- Change Your Drinking Habits
- Prescription Drug Abuse
- Marijuana - Now Stronger and More Addictive
- All Kinds of Addictions
- Am I Addicted?
- Meth Abuse?
- Alcohol: Use and Abuse - Know the Facts
- Co-dependency -Your part in the addict's life
Entries on this page are for information only and are not intended to be taken as advice for individual cases. Take Professional Medical Advice and/or consult a therapist.
CHANGE YOUR DRINKING HABITS
Surveys suggest that over 20% of adults in the UK have had a problem with alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence at some time in their lives, and the average age for drinking problems to develop is 22. But individuals do not seek help however until their early thirties with just 30% of them receiving treatment. Somewhere near to 10% of the adult population receive some kind of treatment.
So there are a lot of people, men and women with drinking problems, and increasingly this is starting in the 18 - 30 age group. That they do not seek help until their thirties suggests that most of these drinkers either don't think they have a problem at the onset of their heavy drinking or don't seek help until things get a lot worse. There appear to be about 20% of people who report having had alcohol use problems but who apparently don't ever get help. Unless you are currently a heavy drinker you probably (think you) only know a few actual alcoholics and this suggests that many drinkers have found a way to resolve their problem on their own, or are keeping it well hidden.
Alcohol is a drug of choice for many in the Western World and its use and overuse is to some degree acceptable and most people who drink too much or have problems related to drinking resolve them by learning to moderate their drinking. For some, it only takes one major incident for them to learn the lesson, especially if there's an immediate negative consequence, like going to work drunk and losing their job, or losing their driver's licence through drink driving. For others they may experience a lot of alcohol-related problems before deciding they need to take hold of their lives and make a change in their drinking behaviour.
The clients we see with alcohol problems have often developed unhealthy habits around alcohol use - for example, drinking right before bedtime, or gulping their drinks, or consuming large quantities, perhaps with a regular nightly bottle of wine, or binge drinking a 12-pack of beer every weekend. Often they will not view themselves as having a drinking problem, this is not what brings them for counseling. They may be aware of problems in their work, social and family relationships and may complain of other problems - like insomnia, weight gain, irritability, fatigue or lack of energy, all of which, they're surprised to learn may be caused by their drinking habits. If they are able to change those drinking habits, the problems they brought to counselling often seem to go away too.
Giving up alcohol completely may be beyond many people but teaching people how to moderate or control their drinking, and to change unhealthy drinking habits to healthier ones gives them a chance to deal with their problems, and it is an approach that is receiving wider acceptance among the health professionals who treat alcohol problems. It has been found that interventions focusing on reducing the risks of harm or negative consequences from drinking while at the same time supporting the over-drinker to cut down on overall alcohol consumption prove to be effective for many people.
One of the most effective programs can be Behavioural Self-Control Training. Participants learn to slow their rate of drinking. Work out and identify what triggers the desire to drink (e.g. overwork, stress, social anxiety, family Problems, etc.) Suggest and explore non-drinking alternatives to achieve a similar effect (e.g. exercise, relaxation, hobbies) Specific goals are set and agreed for how much and how often they will drink. A diary is kept of alcohol use and they agree to strictly and honestly monitor their drinking.
After behavioural Self-Control Training a reduction in drinking by 30 to 50 percent is often achieved.
Why not read "Controlling Your Drinking" by Miller and Munoz.
Remember, controlled drinking is not for everyone! Those most likely to succeed have had only a mild to moderate alcohol-related problem for less than 10 years, and are not physically dependent.
Do You or Someone Near You Drink Too Much?
Here are practical suggestions for either cutting down or abstaining from alcohol along with tips for helping loved ones who have a drinking problem. Some Questions
- Could you (or someone you care about) be drinking too much?
- Do you drink alone when feeling angry or sad?
- Does your drinking ever make you late for school or work?
- Does your drinking worry your family or friends?
- Do you ever drink after telling yourself you won't?
- Do you ever forget what you did while you were drinking?
- Do you ever get headaches or have hangovers following drinking?
- Have you started hanging out with heavy drinking friends?
- Do your friends use less alcohol than you do?
- Have you ever been in trouble because of your drinking?
- Do you ever borrow money to buy drink?
- Do you and your loved ones go without things in order to buy alcohol?
- Is drinking hurting your reputation?
- Do you feel in control and a sense of power when drinking?
- Do you ever just keep drinking until your supply is gone?
Its Time to Set Yourself Goals
Write your drinking goals down and put the piece of paper where you can see it.
Put copies on your refrigerator, bathroom mirror, in your wallet, on the back of the car's sun visor, wherever you are likely to see it. If you have a friend helping you with controlling your addiction, discuss your goals with them first so that you can both be sure they are realistic and manageable.
I will start on this day ________.
I will not drink more than ________ drinks in 1 day.
I will not drink more than ______ drinks in 1 week.
OR
I will stop drinking alcohol altogether.
I will avoid people and situations where I may be tempted.
More Questions
Have you ever lost friends because of your use of alcohol?
Do you think you might have a drinking problem?
The more of these questions that apply, the greater the chance that you might have a drinking problem. But having a drinking problem doesn't mean that you are alcoholic or that you need to abstain from alcohol. Most, people who experience problems from drinking choose to reduce their consumption to moderate levels rather than to abstain. Consult your doctor for advice and help or get counselling.
How to Cut Back on Drinking
1. Write down your own special reasons for why you want to drink less.
Perhaps to:
To protect your health.
To avoid casual sexual encounters arising from drinking.
To help avoid getting angry
To get along better with your family or friends.
To do better in school or college.
To save your job
To save money
To feel in control
To know in the morning what you did and said the night before
To regain your self esteem.
Carry on making your list of the reasons you want to drink less.
2. Set a drinking goal.
Choose a limit for how much you will drink. A sensible limit may be no more than one drink per day for women, not more than two drinks a day for men. Remember that these daily drinks can't be "hoarded" to be consumed later, so, a man can't abstain all week and then consume all 14 drinks in one day.
3. Keep a "diary" of your drinking.
It helps you to meet your goal if you keep a diary and to record every time you have a drink over a three or four week period. This should show when, where, and how much you drink so you can identify any stress points. Then see how different the goal is from your present consumption.
Limit drinking at home
Keep little or no alcohol, at home so as to reduce temptation.
The blood alcohol limit should be kept low
So always use a small glass, add non-alcoholic beverages such as lemonade or fruit juice to make a longer drink if one of the reasons you find for drinking is your thirst. Try to sip your drink slowly both to make them last longer and so you are conscious of having taken an alcoholic drink. Drink for taste rather than effect.
Don't drink on an empty stomach. Have a snack before you even pour the drink, or even before you order a drink if you are out. This helps keep blood alcohol down and psychologically this extends the actual event and helps prevent you feeling the need to have a second drink and subsequent drinks. Salty snacks don't count as they are there in pubs to make you thirsty and make you want to drink more.
Always make your first drink water or a non-alcoholic drink.
Ration your consumption by consuming no more than one drink per hour. Intersperse any alcoholic drinks with water or a long fruit juice.
Eat food or snacks while drinking. High protein and high fat foods like cheese and unsalted nuts are especially good at keeping your blood alcohol content low, but avoid salty foods that are likely to make you more thirsty.
Drink soda, water, or juice after a drink containing alcohol.
Saying no is an option, so learn to say "no" when you don't want a drink.
You don't need to explain to others why you do not want to drink.
If you feel the need to explain, tell the truth that you feel the need to cut down, and ask people not to press you to drink. Don't accept a drink because they are paying and don't buy someone else a drink when you don't want one. Their drinking habits are their problem, not yours. Look at the section on assertiveness on this website.
If you feel unable to tell friends that you are trying to cut down or to stop drinking altogether, then a little white lie will do. "I'm on a medicine from the doctor for a chest infection and the tablets are dangerous if I drink alcohol." You can keep this going long enough for people to stop expecting you to join in their drinking.
You don't have to take a drink just because it's offered to you.
You can "lose" unwanted drinks that are given to you. For example, set them down and later walk away.
If you cannot avoid a social gathering where you would normally drink, arrive late, say you don't want to be included on the tab, buy only your own drinks, leave early.
Help to drink less or abstain.
Read "A Consumer Guide to Recovery Options" in Anne M. Fletcher's book "Sober for Good", published by Houghton Mifflin, 2001.
Additional resources below.
You can drink non-alcoholic drinks that look like alcoholic ones. For example, tomato juice, lemonade, iced tea, water with ice cubes, club soda with orange juice, tonic water with a twist or wedge of lime, and either orange juice or 7-Up with grenadine.
Stay away from people who give you a hard time about not drinking as much as they do.
Saying "no" gets easier the more you do it. Practice refusing drinks politely. Say something clever.
I don't need any more hair on my chest
I'm performing neurosurgery in the morning
It sloshes too much when I jog
No thank you
Get support
Cutting down on your drinking can be difficult at times. Ask your family and friends for support to help you reach your goal. Talk to your doctor if you are having trouble cutting down; medications are available to help make it easier. Get whatever help you need to reach your goal. Avoid temptations Stay away from people who want you to drink more than you want to. Watch out for people, times, places or situations that encourage you to drink too much and avoid them. Don't give up! If you don't reach your goal the first time you try, don't get discouraged. You haven't failed, you have just learned a little more about yourself, the addiction and those who are pulling you back down. Try again. Make sure you have diaried when you drank so that you can look for the triggers. Remember, get support from people who care about you and want to help. Don't listen to those who encourage you to come back to drinking too much with them. Don't give up! Someone I love may have a Drinking Problem - Look for the Signs Some signs that may indicate a drinking problem in a loved one include:
- Changes in drinking patterns. The person drinks more, and/or more often, or drinks in the morning, or after you have gone to bed.
- They can always find an excuse/need to take a drink
- Appearance. The person now frequently or usually smells of alcohol, has slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, unexplained bruises, or unkempt appearances.
- Personality changes. The person suffers memory loss, sleep problems, mood swings, irritability, distrust, or lack in activities earlier enjoyed.
- Health problems. The person suffers from frequent hangovers, chronic digestive problems, fatigue, or shaky hands.
How to Help your Loved One
Accept that they have a drinking problem but that this does not mean that they are an alcoholic, or addicted to alcohol. The person is more likely to accept that they may only need to cut down rather than abstain. Many find the idea of drinking in moderation more acceptable and achievable than abstaining entirely from alcohol. For others abstinence may be the only way.
The decision whether to reduce drinking to moderate levels or abstain entirely from alcohol is best made after consulting with a doctor. Helping a person who drinks too much takes knowledge, compassion and patience. Some actions are helpful and others are not.
Do
- Try to remain calm, unemotional and factually honest about how the person's drinking abuse hurts you and others.
- Discuss the problem with someone you trust - a counselor, a friend, clergy person, social worker, or someone who has experienced alcohol abuse or alcoholism either personally or as a family member.
- Try to maintain a healthy, normal atmosphere in the home and try to include the alcoholic or problem drinker in family life.
- Encourage new interests and participate in leisure activities that the problem drinker enjoys and encourage the person to see old friends in non-drinking situations.
- Be patient and live one day at a time. Changing behavior is difficult, as dieters and those attempting to stop smoking know. Setbacks and relapses are to be expected. Try to accept them with calm understanding and don't become discouraged.
- Punish, threaten, bribe, preach, or try to be a martyr. Avoid emotional appeals that may only increase the problem drinker's feelings of guilt and compulsion to drink.
- Cover up or make excuses for an alcoholic or shield a person from the consequences of alcohol abuse.
- Take over the responsibilities of an abuser of alcohol.
- Hide or dump bottles of alcohol, or shelter a problem drinker from situations where alcohol is present.
- Argue with a person who is intoxicated.
- Drink with an alcohol abuser.
- Accept guilt for the behaviour of a problem drinker.
Remember that changing behaviour, especially becoming an abstainer, is very difficult. Be understanding and patient, but don't accept any responsibility or guilt for the behaviour of another person. You are responsible only for your own behaviour.
Whether you decide to cut down or to abstain entirely from alcohol: DON'T CUT DOWN ON YOUR RESOLVE TO CUT DOWN. DON'T GIVE UP ON GIVING UP! ! See further entry on this page below- Alcohol Use and Abuse -Know the Facts
PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE
In the USA prescription painkillers cause more lethal drug overdoses than either cocaine or heroin. And from 1990 to 2002 the mortality rate from "unintentional drug poisoning" increased by more than 200 percent. Most of those deaths involved middle-aged men.
Everyone has easy access to a range of prescription medication the supply of which they expect from their doctors almost without question and the non-medical use and abuse of prescription medications, particularly pain relievers, has reached unprecedented levels. It is estimated that above a million British teenage and older citizens used prescription medications for non-medical purposes, about 2.5% of the population.
Deliberate abuse of prescription drugs such as Vicodin (narcotic of analgesics containing hydrocodone and paracetamol) or Oxycontin (opioid analgesic medication containing opium derived thebaine) is becoming a serious problem among some parts of society including young people seeking a new high. These powerful prescription opiate drugs are increasing causing problems among the elderly, who are more likely to forget or get confused about how many or which of their many different medications they've taken.
There has always been a leakage of prescription drugs into the hands of those for whom they were not prescribed and an increase in use by doctors to aid recovery by treating chronic pain more aggressively, with stronger medications and higher doses has increased this. It is a small step from the drug being more readily available to it being leaked to those selling it on the street.
The Internet has added to the explosion of drugs in the hands of those not qualified to understand the side effects of their use. It seems as though anyone with a credit card has unlimited quantities of almost any medication they desire available to them, without obtaining a legitimate prescription. The lack of monitoring of use, and the fact that the drugs may not be quality controlled means that there is a not only a danger of over or abusive use but that the medications themselves may be counterfeit, outdated, improperly manufactured or adulterated.
These drugs are not intended for un monitored use since all prescription painkillers and tranquilizers have the potential for abuse and overuse may lead to addiction particularly as tolerance can develop over time, resulting in decreased effectiveness and the client's call for higher or stronger doses. These medications are most effective when used for short periods of time (e.g. after surgery), or on an infrequent basis (e.g. for occasional panic attacks or insomnia).
"Best practices" for use include:
- 1) start with the smallest dose and increase gradually,
- 2) inform your doctor promptly if a medication doesn't seem to be working,
- 3) monitor your medications to prevent unauthorized use/theft,
- 4) never give someone else medication prescribed for you,
- 5) know the signs of abuse and addiction.
MARIJUANA - Now Stronger and More Addictive
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal reports on a growing trend: people seeking treatment for addiction to marijuana. About 16% of people entering substance abuse treatment programs in 2003 cited marijuana as their primary problem, as compared with just 7% ten years earlier.
The article also noted the recent publication of a new book called "Cannabis Dependence", which contains the results of over two decades of research on whether marijuana is addictive. This research confirms what those of us who treat substance abuse problems have known for years: yes, marijuana can be addictive!
The studies show that about 10% of those who try it will become addicted. This puts marijuana at about the same addictive potential as alcohol - although, among daily marijuana users, the rate of addiction is significantly higher than among those who drink alcohol daily.
One of the likely explanations for the increase in people addicted to marijuana is that the potency of the drug has increased dramatically over the years. According to Dr. David Smith, Medical Director of the Haight Ashbury Clinic, USA, the marijuana sold on the street today is about ten times stronger than what was available in 1967, when the Clinic was founded. Anyone who smoked pot back in the 70's may have a hard time believing that marijuana is addictive, for the simple reason that the quality of the drug they used was far inferior to the quality today.
Another reason people may not view marijuana as addictive is that they don't see marijuana use leading to the same serious consequences that drugs like cocaine and heroin, even alcohol, can cause: loss of jobs, relationships, health, even lives. However, it is not nearly as harmless as many people would have you believe. Doctors and therapists see clients who use marijuana on a daily or near daily basis, and who may not perceive they have a problem with it, yet they have come to counseling because they feel "stuck" in some aspect of their lives, and don't know why: maybe their jobs or relationships aren't going well, or they may feel anxious, stressed, or depressed for no obvious reason. Like many alcohol abusers they have not made the connection between their symptoms - a general unhappiness with their life - and the cause, their marijuana use/abuse.
Often these vague feelings of dissatisfaction with their lives can be traced to the effects of the marijuana, and usually these clients are quite surprised to discover that, if they stop using it for a little while, the anxiety or depression is gone, replaced by a renewed energy and sense of purpose.
That is not to say that giving up is easy for everyone.
The effects of withdrawal can include:
Increased irritability and anxiousness,
Difficulty sleeping, relaxing or concentrating,
Headaches or other physical aches and pains.
Severe cravings.
Many people are also surprised to learn how strong the cravings for the drug can be, and for how long the cravings may persist - all signs that yes indeed, they had become addicted.
All kinds of addictions
What does an addict look like - am I addicted?
Clients sometimes ask if they are addicted when discussing their sexual habits, drinking or drug use. Sometimes they know but will minimize it by saying something like "Yeah, I've got a problem, but I don't think I'm addicted to it," seeing in it an important distinction. The important question is, "Has your sexual activity, drinking or drug use caused any problems in your life?"
They must ask themselves
Have friends or family members complained about it?
Has it led to misunderstandings or conflicts in your relationships?
Have I done or said things while under the influence of my compulsion that I seriously regretted later?
Has my use led to financial, legal or health problems?
Have I broken promises, to myself or others, due to my compulsion?
If the answer is "yes" to even one of these questions, then it's a problem.
Two things stand in the way of people being able to recognize if they are addicted to a substance:
- 1) lack of knowledge about what addiction is,
- 2) an understandable unwillingness to admit that they may not be in control of their life.
- Ask your doctor for a referral
- Call your company's occupational health or medical officer
- Go to a "12-Step" meeting, like Alcoholics Anonymous
- Call the Substance Abuse Treatment Hotline such as re-solve 01785810762 or National Drugs Helpline 0800776600
- Find out what programs are in your area through your local medical health service
- Contact a counsellor
- 1) tolerance, that is, you need to consume increasingly more of the substance to achieve the desired effect;
- 2) withdrawal symptoms (physical and/or psychological) when you stop using; and
- 3) a pattern of compulsive behavior involving the substance. Because signs of tolerance and withdrawal aren't always present, or obvious, it's best to focus on the behavior. Such behaviors might include consuming more than you intended to, sneaking or lying about your use, planning your day around when you get to use, and giving up activities or friendships that interfere with using. Making lots of rules for yourself about when and where you can use, or repeated but unsuccessful efforts to cut down or stop using, are also behaviors that point to a probable addiction.
METH ABUSE?
Methamphetamine or Methylamphetamine
Methamphetamine abuse has become an epidemic in some parts of the Western world, particularly the USA (perhaps 2- 3 million users), with numbers thought to have used it in the UK feared to be approaching half a million. On the street it is called meth, and the use of meths is not to be confused with the abuse of methylated spirit previously associated with the drinking habits of down and outs and tramps. Meth is a Class A drug that is produced illegally in laboratories, sometimes from legal drugs such as Sudafed cold and allergy remedy, which contains pseudoephedrine. Meth is relatively cheap to buy and readily available and is increasingly seen as the drug of choice of students and white collar workers. Meth became a popular drug with West Coast motorcycle gangs and was then adopted in the Gay scene in the San Francisco area. While it is thought that the spread in the UK has been somewhat limited due to the ready availability of cocaine and crack-cocaine there is increased use by gays and by immigrants and East European women using it as an appetite depressant.
Meth or crystal meth is an amphetamine and users may call it tina, krank, tweak, hydro, glass. It is injected or snorted, or smoked as 'ice'. People are often attracted to methamphetamine for its initial effects: increased energy and alertness, decreased appetite, and an enhanced sense of well-being. As a stimulant, it is similar to cocaine and to legal amphetamines like Dexadrine. But meth can be far more dangerous because the body can't metabolize it so well, leaving it to stay in the body much longer and to continue to damage brain and nerve cells.
Meth's extreme addictiveness is because it acts on the neurotransmitter dopamine, which some refer to as the "pleasure center" of the brain, but the long-term use ultimately leads to the inability to experience pleasure, as the body's natural dopamine and serotonin cells are destroyed.
The psychological symptoms of methamphetamine use can include increased anxiety or depression, anger, violent behavior and mental confusion. Physically users can suffer insomnia, weight loss, skin lesions and acne. Chronic abuse can cause psychotic behavior, characterized by fear, intense paranoia, visual and auditory hallucinations, and out-of-control rages, and may also result in attention and memory problems developing as well as Parkinson's-like tremors. Meth addiction is difficult to treat, with even low-dose users finding it very difficult to stop. Most treatment professionals recommend a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy, nutritional supplements, and participation in a "12-step" support group for at least a year, as that's how long it typically takes for the cravings to stop and the brain to return to some semblance of normal. Recent research has shown that at least some of the meth-induced brain damage is reversible. A further danger results from the method of use by needle-sharing injection, and from the high sexual activity that can result from the induced euphoria following use. The sexual activity is often further fuelled by the use of Viagra to guarantee continued 'performance' over many hours, even days. Viagra carries its own risks in that the increases blood flow/pressure can lead to health problems such as heart attacks. In the USA it is estimated that in half the new AIDS cases the use of meth has been a factor. "Crystal Meth is the newest and most important threat in the HIP epidemic in the USA" says Dr. James Dilley (Director University of San Francisco AIDS Health Project)
THERE IS ALWAYS SOME NEW DRUG OUT THERE!
Kids are smoking 'Spice'
Spice is the name being given to the drug JWH-018 that was originally produced in the USA during legal research. It is a cannabinoid receptor agonist and is said to produce a marijuana-like high when smoked. It is sold as an incense and is being legally sold and smoked on the streets of Britain. Health officials are concerned about the drug's use and are seeking to have it banned. In the meantime listen out for your kids when they talk about spice. Be aware.
Herbs Too
And it's not just spice, it's herbs too. At the time of writing (2009) one of the strongest natural hallucinogens known to man is freely and legally available on the street and on the internet. It is a species of sage, the leaves of which are smoked in bongs to give the smoker a hallucinogenic high similar to that produced by LSD. The plant is called salvia divinorum. So dangerous are the affects that even the web sites promoting it recommend users to lie down and always be accompanied by someone who is not using! In addition to the risk of accidental harm to the user and those around them, there have been cases of suicide associated with the use of the herb. Any use can lead to psychiatric problems and psychotic episodes. No one can predict which individuals will be vulnerable to harm.
And Always Something New and Dangerous
Strong rencomendations are going to UK Government to control the use of GBL after the death of a 21 year old student in April 2009. GBL is an industrial solvent and is as dangerous as the illegal date-rape drug GHB. The GBL was mixed with alcohol leading to the student's death. The chemical was not intended for any kind of use on the person nor to be taken internally and so no test data is available on it's effects.
ALCOHOL - Use and Abuse - Know the facts
In the UK the Christmas holiday period has traditionally been the time when the police target alcohol use to reduce drunk driving. In the USA August is the most dangerous month for drinking and driving, according to a report by the Automobile Club of Southern California. Over past five years more Californians were injured or killed in alcohol-related collisions during August than in any other month. Drinking during summer vacations and outdoor recreational activities appears to be the cause. Out of doors and beach drinking may be common in the USA and Australia, but it is the club, pub and street drinking culture that is increasingly seen as problematic in Britain. And our reputation throughout Europe is tainted by the heavy drinking of many holidaying Britons.
Pub drinking may have been reduced as a result of the police prevention of drink driving initiatives, but cheap supermarket alcohol has fueled an increase in home drinking among adults, teenagers and even children. Drinking at home followed by driving seems to be a new problem, as does increased home party drinking. But a trip to A and E at the local hospital, to court, or to the cemetery rarely come to mind for those sharing good times with friends and family, enjoying a 'few beers' or a 'bottle of wine'. Yet that may be the outcome if you drink and drive, or get into a vehicle with an intoxicated person, or if you are unlucky enough to be in the path of a drunk driver.
How can you, your family and friends avoid such a scenario. First you should know the facts about alcohol and alcohol abuse:
- 1. For most adults, moderate alcohol use-three to four units per day for men and two to three units per day for women and older people--causes few if any problems.
- 2. There is no "safe" level of drinking for pregnant women, people under 21, recovering alcoholics, or those taking certain medications.
- 3. "One unit" is defined as: half pint of 4% beer (but most beer and cider will be 5% so one pint = 3 units), One 80ml glas of wine (but most pub measures, small, will be 125 ml. so 2 glasses = 3 units), one 25ml. glass of 40% spirit (but most pub measures will be 35ml. so one glass = 1.5 units). To calculate a unit: Strength(ABV) X amount (ml.) -:- 1000 When you're pouring drinks or consuming drinks you must know and /or measure the size of the drink.
- 4. Women become more impaired than men do after drinking the same amount of alcohol, even when differences in body weight are taken into account. This is because women's bodies contain less water than men's, and their metabolism is different.
- 5. The ability to "drink everyone else under the table" is an early sign of alcoholism.
- 6. It takes about an hour for the body to metabolize one drink, in other words for the alcohol to get out of your bloodstream and into your bladder. However, impairment is greatest in the second half of the hour - and if you're drinking at a faster rate than one drink an hour, you will get more impaired, and stay impaired longer.
- 7. Drinking coffee won't sober you up any faster - you'll just be an alert drunk!
- 8. You do get drunk faster on an empty stomach.
- 9. You get drunk faster if you haven't slept well the night before.
- 10. You get drunk faster if you're taking certain medications.
- 11. Women who are premenstrual get drunk faster.
- 12. When you're over 65 you get drunk faster. It doesn't happen suddenly at 65 so make allowances for reducing consumption before that age.
- 13. While it's believed that small amounts of alcohol (one drink with dinner) may help protect against heart disease by reducing the risk of blood clots in the arteries. But this should not be used as an excuse to drink as you can achieve the same health benefit from a low-fat diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.
- 14. Heavy drinking increases the risk of heart failure, stroke, and high blood pressure.
- 15. Heavy drinking increases the risk of accidents to you and those around you.
- 16. Any level of drinking is likely to impair your judgement and may increase the risk to you and those around you.
- 17. The cost of a Drink Driving Conviction is estimated at over £5000: this includes fines, fees, legal fees, the increase in car insurance, and alcohol education classes. This can be dramatically increased for those for whom loss of a license means the loss of their job.
- 18. The loss of a license imposes a great strain on both the driver concerned and on the lives of their families.
- 19. The court case leading to the loss of license may lead to publicity that severely damages your reputation.
- 20. Most domestic violence is fueled by alcohol.
- 21. Most criminal activity involves the use of alcohol or drugs.
- 22. Before you drink even one measure of alcohol you should consider how impaired judgement may affect you and those around you.
You may like to read: Sober for Good by Anne M. Fletcher published 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Or Get Your Loved One Sober: Alternatives to Nagging, Pleading, and Threatening By Robert J. Meyers, Ph.D., Brenda L. Wolfe, Ph.D. Published by Hazelden
CO-DEPENDENCY - Your part in the addict's life.
It has been said that every person with an alcohol or drug abuse problem affects the lives of at least four other people: their spouse or partner, parents, children, co-workers, friends. Just as alcoholism tends to run in families, children who grow up with an alcoholic or addict are far more likely to fall in love with, marry, or go to work for another addicted person. What do we mean by co-dependent behaviour?- 1. We feel responsible for other people's feelings, thoughts, actions, choices, wants, needs and well being.
- 2. We tend to "stuff" our feelings, or have lost the ability to feel or express our feelings.
- 3. It is easier for us to be concerned with others rather than ourselves. This in turn has allowed us to neglect our own needs and ignore our own shortcomings.
- 4. We say "yes", even when we want to say "no". We experience guilt feelings when we stand up for ourselves instead of giving in to others.
- 5. We judge ourselves harshly, and have a low sense of self-esteem.
- 6. We have difficulty trusting people and developing intimacy in our relationships.
- 7. We confuse love and pity, and tend to "love" people we can pity and rescue.
- 8. We are terrified of abandonment. We will do anything to hold on to a relationship in order not to experience painful abandonment feelings which we may have received from living with people who were never there emotionally for us.
- 9. We take life too seriously, and have trouble having fun.
- 10. We have developed our own compulsive behaviors, such as overeating, compulsive spending, workaholism, or addiction to prescription medications or alcohol.
- 11. We have become addicted to drama. We feel bored if we don't have a crisis in our lives, someone else's problem to solve, or someone to help.
- 12. We are reactors in life rather than actors.
How many of these statements are true for you? Even if you are not presently living with, working with, or spending time with someone with an alcohol or drug abuse problem; and even if you didn't grow up with an alcoholic or addict in your family; if you recognize yourself in the above statements, you may be a co-dependent.
For another view on codependency go to www.echo.me.uk/codependency2.htm You can benefit from attending Alcoholics Anonymous , or groups like Codependents Anonymous (www.coda.uk.org), or for Adult Children of Alcoholics, National Association of People Abused in Childhood. www.napac.org.uk/survivors/support/groups/detail.asp?id=628. You will also benefit from individual counseling. See also sex addiction See our Useful Contacts Section which includes Alcoholics anonymous 08457697555 www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk Drinkline 08009178282 National Drugs Helpline 0800776600 www.talktofrank.com Re-solv Solvent helpline 01785810762 www.re-sol.org/helpline.asp CITA for those addicted to mind altering prescribed drugs 01519320102 www.citawithdrawal.org.uk Tranquilizer withdrawal. First Steps to Freedom 08451202916 www.first-steps.org .