Tag Archives: alcohol addiction

How to stop drinking

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How to stop drinking

how to stop drinkingDrinking isn’t a scary thing until it becomes a problem. It gets especially scary when you find yourself drinking even when you don’t want to. It can seem impossible to overcome your drinking but there are actually steps you can to stop drinking. As long as you haven’t reached the point of no return you can do what you need to rewind and stop your problem drinking in its tracks.

How to stop drinking: acknowledge why you do it

Why do you engage in your drinking? You have to be able to answer that question in order to stop drinking. Is it to help you with anxiety and stress? It may be hard to admit why you have you are drinking but you can’t change what you don’t acknowledge exists. Admit why you engage in the problem drinking to yourself and you are on your to stopping drinking.

How to stop drinking: Think rational thoughts instead of sitting in denial

You probably understand at a conscious and intellectual level that your drinking is unhealthy yet you keep on using or drinking and this baffles you. If you are in denial about your drinking this is probably why. If you can’t get through the day without a shot of vodka, you may be self-medicating and if you have reached the point of knowing its bad and can’t stop you may need outside help from something like a drug rehab to stop drinking. Realizing this is a rational thought.

How to stop drinking: Using coping skills

People never break bad habits they merely replace them with new ones. Recognize that you get a reward of some sort from smoking, using drugs, and drinking. Find something else to give you that reward and you have found new coping skills and have stopped the drinking. If you have reached the point of no return and need to attend rehab it is still a very good idea to find new coping skills for life for when you are out of rehab. Finding new coping skills can stop drinking in its tracks. And if you can stop drinking then you can begin to live a healthy life again. You have the ability to quiet yourself without drugs and alcohol; without your alcohol. You also have the ability to reduce stress without drugs and alcohol. Find new things to use to stop drinking instead of drugs and alcohol which fuel it.

How to stop drinking: Have a support system and become accountable

If you truly want to stop drinking and get clean then you are going to need help from people and you are going to need to be accountable to those people. Accountability means showing up when you say you are going to and no longer engaging in alcoholic drinking behaviors like being flaky. The support system you have is meant to help you stop drinking by telling you the truth about yourself when you want to go into denial about your drinking. Your support system will also help you to find new ways to be healthier and do those things with you. Support and accountability can also come in the form of rehab to stop drinking.

 

 

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

Alcohol Abuse in the Music Industry

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Alcohol Abuse in The Music Industry

Drug and alcohol abuse in the music industry has long been sort of an accepted part of the culture.  How many famous musicians have overdosed on drugs and alcohol? How many more have waged battles against addiction, checking in and out of rehab so many times we’ve lost count?

The culture not only tolerates substance abuse, it almost demands it. Many people in the music industry worry if they turn their back on the party they will lose what makes their music good or what makes them appealing to their fans.

But the culture of drug and alcohol abuse in the music industry is undergoing a major transition across the entire musical landscape, according to artists, managers and others in the industry.  There is a higher degree of awareness now, and people are starting to recognize that even recreational use can kill you.

I recently spoke to a women who had spent her entire career working for the music industry. She said,

“It used to be so common, 20 years ago, to drink and do drugs on the job. We’d have entire days devoted towards a certain type of alcohol-like beer Wednesdays or vodka Fridays. Every executive had a full bar in the office and drinking was almost a requirement of the job.”

Then, she says, the landscape started to change.

“The constant drinking slowed, started to become taboo. There was still a group of us who did cocaine every day, but we could no longer do it out in the open. We started going to the bathroom together. Everyone knew what we were doing, but we couldn’t do it on our desks anymore. Executives stopped offering us drinks when we walked into the office. Things just changed.”

Kate* is now in a sober living facility after spending 90 days in an inpatient treatment center.

Part of the change may have to do with the economy, Kate says.

“Everyone is worried about the bottom line, and everyone has to be accountable. When the music industry stopped making as much money, everyone started to focus on productivity.”

More artists have also gone public with their addictions, and addiction is recognized for what it is- a disease. Gratuitous alcohol abuse in the music industry is no longer encouraged and rewarded as it once was.  It is now considered cool for artists to take care of themselves and live a healthy lifestyle.

In the mid-1980s, Aerosmith broke down the door that made it okay for big-name artists to go public with their sobriety. In the years since, several other artists have made their sobriety known.

In the 90’s, the Safe Harbor Room-a backstage area that provides a support system to artists and crew members struggling with addiction issues was instituted at the Grammy Awards. Today, Safe Harbor Room program has been extended to South by Southwest, the NAMM convention, Coachella, Ozzfest, the CMA Awards and other events.

Other programs, like Road Recovery, have made it easier for artists to use a drug-free road crew.

Sources:

http://www.today.com/id/5033438/ns/today-entertainment/t/music-industry-coming-grips-addiction/

http://musicians.about.com/od/beingamusician/tp/Five-Tips-For-Coping-With-Addiction-In-The-Music-Industry.htm

http://www.codyenterprise.com/news/opinion/article_561c10dc-5c20-11e1-b7b9-001871e3ce6c.html

 

 

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

What is alcohol rehab and why should I go?

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What is alcohol rehab?

What is alcohol rehab?

Alcohol rehab is the shortened term for alcohol rehabilitation centers. Addicts and alcoholics go to alcohol rehabs to try and stop drinking or using drugs. Alcohol rehab is one of the most effective and powerful ways to break the cycle of alcoholism and addiction. This is why so many alcoholics and addicts choose to go to alcohol rehab when they want to stop drinking and getting high. Alcohol rehab is entirely focused on helping alcoholics and addicts overcome not only their physical addiction but also their psychological addictions to alcohol and drugs. During alcohol rehab, an addict and alcoholic will usually go through stages the first being alcohol detox. After alcohol detox, the addict or alcoholic will go to inpatient or counseling and aftercare. Each one of the processes in alcohol rehab is made to treat a different part of addiction and alcoholism in order to address the physical, psychological and/or social aspects of the disease. An alcohol rehab usually incorporates healing, healthier living and emotion and therapeutic support.

So why should you go to alcohol rehab?  Here are some reasons why you should go to alcohol rehab.

  • The biggest reason you should go to alcohol rehab is because it could save your life. It is no surprising fact that many people die at the hands of their alcoholism and drug addiction. Going to alcohol rehab and getting the benefits of what it is could literally save your life.
  • Another great reason to go to alcohol rehab is that it gives you some time away from the alcohol and drugs. A lot of the times if we are struggling with addiction or alcoholism it can be very hard or nearly impossible to stay clean even 24 hours. At alcohol rehab you will be in a safe place where you don’t have to worry about the staying clean part. You can get some time away in a safe alcohol rehab and get some actual clean time under your belt.
  • Going to alcohol rehab gives you a better chance at staying sober for the long run. Going to alcohol rehab can set you up for long-term sobriety by introducing you to 12 step meetings, people who can help you in your recovery or even introduce you to a therapist and counselor that can help you to continue growing in recovery
  • Going to alcohol rehab is a great way to get connected with other people who have the same goal to stay sober. People who are in alcohol rehab often share information and stay in touch which is a great way to get support in recovery. Have a support network in recovery within alcohol rehab and after it is imperative to staying sober.
  • Going to alcohol rehab can give you your life back. You can gain back everything you have lost if you go to alcohol rehab. This means relationships, your job, your dreams, your health and you can even gain some things you didn’t have when you went in the beginning. For instance you may have new hobbies such as yoga or reading.

 

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

Alcoholism and Violence

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Alcoholism and Violence

Alcoholism and Violence

Obviously, there is a strong correlation between alcoholism and violence. Add alcohol to any tension fueled environment, and you have a recipe for disaster.  Alcohol can lower impulse control and cloud rational judgment. When something angers an alcoholic while they are intoxicated, it can very quickly lead to violence.

Alcoholism and Violence: Brain Chemistry

Not all alcoholics are violent, but there is a significant minority that is. Drunken violence is related to brain chemistry. Brain cells communicate with each other using chemicals called neurotransmitters. Brains of certain alcoholics often have a different form of a key molecule, which stops the mood-regulating chemical, serotonin, from being transported properly. These types of alcoholics are known as “type 2” alcoholics, and they are frequently prone to violent behavior.

Alcoholism and Violence: Anger Issues

Obviously, people who already are prone to anger issues are going to be more likely to be violent when drunk.  Alcohol changes the way you process information, so it compromises your ability to process multiple sources of environmental information. This makes it difficult to determine the intentions of people around you. When you’re drunk, you’re far more likely to view actions as intentional, and if you are already prone to aggression, you can become violent.

Drinking also erases worry about the possible consequences of aggression. While someone with anger issues may get very angry about something that happens, they may be able to take a minute to think through the ramifications of becoming violent. This ability to take a breather and calm down can prevent them from acting out. However, alcoholism and violence go hand in hand because alcohol often causes you to forget about consequences of your actions. People who have anger issues may also use alcohol as an excuse for getting violent, believing that aggressive actions are more easily explained and forgiven if it happens when they are under the influence.

Alcoholism and Violence: Domestic Violence

About 80% of domestic abuse cases involve drugs and alcohol. Domestic abuse cases when the abuser is under the influence of drugs and alcohol tend to be much more extreme and result in greater injury. Alcoholics, especially while under the influence, tend to have a shorter fuse, erupting into violence when they get angry.

Alcoholism and Violence: Neglect of Children

Even alcoholic parents who don’t resort to violence tend to neglect children when they are under the influence. Neglect is the failure of a parent or guardian to provide for a child’s basic needs. Neglect may be physical, medical, educational, or emotional.  A number of studies have established that alcohol is a significant factor in child neglect and being mistreated is a factor in the child developing alcohol problems later in life. This becomes a vicious cycle: The alcoholic parent mistreats a child, who then becomes an alcoholic later in life as a result. Alcohol is a factor in almost half of all child welfare investigations in the United States and a parent with a history of harmful alcohol use has been consistently shown to increase the risk of child maltreatment.

Sources: http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/world_report/factsheets/fs_child.pdf

http://www.choosehelp.com/topics/anger-management/why-does-drinking-release-the-rage-understand-alcohol-related-anger-and-aggression

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2005/jul/21/thisweekssciencequestions

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

Alcohol Addiction

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Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol Addiction: Definition

Alcohol addiction, or alcoholism, is a chronic, progressive disease that includes problems controlling your drinking, being preoccupied with alcohol, continuing to drink despite negative consequences, having to drink more to get the same effect or having withdrawal symptoms when you rapidly decrease or stop drinking.

It is possible to have a problem with alcohol, even when it has not progressed to the point of alcoholism. Problem drinking means you drink too much at times, causing repeated problems, but you are not completely dependent on drinking.

Alcohol Addiction: Facts

Alcohol addiction has little to do with what kind of alcohol you drink, how long you have been drinking, or even exactly how much you drink.

Vulnerability to alcoholism can be inherited, but doctors still do not know what causes alcohol addiction.

Alcohol addiction affects people from every type of background, but here are several characteristics that can increase the risk that a person will develop alcoholism. These are known in the scientific community as “risk factors.”

“Binge Drinking” defined as five or more drinks in a sitting for men and four for women, can increase chances of developing alcohol addiction.

Alcohol addiction is a disease, which is why most alcoholics can’t stop using “willpower”

Alcohol addiction: Signs of a problem

There are some simple signs to understanding addiction and determining if you are an alcoholic:

  1. Does your drinking cause problems in your life?
  2. These can be legal, financial, moral, or spiritual.
  3. Do you make promises to yourself or others about quitting or cutting down on drinking and then break them?
  4. Do you lie about drinking or try to hide the amount you drink?
  5. Do you avoid social situations that don’t involve alcohol?
  6. Do you have a high tolerance for alcohol?
  7. Do you ever use alcohol first thing in the morning to get rid of hangover symptoms or avoid the shakes?
  8. Have you ever “blacked out” or forgotten things you did while you were drunk?

Alcohol Addiction: Intervention

Sometimes when an alcoholic’s problems reach a crisis stage, the family must seek a professional intervention. An intervention comes down to confronting the alcoholic with how his or her drinking has affected the people around them. The alcoholics friends, families, and employers tell the alcoholic how his or her drinking has become a problem in their lives.

Interventions should be carefully planned and developed by a professional substance abuse counselor. If they are done haphazardly, they can be counterproductive. The goal of an intervention is to get the alcoholic to go into a treatment program.

Alcohol Addiction: Treatment

Alcoholism is a treatable disease and there are many programs available to help and support an alcoholic that has decided to get help. Thousands of facilities in the United States offer alcohol and drug rehabilitation and treatment services, ranging from short-term residential or in-patient hospitalization to long-term, outpatient counseling and therapy. The goal of these facilities is to help the alcoholic learn how to remain sober and resist the urge to drink.

Sources: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alcoholism/DS00340

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=52888&page=2

 

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

Too Many Hangovers May Be A Problem

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If you have ever had a hangover you know that it is truly unpleasant and a result of making poor choices the night before. 75% or more of those who drink alcoholic beverages experience hangover symptoms the next morning. Too many hangovers like this may be a problem.

Typical symptoms of a hangover are headache, upset stomach, vomiting or nausea, a bad taste in your mouth, depressed mood, lack of interest in doing normal things the next morning, and a lapse of memory regarding events from the night before. Some individuals feel a sense of guilt over behavior or events that happen during their drinking. When this happens often and you feel you have been having too many hangovers there may be a problem. There are many contributing factors to the occurrence of a hangover. The most obvious factor is the consumption of too much alcohol. Then there is the lack of sleep, drinking on an empty stomach, drinking too much in a small amount of time, having a dehydrated body, and being in poor health.

Too many hangovers may be a problem not only because of the deterioration of your health but also because of the effects it will eventually have on your work performance, school performance, and performance when it comes to life in general. Too many hangovers may also be a problem because it is a sign that you cannot control your drinking to the point that you can stop before you have a hangover. Hangovers being caused by drinking too much alcohol are a sign that you need to either stop drinking or seriously moderate your drinking. If you find that you continue to have negative symptoms due to drinking and too many hangovers then there may be a problem.

Hangovers are not a problem if they only happen once in awhile. While it is true that 75% of people who drink alcoholic beverages experience hangover symptoms that does not mean they are experiencing them frequently. Too many hangovers may be a problem if they persist, especially if you always have a hangover after you drink. A hangover is a sign that your body need to recover from the amount you were drinking and if you are drinking enough to be experiencing too many hangovers then your health, mind, body, work, school, and vocations could be in jeopardy of being hindered or lost all together.

Too many hangovers may be a problem but the way to truly find out is to try and limit your drinking or stop drinking all together and see how it goes. If you find you cannot do either of these things then your constant hangovers may be a more serious problem than you thought initially. If your hangovers turn out to be more of a problem than you expected the next step would be to seek outside help from some kind of alcohol counseling, treatment, or self-help group in your area.

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