Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Alcoholism Signs - Ten Warning Signs of Alcoholism You Should Know

Alcoholism signs -- are there ten warning signs of alcoholism? Understanding alcoholism signs can help you determine whether there is alcohol abuse or dependency. However, as the amount of drinking per occasion or per week increases, one or more of the ten warning signs of alcoholism can develop as a result.

Alcohol dependency is the most severe alcohol disorder. Alcoholism signs for alcohol abusers can be related problems such as drinking and driving, violent episodes, or missing work or school.

In the USA alone, as many as 14 million adults are chronic heavy drinkers that abuse alcohol or are alcoholics. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, drinking more than the amounts shown below would be considered heavy drinking: For healthy men under age 65, consuming no more than four drinks a day nor more than fourteen drinks a week For healthy women under age 65 or healthy men over age 65, consuming no more than three drinks a day nor more than twelve drinks a week.

What are ten warning signs of alcoholism? Drinking Alone2. Making Excuses, Finding Excuses to Drink3. Daily or Frequent Drinking Needed to Function4. Inability to Reduce or Stop Alcohol Intake5. Violent Episodes Associated with Drinking6. Drinking Secretly7. Becoming Angry When Confronted About Drinking8. Poorer Eating Habits9. Failure to Care for Physical Appearance10.

Trembling in the MorningAlcoholism signs can also include the inability to remember portions of the events of the previous evening or feeling anxious in a social situation where alcohol is not available. As you may know, it can be called 'problem drinking' when it becomes 'drinking that causes problems'.

Does heavy chronic drinking have health consequences? Such severe physical damage may irreversable and result in serious illnesses or even early death.

If the above ten warning signs of alcoholism help create interest in exploring possible alcohol addiction and finding help, the good news is that help is available. No matter how many alcoholism signs may exist, it is never too late to begin recovery from alcohol addiction.

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Drug Rehab

Drug abuse or substance abuse is a widespread issue.

Although popular culture has created certain stereotypes for the drug abuser, all are susceptible to drug addiction.

This treatment process is also called drug rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation aims to integrate the person back into society to become a productive member.

The process may involve avoiding the drug, learning new stress management skills, other behavioral treatments but often involves the use of specific medications.

Another prominent component of drug rehabilitation programs is the use of a physical location with a controlled environment where the patient is taught life skills while undergoing treatment.

The largest age group entering drug rehab programs is 36 to 40 years old but all age groups have needed treatment.

The ultimate goal of teen drug rehab programs is to allow the teenager to be abstinent from drugs.

They help the person become productive and overcome the health effects of the drug as well as the withdrawal symptoms.

Other drug rehabilitation programs are geared for specific drugs.

For example methadone maintenance programs distribute a synthetic opiate, methadone to prevent the physiological effects of craving while avoiding euphoria in patients who have heroin addiction.

Some other programs are drug free and focus on counseling and regular clinic visits.

Drug Rehab provides detailed information on Drug Rehab, Drug Rehab Programs, Drug Rehab Centers, Drug And Alcohol Rehab and more.

Drug Rehab is affiliated with Drug Detox Rehab.

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Outpatient Alcohol Rehab

Outpatient services for alcohol rehabilitation are designed to treat people who do not have a severe addiction to alcohol. Although this treatment is quite popular and there are many outpatient facilities throughout the country, there is little research on its effectiveness.

Outpatient treatments do not require overnight stays and usually include alcohol education, individual and group counselling, support for family members of the alcoholic and case management.

They are motivation enhancement therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy and 12-step facilitation.

There are places that you can go to find outpatient alcohol treatment programs in your area.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) has a toll-free, 24-hour treatment referral service to help you.

There is also The National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service that offers lots of resource information.

This group encourages self-empowerment approaches to recovery from alcohol but attracts those who are uncomfortable with the spiritual content of AA.

SMART Recovery is a self-management and recovery training program that is based on the principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

Its four point program enhances motivations to Abstain, discusses ways to cope with urges, offers problem solving solutions, and helps an alcohol deal with lifestyle balances.

Alcohol Rehab provides detailed information on Alcohol Rehab, Alcohol Rehab Centers, Alcohol Rehab Programs, Inpatient Alcohol Rehab and more.

Alcohol Rehab is affiliated with Alcohol Detox Centers.

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How To Deal With Addictions

One of my first eye openers in clinical practice was an experience that occurred many years ago.

She had complaints of alcohol dependence.

Three times before her then admission, she had been treated in various psychiatric hospitals for alcohol problems.

She stopped the abuse of alcohol and her life changed.

Addiction can occur in many forms.

A person can be addicted to alcohol, street drugs, gambling and even sex.

Many people start with alcohol usage to help them sleep.

Only then is it considered an addiction or dependence.

Sex addiction as a diagnosis does not exist in psychiatry at present.

But when a persons only focus, dream, activity is some form of engagement with sex, it takes the form of an addiction.

It may involve chatting on sex lines, visiting pornographic sites on the internet, having the need to engage in sexual intercourse many times a day, visiting and soliciting prostitutes and even engaging in masturbation many times a day.

If we go by the definition of addiction, then one addiction that does not classify itself as addiction is work addiction.

When people engage in any work or a job, it increases their productivity.

Therefore it does not fit into the addiction category till damage is done to various aspects of a persons life.

Internet addiction is a new form of addiction developing in the developed world.

People engage in such activities because the activities give them pleasure or as in sex addiction, release tension.

Scientists have a theory that a chemical neurotransmitter called dopamine is secreted in the brain when we engage in pleasure activities.

When the nervous stimulation becomes excessive, a person may decide to take a downer like an opiate (heroin) to slow them down mentally.

People need these activities or substances to help them become calm.

These systems become disturbed when the person has gone through emotional distress or abuse that they are not able to come to terms with.

Almost all drug dependent people have gone through traumatic experiences in their lives.

If they have not experienced traumas, then they have come from pampered backgrounds.

In these cases, they become sensitive to even slight changes in their life situations.

So from their subjective perspective, they are traumatized.

Abuse can be in the form of physical abuse-involving beatings and food deprivation.

It can be in the form of sexual abuse- in which a powerful figure, uses the individual for their own sexual and power gratification.

In this case, it can be in the form of neglect, threat or rejection.

Almost all the addicts have such abused backgrounds.

The treatment of addictions involves medical or chemical treatment and also dealing with the emotional distress of the traumatic experiences.

If the cause is not dealt with, the drives leading to addiction do not change in the body.

In the absence of psychotherapy, meditation is the best form of treatment available that a sufferer can use in any form of addiction.

Pradeep K Chadha is a psychiatrist who specialises in helping patients with meditation and imagery using little or no medication.

Read full article "How To Deal With Addictions"

Physical Effects of Alcohol - 7 Short Term Effects of Alcohol Consumption

Physical effects of alcohol can range from annoying to life-threatening. The short term effects of alcohol consumption not only have consequences for the drinker, but can impact those around him or her as well. For example, the physical effects of alcohol can be experienced with only one or two drinks, and impaired judgment and coordination needed to safely operate a car can result in the drinker having an accident.

Alcoholism is a disease where consuming alcoholic beverages is at a level that interferes with the drinker's physical or mental health, and negatively impacts social, family or occupational responsibilities. With continued alcohol consumption on that occasion, the short term effects of alcohol consumption become more serious.

Here are seven of the short term effects of alcohol consumption:1. Physical effects of alcohol and reduced inhibitions can mean the drinker becomes more likely to engage in activities they would otherwise not participate in like sexual activity, continued drinking, drinking and driving or illegal drug use.2. Loss of Muscle Control - at the level of 0.10, slurred speech will likely be one of the physical effects of alcohol. Memory Loss and/or Blackouts - since alcohol depresses the brain's control mechanisms, as blood alcohol levels increase, periods of time and certain situations and events may not be remembered afterward.4. Nausea, Vomiting - excessive alcohol consumption can result in the body attempting to protect itself by getting rid of the alcohol. Headaches, Hangovers - these short term effects of alcohol can be felt a few hours after consuming alcohol. And at this level or higher, respiratory paralysis and death become very much a possibility.

The longer a person abuses alcohol over time, the higher the chances of long-term physical effects of alcohol being experienced and alcohol dependency developing. Alcohol dependency can include an increased tolerance to the short term effects of alcohol, withdrawal symptoms when alcohol consumption is interrupted and by alcohol-related illnesses and diseases.

If you or someone you know may have problems with alcohol and would like to learn more about alcoholism, there are proven resources available.

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Drug Addiction

Statistics show that drug addiction is on the rise.

Addiction to prescription drugs is becoming common, as well.

Many people become victims of addiction to anti-depressants and other doctor-prescribed medications.

Beginnings of addictionDrug addiction usually stems from misinformation.

Most individuals think that they can easily kick off the habit of taking illegal drugs, and most patients who get addicted to prescription drugs use them for reasons other than those specified by their doctors.

Once a user associates certain capabilities and emotions with the drug intake, he becomes addicted.

Left unchecked, the drug intake becomes frequent, especially when the user is in the company of fellow drug addicts.

Eventually, the effects of drug addiction manifest physically.

Prolonged substance abuse, however, has long-term effects that cannot be reversed, such as brain damage or cancer.

Drug addiction treatmentDrug addiction can be cured through medication and counseling.

But the best method of dealing with addiction is combining these two methods with sustained therapy.

Clinical rehabilitation may take up to six months, but the effort to stay drug free is a life-long commitment.

Drug Addiction provides detailed information on Drug Addiction, Prescription Drug Addiction, Drug Addiction Treatments, Drug Addiction Symptoms and more.

Drug Addiction is affiliated with Pre-Employment Drug Testing.

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