Alcohol Rehab

Alcohol Rehab: What is Alcoholism?

The old line is “I’m not an alcoholic, I’m just a problem drinker.” There is humor to that statement, but at the same time sadness. Sometimes the line between Alcohol Abuse is a narrow one, but in either case, Alcoholism a serious issue.

The narrow line defines a progression from wanting a drink to NEEDING a drink. Exactly where the line is drawn depends on the individual, but in simple terms, Alcoholism is when the person craves alcohol and has lost control over how much he/she drinks.

Alcohol Rehab: Alcoholism is a chronic condition, a progressive disease that can cause a variety of serious health issues and even death. In most cases, alcoholics experience a physical dependence on alcohol. They need to drink to receive the effect the alcohol gives them.

A definition of Alcoholism is drinking too much. A person’s drinking may be getting in the way, they might get ticketed for DUI, they might have some troubles at work or home, but they have not necessarily lost total control over their lives. Again, it’s different for each person. It’s a matter of degree. As the condition progresses, the line becomes more evident.

Alcohol depresses the central nervous system. At first it may stimulate, but as they continue to drink, they become sedated. The more sedation, the more risk for complications such as heart failure, respiratory failure, etc. As Alcoholism progresses, it can be life-threatening. If a person goes on a “bender,” they may be in jeopardy of falling into a coma.

Alcoholism is a disease that “sneaks” up on its victim. If a person has another kind of disease, there is a much greater likelihood that they will admit to being sick. Those abusing alcohol, or are already in the grip of alcoholism, do not think they have a problem. That makes the possibility of them receiving treatment more difficult. If I break my arm, I’ll gladly allow a physician to treat it, but an alcoholic doesn’t have a problem. It’s your problem.

What to look for in Alcoholism

One of the first things to look for is how many times a person wants or needs a drink. Frequency of drinking is a huge contributing factor. Perhaps they are slipping away to “sneak” a drink. They drink alone. They have a small bottle in their desk drawer, or they go into the restroom to have a drink. Another sign is their inability to control how much they drink. For the alcoholic, one drink is too many and all of Lake Michigan isn’t enough.

As drinking becomes a more important activity in their life, a person loses interest in other things, in friendships, or will even create an elaborate ritual for their drinking. Maybe it’s routine for them to hit the bar right after work, or they make a cocktail before dinner, then they continue drinking during the meal and after. If you say anything, they get angry. If they don’t have access to alcohol when they want a drink, or when their drinking ritual is set to begin, they become angry.

Forgetfulness another sign of Alcoholism

Another sign is the person forgetting conversations, or not remembering tasks at work. You’ve probably heard of someone “blacking out” after drinking. That’s another indicator. They guzzle drinks, like an athlete taking Gatoraide on a hot day. While others in the group might order a regular mixed drink, they order a double. They drink to get drunk, because drunk is what feels “normal” to them. They want to feel good.

DUI a major cause of traffic deaths

We mentioned DUI before. I live in Wisconsin and DUI is huge here. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence reports that nearly half of all traffic deaths in the U.S. are linked to alcohol. You can see that Alcoholism and Abuse are not just personal problems; they are serious public health problems. Because alcoholics deny they have a problem, their problem becomes everyone’s as soon as they get into the car and turn the key. In Wisconsin, tens of thousands are convicted of a DUI every year.

In addition to DUI, so many other problems arise for the drinker. Alcoholism gets in the way of marriages, work situations, social situations. It causes financial troubles and, of course, legal troubles. Alcohol takes over and there is no room for reason, no room for relationships and no room for any action other than what the alcoholic brain wants. It’s a cruel, unyielding destroyer of lives.

Alcoholics Must Drink MORE!

Alcoholics develop a tremendous tolerance to the effects of alcohol. Because of that, in order to experience the same effect they had before, they need to drink more. They have no control over how much they drink, because they “need” more to feel good. Regardless of what the drinking is doing to them physically, they continue to drink. Regardless of any personal and social consequences, they drink. They have to drink. In order to help them realize that they have choices, you first need to remove the access to alcohol.

Take away access to alcohol and the alcoholic may experience nausea, vomiting, sweating, the “shakes,” and convulsions. An Alcoholic, who does not have the physical dependency on alcohol, may or may not suffer these types of withdrawal symptoms. They do not experience the same kind of craving for alcohol and the compulsion to drink.

Line between Abuse Abuse varies

Where the line is between Abuse Abuse varies. It is crossed when, in many cases, a person needs a drink as soon as they get up in the morning. They may be aware of their drinking and feel guilty about it, so they keep their drinking a secret. They may be aware that they need to cut back or stop altogether, but they don’t. When told they may be having a relapse, they get angry. Any of these situations is a sign that a person might be abusing or already addicted.

One person can enjoy alcoholic beverages and never become addicted, while another has one drink and is already in trouble. How is this so? What causes Alcoholism?

Alcoholism, like other forms of drug addiction, is a disease of the brain. The Mayo Clinic explains that Alcoholism causes a gradual alteration in brain chemistry. For example, the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which controls impulsiveness, and glutamate, which stimulates the nervous system, are altered by alcohol. You can see how a person can lose control over their drinking because the brain’s reward system is changed. The brain is literally tricked into thinking it needs alcohol to function.

There is also a genetic component to Alcoholism. If your parents abused alcohol or were alcoholics, the chances are good that you are genetically predisposed to the same condition. The child of an alcoholic is more prone to using other drugs and becoming addicted. If you look at the family histories of alcoholics, you’ll probably find generations of the disease.

Low self-esteem may cause Alcoholism

People with low self esteem or depression have a higher chance of becoming alcoholic. If they are in an environment where their friends drink, or their significant other drinks, they may be at risk for developing addiction. The person susceptible to Alcoholism may be impacted by the “enablers” in their life. The enablers aren’t necessarily addicted or in trouble, but the “hurting” person might be swept along and the disease progresses as a result of that action.

Anxiety and stress play a role in the onset of alcoholism. People may feel the need to numb their emotional pain and turn to alcohol for the solution. There is evidence that stress hormones play a part in the development of alcoholism. There is a void in the life of the alcoholic and alcohol fills that void.

There are social factors at play. Drinking is glamorized in America. Every sporting event has beer commercials. Drinking the right kind of vodka makes you sexy and sophisticated. People drink at parties, at ball games, at social events, and even at church festivals. Drinking is socially acceptable, but as I stated, in Wisconsin, it’s a big problem.

People tailgate at Green Bay Packer games and before Milwaukee Brewers games. They get to the parking lot and start drinking. They get into the ball park and drink more and by the second half or the sixth inning, a surprisingly large percentage are drunk. It’s all acceptable. Beer sales at Miller Park are a huge revenue source. It’s part of the culture and it’s accepted.

Generally speaking there are some numbers to consider when trying defining how much is too much.

Drinking more than 15 drinks a week for men, or 12 drinks a week for women, can contribute to the development of alcoholism.

But there are more risk factors involved, such as drinking at an early age. If parents allow their children under 16 to drink, those children are at greater risk of developing a problem. Men are more likely to become alcoholics than women.

When should I seek help?

People who are in need of help because of Alcoholism are not likely going to ask for it. They are not likely going to admit that they have a problem. As a friend of family member, you are the one to take action. One of the first calls you can make is to your doctor for his/her perspective, but you may also consider calling a local drug and alcohol treatment center. We are body, mind and spirit, so another source of support would be your pastor or rabbi. Hospital chaplains are also good resources.

If a person agrees to treatment, either willingly or as a result of an intervention, it will be important for them to receive a physical examination to determine if other medical issues need to be addressed. There may be medical problems unrelated to alcohol, but often people have problems and do not reveal that alcohol is a contributing factor. If a doctor suspects that alcohol is a contributing factor, he/she will probably ask a series of questions to get a more complete picture. The doctor will do screening to determine Alcoholism or abuse.

It’s not my problem, it’s your problem

Getting a person with an addiction into treatment is not an easy task. The person abusing alcohol or already addicted to alcohol will deny any problem, or if they do acknowledge a problem, they will minimize the concern. It might take a group effort to get a recovery plan moving in the right direction. If your doctor is your first consultant, he/she may ask the person for permission to speak to family members. Confidentiality laws prevent the doctor from having that discussion without consent. That might make matters more difficult.

Another route is an intervention. As the concerned person, you call a treatment center for consultation. They will do an assessment of the situation and are best equipped to take the appropriate action. In another section we will discuss interventions in greater detail.

For more about alcoholism and intervention click here!

In summary, the first Step of the AA 12-Step process is a good definition for having an alcohol problem.:

“We admitted that we were powerless over alcohol–that our lives had become unmanageable.”

Does alcohol get in the way?

Can a person function without a drink?

Do they exhibit any of the signs and symptoms we presented?

If so, we encourage you to seek help. Call a drug and alcohol treatment center and help your friend of loved one, or yourself, get on the road to recovery.

For more about Alcohol Rehab go to our home page

Binge Drinking

What Do You Do With A Drunken Sailor?

1. What’ll we do with a drunken sailor (x3)

Earl-aye in the morning?

Chorus: ?

Way hay and up she rises (x3) ?

Earl-aye in the morning?

2. Put him in the long boat till he’s sober (x3) ?

Earl-aye in the morning? (Chorus) ?

3. Keep him there and make ‘im bale ‘er (x3) ?

Earl-aye in the morning? (Chorus) ?

4. Shave his belly with a rusty razor (x3) ?

Earl-aye in the morning? (Chorus) ?

5. That’s what we do with a drunken sailor (x3) ?

Earl-aye in the morning??? (Chorus)

During desert storm this could have been my theme song. The ship would
sail for three months at a time up-and-down the coast of Vietnam, then
go to a port for rest and relaxation, which meant pulling the plug and
letting the crew loose.

Now, 25 years later,
it’s all a haze and I’m just happy to have lived through it. I hear
the old English sea shanty and the words resonate with me. There are so
many other verses in this traditional sea going song, some more
colorful than others.

Alcohol at sea is nothing new, as U.S.
warships in the 1700’s and 1800’s routinely carried large quantities of
rum. That is no longer the case, but alcohol abuse remains a concern.
Focusing our attention on the U.S. Army for a moment, a while back I was
ready a story by Gregg Zoroya in USA Today about the Army and how the
rate of soldiers enrolling in alcohol treatment programs has doubled
since 2003.

Of course there is a correlation between the rise in
alcohol abuse and the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. According to the
article, the reports from counselors diagnosing alcoholism or alcohol
abuse, such as binge drinking, has risen from 6.1 per 1000 soldiers in
2003, to about 11.4 per 1000 soldiers in early 2009. The article also
stated that there was an increase of 12% in Marines who tested positive
between 2005-2008 for drug and alcohol abuse.

That is an alarming
statistic, and U.S. military leaders are not unaware of the situation.
Admiral Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told
USA Today, “I’m sure there are many factors for the rising numbers…but I
can’t believe the stress our people are under after eight years of
combat isn’t taking a toll.”

Alcohol abuse is a major method of
dealing with stress for millions of people, who are just trying to deal
with everyday life. Add to that the pressure of combat, being away from
family for long deployments, the riggers of military life in a war zone
and it’s understandable that the military has a serious issue to deal
with. They know that alcohol is easily abused and can be the solution
for many men and women. Moreover, the military also understands that
they must reduce the strain, by reducing the number of deployed troops.

The
article stated that the military issued a directive to commanders
“urging” them to have soldiers who test positive placed into treatment
programs. The directive also said that, if necessary, some soldiers
might need to be punished under Army regulations. The problem is,
soldiers who failed the test may slip through the cracks and receive to
treatment.

If their disease has progressed, they may just be
discharged and given no opportunity to be a part of a therapeutic
community and move into recovery. That is an unfortunate reality. Even
with the increased awareness of the military leadership over
alcohol-related issues, enrollment in treatment programs between 2003
and the present have only risen by half a percent.

The article
also pointed out that personnel may not be allowed to go into treatment
because of the need to keep the numbers up for combat deployments.
Meanwhile, the numbers of related health issues, most notably suicides,
has reached record numbers.

Drinking problems in the military often ignored.

Call it an inconvenient truth, but
the U.S. military has work to do in taking care of its own. Just like
the civilian world, it is much easier to ignore the problem, or punish
those with the disease, than it is to really make an effort to bring
people into treatment and help them regain their lives.

Give the
military credit for being aware of the growing problem and give them
encouragement to follow up on plans to treat personnel for the disease,
with the goal of retaining them as members of the armed forces. But if
the whole plan is an empty promise, then about the only thing you can do
with a drunken sailor is to “put ‘im in the long boat til he’s sober.”