It’s estimated that 1 in 10 people are alcoholic or borderline alcoholic. More still are heavy drinkers meaning they may not have the characteristics of those with alcoholic tendencies, but they still consume what are considered by the World Health Organization (WHO), dangerous levels of beers, wines, and spirits.

It’s also worth pointing out that very few death certificates report the cause of passing away as ‘Alcoholism‘. However, many deceased people die as a direct result of consuming too much alcohol, be it over time or during a moment of madness. There are those road accidents too which would never have happened if the driver wasn’t drunk. Other unnecessary fatalities occur from domestic and social violence with some resulting in severe injury and others death! Once again, such brutality and cruelty can be attributed to a direct result of intoxication and the drunk’s inability to control behavior whilst under the influence.

More Alarming Alcoholism Statistics

Putting aside health and behavioral issues for a minute, an incredible number of intoxicated people meet their demise in all sorts of absurd and premature ways. Stepping off of public transport before it has stopped, stumbling into traffic, falling down stairs, walking into working machinery, swimming out to sea, diving into shallow water, walking through glass, choking on vomit, ad infinitum. The list is endless, and it’s growing! More victims of alcohol related mishaps are being reported every single day of the year from young and old, men, women, or teens. Sadly, most folks think that these are things which only happen to irresponsible strangers!

So many of us think we are in control of our drinking. It’s a common conception that only those who binge all day every day will finally meet their end with cirrhosis of the liver or other alcohol related problems such as heart disease, severe strokes, stomach cancers and the like. This is either blind denial or pure ignorance, although with the latter it’s hard to fathom with so much public information available today on the real risks associated with alcohol abuse.

Negative Alcoholism Statistics on the up!

There’s a wise old saying which goes ‘All Knowledge is Power’. But when it comes to consuming alcohol, many of us are so in love with the stuff because of the way it makes us feel, that we find it easy to turn a blind eye to the real dangers. In many respects, mankind is a super intelligent being, but we can also be super stupid too and have a tendency to go through life wearing our own personal self destruct buttons.

Parent’s behavior has a huge impact on growing children, and oftentimes bad habits rub off onto the offspring. It’s estimated that around 6.6 million kids have at least one parent who is addicted to alcohol or some other drug. As a consequence, youngsters today, and especially teens between the ages of 14 and 17, are also becoming dependent on alcohol, street narcotics, or strong pharmaceuticals.

Need more Distressing Alcoholism Statistics?

Once in the grip of alcohol, the life of the abuser often spirals downwards leaving a trail of destruction behind them. Sadly, the success rate for recovery is abysmal to say the least. Although Alcoholics Anonymous is not the only way for problem drinkers to get sober and stay stopped, they can give a good indication on the recovery rate. According to AA, only 4% of alcoholics and heavy drinkers ever make it to their rooms, and out of that 4% who do, only 2% mange to stay stopped and go on to live a life of sobriety.

Still dying for a drink?

Do you or someone close to you have alcohol related problems? Read more about recovery and the alarming trend in Alcoholism Statistics at Addicted to More dot com Your Independent guide to coping with addictions.

DO’s

Do presume that you can get out of this mess. Most of us eventually do.
Do realise that you are not the first person to have these horrors on your back and unfortunately you will not be the last.
Do know that there is a lot of help out there. The effects of Alcoholism and Addiction of various medications are well documentated.
Do ask for that help when the gutter is approaching you like a “Perfect Storm”. Disorderly and Drunk is not the way to go.
Do make an effort to find someone you can trust, be it a Doctor, Counsellor, Social Worker etc. And then listen to them. A Psychiatrist and Doctor will have seen worse cases than you before. They will have your best interests at heart.
Do realise that you can feel a lot worse than you do at the moment. These mothers can reduce the toughest man or woman to a mumbling broken shell of their former self.
Do remember the little word with a huge meaning-HOPE.

DONT’s

Do not think that you can beat the odds. If you do and have a drink you will make it into the Guiness Book of Records as the only Alcoholic to be able to drink again.
Do not think that your loved ones will stick around for ever. They have a limit, just like you. There is many miserable and lonely recovering alcoholics out there.
Do not believe that you know better than the medical guys. Did you go to medical school?
Do not believe yourself when you say I will stop drinking tomorrow. Tomorrow never comes.
Do not lie to your Doctor, Psychologist or Counsellor. They can see through you. A Psychiatrist or Doctor can only do so much.
Do not blame yourself. Your Addiction of Alcoholism and Anxiety of your past is quite understandable. Alcoholism and Depression are illnesses just like any other.
Do not stop looking for help. I saw 2 Psychiatrists, 8 Psychologists and 3 Doctors until I saw the light of day again.

“I can resist everything except temptation.”
Oscar Wilde

Published by Alan Butterworth from South Africa. This is taken from my blog at http://alcoholism-alifesentence.blogspot.com Not a pretty story but true. Feel free to Email me at alanbutterworth@telkomsa.net

Thus far, no one has developed a treatment program or methodology that has proven to be even remotely successful for treating addiction. When considering the success rates of such things, the numbers are decidedly disappointing. Having lived in a long term treatment facility, and now working in a drug and alcohol rehab for the last 4 years, I have seen this startling lack of success first hand, as hundreds of addicts go out into the world–make an honest attempt at recovery–and ultimately fail, only to return to treatment again at a later date. I have seen this over and over again. I don’t need published statistics to tell me that treatment is failing us; I see it every day at my job.

So why do I keep showing up to work, if I believe that treatment is failing us? For one thing, it’s all we’ve got in the fight against drug addiction. For two, treatment works in some cases, and the small handful of successes are enough to keep me going. It’s worth pointing out that treatment worked for me. But it fails so many people, and the problem of addiction is so widespread, that I believe we have a duty to find superior treatment methods. I believe it’s worth fighting for….shouldn’t we try to find a better way? Success rates of our existing treatment models are below 10 percent when measured a year after leaving treatment, and in rigorous and thorough studies it is closer to 2 or 3 percent. This is unacceptable in my opinion.

What I have learned in my journey through recovery is based both on my experience and on that of watching others. I lived with over 40 recovering drug addicts at a long term facility in early recovery, and now I work with hundreds, even thousands of addicts each year at a treatment center. My experience is that the ones who succeed in recovery are those who find passion and purpose in creating a new life for themselves. This may or may not occur with the twelve step program as the foundation for growth.

The key is to purposefully create a new life in recovery. It is not enough to just quit the drugs and alcohol and expect to be content. I also believe that a spiritual solution, by itself, is short-changing us in the personal growth department, when the true creative life in recovery incorporates a full range of holistic categories, such as fitness, nutrition, emotional balance, and so on.

And now I invite you to learn more about overcoming drug addiction. Visit http://www.spiritualriver.com/

I highly recommend this as a course of action in trying to stop drinking because it is far safer than doing it on your own. Alcohol withdrawal is quite dangerous and can actually kill a person if it is not properly supervised. Therefore, the best course of action is to ask for help in this area and put yourself under medical supervision.

Going to treatment has other benefits as well. For one thing, you are going to be in a relatively safe environment without the constant threat of booze everywhere. This can make a big different in the first few crucial weeks of sobriety. Removing this temptation is critical for the newcomer. Treatment provides a safe environment.

Another benefit to treatment is that you will become educated on how to live a new life. Recovery is about learning how to live again. If you want to stop drinking then you have to replace your old habits with new ones. This involves taking real action on your part. You have to design a new life for yourself. Simply quitting is not enough. Those who do not take action in recovery eventually return to drinking.

One way that you gain support when you stop drinking alcohol is through your peers in recovery. These are other people just like yourself who are also trying to stop drinking. These people can become your lifeline as you help each other to stay sober. We can’t do it alone and if we could then it would not be alcoholism. We need the help and support of others in order to stop.

If you do happen to go to rehab then you will also get guidance and advice from a professional counselor or therapist. These people can help you in your recovery efforts as well and help to guide you towards a good aftercare plan. You have to have a plan in place for after you leave treatment so that you do not relapse right away. Those without a solid plan are doomed to drink again. Even having a good plan is no guarantee of success.

Basically if you want to stop drinking then you have to take real action and make a new life for yourself. This is neither trivial nor easy. It takes a tremendous effort in fact, but the payoff is an awesome life in recovery. You can achieve everything you ever wanted out of life if you can find a healthy path in sobriety. It all starts by asking for help and taking action.

Would you like to know more about how to stop drinking? Visit the Spiritual River website to learn more.

For most Americans, consuming alcohol seems to be part of our cultural heritage. We drink at weddings, funerals, birthdays, and pretty much to celebrate anything and everything. We learned from a young age by watching our parents and other adults, that drinking is a sign of maturity. Many people, especially young adolescents, expect that alcohol use will lower tension and anxiety and increase sexual desire and pleasure in life (Seto & Barbaree,1995). About 1 in every 7 adults in the United States meet criteria for alcohol dependency, according to a large NIMH epidemiological study (Grant, 1977). Men are four times more likely than women to be heavy drinkers and are twice as likely to be alcohol abusing or alcohol dependant.

Most males and many females find it difficult to imagine not drinking any alcohol at least on weekends and find it almost impossible to think of having sex without previously having a few drinks. These fundamental values appear to be deeply embedded in our culture. Somewhere along the line, we got the message that we need alcohol to have good sex.

Does Alcohol Enhance or Hurt our Sexual Performance?

I recently heard a stand-up comedian refer to the term, “Whiskey – Dick” when describing his “friends who had drank too much and had difficulties with orgasm even while using Viagra. Shakespeare once said that excessive drinking, “provokes the desire but takes away the performance.”
Alcohol reduces inhibitions and gives us a mellow feeling. It makes us more relaxed and more talkative. It can make shy people fe//el confident and bold. These effects can facilitate our sexual desires by developing our social skills. However, these positive effects are only present in the early stage of intoxication i.e. when we’ve consumed 1-2 drinks (assuming you haven’t already developed a tolerance for alcohol).

Sexual Impotence

On the other hand, alcohol’s negative effects on sexual performance have been widely documented. Men and women who have several drinks may find it very hard to achieve orgasm. Difficulties with achieving orgasm after alcohol consumption can be understood because alcohol dilates small blood vessels all over the body so that there is less engorgement of blood in the sexual organs. This leaves the penis flaccid or only partially erect so that sexual penetration is difficult. Women may find that they have decreased vaginal lubrication making sexual intercourse unpleasant and sometimes painful (Raff, 2006). Impotence is the constant inability of a man to maintain an erection for sexual purposes. It is estimated that impotence affects over 30 million men in the United States (NIHCS, 1992).

Masters and Johnson, identified alcohol as a common factor in impotence in their monumental work on human sexual inadequacy. Alcohol damages the central nervous system and destroys brain cells, and if the damage is prolonged enough, it can result in irreversible sexual impotence even while a person is sober. Alcohol is also a factor in loss of sexual control or premature ejaculation. Even a couple of beers before sex can spoil a man’s erection and ruin his ejaculatory control. Up to 80 percent of men who drink heavily are believed to have serious sexual side effects, including impotence, sterility, or loss of sexual desire. Heavy drinking over a long period of time can irreversibly destroy testicular cells, leaving men with shrunken testicles. Both sexual drive and sexual capacity can be damaged. Alcohol also suppresses testosterone levels even in social drinkers by suppressing the secretory activity of the Leydig cells (Flatto, 1990).

Alcohol and High-Risk Sexual Behaviors

A history of heavy alcohol use has been correlated with a lifetime tendency toward high-risk sexual behaviors, including multiple sex partners, unprotected intercourse, sex with high-risk partners (e.g., injection drug users, prostitutes), and the exchange of sex for money or drugs (Windle,M.,1997). There may be many reasons for this association. For example, alcohol can act directly on the brain to reduce inhibitions and diminish risk perception (MacDonald,T.K.,2000).

However, expectations about alcohol’s effects may exert a more powerful influence on alcohol-involved sexual behavior. Studies consistently demonstrate that people who strongly believe that alcohol enhances sexual arousal and performance are more likely to practice risky sex after drinking (Cooper,M.L.,2002). Some people report deliberately using alcohol during sexual encounters to provide an excuse for socially unacceptable behavior or to reduce their conscious awareness of risk (Derman,K.H.,1998). According to McKirnan and colleagues (McKiran,D.J.,2001), this practice may be especially common among men who have sex with men. This finding is consistent with the observation that men who drink prior to or during homosexual contact are more likely than heterosexuals to engage in high-risk sexual practices (Avins,A.L.,1994).

Alcohol and AIDS

People with alcohol use disorders are more likely than the general population to contract HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) – the agent that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Similarly, people with HIV are more likely to abuse alcohol at some time during their lives (Petray,N.M.,1999). Alcohol use is associated with high-risk sexual behaviors and injection drug use, two major modes of HIV transmission.

What are signs of problem drinking?

The primary signs of problem drinking are: Having health, legal, social, academic or financial problems as a result of drinking. For example, missing class or work because of drinking or hangovers, not be able to have fun or express oneself without drinking, fights or problems with roommates or significant others, spending excessive amounts of money on alcohol, blackouts/passing out, trips to the ER, being defensive when someone mentions your drinking, needing to drink more to achieve the same effects (tolerance), frequently drinking with the primary purpose of getting drunk, and/or repeatedly driving under the influence. These are only guidelines and each case is different. If you’re concerned about your drinking or a friend’s drinking, get more information!

Screening for Alcohol Dependence

Screening tools are available to assist counselors and therapists with diagnosing alcohol abuse and dependence such as the SMAST below.

Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST)

1. Do you feel you are a normal drinker? (By normal we mean you drink less
than or as much as most other people.)

2. Does your wife, husband, a parent, or other near relative ever worry or
complain about your drinking?

3. Do you ever feel guilty about your drinking?

4. Do friends or relatives think you are a normal drinker?

5. Are you able to stop drinking when you want to?

6. Have you ever attended a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous?

7. Has drinking ever created problems between you and your wife, husband,
a parent, or other near relative?

8. Have you ever gotten into trouble at work because of drinking?

9. Have you ever neglected your obligations, your family, or your work for
two of more days in a row because you were drinking?

10. Have you ever gone to anyone for help about your drinking?

11. Have you ever been in a hospital because of drinking?

12. Have you ever been arrested for drunken driving, driving while
intoxicated, or driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages?

13. Have you ever been arrested, even for a few hours, because of other
drunken behavior?

Individuals that answer – Yes to three or more questions indicate probable alcoholism, two yes answers indicate probable alcoholism, and fewer than two yes answers indicate that alcoholism is not likely (Selzer, M., Winokur, A. & Van Rooijen, C.; 1975).

Note: If after reading the above, you started rationalizing to yourself, “Well, I can stop drinking anytime I want to, but I usually stop when I run out of money.” (As my old graduate professor use to say) STOP BULL-SH#%ting yourself and go see a certified alcohol counselor.

Co-morbidity & Alcohol Dependence

Alcohol abuse and dependence are among the most destructive of the psychiatric disorders (Volpicelli, 2001). Addictions such as alcohol dependence and other addictions as a rule do not develop in isolation. Over 37 % of alcohol abusers suffer from at least one coexisting addiction and/ or mental disorder (Rovner, 1990).

Individuals can shift from one addiction to another or sustain multiple addictions at different times. The National Co-morbidity Survey (NCS) that sampled the entire U.S. population in 1994, found that among non-institutionalized American male and female adolescents and adults (ages 15-54), roughly 50% had a diagnosable Axis I mental disorder at some time in their lives. This survey’s results indicated that 35% of males will at some time in their lives have abused substances to the point of qualifying for a mental disorder diagnosis, and nearly 25% of women will have qualified for a serious mood disorder (mostly major depression). A significant finding of note from the NCS study was the widespread occurrence of co-morbidity among diagnosed disorders. It specifically found that 56% of the respondents with a history of at least one disorder also had two or more additional disorders. These persons with a history of three or more co-morbid disorders were estimated to be one-sixth of the U.S. population, or some 43 million people (Kessler, 1994).

Poor Prognosis

We have come to realize today more than any other time in history that the treatment of lifestyle diseases and addictions such as alcoholism are often a difficult and frustrating task for all concerned. Repeated failures abound with all of the addictions, even with utilizing the most effective treatment strategies. But why do 47% of patients treated in private treatment programs (for example) relapse within the first year following treatment (Gorski,T., 2001)? Have addiction specialists become conditioned to accept failure as the norm? There are many reasons for this poor prognosis. Some would proclaim that addictions are psychosomatically- induced and maintained in a semi-balanced force field of driving and restraining multidimensional forces. Others would say that failures are due simply to a lack of self-motivation or will power. Most would agree that lifestyle behavioral addictions are serious health risks that deserve our attention, but could it possibly be that patients with multiple addictions are being under diagnosed (with a single dependence) simply due to a lack of diagnostic tools and resources that are incapable of resolving the complexity of assessing and treating a patient with multiple addictions?

New Proposed Diagnosis

Since successful treatment outcomes are dependent on thorough assessments, accurate diagnoses, and comprehensive individualized treatment planning, it is no wonder that repeated rehabilitation failures and low success rates are the norm instead of the exception in the addictions field. Treatment clinics need to have a treatment planning system and referral network that is equipped to thoroughly assess multiple addictions and mental health disorders and related treatment needs and comprehensively provide education/ awareness, prevention strategy groups, and/ or specific addictions treatment services for individuals diagnosed with multiple addictions. Written treatment goals and objectives should be specified for each separate addiction and dimension of an individuals’ life, and the desired performance outcome or completion criteria should be specifically stated, behaviorally based (a visible activity), and measurable.

To assist with resolving this problem a multidimensional diagnosis of “Poly-behavioral Addiction,” is proposed for more accurate diagnosis leading to more effective treatment planning. This diagnosis encompasses the broadest category of addictive disorders that would include an individual manifesting a combination of alcohol and substance abuse addictions, and other obsessively-compulsive behavioral addictive behavioral patterns to pathological gambling, religion, and/ or sex / pornography, etc.). Behavioral addictions are just as damaging – psychologically and socially as alcohol and drug abuse. They are comparative to other life-style diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease in their behavioral manifestations, their etiologies, and their resistance to treatments. They are progressive disorders that involve obsessive thinking and compulsive behaviors. They are also characterized by a preoccupation with a continuous or periodic loss of control, and continuous irrational behavior in spite of adverse consequences.

Poly-behavioral addiction would be described as a state of periodic or chronic physical, mental, emotional, cultural, sexual and/ or spiritual/ religious intoxication. These various types of intoxication are produced by repeated obsessive thoughts and compulsive practices involved in pathological relationships to any mood-altering substance, person, organization, belief system, and/ or activity. The individual has an overpowering desire, need or compulsion with the presence of a tendency to intensify their adherence to these practices, and evidence of phenomena of tolerance, abstinence and withdrawal, in which there is always physical and/ or psychic dependence on the effects of this pathological relationship.

In addition, there is a 12 – month period in which an individual is pathologically involved with three or more behavioral and/ or substance use addictions simultaneously, but the criteria are not met for dependence for any one addiction in particular (Slobodzien, J., 2005). In essence, Poly-behavioral addiction is the synergistically integrated chronic dependence on multiple physiologically addictive substances and behaviors (e.g., using/ abusing substances – nicotine, alcohol, & drugs, and/or acting impulsively or obsessively compulsive in regards to gambling, food binging, sex, and/ or religion, etc.) simultaneously.

New Proposed Theory

The Addictions Recovery Measurement System’s (ARMS) theory is a nonlinear, dynamical, non-hierarchical model that focuses on interactions between multiple risk factors and situational determinants similar to catastrophe and chaos theories in predicting and explaining addictive behaviors and relapse. Multiple influences trigger and operate within high-risk situations and influence the global multidimensional functioning of an individual. The process of relapse incorporates the interaction between background factors (e.g., family history, social support, years of possible dependence, and co-morbid psychopathology), physiological states (e.g., physical withdrawal), cognitive processes (e.g., self-efficacy, cravings, motivation, the abstinence violation effect, outcome expectancies), and coping skills (Brownell et al., 1986; Marlatt & Gordon, 1985). To put it simply, small changes in an individual’s behavior can result in large qualitative changes at the global level and patterns at the global level of a system emerge solely from numerous little interactions.

The ARMS hypothesis purports that there is a multidimensional synergistically negative resistance that individual’s develop to any one form of treatment to a single dimension of their lives, because the effects of an individual’s addiction have dynamically interacted multi-dimensionally. Having the primary focus on one dimension is insufficient. Traditionally, addiction treatment programs have failed to accommodate for the multidimensional synergistically negative effects of an individual having multiple addictions, (e.g. nicotine, alcohol, and obesity, etc.). Behavioral addictions interact negatively with each other and with strategies to improve overall functioning. They tend to encourage the use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, help increase violence, decrease functional capacity, and promote social isolation. Most treatment theories today involve assessing other dimensions to identify dual diagnosis or co-morbidity diagnoses, or to assess contributing factors that may play a role in the individual’s primary addiction. The ARMS’ theory proclaims that a multidimensional treatment plan must be devised addressing the possible multiple addictions identified for each one of an individual’s life dimensions in addition to developing specific goals and objectives for each dimension.

The ARMS acknowledges the complexity and unpredictable nature of lifestyle addictions following the commitment of an individual to accept assistance with changing their lifestyles. The Stages of Change model (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1984) is supported as a model of motivation, incorporating five stages of readiness to change: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. The ARMS theory supports the constructs of self-efficacy and social networking as outcome predictors of future behavior across a wide variety of lifestyle risk factors (Bandura, 1977). The Relapse Prevention cognitive-behavioral approach (Marlatt, 1985) with the goal of identifying and preventing high-risk situations for relapse is also supported within the ARMS theory.

Conclusions

Considering the wide range of alcohol abuse and sexual behaviors in our world today, one should always take into account an individual’s ethnic, cultural, religious, and social background prior to making any clinical judgments, and it would be wise to not over-pathologize in this area of Dependency. However, since successful treatment outcomes are dependent on thorough assessments, accurate diagnoses, and comprehensive individualized treatment planning – poly-behavioral addiction needs to be identified to effectively treat the complexity of multiple behavioral and substance addictions.

Since chronic lifestyle diseases and disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, alcoholism, drug and behavioral addictions cannot be cured, but only managed – how should we effectively manage poly-behavioral addiction?

The Addiction Recovery Measurement System (ARMS) is proposed utilizing a multidimensional integrative assessment, treatment planning, treatment progress, and treatment outcome measurement tracking system that facilitates rapid and accurate recognition and evaluation of an individual’s comprehensive life-functioning progress dimensions. The ARMS hypothesis purports that there is a multidimensional synergistically negative resistance that individual’s develop to any one form of treatment to a single dimension of their lives, because the effects of an individual’s addiction have dynamically interacted multi-dimensionally. Having the primary focus on one dimension is insufficient.

Traditionally, addiction treatment programs have failed to accommodate for the multidimensional synergistically negative effects of an individual having multiple addictions, (e.g. nicotine, alcohol, and obesity, etc.). Behavioral addictions interact negatively with each other and with strategies to improve overall functioning. They tend to encourage the use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, help increase violence, decrease functional capacity, and promote social isolation. Most treatment theories today involve assessing other dimensions to identify dual diagnosis or co-morbidity diagnoses, or to assess contributing factors that may play a role in the individual’s primary addiction. The ARMS’ theory proclaims that a multidimensional treatment plan must be devised addressing the possible multiple addictions identified for each one of an individual’s life dimensions in addition to developing specific goals and objectives for each dimension.

Partnerships and coordination among all service providers, government departments, and health insurance organizations in providing treatment programs are a necessity in addressing the multi-task solution to Alcohol Abuse and Poly-behavioral addictions. I encourage you to support the addiction programs in America, and hope that the (ARMS) resources can assist you to personally fight the War on poly-behavioral addiction.

References

Avins, A.L.; Woods, W.J.; Lindan, C.P.; et al. HIV infection and risk behaviors among heterosexuals in alcohol treatment programs. JAMA 271(7):515-518, 1994.

Boscarino, J.A.; Avins, A.L.; Woods, W.J.; et al. Alcohol-related risk factors associated with HIV infection among patients entering alcoholism treatment: Implications for prevention. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 56(6):642-653, 1995.

Cooper, M.L. Alcohol use and risky sexual behavior among college students and youth: Evaluating the evidence. Journal of Studies on Alcohol (Suppl. 14):101-117, 2002.

Dermen, K.H.; Cooper, M.L.; and Agocha, V.B. Sex-related alcohol expectancies as moderators of the relationship between alcohol use and risky sex in adolescents. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 59(1):71-77, 1998.

Dermen, K.H., and Cooper, M.L. Inhibition conflict and alcohol expectancy as moderators of alcohol’s relationship to condom use. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology 8(2):198-206, 2000.

Fromme, K.; D’Amico, E.; and Katz, E.C. Intoxicated sexual risk taking: An expectancy or cognitive impairment explanation? Journal of Studies on Alcohol 60(1):54-63, 1999.

George, W.H.; Stoner, S.A.; Norris, J.; et al. Alcohol expectancies and sexuality: A self-fulfilling prophecy analysis of dyadic perceptions and behavior. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 61(1):168-176, 2000.

Grant, B. F.: Prevalence and correlates of alcohol use and DSM-IV alcohol dependence in the United States: Results of the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey. J. Stud. Alcoh., 58(5), 464-73., 1977.

MacDonald, T.K.; MacDonald, G.; Zanna, M.P.; and Fong, G.T. Alcohol, sexual arousal, and intentions to use condoms in young men: Applying alcohol myopia theory to risky sexual behavior. Health Psychology 19(3):290-298, 2000.

Malow, R.M.; Dvieux, J.G.; Jennings, T.; et al. Substance-abusing adolescents at varying levels of HIV risk: Psychosocial characteristics, drug use, and sexual behavior. Journal of Substance Abuse 13:103-117, 2001.

Maslow, C.B.; Friedman, S.R.; Perlis, T.E.; et al. Changes in HIV seroprevalence and related behaviors among male injection drug users who do and do not have sex with men: New York City, 1990-1999. American Journal of Public Health 92(3):382-384, 2002.

McKirnan, D.J.; Vanable, P.A.; Ostrow, D.G.; and Hope, B. Expectancies of sexual “escape” and sexual risk among drug and alcohol-involved gay and bisexual men. Journal of Substance Abuse 13(1-2):137-154, 2001.

Petry, N.M. Alcohol use in HIV patients: What we don’t know may hurt us. International Journal of STD and AIDS 10(9):561-570, 1999.

Purcell, D.W.; Parsons, J.T.; Halkitis, P.N.; et al. Substance use and sexual transmission risk behavior of HIV-positive men who have sex with men. Journal of Substance Abuse 13(1-2):185-200, 2001.

Rovner, S.; Dramatic overlap of addiction, mental illness. Washington Post Health, 14-15. 1990.

Selzer, M., Winokur, A. & Van Rooijen, C.; A self-administered Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 36, 117-126, 1975.

Seto, M. C. & Barbaree, H. E.; The role of alcohol in sexual aggression. Clin. Psych. Rew. 15 (6), 545-66, 1995.

Stall, R.; McKusick, L.; Wiley, J.; et al. Alcohol and drug use during sexual activity and compliance with safe sex guidelines for AIDS: The AIDS Behavioral Research Project. Health Education Quarterly 13(4):359-371, 1986.

Volpicelli, J. R.; Alcohol abuse and alcoholism: An overview. J. Clin. Psychiat., 62, 4-10, 2001.

About the Author:

James Slobodzien, Psy.D., CSAC, is a Hawaii licensed psychologist and certified substance abuse counselor who earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology. The National Registry of Health Service Providers in Psychology credentials Dr. Slobodzien. He has over 20-years of mental health experience primarily working in the fields of alcohol/ substance abuse and behavioral addictions in medical, correctional, and judicial settings. He is an adjunct professor of Psychology and also maintains a private practice as a mental health consultant.

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http://www.universal-publishers.com/book.php?method=ISBN&book=1581125399

Addiction of bad habits harms all kinds of people irrespective of age, race and economic conditions. Addiction to bad habits causes family problems, job loss, poor job performance, public health risks, increased risks of infectious diseases and participation in crime as victims and perpetrators. Alcoholism is one such appalling bad habit which annihilates a human from within and corrupts his liver. Habits and urges go hand in hand. And urges can come at anytime especially if its for a bad habit. Those who are addicted to such bad habits as alcoholism do not actually derive any pleasure out of it; its just a relentless craving that fuels the ongoing addictive behavior. If you are aligned with alcohol to a great extent then you might face some withdrawal symptoms if you try to quit this bad habit on your own. If you are not reasonably fanatical about drinking then you have the pick to put off yourself from this bad habit. Learn to say a no whenever a probability of pouring yourself into this bad habit will knock you. Those who are obsessive to this bad habit of alcoholism and take it as a part of their life, they can actually cut down this bad habit by taking a note of those anti-alcoholism campaigns which are being set up in places to help people out to deter this bad habit. These anti-alcoholism slogans and campaigns will show you an incandescent area in the deep dark path of ruination. Besides, if you have any of your closed ones suffering from this bad habit of alcoholism then you can always inspire them with encouraging verses and make them alert of the ill consequences that these bad habits can fetch them which in return will daunt them from living a healthy life.

Smoking is the most widespread yet an injurious bad habit. This is one of the cheapest drugs and is puffed by most people. The urge of this bad habit smoking passes in every 5 minutes. You have to take heed of that and ought to find a way out in order to combat the bad habit. Drink as much glasses of water as you can when that bad habit of smoking will whack you. Besides, dodge yourself from having any of those drinks that you associated with this bad habit. Go in for some free hand exercise which will rejuvenate you and will also trim down your stress, have some quality fun time with your mates and family so that you dont plunge on smoking and most notably share your thoughts with your loved ones if there is any worldly tensions or fears instead of indulging yourself into such a terrifying bad habit. Meditation also helps you immensely to quit the bad habit of smoking as in when you take one minute vacation by practicing deep breathing, it kills your urge of involving into this bad habit. Apart from all these quitting techniques, the campaigns and advertisings on anti-smoking play a key role in showing people as to how smoking harms human and leads them to the path of annihilation. These anti-smoking campaigns tell you the measures you should take to escape from this bad habit of smoking and encourage you to sabotage the ill effects. Encouragement and inspiration from anyone especially someone whose words are effective on you, contribute heaps to get rid of this bad habit. Government has already established restricted area for smoking in various places including public places and to an extent it has stepped into the course of eradication in some areas. Anti-smoking posters, banners, slogans and also various campaigns have helped those addicts enormously and it will continue to do so in order to take them out of this caustic bad habit.

Procrastination is a common, destructive deep-seated psychological avoidance mechanism and a depressing bad habit which sabotages your ability to lead an effective and stress-free life. Although everyone struggles with some natural tendency to avoid unpleasant tasks, with many people this bad habit procrastination really interferes with enjoyment of life. Forgetfulness, disorganized stuffs, feeling lost, not willing to take up any action instead wait for the results are some of the commonest symptom of this bad habit procrastination. To fight this bad habit, break your tasks into several steps. Tackle one task at a time until you have finished the list. Its easier to motivate to work on several small jobs rather than one huge task. Set a time management to your work. Allot a certain quantity of time to each task and make sure you stick to that unfailingly. Procrastination is such a bad habit that can bring frustration in your life if practiced religiously. It usually roots out from sluggishness and inactivity towards work. There is no other way to impair this bad habit so long as you dont wish to do so. Encouragement and inspiration from family or any loved ones work surprisingly healthy for those who endure this bad habit of procrastination.

Each one of us has to go through the harder of the hardest phase in life. Life becomes easier and controllable when we have the support, encouragement and inspiration of our loved ones with us. Many of us coddle into copious bad habits and this actually takes shape when we suffer from any kind of anxiety in life. Bad habits act like a magnet in our dismal moments and its then that we have to kick these bad habits out of our life with the help of all these withdrawal modes. It might seem impossible and agonizing at the beginning but with proper treatment and encouragement the process of kicking these bad habits out from our life will turn easier.

Robert Swayze writes on Encouragement, Inspiration and Motivation. He writes for Inspirational Ecards at 123Greetings.com. He is an active blogger and writes at his blog on Inspirational and Encouragement Wishes

Some alcoholics when diagnosed with alcoholism put the drink down and never go back to it. If alcohol is causing problems in their lives, they know they’re better off without it. There’s no underlying force driving them to drink again.

With others like me, alcohol serves such a profound purpose that we stubbornly hang on to it even when it’s destroying our lives. It was four very long, unnecessary years after being diagnosed with this insidious disease before I could convince myself to walk away it.

Why can’t some alcoholics let go of something that is killing them and creating terrible suffering for everybody close to them? Today I have an answer and I believe my experience can help solve one of the enduring mysteries of alcoholism–its stubbornly high relapse rate.

I suffered (and you may, too) from dysthymia (a chronic low-grade depression) and social anxiety disorder (SAD) or social phobia. All my life, I had wondered why everything seemed so hopeless, why my life seemed so meaningless, and why I was unable to experience any real joy. Along with that, I had a deep, lifelong fear of people.

Left untreated, not only does anxiety and depression affect ones quality of life but they can lead to substance abuse and other negative behaviors. Both indeed complicated my recovery and prolonging my active alcoholism!

After my first taste of alcohol, I felt like I had finally found a solution for my sadness and fear. And the relief I felt far outweighed any derogatory effects. But after a while, my rescue became my ruin and I became caught in the vortex of addiction, powerless to stop drinking or even slow down.

Alcoholics Anonymous is known to be one of the most effective solutions for most alcoholics. But, I wouldn’t recommend it for social phobics! Twelve-step meetings where participants are expected to mingle and speak in front of a group of people are precisely the kinds of situations that social phobics fear most! For many, AA nurtures sobriety but for me it contributed to my relapses! Relapses create unnecessary guilt and shame. Unable or unwilling to stop drinking, many feel like pitiful losers, disappointing their friends and family again and again. But this doesn’t have to be. Social anxiety is easily treated.

If you are a repeatedly relapsing alcoholic, please make sure you have been screened for any underlying issues such as anxiety or depression.

It took the successful treatment of not only alcoholism but also my chronic low-grade depression and my social phobia for me to recognize that these two lifelong disorders were ‘triggers’ for my alcoholism. They were the ugly underbelly of the beast. Substance abuse was a mere symptom of two underlying disorders that were not discernible to anyone, not even me. My groundbreaking book, Recovering Me, Discovering Joy gives an inside look at my experience, strength and hope. Above all else it chronicles how I finally conquered my alcoholism.

After my anxiety and depression were lifted and with new found clarity of thought, I could finally understand what drove me to drink. I wasn’t such an awful person after all! Not only did I become successfully sober but I was finally capable of enjoying life. The raising of awareness about the powerful connection between anxiety, depression and alcoholism could quite possibly offer a better life for those who still suffer. No one should go through the torturous journey of chronic substance abuse.

Are you having trouble with issues such as these? If you are there are solutions! Don’t suffer another minute. Get help!

For an uplifting dose of encouragement and inspiration, go to: http://www.recoveringme.com and order my newly released book: Recovering Me, Discovering Joy.

Vivian Eisenecher, author of Recovering Me, Discovering Joy

For an uplifting dose of encouragement and inspiration, please go to: http://www.recoveringme.com and subscribe to my blog. You can also order my newly released book: Recovering Me, Discovering Joy / Uplifting Wisdom for Everyday Greatness by Vivian Eisenecher.

A family history of drug addiction. This may also include alcoholism. In these cases, there are both genetic and mental/emotional elements to an individual’s susceptibility towards alcoholism.

Some people use drugs for pain relief, and this causes dependency (or addiction.)

A highly common reason behind drug addiction is an inability to cope with stress. Examples include emotional stress, peer pressure, emotional distress, anxiety, depression, environmental stress and other reasons.

Similarly, some people become addictive due to underlying psychological disorders such as post traumatic stress disorder, or attention deficit disorder.

Curiosity “killed the cat.” Children who are not well educated about drug use may become curious when confronted with the opportunity. Drug use leads to drug abuse, which leads to drug addiction.

While the reason behind drug abuse varies from one individual to the next, drug addiction almost always ends up the same way. To recover from drug addiction, one must face their personal reason.

If you have determined to give up this habit then you should not bother about any reasons which keep you from changing this habit. There plenty of thing you can do in order to make this habit at a bay. Give yourself a feeling of comfort and you will surely give up this habit very soon and if nothing workout for you then you can always choose a better drug rehab center for your treatment.

For more details about drug addiction please visit us at: Drug Rehab Program & Alcohol Rehab Center

To gain clarity into your child’s involvement with alcohol, it helps to know some of the most common slang currently being used on the street (and in the suburbs) to describe alcohol and the drinking “scene”.

Here are some of the most popular slang terms for alcohol and alcohol use:

Alcohol is also known as Booze, Brew, Cold One, Juice, Sauce, Vino, Hard Stuff

Beer Bong: A device used to drink beer quickly through a hose or funnel (may also be known as “Hose Monster”).

Black Out: The memory loss experienced during a period of binge drinking.

Chug (Chugging): Consuming a large amount of alcohol quickly (often as part of a drinking game).

Crunked: To get high off of alcohol and marijuana at the same time.

Everclear: A dangerously potent drink with a 90% alcohol proof level

Hand Grenade: A small bottle of sweet, pre-mixed alcohol (often sold at convenience stores).

Hangover: An ill feeling experienced the day after drinking alcohol.

Jag: An extended period of heavy drug or alcohol abuse.

Jello Shots: Grocery store gelatin products mixed with alcohol and usually served in an ice cube tray or small cups (also known as “Zippers”).

Methyl Alcohol: A highly dangerous form of alcohol found in household products such as antifreeze, fuel and paint thinners (may also be known as “wood alcohol”).

Pre-Game: To take part in drinking alcohol before a party.

Proof: A term referring to the amount of alcohol found in various liquor products. The “proof” number equals double the percentage of alcohol found in the product (for example: “90 proof everclear contains 45 percent alcohol).

Watermelon: A whole watermelon that has been injected with Everclear and served.

Think your child is too young for you to have to worry about terminology like this? Check the statistics and then think again:

81.76% of 12th grades have tried alcohol.

Learn the language of your children and find out what they’re doing when you aren’t around. Don’t let a “language barrier” or a generation gap keep you from keeping THEM away from alcohol!

Scott Briggs has written numerous articles about alcohol rehab and substance abuse treatment. If you need more information, please visit http://www.rehabinfo.net