May 18

What is Co-dependency?

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Coach

What is co-dependency? What’s the definition?

There are many definitions used to talk about co-dependency today. The original concept of co-dependency was developed to acknowledge the responses and behaviours people develop from living with an alcoholic or substance abuser. A number of attributes can be developed as a result of those conditions.

However, over the years, co-dependency has expanded into a definition which describes a dysfunctional pattern of living and problem solving developed during childhood by family rules.

One of many definitions of co-dependency is: a set of maladaptive, compulsive behaviours learned by family members in order to survive in a family which is experiencing great emotional pain and stress.

Maladaptive – inability for a person to develop behaviours which get needs met.
Compulsive – psychological state where a person acts against their own will or conscious desires in which to behave.
Sources of great emotional pain and stress – chemical dependency; chronic mental illness; chronic physical illness; physical abuse; sexual abuse; emotional abuse; divorce; religious or spiritual abuse, hypercritical or non-loving environment.

As adults, co-dependent people have a greater tendency to get involved in relationships with people who are perhaps unreliable, emotionally unavailable, or needy. And the co-dependent person tries to provide and control everything within the relationship without addressing their own needs or desires; setting themselves up for continued un-fulfillment.

Even when a co-dependent person encounters someone with healthy boundaries, the co-dependent person still operates in their own system; they’ are not likely to get too involved with people who have healthy boundaries. This of course creates problems that continue to recycle; if co-dependent people can’t get involved with people who have healthy behaviours and coping skills, then the problems continue into each new relationship.

How do I know if I’m co-dependent?

Generally, if you’re feeling unfulfilled consistently in relationships, you tend to be indirect, don’t assert yourself when you have a need, if you’re able to recognize you don’t play as much as others, or other people point out you could be more playful. Things like this can indicate you’re co-dependent.

What are some of the symptoms?

Controlling behaviour
Distrust
Perfectionism
Avoidance of feelings
Intimacy problems
Care-taking behaviour
Hypervigilance (a heightened awareness for potential threat/danger)
Physical illness related to stress

College Drinking Consequences

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Coach

Image via Wikipedia

A Snapshot of Annual High-Risk College Drinking Consequences

The consequences of excessive and underage drinking affect virtually all college campuses, college communities, and college students, whether they choose to drink or not.

Annual statistics:

Death: 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes
Injury: 599,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are unintentionally injured under the influence of alcohol
Assault: 696,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking
Sexual Abuse: 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape
Unsafe Sex: 400,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 had unprotected sex and more than 100,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 report having been too intoxicated to know if they consented to having sex
Academic Problems: About 25 percent of college students report academic consequences of their drinking including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall
Health Problems/Suicide Attempts: More than 150,000 students develop an alcohol-related health problem, and between 1.2 and 1.5 percent of students indicate that they tried to commit suicide within the past year due to drinking or drug use.
Drunk Driving: 3,360,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 drive under the influence of alcohol
Vandalism: About 11 percent of college student drinkers report that they have damaged property while under the influence of alcohol
Property Damage: More than 25 percent of administrators from schools with relatively low drinking levels and over 50 percent from schools with high drinking levels say their campuses have a "moderate" or "major" problem with alcohol-related property damage
Police Involvement: About 5 percent of 4-year college students are involved with the police or campus security as a result of their drinking, and 110,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are arrested for an alcohol-related violation such as public drunkenness or driving under the influence.
Alcohol Abuse and Dependence: 31 percent of college students met criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse and 6 percent for a diagnosis of alcohol dependence in the past 12 months, according to questionnaire-based self-reports about their drinking

Stages of Change

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Coach

People pass through stages of change when they have a problem behavior such as drinking too much, drugging, excessive gambling, co-dependency or sex addiction.

These stages are:

Precontemplation is the stage in which there is no intention to change behavior in the foreseeable future. Most patients in this stage are unaware or under aware of their problems. This is often, perhaps wrongly, called ‘denial’ and lying.

Families, friends, neighbors or employees, however, are often well aware that the precontemplators suffer from the problems.

Contemplation is the stage in which patients are aware that a problem exists and are seriously thinking about overcoming it but have not yet made a commitment to take action.

Contemplators struggle with their positive evaluations of their dysfunctional behavior and the amount of effort, energy, and loss it will cost to overcome it.

Preparation is the stage in which individuals are intending to take action in the next month and are reporting some small behavioral changes (‘‘baby steps’’). Although they have made some reductions in their problem behaviors, patients in the preparation stage have not yet reached a criterion for effective action.

Action is the stage in which individuals modify their behavior, experiences, and/or environment to overcome their problems. Action involves the most overt behavioral changes and requires considerable commitment of time and energy. Individuals are classified in the action stage if they have successfully altered the dysfunctional behavior for a period from 1 day to 6 months.

Maintenance is the stage in which people work to prevent relapse and consolidate the gains attained during action. This stage extends from 6 months to an indeterminate period past the initial action. Remaining free of the problem and/or consistently engaging in a new incompatible behavior for more than 6 months are the criteria for the maintenance stage.

Self quiz:

Do you have behavior that may need changing?
What is your problem behavior?
Have you a need to change?
Which stage of change have you reached?
How can you reach a healthy goal?
Do you need help?

Drinking and Driving

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Coach

Drinking and Driving: A Threat to Everyone

U.S. drivers got behind the wheel after drinking too much about 112 million times in 2010.

Whenever anyone drives drunk, they put everyone on the road in danger. Choose not to drink and drive and help others do the same.

Though episodes of drinking and driving have gone down by 30% during the past 5 years, it remains a serious problem. Alcohol-impaired drivers are involved in about 1 in 3 crash deaths, resulting in nearly 11,000 deaths in 2009.

Certain groups are more likely to drink and drive than others.

Men were responsible for 4 in 5 episodes (81%) of drinking and driving in 2010.
Young men ages 21-34 made up only 11% of the U.S. population in 2010, yet were responsible for 32% of all instances of drinking and driving.
85% of drinking and driving episodes were reported by people who also reported binge drinking. Binge drinking means 5 or more drinks for men or 4 or more drinks for women during a short period of time.

Some likely alcohol effects on driving

Adapted from The ABCs of BAC, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2005, and How to Control Your Drinking, WR Miller and RF Munoz, University of New Mexico, 1982.

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)*	Typical Effects	Predictable Effects on Driving
.02%	Some loss of judgment Relaxation Slight body warmth Altered mood	Decline in visual functions (rapid tracking of a moving target) Decline in ability to perform two tasks at the same time (divided attention)
.05%	Exaggerated behavior May have loss of small-muscle control (e.g., focusing your eyes) Impaired judgment Usually good feeling Lowered alertness Release of inhibition	Reduced coordination Reduced ability to track moving objects Difficulty steering Reduced response to emergency driving situations
.08%	Muscle coordination becomes poor (e.g., balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and hearing) Harder to detect danger Judgment, self-control, reasoning, and memory are impaired	Concentration Short-term memory loss Speed control Reduced information processing capability (e.g., signal detection, visual search) Impaired perception
.10%	Clear deterioration of reaction time and control Slurred speech, poor coordination, and slowed thinking	Reduced ability to maintain lane position and brake appropriately
.15%	Far less muscle control than normal Vomiting may occur (unless this level is reached slowly or a person has developed a tolerance for alcohol) Major loss of balance	Substantial impairment in vehicle control, attention to driving task, and in necessary visual and auditory information processing
*Information in this table shows the BAC level at which the effect usually is first observed, and has been gathered from a variety of sources including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the American Medical Association, the National Commission Against Drunk Driving, and webMD.

Alcoholism Is …

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Coach

Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive, and often fatal disease.
It is a primary disorder and not a symptom of other diseases or emotional problems.

The chemistry of alcohol allows it to affect nearly every type of cell in the body, including those in the central nervous system. After prolonged exposure to alcohol, the brain adapts to the changes alcohol makes and becomes dependent on it. The severity of this disease is influenced by factors such as genetics, psychology, culture, and response to physical pain.

Signs of alcoholism or alcohol dependence include the following:

The only indication of early alcoholism may be the unpleasant physical responses to withdrawal that occur during even brief periods of abstinence.
Alcoholics have little or no control over the quantity they drink or the duration or frequency of their drinking.
They are preoccupied with drinking, deny their own addiction, and continue to drink even though they are aware of the dangers.
Over time, some people become tolerant to the effects of drinking and require more alcohol to become intoxicated, creating the illusion that they can “hold their liquor.”
They have blackouts after drinking and frequent hangovers that cause them to miss work and other normal activities.
Alcoholics might drink alone and start early in the day.
They periodically quit drinking or switch from hard liquor to beer or wine, but these periods rarely last.
Severe alcoholics often have a history of accidents, marital and work instability, and alcohol-related health problems.
Episodic violent and abusive incidents involving spouses and children and a history of unexplained or frequent accidents are often signs of drug or alcohol abuse.

Alcoholism can develop insidiously, and often there is no clear line between problem drinking and alcoholism. Eventually alcohol dominates thinking, emotions, and actions and becomes the primary means through which a person can deal with people, work, and life.

Alcohol Most Harmful Drug

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Coach

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A group of British scientific experts has concluded that when combining its effects on the individual and on society, alcohol far outpaces other substances as the most harmful drug, the Associated Press reported Nov. 1.

The Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs, meeting via an interactive workshop, used multicriteria decision analysis to evaluate drugs’ effects on the body and their impacts on society, including effects on families and on costs in areas such as health care and corrections. Heroin, crack cocaine and methamphetamine were ranked in the analysis as the most lethal drugs to the individual, but alcohol, heroin and crack were judged most harmful to others.

The combined harm score for alcohol was the highest, at 72 out of a possible 100, followed by heroin (55) and crack (54).

The authors explained that the rankings, based on 16 criteria, do not correspond to how drugs are currently classified in the United Kingdom. For example, last year the British government increased penalties for possession of marijuana, a drug that ranked far below alcohol and other illegal drugs in the experts’ assessment of overall harm.

“What governments decide is illegal is not always based on science,” said Wim van den Brink, professor of psychiatry and addiction at the University of Amsterdam.

Yet study co-author Leslie King, an adviser to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs, urged against interpreting the results as a call for alcohol prohibition. “Alcohol is too embedded in our culture and it won’t go away,” King said.

The findings were published online Nov. 1 2010 in The Lancet.

From Join Together

Harm Reduction-or Harm Continuation? (recoveryissexy.com)
Alcohol and your health make informed choices (alcoholcoach.com)

Alcohol Abuse and the Liver

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Coach

Alcohol abuse affects our health and our body in a variety of ways.

Several key organs and internal functions can be irreparably damaged because of heavy drinking over an extended period of time. Chief among those areas at risk is the liver – one of our body’s most crucial organs. Once the liver is damaged by alcohol, a number of serious health problems can ensue – many of which eventually lead to death.

The liver is “in charge” of processing the alcohol that enters your body. A healthy liver is able to properly process about one drink (one ounce of alcohol) per hour. If you drink more than this, the liver is unable to do its job and body starts to become saturated with alcohol.

What happens when your body becomes saturated with alcohol? The unprocessed alcohol goes straight to your brain and causes the kind of behavior commonly associated with drunkenness (impaired judgment, loss of inhibitions, etc.).

But over time, a much bigger problem begins to occur.

When someone engages in heavy drinking over a long period of time, the liver becomes swelled and fatty. A fatty liver causes several key internal problems:

It chokes off the supply of blood coming into the liver – which keeps oxygen and crucial nutrients from being delivered.
The lack of oxygen and nutrients causes liver cells to sicken and die
The live liver cells are replaced with scar tissue (this process is known as cirrhosis of the liver).

Once cirrhosis of the liver occurs, the individual is no longer able to properly tolerate alcohol because the liver lacks the proper cells to process and metabolize it.

How likely is a person to get cirrhosis of the liver?

Genetics play a big role in whether or not someone is stricken with cirrhosis of the liver. If the drinker has a history of the problem in his family, then he might show symptoms relatively quickly (in as little as a year of consuming 3-4 drinks per day).

On the other hand, there are some people who drink heavily on a regular basis for their entire lives and never get cirrhosis.

What happens if the liver fails because of excessive alcohol consumption?

The results can be fatal. The liver is a crucial part of our how our body functions. It is responsible for so many vital operations that we cannot live without it. The liver is:

The largest organ in the human body
Responsible for most of the blood flow between the intestinal tract to the heart
The storage area for glycogen – the body’s breakdown of sugar which is used to generate energy
Responsible for breaking down toxins that occur with the body’s metabolism.

One of the most prominent warning signs of cirrhosis of the liver is jaundice. Jaundice is characterized by a yellowing of the skin and the eyes.

Not only older people are candidates for cirrhosis of the liver. Young people just out of their teens (who have already been drinking for years) have experienced liver failure brought on by cirrhosis of the liver.

Article Source: Author: Scott Briggs

Alcohol Abuse Warning Signs

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Coach

Drinking more heavily when under pressure, or after an argument or disappointment
Waking up, and not being able to remember part of the evening before (blackouts)
Sneaking extra drinks when at a social gathering
Feeling uneasy when in a situation that alcohol is not available
Feeling guilty or worried about your drinking
Continuing to drink after others have stopped
Trying to control your drinking by switching brands
Avoiding other people in favor of spending time drinking
Problems at work arising from drinking or hangovers
Having a drink in the morning in order to get over a hangover
Feeling chronically irritable or depressed

In general, as the saying goes, “You know you have a drinking problem when your drinking causes problems”. These problems may be on the job, in interpersonal relationships, or emotional.

Binge Drinking

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Coach

One in six adults binge drinks about four times a month, and on average the largest number of drinks consumed is eight.

New estimates show that binge drinking is a bigger problem than previously thought. More than 38 million U.S. adults binge drink, about 4 times a month, and on average the largest number of drinks consumed is eight. Binge drinking is defined as consuming four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men over a short period of time.

As reported in this month’s Vital Signs, the CDC found that those who were thought less likely to binge drink actually engage in this behavior more often and consume more drinks when they do. While binge drinking is more common among young adults aged 18–34 years, binge drinkers aged 65 years and older report binge drinking more often—an average of five to six times a month. Similarly, while binge drinking is more common among those with household incomes of $75,000 or more, the largest number of drinks consumed on an occasion is significantly higher among binge drinkers with household incomes less than $25,000—an average of eight to nine drinks per occasion, far beyond the amount thought to induce intoxication.

Binge drinking is a dangerous and costly public health problem.

It is important to consider the amount people drink when they binge and how often they do so.
Most alcohol-impaired drivers binge drink.
Most people who binge drink are not alcohol dependent or alcoholics.
More than half of the alcohol adults drink is while binge drinking.
More than 90% of the alcohol youth drink is while binge drinking.

Binge drinking costs everyone.

Drinking too much, including binge drinking, causes more than 80,000 deaths in the United States each year.
Drinking too much, including binge drinking, cost the United States $223.5 billion in 2006, or $1.90 a drink, from losses in productivity, health care, crime, and other expenses.
Binge drinking cost federal, state, and local governments about 62 cents per drink in 2006, while federal and state income from taxes on alcohol totaled only about 12 cents per drink.
Drinking too much contributes to more than 54 different injuries and diseases, including car crashes, violence, and sexually transmitted diseases. Over time, binge drinking also can lead to liver disease, certain cancers, heart disease, stroke, and many other chronic health problems.
The chance of getting sick and dying from alcohol problems increases significantly for those who binge drink more often and drink more when they do.

More information at Binge Drinking

Parental Drinking Encourages Youth Alcohol Use

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Coach

Parental Drinking Encourages Youth Alcohol Use, Hurts Discipline

Older adolescents’ drinking decisions are strongly influenced by their parents’ drinking habits, and parents who drink often suffer breakdowns in monitoring youth alcohol use, the Washington Post reported Feb. 4th 2008.

Finnish researchers studied more than 4,700 male and female adolescents and their parents, questioning the teens about their alcohol use at ages 14 and 17.5 and querying parents about their current rates of alcohol use and intoxication and alcohol-related problems over their lifetime.

Researchers found that parental monitoring and discipline played a stronger role in drinking behaviors among the younger youths, whereas parental drinking habits had a stronger effect on the older teens, who often increased their drinking when parents attempted to discipline them.

"With respect to individual aspects of parenting, our analyses show that parental alcohol use, intoxication, and problem-drinking symptoms are consistently associated with decreases in monitoring and increases in discipline," Latendresse said. "Decreases in monitoring are related to higher levels of adolescent alcohol use at age 14 and more frequent intoxication at both 14 and 17.5. Likewise, increases in discipline are linked to more frequent use and intoxication but only when adolescents are 17.5."

"It is important to note that excessive discipline may actually have the unintended effect of conveying greater risk for alcohol-related behaviors among adolescents as they get older and are seeking a greater sense of autonomy," Latendresse added.

The research was published in the February 2008 issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

Alcohol Coach.com

Alcohol or Addiction Sponsorship or Coaching to Reduce or Stop Drinking

Category Archives: Alcohol Abuse

What is Co-dependency?

What is co-dependency? What’s the definition?

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College Drinking Consequences

A Snapshot of Annual High-Risk College Drinking Consequences

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Stages of Change

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Drinking and Driving

Drinking and Driving: A Threat to Everyone

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Alcoholism Is …

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Alcohol Most Harmful Drug

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Alcohol Abuse and the Liver

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Alcohol Abuse Warning Signs

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Binge Drinking

One in six adults binge drinks about four times a month, and on average the largest number of drinks consumed is eight.

Binge drinking is a dangerous and costly public health problem.

Binge drinking costs everyone.

Related Reading:

Subscribe to Alcohol Coach.com Updates by E-mail

Parental Drinking Encourages Youth Alcohol Use

Related Reading:

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What is co-dependency? What’s the definition?

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A Snapshot of Annual High-Risk College Drinking Consequences

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Drinking and Driving: A Threat to Everyone

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One in six adults binge drinks about four times a month, and on average the largest number of drinks consumed is eight.

Binge drinking is a dangerous and costly public health problem.

Binge drinking costs everyone.

Related Reading:

Subscribe to Alcohol Coach.com Updates by E-mail

Related Reading:

Subscribe to Alcohol Coach.com Updates by E-mail