What Do You Miss about Being Drunk?

If you find yourself teetering on the precipice of an alcohol relapse because you are missing the feeling of being drunk, it is important to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is making you miss being drunk?
• Are you currently trying to deal with stress from work or family?
• What other triggers are you currently dealing with?
• Are you attending meetings and therapy sessions?
• Are you trying to cope with untreated anxiety or depression?
• Do you feel as though you have enough support from those around you?

Carefully consider what it is that you are missing. Is it the physical feeling of being drunk, or is it the escape from reality or the stress of daily life that you are missing?

Getting Professional Help for Alcohol Dependence

An alcohol rehab program will help you learn or relearn the coping skills that will help you deal with your stress triggers in a healthy manner. An alcohol rehab program will provide you with integrated treatment options that include the treatment of underlying mental and emotional health concerns, as there is a strong connection between depression, anxiety and alcohol abuse. When you receive professional treatment for your alcoholism and mental health issues together, you will be in a much better position to embrace long-lasting sobriety. If you have already spent time in an inpatient alcohol treatment facility, you may find that an outpatient rehab program is a great option for you. If you have already taken steps toward an alcohol relapse, you should consider another stay in an inpatient alcohol treatment program.

Getting Professional Alcohol Addiction Treatment

To find out more about how alcohol rehab programs can benefit you and your sobriety, please call our toll-free alcoholism helpline to speak in complete confidence with one of our knowledgeable counselors. We are here to answer all of the questions and concerns that you might have about getting and staying clean. Call us today to find out how our alcohol rehab programs can benefit you.

Five Signs of Alcoholism

Every person will have his or her unique signs of a drinking problem depending on their age, health and other life factors. The following are five signs of alcoholism that are frequently seen:

• An increasingly higher tolerance for larger amounts of alcohol is a major sign that you have a drinking problem. In order to maintain the pleasurable feelings you are looking for, it is necessary to consume much higher amounts of alcohol.
• Distancing yourself from your friends, your family and social events is a sign of alcoholism. You may neglect your hobbies in favor of spending more time drinking. Alcoholics quickly become unsociable unless the social events will involve alcohol.
• Alcoholism often includes drastic physical changes that include tremors between drinking binges, mood swings, lack of coordination, rapid weight loss and changes in person hygiene.
• Poor decision making is a sign of alcoholism, and it is often to blame for someone getting behind the wheel of a car while he or she is intoxicated. Alcohol may be the reason behind engaging in other dangerous behavior that can include picking fights or engaging in sexual encounters with complete strangers.
• Memory loss is often a symptom of alcoholism, and blackouts are often experienced. A person who is blacked out can continue to walk, talk and perform tasks, but they will have no memory of these actions.

Have you started to recognize yourself in these symptoms of alcoholism? Have you tried to stop drinking but find that you actually cannot? What happens if you stop drinking for a day? Entering a quality alcohol rehab program can help you work through your alcohol abuse or addiction.

Getting Professional Alcohol Treatment

If you believe that you may be an alcoholic or if your attempts to stop drinking have been unsuccessful, call our toll-free helpline. Our team of incredible counselors is ready to speak with you in complete confidence about the challenges you are facing. We can help you quit drinking, and with professional help you can stop drinking as soon as you are ready. We are here to help 24 hours a day, so please call now.

The First Stage of Alcoholism

Some of the early signs of alcoholism include the following:

• A slow increase in the tolerance to alcohol
• Using alcohol to self-medicate symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress or worry
• Using alcohol to cope with overwhelming problems

In this early stage it can be difficult to see a difference between someone who is just a heavy drinker and someone who is struggling with the early stages of alcoholism. It is important to note that alcohol is often abused because drinkers have not learned effective coping mechanisms for stress. So, while there is indeed a choice to pick up the first drink, it might be the only choice that person sees to help him function on a normal level.

The Second Stage of Alcoholism

When an alcoholic crosses the line into the middle stages of a drinking problem, there is rarely one big event to mark the new stage. Instead this new stage can be marked by the following:

• When the alcoholic drinks, there is a sharp decrease in any pleasures that were once experienced. Her or his drinking is now more medicinal to help her get over the hangover from the previous day’s drinking.
• Destructive behaviors are more visible as the drinking progresses.
• Those closest to the alcoholic are starting to notice more behaviors that are out of character; behaviors that are clearly influenced by the alcohol.
• Poor performance at work will now become very clear; disciplinary action or even loss of job may be experienced.
• A craving for the alcohol is starting to develop and grow increasingly stronger.
• Physical withdrawal symptoms may be present when the alcoholic is unable to drink.
• Blackouts and memory loss may start to occur with increasing frequency.

The Final Stage of Alcoholism

The late stages of alcoholism are the point at which the alcoholic can no longer effectively hide the signs of alcoholism. Alcoholics in this stage often exude the following behaviors:

• Extreme physical health concerns that include infection as well as damage to the heart, liver and pancreas
• The alcoholic may now be acutely aware of his or her problem but finds it near impossible to break free from its grip
• A physical dependency to alcohol keeps the alcoholic drinking
• Loved ones may have given up trying to offer hope or help

While the last stages of alcoholism do sound bleak, the reality is that there is help. A quality alcohol rehab program will offer medically supervised detox as well as treatment for the mental health issues that are contributing to the addiction.

Free Alcoholism Helpline

Rehab can help patients break away from alcoholism triggers and treat the depression, anxiety and alcohol addiction. Inpatient rehab is not for every lifestyle, however; it does pay to learn more about your options.
Call our 24 hour toll-free helpline today. Calls are confidential and allow you to discuss your situation with our understanding counselors. Don’t delay getting professional help. This is one choice that you can make for a bright future.

Signs of Alcoholism

The symptoms and signs of alcoholism can vary greatly between individuals. There are, however, several behaviors and actions that are fairly common between those who are struggling with alcoholism. Ask yourself the following questions and then think carefully about what your answers to the questions may be:

• How often do you drink heavily?
• Do you drink heavily when you are on your own?
• Do you drink heavily more often when you are in social situations?
• Do you also often have just one or two drinks? Or do you tend to only drink until close to the point of intoxication?
• Do you drink in an effort to give yourself a little bit of a confidence or self-esteem boost before social engagements?
• Have others around you started to question your drinking or pass comments about it?

Coming to terms with the idea that you may be an alcoholic is a difficult thing to process. Call our alcoholism helpline to speak in complete confidence with one of our counselors who will be able to help you through the process. The counselors you speak to may also recommend an alcohol rehab facility to help you receive quality professional treatment.

How Alcohol Rehabilitation Can Help

If you believe that you can benefit from an alcohol rehab program, the following will give you an idea as to the types of treatment you will receive:

• When you spend time in an alcohol rehab program, you will undergo a physical and mental examination in order to determine your current health levels and also find out if you have underlying mental and emotional issues that can benefit from professional treatment. For example, there is a clear correlation between social anxiety and alcohol addiction.
• As a part of your inpatient rehab treatment, you will also be able to receive the benefit of group and individual counseling.
• Your addiction recovery will be all the more challenging without the support of your loved ones, so family and couples counseling is also offered.
• You will be able to undergo medically supervised detox that will help to ensure your physical health and your overall levels of comfort.

There are a few key differences between an inpatient and an outpatient program. The primary difference is being able to sleep in your own bed at night versus sleeping at the alcohol rehab facility. However, this difference also leads to the ability to remove yourself wholly from the people and situations that might be contributing to your addiction.

Learn More about Heavy Drinking and Alcoholism

Providing quality addiction treatment for your alcoholism and mental health concerns is our primary focus. Call our toll-free 24 hour helpline so that you can confidentially discuss your concerns about your heavy drinking with our knowledgeable counselors.

We are here to help guide you through the addiction recovery process; call us today to find out how we can help you attain long-lasting sobriety. We can even help you arrange insurance coverage for treatment.

The Connection between Anxiety and Alcoholism

The euphoria brought on by excessive alcohol consumption (defined as more than two drinks per day for men or one for women) directly impacts the part of the brain that manages anxiety, emotions, impulse control and other psychological functions. This area, called the reward center, will experience a short-term relief of the feelings of anxiety when alcohol is present. The brain will crave this relief as soon as it passes and will use every psychological tool at its disposal to get it including the following:

• Obsession
• Emotional cravings
• Justification for use of alcohol
• Denial that there is a problem
• Selective memory that supports the behavior
• Fear of quitting

These psychological influences operate on a deeper and more powerful level than rational thought or will. Even a person who understands he or she may have a problem may be unable to resist cravings for alcohol. Some depressed or anxious individuals may not drink heavily or to the point of complete intoxication, but this does not mean alcohol addiction cannot happen.

How to Break Free from Anxiety and Alcoholism

One reason many addicts are unsuccessful in attempting to get clean is that the underlying psychological disorder that caused their addiction is never identified and treated. Serious anxiety disorders are not treated by alcohol use, even if alcohol does mask symptoms temporarily. The key to lasting recovery from anxiety disorders and addiction is treatment that approaches all aspects of a person’s mental and physical health. This approach carefully identifies and treats the anxiety disorder alongside the addiction. The most effective rehab facilities use this approach to great effect. Through various types of counseling, exercises, education and spiritual care these programs can be successful in establishing balance in the patient’s mind and body.

Find the Help You Need for Anxiety and Alcoholism Today

If you are wrestling with anxiety or addiction issues, call our toll-free helpline. We are here 24 hours a day, so the time to get healthy is now. Life is too short to waste on anxiety or addiction, and high quality treatment is available. We can connect you with the best treatment program for your specific needs. Find peace and sobriety. Call today.

Coping with Your Alcoholic Loved One at a Family Event

Handling an alcoholic who refuses to admit that he or she has a problem or that he or she would benefit from treatment can be challenging. However there are a few things that you can do to diffuse arguments and reduce family stress and addiction-related behaviors. These include the following:

• Consider using this family event as a good setting for a family intervention. An intervention can help your family member come to terms with his or her need for alcohol addiction treatment.
• Try to minimize family arguments over addiction, as they are generally non-productive. Discuss productive methods of handling an alcoholic in the family. These could range from ensuring that alcohol is not served at the event to simply asking your family member to leave the event if behavior gets out of control.
• Addiction in the family can cause a range of problems. The sooner that you work toward getting your loved one into a drug rehabilitation treatment program, the sooner you will be able to look forward to family events.

Managing Your Own Alcohol Addiction at a Family Event

If you are struggling with alcoholism and are looking for the support of your family members, a family event can be the ideal place to seek out their support. However if your alcoholic behaviors have affected your family in the past then you may just run into a fair amount of resistance and could even see new family arguments over addiction cropping up. Keep the following in mind when attending family events:

• Demonstrate a true desire and willingness to enter into a residential addiction treatment program for your alcoholism.
• Do your part to remove yourself from the situation if there appears to be an increasing amount of family stress. While discussing your alcoholism is an important start to getting the help that you need, you may find that the discussions lean towards the negative when a large group is involved.
• At family events you can bring up the idea of family addiction counseling that will allow all members of your family an opportunity to express themselves in a neutral environment.

If you find that you need more help with handling family stress and addiction, consider reaching out for professional guidance.

Alcohol Addiction Help for Families

A call to our toll-free intervention helpline will put to you in touch with knowledgeable, non-judgmental and friendly professionals who can tell you more about family treatment programs that can offer help for alcohol addiction. We can even help you work with your insurance provider to arrange coverage for treatment. Get your family back on track and make family events something that everyone will look forward to. Call today.

Helping an Alcohol Spouse

Leaving an alcoholic so that you can embrace a new life that is free of addiction and addictive behaviors can often fill you with incredible amounts of guilt. While you should not feel guilty about making positive decisions to change your life and the lives of your family members, there several steps that you can take to help your ex get and stay sober during and after a divorce. These steps include the following:

• Consider staging an intervention. Reaching out to an interventionist for intervention help is often the best course of action, as these professionals can ensure that the process runs smoothly and achieves the desired results.
• Consider helping your spouse enter into rehab during divorce proceedings so that he or she can start a new chapter in lives on a clean and sober note.
• While researching options for rehab for a spouse remind your soon-to-be ex that his or her sobriety can help him or her gain greater visitation rights to your children.

A comprehensive treatment plan will encourage the rebuilding of relationships while the person struggling with the addiction receives a range of therapies to help him or her get sober.

Helping a Spouse or Former Spouse Overcome Alcohol Addiction

Divorcing an alcoholic or drug addict in order to achieve a better life for yourself is a personal decision, and helping your former spouse to get sober and maintain recovery during a divorce is a selfless step. Call our toll-free helpline to discuss your unique situation with one of our compassionate counselors. Your conversations will be confidential, non-judgmental and can help you to make the right decision for yourself, your ex and your family as a whole.

Anger and Addiction

Anger and addiction often co-occur, and your anger may be fueled by your addiction or your addiction may be a direct result of your need to self-medicate your anger and other emotional or mental concerns.

Your behaviors don’t just affect you. They affect your friends, family members and everyone that you encounter. It is also unpleasant to feel angry most of the time. People who experience a great deal of anger usually experience higher levels of depression and anxiety as well. Unless you can control your anger and deal with your sobriety in a healthy manner, you will be at serious risk of relapsing. You can work on controlling your anger and staying sober, and this may begin with asking yourself such questions as the following:

• What is really causing the anger?
• Can you find a method of working through the situation that is non-confrontational and also lowers your stress levels?
• If you cannot work through the anger-causing situation can you instead remove yourself from the situation for a while?
• Is your anger something that is truly worth risking your sobriety and potentially losing your family over?
• Is your anger and unhappiness so serious that it may take more time and help to get through?

Staying sober is perhaps the hardest thing that you will ever have to do. However your sobriety and the positive life changes that it brings are worth the effort. With drug abuse, anger and alcoholism all being so closely linked, it is important that you understand the causes of your anger and take steps to help yourself move on from it in order to avoid relapse.

Help Staying Sober and Overcoming Addiction

Our counselors are skilled at finding solutions that work for every unique situation. If you are in need of an addiction rehab program to get or stay sober, we will be able to guide you in the right direction. If you need addiction support in the form of counseling and other types of therapies, we will be able to help to point you on the right path. If you need help arranging insurance coverage for treatment, we can assist with that as well. There is no reason to put yourself or your recovery at risk. You can avoid relapse, stay sober and maintain a healthier and happier life when you are equipped with the emotional and mental tools needed to face down life stressors. Call our toll-free helpline now.

Why Is Alcohol Such a Problem in the Food Service and Hospitality Industry?

The United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/work2k7/press.htm) notes that food service organizations struggle with one of the highest substance abuse problems compared to other industries. Drug and alcohol use tend to happen more frequently in the hospitality industry and can result in job loss, absenteeism and greater problems for both companies and families. Some common factors that can contribute to substance use in the industry include the following:

• The hours worked
• The availability of alcohol
• The drinking culture that is present among hard-working hospitality employees
• The stress of the job
• The variations in pay and “down times” in the industry
• Personal reasons including family problems, mental health struggles, trauma and history of substance use

Treatment for Bartender’s Alcoholism

The bartender and many members of any company wait staff have constant access to alcohol. Bartending is a stressful job, and bartenders are often surrounded by drunk or disrespectful people every day. Bartenders hear many problems, yet they must work quickly and always keep smiling. Bartender and server pay can vary from night to night, and vacations are usually few and far between. It may be tempting to have a drink or two, but this may lead to problems with alcoholism that can ultimately destroy your life. The following are a few things you can do to steer clear of alcohol on the job:

• Be aware of the signs and symptoms of alcoholism. Call our helpline, and speak with a recovery counselor who has heard almost every alcoholism story and scenario possible. Our recovery counselors can help you know if your drinking is normal and even provide you with a brief evaluation over the phone
• If drinking is a problem, avoid spending time at work after the bar is closed. Consider finding new ways to take a break or associating with other employees who do not drink
• If you feel overly tempted, try to avoid spending time alone or unwatched around the alcohol
• Seek support through groups like alcoholics anonymous. Call us to find a support group near you
• Don’t spend time with drinkers on your day off. Take a break from temptation
• Consider exploring a different career. Many reputable rehab programs can help you explore career options during treatment
• Seek support and help

Get Help to Stop Drinking Now

If you or a hospitality industry employee you know is struggling with alcohol or drug use, you can call our helpline for confidential support. All calls are free, and we can help you and your loved ones find a better future through quality treatment programs. We are here 24 hours a day, so please call now and speak with a real person who understands what you are going through.

Alcohol Addiction Is a Physical Health and Mental Health Issue

A factor that may limit help for religious leaders with alcohol addiction is attitude toward alcohol. Some faiths are open to drinking alcohol occasionally and others preach abstention. A conflict of beliefs can make the situation much more complicated than it is. Alcoholism is a serious disease that can cause personal and professional problems. Alcoholism degrades the office to which the church leader and employee has been assigned. However alcohol abuse is not a moral failing, as a person addicted to alcohol has a disease that requires professional help. It may be up to the congregation to help the individual take a step in the right direction. If church leaders lose their way, it may be time for a church member to provide guidance.

Find Help for Church Leader or Employees Struggling with Alcohol Addiction

Private alcohol help for church leaders and employees is available, and we can help you facilitate private rehab help for yourself or a church employee. Our toll-free and confidential helpline is available 24 hours a day to help you find such resources as the following:

• Intervention assistance
• Integrated treatment for alcoholism and mental illness such as depression, anxiety or PTSD
• Specialized or luxury addiction treatment
• Addiction treatment that includes faith practices

Learn how you or your church leader can overcome alcohol addiction. Please call now.

*Source: http://www.christianpost.com/news/poll-2-in-5-evangelical-leaders-drink-alcohol-45682/