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Susana Spiegel2022-10-06 11:00:122022-10-06 23:09:55How to Track Alcohol Consumption
Medically Reviewer and Contributor:
Dr. Patricia Sullivan MD MPH on 7/6/2021
Article Overview
How Do You Know if You’re Addicted?
If you’ve been regularly consuming or dependent on a mind-altering substance, you might reach the point where you ask, How do I know if I’m addicted? The signs of addiction come on in different ways for each person. Some will experience fast and hard addiction, which is most likely with drugs that are extremely addictive, such as meth.
The fact that you’re asking this question means that you’re acutely aware of changes that are happening in your life. It’s good to be aware of these changes to not fall into the trap of denial. If you’re taking a mind-altering substance and you’re noticing negative changes in your life, then you’re going to want to stop and evaluate.
Here is how to know if you’re addicted:
1. You are Lacking Control When it Comes to Consuming the Substance
One sign of developing an addiction is being unable to take a break from using or drinking. This is especially true if it’s not a medication that you’re prescribed to take every day or if it’s an illegal drug.
The truth is that at the beginning, you may take a substance because you feel it’s helping you in some way. But some substances can quickly become addictive. Therefore, even when you wish only to take it for a short time and then have a break, you’re unable to do that.
Lack of control can happen rapidly, or it can happen over time. If you’re not able to stop yourself from consuming the substance, whether it be alcohol or drugs, this is a sign that you’re addicted.
2. You are Isolating Yourself
If you’re noticing that you’re staying in more, this can be a sign of addiction. If you’re spending more time alone because you’re consuming the drug and wrapped up in the experience, this is a sign of addiction. Perhaps you don’t want your family and friends to know about the drug use, and you’re seeing them less.
Often you might get new friends who drink or use, and you feel more comfortable around them. Essentially, you may be changing your lifestyle to accommodate drinking alcohol or using drugs.
A part of a healthy life, is having healthy people around you, and addiction will slowly remove the healthy people in your life, to make room for those who more closely match your new lifestyle. – Patricia Sullivan, MD MPH
3. Your Tolerance is Increasing (You’re drinking alcohol or using the drug more)
If you find yourself taking more and more of the drug to achieve the first experiences with the drug, this is a sign of addiction. What’s happening is you are chasing the high or the feeling of wellbeing that the substance is giving you. With most drugs, the first feelings of intense euphoria get harder to achieve with time. If you’re still constantly seeking that feeling, though, despite the negative consequences, this is a sign of addiction.
It’s also natural for our bodies to build up a tolerance to drugs or alcohol as we take them daily. The body is always trying to reach homeostasis. If using or drinking has become an everyday part of life, our bodies are designed to even out the effects. The body becomes more resistant to the effects of drugs.
Tolerance is one of the biggest issues that face individuals with a growing addiction. If you’re asking how do you know if you’re addicted, this is one of the biggest signs. Pay attention to it. Your body is telling you something. – Patricia Sullivan MD MPH
4. Your Finances Are Taking a Hit
If you are spending more money, including going over a budget you had in mind, this is a sign of addiction. One thing that addiction to drugs or alcohol can do best is depleting your savings and finances. If you find yourself having to borrow money until your next paycheck or spending a large portion of your paycheck, this is a big red flag.
5. Your Work Ethic Has Changed
Addiction can cause problems in every area of life, so careers or jobs are not immune. One major consequence of addiction is not getting to work on time, missing days, or behaving erratically at work. Each substance has its effects, so for example, if you’re using a depressant such as alcohol or an opioid, you may be out of it at work. You may not be able to keep up with the demands of your job.
However, some drug use (at least temporarily) seems to provide “benefits” to your career. Substances such as stimulants may allow you to work faster, longer, and more focused. However, those “benefits” do not benefit because they are very short-lived. As time progresses, you may eventually lose your job.
6. Your Personality Has Changed
Drugs and alcohol can change a lot about us as people. For example, if you’ve always been a laid-back person, you might find yourself high-strung and easily irritated. You might lash out at others easily or find yourself angry for no reason. For those who are typically high-energy, you might find yourself behaving nonchalantly.
If family and friends are commenting on how you’ve changed, believe them. The people who are always around you know you best.
7. You’re Constantly Trying to Justify or Rationalize Using to Yourself
Sometimes we look at people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol, and we ask ourself “how did they get this way?”. The truth is that addiction gets as bad as it does because of justification and rationalization. No one wants to admit that they are addicted, even in the early stages of addiction. Excuses and reasons are developed and carried throughout the addiction.
If you find yourself saying things like:
“I can quit when I want.”
“I’m just taking this because I’m stressed.”
“If I didn’t use, I’d lose my mind.”
“I can handle this, and it will be okay.”
Justifying and rationalizing drinking or using is a big red flag that there is an addiction insidiously growing from within. – Patricia Sullivan, MD MPH
What to do if You see Sign of Addiction in Yourself
If you see signs of addiction in yourself, the best thing to do is to reach out for help. It’s often said that people who are addicted must hit rock bottom before substance abuse treatment can truly make an impact, but this is far from the truth.
One key thing to remember is that addiction thrives on isolation. It hides in the darkness. When exposed and brought to light, healing can begin.
If you’re in the beginning stages of addiction or full-blown addiction, help is available to you. Give us a call at (888) 906-0952 to speak directly to a rehab admissions specialist. We offer free and confidential treatment consultations, no matter your financial situation. We have helped individuals all across America for over a decade.
About the Author
Susana Spiegel
Susana has over 6 years of experience writing content about addiction, mental health, recovery, and treatment. She’s been in recovery for over 5 years, after battling addictions that sought to claim her life. Susana specializes in Organic SEO and Content Marketing and utilizes her experiences to create impactful, insightful, and educational content. Connect with her on Linked-in.
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How to Track Alcohol Consumption
How to Track Alcohol Consumption
For some, tracking alcohol consumption becomes something they feel they need to do after bad experiences due to over-drinking alcohol.
It can be difficult to determine how much alcohol is too much to drink, especially when you’re in the middle of drinking. Since excessive drinking can damage your body and lead to alcoholism, it’s important to learn to track alcohol consumption.
Table of Contents
Dietary Drinking Guidelines to Know Dietary Guidelines for Americans
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans illustrate generalized recommendations for moderate drinking in adults. They highlight differences between men’s and women’s safe drinking habits, as well as alcohol content safety.
Additionally, there are circumstances in which people should not drink due to pre-existing conditions or otherwise.
Though not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest practicing moderate drinking to avoid excessive drinking.
Furthermore, the guidelines recommend that those who do not drink should not start drinking under any circumstances.
These guidelines provide suggested serving sizes based on typical tendencies of male or female hormones, genetic traits, and brain development. Therefore, the guidelines vary between male and female drinkers.
These recommendations are generalized and do not take individual tolerance or personal body types into consideration.
Therefore, these rules are not set in stone. However, the message of safe practices can apply to everyone.
Additionally, a standard drink is defined as .6 ounces of pure alcohol. The pure alcohol content is found in common beverages like a 12-ounce beer, an 8-ounce malt liquor, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a 1.5 ounce shot of 80-proof liquor.
Male Vs. Female Alcohol Consumption
Due to average physical, hormonal, and mental differences, the guidelines pertain to men and women. In this regard, it is recommended that men drink no more than two drinks a day and women have no more than one drink a day.
Furthermore, binge drinking calculates out to:
These calculations are based on typical body-mass indexes for both sexes and do not indicate either sex is dependent on or addicted to alcohol.
Binge drinking may stem from an underlying issue or a challenging time in someone’s life. However, if excessive drinking continues, it can indicate a developing alcohol dependency or addiction.
There are tips and tools available to help keep your drinking moderate and safe levels, and many of these start with your ability to track alcohol consumption.
Tips on How to Track Alcohol Consumption
It can be challenging to keep track of your alcohol intake, especially in social settings. However, there are measures you can take to ensure you are drinking responsibly.
These self-administered checks can help to avoid overindulgence and keep you safe.
Drink tracker cards are a simple way to track alcohol.
You can choose to print out the daily tracker or the weekly tracker, whichever is more appropriate to your habits.
Having drinks counter on hand when drinking can help keep you mentally aware of how many drinks you have in a single sitting.
Furthermore, if you feel comfortable tracking yourself in a social setting, you can ask for a sober adult, such as the bartender or designated driver, totally your drinks for you. Following these tips would allow your goals to be met while still enjoying yourself socially.
Tips to Track Alcohol
In addition to using a drink tracker, here are some small steps you can take to help balance yourself and drink responsibly:
Furthermore, you can mitigate yourself by avoiding “triggers” and knowing when to say “no.” These tips can be easier said than done. Still, part of curbing your drinking habits means knowing when your body has had enough and what things or people make you want to drink more than usual.
When is it Clear that I Have a Drinking Problem?
People often confuse drinking alcohol with alcoholism, fueling a stigma that isn’t true. Drinking alcohol is not inherently bad, but drinking out of moderation can cause physical, behavioral, and emotional damage. Furthermore, certain groups of people should not drink alcohol at all, which can cause serious health problems.
You shouldn’t drink alcohol if you are:
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What Can Indicate a Developing Problem?
Drinking alcohol affects everyone differently. However, changes in mood, behavior, and emotional reactions can indicate a developing problem.
Moreover, the signs that drinking is turning into a condition can be:
These are signs that someone close to them could recognize; however, outside relationships, such as coworkers, could recognize variations or progressions in a worsening situation.
Short and Long-term Health Risks of Alcohol Consumption
Short-Term Health Risks
In addition to the signs mentioned above, a developing alcohol condition’s symptoms can manifest through experiences.
For instance, if you or someone you know is experiencing increased alcohol-related accidents such as:
These are indications that their drinking is getting out of their control, and they are likely unable to quit drinking independently. If you or someone you know is experiencing more frequent alcohol-related accidents, consider reaching out to an addiction specialist for information about getting help.
Long-Term Health Risks
Over time, excessive drinking can eventually turn into an alcohol dependency or alcohol addiction.
Addiction is a disease that reconstructs the brain by manipulating regular brain activity to hunt for more of the addicted substance. Alcoholism can affect your heart, liver, brain, and pancreas.
Alcohol weakens the immune system, making it easy for infections and bacteria to make and keep you sick.
Other health complications can stem from excessive drinking, shutting down your body piece by piece.
Health complications that can occur are:
Additionally, a chronic brain disorder called “Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome” is a common occurrence among alcoholics.
The syndrome also referred to as “wet brain,” is a severe medical condition that requires intensive medical attention to treat.
Wet brain condition impacts your brain functionality and can result in tremors, coma, memory loss, an inability to make new memories, and fatal.
Alcoholism can take so much away from you. Utilizing tools like a drink tracker can help you to avoid unnecessary complications before they happen.
Being honest with yourself and practicing drinking responsibly can keep you out of harm’s way.
How and When to Get Help for Problem Drinking
People often deny their drinking problem, thinking that addiction won’t happen to them. As a disease, addiction can happen to anyone, at any time and any age. Regardless of your family’s medical history, addiction can grab anyone who feeds it enough.
Alcoholics must get treatment at the first sign of alcohol addiction or dependency to avoid permanent brain damage. Spotting alcoholic tendencies early on can be incredibly useful in steering clear of disease and illness.
Using your tools, and resources and remembering to track alcohol consumption is a fantastic way to stay healthy and safe while drinking responsibly.
Ready to seek help? Have questions about addiction treatment for a loved one? Give us a call at (888) 906-0952
The Importance of Staying Healthy and Drinking Responsibly
When drinking socially, it is essential to recognize when someone is encouraging irresponsible drinking. Not only can they hurt themselves, but engaging in excessive drinking with them can cause any number of accidents, including harm to yourself or others around you.
Limiting your alcohol intake by using the drinks counter and having a designated driver are critical components to maintaining health while enjoying yourself with friends or loved ones.
All it takes is one night of heavy drinking to cause irreparable damage, such as a drunk driving accident.
Drinking responsibly saves you from a future of hospitalizations and saves the lives of the people around you.
Protect yourself and others by staying safe, using your tools for drinking responsibly, and knowing when to say “no.”
Moving Forward
Not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic. There is nothing wrong with a legal-aged adult enjoying a drink now and then.
Using tools such as a drinks counter can help you track alcohol intake and keep your evening pleasant.
When the occasional drink starts to grow into a near-daily habit, you may be in the beginning stages of developing a dependency or addiction.
In this regard, your drink tracker card can help highlight changes in your drinking habits and alert you of a potential issue.
It’s perfectly acceptable to enjoy yourself, and an occasional drink is fine. However, even if a close family member has been drinking for years with no signs of addiction, that does not spare you the chance of developing an alcohol dependency or addiction.
Have fun, be safe, and please drink responsibly.
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Drug Addiction Effects on The Family [Guide]
Drug Addiction Effects on The Family [Guide]
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 19.7 million Americans suffered from substance abuse disorder in 2017. That’s 38% of adults in the country who struggle with drug abuse.
Drug abuse and addiction cost more than $740 billion annually in healthcare expenses, lost productivity, and crime. However, the ways drug addiction affects the family are incalculable and heartbreaking. Witnessing a family member in the clutches of addiction live with emotional, financial, legal, and medical trauma.
The physical, psychological, and emotional effects of drug abuse on families are staggering, even years after. Children and teens are especially vulnerable to the hazardous conditions of living with an addicted family member.
While help for your addicted loved one may seem unattainable, we are here to assist you. Rehab, intervention, and therapy are invaluable tools – call today at 1-888-906-0952. Learn how drug addiction affects the family and get help for yourself and your family.
At least 130 people die every day from opioid abuse in the United States. Don’t let yourself be one.
Table of Contents
Drug Addiction Affects the Whole Family
It is estimated that more than 8 million children under the age of 18 live with at least one adult who has a substance use disorder (SUD). The way a parent’s drug addiction affects the family is felt by parents and children alike. “Addiction is a family disease” is a common saying in the mental health and substance abuse field.
This negative impact often begins during pregnancy. Taking drugs while pregnant puts the mother’s health at risk (heart attack, stroke, respiratory failure) and affects her unborn child. Risks include congenital disabilities, premature birth, underweight babies, and stillborn births.
Other negative impacts of parental SUDs include:
The effects of drug abuse on a family vary with the type of drug the addict uses. Using drugs like marijuana or heroin can cause parents to become forgetful or neglectful. Meth is especially dangerous, especially if the parent is involved in its production.
Opioids can cause a parent to nod out, leaving their child unattended. Stimulant use, like cocaine, has an appetite-suppressing effect, which might lead to a parent forgetting to feed their kids. Cocaine also magnifies the intensity of emotional reactions so that a crying child might send a parent into a rage.
Most frightening, crack cocaine use can expose a child to the dangers of physical or sexual abuse. In general, trying to find or buy drugs can put kids into potentially dangerous circumstances.
The Impact of Addiction on Kids
The children growing up in a home with an addicted parent seem to have the cards stacked against them. This starts before their birth due to fetal drug syndrome. The negative effects of drug use by the mother may begin there.
However, the effects of parental drug use neither end there nor are the mother’s fault alone. The ways drug addiction affects the family, by either parent, contribute to children’s poor well-being.
Children in homes with SUD parent(s):
This list of negative effects of addiction on the family is by no means exhaustive, but it is daunting. Additionally, one lamentable result may include a social worker removing the child from the SUD home and placing him or her in foster care. While this may not be the ideal solution, the child’s health, security, and well-being should always come first.
How Substance Use Disorders Impact the Family
Two theories show the importance of understanding how SUDs impact the family: Attachment Theory and Family Systems Theory.
Attachment Theory:
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Family Systems Theory:
Gaining an understanding of what it’s like to live with an addicted family member is crucial.
Nevermore critical to easing a sufferer’s agony is the presence of someone saying “I know how you feel. Can I help?“
When a Parent Goes to Rehab
While treatment is always available, the recovery process presents unique concerns and difficulties. The ways that drug addiction affects the family are felt by all members, but especially by children. Confused by addiction, suffering from fear, and often living in unsanitary or unsafe conditions, children are the silent victims of how drug addiction affects the family.
It is vital that any addict, whether a parent or not, gets immediate drug addiction treatment. For a parent, the extra burden of what to do with their children adds to the stress and complications of finding that desperately needed treatment.
Making arrangements for children is a big reason why people delay going to treatment. If the addict is a single parent, the challenge intensifies. An additional fear may be losing a child to foster care – it can be difficult to get custody back. That situation is detrimental for the newly clean parent and traumatizing for the child.
Some childcare options to consider when a parent enters treatment:
Let your family begin the process of healing from addiction
Treatment is available to end addiction and begin the process of healing the family unit. Living with an addicted family member is a painful, miserable experience. Accredited treatment facilities are staffed by certified substance abuse specialists, including clinical and medical staff.
Individualized, customized treatment plans are created to fulfill clients’ physical, mental, social, medical, vocational, familial, and emotional needs. The plans also offer a healthy, compassionate atmosphere for addicts who want to begin recovering from addiction.
Treatment options for drug addiction include behavioral counseling, medication, and medical devices. These devices are used to treat withdrawal symptoms and treatment for co-occurring mental health issues. The first step of any recovery plan is detox, followed immediately by rehabilitation.
Inpatient or outpatient rehab is a decision the addict and the family must make. During treatment, clients learn how to cope with the physical and psychological results of dependency. They learn to acknowledge the emotions, locations, and people who encouraged their addictions.
Call Us Today
Contrary to common belief, drug abuse is an illness, not a choice, and should be treated as one. Addiction treatment can help with the effects of drug abuse on the family and the effects on the user.
Treatment helps a parent stop using drugs, stay drug-free, and be productive at home with the family, work, and society. Although this process could be lengthy and difficult, success is achievable.
Our recovery specialists offer various facets of recovery, targeting assessment, medical care, counseling, education, life skills coaching, and drug and alcohol testing. Along with relapse prevention training, introduction to self-help and support meetinand gs, treatment of mental disorders, and emotional issues.
Services include family education and counseling, as well as follow-up care. Please call today to discuss your addiction options and get healthy for yourself and your family.
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Social Media Influence on Substance Abuse For Teens
Social Media Influence on Substance Abuse For Teens
Social media is now a seemingly ingrained part of our lives. And as for teens, whether they are at home, work, in school, shopping with friends, or visiting family for the holidays, their eyes are frequently fixed on their screens.
The good part of this is that we’re more connected to each other than ever before. The bad is that social media connections aren’t the same as socializing in real life.
When teens spend crazy amounts of time on social media, it can heighten the chances of negative influences coming through and touching their lives. Of those negative influences, addiction and substance abuse is included.
Social media serves as the primary authoritative figure for essentially anything and everything: advertising a slogan, marketing a client’s product, issuing the name of a new organization, and circulating the latest celebrity gossip.
The list goes on. Given how widespread and dominant social media is, it makes sense why it is one of the biggest influencers on youths: their fashion, taste in music, lifestyle choices, and career paths.
Though social media can encourage many good behaviors and deeds, it can also encourage bad behavior. An explicit example of this is media references to drugs and alcohol that glamorize substance abuse.
Are you worried that your teen is soaking in social media’s influence on substance abuse? Call us today at 1-888-906-0952. We can get you started with the information you need to help your child understand drug dangers.
Table of Contents
Substance Abuse in Teens
Substance abuse is characterized as a precarious pattern of misusing any substance. Substance misuse often leads the user to become obsessive and dependent, creating a ripple of hostile behavior or changing their character.
Substance use is damaging to any age, but especially for those who are underage. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, those who engage in underage substance abuse are more likely to suffer from the consequences.
This includes engaging in risky behavior, suffering from a serious injury (mentally or physically), contracting health problems (short-term or long-term), and further using substance materials at a more dangerous rate.
Numbers in School:
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco are most commonly used by adolescents. By 12th grade, approximately 67% of students have tried alcohol. Roughly half of 9th to 12th-grade students report having used marijuana.
About 40% of 9th through 12th-grade students report having tried cigarettes, and, lastly, among 12th graders, approximately every 2 in 10 reports using prescription medicine without a prescription.
Moreover, though it is against the law to consume alcohol before the age of 21, studies show that adolescents between the ages of 12 and 20 ingest approximately 10% of all consumed alcohol in the United States.
Social Media Influence on Substance Abuse
The correlation between social media influence on substance abuse is uncanny. Yes, it is not unheard of for teenagers to experiment with drugs and alcohol. However, just because it is not unusual does not mean it should be encouraged or is worth promoting.
Social media platforms and websites (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr) take advantage of their influence on teens in many ways. The most insidious of these is that they invite teens to experiment and, ultimately, be exposed to dangerous substances. List a few, such materials include alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes, and other illicit drugs.
When teens see or become exposed to such material, they become susceptible to its influence and harmful effects. This stems from a desire to emulate the glamor or excitement they see on social media.
Celebrities, brand-name companies, influencers, friends, and even relatives are responsible for their influence on the younger generation. When teenagers watch or witness their friends, relatives, favorite celebrities, influencers, or brand-name companies participate in this behavior, it begins to standardize the action appropriately.
Conducted Studies:
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University conducted a study on teenagers who use well-known social media outlets. In their study, the researchers found that more students were likely to drink, use drugs, and buy tobacco than adolescents who either did not use social media or used it less frequently.
The survey asked 2,000 adolescents about their drug use and social media habits, and 70% said that they use social media every day. Researchers found that, compared to nonusers or infrequent users of social media, this group was:
According to a study conducted by the Center on Addiction, teenagers who frequently visit social media sites depicting images of “kids that are drunk, passed out, or using drugs” are more likely to engage in tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use.
Roles of Communities and Schools
Social media imposes a powerful role in the daily life of teens. They are perpetually attached: eyes to screen and fingers are scrolling up and down. Whenever a student is feeling down, one of the first things they will do is go on their social media outlet and search for something to comfort them: an image of their favorite quote or something from the past.
Maybe they search for a distraction to keep their head away from what is bringing them down. Perhaps they are looking to contact someone on their social media. In a way, one could say social media helps shape today’s teens in more ways than anyone could imagine.
Social media influences teens on alcohol and drugs with enormous ease. To keep up, other vital roles that play a part in a student’s life need to step up.
Community
One of the other primary roles that play a part in shaping today’s teens is the community. This includes family, friends, neighbors, and relatives. People who are constantly interacting, seeing, and visiting each other are the ones who deeply care about one another.
If a parent or guardian is aware that their teen is intrigued by watching their classmates or other people use drugs or drink, they should consider getting involved. Genuinely approach the student with concern and compassion.
Sit them down and ask open-ended questions about substance use. Why are they watching those videos? What makes it cool? Do they know the harmful effects of using substances like alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and marijuana?
Have they ever attempted to or did use them? While it may feel awkward, asking your teen questions like this is an excellent way to show you care. It could also give them a chance to understand the dangerous path they’re on.
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School
A second primary role that plays a part in shaping today’s teens is school. A teenager’s school is most likely associating with others who share the same interests, including substance abuse.
Concurring conservation notions of human development discuss that adolescent behavior, including substance use, is influenced by immediate social settings (friends) and distant settings (schools).
A student’s community and the people they surround themselves with play just as much of an influence and role in their lives, which will help shape them and their behavior.
Call us today to discuss your teen’s substance abuse problems.
Creating a Safe Place Online For Teens
Keeping teens safe online and away from media references to drugs and alcohol is difficult. They typically want their social lives to be private, which is a natural part of growing up. As teens get older and begin to mature, the more privacy they will want.
Because of this, parents or guardians often withdraw themselves from monitoring their social media use. Adults usually trust their teens to be conscious of what they search or watch online.
Though the notion makes for some uncomfortable conversations, parents must monitor their teens’ social media use. How else can you be aware and respond to a teen visiting social media channels or websites that encourage substance abuse?
However, this doesn’t mean you should spy on them. The best thing you can do is talk to your teen and listen to what they say. Please pay attention to the things they like, the people they follow, and the channels they watch. You can do your own research at that point without making your teen feel like you’re violating their privacy.
Important to note that there are also some very good guides on internet safety for kids and teens.
Discuss It
Maintaining good and open communication between parents and teens is vital to keeping them safe from social media influence on substance abuse outlets.
Make them aware of the threats that are continuously surging the internet and teach them how to avoid them. Teach them the damage and many harmful effects that are associated with and linked to substance use. How can we expect today’s teens to know what is safe and not if we are unwilling to teach them?
Lay Down Ground Rules
To better prevent social media influence on substance abuse, one should consider creating a set outline of online behavior rules and expectations. Build a list of websites that are both prohibited and safe for them to visit. Have them keep you in the loop of their social media. It’s also not a bad thing to remind teens of practicing safety when going on the internet.
Such practices include not sharing any personal information (address, phone number, or full name), not allowing anyone else to use their device (cell phone, tablet, or laptop) while still logged in to their accounts, not to converse or accept friend requests from strangers, not to download anything without first asking permission from a parent or guardian, and do not post or share inappropriate photos online.
Install Protection
To help limit teens’ interaction with social media and drugs, parents can install parental control apps. This is a form of protection that continuously proves effective by preventing teens and students from accessing content and websites that would be harmful or inappropriate.
Watch for Social Media Influence on Substance Abuse
Substance abuse is not something that will benefit a teen – no parent wants to see their child addicted to anything. Substance abuse hurts both the user and those around them, for adults and adolescents alike.
Today’s teens should not have to think they have to use substances to be considered cool. They should never feel like using a drug or drinking alcohol will make their life better, less painful, or stressful. Their favorite celebrities, influencers, and role models should be more conscious of posting images or videos of themselves engaged in substance abuse, especially if they have younger fans.
If you or someone you know is using any substance material or is suffering from substance abuse, please call 1-888-906-0952. Do not let the influence of social media have more authority over today’s teens or their parents.
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4 Things That Make the Phoenix Recovery Scene so Amazing
4 Things That Make the Phoenix Recovery Scene so Amazing
There’s not a city in America untouched by addiction. The statistics are grim: Drug overdose is the leading cause of death for Americans under age 50, the Drug Policy Alliance reports, and one in eight American adults is an alcoholic, according to the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.
In fact, your odds of dying from an opioid overdose are greater than dying in a car crash, the National Safety Council reports.
There is good news — amid all this tragedy in towns big and small, there are also thriving communities of people recovering from addiction. And perhaps nowhere is the recovery scene more robust than in Phoenix, Arizona.
What makes the Phoenix recovery scene so awesome?
We have four excellent reasons why you should get sober in the Valley of the Sun.
Table of Contents
1. Lots of Treatment Options
There are dozens of drug and alcohol treatment centers in Phoenix and the surrounding towns. Treatment centers in Arizona must be licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services and meet their strict guidelines for operation.
If you want help for addiction, you can find it in Phoenix.
2. Many Recovery Fellowships
Peer-based support is vital to recovery. In many parts of the country, it’s not unusual for people to only have access to one or two of the larger 12-step fellowships. Phoenix, however, is home to a preponderance of groups and support systems — we literally have something for everyone:
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3. ‘We Absolutely Insist on Enjoying Life’
But we aren’t a glum lot. If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence, they wouldn’t want it. We absolutely insist on enjoying life. Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 132
If there’s one thing Phoenix has locked in, it’s fun in sobriety. In fact, the local fellowships host so many events, it’s not uncommon for there to be several recovery-based things to do over the course of any given weekend.
There is zero reason to be bored in recovery in Phoenix.
4. A Robust Sober Living Community
People come from all over the country not only for inpatient treatment in Phoenix but to enter sober living facilities, too.
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Coronavirus Impact on Addiction
Coronavirus Impact on Addiction
COVID-19 otherwise known as the Coronavirus began its spread at a seafood market in Wuhan, China. It has now arrived to spread in the United States, with the CDC reporting 4,226 confirmed positive patients in the country. The death toll of the US has reached 75, as this virus is especially dangerous for the elderly and immunocompromised.
People are making personal sacrifices across the globe to slow the spread of coronavirus. Schools, malls, movie theaters, sports seasons, and restaurants have temporarily closed. We’re washing our hands and cleaning surfaces more than ever, as well as not touching our faces.
The American Society of Addiction Medicine has already released Coronavirus guidelines on recommended precautionary steps to take to protect patients.
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Is it Safe to go to Treatment?
If you are facing a drug and alcohol addiction problem right now, it’s natural to wonder if it is in your best interest to pursue treatment during this outbreak. No matter what, it is always a wise decision to get help for a drug and alcohol addiction.
Treatment centers will continue to diligently follow ASAM Coronavirus precautions. Furthermore, during these times of uncertainty, we’re diligently monitoring the latest information from the World Health Organization and CDC.
The health and safety of staff and patients is the highest priority.
Protect Yourself
The World Health Organization advises every country’s citizens to be diligent in the following:
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Coronavirus Precaution Measures for Addiction Treatment Providers
Lipi Roy, MD, MPH suggests the following coronavirus precautions at addiction treatment facilities:
Don’t Let Coronavirus Stop You From Making a Positive Change
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Complications of Meth and Heroin Use in Treatment
Complications of Meth and Heroin Use in Treatment
Almost 22 people out of every 100,000 died of a drug overdose in 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s 22 too many, especially considering that addiction is a manageable disease.
However, a University of Washington Health Sciences clinician, Judith Tsui recognized that a polydrug addiction was obstructing her treatment efforts. She began to question whether there are complications of meth and heroin use in treatment.
This information is critical because the rates of overdose on these substances are substantial. In 2017, a whopping 47,600 men and women died of an opioid overdose. Another 10,333 died of a psychostimulant overdose. Overall, about 5,000 died of an overdose of a combination of opioids and psychostimulants, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
A common example of psychostimulants and opioids is meth and heroin. Evidence has proven that treatment can lead to the recovery of each addiction. In fact, “policymakers and healthcare system leaders. . .are beginning to embrace recovery as an organizing framework for approaching addiction as a chronic disorder from which individuals can recover,” said the surgeon general’s report.
“So long,” it continues, “as they have access to evidence-based treatments and responsive long-term supports.” Although addictions to each of these substances are manageable, there are often complications of meth and heroin use in treatment. In other words, a polydrug addiction to meth and heroin can make recovery harder.
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What Does This Mean for People Addicted to Meth and Heroin?
Tsui and her colleagues needed to know more about this. They were concerned about the number of patients dropping out of treatment after she gave them buprenorphine. She was using buprenorphine to treat their opioid addiction, but it didn’t help their meth addiction.
She and her colleagues conducted a large study of 799 people. As a result, it produced the same conclusion. Tsui explained, “Methamphetamine use was associated with more than twice the risk for dropping out of treatment for opioid-use disorder.” Accordingly, it’s critical to treat patients for both addictions for successful recovery. Tsui agrees.
“The next step is to build into treatment models how we can help those patients who struggle both with opioids and methamphetamines to be successful,” she said. This is especially important because police officers in the West Central regions of the U.S. have reported that meth is making a comeback in their areas.
Although it’s hard to understand why it’s harder for patients to overcome a polydrug-use disorder. Tsui surmises that they perceive it as a necessity. “A substantial proportion of these patients are homeless and may use meth to stay awake at night just to stay safe and keep an eye on their belongings,” Tsui noted.
Is Recovery from Meth and Opioid Use Impossible?
Although clinicians need to conduct more studies, Tsui and her team suspect that the answer is in the use of buprenorphine for opioid addiction. They’re interested in learning more about how to approach treating addiction to methamphetamine and opioids.
However, that doesn’t make recovery from meth and opioid addiction impossible. In other words, you can receive effective treatment for this polydrug addiction today. Choose a reputable substance abuse treatment center.
While buprenorphine is an evidence-based medicine for heroin addiction, no similar medicines exist for meth addiction. That’s because clinicians haven’t been able to develop one yet. Consequently, it can be more difficult to remain in treatment for patients addicted to meth and opioids.
Addiction doctors can treat the symptoms of meth abuse, withdrawal, and recovery with what’s available now. With NIDA funding research into this very subject, pharmaceutical solutions are imminent for meth addiction.
For example, clinicians are studying the following:
Clinicians are also studying alternative non-pharmaceutical treatments for meth abuse:
Meanwhile, addiction professionals have helped countless people overcome the disease without these methods.
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How Can People Using Meth and Heroin Stop?
People with polydrug addictions may find recovery more difficult than those with one. But that doesn’t mean it’s hopeless. In fact, many people were addicted to both with success stories today. That means that with qualified and experienced treatment, you can overcome any addiction.
According to NIDA, a qualified treatment program for a meth and heroin addiction must include the following:
You don’t have to “feel ready” to overcome a meth and heroin addiction. Treatment helps you overcome the denial that hinders that feeling. Getting help before you’re ready, may head off any serious consequences you may otherwise experience.
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What is it Like to Live with a Drug Addicted Family Member?
What is it Like to Live with a Drug Addicted Family Member?
There may be nothing more stressful than living with an addicted family member. It doesn’t matter what drug they are addicted to. While the drugs they use may be different from family to family, their behaviors are very similar.
When you live with a family member who abuses drugs, and things are at their worst, you have to remind yourself you’re not alone. No one chooses to be an addict. You also need to realize it’s going to take more than wishful thinking to help you and your drug-addicted family member. But you can find a solution that works.
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How Widespread is Drug Addiction?
Statistics on drug abuse in the United States are staggering. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, over 17 million adults are suffering from alcoholism. Almost 15 million people abuse marijuana, while almost 3 million people have a cocaine addiction.
Methamphetamines and Ecstasy have over 1 million addicts, and over 7 million people are suffering from prescription drug addictions. Drug abuse continues to grow in the United States. With that growth comes more family members being impacted by drug abuse.
How Do You Deal with an Addicted Family Member?
You’re never able to make a deal with an addicted family member. Addicted family members don’t deal back even if you try. The addicted family member will take advantage of almost any type of comfort or positive reinforcement you give them.
As they continue to take advantage of every offer you give them, you find yourself becoming an enabler. You want to believe them every time they tell you they’ll quit using drugs and that this time it will be different.
It will never work until your addicted family member gets help. You also need to seek help through support groups with other families who have had a similar experience. Drug interventionists call denial part of the drug abuse cycle.
Being part of a drug abuse cycle means you may not be addicted to drugs, but because a family member is, you’re in the drug abuse cycle with them. You stay impacted by their drug abuse unless you and your family member seek a drug intervention, so you can both follow a new path.
It’s also important to understand the various myths that exist about addiction. These are myths that hold families back from actually helping their loved ones.
Families Who Rationalize Not Seeking Help for Their Drug-Addicted Family Member
Most of the time, families go from crisis to crisis when they have a family member who suffers from drug addiction. Families have no idea what to do or where to go when this happens.
Families often end up in an endless holding pattern where the drug-addicted family member promises to quit using drugs. The family member wants to believe this time will be different, but they often watch their family member go right back to using again.
One fear that holds a family member hostage to inaction is that they see the impact the family member’s drug addiction has on them. It’s the belief that making no decision and hoping things will improve is better than making the wrong decision. Unfortunately, not doing anything and believing that your family member can and will seek treatment in most cases is not a realistic possibility.
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Finding Out Addiction is Controlling Your Family Member’s Life
You may tell yourself you’re not codependent or enabling your drug-addicted family member. If you have taken on the role of the caretaker by paying a bill, so they don’t lose their apartment, electricity, or something else, you’ve become a caretaker.
You’ve taken on the role of a caretaker if you’ve made excuses for their boss, so they don’t lose their job when they don’t go to work. You’re a caretaker if you’ve picked them up when they were too high or drunk to get home. Sometimes it’s as hard to break a codependent relationship, as it is to be addicted. But it can be done.
How Do You Break a Codependent Familial Relationship?
When you’re deep into a codependent addiction within a familial relationship, there are many times you fear what will happen if things change between you and the addicted family member. Change is never comfortable, but it is necessary in this case.
You need to understand if things remain the same; things will change anyway. But it won’t be a change you planned or prepared for. An unplanned change happens when your drug-addicted family member has a run-in with the law, overdoses, or runs out of places to go.
It takes a lot of courage to ask for help if you suffer from addiction or if you’re a family member of an addict. There are places you can go to help you learn healthy tools in a step-by-step process for dealing with your drug-addicted family member. Success rates of addiction treatment are only as successful as the addicted person makes it.
Rehabilitation and recovery programs are the best chances a drug-addicted person has at recovery. Going through a rehabilitation process as a patient or a family member of a patient helps both of you. You learn about the new dynamics needed for successful family healing.
What’s Your Next Step?
Family members of drug-addicted people can’t wait until things get better tomorrow. But sometimes, when you’re dealing with addiction, tomorrow never comes. By learning how to stop being codependent with an addicted family member, you start forging a new path forward. By staying on this new path, you find a way to live your life in a healthy and fulfilling manner.
Break the cycle of drug addiction’s impact on your family. Understanding that addiction is a family disease and how it affects the entire family unit is critical. Find a treatment program that works for you, no matter what your drug-addicted family member decides to do.
Your future path doesn’t depend on what path your family member is on. It only depends on what path you’re on. That path certainly needs to be free of drugs and their impact on your life. Once you’re on that path, you’ll find out just how strong and able you are. You’ll find the life you’ve always deserved.
You can learn more about healing as a family unit here.
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5 Must See Ted Talks on Addiction
5 Must See Ted Talks on Addiction
Addiction is one of the biggest challenges facing both normal people and the government in our country. When you consider that nearly one in three people know someone addicted to drugs of some description, it magnifies the scale of the problem. However, there is hope to be found in the darkness.
People are becoming more open to discussing and solving the problem of addiction and this will make strides towards a better, safer future for everyone. Here, we look at five Ted Talks on Addiction, which can help us better understand and tackle this issue.
Table of Contents
Everything You Think You Know About Addiction is Wrong – Johann Hari
Johann Hari is a journalist who has traveled over 30,000 miles exploring drugs and addiction. He presents to the audience early on in his speech that many of us have actually been given pure heroin if we’ve undergone a serious operation. Do we all come out as junkies? No. This confronts the idea that people will get addicted to heroin just from taking a lot of it.
Why don’t many people get addicted to drugs? According to Hari, and research, he has studied, it’s because of our human bonds. We want to stay well for the connections in our lives, for the human bond.
He discusses how the war on drugs across the globe has criminalized addicts. People are made to feel alone, ashamed, unwanted, dirty, criminal. Then he discusses Portugal, who decriminalized drugs in 2000 and has seen enormous success in helping people get back to working and being part of their communities.
People need to be loved, to feel cared for, to know they’re not alone. This is the key to helping addicts – not sending them away or arresting them. Hari firmly believes we need to change how we act and feel towards addicts, across the board. This will help change the story.
The Critical Role Librarians Play in the Opioid Crisis – Chera Kowalski
Chera Kowalski is a librarian at the McPherson Library in Philadelphia, located in a low-income area with very little opportunity historically. She chose to work here – she knows the area and its endemic problems. She knew it was center to the city’s drug trade and drug use. She didn’t become a librarian to save lives.
However, she points out that public libraries are places that are all about community support. People come into the library all day long, seeking shelter, resources, a place of repose, or to do their homework.
McPherson Library is in a park, and the staff had to face an even bigger problem as the opioid epidemic grew. People came to buy drugs in the park and use them around the library.
Not only is Chera used to seeing people in various stages of opioid intoxication, but all the kids and teens who visit the library are too. The public toilet in the library even got blocked by discarded needles.
There have been overdoses inside and outside the library. All of this is reminiscent of Chera’s childhood. Her parents were heroin addicts. She constantly feared they would die. She has learned to use NARCAN and has saved lives with it. She knows the kids that see this think it is normal, but it shouldn’t be.
Her point is that the opioid epidemic isn’t just about users and their families – it affects the entire community that surrounds it. The reach of the epidemic impacts the entire community.
Addiction is a Disease. We Should Treat it Like One – Michael Botticelli
Director of Drug Policy for Barack Obama, Michael Botticelli was honest about his recovery, but there were still people who thought that it would affect his chances of getting that job, despite the fact he had been in recovery for 20 years. Michael is an alcoholic.
He’s also gay. He has seen how people fought to be heard, especially regarding the AIDS and HIV epidemic. He remembers when people blamed those with AIDS for being sick and wanted to separate them from others. He has seen how that has changed. The disease of AIDS may be eradicated in our lifetime.
Now he sees the disease of addiction. People are rude, derisive, speak with scorn about those with addiction. There’s a stigma like there once was with LGBT. Addicts are people too, they have faces and families, people that love them.
He discusses how someone with cancer will be treated; someone who has a heart attack will be rushed to the hospital. They have a disease, so do alcoholics and drug addicts. Decades of research has proven that addiction is a chronic medical condition.
The Affordable Care Act has changed things, but people need to change their views about addiction. He speaks about his own addiction because people are more than a disease. They need help, kindness, and compassion so that they can get help earlier and when they need it.
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In the Opioid Crisis, Here’s What it Takes to Save a Life – Jan Rader
Jan Rader is a firefighter and qualified nurse who lives and works in Huntington, West Virginia. She’s used to saving lives from burning buildings, fire accidents, and national disasters. When the opioid epidemic hit, suddenly she was trying to save more lives from drugs. In 2017, her community saw 831 overdoses and 183 deaths from overdose.
She asks people to think about what it’s like to have an addiction – to feel fragile and ashamed. Then imagine you overdose, someone calls 911 and you wake up to five or six strangers who have just plunged you into withdrawal by using naloxone.
You’re not grateful they saved your life – you’re defensive, angry. Then consider being the first responder who has just saved your life and how they feel, even though they may have actually saved you from overdose before. It creates a bad dynamic.
This community has changed the way they treat the opioid epidemic, from installing a Quick Response Team, a freestanding clinic devoted to opioid users and self-care for the firefighters. It has resulted in 50% fewer overdoses and 50% fewer deaths.
As she says, it takes a lot of people to save a life, not just once, but over and over. It takes a community effort and a change of approach. She hopes her community can show how to move forward – just listen and be kind.
How Isolation Fuels Opioid Addiction – Rachel Wurzman
What does it mean to be normal and what does it mean to be sick? Rachel Wurzman explores this question on a neurological level. She opens with how she suffers from Tourette’s Syndrome and even people who don’t have it can imagine it because your brain can give you similar experiences. Tourette’s Syndrome gives her involuntary tics, she calls them unvoluntary.
Then she asks where do we put opioid abuse on the spectrum of unvoluntary behavior? We already know that something about the way addiction is treated isn’t really working.
She talks about the brain’s autopilot, which is controlled by the striatum. It knows to trigger whatever behavior you have done most when confronted with the same conditions. We don’t choose to do things, we do what we have become programmed to.
The striatum has been closely connected with loneliness. Also, we have naturally occurring opioids in our brain and opioid-receptors. These react to pleasure. Loneliness makes our brain-hungry so that anything will satisfy it, even if that is opioids. People are becoming addicted more easily because they are lonely. People without good social connections are relapsing more.
We need deep emotional connections to keep the striatum healthy. Humans need to remember that they are human and build social connections, not online but in person. Wurzman believes, and her research backs it up, that we can heal ourselves and the others around us through proper connection.
Conclusion
Watching educational videos on addiction is vital for everyone in the community. Those who think they aren’t touched by addiction should keep an open mind. These Ted Talks on addiction show that society has a huge part to play in healing the opioid crisis. When people come together, keep learning and banish the stigma around addiction, then the numbers change for the better.
If you know someone who is suffering from addiction, listen, learn and help as much as you can. Reach out and contact us for professional help today.
Resources:
https://www.psychiatry.org/newsroom/news-releases/nearly-one-in-three-people-know-someone-addicted-to-opioids-more-than-half-of-millennials-believe-it-is-easy-to-get-illegal-opioids
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Stages of Alcoholism [Guide]
Stages of Alcoholism [Guide]
Struggling with alcoholism is not something that should be taken lightly. It can be incredibly dangerous to a person’s overall health and can lead to problems with their personal and professional relationships.
If you are struggling with alcohol and are worried you may be an alcoholic, it will be useful to learn which of the stages of alcoholism you’re in.
If you struggle with alcohol and have done so for a prolonged period, you might be considered an alcoholic. Though, it isn’t as simple as that – there are many other factors to consider.
Fortunately, alcoholism has been well-studied, and the disease has been split into three separate stages. While it may be uncomfortable to examine your potential addiction, these stages can guide you towards the right help.
If you or a loved one is struggling with alcoholism, we can help. Please, call us today at 1-888-906-0952 to access our immense resources. Together, we can help you find the right help so you can rid yourself of alcoholism for good.
Table of Contents
The Early Stage of Alcoholism
To be classified as an alcoholic, you need to have symptoms associated with the early stage. Though it is called an early stage, the risks here can still be damaging. One of the detriments in the early stage is that it can go unnoticed by you and the people around you. Because early-stage alcoholism can go unnoticed, you’ll be able to drink freely and develop a higher tolerance for alcohol.
A higher tolerance will lead you to drink more often while remaining functional. In this stage, you won’t appear to have difficulties with everyday duties while you’re drinking.
There are, however, a few detectable symptoms in the early stage.
If you have any of these symptoms, you might be in the early stage of alcoholism. It’s never too early to get help, even in the early stage. Pursuing help now can save you from progressing to the next stages of alcoholism: the middle.
If you want help with alcoholism, we can find it for you.
The Middle Stage of Alcoholism
The middle stage of alcoholism is where problems start to arise in your life. Your ability to function day-to-day deteriorates. In the early stage, you could drink and maintain your responsibilities – no one was the wiser. Once you’ve progressed to the middle stage, your performance at school or work will begin to wane.
This performance drop can come in many forms. Your absences might pile up, you might find yourself at odds with coworkers, and your personal hygiene might suffer. Additionally, you’ll start to have cravings when you go too long without a drink.
While it’s much easier to see you have a problem at this stage, here are some symptoms to look for.
Of the stages of alcoholism, the middle stage is a great place to get help. Getting sober now can save you from the end stage of alcoholism.
The End Stage of Alcoholism
The final of stages of alcoholism is the end stage. This is the end of the road in the progression of alcoholism. Most of what you will experience in the end stage directly links to a significant decline in physical and mental health. You have completely lost control because you have become obsessed, and your body needs alcohol.
End-stage alcoholism has such an intense hold over your body that you’ll need to drink to perform your daily activities. It could be the only way you’re able to fall asleep. With late-stage alcoholism, you might not even be sleeping – you could be passing out.
Trying to quit drinking at this stage is difficult. Your body has gotten so dependent on alcohol that you’ll suffer painful withdrawal symptoms. This can include shakiness and tremors, vomiting, agitation, and sometimes even psychosis or seizures. When coming off alcohol in this stage, it’s best to do it under medical supervision.
At this point, not getting treatment at this stage could cost you your life. You’re prone to a host of dangerous medical conditions from drinking: heart failure, fatty liver, hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, malnutrition, pancreatitis, respiratory infections, delirium, hallucinations, and brain damage.
However, since alcoholism has taken full control in this stage, you may not be receptive to treatment, even if you are aware of what’s at stake. If you believe you’ve reached this level of alcoholism, do not feel hopeless.
Alcohol addiction treatment programs will be able to treat you even if you are at this stage. Many people have been at this stage and have fully recovered, so there is no need for you to feel like it’s impossible to recover.
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Understanding Excessive Drinking and Its Risks
Regardless of the stages of alcoholism, you may find yourself in, you should know the dangers of excessive drinking. Heavy drinking is defined as more than four or more drinks on a given day.
Binge drinking also leads to excessive drinking, which is defined as consuming multiple drinks in a given hour: four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men.
It should be noted that excessive drinking doesn’t necessarily have to be a regular intake of alcohol every day; it could mean drinking a lot on one particular occasion. In either case, frequent excessive drinking is the start of the early stage of alcoholism.
Excessive drinking is responsible for a high quantity of deaths in the United States. Excessive drinking is responsible for 88,000 deaths in the United States each year, including 1 in 10 deaths among working-age adults (age 20-64 years).
It also accounts for a staggering amount of financial costs in the economy. In 2006, the estimated economic cost to the United States was $224 billion.
It can be shocking to see how damaging excessive drinking can be overall. By getting treatment, you are not only keeping yourself alive, which is most important, but you are helping in the reduction of economic spending. Even if you don’t think you’re in any of the stages of alcoholism, you should always be wary of too much drinking.
It’s Never too Late to Recover
If you are still unsure which of the stages of alcoholism you are in, that’s okay. Self-diagnosing isn’t recommended – it can lead you to underestimate the dangers of your lifestyle.
Instead, if you feel like you might be in any of the stages of alcoholism, consider reaching out for help. Addiction is a powerful beast to struggle with, and there’s no shame in admitting you need help in the battle.
There’s no reason to suffer alone. If you or someone you love is struggling with alcoholism, call us today at 1-888-906-0952. We have a vast network of treatment options and professionals ready to help you. A happy, healthy future is within your grasp – you only have to reach out.
Resources
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4 The Biggest Benefits of Sobriety
4 The Biggest Benefits of Sobriety
What are the benefits of sobriety? It’s clear that when you stop drinking alcohol, your life changes for the better. But those benefits aren’t always obvious to those who find themselves amid all-consuming alcohol addiction.
In this guide, we go over the many amazing benefits of quitting alcohol. We’ve got you covered if you need fuel to help you begin your journey.
Table of Contents
Benefit #1: Getting Sober Benefits Your Physical Health
One of the first benefits of sobriety is better health. When you drink alcohol or use harmful drugs, toxins begin to build up in your body.
The toxins alter some of the body’s functions and make it more difficult to quit. They increase so much that most addicts need to go through a medical detoxification process to get sober.
When the toxins are gone, recovery is much easier. While the detoxification process itself may sometimes be uncomfortable, the benefits are enormous. Getting the body back to normal means that the addicted person is practically free of chemical dependency and in a much better position to overcome their addiction.
Quitting alcohol will increase energy levels, improved mood, better sleep quality, clearer skin, better concentration levels, and weight loss.
“Drinking is linked to a host of diseases and cancers,” Dr. Andrew Thornber is quoted on the site, “so prolonged and excessive drinking can increase your chances of getting health complications.”
If you stop drinking, your liver will be able to recover, get rid of the excess fat, and start repairing itself.
According to an article on bustle.com, it only takes one month of sobriety to help your liver recover from some of the damage done by drinking.
A 2018 study found that after a month of sobriety, people showed lower levels of damaging liver enzymes than when the study started.
It has been established that long-term oxidative stress has been shown to play a role in liver disease, which can shorten life expectancy and make it hard for the body to eliminate toxins.
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Benefit #2: Getting Sober Helps Your Complexion and Physical Appearance
Is there such a thing as an “alcoholic face?” This term refers to the negative effects that alcohol has upon the skin.
Alcohol leads to dehydration, inflammation, lower collagen levels (which results in loose skin), broken capillaries on the face and nose, and jaundice (with chronic, long-term abuse).
Inflammation of the skin caused by alcohol can lead to blotchiness and redness of the skin.
The stereotype of the “red-nosed” alcoholic probably arises from this condition. Alcohol consumption has also been linked to the inflammatory skin disease psoriasis.
Psoriasis causes skin cells to multiply much faster than normal, causing the skin to build up into bumpy red patches covered with white scales. But when you stop drinking, the skin’s elasticity returns, and any discoloring around the eyes slowly disappears.
Most alcoholics suffer from either too much or too little sleep. That’s because alcohol interferes with your sleep-wake cycles, making it more difficult to fall asleep (and stay asleep) throughout the night.
According to the verywellmind.com site, “it also relaxes the muscles in the throat, making you more prone to sleep apnea and snoring.”
As a side note, alcohol is also a diuretic, helping to promote the creation of urine. This leads to getting up in the middle of the night to urinate.
Getting enough sleep is vital to anyone who wants to live a healthy lifestyle. If you want to get a good night’s rest, it’s best to do it naturally and not rely on alcohol. This one is another one of the benefits of sobriety that might make you truly consider starting recovery.
Benefit #3: Getting Sober Helps You Take Back Control of Your Life
The benefits of being drug-free don’t stop at the physical. Sobriety brings about better mental health habits as well. Heavy drinking can cause the hippocampus, a part of the brain critical to memory and learning, to shrink.
When a person quits drinking alcohol for several months to a year, they can help reverse the negative effects caused by drinking and restore the brain.
Some of the effects on thinking skills can include attention, memory, and problem-solving.
Along with restoration to the brain, quitting can also come with mental health benefits.
Perhaps one of the most important mental health benefits of eliminating dependence on drugs is the ability to control one’s own life through one’s own choices. An alcoholic or someone addicted to drugs does not have that ability.
You can think of addiction as a desire inside you that forces you to do things that you know will harm you and your family.
It’s possible to control that desire and get your life back into your own hands.
Benefit #4: Getting Sober Benefits Your Life and Relationships
You can learn to enjoy being sober. It’s possible because you can learn how to make better choices and enjoy the benefits of sobriety. Sobriety has been called the opposite of craving.
It’s true for all kinds of cravings, not just addictions. Sobriety means an understanding that you don’t need to give in to any craving to live a happy, fulfilled life. We all need to be under our power and negative and positive desires.
The long-term benefits of quitting drugs and alcohol include learning to put aside other things that hinder you during your lifetime. Think of all the good things that are eluding you because you need to feed your addiction.
Think of the relationships and personal accomplishments that could be yours if you got your life back on track. What are the long-term benefits of staying sober? Self-control and personal freedom are treasures we don’t appreciate until we lose them. Staying sober will keep those treasures close to you.
What do you gain from sobriety
Look, we know that staying sober is not easy. It would be dishonest to mention how getting sober requires grit, determination, and a strong support system.
However, the benefits of sobriety are well worth the effort.
When you are sober, you are more likely to be able to hold down a job, maintain healthy relationships, and take care of your responsibilities.
You will also have more energy and clarity of mind to pursue your goals and ambitions.
In short, sobriety can help you lead a happier, healthier, and more successful life. If you are struggling with addiction, know that there is hope for recovery.
With the right support, you can achieve sobriety and start enjoying all the benefits that come with it.
There are so many more Benefits of Sobriety! Are you ready to get sober?
Each of us needs a sense of balance to live a fulfilled life. It’s easy to see when someone else “goes too far” and begins to do harmful things to themselves or others. But it’s not always so easy to see it when we do it.
Recovery means understanding when we have lost balance in our lives. Recovery doesn’t solve all of our problems, but it helps us understand those problems better to make better choices.
Most people who are addicted are blind or indifferent to the problems their addiction is causing.
If you can see the problems, you can reach out for help. Avoiding alcohol can help you live and control your own life. Many long and short-term benefits of quitting drugs and alcohol exist.
Sources
[1] Web. MD
[2] NIH.gov
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