Alcohol is an organic chemical derived by fermentation enabled by addition of yeast to extracts from rye, barley, corn, grain or any beverage containing ethyl. What makes it unique is its almost instantaneous effect in alleviating moods and senses at the expense of physical coordination. Anyone trying out alcohol as a mode of relaxation, celebration, enjoyment or unwinding is likely to turn to it time and again, often landing up getting addicted to it. These can ruin one’s professional and personal lives and take its toll on his physical and emotional well-being.

A person addicted to alcohol has to be weaned off this habit with tender, loving care, counseling and occasional therapeutic healing. These most often, have to be initiated by a close relative, spouse or other family member, who is also forced to play an active role in the recovery. Expert advice is available from organizations and implementation involves self-motivation and family support.

Self motivation is possible if the alcoholic is torn by guilt for misbehaving after drinking, getting the realization that he must try and cut down, is unable to face family especially his children, or feels he is losing in his road to success due to his drinking. This works positively in helping him exercising his will power and determination to take professional help and follow it till he is ready to give up alcohol completely.

Often alcohol addicts lack the strength of character or determination to fight this addiction alone. In such cases, family members, most often a spouse, have to play the role of companion, counselor and friend, who has to make them aware of all that is going wrong in each person’s life because of his alcoholism, the health repercussions, financial distress, if any and the general deterioration of family life. The most difficult part of the problem is the individual’s acceptance of the fact that he has a drinking problem. His acceptance of this fact along with his admitting that he needs help, is half the battle won. The next step is to initiate him into a group like Alcoholics Anonymous. Since it is a self-help group that also respects he person’s desire to remain anonymous, the social stigma attached to such problems, disappears and makes the environment more conducive to recovery. The organization has members who have been through such problems directly or indirectly, and through their experiences help each other. The advantage here is that the process is taken from start to finish, and the emotional upheaval faced by the alcoholic is handled sensitively.

Successful intervention is never lifelong, and efforts have to be made that the strategies adopted to cure the addiction are somehow reinforced time and again so that the individual is not tempted to turn to alcohol again.

Question by sixnylonstrings??: How long is a former heroin addict meant to be on methadone before being completely weaned off?
My dad is on methadone and I am worried that he doesn’t actually want to get off it as it is cheap and apparently “helping” him.

o.O

Best answer:

Answer by zach
it depends how bad the habit was to begin with its differnt for all addicts

Give your answer to this question below!

Question by sixnylonstrings??: How long is a former heroin addict meant to be on methadone before being completely weaned off?
My dad is on methadone and I am worried that he doesn’t actually want to get off it as it is cheap and apparently “helping” him.

o.O

Best answer:

Answer by zach
it depends how bad the habit was to begin with its differnt for all addicts

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Question by sixnylonstrings??: How long is a former heroin addict meant to be on methadone before being completely weaned off?
My dad is on methadone and I am worried that he doesn’t actually want to get off it as it is cheap and apparently “helping” him.

o.O

Best answer:

Answer by zach
it depends how bad the habit was to begin with its differnt for all addicts

Add your own answer in the comments!

Question by sixnylonstrings??: How long is a former heroin addict meant to be on methadone before being completely weaned off?
My dad is on methadone and I am worried that he doesn’t actually want to get off it as it is cheap and apparently “helping” him.

o.O

Best answer:

Answer by zach
it depends how bad the habit was to begin with its differnt for all addicts

Give your answer to this question below!

by pennstatenews

Alcohol is both a fad and an addictive habit, which wrecks havoc in the lives of not just those who consume it, but also those directly or indirectly related to these people. Consuming alcohol often starts out either as a social habit or to get respite from problems and worries. But once started it is a habit that cannot be shaken off and consumption levels consistently increase. The end result is that alcohol begins to take its toll on health, efficiency, ability to work and concentrate, behavioral changes and even displays of violent temper. The sufferers with all this are innocent children and women who become victims of abuse. They might silently endure or try to use interventive methods of reducing the person’s intake of alcohol to permissible levels at least.

Alcohol intervention involves reaching out to the alcohol addict, and being able to convince him or her about the ill effects of their consumption habits. Intervention is considered to be successful if the addict agrees to accept treatment and sincerely follows steps listed to help out of his addictive habit. Unfortunately, most alcohol addicts remain blissfully unaware of the damage their habit can lead to, and tend to justify the expense as well as the time wasted in the exercise. Intervention can be initiated by a family member, a friend or well-wisher, who could even turn to organizations that conduct regular intervention programs for alcoholics and drug addicts. Scores of websites also offer substantial amounts of information about successful drug intervention. Another source of help and support are help lines that are operational all 24 hours of the day, offering all types of assistance and advice.

Ideally, alcohol intervention must begin sooner rather than later, as old habits do die hard. It may also require considerable amount of time and energy from the partner initiating the intervention process. This would include positive conversations, creating a warm, positive environment, ensure lack of idle time by starting activities of interest, avoidance of nagging and also roping in other family members to create a suitable environment for the person to successfully shake off his bad habit. If it is found that the habit is linked to work-related stress then, even the office colleagues can be taken into confidence to provide assistance and support. The severity of the addiction eventually determines the extent and quality of intervention. New addicts can be weaned off alcohol with comparative ease, as opposed to those who have been in the habit for long. The bottom line is that whatever the time span of alcohol consumption beyond permissible limits, it can cause severe damages physically and emotionally on the person himself and just as much, if not more, on his family members.