What Are the Effects of Alcoholism on Yourself and Family

Drinking effects both yourself and others. A great motivator is to think about how you want your life to be when you are older. What activities do you hope to be able to do when you get more free time? The effects on one’s liver and general health can really grow in time. If a group of people that are concerned about you held an Alcoholic Intervention and you’ve ignored it, take a little time to reflect on what they wanted you to hear.

Also, what are you missing now in your kids’ lives? You may be with them but the effects of alcoholism can make you less present than you’d be otherwise. They’ll sense you aren’t really participating. These years shape them and their choices in relationship partners, their self-esteem and belief in themselves.

I’ve had a lot of clients in my therapy practice that are children of alcoholics. Some drink and some don’t. Sometimes kids imitate their parents and end up in adolescent drug rehab. The ones that don’t drink all have stories and strong memories of their childhoods. They may not have resentment, but they talk about times when their recitals or sports games were skipped by their parent who was unable to go. Some also speak about how they didn’t really think they could acheive since their mom or dad didn’t do much with his or her life. This of course, isn’t always the case. Some kids decide to be opposite of their parents. They may though get involved with someone who has an addiction and they can be the savior in relation to.

Learn more about Effects of Alcoholism and break free by believing in your higher potential.

Doing an Intervention: Get Someone to Face the Truth

If you want to conduct an alcoholic intervention to help someone face their true situation, loss of quality of life and open a door to a new level of living, be aware that the person will probably be defensive, in denial, angry or any mix of the above. There is no one way to do it,and though in past interventions were done informally by friends and famlly, now there are people who wlll facilitate one formally if one wishes that.

I think it’s more effective to first try one without a professional and then a professional can always be involved if necessary in future. What is best is to have several close friends and family members (4-10 people). These should be people who care about the person and who don’t get into tons of knock down fights and arguments OR are actively drinking themselves.  If someone is very close to the drinker but always gets into tough confrontations, they can attend but should be on the quiet side to avoid it turning into a huge conflict. I find it’s more powerful if that person just sticks to the letter they wrote.

Each participant should write a one page letter and will go around the room and read it. This can be very emotional and often when we write we get into the love and concern we have for someone without the anger and judgments so this makes it a very good tool. When several are read, everyone is moved and hopefully the alcoholic himself.

Also please have a facility for rehab treatment lined up so that if the alcoholic is ready that can be an easy shift while his resolution is still strong to change. To delay things can bring up endless excuses unfortunately. Since you can’t just walk in to a rehab treatment center, it needs to be set up with them , with of course a discussion that the person may not be ready at the time.

Remember that love should be the primary focus as this is the most powerful force on earth. Firmness is needed too of course but without tons of criticism and negative judgements. It’s best for the person himself to reflect on the consequences of his actions and seeing that his life isn’t turning out the way he wishes, the alcohol doesn’t kill his pain and he’s lost many situations he wish he hadn’t. Expect him to make every objection in the book so be ready to meet these and emphasize why going to a rehab program is so important.

If somehow there is no ability to get the person to go, it can be helpful to get them to agree to go to AA locally and be able to tell them ways you won’t enable the person anymore (ie no more bail or jail or other ways of picking up the pieces). In many cases, the drinker in his heart of hearts is ready and knows that rehab will give him the sobriety is needs though fears.

Cole Puffinburger Abduction Tied to Drug Dealing Issues

It’s such a relief to see that Cole Puffinburger is okay after his kidnapping. It turns out now, they suspect that the three men who bound Cole’s mom and boyfriend and subsequently took the 6 year old, Cole, were trying to get back at Cole’s grandfather. The rumors are saying he was in a drug cartel that took millions of dollars from their operation.

The men posed as cops and seemed to be searching for money they believed to be stolen from them by the grandfather. They didn’t find money and Cole was taken. This is disturbing on many levels and remembering how drug use can affect kids’ lives is very important.

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Drug Recovery Account -Heroin Addiction and Jason Peter

Jason Peter talks about his heroin addiction with great honesty in Hero of the Underground.

For Jason it began by taking six pain pills when he hurt his knee as a freshman at the University of Nebraska which gave him a taste of things . Jason Peters’s loved being in the NFL and was a defensive lineman. But his career ended early despite his love for the game and then he tried to replace the high using a variety of drugs. Football was his life and purpose.

This is a compelling autobiography that shows both the passion he had for football and his journey into and beyond drug addiction once the dream was taken away from him.  After a number of shoulder and neck injuries, at 25 the football dream was gone. He was empty inside and wanted that vibrancy back again in some way. Jason even took 60 vicoden as a suicide attempt and it didn’t kill him.  In and out of rehab, Jason Peter found a program that worked for him. His autobiography is amazing and highly recommended.  Don’t give up on treatment programs. He found one that worked for him and his story is very inspirational . Give it to people you know so they can see that addiction can be transcended.

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Internet Addiction – Why Is It So Prevalent

Being online late at night is common and many people say that’s why they are tired at work or school the next day.  People may be addicted to different aspects of the internet- for some it’s porn, others like the support in various chat or internet forums on health or other subjects, online dating browsing, myspace and facebook chatting and other fascinations like gaming, videos on youtube and mindless surfing.

Some reasons that the internet is easier than other situations is that it you can be in the mode of a voyeur looking or if you are chatting or doing IM it can be a quick exchange involving none of the responsibility of an ongoing face to face daily relationship. People commisserate about the burdens of their families, school work, job pressures etc. There may be more support from people who don’t see you day to day, see your weaknesses etc.

There is a certain kind of control on the net where you can jump from site to site and not be stuck in a situation like a 3 hour party or a family gathering etc.  So is what we really get addicted to a life of being able to dip in and out of situations, watch without consequences and get the juicy side of life without the difficulties?

Mackenzie Phillips in Rehab- Heroin at Lax Airport

Mackenzie Phillips was caught with both heroin and cocaine at Lax airport and is now at a rehab facility (name was not disclosed). Her drug charges are a felony but the arraignment is in October. The bail was 20,000 dollars.

It must’ve been hard growing up with the notoriety of the Mama and the Papa’s group (John Phillips was her dad). Mackenzie was also known for her role on “One Day At A Time”. She’s been in rehab in the past. I wish her well and know it is hard with a history.

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Martin Sheen against Proposition 5 for Addiction

What does everyone think about Martin Sheen feeling jail time may be a better threat for addicts? He does know first hand due to his own drinking struggles and witnessing his son Charlie’s drug issues the problems and temptations from the inside.

He feels that having the threat of jail time can increase one’s motivation to change and stop drug and alcohol indulgences. The proposition 5 would have a treatment option vs jail time. Some feel consequences are the best incentive to change. I think change happens when someone is really sick of their life.

What is it that makes someone finally change? What leads to that ah-ha moment that your life is being thrown away otherwise? Visit Drug Recovery Help

Celebrities Use Popular Drug for Weight Loss

The Daily News mentioned in March that celebrities are now indulging in ADHD for weight loss. I see kids in counseling that need adhd for problems with concentration in school and impulse control in the classroom. They often mention they don’t have an appetite for lunch.

It is really horrifying to hear about this drug being now used by celebrities as a way to lose weight. Also celebrities party and may be mixing this with drinks and other drugs and this can be quite dangerous. Most kids that take adhd do not administer the drug for themselves and they instead are given it by their parents and in fact may take it reluctantly. They are not mixing it with other drugs or indulgences and truly need it for school performance and behavior control.

Of course, actors, musicians and celebrities feel a pressure to look a certain way and constantly keep their status. A lot of this is societal pressure and the trends of our times but nonetheless, there are sensible diets as well as ways to combine exercise and nutrition to still look good. This plan many find helpful: How to Lose Weight Intelligently- CLICK HERE

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Cold Sores and Beer

In case you need another reason to get motivated to stop drinking, there’s some interesting information about cold sores.

“Dr. Mindell also points out that certain foods may trigger Cold sores because they contain arginine, an amino acid that the herpes virus needs to thrive. Arginine-rich foods include cola, chocolate, peanuts and cashews, gelatin, beer and peas. So if you’re prone to Cold sores, Dr. Mindell advises that you limit your intake of these foods—and eliminate them completely during an outbreak. “

Evidently, beer is rich in l-argine and that is going to make your amino acid off which can lead to a breakout. The body doesn’t produce lysine. I find that when I eat peanut butter I break out on my lower lip with a cold sore.

Cold Sore Natural Remedy – CLICK HERE

Alcohol and Yeast Infections

We know that excessive alcohol can damage your social life, career and family situation but it also can give you a yeast infection!  Certain foods such as breads, mushrooms and refined sugars contain yeast or fungus that some people will react to in the form of candida or a yeast infection. Wine and beer are also in this class.

Also drinking too much alcohol can create liver problems which then can result in a yeast infection. If you already have a yeast infection, you can feel very intoxicated by a small amount of alcohol or very light headed. Read more about Yeast Infection Symptoms and keep in mind that if you know someone that drinks, they may be motivated to stop by not wanting a yeast infection problem  . Sometimes vanity is a great motivator!