alcohol

Time to take a look at how you or someone you love is using alcohol and/or drugs? What we put into our body matters. Substances like drugs and alcohol have a huge impact on our brain and activate its reward system. Often people try to replicate that feeling of being high or intoxicated despite ever-increasing personal loss and suffering.

 

On a typical day, do you have 2 or more drinks?

 

Is it difficult to stop drinking once you start?

 

Do responsibilities at work or home go undone because of drinking?

 

Have  you  forgotten  events  due  to drinking?

 

Do you ever need a drink in the morning?

 

Has  anyone  expressed  concern  about your alcohol consumption?

 

Do you wrestle with guilt after you drink?

SUBSTANCE ABUSE INDICATORS

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM–5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) lists the criteria needed to be diagnosed with a substance use disorder.  Some of the hallmarks identified in this list include: craving, drinking or using more than intended. Clinicians highlight two benchmarks for determining a substance use disorder, tolerance and withdrawal. Your answers to the questions below will provide an indication as to whether or not you might be experiencing a substance use disorder.

 

Have you ever used drugs for other than medical reasons?

 

Do you need drugs to make it through your week?

 

Have you ever abused more than one drug at a time?

 

Do you struggle with guilt about your drug use?

 

Have  you  neglected  family  or  work because of drugs?

 

Have you engaged in illegal activities to get drugs?

 

Do you feel withdrawal symptoms if you stop using?

 

Has  anyone  expressed  concern  about your drug usage?

 

ACTION STEPS

Knowing where to start is often the hardest part in any recovery journey. These suggestions can help you begin the treatment process:

 

✓ Take an honest look at the problems drinking or drug use are causing in your life.

✓  Schedule  a  visit  with  your  primary  care provider to explore treatment options.

✓  Ask   for   help   from   friends,   family   and community resources.

✓ Access  peer  support  resources  such  as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics

Anonymous.

KEEP IN MIND

If you or someone you know struggles with alcohol or drug use, be courageous and seek help.  Consider  reaching  out  to  your  health care provider and engaging other counseling resources for guidance on next steps.

 Want to talk to a counselor today about this? 

Call us at 800-453-7733 and ask for your “Free 15 Minute Phone Consultation" with one of our licensed counselors. We’ll listen, answer questions you may have, and help you plan next steps.

Having 4-5 drinks within a two hour time span is binge drinking and it can be deadly. One in six Americans drinks to excess, or binge drinks, at least four times per month. Binge drinking occurs when an individual’s drinking pattern causes their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to be 0.08 percent or higher. In common terms, this equates to roughly five drinks for a man and four drinks for a woman within a two-hour span.

THE DAMAGE OF BINGE DRINKING

It’s no secret that excessive alcohol can negatively impact our lives. Drinking alcohol can affect our physical, emotional, and mental health. It can alter our sense of balance, decision-making abilities, alcohol   consumption   changes   your   brain’s chemical balance and nerve tracks associated with the experience of pleasure and judgment. The  ability  to  exercise  control  over  your behavior becomes severely distorted.   These chemical changes cause you to crave alcohol to feel good or alleviate negative emotions.

There are several questions to signal if you or a loved one is struggling with binge drinking. Answering yes to one or more of these questions might be a warning sign to seek help.

Do you wrestle with guilt about drinking too much? 

Do you feel you need to reduce your drinking?

Are you surprised when you drink more than you intended?

Do you ever have four or more drinks in one day?

Do you forget conversations or events that happened while you were drinking?

Are you frustrated by others’ comments on how much you drink?

Does   drinking   come   before   other responsibilities?

Binge drinking affects memory and a variety of other brain and body functions, and is often associated with social and relational consequences such as car accidents, domestic violence, sexually transmitted diseases, and  unintended  pregnancies.  The  short-term physical effects of binge drinking include nausea, hangovers,  memory  loss,  alcohol  poisoning, and personal injury. Long-term potential consequences can include brain or liver damage, high  blood  pressure,  cardiovascular  disease, depression,  cancer,  and  relational  and  work problems.

 ACTION STEPS

Making  the  choice  to  reduce  or  eliminate drinking is a powerful step. The following tips will help you navigate through the process:

✓  Take an honest inventory of your life, how much you drink and the consequences.

✓  Take a look at where and when you binge drink and consider avoiding these situations.

✓ Reduce the amount you consume at one time and delay having another drink.

✓ Intersperse   non-alcoholic   beverages   like soda or quinine water.

✓ Talk with your health care providers about treatment options.

✓  Seek out individual counseling or support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

KEEP IN MIND

There  are  numerous  benefits  to  reducing your alcohol consumption. Most importantly, changing excessive drinking habits allows you to once again take control of your life.  You’re not alone, and help is available. Consider reaching out to your health care provider and engaging other counseling resources for guidance on next steps.

Want to talk to a counselor today about this? 

Call us at 800-453-7733 and ask for your “Free 15 Minute Phone Consultation" with one of our licensed counselors. We’ll listen, answer questions you may have, and help you plan next steps.

Did you know you could have a drinking problem without being an alcoholic? You might not be completely dependent on alcohol, but if you still drink excessively, it can lead to serious problems.  About 17 million U.S. adults have an Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), as well as about 3.4% of teens.

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

In the U.S., a standard drink contains 0.6 fluid ounces of pure alcohol. This translates to:

• 12 oz. of beer (5% alcohol content)
• 8 oz. malt liquor (7% alcohol content)
• 5 oz. wine (12% alcohol content)
• 1.5 oz. 80-proof distilled spirits or liquor (40% alcohol content)

Moderate drinking is defined as no more than one drink per day for women and two for men. For some people, it’s advised to avoid alcohol completely. These include those who are:

• Pregnant or trying to become pregnant
• Taking prescription drugs that shouldn’t be mixed with alcohol
• Younger than 21-years-old
• Recovering from alcoholism
• Experiencing  a  medical  condition  possibly affected by alcohol
• Planning to drive or complete other activities requiring alertness

 ALCOHOL’S EFFECTS

There are both short and long-term effects of excessive drinking and intoxication.   Lowered inhibitions and interference with speech and muscle coordination are some of the short-term effects. Heavy binge drinking may impair your memory or even cause a coma or death.  The effects of long-term excessive drinking include digestive   problems,   difficulty   with   sexual functioning,   heart   problems,   liver   disease, neurological problems, and an increased risk of cancer.

SIGNS OF ALCOHOLISM

People who regularly binge drink or begin at an early age are at a high risk for alcoholism. Those with a family history of substance abuse and people who have a mental illness are also at risk. In addition, look for the following signs that indicate alcoholism:

• Strong compulsions to drink
• Inability to limit alcohol intake
• Developing  an  alcohol  tolerance  (drinking more to feel the same effects)
• Hiding drinking habits from others
• Experiencing physical withdrawal symptoms
• Inability   to   remember   conversations or events while drunk, known as “blackouts”
• Relationship, employment, or financial problems due to drinking
• Loss of interest in once pleasurable activities

ACTION STEPS

✓ Schedule an appointment for a check-up with your primary care provider.

✓ Provide your doctor with an honest and forthright report of your alcohol use.

✓ Recognize you may need to be admitted to rehab to completely detox.

✓  Seek   out   individual   counseling   from professionals specializing in addictions.

✓ Participate  in  support  groups  such  as Alcoholics Anonymous.

✓ Make lifestyle changes to support reduced alcohol use or abstinence.

✓  Enlist the support of friends and family who are not also dependent on alcohol.

KEEP IN MIND

Alcoholism  and  excessive  drinking  is  not something to take lightly. If you or someone you know struggles with this, be courageous and seek help. Consider reaching out to your health  care  provider  and  engaging  other counseling resources for guidance on next steps.

Want to talk to a counselor today about this? 

Call us at 800-453-7733 and ask for your “Free 15 Minute Phone Consultation" with one of our licensed counselors. We’ll listen, answer questions you may have, and help you plan next steps.qw