Beating Alcohol Addiction

By: Kieran Ali

Alcoholics Anonymous is a proven way to beat alcohol addiction

• The 12-Step program used in Alcoholics Anonymous has helped many people stop drinking. By gaining support and encouragement from those who were once alcoholics and who beat the addiction, patients are often able to recover. They can work through the 12 Steps and make a committment to continue attending meetings of the group. Recovered alcoholics still refer to themselves as alcoholics, and they know that they need to continually work the 12-Step program to avoid falling back into their old habits. Alcoholics Anonymous is almost always part of a drug addiction treatment

Link to videos and real life stories beating Alcohol Abuse: http://new-day.hubpages.com/hub/Beating-Alcohol-Abuse-101-Days-to-Sobriety

Teenage Alcohol Abuse

How Much Alcohol do teens use?

 

Alcohol is the most frequently used drug by teenagers in the Canada. About half of junior high and senior high school students drink alcohol on a monthly basis, and 14% of teens have been intoxicated at least once in the past year. Nearly 8% of teens who drink say they drink at least five or more alcoholic drinks in a row (binge drink). 

Effects of Alcohol Abuse for Teenagers:

Just a few of the many dangerous effects of alcohol use in teens include the following:

• Alcohol decreases teens' ability to pay attention.
• Teens who have experienced alcohol withdrawal tend to have difficulties with memory.
• In contrast to adults, teens tend to abuse alcohol with other substances, usually marijuana.
• Male teens who drink heavily tend to complete fewer years of education compared to male teens who do not.
• The younger a person is when they begin drinking, the more likely they are to develop a problem with alcohol.

Link to more information : http://www.medicinenet.com/alcohol_and_teens/article.htm#what_are_the_dangerous_effects_of_alcohol_use_in_teens

Treatment for Alcohol Abuse

By: Kieran Ali

The goal of treatment for alcoholism is abstinence. Among alcoholics with otherwise good health, social support, and motivation, the likelihood of recovery is good. Approximately 50% to 60% remain abstinent at the end of a year's treatment and a majority of those stay dry permanently. Those with poor social support, poor motivation, or psychiatric disorders tend to relapse within a few years of treatment. 

• Treatment for alcoholism can begin only when the alcoholic accepts that the problem exists and agrees to stop drinking. Treatment has 3 stages:

1. Detoxification (detox): This may be needed immediately after discontinuing alcohol use and can be a medical emergency as detox can result in withdrawal seizures, hallucinations, and confusion of delirium tremens (DT) and in some cases can result in death.
2. Rehabilitation: This involves counseling and medications to give the recovering alcoholic the skills needed for maintaining sobriety. This step in treatment can be done inpatient or outpatient. Both are equally effective.
3. Maintenance of Sobriety: This step's success requires an alcoholic to be self-driven. The key to maintenance is support, which often includes regular Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings and getting a sponsor.

There are also certain medications that may assist in the treatment process for more information please visit : http://www.aafp.org/afp/2002/0201/p441.html

Health Effects of Alcohol Abuse

By: Kieran Ali

It's no secret that alcohol consumption can cause major health problems, including cirrhosis of the liver and injuries sustained in automobile accidents. But if you think liver disease and car crashes are the only health risks posed by drinking, think again: Researchers have linked alcohol consumption to more than 60 diseases. 

• Short Term Effects of Alcohol Abuse:
  Depending on how much is taken and the physical condition of the individual, alcohol can cause:
• Slurred speech
• Drowsiness
• Vomiting 
• Diarrhea
• Upset stomach
• Headaches
• Breathing difficulties 
• Distorted vision and hearing 
• Impaired judgement 
• Coma
• Blackouts

Long Term Effects of Alcohol Abuse

Binge drinking and continued alcohol use in large amounts are associated with many health problems, including:

• Unintentional injuries such as car crash, falls, burns, drowning 
• Intentional injuries such as firearm injuries, sexual assault, domestic violence
• Increased on-the-job injuries and loss of productivity 
• Increased family problems, broken relationships 
• Alcohol poisoning 
• High blood pressure, stroke, and other heart-related diseases 
• Liver disease 
• Nerve damage 
• Sexual problems 

Link for further information: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/alcohol-abuse/features/12-health-risks-of-chronic-heavy-drinking

Signs and Symptoms of Alcoholism

By: Kieran Ali 

• There are many signs and symptoms related to drinking problems. Alcoholism is considered a progressive disease, meaning that the symptoms and effects of drinking alcohol become increasingly more severe over time. 

• Early signs of alcoholism problems:
•  Frequent intoxication, 
• An established pattern of heavy drinking and drinking in dangerous situations,
• When Driving. 
• Black-out drinking 
• Drastic change in demeanour while drinking.

• Symptoms of Alcoholism
• For someone who is alcoholic or alcohol dependent, the symptoms include all of those associated with alcohol abuse.
• The main symptom of alcohol abuse occurs when someone continues to drink after their drinking reaches a level that causes recurrent problems. 
• Continuing to drink after it causes someone to miss work,.
• Drive drunk, shirk responsibilities or get in trouble with the law is considered alcohol abuse.

Link to the National Council on a Alcoholism and Drug Dependance:

http://www.ncadd.org/index.php/learn-about-alcohol/signs-and-symptoms

I am linking a variety of website below that will give information on how to properly deal with an addicted family member.  Each website lists steps and instructions on how best to approach and deal with the issue.
http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/10-ways-to-cope-with-addict-in-the-family.htm
http://www.wikihow.com/Deal-With-a-Drug-Addicted-Family-Member-or-Loved-One
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/drug_substance_abuse_addiction_signs_effects_treatment.htm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-redmond/addiction-recovery_b_822021.html

By Matt Shea
Here is a list of various treatment centers available in high population provinces within Canada.  Any information on applying to the programs can be found through the links.  Whether you are searching for drug addiction support, or alcoholic recovery, the treatment centers listed are all you will need.  Just click the link for the province you are interested in, and a group of addiction treatment centers within the province will be listed for you to choose from.

• http://www.oatc.ca/  --- Ontario
• http://www.drugtreatmentcenters.ca/quebec-drug-treatment-centers.html --- Quebec
• http://www.canadiandrugrehabcentres.com/residential_treatment_centres/British_Columbia_residential_treatment_centres/index.html --- British Columbia