Category Archives: Alcohol and Kids

Hangover Movie: Dude, Where’s My Car

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Dude Wheres My Car

“The Hangover” movie series has reigned supreme the last couple years as the ultimate going out, getting wasted and can’t remember what happened movies. The story and plot lines in these movies are not unique in themeselves and have been rehashed over and over again.

A few years ago another hangover movie – Dude, Where’s My Car was another hangover cult classic.

‘Dude, Where’s My car’ premiered in 2000 and was an instant classic for teenagers everywhere who were into the party scene. Probably similar to the same older generation that now enjoys the Hangover movies. The entire plot of dude where’s my car is going to seem very familiar to the hangover movies too that are so popular today.

“Two potheads wake up from a night of partying and can’t remember where they parked their car.” Just like in The Hangover when a group of guys awaken from a hard night of partying and can’t remember what happened.

If you assumed that the rest of this movie plot includes antics and interesting characters on the journey to finding their car again – then you would be right! The main characters are two “potheads” (played by Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott) whom are trying to find their car. This hangover movie begins with a…wait for it… HANGOVER after having a wild party the night before. Ashton and Sean wake up to find the house trashed and people sleeping on the lawn. The unfortunate thing is that they are not in their house they are in their girlfriend’s house which if I may add happens to be hot twins.

Hard night of partying. Check.

Can’t remember what happened. Check.

Hot girls. Check.

Do you see the pattern here?

This movie includes dogs getting stoned, a sexy scene including Kristy Swanson who plays “Christie Boner” and even aliens.

Ashton who plays Jesse and Sean who plays Chester pretty much are idiots and all they know is Jesse’s car is gone and they encounter a transsexual stripper who wants his/her suitcase of stolen money, a group of alien-seeking nerds and an angry street gang. Their girlfriends Wilma and Wanda are upset (for lack of a curse word) that they trashed their house. Mind you the whole time they must find a “continuum transfuctioner” (a mystical device that could either save or destroy the world) while trying to not be duped by a group of jumpsuit-wearing, sexy-as-hell, aliens posing as humans want it.

Sound ridiculous enough? Well it gets more ridiculous.

This movie glorifies smoking pot and getting wasted. In fact I can remember watching this movie as teenager and thinking how badass it all was and how hot Ashton Kutcher was. Truth is eventually you grow up and you realize life is not in the slightest bit like the ridiculous comedic hangover movies they shove in our faces. While this movie is certainly hilarious it’s definitely not productive or filled with tons of brain enhancing or memory boosting scenes.

This hangover movies is slapstick stupid comedy at it its best.

Don’t drink and drive my friends!

 

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Alateen and Al-Anon Resources

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Alateen and Al-Anon Resources

Alateen and Al-Anon Resources

Addiction is known as a “family disease”. This is because it doesn’t just affect the addict or alcoholic. Loved ones of the addict/alcoholic are often caught up in the destruction as well. Luckily there are groups that address the family members of an alcoholic or addict specifically. Alateen and Al-Anon resources can be very helpful to the families of recovering alcoholics.

The family group idea is nearly as old as Alcoholics Anonymous. Early AA members and their wives visited AA groups around the country. The visiting wives often told the mates of the newer members of Alcoholics Anonymous about how they benefited from trying to live by AA’s Twelve Steps, and how it had helped to improve family relationships that often remained difficult after the alcoholic had become sober. Al-anon was founded in 1951, and the Twelve Steps were adopted as guiding principles.

Teenage children in the families of alcoholics soon realized that their problems differed from those of adult members. In 1957, Alateen grew out of this need. There are now over 1,700 Alateen groups worldwide.

Alateen and Al-Anon Resources: On the Web

Local Alateen and Al-Anon resources can be found through the website at http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/. The website can tell you about group meetings, what you can expect, and where to find a meeting in your area. Group members share their experience, strength, and hope with each other. Anyone who has been affected by another person’s drinking or drug use is welcome to join. There are no dues or fees in Alateen and Al-Anon meetings.

There are also a number of on-line meetings that can be used to supplement attendance at regular face-to-face meetings.

Alateen and Al-Anon Resources: On the phone

Alateen and Al-Anon meetings can also be found by calling the hotline at 888-4AL-ANON (888-425-2666) from 8 am to 8pm ET, Monday through Friday. There are also phone meetings which, like the online meetings, can be used to supplement regular face-to-face Alateen and Al-Anon meetings.

Alateen and Al-Anon Resources: Starting your own group

If there is no Alateen or Al-Anon group in your community, you may want to start one, along with one or two other people who need and want help. Any two or more relatives or friends of alcoholics who meet to solve their common problems may call themselves and Al-Anon or Alateen group, provided they have no other affiliation is a group.

You must decide on a group meeting place, day, and time. Then contact the World Service Office at Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. announcing your decision to start a group. You will be given registration information and instructions on how to complete it. The form can be downloaded from the website. When your group is registered, a group number is assigned and a packet containing introductory materials will be sent to the group’s current mailing address. After the registration process is completed the group contacts the local district or Al-Anon Information Service (AIS) to be included in the local meeting directory and the area web site.

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

5 Signs Your “Party-Animal” Friend Might Be an Alcoholic

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Party Animal Personality

5 Signs Your “Party-Animal” Friend Might Be an Alcoholic

There is a group of you. Maybe it is a group of three, possibly four. You all work different jobs, maybe two of you work the same job and you enjoy going out for drinks on the weekend. And you all love having a good time, I mean that is what life is about right? Fun with friends? But there is that one person, that one friend in your group on the weekends that you would consider the “party-animal” and their drinking is turning into a head tilting, embarrassing mess. You and your friends have begun having conversations with each other about the “party-animal” friend’s drinking and you begin to wondering if they might be an alcoholic. They quite possibly could be but you don’t know what an alcoholic is. You know the homeless drunk that you see when walking down the street but that isn’t your “party-animal” friend. Maybe your friend just needs to grow up? Or maybe it something more serious? Well, here are some signs that may help you to figure out what is really going on with your friend.

5 signs that your “party-animal” friend might be an alcoholic:

  1. Pay attention to your friend’s tolerance for alcohol. An increased tolerance for alcohol is a big indicator that your party animal friend might be an alcoholic. Overtime their system doesn’t respond to the same amount you would probably drink while out. As a result of this they drink more and more frequently.
  2. Look at how your friend considers drinking as a part of their daily routine. An alcoholic person often sets up a schedule for their alcohol. For instance if they visit a bar or liquor store daily after work your party animal friend may be an alcoholic. You will also notice that your friend makes excuses just to go get a drink.
  3. Passing out or blackouts are severe indicators that your party animal friend might be an alcoholic. Passing or blacking out can happen to anyone and everyone but it is unlikely and is unusual if it happens more than once. Someone who blacks out or passes out from drinking too much could very well be an alcoholic or be on their way to being an alcoholic.
  4. Bring up your party animal friend’s drinking to them and see what happens. Usually someone who might be an alcoholic responds very negatively and defensively. They will constantly deny or lie about the issue and never face the facts about their drinking.
  5. Keep track of how often your party animal friend becomes drunk whenever alcohol is available. Ordering “doubles” of drinks, gulping, or becoming quickly intoxicated are all indications that your party animal friend might be an alcoholic.

Everyone has that one friend that likes to get a little bit out of control and they are fun to be around and they are our friends. But if you think your party animal friend might be an alcoholic it is best if you care about them and talk to them about cutting back or quitting all together.

Sources:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2046129_recognize-signs-alcoholism.html

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Adolescent Alcoholism

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Adolescent Alcoholism

An article in the UK’s daily mail this week has revealed a shocking trend: More and more, children are being admitted to hospitals with alcohol problems. According to the report, dozens of children under the age of 10 have been hospitalized for mental and behavioral disorders due to alcohol abuse.

In the United States, alcohol is the drug of choice among youth. Each year, approximately 5,000 people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking. Nationwide surveys report that two in every five eighth graders have consumed alcohol. And when youth drink, they tend to drink in binges. Binge drinking is defined as having four or five drinks in a sitting.

Adolescent alcoholism is a growing problem. Kids are experimenting with alcohol at earlier ages than ever before. Today, the average age an American girl has her first drink is 13; for a boy, it’s 11. Some researchers think that later life addiction is more common in early drinkers because the impulse control centers are not yet developed in teen brains. In other words, teens are not able to make sound decisions. People who have their first drink at 14 or younger are six times more likely to develop alcohol problems.

Adolescent alcoholism is development of alcohol addiction any time between the ages of 11 and 19. About 10-15 million people in the United States alone can be classified as alcoholics. About 4.5 million of them are adolescents.

Recent studies suggest that the brain continues to develop through age 25. Adolescent alcoholism can affect the brain’s development. Subtle changes in the brain may be difficult to detect but still have a significant impact on long-term thinking and memory skills.

Adolescent Alcoholism: What can parents do?

Studies show that having open and honest talks with your child can decrease the risk of adolescent alcoholism. Many parents think that emptying the liquor cabinets is a good idea, but you can’t go around town emptying all the liquor cabinets, so it’s important that you talk to your kids about alcohol abuse.

Also, keep in mind that the younger the age of exposure, the more likely your child will develop adolescent alcoholism or alcoholism later in life. Many people think it’s fine, and preferable, given the drinking saturated culture we live in, for teens to have their first sips early and at home, under their parents supervision. They figure that their kids are going to do it anyway, so they may as well do it at home where they will be “safe.” 1/3 of third graders report having tried beer, wine, or hard liquor at home.

However, given what we know about how early onset drinking is a primary risk factor for adolescent alcoholism and other alcohol and drug related problems, experts advise delaying exposure to alcohol for as long as possible. Before a child’s brain is developed, they have underdeveloped “brakes” so if they are exposed to alcohol at this point, they are much more likely to overindulge and develop alcohol problems.

http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/AA67/AA67.htm

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2302778/Children-young-SEVEN-admitted-hospital-alcohol-addiction.html#ixzz2PQt7FXhS

 

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Kids and Alcohol

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Kids and Alcohol

Kids and Alcohol

Kids and alcohol

Parents may not want to think about it but the reality is that many kids and teens try alcohol during their high school and college years and this is way before it is legal for them to drink. Research shows that around 80% of high school kids have tried alcohol. Perfect example is to ask yourself, when did you have your first taste of alcohol? Experimentation among kids and teens is common but it isn’t always safe or legal.

Kids and alcohol: The effects

Alcohol interferes with a person’s perception of reality and their ability to make good decisions. This is especially dangerous for kids and teens that have less problem-solving, coping mechanisms, and decision-making experiences.

Short term effects of kids and alcohol are:

  • Distorted vision, hearing and coordination
  • Altered perceptions and emotions
  • Impaired judgment which can lead to accidents such as broken bones, drowning and other risky behaviors such as unsafe sex and drug use
  • Bad breath
  • Hangovers

Long-term effects include:

  • Cirrhosis and cancer of the liver
  • Loss of appetite
  • Vitamin deficiencies
  • Stomach problems
  • Heart and central nervous system damage
  • High risk of overdosing
  • Physical dependence

Kids and alcohol is a dangerous mix. During times of transition which most kids are going through, during the onset of puberty or a parent’s divorce can lead to alcohol use. So it is important that kids are taught that even when life is upsetting or stressful, drinking alcohol can make the bad even worse. They can be taught healthier and better coping mechanisms.

Kids who have problems with self-control and have low self-esteem are more likely to abuse alcohol. They feel as if they can’t handle their problems and frustrations without using something to make them feel better. This is also where talking to kids about healthier coping mechanisms would be a good way to cut back kids drinking alcohol.

Also, kids without a sense of connectedness with their families or who feel different in some way, either in appearance, economic circumstances etc. may be at risk. Those kids who have trouble believing in themselves desperately need the love and support of parents and other family members.

Believe it or not the most common reason that kids don’t use alcohol or other drugs is because they don’t want to harm the relationship between themselves and the adults in their life who care about them.

Kids and alcohol: Signs of drinking

Regardless of trying to do the right thing there is a chance a kid may still end up drinking. Here are the warning signs that a kid has been drinking:

  • The odor of alcohol
  • Sudden change in mood or attitude
  • Change in attendance or performance at school
  • Loss of interest in school, sports, or other activities
  • Discipline problems at school
  • Withdrawal from family and friends
  • Secrecy
  • Association with a new group of friends and reluctance to introduce them to you
  • Alcohol disappearing from your home
  • Depression and developmental difficulties

Here are some great ways to help kids with alcohol:

  • Be a good role model. Watch how you drink and how it may influence your kids with alcohol.
  • Educate yourself about alcohol so you can educate kids better
  • Try to be conscious of how you can help build a kid’s self-esteem.
  • Teach kid’s to manage stress in healthy ways such as seeking help from a trusted adult or engaging in productive activities.

Sources:

http://www.talkaboutalcohol.com/uploads/parentsguide.pdf

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.