Welcome To InnerWisdom Counseling Centers

The abuse of alcohol is a medical disease. It is called a primary disease because it becomes the medical condition that affects the rest of the body. The crippling affects of the disease include a gradual inability to function normally in every area of a person's life. With adults, job performance and family relationships are affected. With adolescents, alcohol abuse is often coupled with other emotional problems, and may include rebellious behavior, poor school performance, lying and secretiveness. It takes a toll on social and emotional development in teen-agers and destroys relationships and families in adults. Alcoholism affects people, families, communities, and nations and destroys millions of lives every year. It is a progressive disease and gets worse over time. It never gets better on its own.

The tendency to abuse alcohol is higher in families where there are one or more alcohol abusers in the immediate family. A person can learn to abuse alcohol by exposure or through a genetic component that is inherited.

Alcoholism can progress from mild to severe. Alcohol recovery requires a complete life-style change and may include an alteration in friends, jobs and living experiences. Everything that interferes with his sobriety, including family members in some cases, must be changed before recovery can be successful.

There are over 60 million adult alcoholics in the United States today. Many of them are elders. Alcoholism is considered a national epidemic and is the second leading cause of adult deaths in the country, led only by tobacco related diseases. Unfortunately, alcoholics not only destroy their own lives, but the lives of innocent people, as well.

Symptoms are:

Preoccupied with thoughts of drinking
Used to relax at the end of the day; used to have fun
Think of alcohol when should be focusing on something else
Gulping drinks
Drinks more than others and not show it
Uses alcohol as medicine; used to calm or reduce tension
Used as a nightcap or to sleep; used to relieve physical discomfort
Drinks alone
Money is used for alcohol rather than bills
Hides alcohol or fact of drinking
Blackouts are profound and experienced often
Drinks more than planned
Morning tremors, unsteady and unbalanced
Drinks in the morning
Dramatic change in personal appearance
Legal difficulties - DWI/DUI

Suggestions to Help Support Alcohol Recovery:

Stop Drinking!
Make an appointment with a Counselor for an assessment. Many alcoholics have other illnesses that need attention before sobriety can be established.
Find an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting.
Listen closely to other alcoholics. Remember you only have to maintain sobriety "one day at a time".
If possible, find a Detox Program.
Manage the fear and the shame. Talk, talk, talk, and talk about it some more. When there is no one available to listen, write about it. Fear and shame prevent sobriety.
Get a sponsor. Someone that has at least 3 consecutive years of sobriety.
Work the 12-steps of AA. Millions of people have achieved sobriety through the 12- steps.
Assess your family relationships. Ask for support from the ones you can trust and leave the others alone for now.
Be honest about your drinking, and ask for help. Alcoholism is a disease that people die from, but it can be treated.

		ALCOHOL ABUSE The abuse of alcohol is a medical disease. It is called a primary disease because it becomes the medical condition that affects the rest of the body. The crippling affects of the disease include a gradual inability to function normally in every area of a person's life. With adults, job performance and family relationships are affected. With adolescents, alcohol abuse is often coupled with other emotional problems, and may include rebellious behavior, poor school performance, lying and secretiveness. It takes a toll on social and emotional development in teen-agers and destroys relationships and families in adults. Alcoholism affects people, families, communities, and nations and destroys millions of lives every year. It is a progressive disease and gets worse over time. It never gets better on its own. The tendency to abuse alcohol is higher in families where there are one or more alcohol abusers in the immediate family. A person can learn to abuse alcohol by exposure or through a genetic component that is inherited. Alcoholism can progress from mild to severe. Alcohol recovery requires a complete life-style change and may include an alteration in friends, jobs and living experiences. Everything that interferes with his sobriety, including family members in some cases, must be changed before recovery can be successful. There are over 60 million adult alcoholics in the United States today. Many of them are elders. Alcoholism is considered a national epidemic and is the second leading cause of adult deaths in the country, led only by tobacco related diseases. Unfortunately, alcoholics not only destroy their own lives, but the lives of innocent people, as well. Symptoms are: Preoccupied with thoughts of drinking Used to relax at the end of the day; used to have fun Think of alcohol when should be focusing on something else Gulping drinks Drinks more than others and not show it Uses alcohol as medicine; used to calm or reduce tension Used as a nightcap or to sleep; used to relieve physical discomfort Drinks alone Money is used for alcohol rather than bills Hides alcohol or fact of drinking Blackouts are profound and experienced often Drinks more than planned Morning tremors, unsteady and unbalanced Drinks in the morning Dramatic change in personal appearance Legal difficulties - DWI/DUI Suggestions to Help Support Alcohol Recovery: Stop Drinking! Make an appointment with a Counselor for an assessment. Many alcoholics have other illnesses that need attention before sobriety can be established. Find an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting. Listen closely to other alcoholics. Remember you only have to maintain sobriety "one day at a time". If possible, find a Detox Program. Manage the fear and the shame. Talk, talk, talk, and talk about it some more. When there is no one available to listen, write about it. Fear and shame prevent sobriety. Get a sponsor. Someone that has at least 3 consecutive years of sobriety. Work the 12-steps of AA. Millions of people have achieved sobriety through the 12- steps. Assess your family relationships. Ask for support from the ones you can trust and leave the others alone for now. Be honest about your drinking, and ask for help. Alcoholism is a disease that people die from, but it can be treated.	Alcohol Abuse Drug Abuse Dual Diagnosis -substance abuse & Mental Illness Anxiety Depression Eating Related Disorders Manic Depresion/Bi-Polar Mental & Emotional Issues in Elders Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Panic Disorder Phobia Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD Schizophrenia Chronic Illnesses & Medical Problems

		Back To Top Home \| About InnerWisdom \| Programs & Services Aspects of The Self \| Mental Health Topics The Wellness Philosophy \| Professional Outreach "My Precious Child" Workbook \| Contact Us \| Site Map If you have any questions or comments about our site, please contact the webmaster Copyright © 2001 InnerWisdom, Inc. All rights reserved.