April Is Alcohol Abuse Awareness Month

Fortunately, modern times associated with modern technology, have given us the opportunity for extra awareness of socio-economic statuses and situations. Drug addiction, obesity and violence are only some of the few conditions that need to be fought intensively. As April has arrived along with its alcohol awareness title, getting the appropriate information on the topic and ways to treat it is crucial. If you or your loved ones are lacking in knowledge on the topic or are fighting alcohol addiction, taking an online class can make the difference. April is alcohol awareness month, take a class online.

Alcohol is often overlooked for its devastating health effects on the body. The modern era has associated alcohol in almost every social event, extending its negative effects. Taking an online drug class would gradually educate the attendees on all of the negative body effects alcohol has. Some of these include the following:

-Dehydration: That 'Hangover' feeling we have the next morning is due to the dehydration of body fluids, caused by alcohol. This is associated with headaches, nausea and dizziness.

-Liver effects: Constant liver drinking over a long period of time will cause irreversible liver damage. The alcohol will damage the liver tissue, causing it to expand and lose function. This is commonly indicated by liver cirrhosis or even liver cancer.

-Weight gain: Alcohol, to the surprise of many, also causes weight gain. Alcoholic drinks contain sugars that may result in fat tissue if done often.

-Psychological effects: Alcohol is well known for its psychological effects. Long term alcohol drinking has been linked to several psychological conditions such as schizophrenia, paranoia and mood disorders to name a few. These conditions often require intense psychological or psychiatric therapy.

Aside from the adverse effects of alcohol on the human body, these online classes can also educate on other fields, such as alcohol ingredients.

The online alcohol drug classes have the main goal of therapy, giving appropriate help to alcohol addicts. These classes, managed by professionals and administered by relevant medical professionals, will guide and stand side by side with every patient, step by step through the online class, until he or she reaches the final step of being alcohol-free.

How is this therapy done? Mainly by understanding the person involved and adapting the appropriate therapy. Understanding the individual is key, as each alcohol addict has a different personality, associated with different motives for drinking. Therefore, understanding the individual person allows for a better duration of therapy and successful results.

These online drug classes will help you get all of the information needed without having to leave the house or office. This allows for a much more convenient approach, rather than having to drive all the way to classes in the city. This also gives the classes a much cheaper price than non-online classes, coming in handy for anybody looking to save some cash, especially in these economic times.

At the end of the day, online drug classes give a real opportunity for many seekers. With professional, cheap and useful online alcohol drug classes, why would anyone looks somewhere else? You can take Arizona alcohol and drug classes or anywhere else in the country anytime!

Dr. Ari Novick is the President of AlcoholDrugClass.com. A website dedicated to educating people about alcohol awareness. Click here for more information on Alcohol Awareness Classes

Dr. Ari Novick also provides world class online Minor in Possession Classes

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Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers - Mental Disorder Combined With Substance Abuse

A dual diagnosis is when someone develops or has a substance abuse problem along with a mental disorder, such as being bipolar, or experiencing intense anxiety, or depression. In these types of situations it is best to seek out a dual diagnosis treatment center so that they can come up with a program that is suitable to your needs. These institutions will create a program that is specialized for your specific situation.

It is not uncommon for people with mental disorders to also develop substance abuse issues. They go hand in hand.Some people with mental disorders end up relying on drugs to reduce their mental disorder symptoms. This is especially common with schizophrenics. The drugs they use reduce their symptoms and after a while they become addicted. In contrast, some people with substance abuse problems end up with mental disorders due to the lack of serotonin it creates in the brain. When this happens it creates disorders such as depression and anxiety.

When you attend a dual diagnosis treatment center they tend to both issues simultaneously instead of disregarding one issue. These types of centers allow you to kill two birds with one stone. They are very helpful and very professional. They work with you at a slower pace or a pace that you feel comfortable with. A lot of these institutions even have aftercare programs in the case of a relapse. The success rate of these centers are higher than the success rate of a normal treatment center if someone is suffering from substance abuse and a mental disorder. If you are not sure if you suffer from a mental disorder or think you might you may want to consult your physician so that they can determine your status.

These integrated centers are equipped with the staff and equipment necessary for the highest probability of success when dealing with a dual diagnoses. They have psychiatric specialist and professionals that have years of experience with drug rehab and alcohol abuse patients. They work together to make sure that you are getting the help you need. If you check with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration you will find a list of certified and licensed dual diagnosis treatment centers offered to you in your area. I'm sure they even have some available for young adults and adolescence as well if you are a parent looking to help your child.

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Text Messaging Incorporated in Alcohol Abuse Treatment for Young Adults

Alcohol abuse treatment facilities have been known to have great success with helping those with alcoholism recover from their disease. There is one giant caveat of this success though, and that's getting them to admit that they have a problem and to enter treatment. How are you supposed to help someone change their detrimental and dangerous ways when they're not actively looking for help?

A new study designed at the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh is looking into how text messaging can be used as an alcohol abuse treatment tool to interact with young adults with the aim of reducing their alcohol consumption with special regard to decreasing binge drinking.

According to Dr. Brian Suffoletto, one of the authors of the study, "Each day in the U.S., more than 50,000 adults 18 to 24 years of age visit hospital Emergency Departments, and more than one-third report current alcohol abuse or dependence. Thus, Emergency Departments provide a unique opportunity to both identify young adults with harmful or hazardous drinking behavior and intervene to reduce future injury and illness."

The text messaging interaction can begin once a young adult admitted into the Emergency Department at a hospital displays signs of alcohol-related problems. Dr. Suffoletto and his staff see this as a unique opportunity for intermediary alcohol abuse treatment as their research indicates that text messaging is not only an effective way to collect data on a young adult's drinking habits but also can provide feedback and continued support to them.

The basis of this research is centered around the fact that most young adults have cell phones and text messaging has evolved into a primary communication tool, so the team at the University of Pittsburgh "sought to build and test an automated text messaging system that could conduct a health dialogue with young adults after discharge," according to Dr. Suffoletto.

This is the first study of its kind to attempt to use text messaging as a behavioral modification tool of alcohol abuse treatment and could be quite revolutionary if proven effective. The researchers feel that an individual being admitted into an Emergency Department of a hospital is a severe enough incident that it can be used as a teachable moment to communicate the dangers of continued alcohol abuse with regard to sustaining or causing alcohol-related injuries or illnesses.

If nothing else, this study has already proven that text messaging is an effective way for doctors to reach and communicate with young adults after they've been discharged from a hospital, which is important in and of itself. Now they can only hope with continued studies that they can fine-tune their sentiment of alcohol abuse treatment in these messages to really effect change in these young adults.

Ben Brafman, LMHC, CAP is the President and CEO of Destination Hope, a licensed dual diagnosis substance abuse treatment center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ben has more than 20 years of experience in the addiction and mental health fields, which led him to develop a combination of innovative treatment protocols at Destination Hope. He has been published on various topics including dual diagnosis and chemical dependency, and gives back to the community by educating other addiction counselors at his Academy for Addiction Professionals.

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Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Romantic couple drinking a toast to their many years together

The Good

A cool drink is so refreshing and mellowing on a hot day! It melts away the busyness of the day. It's a great relaxant after a stressful day at work. It's the universal social lubricant when people get together for fun or celebration.

It also helps you postpone having to face present realities like an unhappy marriage, a dead-end job or feelings of guilt about something you've done...or not done. Alcohol can help you keep past traumas in the background, rather than in-your-face.

In general, alcohol helps to reduce fear, the universal emotion underlying all other negative emotions.
Stats Canada estimated that drinking was responsible for saving over 2500 lives in 2006.

Drinking alcohol is an isolating activity. When drinking, talking increases and listening decreases. Genuine communication and intimacy all but disappear. As time passes your drinking reduces your emotional connections to your spouse and family. Family needs are neglected.

Alcohol can kill you in 60 different ways. With ongoing overuse of alcohol, there is increased risk of deteriorating health and death. My daughter enjoyed her alcohol. She worked and she stayed married, but she died suddenly at 51 when her liver and other organs shut down.

Alcohol impairment begins with the first sip, and the first casualty is usually your judgment. You rapidly become less able to judge your level of impairment. This could lead to a decision to get behind the wheel. Sober, you could probably handle a difficult life situation, but impaired, you attempt suicide. Alcohol is involved in a very large proportion of suicides.

Ongoing alcohol abuse, whether via daily drinking or weekend excess, can lead to becoming alcohol dependent, which is, becoming an alcoholic.

Stats Canada estimated that drinking was responsible for over 9000 deaths in 2006.

The Ugly

"But I can't help it." "Alcohol runs in my family." "My wife doesn't understand me." "I have a chronic disease called alcoholism." "My life sucks, so it's my only pleasure." "It's not my fault." "She made me do it." "We were just having fun." "I'm a functioning alcoholic, so there's no problem." "I was okay, but the cop was out to get me." "No one can help me." "But everybody drinks." "I work and support us, so my drinking is your problem, not mine."

The alcoholic, from the high functioning alcoholic professional to the skid row alcoholic, has every excuse in the book for continuing to live as a victim of life, rather than taking charge. The thought of not being a victim is loaded with fear for the alcoholic.

The alcoholic who refuses to give up victimhood is saying in effect, "If I were to stop drinking and really clean up my life, I would have to give up all this 'poor me' stuff and take responsibility for my attitudes, feelings, emotions, beliefs and behaviors. I would have to make a lot of choices and changes, and the thought of all that at my age (30? 70?) is terrifying. It's easier to just stay a victim of life. Where's the beer?"

I invite you to reflect on the role alcohol plays in your life and your spouse's life, good, bad or ugly.

Psychologist Dr. Neill Neill maintains an active practice on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, with a focus on healthy relationships and life after addictions. He is the author of Living with a Functioning Alcoholic - A Woman's Survival Guide. Get a copy of his free report "Codependency and Alcohol Addiction" at http://www.neillneill.com/.

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Physical Signs of Alcohol Abuse: Do You Have a Drinking Problem?

The definition of alcohol abuse

Alcohol abuse is defined as the excessive use of alcoholic beverages whether it is on individual occasions (i.e. binge drinking) or as a regular habit. For example, for certain individuals such as children or pregnant women almost any quantity of alcohol that is consumed may be considered legally as alcohol abuse, depending on the local laws of the state one resides in. Additionally, the heavy consumption of alcohol can lead to addiction and even be fatal.

Alcohol abuse symptoms

When an individual persists in drinking long after they are having health problems associated with it or they endure recurring problems as a result of their drinking, this is defined as alcohol abuse. For instance, those recurring problems include continuing to drink despite it causing problems on the job or in school, driving under the influence of alcohol, constantly getting into legal trouble, or shirking family and financial responsibilities. This is typically what alcohol abuse is comprised of.

When a person continues to drink alcohol in dangerous situations (e.g. driving while intoxicated or operating heavy equipment or machinery), or after having occupational, physical, psychological, and social problems, this is how alcohol abuse is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, IV. The harmful use of alcohol such as drinking until you have mental or physical health damage is the definition of alcohol abuse according to the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases.

How can a person tell when they have a drinking problem?

The short answer to "how can I tell if I have a drinking problem?" is that if you need to ask, then there is a real possibility that you already have a problem with alcohol. If there are other people in your life who have expressed their concerns about you having a problem, then you most likely do. Finally, if you continue drinking alcohol in spite of numerous negative consequences, this could be a serious indication that a problem exists. Surprisingly, many people are able to quit drinking on their own.

When you believe that you have become addicted to or dependent upon alcohol there are additional questions that you will have to answer. It may be time to seek the professional help of an addiction treatment and recovery facility. The addiction specialists and staff members of these facilities are well-versed at dealing with alcoholism.

Recognizing the most common signs of alcohol abuse -The 7 most common

Whether you are concerned about yourself or someone close to you having a problem with alcohol, there are some very significant signs and symptoms that you need to be aware of. The following are the seven most common signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse:
When you are drinking alcohol, you get hurt or you hurt others.You blacked out after drinking alcohol. In other words, you were unable to remember what occurred during your drinking episode.You continue to drink despite having health problems caused or worsened by drinking alcohol, such as cirrhosis.You drink alcohol when it is risky, such as before driving a vehicle or while you are driving.You have problems at school or work because of drinking alcohol, such as excessive absenteeism or tardiness.Your drinking has led to legal problems, such as arrests for causing injury to someone or while driving under the influence.Your family members, loved ones, and close personal friends express their concern regarding your drinking.

There are additional signs or symptoms that you should be aware of which may indicate that your alcohol abuse has elevated itself to the next level. These include:
You change from drinking beer to drinking mixed drinks or wine because you think this will keep you from getting intoxicated or enable you to drink less alcohol.You do things in order to hide your alcohol consumption such as purchasing alcoholic beverages at different convenience stores or liquor stores or make excuses to justify your drinking.You drink alone, early in the morning, and are often drunk for long periods of time.You feel guilt and shame after your drinking episodes.You have physical signs of alcohol abuse or addiction, such as gastritis (a sore or upset stomach), redness of the cheeks and nose, and noticeable weight loss.You worry that you won't have enough alcohol to drink during the evening or for the entire weekend.

Another issue to consider if you are worried about a family member or loved one is that when it comes to children or teenagers, the indicators of an alcohol problem can be completely different from those that apply to adults. If you are concerned about one of your children or teenagers having an issue with alcohol, you should research the subject of teenager alcohol abuse or addiction.

Jake B
Author for Delray Drug Rehab

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Story of Dwight Gooden, A Cautionary Tale of Dangers of Drug Abuse

Dwight "Doc" Gooden achieved what few people who ever set foot on a baseball mound could ever imagine - Rookie of the Year honors, the Cy Young Award, and multiple World Series rings. But there is a darker side to his story - some tarnishing on what could have been an incredible baseball legacy, a story that reveals inner turmoil so bad that he was too strung out on drugs and too paranoid to attend his own team's World Series celebration.

He spent the day of the 1986 World Series celebration watching his Mets team parade around Manhattan while he sat and watched from the projects - a place he would normally go to get high. Except he didn't know the people he was with and barely remembers how he got there. He just sat and watched, too anxiety-ridden to move, too numb to care, or if he did, he couldn't feel any emotion.

He tested positive for cocaine in 1987 and served a league-mandated drug suspension that year. He would continue playing baseball and would win more championships, but he was never fully in the moment because of his drug use. His personal life took a downward spiral and it occasionally showed on the mound in his stints with the Yankees, Indians, Astros, Rays, and Yankees again, before his retirement in 2000.

It culminated into several arrests, as his personal struggles only escalated when his playing days were done - a DUI in 2002, driving without a suspended license in 2003 (from the DUI), misdemeanor battery charges after an altercation escalated with his girlfriend in 2005, a 2006 arrest for cocaine intoxication (which ultimately led to a prison sentence), and a 2010 car crash while under the influence of an undisclosed controlled substance. Gooden's five-year old son was in the back seat of the vehicle. He also took part in the realty TV show "Celebrity Rehab."

So how did one of the most feared pitchers in the 1980s, with a blazing 98 mile-per-hour fastball and a sweeping curveball, who spent just one year in the minors before making an unprecedented leap to the big leagues at just 19 years old, the youngest player to ever appear in an all-star game, succumb to drug addiction?

You could say it was his astronomical success at such a young age. You could also say it was the era he lived in - the 1980s, when President Ronald Reagan deemed street drugs were becoming an "epidemic" in claiming the lives of America's teenagers. He skyrocketed into the majors at a young age in an era when young people all across America were experimenting with cocaine if they were wealthy and privileged enough to get their hands on it.

At just 21 years old, he won the World Series and became the youngest player to start a major league baseball all-star game - something most people, even major leaguers themselves, can only dream about. In other words, he had achieved the ultimate dream at a young age, so where to go from there? What was his motivation after that?

If anything, Gooden's story teaches us that young people who achieve an enormous amount of success at an early age need to be kept grounded, must always be on the lookout to set new goals, and need trustworthy people in their corner to guide them away from potentially bad situations. It also illustrates how drug experimentation at a young age can seriously impact a person later on in life.

Do you or does a loved one need Tampa Prescription Drug Abuse treatment? True Path Recovery offers Tampa Residential Drug Treatment and outpatient treatment programs.

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Stay Aware of Holiday Alcohol Abuse

While the holiday season is a time of joy for many, it can also be a dangerous time, especially if you tend to drink too much or are around others who may overdo it on the alcohol.

The suicide rate always goes up during the holidays, and studies indicate that alcohol is involved in one third of the completed suicides.

Motor vehicle accidents and impaired driving charges increase... The consequences of drinking and driving, however, often go far beyond the fines, the car impounding and the loss of driving privileges. Children, passengers and other motorists are often the ones killed. US statistics indicate that half of all traffic deaths are alcohol related.

When alcohol is used to excess, (causing alcohol abuse) all sorts of unhealthy conditions and behaviors emerge. There are higher rates of mental illness, especially depression. There is increased domestic violence. There are more incidents of stalking behavior. In a survey of 40,000 women in over 20 countries, one in five admitted to becoming romantically involved with a colleague during an office party. One third of these admitted to a brief affair. Do not ignore the fact that if several thousand women admitted to having affairs, there were probably a few men involved too. At what cost to marriages and families?

The fact is that most people do not want to keep on drinking after they have had a couple of drinks. If you are hosting a holiday party, however, do keep an eye on those who continue to drink. They may be among the alcohol-dependent segment of the population, that is, they may be alcoholics. (We politely call them functioning alcoholics if they are still working.) Being able to tolerate large quantities of alcohol, and being unable to stop drinking or to remember events the next day are all signs of alcoholism. Some even appear to take on a different personality when they drink.

Have nonalcoholic beverages readily available for everyone. Serve sweets, because part of the craving for alcohol is the craving for sugar. Sweets can help reduce that craving. Be ready to stop someone who is unsafe to drive home. I know this is hard, but you might be saving someone's life.

Every year hundreds of children are sexually abused by relatives and friends at holiday house parties. Social class is irrelevant, so hire a babysitter to look after your children, even though you are there.

If you are at someone else's party, always have an escape route. Prearrange with someone to pick you up if you call. If you are not going to drink yourself, drive your own car rather than accept a ride. If your partner has a tendency to drink too much, have a discussion in advance of the party to plan an intervention and the escape route.

If your teens are going to a party where there will be drinking, ask them about their escape route, should things turn bad. Talk with them about the importance of a designated driver. Remind them to call home for someone to pick them up, no questions asked.

I invite you to reflect on the role alcohol will play in your holiday season. Let's make Christmas both fun and safe this year.

Happy holidays to all my readers.

Psychologist Dr. Neill Neill maintains an active practice on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, with a focus on healthy relationships and life after addictions. He is the author of Living with a Functioning Alcoholic - A Woman's Survival Guide. Get a copy of his free report "Codependency and Alcohol Addiction" at http://www.neillneill.com/.

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Veterans Among Those at Risk for Drug and Alcohol Abuse

We've heard the horror stories from Vietnam and the Korean War - how young, vibrant, men went overseas and seemingly never came home, instead replaced by emotionless, empty vessels, too stunned to talk about the terror they had witnessed.

So for many years, they didn't. They kept quiet. Perhaps you have a grandfather, uncle, or a brother who went overseas to serve. Then when he came back, he was never the same. Many of these veterans suffered and still suffer today from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Back then there wasn't a diagnosis for post traumatic stress disorder, or if there was, it didn't have a name and wasn't a common-known thing. So veterans, many of them wounded, turned to drugs and alcohol to self medicate, even though they couldn't identify themselves what they were experiencing.

Many of them still can't explain it. They wake up in the middle of the night or can't sleep at all. There are flashbacks. They lash out in anger at loved ones. Then they turn to their fix - their only source of comfort and only way of easing the pain. The fact that many of these veterans were once groomed to believe that showing emotion or revealing feelings was a sign of weakness only compounds a problem that experts are still seeing today.

Recent data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health suggest that veterans are more at risk than the rest of the general adult population for suffering from substance abuse problems. Specifically, veterans are more likely to drink alcohol, binge on alcohol, and abuse alcohol heavily. They are more likely to use illicit drugs and smoke cigarettes. They are also more likely to drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol than the rest of the population.

It's important to note that drug and alcohol abuse is merely a symptom of real, underlying issues and mental illnesses such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, and even schizophrenia. While some of these disorders are more severe than others, they all require professional help.

If you suspect that you or a loved one may be suffering from any of the above mental issues or may have a problem with substance abuse, contact a local drug and alcohol treatment center. You can discuss treatment options which include both residential and outpatient treatment programs, group counseling, individual counseling, and more. The problems suffered by veterans can be devastating. Don't let them continue another day when you can get immediate help.

Are you suffering from drug addiction or alcoholism? Get the help you need with Tampa Drug Abuse Treatment and Tampa Alcohol Addiction Treatment. Get the help you need today from Gulf Coast Recovery.

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Drug and Alcohol Abuse Is a Bigger Problem Than Most Realize

It is wonderful to live in a nation where you are free to exercise your rights. It is nice to have a government that establishes laws that protect the overall population. It is nice to know that you could be born and raised in one of the worst city ghettos or country swamp land and end up living in high class urban society or suburbia. However, with all of these freedoms come consequences for those that will 'push the envelope' for their own gain.

Many have learned the system that was created for good and use it for evil. Thus, America has a hard time making sure that all laws are enforced. Many of the problems are of a domestic situation such as illegal drug use and alcohol consumption by minors (those less than twenty-one years old). Illegal drug and alcohol use are a huge problem in America for several reasons:

Latch Key Children Coming Home Daily to an Empty House

Not Strict Enough on the Mexican Boarders

Making of Fake Identification Cards

Easy Access to Legal Drugs and Abusing The Use of Them

The terminology, "Latch Key Children," in America refers to school aged children that come home daily to an empty home instead of a home where adults are home. The key is typically on the person of the child or left in a hidden place that only family members know about. After school hours, the child simply lets himself in to his home with no restrictions whatsoever. Sure, the legal guardian or parent may have, "laid down the law," orally or even written it down on paper. However, nothing takes the place of hands on daily guidance. Thus, many with up to four or more hours before their guardian is to be home has much time to complete their homework, and get themselves into unfortunate situations using liquor and/or drugs where none is the wiser... until it is too late.

Many drugs still enter the United States of America via the Mexican Boarders, such as through Texas and San Diego. America has made it very easy not only for Mexicans to enter the country without the proper credentials by not having the necessary military in place to protect the land from intruders. This being the case, bringing in illegal drugs to sell and use is as easy as taking a trip to the tobacco shop and buying a pack of cigarettes.

The ring of fraudulent identification card makers make it very easy for minors to gain access to alcohol. The average twelve year old American can easily pass for a twenty-one year old in most cases. For whatever the reason (hormonal products in our food, etc.), preteens and teenagers have a much older appearance than they did back in the 1950's or 60's. It is nothing for them to purchase their own alcohol and go home to an empty house and drink it... or worse, invite their friends over as well.

One of the latest crazes amongst our youth is abusing legal prescription drugs or household products in such a way that they can "get a high" off of the chemicals. Something as common as a can of hair spray has been inhaled to get a high, instead of on the hair to create a style. Who is at fault? Whoever is consistently leaving that child alone to fend for himself or herself. Idle time with no provision is bound to lead to problems in most cases... and it has been proven.

These are highly unfortunate circumstances that happen daily in America from city to city... suburb to suburb and rural to rural areas. It doesn't matter where you live. What is missing is a human being in the home of these youths exemplifying a lifestyle that would desire their children to execute, and not just told what to do in their absence. An idle mind gets weary of being idle and will eventually find "something" to do. More often than not, it ends up not being a good thing. Alcohol Awareness Education is certainly a good place to start.

Dr. Ari Novick is the President of AlcoholDrugClass.com. A website dedicated to educating people about alcohol awareness. Click here for more information on Alcohol Awareness Classes

Dr. Ari Novick also provides world class online MIP Classes Online

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