that no one can help you or that you are beyond help?
Do you continue to use despite negative consequences?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions,
please call us at (212) 889-5362 for information. Or E-mail us at SNF@NewBehaviorInstitute.com. If you answered "yes" to three or more questions,
please don't wait to call us...
ADD/ADHD Tract
Attention Deficit Disorder/ Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Very often addiction is accompanied by a variety of conditions,
examples of which include depression, mood swings and anxiety disorders. At times people may have difficulty focusing, paying attention and
remembering the simplest of things. Patients frequently report symptoms that were present in childhood and persist into adulthood. Some of these
include:
1. Restlessness
2. Poor
attention
3. Trouble sustaining a conversation
4. Unfulfilled promises
5. Temper
outbursts
6. Fidgeting
7. Compulsive behaviors
8. Impatience
9. Intolerance of boredom
10. Hot
temper
11. Tendency to worry
12. Insecurity
13. Poor self
esteem
14. Impaired concentration
15. Disorganization
16.
Underachievement
17. Procrastination
18. Problems in relationships, jobs, friendships
19. Losing
things
20. Impulsive interrupting of others
21. Inability to relax
22. Motivational
deficit
23. No follow through
If you have
any of these symptoms you may have ADD/ADHD
WHAT IS
ADD/ADHD?
ADD/ADHD is a neuropsychiatric syndrome which encompasses a number of symptoms that include inattention, impulsivity, behavioral
disinhibition, hyperactivity and emotionality. When this disorder is coupled with a substance abuse problem, patients and families suffer endlessly.
PROFESSIONAL DIAGNOSTIC TEAM
Because Alternatives in Treatment offers treatment for both substance abuse/dual disorders, the facility works with a team of
psychiatrists and other professionals who are able to diagnose symptoms and make recommendations for treatment.
PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING
Psychologists are able to administer appropriate
testing to determine if one has ADD/ADHD. Once diagnosed, a behavioral approach is taken in order to teach the client to live effectively
with ADD/ADHD and not be overwhelmed or victimized by it. Many people can learn to live effective lives in spite of both addiction and
ADD/ADHD.
COACHING - A NEW APPROACH
ADD/ADHD coaching is employed as the method of treatment in
such cases and clients learn how to manage the symptoms successfully. Some simple techniques are utilized that make task completion easier and helps
build the often-fragile confidence of those who suffer with the condition.
NEW MEDICATIONS
Medication may be called for in certain cases and new, improved pharmaceutical choices are
now available.
HOPE FOR RECOVERY AND EFFECTIVE
LIVING
When coupled with drug/ alcohol education and treatment, the ADD/ADHD tract gives the
client a better chance for successful, effective living. Alternatives in Treatment offers treatment for both addiction and ADD/ADHD
simultaneously. Recovery and effective living are the goals of treatment. Let us help you!
TYPICAL ADD/ADHD SCENARIOS - DO ANY OF THESE SOUND FAMILIAR?
JASON, WAITER, AGE
26
He was always a good child but could never
complete his homework or chores. He would day-dream his time away and now he can't hold a job for any length of time. He is still living at home
with his parents and has a hard time maintaining any romantic relationships.
MARY, HOUSEWIFE, 45
How
could she have ADD? It is true that she has had numerous treatments for alcohol addiction but she has no idea why she continues to relapse. Her son
complains that she never listens to him or forgets what he has told her almost immediately. She can't seem to follow through with any promises or
commitments. She has started drinking again.
MICHAEL, UNEMPLOYED, AGE
37
Michael is in and out of jail. He never sat
still as a child and his family thought he would outgrow his hyperactivity. He hasn't yet. He started smoking pot and now he is getting in trouble
with the law and doesn't seem to care.
BRAD, HIGH SCHOOL DROP-OUT,
AGE 18
He is depressed and his self esteem is low.
No matter how many times his parents and friends try to help him, it just doesn't work. He was diagnosed with ADD in the third grade and was placed
on Ritalin. By the time he was in the tenth grade, he started abusing the drug and finally dropped out of high school. He has always been artistic
and a gifted guitar player, but he could not find a way to utilize his talents. His parents fear that he is going nowhere and that he can't cope
with life.
JOHN, SUCCESSFUL ATTORNEY, AGE 42
How could he have ADD? He is a successful attorney who did well in school. John never stops working. He
uses cocaine and says it helps him calm down. He loses his temper and never seems content or satisfied with anything he has accomplished. Sometimes
he stays out all night. His wife and children are angry and do not understand his behavior.
The Components of Alcohol Abuse and Treatment
Alcohol abuse has several definitions. The definitions may even be conflicting. Historically, alcohol abuse refers to any condition which results in the continued consumption of alcohol despite recurrent negative outcomes.
Medical communities describe alcohol abuse as a physiological disorder which causes difficulty in controlling alcohol consumption. Another definition states that alcohol abusers may not be able to perceive the negative
effects of their alcohol consumption and therefore continue with their behavior including a compulsion or preoccupation with alcohol. Though the
ingestion of alcohol is essential to developing abusive drinking, drinking will not necessarily precede overuse. The amount of
alcohol and the frequency with which alcohol is consumed changes for each person.
Does genetic predisposition have a role in alcohol abuse?
There is at least one genetic test for an allele that is
associated to alcoholism and opiate addiction. Though this allele is more common in individuals with alcohol addiction, there
is no conclusive evidence that the presence of this gene is necessary for alcohol addiction. Some researchers argue that the evidence for such
alleles is contradictory.
There is a theory
that alcohol was discovered and utilized as a replacement for polluted drinking reservoirs in urban society. In this case, death
from liver disease was preferred to death by waterborne disease. Over time, this resulted in a selection process of genes that were able to handle
more alcohol. Essentially the population changed from being a predominately hunter-gatherer society to more urban. This theory explains why certain
groups like Aborigines or Native Americans have a higher alcohol tolerance.
What are the effects of alcohol abuse?
The effects of alcohol abuse range across all aspects of the individuals life. The main effect is the
individual drinking alcohol in overabundance at times that they should not thereby causing damage to themselves and possibly
others. Some of the potential effects of alcohol abuse include but are not limited to the following:
Physical effects: cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis, alcoholic dementia,
heart disease, nutritional deficiencies, sexual dysfunction, and death from many sources.
Social effects: Marital conflict and divorce, social alienation because of behavior.
Economic Effects: loss of employment, financial problems
such as loss of living quarters, poor judgment.
Legal Consequences: charges for drunk driving or public disorder. There is also the possibility of domestic violence either to spouse or
children.
Emotional Consequences: alcohol abuse
can effect the individual drinking as well as the recipients of probable abuse. For instance, heavy drinkers' children can
experience delays or damage to their emotional development. Friends and family who perceive over-drinking as self inflicted may lose respect for the
drinker further diminishing his or her social support network.
Alcohol Treatments
Depending on what school of thought is utilized, alcohol treatment may be approached from different angles. Treatment includes managing
physical symptoms and behavioral changes, which may be attained by therapeutic treatments ranging from hypnosis to psychotherapy to medications.
Life training and social support are usually needed to help individuals continue sobriety.
Does Alcohol Treatment Work?
This depends on the program, if the program is completed and the commitment
the individual has to successfully altering their behavior. This is not to say that other factors don't also come into play. Whether the person
has social support and is aware of what resources are available also determines how effective treatment is as well as the possibility of long term
success.
According to data collected by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, about a third of
alcohol abusers are sober a year after treatment. An additional forty percent are doing better but still drink and a quarter has relapsed. For this
reason, there is no equation that can determine whether or not treatment will work. Each case is a different person and must be approached as a
separate case. This means that treatment plans for alcohol treatment should be tailored to the individual in order to procure the best
outcome.
What About After
Treatment?
In addition to
cessation of drinking, long term use of B12 and folate is suggested to treat the effects of chronic alcohol use on the liver.
Insulin resistance can also occur as a result of the use of alcohol. These are factors drinkers must consider if continuing this damaging
habit.
References
1. National
Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 2001-2002 Survey Finds That Many Recover From Alcoholism Press release 18 January 2005.
2. Nurnberger, Jr., John I., and Bierut, Laura Jean. "Seeking the Connections:
Alcoholism and our Genes." Scientific American, Apr2007, Vol. 296, Issue 4.
3. New York Daily News (William Sherman) Test targets addiction gene 11 February 2006
4. Ulf Berggren, Claudia Fahlke, Erik Aronsson, Aikaterini Karanti, Matts Eriksson, Kaj Blennow,
Dag Thelle, Henrik Zetterberg and Jan Balldin The TaqIA DRD2 A1 Allele Is Associated with Alcohol-Dependence although its Effect Size Is Small
Alcohol and Alcoholism 2006 41(5):479-485
5. Skondia, V.
& Kabes, J., "Piracetam in alcoholic psychoses: a double-blind, crossover, placebo controlled study", J Int Med Res 13, (1985) pp.185-187.
6. S Kalmar, Adjuvant therapy with parenteral piracetam in
alcohol withdrawal delirium, Orv Hetil (2003) 144: pp.927-30.
7.
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