If you or someone you know has a problem with alcohol then you should look into the possibility of getting into recovery. Alcohol addiction has a lot of negatives associated with it, not the least of which is a lifespan that is generally reduced by about 20 percent on average, so anyone who is hooked on drinking should look into quitting just for this simple fact alone. The quality of your life stands to improve by leaps and bounds if you can find a way to sober up.

If you want to quit drinking then you have to change your entire life from the inside out. For most people, success in sobriety comes as a direct result of their actions in trying to actively create a new life for themselves. This means that if you want to stay sober then you have to do a lot more than just not drink. You have to get active in recovery and reach out and help other people and set some goals in your life and find some real purpose. If you do these things then it will give you the drive and the motivation to remain sober even when times get tough.

We all have our personal challenges and we will all have our ups and downs so you need to find coping mechanisms and healthy outlets so that you can avoid relapse over the long term. Alcoholism is a very patient disease and so you need an entire life strategy that can carry you through your entire life experience if you want to stay sober in the long run.

People often find their way to recovery in the midst of a crisis. Someone standing at the crossroads of recovery, may have been arrested for DUI, may have been fired, or may have received a scary report from the doctor. He may have heard the bottom line demand from his spouse– “Get help or we are getting a divorce.” Or, the alcoholic/addict may in fact, have a moment of clarity and really be able to see that he does have a problem and that help and abstinence are called for. The alcoholic/addict feels afraid. He feels ashamed.  He feels angry at others or at himself for being in this position in the first place.   

Fear, coercion or crisis helps him find his way into recovery. Fear is a fairly good short term motivator, but not so good in the long run. Once the fear subsides and the crisis is over, it is very easy to lose your motivation and momentum. At the point where the cycle of addiction is interrupted by failing to take the next drink, dose, or joint, there is a lot of tension, anxiety, and mindfulness of where you are in the process. Detox or withdrawal may occur, with physical and/or emotional symptoms being very consciously experienced.

When you get to feeling better physically and emotionally after detoxing, it is easy to lose your momentum. Your focus on recovery can dissolve. Some of the problems that once motivated your recovery might be resolved now. Because you have quit drinking or using, your spouse and kids are once again speaking to you and are in the process of forgiving you. You may have even won back some trust. Everything seems to be going well.  

Under these circumstances it is quite easy for you to take your eyes off the target and lose your focus on recovery. Erroneously, you may believe that your abstinence is not so fragile now.  Feeling better, you may think you have it “whipped”. 

Without actively focusing on your continuing abstinence and recovery, your behavior can begin to drift away from the newly instituted behavioral changes that you have made. You run the risk of returning to old thinking, old feelings, and then ultimately old behavior.  The reason why this would happen is that you are not consciously taking steps to continue on a path of recovery. This path involves many changes in your behavior and in your life style. Without making conscious choices in regard to how each decision affects your new recovery life or your old addiction life, you are unconsciously choosing your old life. Choosing recovery is not like jump starting your damaged car battery where once you get it started, it recharges itself as run it. You have to continuously work a program of recovery. Without doing so, your efforts will be short-lived. 

You will quit going to counseling. You will quit going to meetings. You will have stopped calling your recovery support people. Your defenses will go back up and you may take exception to the feedback of significant others who tell you that you are acting like you used to before recovery.

You won’t be able to see that you are on the road to relapse. You won’t be able to understand why they are concerned. You won’t be able to identify the behavioral changes that scare them because you will be back in denial. Being around old drinking/using environments and friends don’t scare you. You can’t understand why it would scare your significant others. After all, you told them that you are not going to relapse. You have learned your lesson. What more do they want? 

After awhile, you will begin to think that you have your drinking or using under control now.  When you think of addiction as a thing of the past, that you now have it under control, you will begin to entertain the notion that you can now drink or use without negative consequences. If any of this sounds like your recent experience, you are in big trouble. You are in the relapse process and unless you do something now, you will relapse–and soon.

People often find their way to recovery in the midst of a crisis. Someone standing at the crossroads of recovery, may have been arrested for DUI, may have been fired, or may have received a scary report from the doctor. He may have heard the bottom line demand from his spouse– “Get help or we are getting a divorce.” Or, the alcoholic/addict may in fact, have a moment of clarity and really be able to see that he does have a problem and that help and abstinence are called for. The alcoholic/addict feels afraid. He feels ashamed.  He feels angry at others or at himself for being in this position in the first place.   

Fear, coercion or crisis helps him find his way into recovery. Fear is a fairly good short term motivator, but not so good in the long run. Once the fear subsides and the crisis is over, it is very easy to lose your motivation and momentum. At the point where the cycle of addiction is interrupted by failing to take the next drink, dose, or joint, there is a lot of tension, anxiety, and mindfulness of where you are in the process. Detox or withdrawal may occur, with physical and/or emotional symptoms being very consciously experienced.

When you get to feeling better physically and emotionally after detoxing, it is easy to lose your momentum. Your focus on recovery can dissolve. Some of the problems that once motivated your recovery might be resolved now. Because you have quit drinking or using, your spouse and kids are once again speaking to you and are in the process of forgiving you. You may have even won back some trust. Everything seems to be going well.  

Under these circumstances it is quite easy for you to take your eyes off the target and lose your focus on recovery. Erroneously, you may believe that your abstinence is not so fragile now.  Feeling better, you may think you have it “whipped”. 

Without actively focusing on your continuing abstinence and recovery, your behavior can begin to drift away from the newly instituted behavioral changes that you have made. You run the risk of returning to old thinking, old feelings, and then ultimately old behavior.  The reason why this would happen is that you are not consciously taking steps to continue on a path of recovery. This path involves many changes in your behavior and in your life style. Without making conscious choices in regard to how each decision affects your new recovery life or your old addiction life, you are unconsciously choosing your old life. Choosing recovery is not like jump starting your damaged car battery where once you get it started, it recharges itself as run it. You have to continuously work a program of recovery. Without doing so, your efforts will be short-lived. 

You will quit going to counseling. You will quit going to meetings. You will have stopped calling your recovery support people. Your defenses will go back up and you may take exception to the feedback of significant others who tell you that you are acting like you used to before recovery.

You won’t be able to see that you are on the road to relapse. You won’t be able to understand why they are concerned. You won’t be able to identify the behavioral changes that scare them because you will be back in denial. Being around old drinking/using environments and friends don’t scare you. You can’t understand why it would scare your significant others. After all, you told them that you are not going to relapse. You have learned your lesson. What more do they want? 

After awhile, you will begin to think that you have your drinking or using under control now.  When you think of addiction as a thing of the past, that you now have it under control, you will begin to entertain the notion that you can now drink or use without negative consequences. If any of this sounds like your recent experience, you are in big trouble. You are in the relapse process and unless you do something now, you will relapse–and soon.

by Joffley

Let’s take a look at some of these signs and symptoms, and the steps necessary to stop the abuse of alcohol.

Alcohol is a part of many people’s lives. Most restaurants serve alcoholic beverages and it is present at most sporting events and office parties. Many people can have a drink or two and stop there with no problem at all. For many people however, this is not the case. One drink can quickly lead to many more and some people simply do not have the ability to control their alcohol consumption. Studies have shown that people that come from an alcoholic family, have an increased risk of becoming problem drinkers. This leads us to believe that genetics plays some role in this addictive process. Stress is also a leading factor in one’s ability to control their consumption of alcohol. Many people turn to the bottle as a way to manage the stress that is present in their lives. Unfortunately, alcohol cannot make these problems disappear, they are still present and often drinking creates new problems. Many family members simply cannot take the up and down roller coaster ride of living with someone who is a problem drinker or an alcoholic. These families may have financial difficulties due to the alcoholic missing work or being fired from their job due to drinking. Abuse is prevalent in many homes where alcoholism exists, because the person drinking is unable to control their behavior while drinking. Many affable people have completely different personalities once they begin to drink. Just because someone has a problem with alcohol, it does not mean that they cannot recover and lead a full, normal life. It is important to recognize the symptoms of alcohol abuse, so that help for the addiction can be obtained before it is too late.

The following are a list of things that may indicate you or someone you care about has a problem with alcohol.

l. Withdrawing from friends and family.

2. A preoccupation with obtaining alcohol.

3. Numerous failed attempts to quit drinking.

4. Unexplained swings in moods or strange behavior.

5. Blaming others for problems or the ability to be unable to quit drinking.

6. Anger or depression.

Alcohol addiction can also have many different physical symptoms as well. The following things are a list of some of them.

1. Redness and puffiness of the face or eyes.

2. Abdominal pain.

3. Sick or shaking feeling, especially when not drinking.

4. Driving while intoxicated, this may result in legal troubles.

5. An increased tolerance to alcohol, and the need to drink more to feel the “buzz”.

6. Periods of not being able to remember things or conversations, “blackout” periods.

7. Flushing of the skin from an excessive intake of alcohol.

8. Missing school or work due to hangovers or periods of being intoxicated.

If you or someone you know, has any of these symptoms it is important to get help right away. There are many people who have conquered their alcohol addiction and have went on to lead happy, healthy lives.

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People often find their way to recovery in the midst of a crisis. Someone standing at the crossroads of recovery, may have been arrested for DUI, may have been fired, or may have received a scary report from the doctor. He may have heard the bottom line demand from his spouse– “Get help or we are getting a divorce.” Or, the alcoholic/addict may in fact, have a moment of clarity and really be able to see that he does have a problem and that help and abstinence are called for. The alcoholic/addict feels afraid. He feels ashamed.  He feels angry at others or at himself for being in this position in the first place.   

Fear, coercion or crisis helps him find his way into recovery. Fear is a fairly good short term motivator, but not so good in the long run. Once the fear subsides and the crisis is over, it is very easy to lose your motivation and momentum. At the point where the cycle of addiction is interrupted by failing to take the next drink, dose, or joint, there is a lot of tension, anxiety, and mindfulness of where you are in the process. Detox or withdrawal may occur, with physical and/or emotional symptoms being very consciously experienced.

When you get to feeling better physically and emotionally after detoxing, it is easy to lose your momentum. Your focus on recovery can dissolve. Some of the problems that once motivated your recovery might be resolved now. Because you have quit drinking or using, your spouse and kids are once again speaking to you and are in the process of forgiving you. You may have even won back some trust. Everything seems to be going well.  

Under these circumstances it is quite easy for you to take your eyes off the target and lose your focus on recovery. Erroneously, you may believe that your abstinence is not so fragile now.  Feeling better, you may think you have it “whipped”. 

Without actively focusing on your continuing abstinence and recovery, your behavior can begin to drift away from the newly instituted behavioral changes that you have made. You run the risk of returning to old thinking, old feelings, and then ultimately old behavior.  The reason why this would happen is that you are not consciously taking steps to continue on a path of recovery. This path involves many changes in your behavior and in your life style. Without making conscious choices in regard to how each decision affects your new recovery life or your old addiction life, you are unconsciously choosing your old life. Choosing recovery is not like jump starting your damaged car battery where once you get it started, it recharges itself as run it. You have to continuously work a program of recovery. Without doing so, your efforts will be short-lived. 

You will quit going to counseling. You will quit going to meetings. You will have stopped calling your recovery support people. Your defenses will go back up and you may take exception to the feedback of significant others who tell you that you are acting like you used to before recovery.

You won’t be able to see that you are on the road to relapse. You won’t be able to understand why they are concerned. You won’t be able to identify the behavioral changes that scare them because you will be back in denial. Being around old drinking/using environments and friends don’t scare you. You can’t understand why it would scare your significant others. After all, you told them that you are not going to relapse. You have learned your lesson. What more do they want? 

After awhile, you will begin to think that you have your drinking or using under control now.  When you think of addiction as a thing of the past, that you now have it under control, you will begin to entertain the notion that you can now drink or use without negative consequences. If any of this sounds like your recent experience, you are in big trouble. You are in the relapse process and unless you do something now, you will relapse–and soon.

Let’s take a look at some of these signs and symptoms, and the steps necessary to stop the abuse of alcohol.

Alcohol is a part of many people’s lives. Most restaurants serve alcoholic beverages and it is present at most sporting events and office parties. Many people can have a drink or two and stop there with no problem at all. For many people however, this is not the case. One drink can quickly lead to many more and some people simply do not have the ability to control their alcohol consumption. Studies have shown that people that come from an alcoholic family, have an increased risk of becoming problem drinkers. This leads us to believe that genetics plays some role in this addictive process. Stress is also a leading factor in one’s ability to control their consumption of alcohol. Many people turn to the bottle as a way to manage the stress that is present in their lives. Unfortunately, alcohol cannot make these problems disappear, they are still present and often drinking creates new problems. Many family members simply cannot take the up and down roller coaster ride of living with someone who is a problem drinker or an alcoholic. These families may have financial difficulties due to the alcoholic missing work or being fired from their job due to drinking. Abuse is prevalent in many homes where alcoholism exists, because the person drinking is unable to control their behavior while drinking. Many affable people have completely different personalities once they begin to drink. Just because someone has a problem with alcohol, it does not mean that they cannot recover and lead a full, normal life. It is important to recognize the symptoms of alcohol abuse, so that help for the addiction can be obtained before it is too late.

The following are a list of things that may indicate you or someone you care about has a problem with alcohol.

l. Withdrawing from friends and family.

2. A preoccupation with obtaining alcohol.

3. Numerous failed attempts to quit drinking.

4. Unexplained swings in moods or strange behavior.

5. Blaming others for problems or the ability to be unable to quit drinking.

6. Anger or depression.

Alcohol addiction can also have many different physical symptoms as well. The following things are a list of some of them.

1. Redness and puffiness of the face or eyes.

2. Abdominal pain.

3. Sick or shaking feeling, especially when not drinking.

4. Driving while intoxicated, this may result in legal troubles.

5. An increased tolerance to alcohol, and the need to drink more to feel the “buzz”.

6. Periods of not being able to remember things or conversations, “blackout” periods.

7. Flushing of the skin from an excessive intake of alcohol.

8. Missing school or work due to hangovers or periods of being intoxicated.

If you or someone you know, has any of these symptoms it is important to get help right away. There are many people who have conquered their alcohol addiction and have went on to lead happy, healthy lives.