After feeling disheartened because she was starting to disregard her health, Jennifer at long last told herself that she’s had enough, that it’s time to stop feeling sorry for herself, that it’s time to stop the abusive drinking, and time to get on with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 10:30 AM, she decided to quit drinking completely and suddenly without preparation or planning.

When She Attempted to Quit Drinking She Felt Dreadful, She Vomited Numerous Times, Her Head Was Throbbing, She Started to Sweat Profusely, She Had Absolutely No Appetite, and She Was Extremely Restless and Moody

When Jennifer stopped drinking, she reasoned that she would probably be tempted to ”steal” a couple of drinks, but she never imagined that she would feel so ill. More explicitly, about four hours after she stopped drinking, she started to sweat profusely, she was extremely nervous and moody, her head was pounding, she vomited numerous times, and she had utterly no appetite.

When she called her best friend and told her that she had quit drinking and that after a few hours she suddenly began experiencing flu-like symptoms, Sally, her best buddy, told Jennifer to call her healthcare practitioner and go over what she was experiencing.

She Admits to Her Physician That She Has Been Drinking In an Irresponsible Manner, That She Just Tried to Stop Drinking, and That She is Suffering Through Extremely Painful Flu-Like Symptoms

So Jennifer called her family doctor, informed him that she has been drinking in a hazardous manner for quite a few months and that when she made an effort to abruptly stop drinking earlier in the day, within a couple of hours she felt as if she had the most dreadful flu-like symptoms that she had ever gone through.

Her healthcare practitioner told her that she may be experiencing symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a relative or friend drive her to the emergency room as soon as humanly possible.

As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a neighbor to drive her to the emergency room. Interestingly, as sick as Jennifer was, all she could think about all the way to the hospital was whether or not she might be addicted to alcohol.

It seems that her healthcare practitioner had called ahead and informed the emergency room staff to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two ER employees who without hesitation asked her to get in the wheelchair they had with them. After getting transferred to the emergency room and undergoing two or three basic tests, it was established that Jennifer was in truth going through alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detox.

An emergency room physician administered some medications to diminish her flu-like symptoms and also administered some drugs to help get rid of the alcohol that was still in her circulatory system.

An Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction Healthcare Practitioner Explains That She is Addicted to Alcohol and Then Discusses What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Dependency Stages Are

After an hour or two, Jennifer was transferred from the ER and wheeled to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for nearly an hour-and-a-half, Doctor Frankel, an alcoholism and alcohol abuse specialist, came to see her. He took plenty of time and explained in laymen’s language that Jennifer had suffered through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she quit drinking due to the fact that she had become addicted to alcohol.

He then stated that with excessive drinking on a daily basis, the person’s brain steadily becomes accustomed to the alcohol so that it can execute tasks and operations in a “semi-normal” fashion. When the individual then all at once abstains from ingesting alcohol, understandably, the brain responds by creating alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Not only this, but her doctor also discussed the various alcoholism stages that an alcoholic regularly suffers through as the disease progressively gets worse.

It is Determined that Jennifer is in the Earliest Stage of Alcohol Dependency and She Gets a Favorable Prognosis For a Full Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Therapy She Requires

Fortunately for Jennifer, it was determined that she was in the earliest stage of alcoholism and, as a result, she got a good projection for a total recovery if she gets the alcohol dependency treatment she requires.

Jennifer told the doctor that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to regain her life. She also mentioned that she has an outstanding hospitalization insurance policy that will probably pay for most of the costs required for rehabilitation. It was apparent that Jennifer was extremely thankful about her positive medical forecast and felt at ease knowing that she will be able to get the alcohol dependency treatment she needs so that she can begin the road to recovery.

If you have hopelessly struggled to quit drinking or if you have given your word to yourself that your drinking days are behind you and then you realized that you were drinking in a hazardous way just a few days later, the odds are extremely good that you have drinking problems. The point to highlight is that if you have made an effort to quit drinking and cannot complete the task, then your drinking is controlling you, instead of the other way around.

In much the same way, if it takes larger amounts of alcohol to get the same “high,” more likely than not you need to become aware that you have a problem with your drinking.

You may be telling yourself that the reason for your drinking is so that you can decrease your tension or get rid of the pain that you feel. Similarly, you may be trying to stay away from an unsafe circumstance and may be looking for something better, more constructive, or less sorrowful.

As you continue your drinking, however, you will understand that drinking does not bring forth the same high and you will also become aware that drinking doesn’t help eradicate whatever led to your sorrow in the first place.

Along the way, regrettably, you may become alcohol dependent and, as a consequence, you may add another major issue to cope with rather than uncovering more effective and healthy ways of managing your alcohol induced problems.

The Requirement for an Alcohol Evaluation

If you have decided that you have a problem with your drinking, possibly the best thing you can do for yourself is to call your physician or healthcare provider and arrange for an appointment for a thorough physical and for a review of your drinking situation.

If you truly think that you have a critical problem with your drinking, it might be a good idea to get prepared to hear that you need to get alcohol therapy.

At this point in your life, what are your alternatives? You can certainly say no and refuse to see your physician and continue your pattern of excessive drinking.

It actually doesn’t take a genius, to the contrary, to understand that continuous, abusive drinking, if left untreated, will worsen over time and quite possibly result an early death. Thus, your healthiest alternative is to confront your drinking problem and get the alcohol treatment you need.

The Facade of the Functioning Alcohol Addicted Individual

It is almost counter intuitive to note the fact that numerous alcohol dependent people lead busy and active lives and have jobs, vehicles, pets, families, houses, and any number of material possessions just like people who are not addicted to alcohol.

Many of these “functional” alcoholics may have never been arrested for drunk driving and may have been lucky enough to avoid all alcohol generated legal predicaments. Despite this fortunate circumstance, nevertheless, these alcohol dependent individuals need to drink in order to live on a daily basis while preserving their facade as they interact with the outside world.

Ask anyone who has seen them when they are engaging in one of their drinking binges or in a drunken stupor or ask a family member about the problem drinker’s alcoholism, conversely, and they will be quick to articulate the validity of the drinker’s situation and the details about the alcohol addicted person’s drinking condition and about his or her alcohol-related predicaments.

Why Do Alcohol Addicted Individuals Fail to Acknowledge Their Drinking Problems?

As alcohol dependency research and statistics on alcohol abuse have emphasized, no matter how clear the alcohol-related difficulties seem to those who interact with the alcohol dependent person, alcoholic people frequently deny that drinking is the origin of their alcohol produced difficulties. Not only this, but alcohol dependent people commonly blame their alcohol induced issues on other individuals or upon other situations around them rather than seeing their part in the difficulty.

The origin of the difficulty is that alcohol addiction is a disease of the brain. Once the drinker has become alcohol dependent, he or she regularly resorts to denial, manipulation, and lying as a way of coping with the fact that his or her drinking is out of control. And to make things more complex, the experience of alcohol withdrawal symptoms commonly thwarts the alcohol dependent person’s rare attempts to abruptly abstain from drinking. As cheerless as the alcohol addicted person’s existence is, on the other hand, the good news is that quality help is widely accessible – if the alcohol addicted person reaches out and seeks alcohol rehab.

Conclusion

Coming to grips with the fact that drinking is eliciting difficulties in your day to day functioning is conceivably the easiest way to determine if you have a problem with your drinking. Stated more precisely, if your drinking is causing issues with your health, at work, in your relationships, with your finances, at school, or with the legal system, then you have a drinking problem that needs to be addressed.

If you have a drinking problem, furthermore, this means that you are engaging in abusive drinking.

While some problem drinkers may be able to come to grips with their “alcohol signs,” pinpoint their difficulties, and greatly diminish the quantity and rate of their drinking, other drinkers, to the contrary, need to manage their drinking difficulties by getting professional alcoholism rehab. Furthermore, due to their propensity to deny the facts and alter the truth, alcohol dependent people absolutely need proficient alcohol rehab for their abusive drinking.

Detrimental Outcomes That are Associated With Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse

Some of the damaging consequences related to alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class undeniably frightened me. The ruined lives and frequent serious issues experienced by most alcohol dependent individuals made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. In a word, I did not want to face the wreckage and devastation that alcohol dependent people almost always experience.

Let this sink in for a moment. What fifteen-year-old teenager wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What adolescent wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that drinking alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What young person wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related issues before he or she becomes an adult?

What adolescent wants to encounter alcohol withdrawals when he or she tries to stop drinking? Why would a person engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause difficulties in every area of his or her life? Drinking later in life after an individual has a career, a family, and develops personal responsibilities makes sense. But why would a young person want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that revolves around excessive drinking?

These issues were so significant that I talked about some of them in class during the school year. What was totally inconceivable to me was the number of students who simply didn’t care about the dangerous consequences of irresponsible drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t care less about the facts and how these effects can shatter their lives. For the first time in my life I started to appreciate a saying that my grandfather used to emphasize throughout my adolesence: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t force it to drink.

It’s Liberating, Important, and Beneficial to Remove Yourself From the Debilitating and Unhealthy End Results of Drug and Alcohol Abuse

And even at my young age, I also began to understand how beneficial, important, and energizing it is in life to remove yourself from the damaging and unhealthy results of alcohol and drug abuse.

After feeling unhappy because she was beginning to ignore her health, Jennifer at long last told herself that enough is enough, that it’s time to stop the self pity act, that it’s time to stop the hazardous and abusive drinking, and time to get going with her life. So the next Saturday morning at 10:00 AM, she determined that she would quit drinking suddenly and completely without preparation or planning.

When She Attempted to Quit Drinking She Felt Awful, She Started to Sweat Extensively, Her Head Was Aching, She Was Extremely Moody and Tense, She Had Utterly No Appetite, and She Vomited a Number of Times

When Jennifer stopped drinking, she reasoned that she would more likely than not be tempted to take a few drinks, but she never figured that she would feel so horrific. More explicitly, around an hour after she quit drinking, she had absolutely no appetite, she vomited a number of times, she was extremely moody and tense, she started to sweat profusely, and her head was pounding.

When she called her best friend and informed her that she had quit drinking and that after a couple of hours she abruptly started to have flu-like symptoms, Denise, her best pal, told Jennifer to call her medical doctor and discuss what she was feeling.

She Admits to Her Healthcare Practitioner That She Has Been Drinking In an Abusive and Hazardous Manner, That She Just Tried to Quit Drinking, and That She is Going Through Terrible Flu-Like Symptoms

So Jennifer called her medical practitioner, informed him that she has been drinking in an abusive and irresponsible manner for quite a few months and that when she made an effort to totally stop drinking earlier in the day, within a few hours she felt as if she had the most terrible flu-like symptoms that she had ever experienced.

Her physician told her that she may be experiencing symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a friend or family member drive her to the emergency room as soon as possible.

As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a neighbor to take her to the emergency room. Interestingly, all the way to the hospital, as sick as Jennifer felt, the only thing she could think about was whether or not she was dependent on alcohol.

Apparently her doctor had called ahead and informed the emergency room medical team to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two ER workers who promptly told her to lie down on the portable bed they had with them. After getting transferred to the emergency room and undergoing a couple of basic tests, it was confirmed that Jennifer was in actual fact suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detox.

A healthcare practitioner administered some meds to lessen the intensity of her flu-like symptoms and also administered some drugs to help get rid of the alcohol that was still in her body.

A Substance Abuse and Alcohol Abuse Physician Explains in a Clear Fashion That She is Dependent on Alcohol and Then Goes Over What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcoholism Stages Are

After a few hours, Jennifer was taken from the ER and wheeled to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for just about an hour, Doctor Jeffries, a drug and alcohol abuse specialist, came to visit her. He took plenty of time and clearly explained that Jennifer had suffered through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she stopped drinking due to the fact that she had become dependent on alcohol.

He then mentioned the fact that with excessive drinking on a daily basis, the drinker’s brain progressively becomes accustomed to the alcohol so that it can perform in a “semi-normal” manner. When the drinker then all of a sudden quits ingesting alcohol, it can be noted, the brain reacts by giving rise to alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Furthermore, her physician also discussed the various alcoholism stages that an alcoholic regularly experiences as the disease gets progressively worse.

It is Confirmed that Jennifer is in the First Stage of Alcohol Addiction and She Receives a Favorable Projection For a Total Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Addiction Rehabilitation She Requires

Fortunately for Jennifer, it was confirmed that she was in the earliest stage of alcohol addiction and, consequently, she was given a favorable diagnosis for a complete recovery if she obtains the alcohol addiction rehabilitation she requires.

Jennifer told the doctor that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to recover her life and her health. She also stated that she has a first class hospitalization insurance policy that will almost certainly pay for most of the costs required for rehabilitation. It was apparent that Jennifer was extremely happy with her optimistic medical forecast and felt free from worry knowing that she will be able to get the alcohol dependency therapy she requires so that she can start on the path to recovery.

After feeling discouraged because she was beginning to close her eyes to her health, Jennifer at long last told herself that enough is enough, that it’s time to quit the self pity act, that it’s time to quit the hazardous and irresponsible drinking, and time to move on with her life.  So the following Saturday morning at 9:00 AM, she came to a decision that she would stop drinking completely and suddenly without preparation or planning.

When She Attempted to Stop Drinking She Felt Sick, She Started to Sweat Profusely, She Was Extremely Nervous and Moody, Her Head Was Pounding, She Vomited Numerous Times, and She Had Utterly No Appetite

When Jennifer quit drinking, she assumed that she would most likely be tempted to sneak a few drinks, but she never believed that she would feel so horrific.  More precisely, about two-and-a-half hours after she stopped drinking, she had absolutely no appetite, she vomited a number of times, she was extremely moody and tense, she started to sweat profusely, and her head was pounding.

When she called her best pal and informed her that she had stopped drinking and that after a few hours she all of a sudden started to experience flu-like symptoms, Jessica, her best buddy, told Jennifer to call her healthcare practitioner and discuss what was taking place.

She Admits to Her Family Doctor That She Has Been Drinking In an Abusive Manner, That She Just Tried to Stop Drinking, and That She is Going Through Extremely Unpleasant Flu-Like Symptoms

So Jennifer called her healthcare practitioner, told him that she has been drinking in an abusive and excessive manner for more than a few months and that when she honestly tried to suddenly stop drinking earlier in the day, within a few hours she felt as if she had the most ghastly flu-like symptoms that she had ever suffered through.

Her healthcare professional informed her that she may be going through symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a family member or friend take her to the emergency room as soon as possible.

As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a neighbor to take her to the emergency room.  Interestingly, all the way to the hospital, as sick as Jennifer felt, the only thing she could think about was whether or not she might be an alcoholic.

It appears that her family doctor had called ahead and told the emergency room treatment team to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two ER workers who promptly told her to get in the wheelchair they had with them.  After getting transferred to the emergency room and undergoing a couple of necessary tests, it was validated that Jennifer was in truth going through alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detoxification.

A doctor administered some drugs to reduce her flu-like symptoms and also gave her some medications to help eliminate the alcohol that was still in her circulation system.

A Substance Abuse and Alcohol Abuse Healthcare Practitioner Goes Over the Fact That She is Alcohol Dependent and Then Goes Over What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Dependency Stages Are

After two or three hours, Jennifer was removed from the emergency room and transported to the recovery room.  After she was in recovery for nearly two-and-a-half hours, Doctor Brill, an alcohol and drug addiction specialist, came to see her.  He took his time and explained in plain words that Jennifer had suffered through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she stopped drinking because she had become dependent on alcohol.

He then mentioned the fact that with repeated and excessive drinking, the person’s brain little by little gets acclimated to the alcohol so that it can function in a “semi-normal” manner.  When the drinker then abruptly refrains from drinking, it can be pointed out, the brain responds by bringing forth alcohol withdrawal symptoms.  What is more, her doctor also went over the various alcoholism stages that an individual who is alcohol dependent commonly goes through as the disease gets progressively worse as time goes by.

It is Determined that Jennifer is in the Earliest Stage of Alcohol Dependency and She Receives a Good Diagnosis For a Total Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Addiction Treatment She Requires

Fortunately for Jennifer, it was discovered that she was in the first stage of alcoholism and, as a consequence, she was given a good forecast for a total recovery if she obtains the alcohol dependency treatment she requires.

Jennifer told the physician that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to recover her life and her health.  She also mentioned that she has an outstanding hospitalization policy that will probably pay for most of the costs required for rehab.  It was obvious that Jennifer was extremely pleased with her optimistic prognosis and felt at peace knowing that she will be able to get the alcohol rehab she needs so that she can begin the road to recovery.

If you have unproductively tried to quit drinking or if you have given your word to yourself that your drinking days are behind you and then you realized that you were drinking in a hazardous way just a few days later, the odds are very good that you have drinking problems. The point of emphasis is that if you have made an effort to quit drinking and cannot get this accomplished, then your drinking is controlling you, instead of the other way around.

Likewise, if it takes greater amounts of alcohol to get the same “high,” more likely than not you need to become aware that you have a drinking problem.

You may be telling yourself that the reason for your drinking is so that you can reduce your apprehension or get rid of the pain that you feel. Similarly, you may be trying to avoid a negative circumstance and may be looking for something more beneficial, more favorable, or less sorrowful.

As you continue to drink, on the other hand, you will become aware that drinking does not bring forth the same high and you will also become aware that drinking doesn’t help get rid of whatever led to your problem in the first place.

Along the way, sadly, you may become addicted to alcohol and, as a result, you may add another fundamental issue to cope with rather than finding out about more effective and wholesome ways of coping with your alcohol produced predicament.

The Necessity for an Alcohol Appraisal

If you have figured out that you have a drinking problem, possibly the healthiest thing you can do for yourself is to call your doctor or healthcare practitioner and schedule an appointment for a physical and for a review of your drinking situation.

If you openly feel that you have a dangerous drinking problem, it might be a good idea to get prepared to hear that you need to get alcohol reahbilitation.

At this juncture, what are your choices? You can indisputably decide against seeing your medical doctor and persevere with your pattern of irresponsible drinking.

It really doesn’t take a genius, on the other hand, to comprehend that repeated, heavy drinking, if left untreated, will get worse over time and more likely than not bring about an early death. For that reason, your best alternative is to face up to your drinking circumstance and obtain the alcohol counseling you require.

The Sham of the Functioning Alcohol Addicted Individual

It is somewhat peculiar to note the fact that several alcohol dependent people lead busy and active lives and have families, jobs, houses, vehicles, pets, and any number of material possessions similar to individuals who are not alcohol dependent.

Many of these “functional” alcoholics may have never been cited for a DUI and may have been fortunate enough to avoid all alcohol induced legal difficulties. Despite this fortunate circumstance, nonetheless, these alcohol dependent individuals need to drink in order to operate on a daily basis while keeping up their facade as they associate with people outside their family.

Ask anyone who has seen them when they are out on a drunken binge or in a drunken stupor or ask a family member about the problem drinker’s alcohol addiction, to the contrary, and they will be quick to maintain the validity of the drinker’s situation and the essentials about the alcohol dependent person’s drinking circumstances and about his or her alcohol-related difficulties.

Why Do People Addicted to Alcohol Fail to Perceive Their Drinking Problems?

As alcohol dependency research and statistics on alcohol abuse have underlined, no matter how noticeable the alcohol-related issues seem to those who interact with the alcohol addicted individual, alcoholic people frequently deny that drinking is the basis of their alcohol generated issues. Not only this, but alcohol addicted individuals often blame their alcohol induced issues on other individuals or upon other circumstances that surround them rather than seeing their part in the difficulty.

The source of the problem is that alcoholism is a disease of the brain. Once the alcohol abuser has become an alcoholic, he or she typically resorts to denial, manipulation, and dishonesty as a way of dealing with the fact that his or her drinking is out of control. And to make the situation worse, the experience of alcohol withdrawal symptoms regularly thwarts the alcohol addicted individual’s rare attempts to suddenly refrain from drinking. As cheerless as the alcohol dependent individual’s life is, to the contrary, the good news is that quality help is usually accessible – if the alcohol addicted individual reaches out and seeks alcohol therapy.

Conclusion

Admitting the fact that drinking is triggering difficulties in your day by day functioning is conceivably the most trouble-free way to determine if you have a drinking problem. Stated differently, if your drinking is causing issues with your health, with your employment, in your relationships, with your finances, at school, or with the law, then you have a drinking problem that needs to be resolved.

If you have a drinking problem, what is more, this means that you are engaging in abusive drinking.

While some drinkers may be able to detect their “alcohol signs,” pinpoint their problems, and substantially diminish the amount and rate of their drinking, others, then again, need to tackle their drinking problems by getting professional alcoholism rehab. Furthermore, due to their propensity to deny the facts and distort the truth, alcoholics definitely need proficient alcohol therapy for their excessive drinking.

Dangerous Results That are Linked to Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse

Some of the dangerous consequences related to alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class definitely startled me. The ruined lives and abundant problems experienced by most alcoholics made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. That is, I did not want to face the damage and devastation that alcohol addicted people almost always experience.

Think about this for a moment. What fifteen-year-old person wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What teenager wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that consuming alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What adolescent wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related issues before he or she becomes an adult?

What teenager wants to go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when he or she tries to quit drinking? Why would a person engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause problems in every area of his or her life? Drinking later in life after a person has a career, a family, and develops personal responsibilities makes sense. But why would a teenager want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that centers on abusive drinking?

These issues were so important that I talked about some of them in class during the school year. What was totally unbelievable to me was the number of students who basically didn’t care about the damaging results of abusive drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t be bothered with the facts and how these results can destroy their lives. For the first time in my life I started to grasp something that my grandfather used to tell me throughout my teen and pre-teen years: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t force it to drink.

It’s Beneficial, Enlivening, and Important to Keep Yourself From the Unhealthy and Damaging Outcomes of Alcohol and Drug Abuse

And even at my young age, I also started to comprehend how important, beneficial, and liberating it is in life to keep yourself from the debilitating and unhealthy end results of alcohol and drug abuse.

Dangerous End Results That are Correlated With Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse

Some of the dangerous effects related to alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class without a doubt startled me. The ruined lives and frequent serious issues experienced by most alcohol addicted people made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. Stated briefly, I did not want to face the damage and ruination that alcohol dependent people almost always experience.

Ponder upon this for a moment. What fifteen-year-old individual wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What adolescent wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that ingesting alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What young person wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related difficulties before he or she becomes twenty-one?

What teenager wants to deal with alcohol withdrawals when he or she tries to quit drinking? Why would an individual engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause difficulties in every area of his or her life? Drinking later in life after an individual has a career, a family, and develops personal responsibilities makes sense. But why would an adolescent want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that centers on hazardous drinking?

These issues were so noteworthy that I discussed some of them in class during the school year. What was downright unbelievable to me was the number of students who basically didn’t care about the negative effects of abusive drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t care less about the facts and how these consequences can destroy their lives. For the first time in my life I started to understand a saying that my grandfather used to say to me throughout my younger years: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t force it to drink.

It’s Important, Energizing, and Beneficial to Keep Yourself From the Debilitating and Unhealthy End Results of Drug and Alcohol Abuse

And even at my young age, I also began to realize how beneficial, liberating, and important it is in life to keep yourself from the debilitating and unhealthy results of drug and alcohol abuse.

In fact, rather than helping the alcohol addicted person and themselves, these family members have essentially become enablers who have inadvertently helped worsen the alcohol addicted person’s drinking problem even further.

Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcohol dependent individual will continue drinking in an excessive and abusive manner and suffer from various “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DWIs), diminished mental functioning, deteriorating relationships, serious financial problems, ill health, and employment difficulties.

The Possibility of a Relapse is Real

According to the research findings and statistics on alcohol dependency, another key alcohol addiction issue concerns alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol addicted person has effectively gone through alcoholism treatment and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first glance, this situation flies in the face of commonsensical thinking and sounds so unbelievable that it forces an individual to wonder why anyone who has lived through the dejection of alcoholism can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol counseling and in turn after achieving recovery. There are, of course, more than a few possible reasons for this.

It should be pointed out, nevertheless that alcohol dependency research that has centered on the long standing consequences of alcoholism has revealed that long after the alcoholic has terminated his or her drinking, significant modifications in the way in which the alcohol dependent person’s brain operates are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcohol dependent individual has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the alterations that have taken place in the brain is to start drinking once again.

A Requirement for An Important Lifestyle Transformation

There are additional reasons why numerous recovering alcoholics return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after reaching sobriety. In accordance to the alcohol dependency research literature, to make a successful recovery, the alcohol addicted individual needs new ways of reacting and thinking in order to deal more effectively with challenging alcohol-related circumstances that will take place.

Situations such as returning to the same alcohol addictive atmosphere or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the days when the alcohol dependent person was drinking abusively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these conditions can elicit memories that can set off psychological stress or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol addicted person to engage in hazardous drinking once again. Regrettably, all of these situations may not only get in the way of long lasting sobriety for the alcoholic but they can also result in relapse and thus counteract one’s sobriety.

The Good News:  There’s Light at the End of the Tunnel

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol addicted person, family members can essentially cause inadvertent destruction by enabling the unhealthy drinking behavior of the alcohol dependent person.

The alcoholism research literature confirms the fact that most individuals who successfully complete alcohol rehabilitation go through at least one relapse. Alcoholics and their family members need to know this so that they do not get defeated or overwhelmed when a relapse manifests itself.

Luckily, participation in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up rehab and training have resulted in more productive, ongoing alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction rehab results, have helped diminish alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol addicted persons attain ongoing alcohol recovery.

Clearly, rather than helping the alcohol dependent individual and themselves, these family members have essentially become enablers who have inadvertently helped deteriorate the alcohol addicted person’s drinking problem even more.

Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcoholic will continue drinking in an irresponsible and hazardous manner and experience diverse “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include diminished mental functioning, employment difficulties, poor health, deteriorating relationships, legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DUIs), and considerable financial problems.

Relapses Can and Do Happen

According to the research literature and statistics on alcohol dependency, another key alcohol addiction issue involves alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol addicted individual has effectively gone through alcoholism rehabilitation and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this situation seems contradictory to rational thinking and appears to be so unbelievable that it forces a person to question why anyone who has experienced the misery of alcohol dependency can return to drinking a short while after effective alcohol therapy and in turn after achieving recovery. There are, of course, more than a few credible reasons for this.

It should be explained, nevertheless that alcohol dependency research that has centered on the long-term outcomes of alcoholism has revealed that long after the alcohol addicted person has stopped his or her drinking, fundamental alterations in the way in which the alcoholic’s brain works are still present. As a consequence, all a recovering alcohol dependent person has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the alterations that have come about in the brain is to begin drinking once again.

The Need for A Major Lifestyle Change

There are even more reasons why more than a few recovering alcohol dependent individuals return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after achieving sobriety. In accordance to the alcohol addiction research literature, to make an effective recovery, the alcohol dependent individual needs new ways of reacting and thinking in order to deal more effectively with difficult alcohol-related circumstances that will take place.

Issues such as returning to the same alcohol addictive environment or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the days when the alcohol dependent individual was drinking excessively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these circumstances can bring about memories that can prompt psychological anxiety or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcoholic to engage in irresponsible drinking once again. Regrettably, all of these situations may not only get in the way of long-term sobriety for the alcoholic but they can also lead to relapse and as a result negate one’s alcohol recovery.

The Good News: There’s Light at the End of the Tunnel

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol dependent person, family members can actually cause unintentional damage by enabling the destructive drinking behavior of the alcoholic.

The alcohol abuse research literature highlights the fact that most people who successfully complete alcohol therapy experience at least one relapse. Alcohol addicted persons and their family members need to know this so that they do not get depressed or beleaguered when a relapse takes place.

Happily, participation in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up counseling and training have resulted in more successful, lasting alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency rehab outcomes, have helped diminish alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcoholics achieve long lasting alcohol recovery.