Alcohol Abuse, Alcoholism and Recovery
There tends to be a lot of confusion in the field of substance abuse treatment as to what Alcohol Abuse is as compared to Alcoholism. At Narconon we make it very simple. Alcohol is a drug. A small amount acts as a stimulant, a larger amount acts as a sedative and too much of it will kill you dead. As with any other drug alcohol's effect is primarily dependent up the quantity that is consumed, and the quantity and effects it has on the body determine level of addiction or abuse.
How alcohol effects the body is determined by: The amount of alcohol taken and the timeframe in which it was consumed The user's body tolerance level due to previous alcohol consumption How often the person drinks alcohol Whether the person is consuming alcohol with other drugs. Many prescription drugs have possible lethal side-effects when consumed with alcohol.
The Effects of Alcohol on the Body
The following Blood Alcohol Concentration Table shows the progressive effects as greater quantities of alcohol are consumed. The left-hand column lists the number of milligrams of alcohol in each decilitre of blood - that is, the blood alcohol concentration, or BAC. (For example, an average person may get a blood alcohol concentration of 50 mg/dL after two drinks consumed quickly.) The right-hand column describes the usual effects of these amounts on normal people - those who haven't developed a tolerance to alcohol.
Blood Alcohol Concentration (mg/dL) Effect:
| BAC (mg/dL) | Alcohol Effects: |
|---|---|
| 50 | Feeling of warmth, skin flushed; impaired judgment; decreased inhibitions |
| 100 | Obvious intoxication in most people. Increased impairment of judgment, inhibition, attention, and control; Some impairment of muscular performance; slowing of reflexes |
| 150 | Obvious intoxication in all normal people. Staggering gait and other muscular incoordination; slurred speech; double vision; memory and comprehension loss. |
| 250 | Extreme intoxication or stupor. Reduced response to stimuli; inability to stand; vomiting; incontinence; sleepiness |
| 350 | Coma. Unconsciousness; little response to stimuli; incontinence; low body temperature; poor respiration; fall in blood pressure; clammy skin |
| 500 | Death likely |
From Alcohol Use to Alcohol Addiction
Sometimes drug rehabilitation programs try to classify drinkers by their behaviors into alcohol abusers vs alcoholics. They often say that alcohol abuse symptoms include drinking to relieve stress, neglecting responsibilities, drinking that causes physically dangerous situations, drinking that causes legal situation, relationship troubles or simply drinking to relax. At the same time symptoms of alcoholism include all the above, just that these episodes happen with more intensity and frequency and that the person has basically lost control of handling problems any other way.
Any effective rehabilitation program must start by looking at the common denominator of all alcohol use: the problems in a person's life that they are trying to solve. Be it a stressful job or relationship, boredom, bad life situations, handling the problems that life throws at them, these problems lie at the root of their desire to drink. By the time someone drinks to excess regularly, they have become very good at not confronting the problems or pain they have had, that alcohol was sought out to cure. As they drink more, they have started to build up a tolerance to alcohol, and as they drink more and slowly cover up the original problems, new physical and emotional problems arise.
The main characteristics of alcohol addiction are withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms start when the body has become so used to the toxic amounts of alcohol, that the body gives off signals when the addict doesn't ingest any more or their regular amount. Common withdrawal symptoms include: shaking or trembling, sweating, nausea, anxiety, headaches, insomnia, depression, irritability, loss of appetite and fatigue. Withdrawal from alcohol can become so severe that people may experience hallucinations, confusion, seizures and fever. These symptoms can be dangerous, so talk with your doctor if you are a heavy drinker and want to quit.
Alcoholism is defined as a primary disorder characterized by some loss of control over drinking, with habituation or addiction to the drug alcohol, causing interference in any major life function, e.g. health, family, job, spiritual, friends, legal.
Ending Alcohol Addiction
The Narconon Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Program has been helping alcoholics recover for over 40 years. Alcoholism is a treatable condition and there are thousands of former alcoholics who can attest to the fact that alcoholism can be cured.
While prolonged alcohol abuse almost always results in alcohol addiction it is not incurable. Alcohol addiction incorporates the psychological as well as the physical need for regular alcohol consumption. The Narconon program addresses both the physican and mental aspects of addiction and handles both areas so that the addict can regain their freedom over alcohol.
Once addicted, sudden cessation of drinking can bring about dangerous withdrawal symptoms, which need to be handled with effective alcohol withdrawal techniques. Over 40 years ago when Narconon first started giving vitamins to withdrawing alcoholics, traditional rehabilitation programs said that was not necessary. Now vitamin supplements, especially the B-Vitamins, that Narconon has been using for over 40 years, have become the staple for Emergency Room "Banana Bags" commonly given to stabilize alcohol addicts in Emergency Rooms across the U.S.
The Steps to Successful Alcohol Recovery
At Narconon Drug Rehabilitation Centers, we believe that it is possible to recover from alcohol addiction, just like recovery is possible from any other drug, To accomplish this, we use a highly successful, holistic method of drug rehabilitation that treats the entire person, physically, mentally, socially and spiritually, not just the areas that are acutely affected by dependence. By taking this comprehensive approach, we are able to help our clients identify and handle the root causes that led to their substance abuse problems in the first place. Getting to the reasons that had the addicts start using alcohol in the first place allows them to start gaining the skills they need to lead sober and fulfilling lives. The addict soon realizes that they can be in control of their lives and no longer need to escape into compulsive and destructive behaviors like addiction.
The Narconon program is a long-term inpatient drug and alcohol treatment center and our clients move through treatment phases only when they have achieved all of the goals laid out. For more information on recovery from any type of addiction, contact Narconon today. We have certified Addiction Specialists standing by to help. Call Narconon East US at (877) 237-3307.