Maybe after hearing about Alcohol Awareness for a whole month, you’re ready to do something about the alcoholism in our country. To take some action. Sometimes the problems of drug abuse and alcoholism in the world are overwhelming, and we may not feel qualified to do anything about it. But the good news is that there are things we can do that will make a difference.

Help Your Community

First of all, you can participate in Alcohol Awareness activities in our areas. Alcohol Awareness month is recognized nationally, and many state and local governments also observe it through events and activities. Parades, educational campaigns, activities for kids, rallies, and pledges are only some of the ways people choose to celebrate this month. More information can be found through your local chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous, or the state or federal health department. These organizations are usually looking for citizens to help out with their campaigns, or to help plan and host events. You can get involved with an annual program already established, or you can work with authorities, schools, churches, or community groups to plan your own event. It is important to get the word out about the dangers of alcohol abuse and alcoholism, to work on prevention techniques, and to connect individuals with treatment when necessary.

Help Your Loved Ones

Secondly, you can be aware of friends or loved ones that may be struggling with alcohol abuse or alcoholism. You aren’t helping anyone out if you turn the other way and ignore someone’s alcohol abuse. A good friend will take the time to have a positive conversation with someone about their drinking habits. You can lovingly tell your friend or family member that you are concerned about them, and offer to help in any way. Then you can encourage them to get treatment, and stand behind them as they work their way toward sobriety.

Help Yourself

Thirdly, you need to look at yourself and your drinking habits. It’s not normal to need a drink every day, or to binge drink occasionally. It is dangerous to drink and drive, or to get involved with risky trends while drinking. Drinking can impair judgment and it can cause people to do things they normally wouldn’t do. It may cause you to lose your temper with your spouse or children or hurt the people that you love. Alcohol can cause you to feel depressed and can mess with your thoughts and emotions. While drinking in moderation is a fine past time for many, for others, alcohol is a toxin that poisons their behavior and life, causing terrible side effects. If you’ve been abusing alcohol, now is the time to come clean. You may not be able to help every person you encounter that abuses alcohol, but you can help yourself. Get treatment today and start planning for a better future.

Sources

Activities for Colleges

SAMHSA

Alcoholics Anonymous

As we’ve talked this whole month, there are many people in our country that abuse alcohol. There are an estimated 14 million alcoholics or alcohol abusers in the United States. But let’s not be so blind to our own actions that we see the alcohol problems around us and forget to look at ourselves. This week, let’s take a long, hard look at our alcohol tendencies, and find out if there is something we need to take care of in our own lives. The questions below will help us determine whether or not we have a drinking problem. For more questions like these, see the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test.

1. Do I have a hard time stopping after 1 or 2 drinks? The recommended guidelines are 2 drinks per day for men and 1 per day for women. Someone who binge drinks is abusing alcohol and putting themselves at risk.

2. Can I go one day without a drink? Alcoholics are dependent on alcohol; therefore they cannot go a day without alcohol or they will suffer serious withdrawal symptoms.

3. Do I drink when lonely, upset, or stressed? Self-medicating with alcohol is a sign of instability, and can lead to alcoholism, depression, and other mental health problems.

4. Do I feel the need to hide my drinking habits? When we know we are abusing alcohol, we may want to keep loved ones from finding out. We may tend to withdraw from people that will look down on our behavior.

5. Do I ever lose consciousness or blackout when drinking? Drinking large amounts of alcohol can cause blackouts as the alcohol effects the body.

6. Do I drink at improper times, or sneak alcohol in where not permitted? Someone that cannot go without alcohol will find ways to sneak it and consume it even when inappropriate.

7. Do I ever drink and drive? There were 17,000 traffic fatalities last year caused by people abusing alcohol.

8. Do family members or friends voice concern about my drinking? Sometimes we can’t see things clearly ourselves, but the concern of a loved one may be accurate.

9. Does my drinking interfere with work or family? As alcohol takes over a person’s life, other things don’t seem as important.

10. Do I think I have a drinking problem? Sometimes it is something we feel deep down and don’t acknowledge out loud.

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you may have an alcohol problem. Both alcoholism and alcohol abuse are serious and can lead to a life of addiction, or cause injury or death. If you have found that you are using alcohol in an unhealthy way, you may need help. Professionals are ready to give support, treatment, and counseling. Getting help early is the best way to succeed.

Sources

http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/FAQs/General-English/

Statistics on Alcoholics

http://www.treatmentsolutionsnetwork.com/addiction-assessment/assessment.php?n=3

Supplying alcohol to minors. We probably all know someone who does this – maybe as kids we had that favorite adult that would help us get beer for our parties. Maybe as parents we wonder who that adult is for our kids. Maybe we ourselves are the ones illegally giving or selling alcohol to minors.

The problem of underage drinking is one that has fallen by the wayside in our country. Most people just accept the fact that high school and college kids drink. There is more that we can and should be doing, and one of the first things would be to get adults to stop providing the alcohol for minors.

Parents

Some parents don’t see the harm in giving their kids alcohol, or even letting them throw parties with alcohol, as long as it is under their own roof. In some places, it is ok for parents to give their child alcohol, under supervision. This does not mean it is ok for parents to give other people’s children alcohol. And encouraging this kind of drinking and partying is not healthy for the teens. There are so many dangers to underage drinking, including alcohol poisoning, risky behavior, drunk driving, and tolerance for alcohol.

Store Clerks

Other adults that enable minors are those that sell alcohol without checking identification, or knowingly sell to underagers. Kids know which clerks will sell without checking an ID, and they will repeatedly go back to these adults for all their alcohol needs. If caught, these adults can face fines of $500 or more, along with criminal charges. If the alcohol they sold to a minor results in injury or death, the charges can be more severe. But still, some stores or gas stations experience multiple violations by their employees before they are able to get the situation under control.

Willing Buyers

Then there are those adults that are willing to buy alcohol for minors that ask. Sometimes the adults are known in the town as one who will buy. Other adults, when approached by a minor outside a store, will go in and purchase for the underager. No questions asked.

How can we expect to teach our teens to stay away from alcohol when they are getting mixed messages from the adults around them? Underage drinking is illegal. It’s wrong. Adults have no place enabling or encouraging alcohol consumption by anyone under 21.

In certain areas, authorities are good about keeping an eye on underage alcohol sales. Undercover informants will find who sells alcohol to minors, and the adults are prosecuted. But in too many areas, this problem is not a priority, and the selling continues on and on.  Better education about the dangers of underage drinking will help these adults that just don’t get it, to understand the harm they are doing.

Sources

Vacaville Woman Arrested For Underage Sale

Businesses might have served minors illegally — again

Police checks curb alcohol sales to minors

We Check ID

We’ve talked a lot about Alcohol Awareness this month. We’ve challenged you to drink less, or to go a day without drinking. Whether the previous challenges or advice have been followed or not, there are times when we simply should not drink. This may be because of ethical or moral issues, or because of health or safety reasons, or because of the potential risk of alcoholism.

Moral Reasons

When prohibited. This one is just common sense. If you are not supposed to be drinking because you are too young, or because you are sitting in the nondrinking section of the baseball park, don’t. Don’t drink when you are at work and are on company time. Courtesy and common sense should tell us that we should wait until a more appropriate time for alcohol.

Around alcoholics. Some people question this one and may say we can do whatever we want, but wisdom helps us see the struggle we may cause by drinking around a recovering alcoholic. A supportive friend should be able to control themselves and not flaunt drinking in front of someone who has quit.

Health and Safety Reasons

When on medication. Many medications interact poorly with alcohol. You are asking for trouble in the form of mental or physical side effects if you combine the two.

When pregnant. Every year 40,000 babies are born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Alcohol and pregnancy just don’t mix. Be responsible. Protect your baby. Don’t drink.

When responsible for others. Parents, babysitters, or caretakers should be responsible enough to not drink when they are caring for others. Too much alcohol means skewed judgment, and too many children have been injured because an impaired adult abused them or allowed them to do something unsafe.

When driving. The most common devastating effect of drinking is drunk driving. If you are going out to drink, don’t drive. Get a designated driver, take the bus, or walk. It’s not worth the risk to get behind the wheel, eve if you think you are ok.

Risk of Alcoholism

Family history. Someone with a family history of alcoholism may choose to never drink. These people should at least be very careful about what and how much they drink, to decrease the already high risk of alcoholism.

Addictive personality. Even if your father wasn’t an alcoholic, if you have an addictive personality, you will be more likely to develop alcoholism. Don’t even give it a chance; curb your drinking now.

Stressed out. Many addicts start out by drinking alcohol to relieve stress. This is dangerous behavior, because it can quickly become a crutch that the person keeps going back to, until finally, they are dependent on the alcohol.

Sources 

Energy Drink, Alcohol Not an Invigorating Mix

When not to drink

Why Shouldn’t I Drink?

Drinking Alcohol During Pregnancy

This prom season, many people are concerned about the numbers of teens that will be drinking. Not only is underage drinking illegal, but it is also dangerous. 10.8 million underagers drank alcohol last year, and of those, 5,000 died as a result of drinking and driving. Many of the others faced things like alcohol intoxication, unsafe sex, and injury because of risky behaviors. Underage drinkers often binge when they do drink, consuming large amounts of alcohol and putting their bodies at risk. Others lose their good judgment and fail to see the harm in unsafe sex or other risky behavior. Usually the most evident consequence of underage drinking is drunk driving, and this alone should be incentive enough to campaign against young people drinking. 

YouTube Video Contest

One group that has created strategic efforts to curb underage drinking, especially during this prom season, is SoBe Sober. This alcohol prevention organization has partnered with schools in Florida to educate students about the dangers of underage drinking. 

SoBe Sober got kids excited this year by holding a video contest with cash prizes. The videos had to be entertaining or catchy, but also needed to give facts about the illicit use of alcohol among young people. Five finalists have been chosen, and the public can now vote on their favorites until April 27^th. Go to www.youtube.com/dfyitclub to see videos or to vote. 

Sober Proms

SoBe Sober, like other organizations, has campaigned to many youth and their parents during this season of proms, graduations, and alcohol awareness month. Included in the information handed out or mailed to students are tips for staying safe, and how to avoid alcohol during prom and graduation parties. Students are asked to sign a promise saying they will stay away from drugs and alcohol their entire prom night. This group will also send representatives to attend proms and hand out breathalyzer key chains to students. 

There is definitely strength in numbers. Students that are pressured to try alcohol or drugs will have a hard time saying no if they feel all alone in the fight. But kids that are educated ahead of time and realize that they are just experiencing what many have already experienced and overcome, are more likely to stand up for what they believe in. A group of students is more powerful in taking a stand than one. Programs like SoBe Sober understand this and work to gather groups of students even at events like prom where others will see them and be positively influenced. 

SourcesYouTube Contest Challenges Teens to Take a Closer Look at Binge Drinkinghttp://www.youtube.com/dfyitclub#p/a/457032DFE5D5C0EE/0/eKMn1SALPl4 

YouTube SoBe Sober 

SoBe Sober 

Does anyone really want to have to participate in an intervention with a family member? It’s usually a very hard thing for people to do, because we feel like we will upset the person, or make them feel bad, or drive a deeper wedge between us. Or maybe we are so frustrated and resentful of the person that we don’t even want to take the time to tell them that we do care about them. Many people think interventions are full of confrontation and accusations, with everyone in the family ganged up against the one. We’ve all envisioned them in our heads before – the time to let loose and tell the person how we really feel about them, how angry they make us, and what they need to do to make it better. It doesn’t really sound like fun.

But well-planned interventions are designed to be a benefit to both the alcoholic and their family. With the help of a professional, interventions can be organized, controlled, and enlightening.

Goal

The goal of an intervention is to help the alcoholic see the effects their drinking has on others, that they have a problems with alcohol, and that treatment is necessary. It should never be done to attack the person, or get them back. Blaming a person or making them feel bad is not a way to make ourselves feel better. Family therapy is designed to help family members that feel cheated or wronged by the alcoholism – it should not be handled at the intervention.

Getting it out in the Open

An intervention should bring together the close family and friends of the person that have been impacted by the person’s drinking, or that firmly believe it is in the person’s best interest to seek treatment. The professional that is coordinating the intervention may ask everyone to write down their feelings in a letter to the person, laying out concrete examples of why they feel the way they do. These letters may be read at the intervention, or they may help prepare the family members for speaking out at the intervention.

At the intervention, family members will have the chance to say what they’ve prepared and let the person know that they care about them and are concerned. The professional will be there to moderate and make sure things continue to move along without getting too caught up in finger pointing.

The result of the intervention will hopefully be that the alcoholic agrees to get help for their disease. The family should have treatment options lined up already, so once the person agrees to it, they can quickly be admitted to a facility that will give them the help and support they need to regain sobriety.

Sources

Intervention

Alcohol-Related Problems: Recognition and Intervention

How To Do an Intervention for an Alcoholic

Some people still think they can’t have any fun without alcohol. During Alcohol Awareness month, it is a good time to offer fun, fulfilling activities that don’t involve alcohol. Many groups have been working on new and interesting outings and events to let people know that alcohol doesn’t necessarily mean more fun. Alcohol Awareness month helps educate people about the risks of alcohol abuse, gives motivation to drink less, and gives people tools to improve their lifestyles.

Young people especially use alcohol to have fun. Go to a majority of college parties, and you’ll probably see drinking games. April and May also make up prom season. Everyone knows that prom goes hand in hand with drinking, and often with drunk driving. One-third of all alcohol-related traffic fatalities involving teens occur during prom season.

Alcohol Awareness Activities

But this month is all about finding other ways to have a good time, without the alcohol. Some high schools are organizing events to keep kids safe this year. A “sober contract” is being drawn up at many schools for students to sign, pledging to not drink alcohol during the prom season. Other schools actually test students with a breathalyzer before letting them into the prom.

Colleges are also amping up their awareness of alcohol abuse among students. Giving college students other options for having fun may help curb underage or binge drinking.  Some colleges will promote alcohol free parties or events throughout campus.

Other groups are creating awareness through attention grabbers. Displaying a smashed up car that was in a fatal alcohol-related accident can really make someone stop and think. So can listening to a lecture by a mom who lost her daughter and granddaughter because a four time offending drunk driver hit their car and killed them. Or maybe hearing the personal story of a recovering alcoholic’s journey will make others think about their own drinking.

Not all drinking is wrong or harmful. But we need to be careful about how much we drink, when we do it, and why we do it. Too much, too often can quickly lead to negative consequences or addiction.

As we continue to learn about the use and misuse of alcohol this month, we should take the time to experience the completeness of life without alcohol. Many organizations are out there that promote “dry fun”. Check out community bulletin boards like http://nondrinker.meetup.com/ to find social activities that don’t involve alcohol. Coffee groups, beach walks, sporting events, dances, picnics, and plenty more can be enjoyed with old or new friends without the negatives that come with alcohol.

Sources 

What Every Alcohol Education Program Should Teach Students

Alcohol Awareness: Keeping Prom Night Safe

Nondrinker Meetup

There are many doubts that one faces when getting help for alcoholism. It’s a big step to take, and people know that getting sober is a life-changing task. Some changes have to do with relationships with loved ones. For example, what if getting sober causes strain among family members?  Will your spouse or friends still want to spend time with you when you are sober? Spouses will sometimes hang on and stay around during the alcoholism or abuse, and then when things seem to be getting better, they say goodbye to the recovering alcoholic and walk out.

Sobriety Brings Changes

The concern may be valid. It’s true that abstaining from alcohol and going to therapy will change a person’s actions. It should change their priorities, who they hang out with, and how they spend their time. But the person will still be the same underneath, and most changes will be for the better. The anger, depression, violence, and confusion of alcoholism should be replaced by a calmness and peacefulness.  

But sobriety is difficult and will require a lifelong commitment. The road won’t be easy and setbacks or relapses are possible. It’s important for family members to be encouraging and supportive at this time, rather than bail out and leave.

Family Therapy

One way to reduce tension among family members is to involve everyone in the recovery process. Family counseling is a great resource because it helps family members know what to expect, how to help their loved one, and how to protect themselves. Family therapy is offered at some of the best facilities in the country, and it is highly recommended by many treatment experts. Many family members just don’t know how to deal with a spouse that is sober, or struggling to stay sober. Therapy helps them learn techniques to use to encourage their loved one. They may learn that things they had been doing were actually destructive and enabling to the alcoholic.

It is true that some spouses or loved ones won’t be able to handle the change of sobriety. Some may not want the alcoholic to get help because they are used to the chaos, the partying, or the dependence of alcohol. These relationships themselves are unhealthy, and someone truly wanting to get clean would be better off without friends of family that encourage alcohol abuse.

Help from Family

But for those people that have a family that really cares and wants to do what is best for the alcoholic, family therapy should be considered. These families provide the foundation for successful treatment because the resources, the love, and the support they can give their loved one cannot be recreated or matched. There comes a point when you have to stop thinking of pleasing others, and start taking charge of your life. If loved ones are going to leave, you don’t need them. If they will seek help along with you, thank God for them.

Sources 

ALCOHOLISM: TREATING THE FAMILY AS A WHOLE

Treating the System or Symptom

AAMFT Consumer Update Children of Alcoholics

Alcohol abuse and alcoholism affect more people than just the drinkers. One of the most common ways that other people suffer at the hands of someone who has been drinking is drunk driving. Many people don’t know when to quit, or don’t work out a designated driver or cab ride home beforehand, or they don’t think they’ve had enough alcohol to affect them, so they just attempt to get home safely on their own. Drunk driving devastates millions of lives every year, and many of the victims are innocent drivers or people that happened to get in the way of an out-of-control drunk driver.

The Need for Stricter Regulations

Each state has its own regulations and laws about driving while under the influence. Wisconsin, for example, is known for having some of the most lenient laws in the country. In Wisconsin, the first offense of drunk driving is only a traffic violation, instead of a crime like in all other states. The state recently toughened some laws, and now the fourth offense will be considered a felony. But in states like Wisconsin, it seems that almost everyone drinks and drives sometimes. Even legislators and authorities will regularly make the news for getting caught for drinking and driving. In areas like this, there seems to be a lack of urgency on the topic of drunk driving.

But drunk driving is a problem. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 15.1% of drivers over age 18 drove while under the influence at least once in 2008. In areas where laws are more lenient, or where laws aren’t enforced, the numbers go up. So do the casualties. Looking across the country, alcohol is involved in almost half of all traffic deaths, and more deaths occur in states that don’t crack down on the first few offenses. Wisconsin had a string of fatal hit and run accidents in 2009 because of drunk drivers. And there are stretches of highways in states like Montana that are known for their fatalities from the high numbers of drunk drivers that travel them.

Stop Drunk Driving

Drunk driving is such a frustrating offense, especially to those that are personally harmed by it. There are a few solutions that may help. Some groups promote the use of ignition locks that would keep someone from starting their vehicle unless they pass a breathalyzer. Traffic checkpoints to screen for drunk drivers on strategic roads are used in some areas. Groups like MADD continue to educate people on ways to curb drunk driving. As with all substance abuse, prevention techniques and education seem the most effective. People that drink need to see the risk they are taking, and the devastation driving drunk can cause. They also need to be armed with tools to avoid driving while intoxicated. Designated driver programs are promoted at sporting events where alcohol is served, and some cities provide free bussing on days like St. Patrick’s or New Year’s Day. We need to start doing whatever it takes to keep these people off the roads, to protect everyone’s safety.

Sources

Deadliest Roads List for United States Released

MADD upset car lock isn’t part of DUI bill
Progressive Wisconsin slow to curb drunk driving

When alcohol abuse becomes a daily occurrence, or when a person is not physically able to do without alcohol, alcoholism is the result. Alcoholism can be defined as a disease in which a person drinks alcoholic beverages at a level that interferes with physical health, mental health, and social, family, or job responsibilities.

Characteristics of Alcoholism

Those that struggle with alcoholism have built up a tolerance for the substance through prolonged and increased use. Therefore, alcoholics feel the need to drink great amounts of alcohol to feel the same effects as someone else. Those with alcoholic dependence have strong cravings to drink, and lose control of their consumption once they start. They also lose control of their actions when drinking, and may become violent, confrontational, or engage in risky behavior. The main characteristic of someone with alcoholism is the physical dependence. Trying to quit for an alcoholic means severe side effects – nausea, sweating, and tremors. A person with alcohol dependence is not able to quit drinking on their own, and professional help in a medical setting is usually necessary for their health.

Effects of Alcoholism

The results of alcoholism are often devastating. Health problems such as liver disease, certain types of cancer, and brain damage are all caused by increased exposure to large amounts of alcohol. Blackouts while drinking and poor judgment can lead to injuries from falls, risky behavior, or drunk driving. Alcohol toxicity is also a risk, and premature death can occur.

Many people have been negatively influenced by alcoholism. Kids who grow up with an alcoholic parent struggle with trust relationships throughout their lives, because of abuse or neglect they suffer while growing up. Spouses may develop a negative co-dependent relationship when alcoholism becomes a part of it. Alcoholism has a way of completely taking over a person’s life. It becomes more important than careers, friends, hobbies, and families, and the result is that these things usually suffer.

Help for Alcoholism

Nearly 17.6 million adults in the United States are alcoholics or have alcohol problems. But only 15% of these people actually get treatment for their disease. One reason for this is that sobriety is a difficult thing to achieve. It can be done, and many people do so successfully every year. But to get sober, an alcoholic first needs to admit they need help, and then go through detox to get the substance out of their body. Once those difficult steps are accomplished, the patient can go through counseling and programs designed to reshape their thinking and give them ways to overcome their cravings to drink. The 12 Step program is a widely recognized way to help alcoholics after the detox process, when they are learning to live their lives again. Sobriety is not something that can be achieved easily. Recovering alcoholics will spend the rest of their lives staying sober. Support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous are usually necessary to help someone remain sober.

Sources

Medical Definition of Alcoholism

Symptoms

Signs and Symptoms of Alcoholism