Samuel was a forty-nine-year-old financial planner who was fed up with feeling depressed everyday of his life and fed up with his careless and hazardous drinking behavior. Simply put, he was angry with himself for spending his hard-earned money on a worthless habit, he was tired of going through broken relationship after broken relationship due to his irresponsible drinking, he was sick of feeling tired every morning, he hated the hangovers he went through on a regular basis, and he missed his old drive for doing various things he enjoyed.

In addition he was irritated with the many times he failed an alcohol test at his workplace, he was upset with how physically unfit he was, he was fed up with paying for alcohol-related lawyer fees, he hated the fact that he had to go to court for his third DUI, and he was bored with his drinking pals.

Above and beyond the observable alcohol-related health issues he now experienced, almost certainly the most damaging part of his drinking routine was the unreliable and fraudulent person he had become. In his heart of hearts he realized that he had been untruthful about his drinking behavior to his friends, family, and relatives and he also knew he had been less than honest with himself about the “beneficial” consequences of drinking. Not only this but he rationalized wolfing down two or three drinks before going to social events and he also made excuses for needing a few drinks as soon as he awakened so that he could cope with the “anxiety” at his place of employment.

His Depression and His Heavy and Hazardous Drinking Lead to Important Life Changes

Clearly Samuel was sick of putting up with the negative outcomes of his depression and his hazardous drinking and finally made up his mind that something major had to change in his life. So he decided that he would stop drinking, involve himself in some worthwhile hobbies, start exercising, get professional counseling, develop a new circle of friends, and start focusing on becoming a more healthy person.

In a word, Samuel got to a special time in his life during which he understood that he hit the bottom of the barrel in his life and was now prepared to commence the slow road that leads to recovery.

One of the ways that Samuel operationalized his “plan” was by asking for a transfer at his workplace. When his request was approved, he moved 250 miles away to a new part of the U.S.. If nothing else, this unquestionably made making new friends and separating himself from his old pals much easier. Then he went to see a healthcare practitioner in his new city and made an appointment for a comprehensive exam.

Samuel Meets With a Healthcare Practitioner About His Excessive and Irresponsible Drinking and His Depression

After meeting with the doctor and going through a number of laboratory tests, it was determined that Samuel had crossed the line from alcohol abuse to dependency on alcohol and therefore was in need of alcohol detox and alcohol therapy. At this time, the doctor made it a point to discuss the various signs of alcoholism, the symptoms of alcoholism, and information about alcohol long term effects with Samuel.

The doctor then told Samuel that it was concluded that he was clinically depressed and in need of therapy for this medical condition.

Samuel Makes up His Mind to Revitalize His Body by Eating Healthy Foods, Living an Alcohol-Free Lifestyle, Working Out, Taking Vitamins, and Drinking Spring Water

Due to his eagerness to follow through with the therapy regimen, after seven weeks of residential rehabilitation, Samuel was ready to begin rehabilitation on an outpatient basis. At this point, he started working at his new job and over the weeks began fortifying his body by living an alcohol-free lifestyle, drinking spring water, eating nutritious foods, exercising, and taking vitamins.

Samuel also dealt with his spiritual life by joining the local Nazarene church and going to the weekly services.

After around seven months of outpatient rehab during which time he never suffered through a relapse, Samuel quit going to alcohol rehab and instead started going twice every week to local AA meetings. Attending these meetings helped Samuel maintain his alcohol-free way of life, they provided him with the support he required, and they served as a unceasing reminder of the dangerous consequences that are associated with hazardous and excessive drinking.

After going to AA meetings nearly five-and-a-half months Samuel felt that he was ready for a relationship and so he started dating Monica, a young lady he met at church. It clearly amazed Samuel how much more ready he was for a dating relationship now that he had his abusive and hazardous drinking under control. In truth it also surprised Samuel how much better life was now that he wasn’t under the control of his excessive and abusive drinking. Life was now wonderful and full of potential that he could have never hoped for or made real when he was engaged in careless and excessive drinking less than a year ago.

A Success Story That is Evidence of the Importance of Alcohol Treatment and the Power of Change

Samuel’s success story is a statement of the importance of alcohol treatment and the power of positive change. As Samuel thought about his newfound self-respect and motivation for involving himself in healthy, worthwhile activities, he was actually thankful that he made up his mind to do something productive about his unhealthy drinking instead of giving into his depression and into the lure of his alcohol addiction. The result: he is involved in a loving relationship, his life now has a positive direction, he is in command of his life rather than letting himself languish under the control of his alcoholism, he likes his new job responsibilities, and he has more energy now compared with any time in his adult life.

Technorati Tags: alcohol addiction, alcohol dependency, alcoholism, depression, detoxification, healing, health, inspiration, men's issues, mental health, motivation, positive attitude, relationships, self improvement, self-esteem, success

Around a month ago I heard about a twenty-four-year-old man named Emmanuel who is bipolar and who is also alcohol and drug dependent. I remember reading that under such circumstances, an individual needs to get treatment for both medical problems and that mental health difficulties and addiction tend to take place in the same individual. Additionally, I recall reading that a history of unhealthy and abusive drinking, drug abuse, and/or mental health problems routinely happen in the same family.

Plainly, Emmanuel is so defeated by both of his medical issues and his relationship issues that he in actual fact has no motivation to do much of anything. What is particularly unfortunate about this is that earlier in his life, Emmanuel finished three-and-a-half-years of college. Emmanuel’s situation makes me question if he is an illustration of a person who has to hit rock-bottom before he or she gets drug and alcohol dependency rehabilitation that results in long lasting recovery.

The Need For a Psychologist He Trusts and a Treatment Protocol He Can Believe In

If I were in communication with Emmanuel I could recommend a number of websites that could possibly help him find information about addiction and alcoholic behavior, significant substance abuse information, facts about alcoholism and drugs, more information about addiction symptoms and alcoholism warning signs, and relationship info. In my humble opinion, nonetheless, Emmanuel needs to locate a psychologist he trusts and a counseling protocol he can believe in and follow through over the long term. I could be in error but it seems to make sense that Emmanuel more likely than not needs to admit the fact that he cannot drink at all or abuse drugs if he wants to get sober, remain sober, and start on the road to long-term sobriety.

I am aware that there are more than a few recently developed physician-prescribed medications that can help Emmanuel avoid an alcohol or a drug relapse, help him through his withdrawal symptoms, and help him through the drug and alcohol detox process. Obviously it would be in Emmanuel’s best interests if he became conversant with these drugs.

I would think that Emmanuel needs to concede the fact that there is utterly nothing beneficial about excessive and abusive drinking and drug addiction and that messing around with one or both situations is the map to financial difficulties, deteriorating health, poor work and school performance, shattered relationships, a premature death, and legal problems.

The Relevance of Support Groups Such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous

There are possibly numerous persons such as friends, other individuals, and family members who would want to help Emmanuel but he probably would experience greater acceptance from a recovery group such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous instead of listening to people who drink responsibly or who have never taken drugs.

When People Accomplish Things They Love and About Which They Are Passionate

There’s a philosophical viewpoint that states that individuals who do things they like and something about which they are ardent arrive at an amazing place in life. That is, when people do what they love, they hardly ever experience boredom or an uneventful life. If they get involved in something that is fulfilling, what is more, they become more whole and experience more happiness and delight in life and in their relationships.

To me, this sounds quite a bit different from a life that is rooted in drug and alcohol addiction because such a lifestyle removes the gratification and joy that life has to offer.

Due to the fact that Emmanuel lacks the determination to achieve much of anything in his life, it is clear that he urgently needs some hope for a better life. And the unfortunate thing is that hope is all around Emmanuel if he could only get to the place in life to get the counseling he requires for his manic depression and drug addiction and alcoholism and remain in his treatment protocol.

More Solid Relationships, A Wonderful Life, Self Esteem, and Positive Change Are a Reality

Emmanuel is clearly too young to be defeated in life. He doesn’t understand this right now but if he can learn how to abstain from alcohol and drugs via drug and alcohol rehab and get the counseling he requires for his manic depression problem, he can redirect his life and start living with direction, passion, and with self-respect.

More positive relationships, a wonderful life, self respect, and constructive change are certainly a reality for Emmanuel if only he could get inspired to seek the medical treatment he needs, follow through with his therapy regimen, live his life in a healthy and drug and alcohol-free way, and cultivate a more positive attitude about his existence.

Technorati Tags: alcohol addiction, alcohol dependency, alcoholism, bipolar, chemical dependency, depression, detoxificati, drug addiction, healing, inspiration, manic depression, men's issues, mental illness, motivation, positive attitude, relationships, self improvement, self-esteem

How do you recognize that you have a problem with your drinking? When is it apparent that you are involving yourself in irresponsible drinking?

If you have ineffectively attempted to quit drinking or if you have given your word to yourself that your drinking days are behind you and then you were made aware that you were drinking in an excessive way just a few days later, chances are exceptionally good that you have drinking problems. The major point of emphasis is that if you have tried to terminate your drinking and cannot accomplish this, then your drinking is controlling you, rather than the other way around.

Likewise, if it takes larger amounts of alcohol to get the same “high,” more likely than not you need to become aware that you have a problem with your drinking.

You may be telling yourself that the reasoning for your drinking is so that you can lessen your anxiety or get rid of the hurt or depression that you feel. Similarly, you may be trying to steer clear of a negative situation and may be looking for something more useful, more positive, or less mournful.

As you maintain your drinking, on the other hand, you will grasp the fact that drinking does not produce the same high and you will also realize that drinking doesn’t help get rid of whatever was causing your misery in the first place. You may also notice that the more heavily you drink, the more depressed you feel.

As you continue to drink in an abusive way, regrettably, you may become an alcoholic and, as a result, you may add another critical issue to manage rather than learning about more efficient and beneficial ways of managing your alcohol produced difficulties.

An Alcohol Appraisal is Probably Necessary

If you have figured out that you have a problem with your drinking, perhaps the most expedient thing you can do for yourself is to call your doctor or healthcare practitioner and arrange for an appointment for a complete physical and for an appraisal of your drinking circumstances.

If you sincerely feel that you have a serious problem with your drinking, it may be a good idea to get prepared to hear that you need to get alcohol treatment.

At this point, what are your alternatives? You can without a doubt say no and refuse to see your general practitioner and persevere with your pattern of irresponsible drinking.

It actually doesn’t take a nuclear physicist, on the other hand, to comprehend that repeated, heavy drinking, if left untreated, will go downhill over time and more likely than not lead to an early death. Consequently, your most beneficial choice is to address your drinking problem and obtain the alcohol treatment you need.

The Deception of the Functioning Alcohol Addicted Individual

It is somewhat paradoxical to note the fact that many alcohol dependent people lead busy and active lives and have families, jobs, houses, vehicles, pets, and any number of material possessions just like people who are not alcohol dependent.

Many of these “functional” alcohol dependent individuals may have never been cited for a DUI and may have been fortunate enough to avoid all alcohol induced legal predicaments. In spite of this good fortune, however, these alcohol dependent individuals need to drink in order to function on a day by day basis while maintaining their facade as they associate with people outside their family.

Ask anyone who has seen them when they are out on a drunken binge or in a drunken stupor or ask a family member about the problem drinker’s alcohol addiction, to the contrary, and they will be quick to state the validity of the drinker’s situation and the details about the alcohol dependent person’s drinking circumstances and about his or her alcohol-related issues.

Why Do Alcohol Addicted People Fail to Recognize Their Drinking Difficulties?

As alcoholism research and statistics on alcohol abuse have underlined, no matter how apparent the alcohol induced predicaments seem to those who interact with the alcohol dependent person, alcohol addicted people commonly deny that drinking is the basis of their alcohol generated difficulties. Not only this, but alcohol dependent people frequently blame their alcohol induced problems on other people or upon other circumstances that surround them rather than seeing their part in the problem.

The origin of the difficulty is that alcohol addiction is a disease of the brain. Once the individual has become dependent on alcohol, he or she characteristically resorts to denial, manipulation, and dishonesty as a way of dealing with the fact that his or her drinking is out of control. And to make matters worse, the experience of alcohol withdrawal symptoms commonly counteracts the alcoholic’s rare attempts to abruptly stop drinking. As dismal as the alcohol addicted person’s way of life is, however, the positive news is that quality assistance is widely accessible – if the alcohol dependent individual reaches out and gets alcoholism therapy.

Conclusion

Conceding the fact that drinking is eliciting issues in your day to day functioning is conceivably the easiest way to determine if you have a problem with your drinking. Stated another way, if your drinking is triggering issues with your health, with your employment, in your relationships, with your finances, at school, or with the law, then you have a drinking problem that needs to be addressed.

If you have a problem with your drinking, what is more, this means that you are involving yourself in excessive drinking.

While some problem drinkers may be able to identify their “alcohol signs,” pinpoint their problems, and substantially reduce the amount and rate of their drinking, other drinkers, conversely, need to address their drinking difficulties by getting professional alcoholism therapy. Additionally, due to their tendency to deny the facts and warp the truth, alcohol addicted people positively need proficient alcoholism therapy for their abusive drinking.

And lastly, if you feel more depressed the more you drink, you will probably need to obtain therapy for your drinking and for your depression.

Technorati Tags: alcohol abuse, alcohol addiction, alcohol dependency, alcohol rehab, alcohol treatment, alcoholism, depression, drinking problems, men's issues, mental health, problem drinking

It is fascinating to point out something that family members who have been unfavorably affected by the alcoholism of another family member apparently do not understand. It seems to be that by protecting the alcohol dependent individual with lies and deceit to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in essence created a circumstance that makes it easier for the alcohol dependent person to continue and move forward with his or her harmful, devastating existence.

Without a doubt, rather than helping the alcoholic and themselves, these family members have basically become enablers who have involuntarily helped negatively affect the alcohol dependent person’s drinking problem even further.

Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcohol addicted individual will continue drinking in an excessive and hazardous manner and go through various “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include poor health, deteriorating relationships, considerable financial problems, employment difficulties, legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DUIs), and diminished mental functioning.

The Likelihood of a Relapse is Real

According to the research literature and statistics on alcohol addiction, another key alcohol addiction issue involves alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol dependent individual has fruitfully gone through alcohol dependency rehab and then resorts to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this situation flies in the face of logical thinking and seems so far-fetched that it forces an individual to question why anyone who has gone through the wretchedness of alcohol addiction can return to drinking a short while after effective alcohol rehab and in turn after attaining sobriety. There are, for sure, many plausible reasons for this.

It should be pointed out, nevertheless that alcoholism research that has centered on the lasting consequences of alcoholism has shown that long after the alcoholic has halted his or her drinking, major modifications in the way in which the alcohol dependent individual’s brain functions are still present. As a consequence, all a recovering alcoholic has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the modifications that have occurred in the brain is to start drinking again.

The Necessity for A Critical Lifestyle Change

There are additional reasons why quite a few recovering alcohol dependent individuals return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after achieving sobriety. According to the alcohol dependency research literature, to make a successful recovery, the alcohol addicted person needs new ways of responding and thinking in order to deal more effectively with taxing alcohol-related situations that will take place.

Issues such as returning to the same alcohol addictive atmosphere or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the days when the alcohol addicted person was drinking in a hazardous manner; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these circumstances can bring forth memories that can set off psychological anxiety or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol addicted individual to engage in hazardous drinking once again. Regrettably, all of these circumstances may not only work against enduring sobriety for the alcohol dependent individual but they can also lead to relapse and thus short-circuit one’s alcohol recovery.

The Good News: There’s Light at the End of the Tunnel

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol dependent person, family members can in fact cause unintended destruction by enabling the unhealthy drinking behavior of the alcohol addicted individual.

The alcohol abuse research literature validates the fact that most individuals who successfully complete alcohol rehabilitation experience at least one relapse. Alcohol addicted individuals and their family members need to know this so that they do not get crestfallen or overwhelmed when a relapse happens.

Fortunately, involvement in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up treatment and training have resulted in more effective, enduring alcohol abuse and alcoholism therapeutic results, have helped decrease alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol dependent individuals reach enduring alcohol recovery.

Technorati Tags: alcohol abuse, alcohol addiction, alcohol dependency, alcohol rehab, alcohol treatment, alcoholism, drinking problem, drinking problems, enabling, inspiration, men's issues, motivation, problem drinker, problem drinkers, self improvement, sobriety