Jennifer is a thirty-three-year-old accounting clerk who has been consuming alcohol quite extensively since she and her boyfriend decided to discontinue their relationship. In point of fact, for the past ten months she has been drinking almost one-and-a-half bottles of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking several cans of beer during the day. In a word, Jennifer has been drinking so excessively and abusively that it’s a miracle that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.

After feeling down in the dumps because she was beginning to disregard her health, Jennifer at last told herself that she’s had enough, that it’s time to quit the self pity routine, that it’s time to quit the hazardous drinking, and time to make a new start with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 10:00 AM, she determined that she would stop drinking cold turkey.

When She Stopped Drinking She Felt Ill, She Had Utterly No Appetite, She Was Extremely Restless and Moody, She Started to Perspire Profusely, She Vomited Numerous Times, and Her Head Was Pounding

When Jennifer stopped drinking, she assumed that she would quite possibly be tempted to take a couple of drinks, but she never thought that she would feel so horrific. More specifically, approximately four hours after she stopped drinking, 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 she called her best pal and told her that she had quit drinking and that after a couple of hours she without any warning began experiencing flu-like symptoms, Lorraine, her best buddy, told Jennifer to call her medical doctor and discuss what was transpiring.

She Admits to Her Doctor That She Has Been Drinking Excessively, That She Just Tried to Quit Drinking, and That She is Suffering Through Terrible Flu-Like Symptoms

So Jennifer called her medical practitioner, told him that she has been drinking in an irresponsible and hazardous manner for a number of months and that when she honestly tried to completely stop drinking earlier in the day, within a few hours she felt as if she had the most dreadful 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 relative or friend drive her to the emergency room ASAP.

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

Obviously her healthcare professional had called ahead and told the emergency room medical team to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by a nurse and a paramedic who promptly asked her to lie down on the portable bed they had with them. After getting taken to the emergency room and undergoing a few important tests, it was substantiated that Jennifer was in actual fact going through alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detoxification.

A healthcare professional administered some medications to reduce the intensity of her flu-like symptoms and also administered some medications to help eliminate the alcohol that was still in her circulation system.

An Alcohol Addiction Healthcare Professional Discusses That She is Dependent on Alcohol and Then Clearly Explains What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Addiction Stages Are

After two or three hours, Jennifer was transferred from the ER and wheeled to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for about two hours, Doctor Bornhorst, a chemical dependency and substance abuse specialist, came to talk to her. He took his time and explained that Jennifer had suffered through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she quit drinking because she had become addicted to alcohol.

He then elucidated the fact that with heavy drinking on a daily basis, the person’s brain over time gets acclimated to the alcohol in order to work in a “semi-normal” way. When the individual then all of a sudden stops ingesting alcohol, however, the brain responds by giving rise to alcohol withdrawal symptoms. In addition, her healthcare practitioner also clearly explained the various alcoholism stages that an alcohol addicted person regularly suffers through as the disease gradually gets worse.

It is Determined that Jennifer is in the Earliest Stage of Alcohol Dependency and She Receives a Good Projection For a Full Recovery if She Gets the Alcoholism Rehabilitation She Requires

Fortunately for Jennifer, it was confirmed that she was in the earliest stage of alcoholism and, consequently, she received a good forecast for a complete recovery if she receives the alcohol dependency therapy she needs.

Jennifer told the physician that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to re-establish her life. She also stated that she has a very comprehensive hospitalization insurance policy that will almost certainly pay for most, if not all, of the costs needed for treatment. It was obvious that Jennifer was very grateful about her optimistic medical forecast and felt free from worry knowing that she will be able to get the alcoholism therapy she requires so that she can start on the path to recovery.

Heather is a sixty-two-year-old woman who is the top administrator in the human resources department at a large copper molding company. In order to help reduce the costs linked to work related injuries, excessive sick days, increasing absenteeism, employee alcoholism and alcohol abuse, and poor employee work performance, Heather and the other company executives initiated numerous programs that made the work atmosphere considerably more productive, safe, and healthy.

As an illustration, fifteen years ago Heather and the other members of top management launched an Employee’s Assistance Program so that all the employees had access to top shelf psychological counseling for their personal problems that could harm their work performance, personal well being, and their health.

Top Management Erects a Forward-Looking Exercise and Workout Room Complete With Weights, Exercise Equipment, a Professional Trainer During Business Hours, Exercise Charts, Mirrors, and Scales

As another illustration, approximately eight-and-a-half years ago Heather and the other members of upper management assembled a modern workout and exercise room complete with many different types of exercise equipment, exercise charts, weights, a personal trainer during business hours, mirrors, and scales.

In addition, roughly four years ago Heather and the other company executives invested in a distillation system that filters all the drinking water that is available anywhere in the building complex. In the same way, three-and-a-half years ago, Heather and the other company leaders started a “walking club” that is primarily intended for workers who want to work on their cardiovascular system.

The Company Leaders Implement a Weight-Watchers Class and Sign Up a Weight-Loss Healthcare Professional to Supervise the Program

As another illustration, approximately two years ago, Heather and the other members of upper management implemented a “Weight-Watchers” class that at this moment in time meets every weekday at noon until 1:00 PM. Furthermore, the company executives employed a weight-loss professional to run the program.

In the same way, a year ago Heather and the other company executives put into operation a “Stop Smoking Club” for workers who want to stop smoking.

In the last six months, in conjunction with the Employee’s Assistance Program, Heather and the other company executives started an “Anger Management” class for workers who want to learn how to better manage their temper.

The Company Leaders Launch a Drug and Alcohol Testing Program

In the last three months, Heather and the other company leaders started a drug and alcohol testing program that is linked with their drug and alcohol abuse prevention program. In fact, Heather is the key person in the company responsible for getting the message out to all the employees about the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program as well as the drug and alcohol testing program.

One of the fundamental elements of the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcoholism and Depression” that meets every Wednesday after work. The fundamental idea with this class is informing employees that hazardous drinking and depression often happen in the same individual. It is hoped that realizing this information will be able to help an individual address both medical conditions and get the alcohol therapy and mental health therapy he or she requires.

The Company Executives Put Into Operation an Alcohol Statistics and Facts Class

Another relatively recent addition to the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcohol Statistics and Facts.” The reasoning behind this alcohol statistics facts class is the reality that several people fail to grasp the total impact of the effects of alcohol abuse and alcoholism without first learning about some of the alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse statistics and facts that are available. Consequently, one of the objectives of this class is to provide a mixture of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency facts and statistics in order to help employees gain a better comprehension of the huge number of difficulties that are related to irresponsible and abusive drinking and how they can prevent these difficulties from taking place.

Most recently, Heather and the other company executives, by way of feedback from employees, developed a class that focuses directly on acute drinking entitled “What is Alcoholism”? This class meets every Thursday morning an hour-and-a-half before work and focuses for the most part on the differences between alcohol abuse and alcoholism, on the stages of alcoholism, and on the different types of treatment that are available for people who have alcohol drinking problems such as individuals who drink in an abusive manner.

Even though each and every one of these health and preventative maintenance programs was anything but low-cost, the company administrators think that they are many thousands of dollars ahead by providing all of their employees with a healthy, safe, and more productive work atmosphere.

Miss Benning was a health instructor at the most underfinanced co-ed high school in the state. Even though she had been teaching for only two or three years, she had already established a reputation as a teacher with educational approaches that motivated and inspired her pupils to learn and to think.

For example, one Friday morning she addressed the pupils in her class and announced the following: “For the next two weeks we are going to learn about some basic alcoholism facts from a more broad-based standpoint and we are also going to learn about a number of the most common signs of alcoholism from a more detailed viewpoint.”

“Not all of these alcoholism signs will categorically substantiate that someone with a drinking problem is an alcohol dependent person, but the more signs that an individual displays, the higher the probability that he or she is an individual who is alcohol dependent.”

Miss Benning then explained to the the students that each pupil would be responsible for investigating two alcoholism signs and then presenting his or her results to the other class members via a thirty minute oral presentation.

The Pupils are Wound Up About Giving A Broad-Based Presentation to Their Fellow Pupils About Alcoholism Signs

After learning about the different alcohol addiction signs for a number of days, the time had finally come for the student presentations. It was at once clear to see that the pupils were energized about the subject because the information that they presented was first-rate. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the passion displayed by the students in her classroom regarding this subject was an understatement.

The day after all of the pupils completed their presentations, Miss Benning passed out a sheet of paper with a list of all the alcoholism signs that were discussed and presented in class and in the presentations. Miss Benning then asked the students in her classroom to go over the list and rank the top six alcohol dependency signs that were most indicative of alcoholism. After around fifteen minutes, Miss Benning collected the sheets of paper and informed her students that after she analyzes the numbers, she will reveal her findings the next school day.

There was some real anticipation by the students while they were walking out of Miss Benning’s classroom. One could swear that her pupils couldn’t wait for the next day to come so that they could learn about the outcome of their in-class research.

The Students Compare Their Results With the Assessments From A Board of Substance Abuse Professionals

When the next school day arrived, Miss Benning handed out a piece of paper that listed the top four alcoholism signs as per the pupils’ rankings. To the left of these results, she included another column that was labeled “correct response.” She then explained to her students that the numbers in the additional column she added were the responses that were stated publicly by a board of drug and alcohol addiction specialists.

Miss Benning told the students in her classroom to go over the data on the sheet of paper she handed out and then to raise their hand if they had any issues, questions, or concerns. Within a minute or two, virtually every student in the class raised her or his hand. It was evident that the pupils had some concerns, issues, or questions about their results versus the answers given by the specialists. For example, virtually every individual in the class disagreed with the highest ranked answer given by the authorities, that is, “Do you feel exceptionally nauseous when you abstain from drinking?”

The Main Difference Between Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse is the Physical Addiction That is Experienced With Alcoholism and Not With Alcohol Abuse

Miss Benning then told her pupils why this answer was the most accurate sign of alcoholism. She pointed out that the major difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction is the physical addiction that is experienced with alcohol dependency and not with alcohol abuse.

In essence this means that when an alcohol addicted individual all of a sudden stops drinking, he or she will suffer through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Miss Benning then explained to her students that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the body and by the brain to the deficiency of alcohol to which they had become acclimated. Stated more precisely, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are signals from the brain and from the body telling a person who is alcohol dependent that something is very incorrect and needs to be rectified. These messages consist of several dangerous, painful, and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms that can possibly lead to a fatality if the appropriate treatment is not immediately received.

Miss Benning then went over the many diverse alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be experienced when a person who is alcohol dependent suddenly quits drinking.

The point that Miss Benning tried to underscore was this: an individual who engages in alcohol abuse can experience almost any and every one of the alcohol dependency signs that the students had ranked, but the one symptom or sign that few, if any, individuals who engage in alcohol abuse ever experience is alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

To articulate this as exactly as possible, Miss Benning emphasized the point that alcohol abusers, unlike individuals who are addicted to alcohol, are not alcohol dependent and accordingly, when they stop drinking, they almost never suffer from alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The Students Feel They Have Uncovered An Irregularity With the Findings From The Team of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Authorities

The students also had a problem with the second ranked answer given by the chemical dependency professionals, that is to say, “Have you ever had a drink the first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?”

Miss Benning explained to the students in her class that this sign does not automatically mean that the problem is alcoholism, but that it does underscore the need that alcohol addicted people have to drink in order to stay away from alcohol withdrawals.

After Miss Benning explained the significance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the alcohol dependent individual, the students started to grasp the basic difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

To add a sense of closure to the topic, Miss Benning asked the students in her classroom to take out a piece of paper and answer the following question: “if every person who is an alcoholic knew about every one of the alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcoholism signs we have studied, what percentage of them do you think would obtain alcoholism rehab?”

After approximately three or four minutes, Miss Benning asked for the students’ answers. While many students believed that approximately 75 to 85 percent of people who are alcohol dependent would obtain alcohol dependency rehabilitation if they knew about the facts related to alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcohol dependency signs, most of the pupils thought that this number would not be less than 65 percent.

The Students Were Amazed to Learn That Only 25% of People Who are Alcohol Dependent in the United States Seek Alcohol Rehab

To the shock of most of the pupils, Miss Benning declared that according to various scientific examinations, only 25% of the people who are alcohol dependent in the United States get alcoholism treatment. This astonished most of the pupils because they believed that exposure to the overwhelming facts and statistics associated with alcohol dependency would motivate most of the alcohol dependent people to ask for alcohol addiction treatment.

Miss Benning then explained that alcoholics not only need alcohol on a daily basis in order to function but they also need alcohol everyday so they can keep away from possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Obviously, the alcohol dependent person’s need to drink on a daily basis is stronger than facts or logic. Certainly, due to the fact that the craving for alcohol is “reality” to the alcohol dependent individual, this is hard to undo.

A few minutes later the bell rang, indicating that the end of class had arrived. Based on the buzz manifested by the students when they were leaving the classroom, Miss Benning knew that she had inspired and motivated her pupils to stop and think about a critical health and social problem that exists in our country.

Miss Benning was a health instructor at the most popular co-ed high school in the county. Although she had been teaching for only three years, she had already secured a reputation as a person with educational techniques that stimulated and motivated the students in her class to learn and to think.

For instance, one Wednesday morning at 8:00 she addressed the pupils in her class and announced the following: “For the next week we are going to learn about some basic alcoholism facts from a general standpoint and we are also going to learn about several of the most familiar signs of alcoholism from a less general and more specific standpoint.”

“Not all of these alcoholism signs will positively prove that an individual with a drinking problem is an individual who is alcohol dependent, but the more signs that a drinker manifests, the stronger the probability that he or she is an alcohol dependent individual.”

Miss Benning then informed the members in the class that each individual would be held responsible for studying four alcoholism signs and then presenting his or her findings to the other members in the class via a six minute oral presentation.

The Students are Enthused About Giving A Thorough Presentation to Their Fellow Students About The Signs of Alcohol Addiction

After learning about the diverse signs of alcohol dependency for several days, the time had finally arrived for the oral presentations. It was instantaneously apparent that the pupils in her class were keyed up about the subject matter because the material that they presented was outstanding. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the excitement exhibited by her pupils concerning this subject matter was an understatement.

The day after all of the students completed their presentations, Miss Benning passed out a sheet of paper with a list of all the alcohol addiction signs that were presented and discussed in class and in the presentations. Miss Benning then asked her students to go over the list and rank the top nine alcohol dependency signs that were most indicative of alcoholism. After roughly fifteen minutes, Miss Benning collected the pieces of paper and informed the students in her classroom that after she reviews the numbers, she will discuss her findings the next school day.

There was some real excitement by the pupils while they were leaving Miss Benning’s classroom. One could swear that her pupils couldn’t wait for the next day to arrive so that they could learn about the outcome of their in-class research.

The Students Contrast Their Numbers With the Evaluations From A Board of Substance Abuse Specialists

When the next school day finally arrived, Miss Benning passed out a sheet of paper that listed the top five alcohol dependency signs as per the students’ rankings. To the right of these results, she added another column that was labeled “correct answer.” She then explained to the students in her class that the numbers in the extra column she added stood for the answers that were stated by a team of alcoholism authorities.

Miss Benning asked the students in her classroom to go over the information on the piece of paper she passed out and then to raise their hand if they had any questions, concerns, or issues. Within 40 or 50 seconds, just about everyone in the class raised her or his hand. It was noticeable that the students had some questions, issues, or concerns about their results versus the answers given by the experts. For example, almost every individual in the classroom had an issue with the highest ranked answer given by the specialists, that is to say, “Do you feel really sick when you abstain from drinking?”

The Most Important Difference Between Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction is the Physical Dependency That is Experienced With Alcohol Addiction and Not With Alcohol Abuse

Miss Benning then informed the students in her classroom why this answer was the most precise sign of alcohol dependency. She pointed out the fact that the major difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism is the physical addiction that is experienced with alcohol dependency and not with alcohol abuse.

In essence this means that when a person who is alcohol dependent all of a sudden quits drinking, he or she will go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Miss Benning then explained to the students in her class that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the brain and by the body to the deficiency of alcohol to which they had become acclimated. Stated more explicitly, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are messages from the brain and from the body telling an alcohol dependent person that something is extremely wrong and needs to be fixed. These messages consist of a number of painful, uncomfortable, and dangerous withdrawal symptoms that can possibly lead to a person’s death if the proper therapy is not promptly received.

Miss Benning then listed the many different alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be gone through when an individual who is addicted to alcohol suddenly quits drinking.

The fact that Miss Benning tried to stress was this: an individual who engages in alcohol abuse can experience almost any and every one of the alcoholism signs that the students had ranked, but the one sign or symptom that few, if any, people who engage in alcohol abuse ever experience is alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

To articulate this as clearly as possible, Miss Benning stressed the point that alcohol abusers, unlike alcohol addicted people, are not alcohol dependent and accordingly, when they stop drinking, they almost never go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The Pupils Think They Have Uncovered An Inconsistency With the Findings From The Group of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Professionals

The students also some difficulty with the second ranked answer given by the drug and alcohol addiction professionals, specifically, “Have you ever had a drink the first thing in the morning to get rid of a hangover or to steady your nerves?”

Miss Benning told the pupils in her class that this sign does not inevitably suggest that the problem is alcohol addiction, but that it does stress the need that alcohol addicted people have to drink in order to avoid alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

After Miss Benning explained the relevance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the alcoholic, the students started to understand the fundamental difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

To add a sense of closure to the topic, Miss Benning asked the pupils in her classroom to take out a piece of paper and answer the following question: “if every individual who is addicted to alcohol knew about every one of the alcohol addiction signs and alcohol withdrawal symptoms we have studied, what percentage of them do you think would get alcohol addiction rehab?”

After roughly one or two minutes, Miss Benning asked for the pupils’ predictions. While many students figured that around 85 to 95 percent of alcohol addicted people would seek alcohol treatment if they knew about the facts related to alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcohol dependency signs, most of the students reasoned that this number would not be less than 65 percent.

The Pupils Were Surprised to Find Out That Only 25% of Alcohol Dependent People in the U.S. Get Alcohol Dependency Treatment

To the astonishment of most of the pupils, Miss Benning stated that according to various scientific examinations, only 25% of the alcohol dependent individuals in the U.S. get alcohol addiction treatment. This shocked most of the students because they believed that first-hand knowledge of the abysmal facts and statistics related to alcoholism would motivate the majority of the alcohol addicted people to ask for alcohol addiction rehabilitation.

Miss Benning then stated that people who are alcohol dependent not only need alcohol on a daily basis in order to function but they also need alcohol everyday so they can steer clear of possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Evidently, the alcoholic’s need to drink on a daily basis is more powerful than logic or facts. In actual fact, due to the fact that the need for alcohol is “reality” to the alcohol addicted person, this is a thorny issue that is hard to undo.

A few minutes later the bell rang, indicating that the end of class had arrived. Based on the enthusiasm displayed by the pupils when they were leaving the room, Miss Benning recognized that she had encouraged and inspired her pupils to stop and think about an important health and social problem that exists in our society.

Mr. Blake was one of the health instructors at a medium size country high school in the Eastern part of the United States. For “Alcohol Understanding Month” he came to a decision that he would consider focusing on the following three topics for a class project: alcoholism symptoms, alcoholic symptoms, and alcoholism statistics.

After Mr. Blake finalized the topics that would be dispensed to his students, he came to a decision that he would furnish them with their assignment the following Thursday morning.

When “assignment day” eventually came, Mr. Blake met with his pupils, disseminated some appropriate facts and information, and then told his students about the topics he decided upon.

Why It Is Important to Learn How to Correlate Alcoholism Statistics, Alcoholism Symptoms, and Alcoholic Symptoms with Everyday Situations of Individuals Who Are Alcohol Dependent

He then gave his class a synopsis of some significant alcoholism statistics and alcohol addiction symptoms and signs and stressed how vital it is to figure out how to relate these statistics, facts, and symptoms with the everyday situations of alcohol dependent people. He then gave his pupils a succinct articulation about the significance of learning more about alcoholics and how they perform their activities on a daily basis.

Mr. Blake informed the students in his class that they could consider focusing on one of the three topics or talk about all three topics and how they are interrelated. For all intents and purposes this would be not unlike a simple overview but done in a more far-reaching fashion.

Another alternative that he offered to his class was the following: pick a topic such as alcoholism symptoms and signs, look into things more comprehensively, and then go over two or three symptoms and signs. Mr. Blake then brought up the fact that the same principals apply to the other two topics, namely, alcoholism statistics and alcoholic symptoms.

The end result of their study would be a six thousand word composition and then a ten minute oral presentation that would be presented in front of the class.

Presenting The Results of An Academic Exploration at the County Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Symposium

As compensation for their first-rate scholarly accomplishment, those with the top two overall grades on the research project and on the presentation will be invited to present the results of their study at the district substance abuse symposium during the last six days of May.

After the pupils got the facts about their assignment, many of them raised their hands and asked for an illustration or an example of a sub-topic that they could concentrate on for their project.

In reaction, Mr. Blake made up his mind that he would briefly chat about three or four alcohol addiction symptoms and signs that the students could build upon.

For example, Mr. Blake noted the following alcohol addiction signs and symptoms: loss of control, boasting and a “big shot” complex, cloudy thinking, and an obsession with drinking.

Articulating How Alcoholic Symptoms, Alcoholism Symptoms, and Alcoholism Statistics Reveal Themselves in the Life of an Alcohol Dependent Person

After listing these alcohol addiction signs and symptoms, Mr. Blake then informed the students in the classroom that they could do some extra examination on each symptom, gather some relevant data, give a number of illustrations of each symptom or sign, and articulate how each symptom or sign translates itself in the life of an alcohol addicted person.

As acknowledged by Mr. Blake, due to the fact that there are numerous alcohol dependency signs and symptoms to select, he remarked that he was not exceedingly apprehensive about several students choosing the same signs and symptoms for their class assignment.

Certainly, even if multiple students were to pick identical symptoms and signs, the illustrations that are associated with each symptom or sign would certainly add enough variety to stay away from different pupils presenting exactly the same content.

Mr. Blake then discussed the fact that while there are numerous alcoholism signs and symptoms that could be chosen, the quantity of alcohol dependency facts and statistics that could be listed were almost immeasurable. When the topic of alcoholic symptoms was added to the conversation, furthermore, the pupils grasped pretty promptly that the three topics would make available a vast amount of information from which to select.

Why Mr. Blake Selected Alcoholism Symptoms, Alcoholism Statistics, and Alcoholic Symptoms as the Topics For This Research Project

Why did Mr. Blake decide upon alcoholism statistics, alcoholic symptoms, and alcoholism symptoms as the topics for this assignment? Mr. Blake’s goal was that by asking all of his students to research one or more of the three alcohol dependency topics, all the students would have greater comprehension of a complicated yet relevant topic such as alcohol dependency.

Mr. Blake also thought that by elevating the comprehension of his students about the negative effects of alcoholism and the bleak lifestyles experienced by alcohol addicted individuals, his students might think more wisely before they get mixed up with abusive and excessive drinking behavior.

How do you know that you have a problem with your drinking? When is it obvious that you are involving yourself in abusive drinking?

If you have ineffectively tried to discontinue your drinking or if you sworn to yourself that your drinking days are terminated and then you realized that you were drinking in a hazardous manner just a few days later, the probability is very good that you have drinking problems. The bottom line is that if you have attempted to terminate your drinking and cannot get this done, then your drinking is controlling you, rather than the other way around.

Similarly, if it takes larger amounts of alcohol to get the same “high,” you probably need to recognize the fact that you have a problem with your drinking.

You may be telling yourself that the reasoning for your drinking is so that you can lower your nervousness or get rid of the hurt that you feel. Similarly, you may be trying to avoid an unsafe circumstance and may be looking for something better, more helpful, or less regretful.

As you continue to drink, to the contrary, you will grasp the fact that drinking does not bring about the same high and you will also comprehend that drinking doesn’t help eradicate whatever brought about your misery in the first place.

As you continue to drink in an abusive manner, sadly, you may become an alcoholic and, as a consequence, you may add another key problem to deal with rather than finding out about more efficient and beneficial ways of coping with your alcohol produced issues.

The Necessity for an Alcohol Assessment

If you have figured out that you have a drinking problem, perhaps the best thing you can do for yourself is to call your physician or healthcare practitioner and schedule an appointment for a thorough physical and for an evaluation of your drinking activities.

If you actually feel that you have a crucial problem with your drinking, it might be a good idea to get prepared to find out that you need to get alcohol counseling.

At this point in time, what are your choices? You can certainly refuse to see your doctor and persevere with your pattern of excessive drinking.

It certainly doesn’t take a mastermind, to the contrary, to realize that chronic, hazardous drinking, if left untreated, will get worse over time and doubtless set in motion an early death. For that reason, your best option is to face your drinking problem and get the alcohol treatment you need.

The Pretext of the Functioning Alcohol Dependent Individual

It is somewhat odd to note the fact that multitudes of individuals who are addicted to alcohol lead busy and active lives and have vehicles, jobs, pets, houses, families, and any number of material possessions similar to non-alcoholics.

Many of these “functional” alcoholics may have never been arrested for drunk driving and may have been lucky enough to avoid all alcohol-related legal problems. Despite this fortunate situation, on the other hand, these alcohol addicted individuals need to drink in order to live on a daily basis while preserving 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 dependency, nevertheless, and they will be quick to maintain the legitimacy of the drinker’s situation and the whole story about the alcohol dependent person’s drinking circumstances and about his or her alcohol induced problems.

Why Do Alcoholics Fail to Recognize Their Drinking Problems?

As alcoholism research and statistics on alcohol abuse have accentualted, no matter how obvious the alcohol-related issues seem to those who interact with the alcohol dependent person, alcoholic people normally deny that drinking is the cause of their alcohol induced problems. Not only this, but alcohol dependent individuals often blame their alcohol induced predicaments on other people or upon other situations that surround them instead of seeing their part in the difficulty.

The origin of the issue is that alcoholism is a disease of the brain. Once the problem drinker has become addicted to alcohol, he or she frequently resorts to denial, manipulation, and deceit as a way of dealing 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 circumvents the alcohol addicted individual’s rare attempts to suddenly quit drinking. As dreary as the alcohol addicted person’s way of life is, then again, the good news is that quality assistance is usually accessible – if the alcohol addicted person reaches out and tries to get alcoholism treatment.

Summary

Coming to grips with the fact that drinking is triggering difficulties in your daily functioning is probably the simplest way to determine if you have a problem with your drinking. Stated another way, if your drinking is producing problems with your health, with your employment, in your relationships, with your finances, at school, or with the legal system, then you have a drinking problem that needs to be resolved.

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

While some individuals may be able to identify their “alcohol signs,” pinpoint their problems, and greatly diminish the amount and occurrence of their drinking, others, to the contrary, need to deal with their drinking difficulties by getting professional alcoholism therapy. What is more, due to their penchant to deny the facts and twist the truth, alcohol addicted individuals undeniably require competent alcohol therapy for their excessive drinking.

Sarah and Jerry have been married for seven years. They wanted to experience some excitement and fun before they made up their minds to have children and so they by design constructed an especially vibrant social life.

The essential problem, it needs to be pointed out, is that practically everything they do socially somehow includes drinking. For example, all of the parties with friends, happy hours, sporting events, family get-togethers, and dinner engagements they patronize somehow include drinking.

Sarah and Jerry Start to Notice Some Unmistakable Alcohol Related Difficulties That are Without a Doubt Related to Their Irresponsible Drinking

If they were infrequent drinkers, this wouldn’t be such a major issue. Due to the fact they drink in an abusive manner, nonetheless, they are beginning to see some clear-cut alcohol-related problems in their lives.

For example, just two days ago Jerry was arrested for his first DUI and has been overlooking responsibilities at work due to alcohol-related health issues. What is more, Jerry’s last three performance assessments at the office have been less than average and he has started to fail to remember what he says or does when he drinks. Finally, Jerry has been going through sleep-related problems and his family has begun to get apprehensive about his drinking problems.

Similar to Jerry’s circumstances, Sarah has been feeling unhappy about life and to handle these feelings, she has been drinking more than any time in the past three years. What is more, Sarah has been experiencing quite a few painful migraines and having painful hangovers from drinking. Lastly, Sarah has been feeling substantially less energetic when she gets up in the morning, she has been getting to work late at least every other day, and she has been getting some well-deserved criticism from her relatives, coworkers, friends, and family members about her irresponsible drinking.

Watching the TV and Inadvertently Discovering A Captivating Documentary About the Signs of Alcohol Addiction

One Sunday evening while watching TV, Sarah and Jerry inadvertently discovered an attention-grabbing documentary about the signs of alcoholism.

This TV special was a real eye opener to Sarah and Jerry because several of the alcoholism signs that were talked about appeared as if they were indisputably correlated with more than a few of the alcohol-related drinking problems Jerry and Sarah had been suffering through.

A Frank Talk About Drinking Circumstances Uncovers Alcohol Related Legal, Financial, Relationship, Health, and Employment Problems

After watching the TV documentary, Jerry and Sarah determined that they needed to have a candid talk about their drinking behavior. They both were in agreement that most, if not all, of their social activities were related to drinking, that they were drinking excessively, and that as a couple, they were starting to notice alcohol related health, employment, legal, financial, and relationship problems for the first time since they were married.

With thoughts of the TV program still imprinted in her mind, Sarah asked Jerry if some of the alcoholism signs they have been manifesting could be a signal that they are addicted to alcohol or perhaps becoming alcoholic. Jerry didn’t know the answer to Sarah’s inquiry and so he suggested that they make an appointment with one of the healthcare practitioners at the local alcohol abuse rehabilitation facility to find out more about the gravity of their drinking issues.

Handling Your Drinking Difficulties Just Might Lessen Your Trepidation and Give You Some Quietude

Ironically, even though their drinking circumstances hadn’t yet changed, it was evident that Sarah and Jerry were at the very least concentrating on their drinking issues, they were eager to find out more about their drinking situation, and they were interested in learning how they could substantially decrease or do away with the alcohol-related difficulties that had started to go from bad to worse.

When Jerry and Sarah went to bed that night, they arrived at a decision that the next morning, Jerry would call and schedule an appointment for both of them at the drug and alcohol rehabilitation center located just West of the State Capital. After they made a promise to one another that they would do whatever it takes to cope with the alcohol-related problems that had developed in their lives, they actually had the most revitalizing night’s sleep they could think of in the last two years.

Just before he fell asleep, Jerry turned to Sarah and observed how effortless it is to decrease one’s nervousness and truly experience some tranquility by coming to terms with one’s problems straight on and making up one’s mind to do something constructive about them.

For a number of years alcohol addiction research has revealed the fact that there is strong correlation between alcoholism and critical health conditions.

As an illustration, in 2005, scientific examination and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics revealed that alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction cost the United States an estimated $220 billion per year. Interestingly, this enormous alcohol-related expense was substantially more than the cost associated with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is pertinent to give emphasis to these facts, it is also important to point out that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health issues.

More exactly, chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism are also highly correlated with obesity and with cancer.

Definitely, substance abuse examination has shown that alcoholism can boost the risk for various kinds of cancer, particularly cancer of the liver, voice box (larynx), kidneys, colon, esophagus, rectum, and the throat. Hazardous and repetitive drinking can also lead to immune system issues and abnormality to the fetus during pregnancy.

Heavy and Hazardous Drinking Deteriorates the Person’s Systems and Organs

Furthermore, if alcohol dependency continues over a period of years, the person’s body organs will probably be affected in a harmful manner. For example, long-term, hazardous drinking is particularly dangerous to the liver since the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been ingested. Unwarranted amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and eradicates the ability of liver cells to regenerate. This medical circumstance leads to a progressive inflammatory malfunction of the liver that can in the long run lead to cirrhosis of the liver, an acute and potentially lethal disease.Excessive, long-term drinking not only can lead to acute liver damage, but it can also lead to damage to the heart and to the brain. Physical damage this critical may be unalterable and may, in turn, lead to serious disease or an early death.

The Relevance of Alcohol Rehabilitation

It is imperative, then, to know how to identify the different alcoholism symptoms and the “alcohol signs” so that the alcoholic can be given the opportunity to get the quality alcohol rehab he or she requires.

Alcoholism and Technologically Advanced Brain Exploration

Fortuitously, medical examination is constantly finding unique and significant information. Recent alcoholism research provides a first-rate example. Stated differently, for approximately the past ten years, sophisticated brain-imaging scanning instruments have demonstrated that repetitive and long lasting hazardous drinking transforms the constitution of the brain to a great extent, as a consequence resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or possibly as long as the individual exists.

More precisely, medical exploration has revealed that people who have been drinking in an irresponsible manner for a considerable length of time increase their risk for developing long-term and severe changes in the brain.

This type of damage may be directly related to severe liver disease, to the alcohol’s effects on the brain, or might be indirectly associated with the drinker’s poor overall health.

Mental Disorders, Malnutrition, and Abusive Drinking

As a final example of diverse health problems that are significantly related to alcohol addiction, take into account the fact that according to scientific examination, the excessive and repeated abuse of alcohol can result in erosive gastritis, a medical condition that decreases the absorption of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

This form of organ failure is related to malnutrition and to a variety of severe mental and neurological problems including sleep disturbances, memory loss, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter health problem is an enduring incapacitating health problem that is characterized by repetitive memory and learning complications.

Conclusion

It is obvious that repetitive, hazardous drinking is directly or indirectly correlated with numerous critical medical conditions that can and do result in dangerous ailments and premature death. Such information needs to be underlined and presented to everyone in our society so that a massive amount of people will be able to abstain from abusive drinking while other individuals who have a drinking problem will get the quality treatment they need.

Daniel had been engaging in hazardous drinking behavior since her freshman year in college. Now, eight years later, she drank more than ever. One Sunday night when she was feeling a bit run down, Daniel made up her mind to stay home, lighten up, and watch television.

While trying to find a program to watch that would capture her interest, she immediately became captivated with a program about young adult and teen drinking troubles.

When Common Alcohol Addiction Signs and Symptoms are Exhibited by Alcohol Dependent People

The speaker discussed the difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction and then got into the topic of alcohol dependency symptoms and alcoholism warning signs. When the speaker discussed a person’s alcoholic behavior and some of the more widespread alcoholism symptoms and signs that alcohol dependent individuals reveal, Daniel got quite disturbed because it almost seemed as if the commenter was talking specifically to her.

After watching the television program, Daniel made a promise to herself that she would telephone her health care provider the following morning and make an appointment to discuss her drinking behavior.

When the next business day arrived, true to her word, Daniel called her doctor and made an appointment. In the meantime, she went on the Internet and did a search for alcoholic symptoms. Especially noteworthy were the following symptoms or signs: serious work-related and relationship problems, sleep issues, sneaking a couple of drinks before social activities, making excuses to drink at almost every opportunity, and increasing stress.

Simply stated, due to the fact that Daniel experienced all of these signs she went into greater detail in her online search and found more than a few websites and blogs that articulated various alcohol dependency symptoms and warning signs.

One of the symptoms that really caught her awareness was the following: “Do you frequently drink after making a promise to yourself that you won’t?” While Daniel never totally comprehended the fact that she may have a significant drinking issue, after reading about the diverse alcoholic warning signs and symptoms, she couldn’t refute the fact that for the past eight or nine months, she continually tried but failed at considerably decreasing her drinking or totally stopping.

When Friends Get on Your Nerves by Taking a Dim View of Your Abusive Drinking Behavior

Another alcoholic symptom that took hold of her awareness was the following: “Have coworkers pestered you by passing judgment on your problem drinking?” When Daniel read this she immediately reflected on a recent fight she had with her niece about her abusive drinking. Not only this but, Daniel without a doubt reflected on a recent quarrel she had with her parents about her irresponsible drinking. Due to the fact that Daniel truthfully thought that she didn’t have a drinking problem, when people discussed her drinking behavior she as expected got perturbed and irritated.

A third alcohol addiction warning sign was the following: “Do you desire a drink when you first get up in the morning?” Until now, Daniel had been deceiving herself about her drinking circumstance. After reading about the aforementioned alcoholism warning signs, nevertheless, she knew if she was really frank with herself that she was facing a significant drinking issue, especially given the fact that she now thought that she needed a drink the first thing in the morning to reduce her constant worry.

What is more, the next alcohol addiction warning sign really got her thinking about her problem drinking: “Do you drink to avoid worries or difficulties?” When she reflected on her life for a few moments, she understood that very nearly in every tough circumstance in the past two or three months, she told herself that she needed a drink to help deal with things.

The final alcoholism warning sign that made her feel somewhat stressed about her drinking situation was the following: “Has your ambition diminished since you started drinking on a regular basis?” When Daniel read this sign she plainly comprehended that drinking had become a significant difficulty in her life because of her diminished energy level and also because she gave up pursuing her goals and her passions.

Summary: When Getting Crestfallen Turns Into Something Electrifying and A Sense of Anticipation

After reflecting on all of these destructive alcohol dependency signs and symptoms, Daniel at first felt disheartened. Then something wonderful transpired. She reflected on the fact knew that she was going to see her doctor about her drinking and she also reflected on the fact that that she would discuss all of the above alcoholism warning signs and symptoms with her. In truth, for the first time in more than a few months, Daniel sincerely felt a sense of optimism because she was dealing with her drinking problems and was at last ready to make the necessary modifications so that she could recover the life that was drifting away.

Heather is a fifty-four-year-old woman who is the top administrator in the human resources department at a large metal finishing company. In order to reduce the costs linked to increasing absenteeism, employee alcoholism and alcohol abuse, poor employee work performance, work related injuries, and excessive sick days, Heather and the other company administrators implemented some programs that made the work atmosphere significantly more productive, healthy, and safe.

As an example, twelve years ago Heather and the other VIPs instituted an Employee’s Assistance Program so that all the workers had access to first-rate counseling for their personal problems that could unfavorably influence their health, work performance, and their personal well-being.

The Company Executives Erect a Forward-Looking Exercise and Workout Room Complete With Scales, Exercise Charts, a Personal Trainer During Business Hours, Mirrors, Exercise Equipment, and Weights

As another example, approximately six years ago Heather and the other company leaders erected a forward-looking workout and exercise room complete with mirrors, scales, weights, exercise charts, a professional trainer during business hours, and many different types of exercise equipment.

Furthermore, roughly five years ago Heather and the other company leaders invested in a purification system that filters all the drinking water that is available anywhere in the building complex. In much the same way, three years ago, Heather and the other company executives started a “walking club” that is chiefly intended for workers who want to learn how to boost their cardiovascular system.

Top Management Initiates a Weight-Watchers Class and Employs a Weight-Loss Nurse to Oversee the Program

As another illustration, about two-and-a-half years ago, Heather and the other company leaders sponsored a “Weight-Watchers” class that at this moment in time meets every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 11 AM until noon. Moreover, the VIPs signed up a weight-loss nurse to administer the program.

Similarly, a year ago Heather and the other company executives instituted a “Stop Smoking Club” for workers who want to learn how to quit or reduce their smoking.

In the last eight months, in a joint venture with the Employee’s Assistance Program, Heather and the other VIPs launched an “Anger Management” class for employees who want to learn how to better control their temper.

The Company Executives Institute a Drug and Alcohol Testing Program

In the last four-and-a-half months, Heather and the other members of top management initiated a drug and alcohol testing program that is linked with their drug and alcohol abuse prevention program. In actual fact, Heather is the main person in the company responsible for getting the message out to all the employees about the drug and alcohol testing program as well as the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program.

One of the major elements of the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcoholism and Depression” that meets every Tuesday after work. The basic idea with this class is informing employees that abusive drinking and depression many times happen in the same person. It is hoped that knowing this information will be able to help a person address both medical conditions and get the alcohol rehabilitation and mental health counseling he or she requires.

The Company Executives Establish an Alcohol Statistics and Facts Class

Another fairly recent enhancement to the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcohol Statistics and Facts.” The reasoning behind this alcohol statistics facts class is the reality that several people fail to appreciate the full impact of the consequences of alcohol abuse and alcoholism without first reading about some of the alcoholism and alcohol abuse facts and statistics that are available. As a consequence, one of the objectives of this class is to provide a mixture of alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction statistics and facts in order to help employees gain a better comprehension of the host of difficulties that are correlated with excessive and irresponsible drinking and how they can avert these issues from coming about.

Most recently, Heather and the other company administrators, via feedback from employees, created a class that focuses directly on acute drinking entitled “What is Alcoholism”? This class meets every Tuesday morning a half hour before work and focuses predominantly on the differences between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction, on the stages of alcoholism, and on the different forms of treatment that are available for people who have alcohol drinking problems such as individuals who drink in a hazardous manner.

Although every one of these health and preventative maintenance programs was anything but easy on the pocketbook, the company administrators reason that they are many thousands of dollars ahead by providing all of their employees with safe, more productive, and healthy working conditions.