Alcohol Related Problems: Room for Manoeuvre

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Article by Tim Brunson PhD

If you are the point of your life when you finally admit that you are an alcoholic, you are ready to begin the journey toward recovery. This addiction is nothing new. Unfortunately it is rather popular considering there is an estimated 140 million alcohol addicts in the world. So, there has been a considerable amount of thought and experience when it comes to treating alcoholism and helping a person stay sober for a very long time. In fact, over the years I have met numerous people who have been successful and not touched another drink for years – if ever again.

Treatment options vary. The abstinence-with-support 12-step program promoted by Alcoholics Anonymous claims to be quite successful. Medically supervised programs – which may be the only correct option for those with very serious physical alcohol problems – typically use medications to wean a person off their habit and assist with alcohol withdrawal. Recently I have become increasingly interested in alcohol treatment and rehab approaches, which recognize alcohol that the problem with alcohol is like any other addiction. As such, incessant alcohol cravings may be the sign that you have a significant chronic brain disease. Before you get overly concerned by those harsh words, I assure you that this is a more humane and effective way of looking at alcoholism and recovery. That is, unless you prefer all the social stigma, shame, and guilt, which society typically associates with the issue.

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Article by Rob Akerost

Many think that alcohol causes depression, or maybe it’s the other way around. Regardless of which came first, the chicken or the egg, alcohol is a known depressant so it makes sense that those who suffer from alcoholism may also experience depression.

Alcoholism as described by Alcoholics Anonymous is a two fold disease: an obsession of the mind coupled by a physical allergy of the body. With the obsession, the mind is always thinking about the next drink or how and when the party is going to get started. The physical part deals with how alcohol affects the body physically and also the symptoms of withdraw and dependency. As a recovering alcoholic, I can vouch for both of these types of symptoms in that they both can be difficult to understand and overcome. Mostly, the effects that alcohol has on our bodies and minds can lead to depression. Just the mere way we’re living, even though we may not accept it on a conscience level, is wreaking havoc on our self-esteem and image. We may know deep down that we’re dependent on alcohol yet maintain an illusion of control and self-will.

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Research shows that depression runs in families and that some people inherit genes that make it more likely for them to get depressed. Not everyone who has the genetic makeup for depression gets depressed, though. And many people who have no family history of depression have the condition. So although genes are one factor, they aren’t the single cause of depression.

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Anger, Alcoholism, and Addiction: Treating Individuals, Couples, and Families

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Stress is one factor which has a strong correlation with fertility and the ability to get pregnant. Stress and fertility are two things that influence each other. Studies are still carried out to determine which comes first, whether stress is causing infertility or the other way around, infertility is one among the causes of stress.

Understanding stress

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Diagnosis and Treatment of Alcoholism

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