66 How to Tips that help people quit drinking and overcome their addiction to alcohol
Overcoming an addiction to alcohol can be a very difficult thing to do. Millions of people all across the world struggle with alcoholism.
Tips on how to overcome alcoholism without relapsing
The first tip is to admit that there is a problem and come up with a strategy to get help. This strategy can include going to rehab, going to alcoholics anonymous meetings, having a detox in an outpatient facility, or asking a doctor to help with an at home detox program.
The second tip is to set realistic goals for yourself. Many people think that they can just quit drinking cold turkey, but this is never the best way to deal with alcoholism. Start by trying to set a goal of going one week without a drink of alcohol. Pick a day on the calendar and commit to becoming sober on that day; do not make excuses and take the start date very seriously.
The third tip is to find something that will keep your mind off of the strong urge to drink alcohol. The brain is the organ in the body that controls our addictions and impulses so it needs to be re-trained to overcome the problem. Some great ways to help the mind improve include: exercise, yoga, and painting, crafting, and making model cars.
The fourth tip is to seek help from a mental health professional. It is important for people with the addiction to know why they crave alcohol so that they can avoid any situations that will make them turn back to using it.
The fifth tip is to ask loved ones, co-workers, and close friends to help you deal with your struggle. Make sure that people that you are around know that you are struggling with alcoholism and that you would prefer that they not drink in front of you. Most people will more than likely understand and will want to how to help an alcoholic in their effort to stop drinking and overcome alcoholism.
The sixth tip is to get help from others in the same situation. Join an online alcoholic’s support group, meet with people who are struggling with addiction, and take to them about their experiences. It can help to have people to lean on who have gone through the same struggles and can offer insight on how to stay sober.
Overcoming addiction is hard and so people need to be willing to put in the time to earn their sobriety. No one is ever cured of alcoholism, but every day that a person is sober they become less likely to stumble back into the black hole of addiction.
Definition Alcoholism: What is it?
Before you can understand, what Alcoholism is you need to know what the definition is. Alcoholism definition is the craving for alcohol that may not be in the control of the person with the dependency. Having a dependency on alcohol is not only cravings it but alcohol abuse is also a disease of the body.
Alcoholism does not just affect the person who has a dependency on alcohol it also affects everyone that loves the person with the dependency. When a person drinks alcohol, it may change them in some instances. Meaning they are one way one minute and then after a few drinks they become a completely different person, they may even become extremely violent.
Causes of alcoholism
The causes of alcoholism are popular topics of study among researchers. Alcohol addiction is the physical dependence on alcohol which happens as a result of an imbalance of chemicals, namely gamma-aminobutyric acid, in the brain.
There are less scientific, more controversial causes as well. Genetic chemical imbalances may predispose a person to becoming an alcoholic. Emotional distress and subsequent stress hormones may increase a person’s likelihood of becoming alcohol dependent. Consumption of alcohol might also be a coping mechanism for stress that is unrelated to, but results in a physical dependence. Other causes include peer pressure, low self-esteem, and depression.
Alcoholism Statistics
Alcoholism statistics illustrate the dark realities of the disease. Alcohol dependence costs the US more money than the cost of combating cancer or obesity. Nearly half of adults have a former or present alcoholic in their immediate family. Studies show that alcoholic parents are more likely to have children who grow up to become alcoholics as well – seemingly a combination of nurture and nature. Alcohol is responsible for the top four causes of death among teens: car accidents, homicide, suicide, and drowning. People addicted to alcohol are twice as likely to divorce as those not suffering from the addiction.
Alcoholism Symptoms
Alcoholism symptoms come in two main categories: physical and emotional/social. Physically, an addiction to alcohol can lead to abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, numbness, and shakes in the morning. However, the more obvious symptoms of alcoholism are usually emotional and social. Emotionally, the addict becomes dependent on the drug, leading to increased anxiety and tension, decreased inhibitions, and confusion. The alcoholic also suffers socially. He or she may need the drug to function throughout the day, may hide his or her use of it, and may suffer professionally. Many alcoholics get depressed while drinking, while others become violent. Every addict will react differently to alcohol, however, so the warning signs will vary.
Effects of alcohol
The effects of alcoholism can be felt far and wide within a family, among friends, or even throughout an entire community. Drinking can also cause a person to lose everything they have or have ever worked for it doesn’t take much. When a person decides they’re going to drink lives could be lost even from that one small drink they don’t think is going to “hurt anybody at all.” So the next time you pick up a bottle, just remember what you have to lose and how many people are counting on you not to drink. Call a friend instead.
Alcohol addiction
Alcohol addiction is something that can happen to anyone who consumes alcohol in excess. The binge drinker is most likely to form a addiction to alcohol within the early stages of their drinking career. The fact that it is a addiction makes it impossible for a person to stop drinking once they start. For the person suffering from a addiction to alcohol one drink is too many and a thousand never enough, therefore it is wise that they never pick up that first drink once the stages of addiction has began. Although there is no known cure for this addiction there are treatment options.
Alcoholism Facts
There are some alcoholism facts that people who have loved ones battling this addiction should be aware of. Alcoholism is in fact a disease. It is similar to cancer in the perspective that there is no absolute cure however there are ways to treat it and to live a productive life and stay clean and sober. There are inpatient as well as outpatient treatments available for those suffering from alcoholism. Alcoholism does not discriminate against who becomes a addict. There are many white collar professionals as well as housewives who suffer from this disease. Although there is no known cure at this time, help is available.
Alcohol Abuse and alcohol poisoning by College Students
Each year, alcohol abuse contributes to the deaths of over sixty college students. Over 150 more die each year as the result of vehicle accidents where at least one of the drivers was under the influence.
Drinking games can lead to extreme health risks such as alcohol poisoning and paralysis, while binge drinking can lead to severe dehydration and liver failure.
For many young people, the allure of alcohol at parties offers a chance to relax and unwind, but for too many it opens the door to future alcoholism or drug abuse. Think ahead, before you take the first drink.
Diving into the fray, 65 wake up signs of alcoholism
Society has popular comedian Jeff Foxworthy to thank for diagnosing what ails us despite denials of what we might be. Bill Engvall’s comedic footnote is “Here’s your sign.” With a twisted ode to blue collar tales from the crib notes, signs of alcoholism include the following:
Here is a list of 66 Warning signs of alcoholism
1. You might have a problem
2. If you count your drinks and know the approximate circuit breaker number, but continue anyway because the time is now for fun and hangovers live tomorrow.
3. If you become louder and more obnoxious than the average bar patron If people stop to gawk your way in a bar or restaurant.
4. If you discover your speech is impaired, high speed or slow speed
5. If you bar hop or liquor store hop to hide your consumption from clerks.
6. If you stake out locations to stash evidence.
7. If you take out the trash to hide evidence.
8. If you chew gum, mints or swish mouthwash to hide evidence.
9. If you, your clothes, your skin, smell or look like evidence.
10. If your eyes, physical appearance or mannerisms give your condition away.
11. If you need a taste to get up, get through or end the day.
12. If you don’t feel like yourself without a taste.
13. If you laugh at jokes about drinkers and discover you’re laughing at yourself.
14. If you’ve ever groaned at stories about problem drinkers, only to discover you’re
that person.
15. If you hit your bottom after swearing never to go down that road again, then proceeded down
farther next time.
16. If you discover your bottom has turned elastic.
17. If you seem like you have a drinking problem on paper, or as described by strangers
without malice.
18. If you’ve worried about appearing in searches for “Priceless” joke pictures or
videos to share.
19. If you’re stuck in a rut, not sure how to stop, or which way is home.
20. If you feel like drinking gets out of control.
21. If you see that drinking gets out of control.
22. If you believe that drinking is out of control.
23. If you can’t see the bottom, or the top, and decide maybe it’s time to lie down
and not get up.
24. If you forget to take care of something important more than once because you’re
preoccupied.
25. If you have internal running debates and struggles about your drinking. You don’t always win.
26. If you are ill for lack of a drink, reduce food intake, or cough blood.
27. If your prescription warns you against drinking, and you proceed.
28. If your physician warns you against drinking, and you proceed.
29. If you warn yourself, and you proceed.
30. If the last thing you want or need is a drink, but you do.
Here’s your sign of alcoholism:
31. If your friends, spouse or significant other also have a drinking itch.
32. If the people you knew when you didn’t have this problem are nowhere to be found.
33.If your day is wrong without a drink.
34. If money meant for something else goes for a taste.
35. If you avoid activities, people, cancel appointments, or cause a scene to get back to imbibing.
36. If you have had more than one bartender cut you off in a single year or within a month.
37. If you become synonymous with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, because people who know you
can’t believe you are the same person sober as drunk. And neither can you.
38. If your antics are captured forever on close circuit security systems of bars for endless replay
parties of laughter.
39. If you get barred from a venue.
40. If you don’t mind if you do partake sometimes, but everyone who knows you better, knows
you should.
41. If you realize someone is recording you on their camera phone at a bar, or similar venue
during or after a bout of drinking.
42. If you drink in your car or out in public, at home, at work, at will, with or without company.
43.If you have a DUI, DWI or warning, and continue to take your chances.
44. If you fear running someone down with your car or other violent fallout but you take your chances.
45. If you suspect people you love would abandon you because of your behavior, if not for love, but
you continue.
46. If you see the people you care about and love suffering because of your issue–its affect on you,
on them, or both, but still you continue.
47. If you gave up your job, your life, your driving rights, your wife, children, friends to continue
your other relationship with alcohol.
48. You might have a drinking problem.
49. If you can’t believe what you did or said either.
50. If you get in the car despite guilty misgivings, and drive after drinking, especially on a regular basis, even if not caught.
51. If there is a picture or video circulating on line or on someone’s camera phone somewhere bearing a striking resemblance to you that is a punch line.
52. If you’re not sure whether you can handle another round but stay just in case.
53. If you’ve called in to work more than once to play hooky in recent memory due to an adult
beverage that brought out the child in you.
54. If there’s nothing you’d like to do more for all kinds of reasons, pick one.
Signs of alcoholism continue:
55. If your recollection of actions, events or persons the next day after imbibing is spotty.
56. If you owe apologies the day after.
57. If your kill switch seems out of whack, and you’re among the closers of a bar, club, party or other drinking environment on a regular basis.
58. If people think you work at your watering hole, are a “Regular”, or expect to see you there regularly (asking where have you been when you miss a day).
59. If you begin to suspect you can’t trust yourself not to start, or to pull the breaks when you do.
60. If you try to stop after a wake up call, but discover there’s a struggle, or a fall back to habit.
61. If your coworkers, friends, loved ones, or spouse “overreact,” give you The Look, silent treatment, or an ultimatum more than a few times a year, month, week or day.
62. If you decide the trade off is not worth it, but you don’t stop.
63. If you can’t remember recent life without excess.
64. If you’re sick and tired of your own behavior under the influence.
65. If you’ve wished someone could make you stop. If you’ve wished that person could be you. But it’s not yet.
66. If these signs of alcoholism ring a bell, you might be an alcoholic.
My name is Art. I help people to recover.