Alcohol Abuse Archives - Page 5 of 5 - Best Rahabs In Arizona

October 30, 2019August 24, 2022

How to Stop Enabling an Addict: Loving Enough to Say No

Every year in America, there are over 70 000 deaths due to overdoses. This means it’s highly likely that someone you know is struggling with drug or alcohol addiction. For some, it’s their child, spouse, parent, or close friend. With this in mind, we’ve written this advice on how to stop enabling an addict.

We know your role in their life is invaluable.

Unfortunately, the loved ones of addicts often misunderstand the difference between being supporting and enabling. By enabling your addict, you allow them to continue their dangerous, and often lethal, lifestyle.

It’s never too late to give them the support they need. Keep reading for the exact steps on how to stop enabling behavior.

What is Enabling Behavior?

Before you can become better support for them, you need to understand the consequences of your behavior. Enabling behavior makes the life of an addict easier.

In a healthy relationship, enabling is a positive thing. You might cook dinner all week to enable your spouse to work later and make more money.

When one person is an addict, however, adding ease to their life means they can continue using. Often, without feeling the consequences of their behavior.

And, as we know by the high rate of overdose deaths in America, continuing their behavior is very dangerous. It’s important to stop enabling and, instead, help them choose to seek treatment.

Common Traits of an Enabler

You might not be sure if your behavior counts as enabling. Here are some of the common behaviors of enablers. See if any of them feel familiar.

You avoid telling people outside the family about your loved one’s addiction to protect the family image
You don’t fully believe your loved one has an addiction
You believe some drug or substance abuse is okay because they work hard or have a lot of stress
You haven’t addressed how their substance abuse makes you feel

If you’ve been avoiding your own emotions about the addiction, it’s time to face them. This can be scary; it takes bravery and courage to admit there’s a problem.

But, doing so can save your family and loved one’s life.

How Enabling Affects the Family

When you enable a family member’s addiction, the lines between helping and harming get blurred. Of course, everyone loves the user, but the healthy ways of showing it aren’t clear.

This is especially dangerous if it’s a parent suffering from addiction. They’re modeling that behavior for their children. As the spouse, you’re modeling what enabling looks like.

And that is how the cycle of addiction continues. Living with a user causes stress, trauma, and hurt to the family for generations.

Understanding Your Boundaries

You may fear how the addict will react to you changing your ways. Will they leave you? Will they stop loving you?

First, it’s important to remember that addiction is a disease. Your loved one is sick and not in control of their impulses. If they choose to leave, it’s because the addiction is strong.

But, it does not mean their love for you is gone. It just means they need honesty, reality, and help.

If you can understand that giving up enabling will help them in the long run, you’ll see how it comes from a place of love and support. Setting boundaries is the first step to getting them the help they need.

How to Stop Enabling Behavior

Now, for the concrete ways you can change your enabling behavior. Many of these will be difficult, especially if you live with the addict.

1. Stop Lying for Them

When you stop enabling, you’re admitting that you don’t condone any of the activities associated with using. That includes covering for them while they do these behaviors.

You may have found yourself lying to their employer for them. Have you ever told someone that they’re sick, when really they’re on a binge? Or they’re not sober enough to go to work?

Whether it’s their employer, friends, or other family members, stop lying. Let them lie for themselves. If it’s up to you, tell whoever asks what is going on.

2. Stop Fulfilling Their Obligations

You may think that paying their bills is helping them stay afloat. If they didn’t pay rent, where would they go? If you didn’t drive them to work when their license was taken away, how would they get there?

It’s time to let go of the “what ifs” and let them figure that out.

The user needs to be accountable for their using. If driving drunk caused them to lose their license, then they can’t drive. And if they continue to abuse alcohol, you won’t provide transportation for them.

Then, they’ll take the bus. Or walk. Or not go to wherever they wanted to go.

The same goes for paying their cellphone bill, driving them to AA meetings, and letting them borrow your car. If they have obligations to fulfill, it’s their responsibility to do so.

3. Stop Funding Their Lifestyle

Money is a huge point of contention for loved ones and addicts. Often, they lose their job to their addiction. So, they’ll start asking loved ones for “loans” or to “borrow a few dollars.”

Before you know it, you’re funding their entire lifestyle.

You need to commit to not giving them another dollar. The only money you will spend on them is for their rehabilitation treatment.

If they need money for food, buy them a meal. If they need money for transportation, buy them a bus ticket.

4. Stop Supplying Their Substances

If you have drugs or alcohol in the house that they can access, they will. This is probably the clearest enabling behavior.

Stop keeping booze in the house and refuse to buy them any. Even for “special occasions.”

If they ask for “just one” of your prescription pills, you must say no.

Did you know that 53 percent of overdose deaths come from pharmaceutical abuse? Stop storing your pharmaceuticals in the house and learn how to prevent them from accessing your medications.

5. Don’t Rescue Them

This can be a tough one. When your loved one gets arrested, it’s a natural reaction to want to rescue them.

But, the truth is that jail might be exactly what they need.

For many addicts, going to jail is their breaking point. They know that they’re either going to die from their addiction or end up in jail. You still have a future when you go to jail.

So, don’t pay their bail. Don’t pick them up from the station. The only place you will take them is straight from the cell to a treatment center.

6. Stop Reacting to Their Behavior

When you try to make changes, the user might get upset with you. They might threaten you by saying they’re going to be homeless or sick. They might accuse you of causing their addiction.

You will be tempted to defend yourself. But, it’s crucial you don’t elevate your emotions. You must stay even-tempered and calm.

When you react strongly to their reaction, they believe they’re convincing you to not set boundaries. They need to know that your consequences are real, and the decisions have already been made.

7. Don’t Join Their World

You would think this step goes without saying, but unfortunately, it’s far too common.

For some loved ones, appeasing the loved one takes priority. They become so co-dependent with the user that they’ll do anything to make them happy at the moment.

That might mean having a drink with them. Or, hanging out with them and their addicted friends.

Stay away from their world. You need to be a stable voice based on reality.

When you abuse a substance with them, it condones the behavior. And, it shows that you encourage it.

How to Explain Your Boundaries to an Addict

Once you know the boundaries you need to set, it’s time to tell the addict.

This gives them a chance to assess their behavior and make changes if they wish. Often, they won’t change right away but will try to test your boundaries.

So, have this conversation when they’re sober. Tell them how much you love them. Explain the new boundaries and consequences.

Emphasize that you will be sticking to these boundaries. And, that if they ever want to get help, you’re always ready to help them get it.

They likely won’t ask for the help they need right away. In fact, of the 1 million addicts who admitted to needing help, only 33 percent tried to get it.

Remember that your love and support for this person are ongoing. Whenever they’re ready to get help, you’ll be there. Until then, hold strong to your boundaries.

Is Your Addicted Loved One Ready for Help?

Stopping your enabling behavior is the first step to getting your loved one sober. When you stop enabling their behavior, they’re faced with the reality of their addiction.

And remember, it might get worse before it gets better. Just keep following these tips on how to stop enabling.

When your loved one is finally ready, you can help them by finding them a treatment center. Contact us at Best Rehabs In Arizona to get started.

September 17, 2019September 29, 2021

How to Avoid Drug Use in College

If you’ve watched a lot of movies about college students, you might be under the impression that everyone experiments with drugs when they’re in college. But this simply isn’t the truth. Because of this, we’ve decided to highlight exactly how to avoid drug use in college, and reasons to consider it.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, some college students do admit to using drugs like marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. But surveys have shown that only about one out of every five college students uses illicit drugs regularly.

Are you concerned that drug use in college could potentially be a problem for you? Whether you’re a recovering drug user who wants to steer clear of drugs in college or someone who has never used drugs and wants to keep it that way, there are steps you can take to avoiding using drugs during your college years.

Check out the things you can do to avoid drug use in college below.

Pick a College That’s Not Known for Its Party Scene

Every year, a variety of print and online publications put together lists of the top party schools in the entire country. These schools are very popular among those who are focused on spending a lot of time partying during their college careers.

But if your goal is to avoid drug use in college at all costs, these schools are not going to be for you. The last thing you want to do is put yourself in the middle of a place where you’re going to be subjected to heavy drinking and drug use all the time.

This doesn’t mean that you need to enroll in a school that has a “dry” campus. You can if you want to, but you don’t have to go to that extreme if you don’t like any of the schools with dry campuses.

You should, however, try to find a school that has little to no party scene, if possible. You won’t have to duck and dodge parties where drugs are being used all the time if you’re at a college where parties are few and far between.

Make the Right Living Arrangements

There is something to be said for spending at least a year or two living on-campus at college in a dorm. You can learn a lot about yourself and how you interact with others by setting up shop in a dorm.

But if you think that living in a dorm might expose you to drugs and increase your chances of using them, you don’t have to do it. You can either get an apartment off-campus or, better yet, live at home with your parents as a commuter student.

If you choose to move into an off-campus apartment, just be careful about who you move in with if you decide to live with roommates. You could end up putting yourself into a position where you’re living with someone who uses drugs and exposes you to them every day.

Fill Your Academic Schedule Every Semester

One of the most effective ways to avoid drug use in college is by staying busy as often as you can. Rather than taking the bare minimum number of college credits each semester, jampack your schedule so that you’re always either in class or studying.

Outside of helping you stay away from drugs, filling up your academic schedule will also allow you to graduate sooner than expected. This could cut down on your college tuition and make it easier to pay off student loans if you’re planning on taking them out.

Get Involved With the Clubs on Your College Campus

While it’s good to stay busy when you’re in college in an effort to avoid drugs, you shouldn’t spend your whole life sitting in the library. If the only thing you do is study, study, and then study

some more, you’re going to burn yourself out.

Why not give yourself a break by joining one of the many clubs that are available on college campuses? Every college campus is obviously a little bit different, but you can often join:

Cooking clubs
Community service clubs
Religious clubs
Sports clubs
Music clubs

Joining clubs will help you to meet new people who share interests similar to yours. You’ll often form longer-lasting friendships with people when you meet them at clubs as opposed to meeting them at parties, bars, or nightclubs.

Choose Your College Friends Wisely

If you want to stay as far away from drug use in college as you can, it’s going to be important for you to pick and choose the friends that you make wisely. You don’t want to spend your days hanging out with a habitual marijuana user if you’re trying your best to avoid drugs.

When you’re in the process of getting to know new people in college, look out for the signs that they might be a drug user. You might want to reconsider hanging out with someone if you know that they’re using drugs on a regular basis.

Let People Know You’re Not a Drug User in No Uncertain Terms

Peer pressure is something that’s often associated with high school students. In fact, one recent survey suggested that about 90% of high school students admit to experiencing peer pressure.

But peer pressure can affect college students, too! Since college students are still trying to forge an identity for themselves, it’s not uncommon for them to succumb to peer pressure at the start of their college years.

You should mentally prepare yourself for this when you head off to college and vow to stick to your strict “no drugs” policy. You should also go out of your way to let those that you meet in college know that you’re not someone who is interested in using drugs under any circumstances.

This won’t prevent people from asking you to use drugs altogether. But it will make it easier for you to turn them down when people ask if you’re interested in taking drugs.

Speak With an Advisor About Any Struggles You Face in College

When most people think about going away to college, they think about how much fun they’re going to have when they do it. What they don’t always realize is that, while college can be fun, it can also be very stressful.

About 75% of college students say they’re stressed out a lot of the time. Additionally, about 20% say they’ve thought about committing suicide in college due to the stress, anxiety, and depression they feel while in school.

Many students turn to drugs and alcohol to manage the stress that they feel in school. They take this approach instead of trying to find better ways to cope with the stress that comes along with being a college student.

Rather than doing this, you should set up meetings with your school advisor when you feel stressed out and talk to them about your struggles. They can provide you with ways to manage your stress more effectively and help you avoid turning to drugs and alcohol to cope with your feelings.

There are so many people who find themselves addicted to drugs or alcohol because they utilized them as a coping mechanism in college. Do everything in your power to avoid falling into this trap.

Remind Yourself of Why You’re Choosing Not to Use Drugs

You likely have a great reason for wanting to avoid drug use in college. What is it?

Some people choose not to use drugs in college because they want to make sure they’re able to get good grades. Others decide not to use them because they want to graduate as quickly as they can and pursue a career that they’re passionate about.

You need to come up with a reason for wanting to stay away from drugs and write it down. Put it on a piece of paper and hang it up next to your bed if you have to.

Keep your reason in mind at all times, especially when you’re feeling pressured to use drugs. Your reason will help you say no each and every time that you’re offered drugs at a party or another event.

Over time, you’ll find that it will become easier and easier to avoid drug use in college. You won’t have to remind yourself about your reasoning once you see how much better your college experience is when drugs aren’t in the picture.

You Can Avoid Drug Use in College and Still Have a Great Time

Just because you’re choosing not to use drugs in college does not mean that you can’t still enjoy yourself. You can meet a ton of people, get awesome grades, and soak up every bit of the college experience—all without drugs.

By avoiding drug use in college, you’ll keep yourself on the right path and hit your academic goals before it’s all said and done. In four years (or maybe less!), you’ll leave college with a diploma and a great understanding of where your life is headed next.
Are you a college student who suspects that you might have a drug problem? Stop letting drugs hold you back. Contact us today to find out how we can help you get clean and stay clean so that you can get back to focusing on your studies.

May 14, 2019September 29, 2021

How Does Alcohol Affect the Liver: What to Know

You don’t have to be an alcoholic to experience the harsh effects alcohol has on your body. While short-term effects include intoxication and dehydration, the longer term effects are much more harmful, especially to your liver. To avoid the worst effects, we provide answers to, ‘How Does Alcohol Affect the Liver?’

Of all the alcohol you consume, 90-98 percent is broken down directly by your liver. This creates a lot of extra work for your liver, taking it away from other jobs it could be performing. You might be thinking, “how does alcohol affect the liver if I only have a drink here or there?”.

What Is the Role of Your Liver?

Alcohol is the causes of 4 out of 5 deaths from liver disease. And once you begin consuming alcohol, the damage begins. The effects won’t be seen immediately as the liver is amazingly resilient and can repair itself.

Your liver is one of the most vital organs in your body. It is the largest organ of the body with over 500 functions, including helping rid the body of toxins and other harmful substances while also storing vitamins, iron, and glucose. Not only this, but it helps filter waste and regulates blood clotting.

When you consume alcohol, it’s as if a foreign toxin has been introduced to your body. Alcohol produces acetaldehyde, which damages the cells in your liver and causes liver scarring.

If you’ve ever had a hangover, you’ll know how dehydrated you feel the day after a long night of drinking. This is because alcohol dehydrates your body. This is particularly detrimental because water is essential to the function of your liver.

Alcoholic Hepatitis – Inflammation of the Liver

Alcoholic hepatitis is also known as the inflammation of the liver. Once diagnosed, you should stop drinking alcohol immediately. If you continue to drink, it can lead to permanent liver damage or even death.

You might be thinking that this type of illness only occurs in those who drink heavily over long periods of time. While that does play a role in acute alcoholic hepatitis, there isn’t a direct correlation between alcohol consumption and this disease. Even if you’re only a social drinker you can still develop alcoholic hepatitis.

When your body starts to tell you something’s wrong, it’s important to listen to your symptoms and respond accordingly. You might notice a yellowing of your skin and eyes, caused by jaundice. This is the most common sign of alcoholic hepatitis.

Other things you might notice is a loss of appetite. Anytime you consume a large amount of alcohol, you won’t feel hungry. So instead of eating your calories, you’ll be consuming them in the form of alcohol. You might also notice you’re more tired than usual, have a low-grade fever, or experience an upset stomach.

Fatty Liver – Steatosis

Fatty liver disease, or steatosis, means exactly what it sounds like, you have extra fat in your liver. This is one of the earliest stages of alcoholic liver disease.

This disease will rear its head in 90 percent of people who consume anywhere between one and a half to two ounces of alcohol each day. While this disease is brought on by drinking heavily, it can also occur with long-term drinking and can range in severity from patient to patient.

The difficulty with fatty liver disease is that the symptoms are usually understated. Sometimes you’ll simply feel more tired than normal, have some abdominal pain, or experience sudden weight loss. In order to determine if you have this condition, you’ll need to be diagnosed using a blood test at your doctor’s office.

Although fatty liver disease is brought on by constant drinking and consuming more than your liver can process, the effects can be reversed in 4-6 weeks by stopping alcohol consumption as soon as you’re diagnosed.

Cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is the final stage of long term liver disease. This can be brought on by a number of things, one of those including alcohol abuse. This means there is a loss of liver cells resulting in liver scarring which leads to poor liver function.

Depending on the state of your liver, you may experience a range of symptoms, including nausea, fatigue, yellowing of the eyes and skin, as well as fluid buildup in the legs. On the other hand, you may experience no symptoms at all.

Once diagnosed by your doctor, know that there are no known cures for cirrhosis at this time. Eventually, this disease could lead to liver failure even if you decide to give up alcohol altogether.

Reducing Your Risk of Liver Disease

In the United States, long term heavy alcohol consumption is the most common cause of illness and death when considering a liver disease. Since your liver is the sole organ that processes liquor, it is more inclined to experience the greatest effects of alcohol.

Cut out Alcohol

One of the best ways to make sure your body is in the best shape possible is to stop drinking alcohol altogether, especially if you find yourself drinking multiple glasses daily. Although this won’t reverse all the effects alcohol has had on your liver, it will help make the liver healthy again.

Live a Healthy Lifestyle

Whether it means signing up for that gym membership you’ve been putting off or throwing out that carton of cigarettes, now is the time to make a healthy change. Only second to alcohol consumption, obesity is the leading cause of liver disease. It’s also been found that a workout helps to reduce the urge to drink!

Along these same lines, start to be more mindful with what you put into your body. Eating out and drinking a soda every now and then isn’t detrimental to your body, but it’s important to know your limits. Also be sure to incorporate fruits, vegetables, and water into your daily diet.

It might not totally reverse the negative effects drinking has had on your liver, but living a healthy lifestyle is a step in the right direction.

Protect Your Body

Pay close attention to other things your body is coming in contact with. If you find that you’re around aerosol sprays or other types of chemicals on a frequent basis, come prepared with the right protection. Wearing a mask when working with these can help be a barrier between your body and a harmful substance.

Protecting your body comes in many forms, not just the things you physically come in contact with, but the things you ingest as well. For instance, many medications have harmful effects when not taken at the proper dosage. If you take too much, your liver will have to work overtime to process it, which makes it harmful and toxic to your body.

How Does Alcohol Affect the Liver Break down Process?

Your liver is key in processing any alcohol that enters your body. Through a process called oxidation, your liver takes the alcohol and removes it from the bloodstream. Keep in mind, when you drink, you’re giving your body more work to do which takes it away from its main job, filtering your blood.

Throughout this process, the alcohol will move from a toxin into water and carbon dioxide. In the grand scheme of things, it takes about 1 hour for your liver to break down 1 ounce of alcohol.

When you consume too much alcohol, your liver will have a difficult time breaking it all down. This means the toxins from the alcohol will remain in your system, having potentially deadly effects.

Your Health Is at Stake

If this isn’t evidence of how alcohol affects the liver, consider how it affects your wallet. The average American spends 1 percent of their annual income on alcohol, equating to about $565 each year. So not only are you doing damage to your body, you’re damaging your savings as well.Next time you order a cold beer, consider the vital role your liver plays in your overall health. Not convinced? Read more about the link between alcohol and anxiety.

November 23, 2018July 25, 2022

How Much Money is Spent On Alcohol Per Year

Alcohol abuse is known to come with a number of health and legal costs. One factor that many people tend to overlook, however, are the financial costs of drinking alcohol. Unfortunately, many people fail to realize just how much money they spend on their drinking habits each year.

Because it can be quite simple to acquire alcohol, such as when ordering a glass of wine with dinner or having a beer while at the bar, these costs can be overlooked. In time, however, these can add, leaving many people hundreds or even thousands of dollars shorter per year.

In light of America’s growing drinking population, it has become more important – and more complicated – than ever to track consumer spending habits. Particularly when both the material and physical cost of excessive drinking rates is becoming increasingly problematic.

WHAT IS THE NORMAL ANNUAL COST OF ALCOHOL?

The amount of money spent on alcohol per year can differ based on a person’s specific drinking habits, especially when taking into account the varying costs of different drinks and brands. Some people also drink more than others, making it even harder to pin down specific figures.

One way for you to find out your own personal costs is to keep track of your spending by either writing down your alcohol purchases as you make them or by totaling everything up at the end of the month.

If you purchase alcohol along with other items, like groceries, you may want to keep track as you go, unless you want to spend time looking through receipts each month to try to tabulate your costs.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO DRINK ALCOHOL?

Another way to track your alcohol spending is to consider the cost of your drink of choice. The cost of certain alcoholic beverages ranges from low to high in various cases, which can play a significant role in calculating average consumer spending.

THE COSTS OF DIFFERENT ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

For some people, a six-pack of beer might run around $5, but for others, a six-pack of craft beer might cost upwards of $10. Wine can also vary greatly in price, with some bottles costing under $10, and others as much as hundreds of dollars.

Likewise, liquor from a store brand can cost a few dollars, but notable brands can charge much more. The size and packaging quality of a bottle, as well as the vendor from which it is purchased can also be a factor in determining the price of liquor, or any other form of alcohol.

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE ALCOHOL SPENDING FOR AMERICANS PER YEAR?

In conjunction with the The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), an economic analysis provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Americans spent an estimated $249 billion funding dangerous drinking habits within the year of 2010.

This average spending, while having recently decreased publicly, has since climbed slightly within the private sphere. Higher consumer spending within the home environment in recent years has been primarily attributed to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

These findings further report that, on average, American adults drink alcohol at rates that equate to approximately one percent of their annual gross income compared to other grocery and household purchases.

This works out to around $565 per year. Over the span of their adult lives, these people can end up spending on alcohol over tens of thousands of dollars. With this BLS data, it is also important to consider one’s specific location when it comes to alcohol spending.

HOW DO THE COSTS OF ALCOHOL VARY BY CITY?

Based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics cost-of-living data per city and county health rankings, how much Americans spent on alcohol within the last few years can vary significantly based on where in the U.S. someone is located.

A vast majority of major cities in America may have a higher-than average price when it comes to the cost of drinking. These areas may increase both the price of an alcoholic beverage as well as their provisionary services, costing far more than it would to drink in more rural cities.

Cities spending more on alcohol per year include San Diego, San Francisco, Boston, Baltimore, and many other cities located in a more metro area featuring a high cost-of-living. Overall alcohol spending is far higher than it should be, regardless of where in the U.S. you live.

HOW MUCH DOES AN ALCOHOLIC SPEND PER YEAR ON ALCOHOL?

Although the reviewed cost of how much Americans spent on alcohol annually has thus far typically totaled to around several hundred dollars on drinking per year, someone who struggles with alcohol abuse may struggle far more.

Someone with an alcohol addiction will generally depend on alcohol as a mood enhancement, or to stave off withdrawals. This means that they may need a constant supply of alcohol in order to function, leading to greatly increased costs.

As their condition worsens, addicted people spend around several thousand dollars per year on alcohol, even when drinking what would be considered inexpensive brands. Spending on alcohol varies based on the volume purchased.

When it comes to alcohol addiction, these people spend far more money funding their habits than the average American might. These additional costs can be crippling, characterized by a year over year increase in spending on little other than a continuous alcohol supply.

RECOVERING FROM THE COSTS OF ALCOHOL ADDICTION AT PATHFINDERS RECOVERY CENTER

Because alcoholism is a progressive disease, intervention may be required to end the cycle of alcohol abuse. For those struggling with alcohol or drug problems, Best Rehabs In Arizona offers a variety of recovery solutions, including 12-step programs, to assist in your treatment.

To learn more about how you can live your best life and be free from struggles with addiction, click here now. You can also call 877-651-3366 to speak with a substance abuse treatment professional about detox and recovery solutions designed to address your unique needs.

May 17, 2017

Signs of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Relapse

What are the Reasons Relapse May Occur?

For addicts going through the recovery process, most have been told something along the lines of “relapse is a part of recovery.” Is relapse part of the recovery process? The simple answer is no. Many individuals in recovery find success the first time around. However, alcoholics and drug addicts may experience a relapse, or multiple, when attempting to get clean and sober from their drugs of choice. Relapsing can be devastating to addicts themselves, but can also take a toll on the loved ones that surround them. This article is meant to inform those who suffer from addiction and their friends and family different reasons why this may continue happening, and how to deal with relapse as it comes.

Why Does an Addict Relapse?

Addiction is unpleasant (to say the least) for the person suffering and their loved ones. Many people wonder what is the cause of addiction. Debated by some, addiction is a disease that results in changes to the brain from continued substance abuse. Addiction is not a disease that develops overnight; we generally pass through a series of phases that begin with experimenting and partying from time to time, gradually developing into loss of control regarding our substance intake.

Our substance use, be it alcohol or drugs, becomes compulsive and renders us acting irrational and abnormal. After an addict has been sober for some time the tendency to relapse is very strong. The data shows that each time you try to stay sober your likelihood of gaining lasting sobriety increases.

How our Brains Work in Conjunction With Addiction Relapse

Our brains contain complex reward systems, developed over time and evolved to help us pursue the things necessary to our survival (i.e. food, reproduction, etc). Our frontal lobes (the part of our brain that develops last and is crucial in our ability to predict, reason, and create) help us weigh the consequences of our impulses. When this system is functioning in conjunction with one another it helps us to make better decisions for ourselves.

However, in an addict it is as if our reward systems do not communicate properly with the frontal lobe in a cohesive and logical way. Our sensitive reward system can be triggered very easily causing us to crave drugs or alcohol. To sum it up, our minds don’t allow us to think the consequences of our actions through clearly, even after some time in recovery has passed.

Can you cure a drug addict? Many addicts believe their disease is one that will last forever, but this notion isn’t true. Thankfully, addiction is a disease that can be successfully treated. Education is key in kicking addiction. That’s why it’s so important to seek out the resources and information about different treatment options

Warning Signs of a Potential Relapse

Excusing unhealthy behaviors – after some time passes it can become easier to slow down on internal growth and honest self-appraisal. This happens so subtly that we don’t always notice when this is happening. Then after some time we begin to justify the behaviors that risk our sobriety and increase our chances of relapse. We know in our hearts the behaviors are wrong yet we do them anyway. This leads us to feelings of shame, anxiety, guilt etc…
Obsessing about work, money, or a romantic interest – These are good things for us to have in our lives. The key is to learn not to obsess, and let these distract us from our primary goal of staying sober and learning to love ourselves.
Unhealthy spending habits – This is something that many addicts and alcoholics struggle with early in recovery. Being irresponsible with our finances can lead to a heavy burden on our lives. This is not conducive to the new life we are trying to lead and can produce more stress and anxiety.
Elevated levels of stress and anxiety – Most people that suffer from addiction are not monitoring this effectively in their early recovery. Therefor they cannot intervene on this in a healthy manner. This can lead to the thought process of “a drink or a drug sounds like a good idea.”
Isolating – Because we as addicts have a tendency to experience difficulty in monitoring our behavior and being honest with ourselves about the impact of that behavior, we need a sober social network and support system to help us see the truth. A sober social network can help us see how we are truly doing internally, and help us redirect the driving force of those behaviors into a healthy and more productive outlet. We don’t do this alone and the beautiful thing about recovery is that we do not have to.
Romanticizing and glorifying your addiction – It is very easy for us to fall into this way of thinking, our minds remember the good times we had throughout our addiction, which there were plenty of. If we didn’t enjoy it for so long before our lives came crashing down we would not have kept using drugs or drinking. It can be difficult to remember the hangovers, withdrawals, lying, isolation, loneliness and pain we experienced that led us to try and get sober in the first place. Make no mistake about it, it starts with a lot of fun but when the party is over, it is over.
Being a pessimist and forecasting negatively for your life – No one likes to feel depressed and hopeless. Being honest and in touch with the real challenges that are ahead of us, while maintaining optimistic about those outcomes helps us to function more effectively. Having foresight for our futures, and believing we can be successful is key. “those who believe they can, and those who believe that cannot are both usually right.”

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction please call Best Rehabs In Arizona today and speak with one of our founders directly. You are not alone, and there is hope.

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877-651-3366

April 21, 2017December 15, 2022

Alcohol: Effects On Your Brain and Body

Alcohols Effects On Your Brain and Body

Alcoholism was first recognized as a disease in 1956 by the American Medical Association. Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States. 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence along with several million more who engage in risky, binge drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

This article is meant to explain and inform people on what exactly alcohol does to us on a physiological level.

Negative Side Effects Of Prolonged Alcohol Abuse

A lot of people love drinking, but this is a very dangerous pastime when we are not able to maintain moderation like so many of us have not been able to. This is especially dangerous to a young brain that is still developing because of how damaging alcohol abuse is to the brain and other vital organs.

What are the Short and Long Term Effects of Alcohol?

There are dozens of negative side effects to alcohol abuse, in the short and long run. These effects can be extremely damaging to every aspect of an addict’s life.

Some of the short term signs and side effects of alcohol abuse include:

Lower inhibitions
Decreased reaction time
Slowed brain activity
Poor vision
Slurred, disoriented speech
Vomiting
Alcohol poisoning
Difficulty breathing

Here are some health risks and other long term effects associated with repetitive over consumption of alcohol:

Intense physical and mental cravings for alcohol
Withdrawal symptoms when not drinking including nausea, vomiting, shaking, sweating, seizures and death
Lapses in memory (complete black outs)
Cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver
Physical and mental deterioration
Legal issues
Marital problems
Decreased performance at work and/or job loss

How does alcohol affect the digestive system? Alcohol’s effect on the digestive system creates unpleasant symptoms for consumers. Irritating the entire system, resulting in vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain and internal bleeding. These effects can be seen after one time use, long term abuse and during withdrawal during detox.

How Does Alcohol Affect The Brain?

Alcohol that is not broken down in the liver runs through the rest of our body through our blood stream. This includes passing through our brain’s cerebral cortex, medulla, hypothalamus, hippocampus, cerebellum, and frontal lobe. Alcohol can affect parts of the brain that command our movement, speech, judgement, inhibition, and memory. This is why we see drunk people having difficulty walking, slurring their speech, acting impulsively and having memory lapses. We have probably been in that state many times ourselves, and seeing this can be a harsh reminder of how we used to be. After prolonged use of alcohol negative side effects such as depression and anxiety disorders may develop.

What are the Long Term Effects of Alcohol on the Body?

Alcohol is rapidly absorbed into the blood, stomach and small intestine immediately after a drink is ingested. The effects are felt within 5 to 10 minutes after drinking. Blood alcohol content usually peaks between 30-90 minutes after being consumed and is carried throughout every organ in the body. Many people question, “What does a beer do to the body?” Or, “What effect will hard liquor have on me?” The answer is dependent on the amount of alcohol consumption and the time period that the alcohol is consumed. The more consistently a person drinks alcohol in excess, the worse the negative effects on his or her body will be.

Here are some of the ways alcohol will affect your body after prolonged use:

Immune system – an immune system weakened by alcohol consumption cannot properly fight off germs, viruses and illnesses
Muscles and bones become weakened
Erectile dysfunction and infertility are common side effects of overconsumption
Stroke, heart attack and cardiomyopathy (poisoning of the heart’s muscle cells) are common amongst heavy drinkers

Here to Help

If you or a loved one is struggling with alcoholism, please contact us for help; we have been there. We have found through many different experiences a way of life that is much more gratifying, and pleasurable as time goes on. At Best Rehabs In Arizona we are here to share this message of redemption and recovery with the world. At the end of my own alcoholism I had wanted to stop for about two years but could not do it on my own. We are a community of men and women that walk through this sober life together and we never have to be alone again.