Treatment For Alcohol Abuse
Alcohol Is A Killer
As an Irishman, I grew up in a culture where alcohol was part of our life experience. Growing up, drinking beer was viewed as part of our natural evolution. Everybody got drunk a few times since we didn't know how to handle it, and, frankly, a lot of our us thought it was funny and entertaining. Fast forward thirty years and our perspective is quite different. Friends and relatives have joined Alcoholics Anonymous or similar support groups. Jobs have been lost. Marriages have broken up. People have been killed in accidents. Others have died prematurely. And all because of alcohol. It's not so funny now, is it? Too bad we didn't see all this when we were young. Alcohol is a killer
Alcoholism Is a Global Problem
Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are problems that plague people across the world, regardless of racial or economic background, and result in over 100,000 deaths annually in the United States alone. Roughly 10 percent of people who use alcohol will become alcohol abusers, another 10 percent will become alcoholics.
To clarify, ‘alcohol abuse’ is the behavior that precedes the disease ‘alcoholism’, and though it doesn’t always lead to the disease it can in itself be very disruptive to an individual’s life. Alcohol treatment is recommended for both alcohol abuse and alcoholism.
Even though people widely regard it as a harmless beverage, alcohol is a very addictive drug in the class of chemicals sometimes referred to as hypnotic sedatives. Some other hypnotic sedatives include benzodiazapines (Valium, Xanax, Klonipin, etc), and barbiturates (Phenobarbital, Seconal, Barbitol, etc). Alcohol is the most toxic, addictive, and widely used of the hypnotic sedatives. All of these chemicals can lead to a tissue dependence to the substance and moderate to severe cravings following discontinued use. The ‘withdrawal’ symptoms for these sedatives can range from mild discomfort to severe anxiety, rapid heartbeat, heart palpitations, profusive sweating, severe nausea, nightmares, hallucinations, tremors, dizziness, disorientation, seizures and death. Because the withdraw symptoms for these chemicals are so serious, it is extremely dangerous to discontinue use of these drugs without first seeking the aid of a doctor or a drug and alcohol treatment professional.
How To Trreat Alcohol Abuse
There are many resources available across the internet, and many professionals that can help you determine if you are suffering from either alcohol abuse or alcoholism. Once developed, alcoholism is a lifelong condition that only gets worse with time, unless alcohol treatment is sought. If you are having problems resulting from your drinking, it is therefore highly recommended that you investigate treatment options as soon as possible.
The greatest barrier toward recovery from alcohol abuse is an unwillingness to seek help on the part of the abuser. It is important to keep in mind that alcohol abuse and alcoholism are disorders that afflict millions of people around the world. It has nothing to do with a lack of willpower, or poor character. Like all addictions, alcoholism is a neurologically scripted compulsive behavior that once develops is impossible to fight without help.
I think that denial of having a drinking problem is a hurdle that keeps many alcohol abusers from seeking help. But I always had a benchmark that I used to address this problem. I asked the question "Do I control alcohol in my life or does alcohol control me?" If the answer is the latter, you have a drinking problem and need to do something about it.
The good news is alcohol treatments are often effective. Don’t be dissuaded by the low percentages shown in studies done on treatment methods. While its true, most treatments have a fairly low percentage of ‘success’, they almost always induce some amount of progress for the patient. Addictions are not likely to be overcome immediately, and almost always involve setbacks and relapses. However, with time and repeated attempts, alcohol treatment is effective for most people.
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Tags: alcohol abuse, alcohol effects, Alcohol treatment, drinking problem
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