Alcohol intervention has earned a very high reputation in the addiction treatment program in Alaska in recent times. This is the device that is helping bring people into alcohol treatment. The rate of denial is quite high among alcoholic patients in Alaska. Denial happens when a patient refuses to acknowledge that they are with an addiction. Denial is a big impediment in the path of alcohol addiction recovery because a patient who is in denial will not respond to the treatment process either and it will be futile for them.

This is where the alcohol intervention in Alaska plays a very important role. An intervention happens when an external agency helps in the addiction treatment process of a patient. Alcohol intervention in Alaska is instrumental not just in taking alcoholics to the treatment center, but also in guiding them through the entire program so that they move towards recovery.

But, alcohol intervention in Alaska comes from different corners. Here we discuss some of the more important forms of alcohol intervention in that exist in the state.

Family Intervention

In Alaska, as in any other state, the family is the most prominent agency that provides an intervention to the alcohol patient. This really works because the family is always quite close to the patient and has a potential to motivate them to enter into treatment. The fact that the family knows the patient quite well and is probably cognizant of the emotional problems that might be working at keeping them with the addiction also helps immensely.

The family of the patient will usually work in a group guided by a specialist known as the interventionist. The group will be formed with people who are really interested in working at getting the patient into a treatment program. In most cases, the intervention specialist will help in the selection of the members of the group, deciding upon those who will make the greatest impact on the patient’s mindset. Some close friends of the patient might also be included within the group.

These members are then guided on the right technique to convince the patient. They are coached on how to prepare speeches that will help motivate the patient. These speeches are carefully worded and punctuated with the right emotional pauses so that the message is driven home. In fact, the interventionist will guide the members on delivering the speech with the right intonation and also help them rehearse for it before the actual meeting with the patient.

It might take several meetings with the patient to totally convince them, but the family intervention group will persist until the patient actually becomes ready to seek the admission. They will also help in searching the right treatment center for the patient and be a moral support for them throughout their recovery process.

Workplace Intervention

The presence of the Employer Assistance Program in Alaska has really helped employers to provide the right kind of treatment to their workers who are with an addiction. The program takes care of the financing, so it is a good way for the employers to bring the patients back into sobriety and ensure that they will not lost good employees just because they have gotten into an alcoholic habit.

They will provide an intervention with the help of a substance abuse counselor, or they might work in tandem with the family intervention group if it exists. An employer in the intervention group makes a big difference to everyone involved. The patient will be better encouraged to go through the treatment when he or she is sure that the job will persist when they are out of the treatment program. The family of the patient will also gain more courage and moral support because of the assurance of the job retention. Sometimes, employers will make their intervention more effective by promising incentives to their alcoholic employees if they are successfully out of the addiction.

Education Institute Intervention

Most schools and colleges now have substance abuse counseling of their own and they are quite instrumental in providing an alcohol intervention in Alaska of their own. They will identify students who have addiction problems and then intervene in their treatment. They will coax the students to come out of their denials by counseling and educating them about their condition. They will also intimate the parents of these students, who will most times be ignorant of the problem. Then they will counsel the parents of the students to tackle the issue in the right manner.

“There are things that we don’t want to happen but have to accept, things we don’t want to know but have to learn, and people we can’t live without but have to let go.”
I sat on the bitter tile floor of the unfamiliar bathroom of my group home, silently weeping with my chin resting on my knees. My tears fell from the bottom of my cheek on to the white of my converse. I sat and waited, I didn’t know what was headed in my direction, but I knew something better was approaching. They say it’s always darkest before the dawn. I couldn’t envision it getting any darker than this, so why haven’t I been blinded by the first hint of sun? This is by far the darkest hole I’ve ever fallen into. I heard a knock at the door, a concerned voice muttered, “Are you okay in there? I haven’t heard the shower turn on yet.” Instead of letting the woman know that I was fine she turned the shower knob to the hottest it could get, so that steam flowed out from over the rim of the bath tub, onto the floor, and under the bathroom door. I heard no voices, just footsteps fading into the hallway. The tears on my face stay as I began striping away my dirty clothes. I set them on the counter of the bathroom and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror; I see bruises and scrapes throughout my body. As I stare I try to think about how I got them, but come up with nothing. They were most likely from the nights I would blackout. I do not know my own limits when I start drinking, I would go until either there was no more alcohol or I was passed out. The temperature of the shower is too hot, but in my mind I see it as a way of washing my sins away, the hotter the water the cleaner I would be.
I knew that I failed miserably this time and there would be no coming back from it. I had certainly ruined the relationship that I had worked so hard for with my mother, and I pushed away the only person that wanted to work on the relationship with, because I was ashamed of what I’d become. I closed my eyes and a flash back hit me; I was jumping rope with May in the playground of our school as a twelve year old girl. May was one of the only ones that have stuck by her through it all. We laughed as we dropped our jump rope and ran for the bell. I wanted to go back so badly, but instead I opened my eyes and snapped back into reality.
My body shuddered; my withdrawals are hitting me hard. The first two days were easy, I unknowingly slept through them. When I woke up this morning I was violently sick. If I had only known that this would be my life. Would I have done it differently? Made better decisions? Made better friends? The water pierced my skin with every drop. I turned and let the water come down on my back. I closed my eyes tightly at the pain. Another flash back hits; May is sitting on my bed with me trying to help me through yet another rough patch, but she couldn’t. I would not let her, she had sacrificed too much already for me, and I can’t stand the fact that she sees me like this every day; I was so ashamed of what I had become.
“Come out to the lake house with me, you can get away from everyone and everything for awhile. You can get clean, not forever, just long enough to clear your mind and get things right.” But she I say no, instead I tell my friend that I doesn’t want to get clean; if she would just leave me alone I would be fine. I was tired of her re-arranging her life to help me, so I picked a fight so that she would no longer have to.
“You’re always looking at my flaws and you act like your being a good friend to me, I don’t need this in my life.” I asked her to leave and never come back and that’s exactly what she did. I opened my eyes to see my skin was exceedingly red. I had taken enough, so I turned the shower off and stepped out.
Five more days passed and my detoxing was over, I hadn’t been clean in over a year. I felt amazing, don’t misunderstand me, I missed it but I knew I would be so much better off without it. Today was the day I got to leave the group home. My mom should be there any minute to pick me up and bring me home with her. I sat on the lawn of the group home and watched for her. I see her truck pull up, but it’s not only her that gets out. May is walking towards me. I have never felt so forgiven in my life! She walks up and without saying anything hugs me tight. I pull away to look at her face in confusion.
“Why are you here? Don’t you hate me yet?” We both chuckled.
“No, I don’t hate you; I know you didn’t mean anything you said. I’m just glad you’re happy and healthy now.”
My mother came next and she hugged me for minutes and then asked me if I was ready to come home. I told her yes and we went to the car. I got in the backseat with May and watched the home get smaller as we drove away. I had called this place home for nearly two weeks and I knew that I was ther

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) often boasts that it’s Twelve-Step Program has a success rate of 80 to 90%, but many studies have shown that, at best, the success rate is roughly 5%. The goal of the Twelve-Step Program is a spiritual awakening although most people find it difficult to make this connection because they feel victimized by someone else’s behavior. Ironically, nine out of the twelve steps promote the concepts of self-incrimination and powerlessness. (AA) claims these nine steps to be paradoxical. Concluding that you are powerless over addiction, but like magic, you some how become more powerful! For all intent and purposes, addiction is a self-esteem issue. So, why would you teach participants that they are powerless? And, moreover, how can you restore self-esteem if you adopt victimization? In my opinion, many of the twelve steps are unnecessary and even counterproductive to addiction recovery although three of the steps do have potential.

I have categorized the twelve steps in the following two groups:

1.Counterproductive In my opinion, the steps that fall into this category are not only ineffective, but they are also counterproductive and damaging to the recovery process. In essence, addiction is a self-esteem issue, so why would you teach someone self-incrimination, powerlessness, and victimization?

2.feasible I believe the steps in this category are feasible when it comes to addiction recovery. While I vehemently disagree with the context and direction of the steps, I believe the basic foundation of each of the steps to be critical to recovery success!

In the two respective groups below, I have provided a highlighted analysis of each step.

Counterproductive 1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol–that our lives had become unmanageable.

One of the underpinning reasons why you are addicted to alcohol is the fact that you allowed someone to strip you of your self-respect and personal power! So, why would you ask someone who is addicted to alcohol to admit they are powerless?

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

There is a higher power that is greater than oneself, but that greater power has given you all of the tools you need to restore your own sanity. If you ask God, the universe, or the higher power to remove a painful situation in your life, that power won’t remove it magically, but he or it will give you the courage to overcome it on your own.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.

This step is often misconstrued, and it is frequently manipulated as a means of enlisting people to follow a religious doctrine. This step is also used as an excuse to retreat to the camaraderie of a group. Surrendering your will to God does not mean that he will hand you a life of happiness on a platter! Once again, he will give you the courage and guidance to change your own life, but you must take the necessary action to make it happen.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

It’s ok to admit to your wrongdoings. However, that admission of guilt quickly turns into self-incrimination and victimization when you combine it with powerlessness!

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

Let’s get something straight; we are all connected, we are all created equal, and we are all children of God! Therefore, we do not have personal shortcomings and defects of character! Why would you tell someone who already has a low self-esteem that they have personal shortcomings and defects of character!

7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

God, the universe, or higher power will not remove anything, but he or it will give you the power and courage to change your own life!

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

Ok! So let me try and understand this step! You’re supposed to apologize to and make amends with some of the very people who stripped you of your self-respect and personal power in the first place? How can you restore your self-esteem by reconciling and submitting to dysfunctional treatment?

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

This step parallels step eight, which I have rebutted above!

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

Willpower and/or behavioral modification are not effective in eliminating addictive behavior. If you liberate yourself from the root of the addiction and restore your self-esteem habitual behavior becomes repulsive!

Feasible

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

I believe self-discovery and self-reflection to be a critical component to beating alcohol addiction. However, when it is described as taking a moral inventory and it is combined with the terms personal shortcomings and defects of character, it quickly becomes a journey of blame and guilt! I believe self-reflection and discovery should be pursued in a positive sense by searching for ones spiritual growth, life purpose, and the lesson to be learned from addiction.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

The goal of the Twelve-Step Program is a spiritual awakening, although most people find it difficult to make this connection because they feel victimized by someone else’s behavior. Meditation and/or deep prayer is not only a critical component to making contact with your true self or higher consciousness, but it is also the key to awakening your true personal power and abstaining from addictive behavior! However, the vast majority of twelve-step participants confuse spirituality with religious practice, but they are vastly different. The practicing of outward ideals is not a substitute for inner righteousness!

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

This step suggests service to ones fellow man. However, that recommendation is grounded purely in the basis of helping others overcome alcoholism. I believe this step is often used as a method of recruitment for the Alcoholics Anonymous Group. People who have adopted victimization seek camaraderie with those that suffer from the same affliction. So, the more the merrier!! I have a different take on service – one that promotes acts of random kindness. You see, it’s the small stuff that makes the difference! Things like; holding a door open for someone, offering a kind word, or helping an elderly person or a child. These random acts of kindness fuel unconditional love, feed the soul, and promote selflessness – something that is non-existent in addictive behavior!

In conclusion, the spiritual aspect of the Twelve-Step Program does have merit, and it is a vital and necessary component to recovery. However, nine of the steps are either self-incriminating, or they promote the concept of powerlessness which prevents most participants from achieving success. Addiction recovery requires empowerment not powelessness!

If you’d like more information on how to overcome addiction subscribe to my free e-guide below…….

overcoming addiction

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Best Wishes,

David Roppo

The Addiction Freedom Coach

Now a brief summary.

We met through friends, both new to the city and immediately hit it off. We fell in love fast. Really fast. But it never felt like infatuation or “puppy love”.. Just as though we had both met our missing part. Shortly after we started dating, we moved in together. We dealt with both the normal dramas of moving in with a bf/gf as well as his alcohol addiction at the time. He treated me horribly when he drank. It got so bad that he was spending up to 600 a week on getting drunk, leaving us sleeping on a mattress on the floor with barely any groceries. Shortly after that, we lost our apt (due to him blowing our rent). I was not working at the time as he had wanted me to be able to “do as I pleased at his expense). I never asked him for money or complained when we ate ramen noodles and Kraft dinner often for 2 meals a day. But that’s not to say we didn’t have great times together. We had some hilarious memories in that old place and I think it made us both think and feel like all we really needed was each other to be happy. Before I continue to the here and now, i’ll give you a bit of background info.

He is a former … let’s say “bad boy” who had no problems making almost 25 grand in a months time. His mom was an alcoholic and he never knew his dad but he later found out the old man died of an OD. Apparently the guy was a nut. In fact, he tried to kill my bf’s mom by slitting her throat.. While she was pregnant!!! My bf has been through a lot but he’s a genuine guy with a big heart who would jump off a bridge before he let anyone hurt me.

Now about me, my parents are wealthy. Divorced. Remarried. But above all, FIERCELY about independence. Since the age of 13, I’ve been hoarded with adult responsibility and I’ve never stopped thanking them for it!

Back to the story.
So we lost everything.
And had to move into… A couples shelter. That was 3 months ago. We’ve tried to save up money and move out but whenever he gets it, he blows it. He’s been awful to me lately. Calling me every single name and even putting his hands on me. (not enough to injure me but still!!!) I constantly remind him that we have a baby now (by the way, he’s over the moon about that. He’s SO excited!) but although I know he’s thrilled, its as though he can only see the here and now. We always fight. Then fix things. Then fight again but we do love each other and I don’t feel the need to justify that. Some days I just worry that our baby is going to come into this world and we’ll be screwed. Not only as unprepared parents but as homeless parents. He has made some effort, though. He got us a prenatal worker and he’s been looking for places for us. But I just can’t trust him with money. Don’t even get me started on his friends!! Times ticking but I could really use some good advice. Thanks so much guys! God bless!

Addiction is a disease that affects the lives of so many people, the numbers are staggering. Even more alarming is the fact that many addicts are in denial, which means that the number of people struggling with drug or alcohol addiction in our country could be far greater than we actually know.

The addict of drugs or alcohol is generally in a state of denial and believes that he or she can stop at any time. This is not true. Once an addict has begun the cycle of denial, they have entered the realm of addiction. Although they know it is wrong and they know the effects that drugs and alcohol can have on them both mentally and physically, they put these negative effects and consequences out of their mind and continue to use. This is the quagmire of addiction. How, then, does addiction work? Let’s take a brief look at what some of the determining factors are.

FROM A SCIENTIST’S POINT OF VIEW

Compulsion is the main aspect that propels an addict through their addiction. Addiction manifests itself in different ways, and can sprout up seemingly out of nowhere. Science has been studying addiction for many years now, attempting to locate the addiction centers to see exactly how they work. The trouble with this is that addiction is a very individualized behavior, slightly different with every individual it affects.

Psychological addiction is when an addict believes that he or she needs the substance they abuse to be able to function. Whether it is a drink to calm their nerves or a line of cocaine to give them a pick-me-up, the psychological addict honestly believes that they are fine, but that they require these substances to feel balanced. Although not as serious as a physical addiction, psychological addiction is very strong and debilitating for addicts nonetheless.

Physical addiction is when the addict’s body requires certain amounts of a drug to be able to function. This is quite common with users of crack cocaine, methamphetamines, cocaine, heroin, and even alcohol. The addict has used these substances for so long and so frequently that there body is unable to function properly without certain levels of drugs and/or alcohol in their system. Without the drugs or alcohol, the body begins to experience withdrawal. Withdrawal is a painful process in which the body begins to shut down and violently crave the drugs that it needs in order to function.

GENETICALLY SPEAKING

According to some scientists, a person’s genes can determine whether or not they have a propensity for addiction. There are even some in the scientific community who have gone so far as to claim that certain ethnic backgrounds are more at-risk for addiction than others. Whether this is true or not, statistically speaking, familial traits do seem to play a role in the addictive behaviors of individuals. This could also be because those who have sought treatment in the past recognize it at earlier stages than those who have not had to deal with addiction in their families.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

Environment has a lot to do with how individuals behave. Many addicts grew up around other addicts, whether in the immediate family or with those that they spent a lot of time with during their development. Neighborhoods where drugs are prevalent naturally have more addicts than “clean” neighborhoods, although no one is immune to the problem of addiction.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The fact of the matter is that addiction cannot be traced back to one factor. There are usually several precipitating factors that ultimately help to spawn an addict. A combination of genetic or family history, combined with an environment in which the potential addict is exposed frequently to drug and alcohol abuse compounds the likelihood of addiction in an individual. The important thing to remember is that addiction is a disease. No one chooses to become an addict; there are many factors involved. Seeking help and beginning a rehab program of recovery is the best way to fight back.

 I believe there to be a commonality or square root in all self destructive behavior, which causes an individual to choose addiction. I also believe that addiction is a choice, and it is not caused by an incurable brain disease, a genetic predisposition, learned behavior or a chemical imbalance. However, before I describe “The Square Root of Addiction” I want to walk you through each of the existing theories related to addiction. Currently, there are four main theories relating to the cause of addiction, which include the biological, or disease model, the psychological model, the sociological model and social learning model. I believe that most of these theories do play a role in addictive behavior. However, they mostly occur as a result of the addiction or in conjunction with it, and not as the root cause! These theories represent the current views regarding addiction, which are coveted by the medical community. Bear in mind that these are only theories, and none of them have been conclusively proven to be the cause of addiction. 

The biological theory suggests that habitual users of drugs or alcohol have a biological abnormality that causes them to become addicted. The theory suggests that certain individuals are genetically predisposed to addiction by a faulty gene or perhaps a chemical imbalance in the brain, which renders addiction an incurable disease!

The psychological theory views drug or alcohol addiction as problematic behavior. In other words the individual uses alcohol or drugs to enjoy the effects that these substances have on the mind and body.

 The sociological theory suggests that societies which produce higher levels of inner tensions such as guilt, stress, suppressed aggression and conflict have higher rates of addiction. Furthermore, the model suggests that societies that are permissive of and encourage such behavior have higher rates of addiction.

 The Social learning theory suggests that drug or alcohol addiction is a learned behavior and continues because the user gets some desired outcome from it. The model also suggests that these behaviors are learned by being exposed to certain stimuli; people, places, things, thoughts and feelings.

 The sociological model does touch briefly on the fact that emotional issues are related to addictive behavior. However, this theory seems to bridge the relation directly to the societal breakdown in some groups where higher levels of inner tension and permissive behavior are prevalent. I believe that it is not the emotional issue itself, but rather understanding the cause of the emotional issue that is of the utmost importance. The psychological model suggests that the addict displays problematic behavior by using drugs or alcohol to enjoy the effects the substance has on the mind and the body. Logically speaking, I would venture to say that people using drugs or alcohol do enjoy the effects they have on the mind and body. However, that is not the reason they have chosen to use those substances. People choose self destructive habitual behavior not to enjoy the effects but to mask the pain of underlying emotional scars caused by family dysfunction. The social learning model suggests that addiction is a learned behavior resulting from the stimuli of people, places, things and thoughts. I would not dispute the fact that repeated exposure to this type of behavior could induce a learned behavior. However, this theory can not explain why some individuals exposed to the same stimuli would opt to just say no! I believe that difference hinges upon whether an individual has the need to mask the pain of underlying emotional scars and their personal level of coping skills. While some of the abovementioned models touch on the fact that emotional issues play a role in addiction, none of them have addressed the underlying cause of these emotional issues. Are these emotional issues caused by the stress factors of work, relationships, financial difficulties and every day life, or are they caused by something that runs much deeper? Why is that some can cope with the stresses of everyday life while others can not? Personality dictates the level of coping skills that each of us possess, allowing some to endure a greater degree of stress and others to turn to the need to mask their pain with addictive behavior. The pain of these emotional scars goes much deeper than the every day stress factors and stems from issues of family dysfunction. From a very early age we learn a system of beliefs from our families and sometimes these beliefs serve us well, and some times they are dysfunctional. When you consider that eighty five percent of all families are dysfunctional, you can begin to concur that more often than not these beliefs are self limiting to our well being and happiness. A cocaine addiction and Family Dysfunction a case-control study in southern Brazil is one of the few that I have seen that has explored the effects of family dysfunction. The conclusion of the study was that a point could be argued for the need of family intervention as a whole and for continued research. I beg to differ with this conjecture, which concludes that intervention is the solution to the addictive behavior. Intervention gives the very people responsible for the dysfunctional behavior an opportunity to lambaste the addicted individual with a barrage of shame and guilt while ignoring their own inadequacies.

 Plain and simple; the reason that people choose addictive behavior is to mask the emotional pain of the underlying scars caused by family dysfunction.

 For a complete 5-step e-guide to overcoming addiction click on the link below……

 overcoming addiction

how to stop drinking

stop drinking alcohol

 Best wishes,

 David Roppo

Over the years this belief has become more and more popular, and as of now, it is so widely believed by society that it could almost qualify as a fact. Although there is little, if any, science to back this up.

I don’t get it. And before anyone gets mad, I am qualified to have an opinion, as someone who use to do drugs and drink all the time, went to a 6 month inpatient rehab, have not used drugs since I got out a year ago, still drink, but under complete control, and have had no problem with it since I left rehab.

I think these theories are just ridiculous. If AA works for you, great, thats fine. But personally, I think its another addiction in its self. And saying you are “powerless over alcohol” is simply a pathetic excuse for someone with no self control. There are times when I want to drink more often then I believe I should, I get annoyed for a minute with the thought of not drinking when I’m super bored, then I get the **** over it and get on with my night. Its easier to say “Oh I’m powerless” and avoid the problem than it is to FIX it.

Em- You are needed on here with that Southpark quote ASAP. I will text you now and let you know I need it LOL.
A friend of mine who I went to rahab with, wanted me to go with her to an AA meeting yesterday. I did. It was rediculous. This girl shared about a “sobriety threatening issue”– she took a sip of someones drink and was unaware until she tasted it that it had alcohol in it. And she was so worried she was going to start drinking again. Everyone was like “OHHH NOOOO!!!” Do they think alcohol is going to attack them or something? You took a sip, its not like now alcohol is going to shove itsself down your throat. Just dont drink it if you dont want to drink. That simple.
LOL Em- Thanks. So accurate. Southpark is such a F’n brilliant show. No one else can blend humor and fact like that!!!

Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in 1935 by William Griffith Wilson. Bill grew up in a in a small quarry town in Vermont. When he was ten, his hard-drinking father abandoned him and moved to Canada. Bills mother followed suit when she left him with his grandparents and moved to Boston to study osteopathic medicine. He was educated at the prestigious Burton and Burr academy before joining the Army at the onset of US involvement in W.W. I. It was in the military that he discovered that he didn’t just like alcohol, he loved it. As a soldier, and then as a businessman, Bill drank to alleviate his depression and to celebrate his Wall Street success. Bill met his future wife, Lois Burnham, who was four years older than he, during the summer of 1913 while sailing on Vermont’s Emerald Lake; two years later the couple became engaged. In 1918 he and Lois were married. Soon after the wedding, Bill and Lois began touring the country, evaluating companies for potential investors. From the outside looking in, Bill appeared to have the world in the palm of his hand. However, by 1933 Bill and Lois were living in her parents’ house on Clinton Street in Brooklyn, N.Y. He had become an unemployable individual who had a severe drinking problem. In 1933 he had to be committed to the Charles B. Towns Hospital for Drug and Alcohol Addictions in New York City on four different occasions. He was eventually told that he would either die from his alcoholism or have to be locked up permanently. According to Bill, while lying in a hospital bed for the fourth time depressed and despairing, he had the sensation of a bright light, a feeling of ecstasy, and a new serenity. He never drank again for the remainder of his life.

Encouraged by a friend who stopped drinking, Bill attended meetings offered by the Oxford Group, which was an evangelical society founded in Britain by Pennsylvanian Frank Buchman. Bill joined the group with the hopes of helping others overcome alcoholism; however, his efforts were less than successful. During a failed business trip to Akron, Ohio, Bill was tempted to drink again and decided that to remain sober he needed to help another alcoholic. He called phone numbers on a church directory and eventually secured an introduction to Dr. Bob smith an alcoholic Oxford Group member.

Their meeting lasted for hours. A month later, Dr. Bob had his last drink, and that date, June 10, 1935, is the official birth date of A.A., which is based on the idea that only an alcoholic can help another alcoholic. Dr. Bob who was familiar with the tenets of the Oxford Group decided to pursue Bills spiritual remedy for his habitual behavior. He achieved sobriety and never drank again up to the moment of his death in 1950. Bill and Dr. Bob began working with other alcoholics. After that summer in Akron, Bill returned to New York where he began having success helping alcoholics. In 1938, after about 100 alcoholics in Akron and New York had become sober, the fellowship decided to promote their program of recovery through the publication of a book, for which Bill was chosen as primary author. The book was given the title Alcoholics Anonymous and included the list of suggested activities for spiritual growth known as the Twelve Steps, which ultimately led to the success of today’s Alcoholics Anonymous movement.

Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith stumbled upon the spiritual aspect of recovery some seventy years ago. And, there is no question that they should be credited with that discover and for helping people overcome alcoholism. However, I believe that up until the last decade or so much of Bill Wilson’s life had been shrouded in secrecy and the success of Alcoholics Anonymous has been often misrepresented!  In fact, James Houcks, one of the oldest members of the Oxford Group, commented that “Wilson was never interested in the things we were interested in. He only wanted to talk about alcoholism, he was not interested in giving up smoking, and he was a ladies man! He would brag of his sexual exploits with other Oxford members.” I believe Wilson’s preoccupation with the other sex was a source of problem for him even while attending the Oxford Group.  His interest in younger women increased with his age, and motivated Barry Leach and other friends of Wilson to form a “Founders Watch”. People were assigned to keep an eye on Wilson during the socializing that followed AA functions and to separate and steer away those young women who caught his interest. In Susan Cheevers Book “Desire” she describes many of Wilson’s behaviors and characteristics similar to that of that of a person with a sexual addiction. In my opinion, Bill Wilson suffered not only from alcohol addiction, but he also suffered from sexual and nicotine addictions. And, even though he overcame alcohol addiction, he continued with his other habitual behavior until the day he passed away from emphysema and pneumonia on in 1971. It was reported by several sources that Bill continued to suffer from depression for the remainder of his life. It has also been reported by several sources that he even participated in a medically supervised study of the effects of LSD with his wife Lois and several others.

In conclusion, I believe that Bill Wilson should be credited with discovering the spiritual aspect of recovery. However, in regard to his alcohol addiction, I believe that he did nothing more than trade one addiction mask for another. This trading of addiction masks is commonly referred to in the psychotherapy field as a behavioral transference.  Obviously, Bill remained very depressed and quite unhappy until his passing in 1971. And because he never actually dealt with the root cause of his alcohol addiction, he used habitual sex and smoking to alleviate his emotional distress. From closely examining the twelve-step process and by attending various meetings, I have come to the conclusion that most members trade one behavior for another. Frequently, they become consumed in religious doctrine, or they adopt another compulsive behavior that may not involve alcohol abuse.

Alcoholics Anonymous often boasts a very high success rate of 80 to 90%, but these statistics have been contraindicated by many studies. In fact, some studies have shown that, at best, it’s roughly 5%. A study by R. G. Smart has shown that between 3 and 5 percent of alcoholics go into a ‘spontaneous remission’ (or quit using), which skews AA’s numbers. There is also much evidence to suggest that many of the members who do achieve sobriety become addicted to antidepressants! Now, I don’t know about you, but in my opinion, this is not a solution for overcoming alcohol addiction or finding true life happiness!

For more information on how to stop drinking without AA subscribe to my free e-guide below…….

overcoming addiction

how to stop drinking

Best wishes,

David Roppo

The Addiction Freedom Coach

Basically said, is being susceptible to addiction something you can control or not. If somewhere in your family tree, you have a relative that was addicted to drugs, liquor, etc. are you in danger of getting the so called “addiction gene.” Do you have to purposely stray away from those types of behaviors or uncontrollably get sucked into an addiction you apparently have a gene for.

My fiance spouts off things like “there have been studies proving this.” “I know for a fact that addiction is in your genes,” etc. However, how can anyone prove it without having any kind of bias? Sure, you can say:

-Joe’s Grandfather was an alcoholic
-Joe’s Dad is an alcoholic

Then by this apparently reasoning, Joe is doomed to be susceptible to alcoholism? Does it actually have anything to do with them drinking alcohol and changing your genes? or just an inverse parenting style that encourages you to be susceptible to addictions. Whether it is beating, abuse, neglect, or many other different types of poor parenting, can THAT be the cause of the addiction and not the so called “addiction gene?”

I have yet to find any information that isn’t biased in the method of only showing that someones dad or direct relative is an addict so they are by default. How can they prove that addiction has anything to do with genes, and not just poor lifestyle changes?

If you have severe addiction in your family, there is bound to be dysfunctional traits to it. So if you get beaten by your dad while he is on the bottle, there will be a good chance that later in life you seek outlets such as drugs, alcohol, or other addictions because you never learned any different. Your parents did it to solve their problems, so you as a child, will learn that.

Personally, I believe it is just a sad cop out of an excuse. Take some friggin responsibility and make good lifestyle changes. Just because you were raised one way, doesn’t mean you have to live that way.

Is it just society’s natural desire to call it’s poor judgement calls something that they “can’t control?”

I will probably catch a lot of flak for this topic, but let me ask those who call me stupid one thing:

When you tell me that its genetic, and that your relative is dieing from an addiction….answer me this: Is everyone in their life an enabler of their addiction? Do they have problems in their life out of poor lifestyle changes? Were they beaten? Were they abused at home/school?

My point exactly, lifestyle causes addiction, not genetics.
My life is fine. It was just a topic that came up because my fiance’s relatives have drinking problems so she made the comment, “I have to watch out, alcoholism is in my blood.” That is what started the discussion.

Currently, there are four main theories relating to the cause of alcoholism; the biological, psychological, sociological, and social learning models. I believe that most of these theories do play a role in alcoholism. However, they mostly occur as a result of the addiction or in conjunction with it, rather than the direct fundamental cause of it! These theories represent the current views regarding alcoholism that are coveted by the medical community. Bear in mind, these are only theories, and none of them have been conclusively proven to be the cause of alcoholism.

The biological theory suggests that alcoholics have a biological abnormality that causes them to become addicted. The theory suggests that certain individuals are genetically predisposed to addiction by a faulty gene or perhaps a chemical imbalance in the brain, which renders addiction an incurable disease!

The psychological theory views alcohol addiction as problematic behavior. In other words, the individual uses alcohol to enjoy the effects that the substance has on the mind and body.

The sociological theory suggests that societies which produce higher levels of inner tensions such as guilt, stress, suppressed aggression, and conflict have higher rates of addiction. Furthermore, the model suggests that societies that are permissive of and encourage such behavior have higher rates of addiction.

The Social learning theory suggests that alcohol addiction is a learned behavior and continues because the user gets some desired outcome from it. The model also suggests that these behaviors are learned by being exposed to certain stimuli; people, places, things, thoughts and feelings.

The biological model theorizes that the chemical effect of alcohol coupled with a chemical imbalance in the brain cause patterns of destructive drinking. While it is true that alcohol does have an altering effect on the brain, so do other innocuous substances and even exercise for that matter. There is no empirical evidence to suggest that sugar or any other innocuous substance produces a permanent change in brain chemistry, and nor does alcohol. If you drink a large enough quantity of alcohol, can it kill you? Yes, it can!

But, so can other innocuous substances! Maybe not as quickly as alcohol, but none the less, they still can! Many of the biological model proponents claim that these substances perpetuate a release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain which creates a euphoric experience and the chemical co-dependent factor. However, a similar change in brain chemistry is created through exercise IE (the runners high) and from other common substances as well. So, is it really a matter of chemical co-dependence or a chemical imbalance? In my opinion, absolutely, unequivocally, not!

The psychological model suggests that the individual suffering from an alcohol addiction displays problematic behavior by using alcohol to achieve a desired effect. Logically speaking, I would venture to say that people who drink destructively partake in that behavior to achieve the desired effect of feeling high. However, that’s not the reason they have an alcohol addiction! People choose self-destructive drinking not necessarily to achieve a desired effect but to mask the pain of underlying emotional distress. Therefore, it is not a matter of treating the symptom, but moreover, a matter of liberating oneself from the root cause.

The sociological model does touch briefly on the fact that emotional issues are related to alcoholism. However, this theory seems to bridge the relation directly to the societal breakdown in some groups where higher levels of inner tension and permissive behavior are prevalent. I believe that it is not the emotional issue itself, but rather understanding the cause of the emotional issue that is of the utmost importance.

The social learning model suggests that drinking destructively is a learned behavior resulting from the stimuli of people, places, things and thoughts. I would not dispute the fact that repeated exposure to drinking alcohol could induce a learned behavior.

However, this theory can not explain why some individuals exposed to the same stimuli would opt to just say no! I believe that difference not only hinges upon whether an individual has the need to alleviate the pain of underlying emotional distress, but it’s also subject to their level of coping skills.

While some of the abovementioned models touch on the fact that emotional distress plays a role in alcohol addiction, none of them have addressed the underlying cause of it. Are these emotional issues caused by the stress factors of school, work, relationships, peer pressure, financial difficulties, and every day life, or are they caused by something that runs much deeper? Why is that some can cope with the stresses of everyday life without having feelings of anxiety, depression, and emotional distress while others can not?

Those that can cope often possess a higher level of coping skills which allows them to process their emotions and make the necessary changes to remove the pain. On the other hand, those that can not cope turn to destructive drinking to alleviate their emotional pain.

However, the emotional distress that causes addiction goes much deeper than every day stressors and usually stems from issues of family dysfunction. From a very early age we learn a system of beliefs from our families, and sometimes those beliefs serve us well while other times they do not! When you consider that eighty-five percent of all families are dysfunctional, you can begin to concur that these beliefs are frequently self-limiting to emotional happiness. And in an effort to avoid that unhappiness, people choose destructive drinking to alleviate the emotional stress, depression, and low self-esteem issues that are caused by these dysfunctional patterns. Think about it for a moment while you ponder the following questions:

When you drink destructively does it comfort you and help divert your attention from emotional pain?

Do you find it difficult to manage your emotions without the crutch of alcohol?

Have you used destructive drinking as a means of self-punishment, regarding the guilt and shame you are harboring?

Do you find it difficult to socialize with confidence unless you are drinking alcohol?

Do you feel inadequate unless you are drinking?

Are you fearful of facing your emotional issues?

Are you fearful of being hurt emotionally?

Once you explore these questions, you may begin to discover the vehicle that is driving your alcoholism!

Best wishes,

David Roppo

The Addiction Freedom Coach

For more information on how to overcome alcohol addiction subscribe to my free E-guide below…….

http://www.5stepstoaddictionfreedom.com

Are You Living With An Addicted Person?

Addiction. Addictive agents are those persons or things in which we form an excessive dependency (1).

Are you living with an addicted person? If you answered yes to that question then you are part of about half of the U.S population, but congratulations. You are among the group that is not still in complete denial.

Next question. Do you still consider addiction to be a problem? If you said yes to this question, then you really need to continue reading to absorb some basic truths that may profoundly improve the quality of your life! (BTW, if you answered no to both of these questions, then congratulations again…only a small fraction of people experience lives totally unaffected by someone else’s addiction).

We are three men who had our lives smashed by the addictions of people close to us, and we want to relay thoughts that will make the experience of living with addicted people less devastating for others.

First, we had to learn that addiction is addiction, whether it is to alcohol, drugs, sex, bingo, or chocolate, and that addiction cannot survive in a vacuum. For example, it takes at least four functioning adults to enable a single dysfunctional alcoholic.

Second, addiction is not a problem, it is a fact, and facts simply cannot be solved. For example, if you have looked forward to a picnic and it has started raining, then that is a fact. You cannot solve this fact.

“Oh no…it’s RAINING!” (insert humorous drawing with a shocked man)

Your only option now is to decide how you are going to react to this fact. Our weather example works to a degree, except that with addiction the costs, in human terms, are much steeper than just being a bit inconvenienced. Living with addiction is never a picnic.

What we are saying is that we had to stop denying that we were totally powerless over someone else’s addiction. Whether we were a spouse, relative, neighbor, a CEO, minister, physician, police (person), a famous talk show host, or the president, it didn’t matter. We were each just another man who kept dancing to the tune of addiction and we were part of their problem. Until we admitted that we were powerless over another person’s addiction, first to ourselves, then to the God of our understanding, and finally to another human being, we were mentally, physically, financially and emotionally trapped.

Please. End the denial. The most effective program for achieving personal honesty and removing denial that we have found is the Al-Anon program. Al-Anon is a 12-step support group for people trying to deal with the situations created by living with people addicted to alcohol. Here are some thoughts from an Al-Anon man raised by an alcohol-addicted mother.

I had always considered myself an honest person, but as I progressed in the Al-Anon program my understanding of honesty deepened. I had to be honest about everything in my life: my past, my intentions, my choices, my thoughts, my desires, and my reality. Honesty became not just refraining from lies in relationships during daily living with other people (i.e., “cash-register honesty”); it was honesty with myself and with the God of my understanding.

Recovery from my own addictions: co-dependency, people pleasing, perfectionism, the need for applause…this kind of honesty, was impossible until the hold denial had on my mind was broken. Denial is like a good paint job over poor construction. I always looked good from a distance. Denial covered my inner despair. Denial, while actually protecting me as a child who lived with addicted parents began to destroy me as an adult. It was like the destruction of a tree; first a few leaves wither, then the trunk, and finally the roots.

Denial impedes growth. It destroys the spirit by allowing poor behavior and choices to guide your life. Denial hides the symptoms so well that the cure becomes unthinkable.

“Mom is just under a lot of stress right now.” She’s a good Mom; she just hits us when she has to let out her frustration. And besides, us kids are her biggest problem anyway” or

“Hello, Robert? Deb can’t make it in this morning. She has a horrible migraine, and she has had trouble getting enough sleep lately,” or

“My daughter works so hard in a helping profession. Nurses all need to unwind after a long shift treating sick people. Besides, she has always been able to hold a job in spite of the drinking.”

Here are some words about denying powerlessness from a father who had to accept that he was powerless over his daughter’s addiction.

The first step states that “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol (all other addictions as well) and that our lives had become unmanageable”. When I first heard this step, I did not know what the word powerless meant in the context of the disease of addiction. I could clearly see that my life had become unmanageable, but no way was I powerless.

After thinking about the powerless part of this step and all my attempts to fix, control, resent and rage at my daughters use of drugs and alcohol, I soon accepted on an intellectual level that nothing I had done in the past worked. I continued to behave and react in the same way until I finally also accepted that I was powerless over all the consequences my daughter suffered as a result of her addictions. The last stage of this step for me was to accept that I was powerless over my anger, need for control and resentments (my addictions) because numerous and varied attempts to fix these problems in myself also failed.

Slowly, I am giving up my attempts to battle this disease and have found in those areas where this giving up is at a deep emotional level, God who has infinite power has taken control. And so, infinite power is in fact available to me as long as I am willing to accept that I am absolutely powerless over this disease.

We want to climb onto our soap boxes now and make some points about denial beyond the individual level. Denial that is being used every hour of every day by authoritative professionals such as physicians, law enforcement, and the clergy, is allowing addictive behaviors to extract a monumental price from all of us.

For example, data just released shows that younger women from the current generation (14-22) for the first time in our history are using alcohol, drugs, and tobacco at about the same rate as their male counterparts (2). And yet, because of denial by law enforcement officers, they receive only 15% of the DUI’s and DWI’s (3). A recent DOT study (US DOT Report H5-801-230) showed clearly the real factors involved in Officer O’Malley’s decision to put the cuffs on an inebriated grandma, or that professional on her way from Happy Hour to her condo.

Does he consider her blood alcohol or the severity of her traffic violation in his decision to arrest for DUI? NOPE!

The most important factors, according to this government study, are 1) how much the officer drinks, 2) his lack of knowledge concerning the difference that alcohol has on the female vs. the male body, 3) the suspect’s attitude during the stop (i.e., men tend to be more belligerent), 4) the suspect’s and the policeman’s age, and 5) the suspect’s sex. Arresting a woman is more complicated for legal reasons and besides she looks, smells and acts like the officer’s wife, girlfriend, daughter, or grandma!

The net effect is to prevent the addicted lady from being identified, and that helps fuel the rapid increases in the rate of addiction among women. We could cite similar figures and stories for physicians and clergymen but the truth is that all of this professional denial serves to hide and thus exacerbate painful social consequences of addiction.

So what can we each do about another’s addiction? We hope by now that you realize that if you hold any delusions about being able to save or help an addicted person, then you need to ask God to remove them, because those delusions are helping to perpetuate the disease. Also, we are inviting you, right this moment, to ask for help from others who have been there. Go to a local Al-Anon meeting. There you will find help. Until you do that, it will just be impossible for you to appreciate the extent to which addiction is making your own life not fun.

Final notice and great news! If you are dealing with what is still the most common form of chemical addiction, alcoholism, you can start your own process of recovery by attending that meeting. There you will find “…the love and support we have been privileged to share.” You can locate local meetings by accessing our web site at menlivingwithaddictedpeople.com and going to our favorite links. BTW…you will also find imaginative posts on the topic of addiction as well.

God Bless.

NOTE; THIS AUTHOR WILL BE OUT OF TOWN ON VACATION. PLEASE SEND ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO THIS E-MAIL; rthelan@sbcglobal.net

I did some rounds on the internet today trying to find as many myths about alcohol as I could. Let me be the first to say, there are a lot of them. Some are plausible, some even I thought were true; but most are ones that we grow up with thinking are true. Why? Because that’s what adults had told us when we were young. They tried to keep us away from drinking, at least until we were old enough legally. Well some of us. It’s not their fault though. They were just telling us what they were told or what they saw in movies.

For the past twenty years, many studies have been done, and have shown us that these original thoughts about alcohol consumption are just myth. There might still be some of these myths that you took for the truth down below. So read through these, and educate yourself and your friends.

Below is the most complete list you’re going to find in regards to alcohol myths that would affect you, the drinker. I scoured the internet for hours finding these myths and debunking them. So read on and pay attention. They’re going to surprise you.

(Editors note: As someone who has lost a best friend to alcoholism, these facts are not here to encourage drinking, only to educate you. I have also written an article on the dangers of drinking and alcoholism. Please read it as well.)

1. MYTH

Men and women of the same height and weight can drink the same.

FACT

Gender has nothing to do with getting more drunk or not. It’s all about your body structure. Granted, it has been proven that people with a higher proportion of fat to lean muscle have a lower percentage of body water which gives the alcohol a stronger effect; and women tend to have slightly higher fat to lean muscle proportions.

Women are affected more rapidly because they tend to have a slightly higher proportion of fat to lean muscle tissue, thus concentrating alcohol a little more easily in their lower percentage of body water. They also have less of an enzyme (dehydrogenase) that metabolizes or breaks down alcohol, 9 and hormonal changes during their menstrual cycle might also affect alcohol absorption to some degree.

2. MYTH

Coffee, cold showers, workouts and food help to sober you up a lot faster.

FACT

I think this is a myth because you always see people in the movies drinking coffee to sober up or someone pushing another person into the shower and turning on the cold water.

Although coffee tastes great the next morning, this myth has absolutely no backing. There is no way to sober up fast. The alcohol leaves your body at .015 BAC an hour. Cold showers may seem to work because the cold water restricts the blood flow. However, you will still be as drunk as you were, and you still have the same alcohol in your system, so you will actually take longer to sober up. Working out is just a really bad idea for so many reasons. Yes you would be sweating more and increasing your blood flow, it is very dangerous because you are already de-hydrated from drinking. This will cause your body to overheat. Heating your body up in this manner could do some serious damage to your internal organs. Plus, running drunk is just not a good idea.

3. MYTH

Drinking only beer instead of alcohol will not get you as drunk

FACT

While this seems to be proven true, the reality is that people who choose to drink “spirits” can ingest more and in a shorter amount of time. While someone who drinks a beer may take a considerable amount longer; with wine usually taking the longest to drink because a person most often takes their time and sips a glass of wine. There are also different feelings of drunkeness that come from drinking different types of alcohol. Which is another reason people feel that liquor gets them more drunk. Below you can see the different amount of alcohol, but these are all equal. So three shots of liquor will give you the same BAC (blood alcohol level) as three glasses of wine.

1. One can is 12 ounces of regular beer

2. A glass of wine is 5 ounces

3. A shot of liquor is one and a half ounces of 80 proof distilled spirits, either straight or in a mixed drink

4. MYTH

A beer belly is caused by drinking beer.

FACT

A “beer belly” is only caused by eating too much. However, alcohol has been known to slow down the fat burning process. This would lead people to think that alcohol is making them fatter. There are also myths that beer bellies are the result of a fatty or enlarged liver. “While excessive consumption of any alcohol can lead to fatty liver or even irreversible liver damage, this does not cause the fatty paunch associated with a beer belly. While being obese or overweight has its own health risks, neither is indicative of damage to the liver. – Global Oneness”

5. MYTH

Alcohol is the cause of alcoholism.

FACT

As a governmental alcohol agency has explained, “Alcohol no more causes alcoholism than sugar causes diabetes.” The agency points out that if alcohol caused alcoholism then all drinkers would be alcoholics. In fact, a belief common among members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is that people are born alcoholic and are not caused to be alcoholic by alcohol or anything in their experience. They argue that many people are born and die alcoholic without ever having had a sip of alcohol. Of course, a person can’t be a drinking or practicing alcoholic without alcohol.

6. MYTH

Beer before liquor, never been sicker; Liquor before beer, you’re in the clear

TRUTH

The only fact this saying holds true to is that it rhymes. While some people will swear up and down that this is true, it holds no scientific fact. I myself can drink either way and feel just the same time after time. There could be many reasons for people feeling ill after drinking beer prior to liquor. My thought is that when people start with beer and are already intoxicated, they tend to drink liquor more irresponsibly. Thereby ingesting more liquor than they should. until they are eventually so sick that this rhyme applies to them. Also, when people start off drinking liquor, the are taking the amount of alcohol that they are comfortable with, and finish the night off slowly drinking beer. I say slowly, because the more drunk people get, the more they tend to not pay attention to their drinks. Which leads to less ingestion of the beer that they have in their hand….which is now a very warm beer.

7. MYTH

Alcohol makes sex better.

TRUTH

Alcohol does lower your inhibitions in a social situation and makes many things seem more enjoyable. However, the reality is that alcohol can actually keep men from getting or keeping an erection while helping lower a woman’s sex drive. More importantly, alcohol can affect your decision-making ability. You might put yourself in a risky situation; you might think you’re ready to have sex when you’re not or you might forget to use a condom – which can result in pregnancy and/or contracting a sexually transmitted disease.

8. MYTH

When I drink too much, the worst thing that can happen is I pass out.

TRUTH

This is horribly untrue. When you drink alcohol in excess, it can lead to alcohol poisoning which can cause death. Also, drinking excessive alcohol can cause vomiting, which is the first signs of your body being poisoned. What people fail to realize, is that your body treats alcohol as a poison, which it is. Even at the first sip, your body is trying to rid yourself of that poison. The reason you get drunk, is because you are ingesting too much alcohol for your liver and kidneys to de-toxify. When drunk and unconscious, a person may inhale fluids that have been vomited, resulting in death by asphyxiation. Long-term, heavy use of alcohol can lead to addiction (alcoholism), and can even cause a heart attack or stroke.

These are signs of alcohol poisoning:

Mental confusion, stupor, coma, or person cannot be roused. Vomiting. Seizures. Slow breathing (fewer than eight breaths per minute). Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths). Hypothermia (low body temperature), bluish skin color, paleness.

So we’ve come to the end of the list that I made. I tried to find ones that affected people like you and me. There are a out of myths out there, but I believe these are the most common ones that can attribute to a better (and safer) drinking nightlife. Remember, you don’t have to “get trashed” to have a good. So drink responsibly, and educate your friends about these common myths and the truths behind them.

The effect of making the decision to abstain from alcohol is immediate. It may not seem apparent at first, and the outward signs will not change straight away. The first effect, though, is in the mind. It is here, that will determine the success, or failure, of that decision to be released from Alcohol addiction. Alcohol is a drug that is voluntarily fed into the system, by you and you alone.So therefore the option to do, or not to do, is always there to take. As much as it seems impossible to not drink, it is always possible. Determination in the mind, will lead to success in the body. One extremely helpful tool is writing about it.

DIARY/JOURNAL: Detail your journey in either a diary (or journal). Hand write it in a personal book, or type it in a Word Processor. Do not worry if you do not consider yourself a perfect author. Do not concern yourself with how its spelt, or how grammatically correct it is. It is not for publishers eyes, or for an English Exam, it is for you only. Keep a record, and continue to do it daily. Promise yourself that you will add a daily entry, and stick to it. In fact, make this the first entry. “I promise to add to this every day.”. The aim of this is not to communicate this to everyone, or anyone. It serves a few purposes. It allows you to off-load all your thoughts, feelings, concerns, reasons, worries, hopes, dreams etc. Having it on paper, somewhere that you can access, means that it isnt in your head anymore. This is not so that you can forget, in fact far from it. You are recording it so that you can read it, and remind yourself, at any time. List out the reasons why you have made the decision, and be truthful. List out what you hope to achieve. List out what worries you. List out the good things that will be achieved by it. When the first entry is complete, sit back, take a deep breath, and feel good. Feel good because you have taken the first step. Feel good because you know what you are doing is right, and feel good because you feel good.

ENTRIES: Get into the habit of adding something every day. Make it a long, or as short as you want it to be. The important thing is not to stop until you have completed all you need. Dont leave anything, in your mind, when it could be recorded. Again, dont try to organise the entry as you add it. let it flow. It may be how you felt today; and this could be good or bad. It is vitally important to not forget to add positive things. In fact maybe have a method for being able highlight these to make them stand out. If you feel proud for not drinking that day, then say so. Underline the entry, and relish in the feeling. If you made a conscious effort to not buy the bottle today, then again, add it. After a while you will look forward to putting these things in, and the advantage is that you will get the benefit twice. You will be re-experiencing, again, the enormous feeling of pride, or self-esteem, you had originally. You will also have a “memory note” for you to come back to, should you need to, or want to. Not all of the entries will be positive. This is something to be prepared for, but do not be afraid about it. The usefulness of writing these down too, is that these negative emotions are blunted slightly by releasing them from inside. You will find as well, that they dont seem as bad, or as big, or a dark, as they did when they only existed in your mind. They wont look as threatening, or as destructive, when they only exist as words on a page. The strategy is to take a deep breath, read over some of the positive entries, to flip your mindset into a more productive mode, and then trying to add a positive “end note” to the negative one. Always write a positive statement at the end, as difficult as it may seem. Some suggestions include “I can succeed, and will”, “2 steps forward, and 1 back, still results in progress”

Keeping this journal will,in itself, mean that you a keeping a promise to yourself, made in the very first entry. A promise to control Alcohol, not let Alcohol control you. Take positive feelings from that, and as the days, weeks, months of being Alcohol-free go by, look back and re-read some of the things that helped to get to where you are. It will help you remember the day you made the most important decision of your life. The decision to never drink again.

For more accounts of experiences of a surviving alcoholic, who used this and other techniques, read,; http://www.rehab-drinking-problem.blogspot.com/

Alcohol addiction according to a leading teen treatment center is a negative habit of alcohol use that leads to a variety of problems which affected one’s health, society, interpersonal interactions, professions, and even one’s life. Teen alcohol addiction is something that cannot be brushed aside given the fact that there are rising incidences of alcohol abuse among adolescents. Cases of drunken driving and killing people are high among teenagers and people in their 20s and so are the health issues that a teenager faces like lack of zest for life, depression, teenage suicides etc.

 The teenager usually falls into the temptation of drinking alcohol by watching others doing it.  Subsequent rounds of drinking leads to a variety of problems like taking more alcohol to feel intoxicated, difficulties that happen due to alcohol withdrawal, the menace to the society, the violent behavior and the fact that most people shun off the company of an alcoholic are other effects that manifest from drinking too much alcohol.

 Like drugs, there are phases in which a teenager takes to alcohol. They are described here in a simple manner:

 Access to alcohol: This is the phase where a person may not actually consume it, but still he or she comes in contact with a place where drinks flow freely.  This can be in the form of a pub, a club, a friend’s place where people meet together for a round of drinks etc.
Experimentation with alcohol:  This phase is marked by the teenager trying to get into the habit of drinking alcohol. He tastes liquor and begins to like it. He then decides to frequent parties or join get-togethers where he has an opportunity to celebrate with rounds of booze.
 Increase in the frequency of alcohol: He starts to gel with other alcoholics and whenever they meet up, which is more often than not, there is alcohol flowing liberally.  The teenager finds it a lot of fun and thrilling to be party to alcohol and guzzle it with these ‘friends’ rather than be with sober friends. It is at this phase where he even mixes drinks with smoke or even drugs. At this stage, the teenager who does not have access to money may just steal money or ask some other friend to lend him money so that he could blow it on alcohol.
The fourth stage of alcohol addiction according to a teen rehab facility, is characterized by teens getting heavily intoxicated and developing health problems, educational problems, social problems and family problems.   The teen begins to fall sick and may even suffer from a weak immune system. The educational problem is in the form of falling grades and even suspension from the school.  Social problems happen when the society begins to not only shun the child but even the parents for fostering a drunken teenager that can be a bad influence to other kids.  Family problems is even worse when the parents reprimand, abuse or even slap their kids for drinking, something that the child may revolt by leaving the home and drinking even more.
The fifth stage is when the teenager actually feels normal and better by drinking. The sober state of life actually makes him feel uneasy and breathless, so much that he finds his sanity only by drinking. This can be a life-threatening state where the teen can take play with his life and even entertain suicidal thoughts.

It is better to take cognizance of the situation, act promptly and take your teenage son or daughter to the best adolescent treatment program and get treated in the best manner possible.

Habits of smoking, drinking alcohol and taking drugs are increasingly becoming the bane of the modern society. A person often tries such things out of impulse, stress or simply out of curiosity. Sometimes they do it just to accompany friends and colleagues and this habit increases later and becomes an addiction. But the result is the same in each such case. The addicted person damages themselves both physically and mentally. In the end, they must take recourse to drug and alcohol rehab to come out of their addiction.

The person trapped in drugs or alcohol addiction is normally not able to visualize the after-effects of substance abuse. They fail to understand the importance of their valuable life. The person not only develops mental problems and incurs physical destruction but also suffers broken personal and working relationships. In the course of time, their loved ones also suffer deep trauma. Such people need sympathy, care and proper counseling so that they can overcome this difficult phase of their lives.

The rehabilitation centers are meant for such distressed people. In such centers these people learn to revive their confidence, memory, energy, faith and enthusiasm towards life. They are guided to learn and value the precious life gifted by God and to value the different relationships around them.

The process of recovery is slow but certain. At an approved addiction rehab, there are trained teams of counselors who enlighten and help in de-stressing the patients. The specialized staffs at the centers recognize the needs and complexities of each patient and treat them accordingly. These centers are not merely nursing homes. They are places for mental, physical and spiritual healing. Former addicts know the condition of the patient better and therefore they inspire the patient to change favorably by sharing their own life experiences.

Beside the patients, the family and friends are given counseling sessions if required. This helps them in coping better with the situation and enables them to understand and support the patient in a more tolerant manner. The purpose is to give positive vibes to the patient from all corners.

A drug and alcohol rehab is equipped to deal a variety of cases. Dependence on different kinds of substances requires different treatment. Each substance or chemical has its distinctive effects on the mind and body of the addicted person. Therefore, the same method of detoxification and recovery cannot be applied blindly to each case. The center recognizes this fact and formulates tailor-made programs.

Once the patient is detoxified, they are exposed to various therapies and motivated to abstain from drug and alcohol abuse. Though it is a difficult phase and a cumbersome process, the support of doctors and the compassionate staff helps a patient to recuperate properly. Once the person gains full recovery, the drug and alcohol rehab even extends an after-care program for the patient. Hereby they are given regular guidance on diet, health, communication and life skills. The motive is to bring back the recovered person into the community mainstream.

The stay period in a rehab is therefore not a time of seclusion and despair. It is actually the bridge between phases of hopelessness and a fresh, healthy life full of hope. At a drug and alcohol rehab, one learns to enjoy and value the gift of life and reconnect with the society.

If you are looking for a place to undergo rehabilitation for alcoholism, or if you know somebody experiencing the problem whom you want to be given help, then you should seriously consider alcohol rehab in Utah. First of all, Utah has some of the most beautiful and fascinating landscapes in the world. Such a thing may seem insignificant in choosing a location, but you have to realize that it is precisely an appreciation of simple nature that could help one overcome their demons.

Alcoholism is a complicated disease to cure, and it helps the treatment to realize that it is first and foremost a disease. The reasons for one’s resorting to alcoholism to deal with life may vary. There may have been child abuse, or the loss of a loved one or a job, or it may be that one was simply careless in one’s alcohol intake so as to eventually become an addict. It does not matter why one has become an alcoholic. What is important now is giving the best care and to help the addict realize that there is so much more to life than what their liquor-colored lenses have brought them to believe, and that in fact, there is no need to face life with alcohol at all.

The intellectualizing of this fact does little to get an alcoholic to change their ways. Unless one’s emotions can be swayed so as to really realize that life is good without being under the influence, then all the talking and discussing will do no good.

There is nothing really cerebral about getting better from one’s alcoholism. Alcohol counseling deals with the very primal feelings one has about things. There is no right and wrong when one is reassessing one’s emotions and looking towards one’s future. The resolve to become a better person and to be more loving is something achieved with the help of family and friends, who must make themselves available even when one is in a rehab center.

The stress of everyday life should be far away from the forefront of one’s mind. Although someone may have a job or needs to take care of dependents, things could be arranged so that all these things could be handled by other helpful souls, or dealt with later on, when one has gotten better.

An alcohol relapse is always possible, even though one is given a clean bill of health. The maintenance of one’s staying on the wagon would require people around the person to continue nourishing him with love and attention. In fact, ‘on the wagon’ seems to be an inappropriate term. It implies a difficulty, a struggle, when sobriety should be a matter of being free or of being under no pressure to drink once more.

Whatever one’s age may be, there must be a team effort – among health care specialists, family and friends – in helping the alcohol addict. The rehabilitation may go beyond one’s stay in alcohol rehab in Utah or wherever, and may take years before one could say, “I’m clean!”

You can classify Drug addiction or alcohol addiction as the meanest things which can happen to a human being. Apart from destroying the individual’s health, it also loots his wealth, and above all it turns the family as the victim of these dirty habits. If either you or some one in your family are getting frustrated with this drug or alcohol addiction, we at Journey Recovery Centers can help you. We are proud to say that the Journey healing center for drug rehab and alcohol rehab has been recognized as one of the most efficient and effective rehabilitation centers not only in Utah but in the whole of America. We are witnesses to a number of victims of drug or alcohol addiction, getting fully recovered through our treatment programs. We have some of the world’s best rehabilitation facilities with a dedicated hardworking staff to assist us in our goal. We exercise extreme care and caution towards every individual client who require respect and love. Journey healing center have the world best facility of rehabilitation with excellent hard working stuff. We are taking extreme cautions toward our clients who need love and respect.

We are always seeking reasons to find out why a particular individual has become a victim to this addiction. There are always strong reasons for a person to get drug addicted or turn alcoholic. Once we find out the reasons, we introduce the individual to a structured treatment program which he/she requires. We are known to treat our clients with care and respect. We lead them towards a life which everyone as a human being should enjoy, and which they have denied for themselves through these habits. We help them to re-route them into the societal fabric, through showing examples of other addicts who are also fighting for a better life and recovery.

To ensure that every individual gets effective healing treatments, individual plans are eked out, so that specific treatments are ordered for every client. As soon as the client enrolls in the healing center, our foremost duty is to evaluate the client and prescribe a care plan for him, which should suit his behavior and the level of drug and alcohol addiction. Even as our staff are are available to help us to achieve our goal, we plan out specific plans for recovery, which will be successfully applied in the healing procedure.

The aim of the Journey healing center is to get the client completely recovered. Apart from the treatment, we also provide drug rehabilitation or alcohol rehabilitation together with dual diagnosis. To address the problem of addictions in the client, we see the reasons behind the addiction in our clients and device two kinds of basic therapies for them. The first one is a personalized therapy in which our counselors have one-to-one session with them, and allow them to express fully, their frustrations which have lead them to this pass, and provide them specialized attention and consideration, apart from suggesting treatment plans for a lifetime recovery. The second type of therapy is that group therapy, when clients are allowed to feel welcomed, safe and secure in the group. They are allowed to freely connection with the social groups, and ask them to share their feelings and thoughts. Apart from these therapies, programs like hiking in the mountain terrain, or just walking, regular yoga practices are charted out, while the center also asks them to indulge in some creative acts like painting are encouraged. IN fact we have found the client to be liking such activities quite a bit. Through such mixed treatments, we are achieving world’s best results even as we find clients getting cent per cent recover from their addictions of all kinds including drug addiction and alcohol addiction

What exactly is a relapse?

Relapse prevention is a core part of the strategies used in treatment at the drug and alcohol rehab centers. It is as important a part of the program of therapy as is any other part in it. The importance of this measure lies in the fact that the drug or alcohol addicts does not feel that they have become unable to succeed in the treatment. If the scope for relapse is planned beforehand, then the addicted individuals get a fair idea that such kind of things are likely to happen and that they necessarily does not imply a setback or a hurdle in the overall recovery process. Relapse should be considered as an inherent part of the process of recovery.

Signs of relapse to look out for:

It is likely that the addicts fail to realize the initial signs of trigger.  As a friend or family of the addict the following are some of the signs to look out for:

A particular event. Person or song triggers a desire in them to go back to the use of the drugs or alcohol.
Then they try justifying with themselves that one glass or one puff will not do any harm.
Then they proceed towards acquiring the specific drink or drugs, which they were addicted to.

Scope of Relapse prevention plans in drug and alcohol rehab:

While the drug or alcohol addict is enrolled into a program of the rehab centers care should be taken to find out what exactly urged the person to choose the path of alcohol or drug addiction. Whether it is the presence of any special group of friends or any special event in his life that turned traumatic in the end or is it a kick that he got from simply enjoying life in that manner? It is during the informal chat session with the professionals at the drug and alcohol rehab that the addicts are encouraged to list some of the possible triggers that they think may result in relapse or that have urged them to become addicts. This list is then handed over to the family and they are warned against the presence of these things.

What is a trigger?

Triggers may be any such things that are responsible in pushing these individuals into the arena of drug or alcohol addiction. Triggers may also make a person want to go back to addiction. Things like meeting friends at a bar or such friends who are also drug addicts. They may also comprise of harmless things like listening to a particular song on the television, I pod or radio or going through an old picture album that brings a spontaneous emotional reaction. Most of the time the obvious triggers can be avoided in relapse prevention with little or no difficulty at all. However you need to be careful about those triggers which even the addicts or the counseling professionals at the drug and alcohol rehab centers are unable to identify.

“Psychological and physiological dependence on a substance or practice” – is the medical definition of the term addiction. An addiction is an uncontrollably strong longing for something -  an abnormal kinky obsession for things.  A person with an addiction is called an addict.

Addiction is in fact a hydra-headed concept having different facets.  Medical researches and studies have divulged that every individual to some extent has an addiction.  People who have an uncanny pining or obsession for anything, are indeed addicted.  Medical studies have also revealed other forms of addiction besides alcohol, nicotine and drugs.

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According to the medical community, generally there are two forms of addiction.  First there is the physical addiction, or physical dependence and psychological addiction. The second type is called pseudo-addiction.

Physical dependence: An addiction in which the addict becomes physically dependent on intoxicating substances or drugs.  People dependent on tobacco or smoking suffer from nicotine addiction.  Dipsomaniac people suffer from alcohol addiction.

Drug addiction literally means addiction to certain drugs.  A drug addiction is an extreme state of addiction resulting from drug abuse.  Drug abuse is a common practice where hard drugs are abused – for example cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamine, opiates (heroin, morphine and codeine) and laxatives – drugs derived from narcotics. There is a debate over the idea that freely-sold substances like alcohol and nicotine should be classified as hard drugs, as the both are linked with high mortality rates.

Psychological addiction: The term literally means getting psychologically addicted to certain things or practices. Sometimes there are people who are highly obsessed with practices like gambling, food, sex, pornography, computer, work, shopping, spending etc.  Therefore as absurd as this may sound, these people actually do in fact suffer from gambling addiction, food addiction, sex addiction, porn addiction, computer addiction, work addiction, shopping addiction, and spending addiction respectively.  People addicted to food consumption are highly preoccupied with overeating and overeating is food addiction. These people are sometimes mockingly dubbed as “food alcoholic”.  Narcissism is also a form of addiction.

Pseudo-addiction is the state in which a patient manifests drug-seeking behavior similar to psychological addiction; however, the patient experiences genuine pain or other symptoms in such cases.  Normal behavior is resumed as soon as the pain has subsided.

The physical dependence on a substance such as drug addiction, nicotine addiction and alcohol addiction can sadly often have direly fatal results.

An addiction in any form is the sign of an abnormality that requires immediate treatment. An addiction is a disorder, but it is treatable. There are numerous addiction help centers or rehabilitation centers providing addiction treatment, all over the world.  Standard drug addiction treatment may include behavioral therapy, medication therapy, or a combination of both.

People experiencing any symptoms of addiction should go forward for treatment before their addiction becomes significantly advanced.

Genetic and Environmental Factors

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), a person’s risk of developing alcoholism is 60% determined by his or her genetics and 40% caused by his or her environment. Assuming that these statistics are accurate, what can be done to reduce the chances of becoming addicted to alcohol?

Genetic Causes of Alcoholism

Regarding the genetic determinants of alcoholism, those who say, “nothing can be done” are not totally correct. True, a person cannot change his genetics. Knowing, however, that there is a history of alcoholism in a person’s family, for example, can help a person “prevent” this potential problem from ever starting if he practices total abstinence. This kind of preventative thinking is an example of a “proactive” approach to problem solving.

More Proactive Problem Solving

The following illustration, however, is an even more extreme example of “proactive” problem solving that can affect the genetic basis of alcoholism. Maria, a young lady who drinks very infrequently, starts to date a young man named Kirk. As their relationship develops, Maria starts to notice that Kirk gets drunk on a regular basis. In fact, Kirk gets intoxicated at least two or three nights every week. What is especially problematic about Kirk’s drinking is that he gets angry and combative when he drinks excessively. On numerous occasions, Maria has tried to encourage Kirk to seek professional help, but each time she starts to discuss his drinking, Kirk gets extremely defensive, starts yelling at her, and then goes to a bar to drink with his buddies. After a year of riding an emotional roller coaster, experiencing numerous hurtful arguments, and going through many difficult alcohol-related situations, Maria finally decides to break up with Kirk. What were the major factors for the breakup? Maria wants to have children and can’t see having them with a violent and angry man who is so dependent on drinking alcohol. Moreover, Maria figured that since Kirk is exhibiting such irresponsible behavior in a dating relationship, he could possibly get even worse if they were to get married.

In this illustration, by breaking up with Kirk, Maria has stopped a negative cycle from going any further. Stated differently, by deciding to end her relationship with Kirk, Maria “prevented” the genetics part of the equation from ever becoming an issue.

Concerning Alcoholism, Age Matters

Another important alcohol-related statistic articulated by the NIAAA is that the earlier a person starts drinking alcohol, the more likely she will continue to drink her entire life. This being the case, it therefore makes sense to look for ways that will significantly reduce alcohol abuse by teens, preteens, and by young adults.

An Environmental Framework

Employing an “environmental” approach (as opposed to a genetics-based methodology), higher education seems to be a logical starting point for ways to reduce alcohol problems manifested by our youth. Indeed, since many teenagers go to college and because teen alcohol abuse IS a serious health risk, it is relevant to ask what college administrators can do to significantly reduce student alcohol abuse, especially when teenagers are some of the main “offenders.” It is suggested that the following reactive and proactive measures help address this issue.

Reactive and Proactive Measures to Help Reduce Student Alcohol Abuse

· Establish immediate consequences for excessive drinking.

· Discipline repeat alcohol abuse offenders.

· Monitor the drinking activities in the sororities and fraternities.

· Notify parents about their children’s drinking activities.

· Talk to the owners of local drinking establishments so that minors and/or intoxicated students are not served alcohol.

· Eliminate mixed messages about alcohol (for instance, removing alcohol advertisements from stadiums and from sports brochures).

· Inform and educate students about the long-term negative consequences of alcohol abuse.

· Increase the number of alcohol-free social and recreational activities that are attractive to students.

Generalizing the Results

With additional effort and some more thought, it seems reasonable to think that alcoholism experts and college administrators will be able to generate even more ways to effectively reduce alcohol abuse at institutions of higher education. Once this is accomplished, moreover, perhaps their findings can be adapted so that they will “work” in other institutions such as junior and senior high schools, boy scouts, girl scouts, churches, camps, and so on.

Conclusion

If a person’s risk of developing alcoholism is 60% determined by his or her genetics and 40% caused by his or her environment, it is asserted that the problem of alcohol addiction can be addressed from both genetic and environmental frameworks. Indeed, by using a “proactive” problem solving approach, the genetics part of the problem frequently can be eliminated. Furthermore, by focusing on various situational and behavioral factors, the environmental dynamics that help establish and reinforce alcohol abuse and alcoholism can be significantly reduced.

Copyright 2007 – Denny Soinski. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and give the author credit.

I am now finding cigarretts and empty bottles of wine in his car. He tells me that I’m “trippin” and that nothing is wrong. I beg him to stop smoking weed (I stopped a while ago now and will NOT allow it in our apartment).

HE WON’T QUIT! He thinks nothing is “out of control” and that “everything is fine”. His family knows about his behaviors and mine does too.

Right now, I depend on his income because I got laid off. I am in such a bind! Does Al Anon help? Church? What?! I love this man but if he doesn’t want to get help, what are my options?!

I wanted to really dedicate this post to some of the most common and interesting facts of drinking alcohol.

Alcohol is the cause of many devastating affects worldwide, did you know that in the States alone it directly causes 110,000 deaths this figure being around 55,000 in Canada, depending where you read. It is responsible for much violence and for the breaking up of millions of families every year.

Alcohol is the leading killer on the roads, especially when teenagers are involved. People who drink are statistically proven to have worse grades and are unable to perform their jobs to the best of their ability. Alcohol is also closely linked to smoking which is another major cause of death, and users are more likely to tamper with other lethal drugs.

If you are finding yourself drinking everyday and having to come home from work and immediately hit the bottle, the chances are you are suffering with alcohol addiction. This is a problem you must address before it is too late!! What does too late mean your asking?

After having my own experience with Alcohol and doing research into it over the past 3 years I have discovered it is responsible for a lot of chronic diseases, such as;

- High Blood Pressure

- Liver Damage

- Damages nervous system

- Increases chance of heart attack

- Kills Memory

- Stomach problems

- Cancer

- Sexual deficiencies

These are just some of the possible problems you will face if you do not confront your addiction now. With all these nasty affects it is a wonder that anyone would still want to drink?

I think you will find a lot of alcohol starts first of all through pier pressure. They think it looks cool in front of their friends, not realising the damage they are causing to themselves. Remember you only get one chance at this life so you really need to make the most of it!!

Once you become dependant on alcohol it is very difficult to get off it without the help of someone else. If you are searching for help or you know anyone that is, remember it is always available. Recognizing that you have a problem is always the first step in finding a solution.

People always say to me I only have one drink a day or I only drink at weekends. I always answer an alcoholic would never be an alcoholic if he or she did not start with that first drink.

Addiction to alcohol is something I have personal experience with I have seen the devastating affects first hand and can tell you now even one drink is not worth the risk! It only takes something to happen in your life that your not sure how to deal with and suddenly you find yourself turning to the bottle to numb the pain or depression. Any disasters that do happen to you in life are to shape and mould your character, yes its hard but please do not use alcohol to prevent yourself facing it.