Archive for December, 2010
What It Takes To Stay Sober
Despite what you think you know about staying sober, the reality is that many people only have a vague idea of what it really takes. For some, talk of being sober is a bit of a joke, something to toss out in party chitchat as in, “I’m going to get serious about sobering up.” Others think that staying sober is easy, that anybody can do it with no problem. They obviously don’t have a problem with alcohol. Anyone who is dependent on alcohol or has an alcohol addiction knows it’s not only not easy to quit drinking to begin with, it’s even more difficult to keep away from alcohol.
Robin Williams Battled Alcohol Relapse after Two Decades of Sobriety
Like many other well-known celebrities, the popular comedian Robin Williams held a secret behind his smile – the pain of an alcoholism relapse that lasted three years and eventually led him into a rehab center.
Baclofen Raises Eyebrows as Potential Pill “Cure” for Alcoholism and Cravings
Can alcoholism finally be cured? Debate and speculation on the subject have turned heads toward Dr. Olivier Amesien, a top-ranked cardiologist in France, who claims that baclofen, a muscle-relaxing drug, not only stopped his personal addiction battle with alcohol, but the physician also proposes it could be administered worldwide to other alcoholics seeking recovery.
Genetic Variant May Lead to Impulsive, Violent Behavior when Mixed with Alcohol
A team of researchers from the National Institutes of Health has discovered that a genetic variant of a brain receptor molecule may contribute to violently impulsive behavior when carriers of the variant have been drinking alcohol. The researchers noted that although this trait can be valuable if a quick decision must be made or in situations where risk-taking is favored, it can be very dangerous when the carrier is impaired by alcohol.
Perceived Stigma Can Prevent Alcohol Abusers From Seeking Treatment
An alcohol use disorder can render an individual unable to work, socialize or even function on a regular basis. Treatment programs are available, yet less than 25 percent of those diagnosed with alcohol dependency or disorder actually seek treatment.
Considering Alcohol Rehab?
If life has become just too dreary, stuck as you may be in an endless cycle of non-stop partying, ending up hung over and without memory of the night before, you may have reached the end of drinking road. If this rings true, you may wish to ask yourself if it’s time for you to be considering alcohol rehab.
Of course, if you’ve never totally dried out before, you probably have no idea or only a vague notion of what alcohol rehab is and how it works. While it is easier to think about getting sober in the abstract, when it comes right down to overcoming a problem with alcohol, the actual doing is a lot harder. It’s harder, but not impossible. In fact, millions have done it before you. Some are in alcohol rehab right now, while others are working their recovery programs following completion of a stint in alcohol rehab.
AA Found to Help Female Inmates with Hazardous Drinking Problems
The number of incarcerated females in the U.S. has risen dramatically in recent years, and more incarcerated women are also suffering from alcohol-related problems. Although little research has studied the efficacy of alcohol recovery programs, the most widely available alcohol recovery program—especially for alcoholic inmates—remains to be Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
Children of Alcoholics Share Similar Characteristics
Alcoholism is a disease that can run in the family. Interestingly enough, researchers are finding that there are commonalities among children of alcoholics. Because they have to treat their parents with kid gloves, children of alcoholics learn to cope with things differently than other children. They learn to put themselves second to keep peace in the family. In order to cope in a world of dysfunction, these children may also develop unhealthy attitudes and behaviors that are carried with them into adulthood and their whole life through.
Different Perceptions of Alcohol Types
Commercials for a luxury wine brand rarely market using scenes of partying on a boat or young, whiskered men relaxing in a bar, checking out attractive women. On the other hand, beer is not usually advertised with scenes of a romantic, intimate dinner. Both types of alcohol have a certain set of social settings that are connected with serving that beverage.
Alcohol Affects Reaction Time
A delay in reaction time while under the influence of alcohol is one of the key reasons that it is dangerous to drive a vehicle after drinking. Alcohol impairs many cognitive functions, but until recently it was undetermined how the built-in control systems of the brain were affected by alcohol.
