Alcohol Recovery Info For Problem
Drinkers
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A message to alcoholics: Don't just sit there and think things
are going to get better. Alcohol addiction doesn't get better. It
gets worse until somebody dies. You need to take appropriate action
by getting professional treatment and you need to take action
now!
Until you get quality treatment, alcohol
recovery will be next to impossible. And please understand
the following: chances are very good that your alcoholism is
destroying the lives of people who love you.
Nothing to Sell---Just Telling It Like It
Is
Hello
Valued Visitor,
If you expected to arrive at a page designed to "sell you
something," rest assured that all of the information on this
website is free, important, AND relevant. Please take a good
look at the information contained on this page. You will see
facts and statistics that reflect the damaging, destructive,
unhealthy, and the fatal consequences of alcoholism. You will
also read about some of the "good news" that is associated with the
alcohol treatment and with the alcohol recovery process.
And finally, if you need more information than the
alcohol-related topics presented on this website, you will be able
to review the extensive educational and informational topics that
can be found on our alcohol-related "sister" websites that are
listed below.
Alcohol Abuse, Alcoholism, and the Teens of
the World
Alcoholism and alcohol abuse have become major
social problems for all of the industrialized countries in the
world. Regrettably, these societal problems are getting
increasingly worse, partly because the youth of the world are
starting to drink more frequently AND at an earlier age.
Why is this a
problem? A major study was conducted in 1998 by American
researchers to determine the total cost attributable to the
consequences of 
underage drinking. The cost was more than $58 billion per
year! To make such an astronomically large number more
comprehensible, consider this: $58 billion is equivalent to
the net worth of 58,000 millionaires!
This is so important that it needs to be
repeated: $58 billion is equal to the net worth of
fifty-eight thousand millionaires! And this is the
amount of money that is "lost" each year in our country due to
underage drinking.
In a sense, then, we are creating multiple
generations of adolescents who "hit the road running" when it comes
to alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Let us state the
obvious: this is NOT progress, this is NOT healthy, and this
is NOT in any conceivable way making a positive contribution to
society.
As the industrialized world becomes more complex,
people everywhere feel more stress, tension, and a sense of
generalized anxiety. Since alcohol blocks emotional pain, it
is commonly turned to as a "cover up" during times of temporary or
ongoing stress or grief during situations such as relationship
problems, serious issues at work, unresolved family tensions, or
the loss of a loved one.
From a slightly different perspective, whether it
is from depression, alcohol, unemployment, gambling, drugs, or
relationship problems, people experiencing chronic stress or
turmoil more often than not exhibit poor coping skills. Sadly,
these poor coping skills almost always make a major negative impact
on the distraught individual himself 
or herself as well as on those who are the most concerned: his or
her family and friends.
The bottom line is that "alcohol is a problem" if
it causes difficulties in any part of your life. This includes your
health, your work, your relationships, and your life at home.
Indeed, you may have a problem with alcohol if you
think about drinking most of the time, if you keep trying to quit
drinking on your own but can't, or if you regularly drink more per
sitting and more frequently than planned. Having said this,
let's put together a list of some of the truly appalling and
devastating consequences of alcoholism.
Alcoholism:
The Bad News
95% of alcoholics die from their
disease and die approximately 26 years earlier than their normal
life expectancy.
Alcohol problems cluster in and destroy families. More than 50% of
current drinkers have a family history of alcoholism.
Absenteeism among alcoholics or problem drinkers is 3.8 to 8.3
times greater than absenteeism among non-alcoholics or among those
who are not problem drinkers.
The average 18-year-old has seen 100,000 television commercials
encouraging him or her to drink.
In the United States, 500 million work days are lost each year to
alcoholism.
Fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects are the leading
causes of mental retardation in the United States.
As much as 50 percent of police work is spent addressing
alcohol-related problems in our nation. This would mean that the
annual cost to law enforcement agencies is at least $7.5 billion
dollars.
About 43% of U.S. adults -- 76 million people -- have been exposed
to alcoholism in the family -- they grew up with or married an
alcoholic or a problem drinker or had a blood relative who was an
alcoholic or problem drinker.
Lost productivity from alcohol-related absenteeism, illness and
premature exiting of the workplace, due to death and forced
retirement, amounts to more than $70 billion each year.
Alcohol kills 6½ times more youth than all other illicit drugs
combined.
20% of alcoholics who try to quit drinking on their own without
medical management die of alcohol withdrawal delirium.
It is estimated that more than 3 million teenagers in the U.S.
between the ages of 14 to 17 are problem drinkers.
It is estimated that 30% of all Americans will be involved in an
alcohol-related motor vehicle accident sometime during their
lives.
6.6 million American children under the age of 18 live in homes
with at least one alcoholic parent.
In addition to alcohol-related pancreatitis, heart disease, cancer,
and liver disease, excessive drinking over time is also associated
with the following health conditions: infertility, irritated
stomach lining and bleeding from stomach ulcers, obesity, nerve
damage, vitamin deficiency, skin problems, muscle disease, sexual
problems, epilepsy, and loss of brain cells.
Currently, approximately 14 million Americans, 1 in every 13
adults, abuse alcohol or are alcoholic.
Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are the third leading cause of the
preventable deaths in the United States.
Approximately 43% of American adults have had a child, parent,
sibling or spouse who is or was an alcoholic.
Research has shown that U.S. teens who drink alcohol are 50 times
more likely to use cocaine than teens who never consume
alcohol.
An alcoholic will negatively impact the lives of 4 or 5 other
Americans (such as associates, family, and friends) while under the
influence of alcohol.
About half of state prison inmates and 40% of federal prisoners
incarcerated for committing violent crimes report they were under
the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of their offense.
Alcohol impaired drivers get behind the wheel 123 million times a
year in the United States.
United States alcoholism statistics show that people who start
using alcohol before the age of 15 are 4 times more likely to
become alcoholic at some time in their lives, compared to those who
start drinking at the legal age of 21.
25% of all emergency room admissions, 33% of all suicides, and more
than 50% of all homicides and incidents of domestic violence are
alcohol-related. |
The Bad News About Alcoholism:
Summary
In simple economic terms, alcohol-related problems
in the United States cost society almost $200 billion per
year. In human terms, the cost of the following
alcohol-related issues cannot be calculated: child abuse,
injuries, wife battering, illnesses, broken homes, failed health,
traffic fatalities, and destroyed lives.
Isn't It Time For Some Positive
News?
In spite of all of the negatives outlined above,
there is good news: As serious as alcoholism is, it can
be effectively treated. And with professional treatment,
alcohol recovery can become a reality.
Alcoholism treatment programs typically use a
combination of counseling and medications to help a person stop
drinking. Although most alcoholics need help to recover from
their disease, research has shown that with support and treatment,
many people are able to stop drinking, become sober, and restore
their lives.
Having said this, let's put together a list of some
of the reassuring and positive aspects about alcohol treatment and
alcohol recovery.
Alcohol Treatment and Alcohol
Recovery: The Good News
Risk is not destiny. Just because
alcoholism tends to run in families doesn't mean that a child of an
alcoholic parent will automatically become an alcoholic too. Some
people develop alcoholism even though no one in their family has a
drinking problem. By the same token, not all children of alcoholic
families get into trouble with alcohol. Knowing you are at risk is
important, though, because then you can take steps to protect
yourself from developing problems with alcohol.
The family and friends should express their affection for the
alcoholic and their intentions for supporting the patient through
recovery, but they must strongly and consistently demand that the
patient seek treatment. Children may even be involved in this
process, depending on their level of maturity and ability to handle
the situation.
Prevention of alcoholism is best accomplished by abstinence. You
must first have access to alcohol before becoming an alcoholic.
Accepting the fact that help is needed for an alcohol problem may
not be easy. But keep in mind that the sooner you get help, the
better are your chances for a successful recovery.
Once a person quits drinking and after the alcohol withdrawal
symptoms go away, it is important for the individual to join a
treatment or sobriety program such as Alcoholics Anonymous to help
him or her maintain sobriety.
Even individuals who are determined to stay sober may suffer one or
several “slips,” or relapses, before achieving long-term sobriety.
Relapses are very common and do not mean that a person has failed
or cannot recover from alcoholism.
A clearer understanding of the biological underpinnings of
alcoholism is opening the way to better drugs.
Interventional group meetings are one of the best approaches for
motivating a patient to seek treatment. Interventional group
meetings are meetings between people with alcoholism and their
friends and family members who have been affected by the alcoholic
behavior. Using this approach, each person affected offers a
compassionate but direct and honest report describing specifically
how he or she has been hurt by their loved one's or friend's
alcoholism.
According to some research studies, for every dollar spent on
recovery, the U.S. economy saves seven dollars in health care and
cost to society.
A number of family-oriented interventions have been used to help
prevent alcohol abuse. These interventions include the following:
family preservation programs, family services, family therapy,
family skills training programs, in-home family crisis services,
and family education programs.
When experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms, ALWAYS see your
doctor or your healthcare provider immediately so that he or she
can assess the severity of your situation and suggest the best
option for treatment.
Treatment for alcoholism has been shown to reduce criminal activity
up to 80% among chronic offenders, has increased their rate of
employment, decreases homelessness and reduces all health care
costs.
If you want to avoid the long-term effects of alcohol abuse and
alcoholism such as unnecessary alcohol-related health problems
later in life, drink in moderation or not at all.
People who are experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms should not
treat these symptoms at home. Instead, they need to seek medical
assistance immediately so that their doctor, urgent care center
personnel, healthcare provider, or emergency room personnel can
assess the severity of their withdrawal symptoms and initiate the
best option for treatment. |
Good News About Alcohol Treatment and
Alcohol Recovery: Summary
If you think you are addicted to alcohol, realizing
that you have a problem is the first step in getting meaningful
help. Let's face facts: most alcoholics would prefer to
stop drinking, but this proves to be very difficult--indeed, almost
impossible--without effective treatment.
The alcoholic patient and everyone involved needs
to fully understand that alcoholism is a disease and that the
responses to this disease (such as need, craving, denial, fear of
withdrawal) are not character flaws but symptoms, just as pain or
discomfort are symptoms of other illnesses. Similar to people
suffering from other life-threatening diseases such as cancer,
everyone involved with the alcoholic also needs to realize that
treatment, though difficult and painful, is the only realistic hope
for alcoholism recovery.
Once a person quits drinking and after the alcohol
withdrawal symptoms subside, the individual is on the road to
alcohol recovery. It is, however, important for the
individual to join a treatment or sobriety program such as
Alcoholics Anonymous to help him or her maintain sobriety and to
stay on the path to alcohol recovery and sobriety.
Keep in mind, however, that the Alcoholics
Anonymous recovery program may not be for everyone.
As a result, other recovery approaches are available,
including Jewish, Christian, and many professional secular
programs. It is interesting to point out, however, that
people who have gained benefits from Alcoholics Anonymous
frequently find other programs that, in combination with Alcoholics
Anonymous, work best for them. Some of these programs include
individual and group counseling and/or medical care.
Until a better and more efficient approach is
discovered, the safest, most healthy, and most productive path to
alcohol recovery is sobriety. The bottom line: with all of
the destructive and devastating consequences associated with
alcoholism and all of the hope, renewal, and healthy lifestyle
changes that are possible with alcohol treatment and alcohol
recovery, don't you owe it to yourself and to your loved ones to
get professional treatment and give alcohol recovery and sobriety a
chance?
Important Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
Resources
We have worked very hard to get this website
ranking high in the Search Engines so that nice
visitors like you are able to find us. As a result, we
don't want you to leave before you are fully aware of all the
information on this informational website.
If you look at the left-hand navigation
bar, you will see the subject matter discussed on this
website. We purposely listed these topics in alphabetical
order and carefully included "key terms" that describe various
themes and key issues. We invite you to take a second
look at the alcoholism and the alcohol recovery topics on this
navigation bar---there really is a lot of important information
here about alcohol recovery and other alcohol-related issues and
themes.
If you are unable to find what you are looking for,
however, chances are good that you will be able to find additional
information on our alcohol-related "sister
websites" listed below:
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About
Alcohol Addiction. Alcohol addiction, also known as
alcohol dependence and alcoholism, is a progressive degenerative
disease that includes the following four
symptoms: craving, the loss of control, physical
dependence, and tolerance.
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About Alcohol
Rehab. With all of the damaging consequences caused by
alcoholism, it makes sense for people to learn how to abstain from
drinking, to involve themselves in the alcohol rehab process, and
to restore their lives.
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About Getting
Sober. Getting sober is obviously an important step in
overcoming alcoholism and restoring an
individual's life. Everyone with a drinking problem,
however, needs to keep in mind that getting sober is only half
the battle. The other half, unfortunately, is staying
sober.
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Alcoholics
Info. Individuals with a "drinking problem" and who are
addicted to alcohol are defined as "alcoholics." Some of the
characteristics of alcoholics are the following: they
experience increased tolerance over time; their drinking interferes
with their family, friends, or work; they experience unsuccessful
efforts to reduce their drinking; they continue drinking despite
negative consequences such as legal, relationship, or employment
problems; they drink more and they drink more frequently; and they
suffer from alcohol withdrawal symptoms when they stop
drinking.
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Alcohol Abuse
Info. This is an extensive informational and educational
website about alcohol abuse and the psychological, social,
physical, and behavioral problems that can result from alcohol
abuse.
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Alcohol
Information. Although alcohol has been used in a number
of diverse ways throughout history that can be called "beneficial"
it was, however, recognized thousands of years ago that excessive
drinking and abuse led to social as well as to personal problems.
Due to the fact that people in the industrialized nations know
about the damaging consequences of heavy drinking and alcohol
abuse, why do so many people in these nations seem to gamble with
their futures by submitted themselves to the deleterious and
unhealthy effects of excessive drinking?
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Alcohol Test
Info. This website includes information about the four
different types of alcohol tests currently employed: urine, blood
alcohol, breathalyzer, and saliva alcohol tests. Note: as
discussed on this educational website, hair tests cannot detect
alcohol. This website also includes information about
the increasing employment of alcohol testing in the American
workplace.
- Alcohol
Treatment Info. As discussed on this fine website,
alcohol treatment programs usually use a combination of alcohol
treatment medications and counseling to help a person stop
drinking. For treatment to work, alcoholics need to
acknowledge that they have a drinking problem, they must want to
quit drinking, and they need to find an alcohol treatment program
that works for them.
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Alcoholism
Information. Alcoholism has become a major problem
throughout many parts of the world. Ironically, the more
"developed" and advanced a nation becomes the more it seems
vulnerable to the social and personal problems that are directly or
indirectly caused by alcoholism. In a word, the people of the
world need additional "alcohol awareness" and especially
"alcoholism help" if they are to become more knowledgeable about
and avoid the unhealthy, damaging, and at times, the fatal
consequences of alcoholism.
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