Boxer Says Alcohol, Cocaine No Problem
21 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
in Alcohol and Other Drugs, Denial, Treatment
Ricky Hatton, a British boxer currently in treatment for “depression,” denies drug addiction or alcohol abuse:
“…Hatton, whose treatment at The Priory clinic is for depression, also said: “I’m not the slightest bit worried about the cocaine. Problem? What problem?
“He said his drinking is not an issue either, after confessing to downing nearly 50 pints of Guinness a week.
“You would associate alcoholism with shorts like whisky and vodka – but I have never really had that,” the News of the World quotes him as saying.”
Turns Out No One Is Very Good At Estimating Drunkenness
04 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
in Alcohol and Other Drugs, Denial Tags: drunk or sober?
Sloshed, trollied, hammered, plastered. We’ve done a sterling job of inventing words for the inebriated state, but when it comes to judging from their behaviour how much a person has drunk, we could do (a lot) better.
It truly is an issue of how much we’ve had to drink, not how we act. The effect of the drug on our brains is consistent, but because we can learn to act sober, we fool even ourselves.
http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-good-are-we-at-estimating-other.html
Is it hard to come off cannabis?
29 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
in Alcohol and Other Drugs, Recovery, Treatment
Q&A: Is it hard to come off cannabis?
What Causes A Person To Become Addicted To A Substance?
24 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
in Alcohol and Other Drugs, Questions & Answers, Recovery, Treatment
The details vary, but in general:
- The presence of the substance in the brain mimics or alters the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and especially dopamine.
- Physical changes occur in the brain that adapt it to the altered levels of those substances.
- At that point, it is necessary to continue the substance in order to feel normal, even if we do not use enough to get high. Sometimes we reach a point where it is no longer possible to get high.
Ten Percent of Workers Drink on the Job
13 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
in Alcohol and Other Drugs Tags: alcohol in the workplace, drinking on the job, DUI
10 percent of the population hides that they drink on the job.
“What perpetuates it is the drinker will maintain a sincere delusion about their drinking, that it’s not a problem,” Nick Sahaidachny with Valley Vista Health System told 6News’ Stacia Matthews.
He said that in the workplace, alcoholism can show itself in increased absence and decreased productivity, while coworkers may also notice mood swings, anxiety and excuses for the behavior.
Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG) Testing
10 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
in Alcohol and Other Drugs, Recovery
Many governmental agencies use a test for Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG), an alcohol metabolite. The prevailing opinion among addiction professionals is that the test is not reliable, and should not be used for routine screening.
The information in the following article is critical, and should be considered by anyone being tested for EtG.
“Non-Alcoholic” Beer and Wine
09 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
in Alcohol and Other Drugs, Recovery
A frequent question: “How about non-alcoholic beer and wine in recovery?”
Not to put too fine a point on it, “non-alcoholic” beer is, at best, a form of denial. At worst, it can trigger a desire to drink. For one thing, beer can be listed as non-alcoholic with up to 1/2% alcohol content. That is not alcohol free, and people in recovery need to avoid all alcohol if possible. But just as important is the fact that you are fooling yourself into thinking you can continue to do the things you used to do. More
Why We Don’t Get Better Immediately: Post-acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS)
08 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
in Alcohol and Other Drugs, Recovery Tags: PAWS, Post-acute withdrawal
Many of the problems associated with early sobriety do not stem directly from drugs and alcohol. Instead, they are associated with physical and psychological changes that occur after the chemicals have left our bodies. When we use, our brains actually undergo physical change to cope with the presence of the drug in our body. When we remove the drugs, our brains then demand more to satisfy the desire caused by the changes. The extreme symptoms that we experience immediately after we stop using are called “acute withdrawal.”
Acute withdrawal, unfortunately, is not the whole story. Our bodies make initial adjustments to the absence of the drug, and the major symptoms ease up. However, the changes that have occurred in our brains need time to revert back to their original state (to the extent that they ever do). During the period of time while this is occurring, they can cause a variety of problems known as Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS).
All we addicts and alcoholics suffer from damage to our bodies and nervous systems from drug/alcohol use, accidents, and malnutrition. We may also suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes and hepatitis, and we usually bring to early recovery a broad array of other problems. As one alcoholic put it, “When I got sober, things didn’t get any easier, but they got real …ing clear!”
Recovery causes a great deal of stress. Many addicts and alcoholics never learn to manage stress without alcohol or drug use, or do so only after many attempts at sobriety. Our ability to deal with it depends on our willingness to take care of ourselves and maintain a healthy physical, emotional and spiritual lifestyle. Repairing the damage to our nervous systems usually requires from six months to two years with a healthy program of recovery. PAWS is the cause of most relapse in early recovery. Read more>>>
Shel
Bill
