Questions and Answers on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Q #1: What is alcoholism?
Alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence, is a disease that includes the following four symptoms:
- Craving--A strong need, or urge, to drink.
- Loss of control--Not being able to stop drinking once drinking has begun.
- Physical dependence--Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety after stopping drinking.
- Tolerance--The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get "high."
Q #2: Is alcoholism a disease?
Depends on who you ask. The craving that an alcoholic feels for alcohol can be as strong as the need for food or water. An alcoholic will continue to drink despite serious family, health, or legal problems.
Like many other diseases, alcoholism is chronic, meaning that it (can) last a person's lifetime; it usually follows a predictable course; and it has symptoms. The risk for developing alcoholism is influenced both by a person's genes and by his or her lifestyle.
Q #3: Is alcoholism inherited?
Research shows that the risk for developing alcoholism does indeed run in families. The genes a person inherits partially explain this pattern, but lifestyle is also a factor. Currently, researchers are working to discover the actual genes that put people at risk for alcoholism. Your friends, the amount of stress in your life, and how readily available alcohol is also are factors that may increase your risk for alcoholism.
But remember: Risk is not destiny. Just because alcoholism tends to run in families doesn't mean that a child of an alcoholic parent will automatically become an alcoholic too. Some people develop alcoholism even though no one in their family has a drinking problem. By the same token, not all children of alcoholic families get into trouble with alcohol. Knowing you are at risk is important, though, because then you can take steps to protect yourself from developing problems with alcohol.
Q #4: Can alcoholism be cured?
Even if an alcoholic hasn't been drinking for a long time, he or she can still suffer a relapse. To guard against a relapse, an alcoholic must continue to avoid all alcoholic beverages.
Q #5: Can alcoholism be treated?
Yes, alcoholism can be treated. Alcoholism treatment programs use both counseling and medications to help a person stop drinking. Most alcoholics need help to recover from their disease. With support and treatment, many people are able to stop drinking and rebuild their lives.
Q #6: Which medications treat alcoholism?
A range of medications is used to treat alcoholism. Benzodiazepines (Valium® , Librium®) are sometimes used during the first days after a person stops drinking to help him or her safely withdraw from alcohol. These medications are not used beyond the first few days, however, because they may be highly addictive. Other medications help people remain sober. One medication used for this purpose is naltrexone (ReVia™). When combined with counseling naltrexone can reduce the craving for alcohol and help prevent a person from returning, or relapsing, to heavy drinking. Another medication, disulfiram (Antabuse®), discourages drinking by making the person feel sick if he or she drinks alcohol.
Though several medications help treat alcoholism, there is no "magic bullet." In other words, no single medication is available that works in every case and/or in every person. Developing new and more effective medications to treat alcoholism remains a high priority for researchers.
Q #7: Does alcoholism treatment work?
Alcoholism treatment works for many people. But just like any chronic disease, there are varying levels of success when it comes to treatment. Some people stop drinking and remain sober. Others have long periods of sobriety with bouts of relapse. And still others cannot stop drinking for any length of time. With treatment, one thing is clear, however: the longer a person abstains from alcohol, the more likely he or she will be able to stay sober.
Q #8: Do you have to be an alcoholic to experience problems?
No. Alcoholism is only one type of an alcohol problem. Alcohol abuse can be just as harmful. A person can abuse alcohol without actually being an alcoholic--that is, he or she may drink too much and too often but still not be dependent on alcohol. Some of the problems linked to alcohol abuse include not being able to meet work, school, or family responsibilities; drunk-driving arrests and car crashes; and drinking-related medical conditions. Under some circumstances, even social or moderate drinking is dangerous--for example, when driving, during pregnancy, or when taking certain medications.
Q #9: Are specific groups of people more likely to have problems?
Alcohol abuse and alcoholism cut across gender, race, and nationality. Nearly 14 million people in the United States--1 in every 13 adults--abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. In general, though, more men than women are alcohol dependent or have alcohol problems. And alcohol problems are highest among young adults ages 18-29 and lowest among adults ages 65 and older. We also know that people who start drinking at an early age--for example, at age 14 or younger--greatly increase the chance that they will develop alcohol problems at some point in their lives.
Q #10: How can you tell if someone has a problem?
Answering the following four questions can help you find out if you or a loved one has a drinking problem:
Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?
One "yes" answer suggests a possible alcohol problem. More than one "yes" answer means it is highly likely that a problem exists. If you think that you or someone you know might have an alcohol problem, it is important to see a doctor or other health care provider right away. They can help you determine if a drinking problem exists and plan the best course of action.
Q #11: Can a problem drinker simply cut down?
It depends. If that person has been diagnosed as an alcoholic, the answer is "no." Alcoholics who try to cut down on drinking rarely succeed. Cutting out alcohol--that is, abstaining--is usually the best course for recovery. People who are not alcohol dependent but who have experienced alcohol-related problems may be able to limit the amount they drink. If they can't stay within those limits, they need to stop drinking altogether.
Q #12: If an alcoholic is unwilling to get help, what can you do about it?
This can be a challenge. An alcoholic can't be forced to get help except under certain circumstances, such as a violent incident that results in court-ordered treatment or medical emergency. But you don't have to wait for someone to "hit rock bottom" to act. Many alcoholism treatment specialists suggest the following steps to help an alcoholic get treatment:
Stop all "cover ups." Family members often make excuses to others or try to protect the alcoholic from the results of his or her drinking. It is important to stop covering for the alcoholic so that he or she experiences the full consequences of drinking.
Time your intervention. The best time to talk to the drinker is shortly after an alcohol-related problem has occurred--like a serious family argument or an accident. Choose a time when he or she is sober, both of you are fairly calm, and you have a chance to talk in private.
Be specific. Tell the family member that you are worried about his or her drinking. Use examples of the ways in which the drinking has caused problems, including the most recent incident.
State the results. Explain to the drinker what you will do if he or she doesn't go for help--not to punish the drinker, but to protect yourself from his or her problems. What you say may range from refusing to go with the person to any social activity where alcohol will be served, to moving out of the house. Do not make any threats you are not prepared to carry out.
Get help. Gather information in advance about treatment options in your community. If the person is willing to get help, call immediately for an appointment with a treatment counselor. Offer to go with the family member on the first visit to a treatment program and/or an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.
Call on a friend. If the family member still refuses to get help, ask a friend to talk with him or her using the steps just described. A friend who is a recovering alcoholic may be particularly persuasive, but any person who is caring and nonjudgmental may help. The intervention of more than one person, more than one time, is often necessary to coax an alcoholic to seek help.
Find strength in numbers. With the help of a health care professional, some families join with other relatives and friends to confront an alcoholic as a group. This approach should only be tried under the guidance of a health care professional who is experienced in this kind of group intervention.
Get support. It is important to remember that you are not alone. Support groups offered in most communities include Al-Anon, which holds regular meetings for spouses and other significant adults in an alcoholic's life, and Alateen, which is geared to children of alcoholics. These groups help family members understand that they are not responsible for an alcoholic's drinking and that they need to take steps to take care of themselves, regardless of whether the alcoholic family member chooses to get help. (See Question 19 for referral to support groups.)
You can call the National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment) at 1-800-662-HELP for information about treatment programs in your local community and to speak to someone about an alcohol problem.
Q #13: What is a safe level of drinking?
For most adults, moderate alcohol use--up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and older people--causes few if any problems. (One drink equals one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.) Certain people should not drink at all, however:
Women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant People who plan to drive or engage in other activities that require alertness and skill (such as using high-speed machinery) People taking certain over-the-counter or prescription medications People with medical conditions that can be made worse by drinking Recovering alcoholics
People younger than age 21.
Q #14: Is it safe to drink during pregnancy?
No, drinking during pregnancy is dangerous. Alcohol can have a number of harmful effects on the baby. The baby can be born mentally retarded or with learning and behavioral problems that last a lifetime. We don't know exactly how much alcohol is required to cause these problems. We do know, however, that these alcohol-related birth defects are 100-percent preventable, simply by not drinking alcohol during pregnancy. The safest course for women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant is not to drink alcohol at all.
Q #15: Does alcohol affect older people differently?
Alcohol's effects do vary with age. Slower reaction times, problems with hearing and seeing, and a lower tolerance to alcohol's effects put older people at higher risk for falls, car crashes, and other types of injuries that may result from drinking.
Older people also tend to take more medicines than younger people. Mixing alcohol with over-the-counter or prescription medications can be very dangerous, even fatal. More than 150 medications interact harmfully with alcohol. (See Question 18 for more information.) In addition, alcohol can make many of the medical conditions common in older people, including high blood pressure and ulcers, more serious. Physical changes associated with aging can make older people feel "high" even after drinking only small amounts of alcohol. So even if there is no medical reason to avoid alcohol, older men and women should limit themselves to one drink per day.
Q #16: Does alcohol affect women differently?
Yes, alcohol affects women differently than men. Women become more impaired than men do after drinking the same amount of alcohol, even when differences in body weight are taken into account. This is because women's bodies have less water than men's bodies. Because alcohol mixes with body water, a given amount of alcohol becomes more highly concentrated in a woman's body than in a man's. In other words, it would be like dropping the same amount of alcohol into a much smaller pail of water. That is why the recommended drinking limit for women is lower than for men. (See Question 13 for recommended limits.)
In addition, chronic alcohol abuse takes a heavier physical toll on women than on men. Alcohol dependence and related medical problems, such as brain, heart, and liver damage, progress more rapidly in women than in men.
Q #17: How can a person get help for an alcohol problem?
There are many national and local resources that can help. The National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service provides a toll-free telephone number, 1-800-662-HELP, offering various resource information. SoberRecovery.com, HopeLinks.net and others are directories of alcohol treatment centers. Through theses service you can find help concerning substance abuse treatment, request printed material on alcohol or other drugs, or obtain local substance abuse treatment referral information in your State.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Alcoholism and Addiction (mini-stories)
Alcoholism and Addictions in the News (mini-stories)
Parents Who Use Illegal Drugs, Abuse Alcohol & Smoke Endanger Half The Nation's Children
Parents who use illegal drugs, abuse alcohol and use tobacco put half the nation's children -- more than 35 million of them -- at greater risk of substance abuse and of physical and mental illnesses.
Learning to spot warning signs of drug abuse aids in the battle
A major way to fight drug abuse is to detect it. At the March meet-ing of God's Truth Conquers Addiction, the drug abuse aware-ness group that gathers monthly in Monett, a program used by a public utility was ...
PA Community Prevention Collabrative
In 2001, Pennsylvania received a three-year State Incentive Grant totaling $9,000,000 from the federal Center for Substance Abuse Prevention to participate in a national Youth Substance Abuse Initiative to ...
12 Step Alternatives
Teen Drug Treatment
Alcoholics Anonymous
Bi-polar
Dual Diagnosis
Substance Abuse
Eating Disorders
Suboxone & Subutex
Narcotics Anonymous
Drug Rehabilitation-New York
Alcoholism and Addiction News and Views
Health organizations prepare for Alcohol Screening Day
According to health experts, 14 million American adults suffer from alcohol abuse or alcoholism, and more than 100,000 people die from alcohol-related diseases and injuries each year.
Billy Joel enters rehab for alcohol abuse
Billy Joel has checked into an undisclosed rehabilitation center "for treatment of alcohol abuse," his spokeswoman said.
Injectable Naltrexone Called Effective
A monthly injection of the drug naltrexone appears to be effective in treating alcoholism.
Your Clumsy Kid Is Going To Be A Lush!
Well since I have superb balance (I walked very early, taught myself to ride a unicycle, wear high heels for fun, etc) this might explain my high alcohol tolerance:
Developmental problems in childhood in an area of the brain responsible for coordination may be linked to alcoholism in adulthood, new research suggests.
Newborns with poor muscle tone and toddlers who took longer than normal to sit or learn to walk were at increased risk for alcoholism at 30 years of age, investigators at the University of Kansas Medical Center found.
"The key finding is that infants who exhibit a subtle delay in motor coordination appear to be at increased risk for developing alcoholism later in life," researcher Barry Liskow, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, said in a prepared statement.
The authors stressed, however, that developmental delays certainly don't mean a child is destined to become alcoholic later in adulthood.
Reporting in the March issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, the Kansas team analyzed data on 241 adults who, as babies, were part of a Danish study conducted from 1959 to 1961.
This new study concluded that deficits in muscle tone five days after birth, along with infants' delays in learning to sit and in learning to walk, were significant predictors of alcohol dependence at age 30.
The cerebellum -- an area of the brain responsible for motor skills and coordination -- may be the factor linking childhood movement difficulties and adult alcoholism, the researchers said.
"Combined with suggestions that the cerebellum may be involved in the coordination of emotional and cognitive functioning as well as motor functions, this finding opens the door for exploring whether development delays or other insults to the cerebellum are related to the development of alcoholism," Liskow said.
"The motor coordination deficits that we found were minor deficits," study co-author Ann Manzardo, a research assistant professor, stressed in a prepared statement.
"The subjects were not disabled or impaired in any way -- they were just consistently lagging in several important benchmarks. Since the study involved primarily high-risk men, we can't be certain how well this will translate to the normal population," she added.
The binge-drinking kids of North Wales
admitted alcohol abuse was not uncommon, but could have tragic consequences
Study Sees Rise in Alcohol Deaths, DUI in College
Alcohol-related injury deaths and drunk driving both increased among college students over the past few years, according to a new report from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Parents Who Use Illegal Drugs, Abuse Alcohol & Smoke Endanger Half The Nation's Children
Parents who use illegal drugs, abuse alcohol and use tobacco put half the nation's children -- more than 35 million of them -- at greater risk of substance abuse and of physical and mental illnesses.
Learning to spot warning signs of drug abuse aids in the battle
A major way to fight drug abuse is to detect it. At the March meet-ing of God's Truth Conquers Addiction, the drug abuse aware-ness group that gathers monthly in Monett, a program used by a public utility was ...
PA Community Prevention Collabrative
In 2001, Pennsylvania received a three-year State Incentive Grant totaling $9,000,000 from the federal Center for Substance Abuse Prevention to participate in a national Youth Substance Abuse Initiative to ...
12 Step Alternatives
Teen Drug Treatment
Alcoholics Anonymous
Bi-polar
Dual Diagnosis
Substance Abuse
Eating Disorders
Suboxone & Subutex
Narcotics Anonymous
Drug Rehabilitation-New York
Alcoholism and Addiction News and Views
Health organizations prepare for Alcohol Screening Day
According to health experts, 14 million American adults suffer from alcohol abuse or alcoholism, and more than 100,000 people die from alcohol-related diseases and injuries each year.
Billy Joel enters rehab for alcohol abuse
Billy Joel has checked into an undisclosed rehabilitation center "for treatment of alcohol abuse," his spokeswoman said.
Injectable Naltrexone Called Effective
A monthly injection of the drug naltrexone appears to be effective in treating alcoholism.
Your Clumsy Kid Is Going To Be A Lush!
Well since I have superb balance (I walked very early, taught myself to ride a unicycle, wear high heels for fun, etc) this might explain my high alcohol tolerance:
Developmental problems in childhood in an area of the brain responsible for coordination may be linked to alcoholism in adulthood, new research suggests.
Newborns with poor muscle tone and toddlers who took longer than normal to sit or learn to walk were at increased risk for alcoholism at 30 years of age, investigators at the University of Kansas Medical Center found.
"The key finding is that infants who exhibit a subtle delay in motor coordination appear to be at increased risk for developing alcoholism later in life," researcher Barry Liskow, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, said in a prepared statement.
The authors stressed, however, that developmental delays certainly don't mean a child is destined to become alcoholic later in adulthood.
Reporting in the March issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, the Kansas team analyzed data on 241 adults who, as babies, were part of a Danish study conducted from 1959 to 1961.
This new study concluded that deficits in muscle tone five days after birth, along with infants' delays in learning to sit and in learning to walk, were significant predictors of alcohol dependence at age 30.
The cerebellum -- an area of the brain responsible for motor skills and coordination -- may be the factor linking childhood movement difficulties and adult alcoholism, the researchers said.
"Combined with suggestions that the cerebellum may be involved in the coordination of emotional and cognitive functioning as well as motor functions, this finding opens the door for exploring whether development delays or other insults to the cerebellum are related to the development of alcoholism," Liskow said.
"The motor coordination deficits that we found were minor deficits," study co-author Ann Manzardo, a research assistant professor, stressed in a prepared statement.
"The subjects were not disabled or impaired in any way -- they were just consistently lagging in several important benchmarks. Since the study involved primarily high-risk men, we can't be certain how well this will translate to the normal population," she added.
The binge-drinking kids of North Wales
admitted alcohol abuse was not uncommon, but could have tragic consequences
Study Sees Rise in Alcohol Deaths, DUI in College
Alcohol-related injury deaths and drunk driving both increased among college students over the past few years, according to a new report from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Friday, April 29, 2005
If Someone Close...has a problem with alcohol
The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention offers information on all aspects of the prevention of alcohol and other drug problems.
Three out of four alcohol and drug abusing men and women are married; living at home; holding onto a job, business, or profession; and are reasonably well accepted members of their communities.
The person who has someone close who drinks too much or who uses other drugs has plenty of company. People experiencing alcohol and other drug problems often feel they hurt only themselves. That isn't true. They also hurt their families, friends, coworkers, employers, and others.
There are millions of people with alcohol and other drug problems in this country. A recent study reported that 28 million people age 12 and older used illicit drugs during the past year. By current estimates, more than 76 million people have been exposed to alcoholism in the family. Experience shows that for every person with an alcohol or other drug problem, at least four others are affected by their behavior.
However, looking at it another way -- as we should -- millions of Americans have a personal stake in helping "someone close" find the way to overcome alcohol and other drug problems.
The person who sets out to help someone with an alcohol or other drug problem may at first feel quite alone, possibly embarrassed, not knowing where to turn for help. We have preserved so many wrong ideas and attitudes about problem drinking and other drug abuse, too often thinking of them as moral weakness or lack of willpower.
You may have learned to better understand alcohol and other drug problems and already made contact with nearby sources of services. This does not mean that "someone close" will cooperate at once by going for treatment. Those with alcohol and other drug problems may deny they have a problem. They may find it difficult to ask for or accept help.
If there is one thing true about alcohol and other drug abusers, it is that, as with all people, each one is different -- different in human needs and responses, as well as in their reasons for drinking and taking other drugs, their reactions to these drugs, and their readiness for treatment.
You are in a good position to help your relative or friend, because you know a good deal about their unique qualities and their way of life. And having made the effort to gain some understanding of the signs and effects of problem drinking or other drug abuse, you should be in a better position to consider a strategy for helping.
Be active, get involved. Don't be afraid to talk about the problem honestly and openly. It is easy to be too polite, or to duck the issue by saying, "After all, it's their private affair." But it isn't polite or consolidate to let someone destroy their family and life. You may need to be persistent to break through any denial they have.
You also may need to let them know how much courage it takes to ask for help, or to accept it. You will find that most people with drinking- or other drug-related troubles really want to talk it out if they find out you are concerned about them.
To begin, you may need to reject certain myths that in the past have done great harm to alcoholics and other drug abusers and hampered those who would help them. These untruths come from ingrained public attitudes that see alcoholism and other drug problems as personal misconduct, moral weakness, or even sin. They are expressed in such declarations as, "Nothing can be done unless the alcohol or drug abuser wants to stop," or "They must hit bottom," that is, lose health, job, home, family, "before they will want to get well." These stubborn myths are not true, and have been destructive. One may as well say that you cannot treat cancer or tuberculosis until the gross signs of disease are visible to all.
The truth is that with alcohol and other drug problems, as with other kinds of acute and chronic illness, early recognition and treatment intervention is essential -- and rewarding.
Be compassionate, be patient -- but be willing to act. Experience proves that preaching does not work. A nudge or a push at the right time can help. It also shows that you care. Push may even come to shove when the person with alcohol or other drug troubles must choose between losing family or job, or going to treatment. Thousands of alcohol and other drug abusers have been helped when a spouse, employer, or court official made treatment a condition of continuing family relationships, job, or probation.
You cannot cure the illness, but when the crucial moment comes you can guide the person to competent help.
Treatment attempts to discover the relationship between a person's problematic drinking and other drug use to their real needs -- an understanding of what they would really strive for it they were not disabled by their problems. One goal is building up their capacity for control which becomes possible in periods of sobriety.
Persons with drinking and other drug problems have the same needs as all other people -- food, clothing, shelter, health care, job, social contact and acceptance and, particularly, the need for self-confidence and feelings of competence, self-worth, and dignity. This is where "support" comes in.
What may be needed in most is warm, human concern. The kinds of support given depend, of course, on finding out from the person what they feel they need. Strained family and friend relationships, money troubles, worry about the job or business, sometimes matters that may seem trivial to us, all confuse their file situation and may contribute to their drinking and other drug problems.
Moral support in starting and staying with treatment, reassurances from employer or business associates, willing participation by spouse or children in group therapy sessions -- are examples of realistic support.
The long range goal is healthy living for the person and their family -- physical health, social health, emotional health -- an objective we all share.
Again...Three out of four alcohol and drug abusing men and women are married; living at home; holding onto a job, business, or profession; and are reasonably well accepted members of their communities.
For those in this group who seek treatment, the outlook is good. Regardless of life situation, the earlier treatment starts after troubles are recognized, the better the chances for success.
Many therapists now use rehabilitation as a measure of outcome -- success is considered achieved when the patient maintains or reestablishes a good family life and work record, and a respectable position in the community. Relapse may occur but do not mean that the person or the treatment effort has failed.
A successful outcome, on this basis, can be expected for 50 to 70 percent depending upon the personal characteristics of the patient; early treatment intervention; competence of the therapists; availability of hospital and outpatient facilities; and the strong support of family, friends, employer, and community.
"It is doubtful that any specific percentage figure has much meaning by itself," says one authority. "What does have a great deal of meaning is the fact that tens of thousands of such cases have shown striking improvement over many years."
The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention offers information on all aspects of the prevention of alcohol and other drug problems. It also maintains a State-by-State listing of most public and private alcohol and other drug information, counseling, and treatment facilities.
The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345
Rockville, MD 20847-2345
Three out of four alcohol and drug abusing men and women are married; living at home; holding onto a job, business, or profession; and are reasonably well accepted members of their communities.
The person who has someone close who drinks too much or who uses other drugs has plenty of company. People experiencing alcohol and other drug problems often feel they hurt only themselves. That isn't true. They also hurt their families, friends, coworkers, employers, and others.
There are millions of people with alcohol and other drug problems in this country. A recent study reported that 28 million people age 12 and older used illicit drugs during the past year. By current estimates, more than 76 million people have been exposed to alcoholism in the family. Experience shows that for every person with an alcohol or other drug problem, at least four others are affected by their behavior.
However, looking at it another way -- as we should -- millions of Americans have a personal stake in helping "someone close" find the way to overcome alcohol and other drug problems.
The person who sets out to help someone with an alcohol or other drug problem may at first feel quite alone, possibly embarrassed, not knowing where to turn for help. We have preserved so many wrong ideas and attitudes about problem drinking and other drug abuse, too often thinking of them as moral weakness or lack of willpower.
You may have learned to better understand alcohol and other drug problems and already made contact with nearby sources of services. This does not mean that "someone close" will cooperate at once by going for treatment. Those with alcohol and other drug problems may deny they have a problem. They may find it difficult to ask for or accept help.
If there is one thing true about alcohol and other drug abusers, it is that, as with all people, each one is different -- different in human needs and responses, as well as in their reasons for drinking and taking other drugs, their reactions to these drugs, and their readiness for treatment.
You are in a good position to help your relative or friend, because you know a good deal about their unique qualities and their way of life. And having made the effort to gain some understanding of the signs and effects of problem drinking or other drug abuse, you should be in a better position to consider a strategy for helping.
Be active, get involved. Don't be afraid to talk about the problem honestly and openly. It is easy to be too polite, or to duck the issue by saying, "After all, it's their private affair." But it isn't polite or consolidate to let someone destroy their family and life. You may need to be persistent to break through any denial they have.
You also may need to let them know how much courage it takes to ask for help, or to accept it. You will find that most people with drinking- or other drug-related troubles really want to talk it out if they find out you are concerned about them.
To begin, you may need to reject certain myths that in the past have done great harm to alcoholics and other drug abusers and hampered those who would help them. These untruths come from ingrained public attitudes that see alcoholism and other drug problems as personal misconduct, moral weakness, or even sin. They are expressed in such declarations as, "Nothing can be done unless the alcohol or drug abuser wants to stop," or "They must hit bottom," that is, lose health, job, home, family, "before they will want to get well." These stubborn myths are not true, and have been destructive. One may as well say that you cannot treat cancer or tuberculosis until the gross signs of disease are visible to all.
The truth is that with alcohol and other drug problems, as with other kinds of acute and chronic illness, early recognition and treatment intervention is essential -- and rewarding.
Be compassionate, be patient -- but be willing to act. Experience proves that preaching does not work. A nudge or a push at the right time can help. It also shows that you care. Push may even come to shove when the person with alcohol or other drug troubles must choose between losing family or job, or going to treatment. Thousands of alcohol and other drug abusers have been helped when a spouse, employer, or court official made treatment a condition of continuing family relationships, job, or probation.
You cannot cure the illness, but when the crucial moment comes you can guide the person to competent help.
Treatment attempts to discover the relationship between a person's problematic drinking and other drug use to their real needs -- an understanding of what they would really strive for it they were not disabled by their problems. One goal is building up their capacity for control which becomes possible in periods of sobriety.
Persons with drinking and other drug problems have the same needs as all other people -- food, clothing, shelter, health care, job, social contact and acceptance and, particularly, the need for self-confidence and feelings of competence, self-worth, and dignity. This is where "support" comes in.
What may be needed in most is warm, human concern. The kinds of support given depend, of course, on finding out from the person what they feel they need. Strained family and friend relationships, money troubles, worry about the job or business, sometimes matters that may seem trivial to us, all confuse their file situation and may contribute to their drinking and other drug problems.
Moral support in starting and staying with treatment, reassurances from employer or business associates, willing participation by spouse or children in group therapy sessions -- are examples of realistic support.
The long range goal is healthy living for the person and their family -- physical health, social health, emotional health -- an objective we all share.
Again...Three out of four alcohol and drug abusing men and women are married; living at home; holding onto a job, business, or profession; and are reasonably well accepted members of their communities.
For those in this group who seek treatment, the outlook is good. Regardless of life situation, the earlier treatment starts after troubles are recognized, the better the chances for success.
Many therapists now use rehabilitation as a measure of outcome -- success is considered achieved when the patient maintains or reestablishes a good family life and work record, and a respectable position in the community. Relapse may occur but do not mean that the person or the treatment effort has failed.
A successful outcome, on this basis, can be expected for 50 to 70 percent depending upon the personal characteristics of the patient; early treatment intervention; competence of the therapists; availability of hospital and outpatient facilities; and the strong support of family, friends, employer, and community.
"It is doubtful that any specific percentage figure has much meaning by itself," says one authority. "What does have a great deal of meaning is the fact that tens of thousands of such cases have shown striking improvement over many years."
The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention offers information on all aspects of the prevention of alcohol and other drug problems. It also maintains a State-by-State listing of most public and private alcohol and other drug information, counseling, and treatment facilities.
The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345
Rockville, MD 20847-2345
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Brown CEDU School Closes?
Private school closes
Cedu says it's broke, sends students home
By Joe Nelson, Staff Writer, San Bernardino Sun
RUNNING SPRINGS - The large wooden sign hanging outside Cedu School greets all who enter the pristine 75-acre property with the optimistic words "To Dream the Impossible Dream.'
Whatever dreams those affiliated with the school may have had, however, were put on hold when they got news last week that the school was shutting down after 38 years due to bankruptcy.
"It was a surprise to all of us that we are closing the school down and sending the children home,' Cedu spokeswoman Julia Andrick said Saturday in a telephone interview.
She said the company filed for federal Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Friday, then notified its staff and students at its seven campuses across the country of the campus closures at 3 p.m.
"Everything's up for sale right now,' Andrick said.
Company Chief Executive Officer Pete Talbott said in a statement the 301 students from the school's seven campuses should be home with their parents in the next 10 days. About 500 employees will be left unemployed.
A flier posted in the Running Springs school's front office window Saturday stated that other schools were trying to find work for Cedu employees, and that a relief fund had been established by parents for employees.
"I deeply regret that we have come to the end of Cedu's nearly 40-year history,' Talbott said.
The company has become so void of funds that it wasn't even able to give employees their final paychecks on Friday. It was unclear if they would receive future compensation.
A stack of memos sat atop the front desk in Cedu's front office Saturday in Running Springs while employees gathered up their belongings and said their goodbyes.
The memos notified employees they would be receiving a claim form in the mail so they could file for compensation of three weeks pay and any accrued overtime, provided the funds are available.
Cedu Middle School counselors Munir Jones, 54, and Skip Borg, 53, loaded personal items into the bed of a pickup outside the campus.
"It's very sad and a disbelief,' said Jones, of Lake Arrowhead.
He said that for him, seeing the sadness on the students' faces when they were told they were going home was the worst.
"This is probably the only place they were safe and had relationships, with adults and with children,' Borg said.
School founder Mel Wasserman opened the middle and high school campuses in Running Springs in 1967. Since then, five other campuses opened up nationwide four in Idaho and one in Vermont.
Despite the many parents who have praised the expensive boarding school for bringing out the best in troubled teens, the Running Springs campus has had its share of problems.
The father of a 14-year-old girl sued the school in September, accusing it of blocking communication between him and his daughter while she was a student at the school between August 2003 and January 2004.
In June, sheriff's detectives searched the school after a girl reported that two 18-year-old students raped her repeatedly on campus in September 2001, just weeks after she enrolled. She was 15 at the time.
The sheriff's Twin Peaks station received an average of 30 calls monthly from the school reporting runaway students. Most of them returned, except for one.
On Feb. 8, 2004, Daniel Yuen, 16, of Edison, N.J., ran away from the school after his second week of attendance. He remained missing Saturday.
Cedu says it's broke, sends students home
By Joe Nelson, Staff Writer, San Bernardino Sun
RUNNING SPRINGS - The large wooden sign hanging outside Cedu School greets all who enter the pristine 75-acre property with the optimistic words "To Dream the Impossible Dream.'
Whatever dreams those affiliated with the school may have had, however, were put on hold when they got news last week that the school was shutting down after 38 years due to bankruptcy.
"It was a surprise to all of us that we are closing the school down and sending the children home,' Cedu spokeswoman Julia Andrick said Saturday in a telephone interview.
She said the company filed for federal Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Friday, then notified its staff and students at its seven campuses across the country of the campus closures at 3 p.m.
"Everything's up for sale right now,' Andrick said.
Company Chief Executive Officer Pete Talbott said in a statement the 301 students from the school's seven campuses should be home with their parents in the next 10 days. About 500 employees will be left unemployed.
A flier posted in the Running Springs school's front office window Saturday stated that other schools were trying to find work for Cedu employees, and that a relief fund had been established by parents for employees.
"I deeply regret that we have come to the end of Cedu's nearly 40-year history,' Talbott said.
The company has become so void of funds that it wasn't even able to give employees their final paychecks on Friday. It was unclear if they would receive future compensation.
A stack of memos sat atop the front desk in Cedu's front office Saturday in Running Springs while employees gathered up their belongings and said their goodbyes.
The memos notified employees they would be receiving a claim form in the mail so they could file for compensation of three weeks pay and any accrued overtime, provided the funds are available.
Cedu Middle School counselors Munir Jones, 54, and Skip Borg, 53, loaded personal items into the bed of a pickup outside the campus.
"It's very sad and a disbelief,' said Jones, of Lake Arrowhead.
He said that for him, seeing the sadness on the students' faces when they were told they were going home was the worst.
"This is probably the only place they were safe and had relationships, with adults and with children,' Borg said.
School founder Mel Wasserman opened the middle and high school campuses in Running Springs in 1967. Since then, five other campuses opened up nationwide four in Idaho and one in Vermont.
Despite the many parents who have praised the expensive boarding school for bringing out the best in troubled teens, the Running Springs campus has had its share of problems.
The father of a 14-year-old girl sued the school in September, accusing it of blocking communication between him and his daughter while she was a student at the school between August 2003 and January 2004.
In June, sheriff's detectives searched the school after a girl reported that two 18-year-old students raped her repeatedly on campus in September 2001, just weeks after she enrolled. She was 15 at the time.
The sheriff's Twin Peaks station received an average of 30 calls monthly from the school reporting runaway students. Most of them returned, except for one.
On Feb. 8, 2004, Daniel Yuen, 16, of Edison, N.J., ran away from the school after his second week of attendance. He remained missing Saturday.
Monday, March 21, 2005
What's it all about...Alkie???
Is this recovery "thing" a you versus me, us versus them, Thursday Night at the Fight where NO ONE is right???
I'm bettin' there we're a whole LOT of people getting better before some dumb-ass Judge (brilliant idea, actually) came up with the idea to "sentence" people to AA. Now I haven't been around that long, but again I'll bet (hmmm, notice a pattern?), success rates (next week, ok?) have gone downhill ever since.
I, personally, have seen rage-aholics sentenced to AA, non-alcoholics sentenced to AA (even a non-drinker!) and worse...so much worse, the mentally ill get sentenced to AA.
The problem, you ask? Anytime the men and 1 or 2 women in high places that run this Great Land of Ours put a stamp of approval on some "thing", too often it becomes accepted as not just THE way but the BEST way. And when that happens the snowballs start getting real big for their trip down the hill.
From the Government? Less money for research. Less involvement in Treatment Center practices. Less, less, less. Why? When you have a FREE place to SENTENCE people to, why bother?
For 12 Step programs? Dilution of their core membership. Resistance to their methods. An exodous of older, more experienced members who simply don't need to put up with the attitude of a 19 year old with a DUI that HAS to be there.
And any alternative treatment methods? Let me ask you...with the exception of the Anti-AA psychologist or social worker who wrote a couple of books (good stuff-bad presentation-worse P.R.)sometime after (or was it before?) he was laughed out of the Treatment Community by his peers, name any Drug Addiction or Alcoholism Treatment method or center or person or organization that gets the following:
Free Advertising
Free Continuous Supply of New Faces (appointed, no less)
Free Celebrity Endorsements (well, some of those are sentenced too...)
Almost Free Rent
and...
A Halo
STOP! I know what you're thinking. You are wrong.
I am all for AA and the many, many people that have been helped through the 12 steps. This isn't about AA. AA is a VOLUNTARY, self-admission, self-supporting fellowship. But because of the "stamp", no other methods or practices get acknowledged, let alone noticed. No, this is Firefox versus Internet Explorer. After all the great press, media and industry buzz-and an opening day record of 1 MILLION downloads-Firefox, probably better but at least as good as IE, now has about a 3 1/2% market share to Microsofts 96%. Thats WITH good press and hype.
But because AA got the "stamp of approval" the cities and counties and states found far more important things to do with the little bit of money originally marked for addiction treatment. And before anyone noticed, AA had become the dumping ground for problems that rightly belong to those same cities,counties and states.
Can an organization with a treatment model that depends on honesty, openmindedness and willingness survive when van fulls of county sponsored work-released inmates and freshly sentenced Drunk Drivers are the majority in some meetings?
Because it's getting worse-not better-and if AA implodes or explodes (won't happen-not soon anyway..I think) there is no plan B. There is simply no money. Alcoholics, real, imagined or otherwise, would do their "treatment" (AA MEETINGS! Put on by AA VOLUNTEERS!) in city, county and state prisons. Just what the Prison Guard Union ordered.(another story, some other time...maybe.)
So AA...if you're listening...I have it all worked out for you. The best part is you already know how to do it. Back to Basics. Go underground. Alcoholics would have to be "sponsored in" and the meetings would go back to the dark church basements. No meetings "lists". Wanna know where the meetings are? Better show up every week or day so we can tell you. And sign an attendence slip for the courtt that sent(enced) you here?
Sorry-we're Alcoholics ANONYMOUS. Tell the Judge we said to sentence you to Betty Ford.
Hey, they're a non-profit...
I'm bettin' there we're a whole LOT of people getting better before some dumb-ass Judge (brilliant idea, actually) came up with the idea to "sentence" people to AA. Now I haven't been around that long, but again I'll bet (hmmm, notice a pattern?), success rates (next week, ok?) have gone downhill ever since.
I, personally, have seen rage-aholics sentenced to AA, non-alcoholics sentenced to AA (even a non-drinker!) and worse...so much worse, the mentally ill get sentenced to AA.
The problem, you ask? Anytime the men and 1 or 2 women in high places that run this Great Land of Ours put a stamp of approval on some "thing", too often it becomes accepted as not just THE way but the BEST way. And when that happens the snowballs start getting real big for their trip down the hill.
From the Government? Less money for research. Less involvement in Treatment Center practices. Less, less, less. Why? When you have a FREE place to SENTENCE people to, why bother?
For 12 Step programs? Dilution of their core membership. Resistance to their methods. An exodous of older, more experienced members who simply don't need to put up with the attitude of a 19 year old with a DUI that HAS to be there.
And any alternative treatment methods? Let me ask you...with the exception of the Anti-AA psychologist or social worker who wrote a couple of books (good stuff-bad presentation-worse P.R.)sometime after (or was it before?) he was laughed out of the Treatment Community by his peers, name any Drug Addiction or Alcoholism Treatment method or center or person or organization that gets the following:
Free Advertising
Free Continuous Supply of New Faces (appointed, no less)
Free Celebrity Endorsements (well, some of those are sentenced too...)
Almost Free Rent
and...
A Halo
STOP! I know what you're thinking. You are wrong.
I am all for AA and the many, many people that have been helped through the 12 steps. This isn't about AA. AA is a VOLUNTARY, self-admission, self-supporting fellowship. But because of the "stamp", no other methods or practices get acknowledged, let alone noticed. No, this is Firefox versus Internet Explorer. After all the great press, media and industry buzz-and an opening day record of 1 MILLION downloads-Firefox, probably better but at least as good as IE, now has about a 3 1/2% market share to Microsofts 96%. Thats WITH good press and hype.
But because AA got the "stamp of approval" the cities and counties and states found far more important things to do with the little bit of money originally marked for addiction treatment. And before anyone noticed, AA had become the dumping ground for problems that rightly belong to those same cities,counties and states.
Can an organization with a treatment model that depends on honesty, openmindedness and willingness survive when van fulls of county sponsored work-released inmates and freshly sentenced Drunk Drivers are the majority in some meetings?
Because it's getting worse-not better-and if AA implodes or explodes (won't happen-not soon anyway..I think) there is no plan B. There is simply no money. Alcoholics, real, imagined or otherwise, would do their "treatment" (AA MEETINGS! Put on by AA VOLUNTEERS!) in city, county and state prisons. Just what the Prison Guard Union ordered.(another story, some other time...maybe.)
So AA...if you're listening...I have it all worked out for you. The best part is you already know how to do it. Back to Basics. Go underground. Alcoholics would have to be "sponsored in" and the meetings would go back to the dark church basements. No meetings "lists". Wanna know where the meetings are? Better show up every week or day so we can tell you. And sign an attendence slip for the courtt that sent(enced) you here?
Sorry-we're Alcoholics ANONYMOUS. Tell the Judge we said to sentence you to Betty Ford.
Hey, they're a non-profit...
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