Alcoholism Issues and Short
Stories
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The following represents various issues, problems,
and short stories about people who have faced drinking
problems.
A Drinker Gets Rushed to the Hospital for
an Alcohol Overdose
Sean stumbled
into the bar and ordered a drink. Since he was a “regular”
his drinking habits were well known. Megan knew Sean because
he had been drinking at the bar the whole time Megan had her
job. Megan saw that Sean looked pale and so she asked him if
he was all right. Sean mumbled something and then asked again
for a drink.
Megan excused herself for a minute and went in the
kitchen to talk to the owner. She said that she didn’t think
she should serve him and that if might be best if she called Sean a
cab. The owner agreed. By the time Megan returned to
the bar, she saw that Sean had vomited and was lying on the
floor.
Megan now knew from Sean’s actions that he was
probably exhibiting symptoms of an alcohol overdose. Without
hesitation she called 911 and requested immediate medical
assistance. When her boss heard about what had happened he
complimented Megan saying that she was right on target with her
responses and quite possibly saved Sean’s life.
A Ninth Grade Student Asks Some Insightful
Questions About Alcohol Poisoning
“Why do people exhibit the symptoms of alcohol
poisoning?” asked the ninth grade student. What does alcohol
do to the body that such painful and deadly symptoms take place
when a person drinks too much?”
Nancy was an exceptionally bright ninth grade
student at a Jesuit high school. When she asked these
questions, her teacher, Mr. Barker, immediately knew that Nancy had
done some serious thinking about alcohol abuse and alcohol
poisoning. “A person experiences alcohol poisoning when he or
she drinks substantially more than his or liver can metabolize.

When this happens, some of the organs and systems
of the body start to break down and flu-like symptoms are often the
result. I know it sounds easy, but do you realize that all of
this pain and potential loss of life can be prevented if a person
never drinks in an abusive manner?” Mr. Barker asked. The
more Nancy thought about this the more alcohol poisoning just
didn’t make any sense. Hopefully, Nancy will remember this
when she becomes an adult who is legally allowed to drink.
| How do you react to the
alcoholic's drinking? Could your reaction be a part of the overall
problem? Have you fallen into "role playing" in the family? Is
there anything that you can do to improve the
situation? |
A DUIs Serves as a Wake-up
Call
Lonnie’s life hit a major speed bump when he
received two DUIs within a one-month time period. Actually,
nothing had changed much in Lonnie’s drinking behavior with one
exception: he finally got caught for driving while drinking.
Stated differently, Lonnie had avoided any major effects of alcohol
abuse for years until his DUI arrests.
Since Lonnie was the kind of person who looked for
the silver lining in problems and difficulties, he viewed the two
DUIs as a wake-up call. He now realized that he had been
walking a tight rope because of his drinking and now would have to
do something positive to alter his present situation. So he
went to the local drug and alcohol rehab center and got admitted in
the out-patient alcohol treatment program.
Lonnie was fortunate to be a person who uses common
sense to solve his problems because this decision lead to some new
and intriguing insights about his life and where he was headed.
| Alcohol treatment programs need
to be carefully managed every step of the way, sometimes involving
family members and friends, from the initial assessment through
continued follow-up after the intervention program
ends. |
A Friend Looks Old Due to Excessive
Drinking
Riz had been a heavy drinker for at least fifteen
years. In fact, he was such a “regular” at the local bar that
he had his own seat. He had always been a person who looked
physically fit. When I saw Riz the other day, however, it was
apparent that the negative effects of alcohol abuse were starting
to take their toll.
For instance, Riz had lost at least twenty pounds
and he looked very old for a thirty-seven year old man. When
I talked to him, he mentioned that he felt burned out and was tired
of the hectic rat race of life. I found this interesting because
Riz used to have a zest for life and was known as a person who
attacked problems rather than letting them sit unresolved.
After leaving the bar I remember thinking to myself that Riz is a
perfect example of what excessive drinking can do to a person’s
health.
| In the United States during
2004, 16,694 deaths occurred as a result of alcohol-related
motor-vehicle accidents. This amount was roughly 39% of all
traffic fatalities. This amounts to one alcohol-related death
every 31 minutes. |
Alcohol Abuse Can Turn Into Alcohol
Addiction
One of the key alcohol abuse facts is that
excessive drinking leads to a great number of problems in a
person’s life. One of the most serious problems that alcohol
abuse can lead to, however, is alcohol dependency.
In other words, at some point, repetitive and
abusive drinking can and does eventually become alcohol
addiction. And when this happens, the individual will
experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms if he or she decides to quit
drinking.
In fact, it is these alcohol withdrawal symptoms
that force the alcoholic to lose control over his or her drinking
and continue drinking on a daily basis in order to function.

| Alcoholism can increase the risk
for certain cancers, especially those of the throat, voice box
(larynx), liver, colon, kidneys, rectum, and the esophagus.
Excessive drinking can also cause immune system problems, brain
damage, harm to the fetus during pregnancy, and cirrhosis of the
liver. |
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| Many chronic conditions such as
diabetes, depression, hypertension, and asthma require continual
care in order for treatment benefits to be sustained. Addiction is
similar to other chronic diseases in this regard. It requires
monitoring of patient status on a regular basis, early intervention
regarding possible problems, and proper referrals in order to
maintain positive treatment effects. |
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