We know that there’s a difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction. We’ve talked about the 5 symptoms of alcohol abuse and the 3 signs of alcoholism, but now it seems that the powers that be have decided to complicate things a bit: there’s now a new delineation, a new bus stop, if you will on the road between casual drinking and alcoholism. They’re calling it ‘hazardous drinking’ and according to Medical News Today, it is “defined as drinking more than guidelines recommend.”

What the Experts Says About Hazardous Drinking

Mauri Aalto is chief physician at the National Public Health Institute and the corresponding author for the study. He says, “Current tools—the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases: 10—do not allow for a phenomenon like hazardous drinking, when a person drinks too much and is at risk but is not alcohol dependent.”

Aalto continues:  “A hazardous drinker may see many other people around him or her drinking as much as him or herself. This, together with not yet experiencing any alcohol-related harm, may lead the individual to wrongly think that there is no need to reduce drinking. However, hazardous drinkers do not include alcohol dependents, who usually drink a lot more. Alcohol-dependent drinkers already have significant alcohol-related harms and it is more difficult for them to change their drinking habits.”

Why It’s Important to Recognize Hazardous Drinking

Aalto says, “I think it is interesting to notice that almost 80 percent of hazardous drinkers in our study were employed. Yet the probability of being divorced or unemployed, which might be inferred as ‘adverse social consequences’ of alcohol use, increases on the continuum from moderate drinking via hazardous drinking to alcohol dependence.

“The important point is that there is such a phenomenon like hazardous drinking and it is quite common.”

Opinions on Hazardous Drinking

If there’s a way to help people diagnose themselves and get help earlier in the addiction process, then I’m all for the new hazardous drinking category. Classifications of disease are harmless and, in fact, helpful when they serve the purpose of serving the people who suffer from the issue at hand.

What do you think? Do you think this is a positive step toward better understanding alcoholism and its mechanisms in the human body? Or do you think that this could pose potential problems for those who suffer from the disease?

For more information on this study check out Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research (ACER).

Mental health is the foundation for all life skills, including communication with others.  For people with dual diagnoses, these skills may be underdeveloped at best, frozen at the developmental stage when their mental illness or addiction began.  Mental illness and addiction makes a person focus primarily on themselves, which makes good communication difficult.  In dual diagnosis drug rehab, people learn how to reach out to others again and build useful communication habits.

A person with good mental health has the basis for good communication.  People use all their senses to communicate back and forth with others.  To be effective, the message sender and the message receiver need to aware, responsive, and adaptive.  There are many things that can change a person’s message from the time it forms in their brain to the time it gets out so another person can see or hear it.  Also, there are many things that can interfere with a message being interpreting in the way the sender intended.  Even on a good day, clear communication can be tricky!

So now throw in some depression and methamphetamine, or maybe bipolar and alcohol.  The whole proposition gets even stickier.  Now, you have a person, or persons, who have serious distortions with both message delivery and message reception.  The mind of someone affected by mental illness and addiction is scrambled, desperately confused and warped.  The drugs distort sensations and a person’s state of mind.  The mental illness creates a “fun house mirror” effect with a person’s thoughts and feelings - everything is out of proportion, and often extreme in nature. 

Basic skills and abilities come together to make communication possible.   Unfortunately, these skills are sabotaged when drugs and mental illness run amok.  These skills include basic listening and short term memory, empathy, patience, being able to use words clearly, staying emotionally calm.  For most people with dual diagnosis, communication problems hinder their ability to form and keep good relationships, it keeps them from getting the mental illness and drug treatment they need.

At the Canyon, dual diagnosis drug rehab uses drug detox and alcohol detox, counseling, traditional addiction 12-step methods, and ancient therapies.  The holistic drug treatment approach attends to the whole person, allowing healing to occur in many ways.  When a person regains balance in their life, they have the opportunity to re-tune their communication skills.  Individual and group counseling are safe environments for practicing these skills and making good habits.

After completing drug rehab, a person needs to stay aware of their new habits and their old unhealthy habits.  Addiction and mental illness are multi-faceted problems.  It can take a person many months or even years to establish a healthy lifestyle.  Drug rehab isn’t a miracle cure, but it is a place to start a new direction in life.

The other day we talked about 5 signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse, a problem distinctly different from alcohol dependence, our topic for today. It’s difficult sometimes to distinguish between alcohol abuse and alcoholism because many of the signs and symptoms overlap. In some cases, it’s a question of severity, but for the most part, the symptoms of alcoholism are physical in nature while the symptoms of alcohol abuse are more social. Let me be more specific….

Symptom of Alcoholism #1: Physical Tolerance

Physical tolerance to alcohol is exactly what it sounds like: when your body requires more and more drinks to “feel” the alcohol. When you first started drinking, it may have only taken a few drinks to give you a buzz when you first started drinking but when you develop a tolerance, you may not even feel the first few drinks. It will take many more to feel inebriated.

Another physical aspect of alcoholism is the inability to stop drinking once you start. What begins with your solemn promise, “Just one drink and then I’m going home,” turns into you closing down the bar or finishing the bottle.

Yet another aspect of physical tolerance to alcohol is your ability to drink large amounts of alcohol without appearing intoxicated. Maybe those closest to you can note a change, but when matched drink for drink, your inebriation appears to be much less than those around you.

All of these show that your body is accustomed to having a certain amount of alcohol in the bloodstream most of the time. This can translate into something akin to withdrawal symptoms when you go without drinking for a day or two, much more severe than a hangover.

Symptom of Alcoholism #2: Cravings

Cravings may seem like a mental thing, but when alcoholism is present, they can be very physical indeed. The desire to drink can be so overwhelming that it seems to overtake your mind and body, so unable are you to think of or focus on anything else. If you have a regular drinking schedule and one of your regular drinking times passes without you indulging in an alcoholic beverage, then you may be overcome by cravings. For many alcoholics, this happens in the morning after they wake up from a night of drinking: they can’t function without a drink.

For others, it’s the ritual of drinking that they crave. When they smoke a cigarette or after they eat, their bodies are conditioned to expect a drink. Take alcohol out of the equation and they experience cravings or at the very least recognize that something is missing and become agitated. All of these are symptoms of alcoholism.

Symptom of Alcoholism #3: Loss of Motivation

Do you ever forget whole conversations or that you’ve agreed to do something or be somewhere at a certain time? Do you forget meeting people or certain things that happen? Did these agreements or events happen while you were drinking? This phenomenon is called a blackout and it happens to alcoholics on a regular basis.

In the same way, if you find that you are losing interest in the things you used to love, the people you used to hang out with or causes you used to care about, this disinterest and lack of motivation may be attributable to alcoholism if you are dependent upon the drug.

Alcohol Rehab: The Only Fix for Alcohol Dependency

The only good thing about alcoholism is that you can get treatment. It is a medical disease and The Canyon provides a comprehensive alcohol rehab that could be exactly what you’re looking for. Check it out!

Good coping skills are essential for keeping up your sobriety and avoiding relapse.  When the cravings come or old drinking and drugging buddies drop by, you need some strategies or else - you are right back in the pit of addiction and full-blown mental disorder.  Coping skills are your tools for surviving and thriving in your daily life.  When you go to drug rehab, you are taught many ways to overcome emotional upset, thoughts about getting high, and other relapse triggers.

Types of Coping Skills

Coping skills can be grouped into four main categories:  physical, cognitive, emotional, and spiritual.  Some coping skills are a combination of categories, such as meditation.  It involves repetition of positive or peaceful phrases as a cognitive coping skill.  But a phrase may relate to something spiritual or emotional.  Also, you have the physical experience of feeling relaxed and aware of your body signals.

Just the simple experiences explained with the practice meditation are often lost when a person has an addiction or mental disorder.  The simple skill of understanding your own body signals for distress or relaxation, and then knowing what to do about that information, is usually covered up or warped by an addiction or mental disorder.  It’s even worse when a person has a dual diagnosis.  The body, mind, and spirit are assaulted with disruptions, distortions, and imbalance - so much so that a person either forgets or doesn’t learn how to accurately understand their own thoughts, feelings, and body.

Learning Coping Skills in Drug Rehab

For some people, drug rehab might be the first place they have really learned good ways to take care of themselves and cope with problems in healthy ways.  Here is a collection of good coping skills for people with a dual diagnosis.

Physical

Go for a walk, go for a run, use a punching bag, yoga, regular aerobic exercise, squeeze or punch a pillow, relaxation techniques, leave the room for a minute, leave the entire area if you are too close to old drug friends or neighborhoods, take a drive near someplace scenic, play with someone (basketball, with a pet, with a child, etc), take a relaxing bath or shower, deep breathing, a regular bedtime

Cognitive

Repeat positive or inspirational phrases, imagine yourself as happy, healthy, and sober, imagine pushing or throwing drugs away from you, question the old negative beliefs you’ve held for so long, call up a friend to hear some positive talk and turn your thinking around, read an inspiration book for magazine, meditation

Emotional

Ask a good friend to tell you a joke or funny story, find someone to talk to that always lifts your spirits, watch your favorite funny movie or TV show, tell someone that you trust about your fears and doubts, hang out with a good friend for a while, think of things you are thankful for in your life, listen to music (depending on what kind of mood you wish to be in - inspired, quiet, energized, etc)

Spiritual

Pray, yoga, meditation, attend and participate with church regularly, read and learn about things that strongly interest you (getting to know the real you), give your time to a volunteer organization, church, or other community group, gather with a  group of friends for a good cause, do something kind anonymously for someone else

Your input
What coping skills do you rely on the most to help you through recovery or keep you from relapsing?

There is a big difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction. Namely, one belies a problem that needs to be addressed and the other is a medical disease that needs treatment at an alcohol rehab. To help you determine whether you or someone you love is struggling with alcohol abuse or alcoholism, today we’ll discuss 5 signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse and tomorrow we’ll look at 3 signs of alcohol addiction.

Symptom of Alcohol Abuse #1: Health Problems

Drink too much, and you’ll wake up the next day with a hangover. But if you continue to drink too much or do so regularly, your health problems will significantly increase. If you have medical issues already, alcohol, as a toxin, may worsen these conditions. If you recognize that you are getting sick more often and in general just not feeling “up to snuff,” and you drink often, alcohol abuse may be the culprit.

Another health problem is the dangerous situations that you put yourself and others into when you drink. This may mean driving a car when you’ve had one too many or showing up to work where other people depend on you to be your best when you are decidedly less than.

Symptom of Alcohol Abuse #2: Financial and Legal Problems

Alcohol abuse can cause you to slip up in a number of areas of your life, with financial and legal problems often numbering among the ramifications of these slip ups. You may end up paying bills late, which in turn incurs the wrath of bill collectors and collection agencies. You may not be keeping track of your money and subsequently over drafting your account, bouncing checks and incurring fees, which only make your financial situation worse.

Legal problems like drunk driving charges are common as well as assault charges and issues with being drunk in public. Depending upon the restrictions where you live and your tendencies when you drink too much, these may vary. Court costs and fees for tickets only serve to exacerbate your financial issues.

Symptom of Alcohol Abuse #3: Problems at Work and School

It’s hard enough to do well at work and at school when you’re sober, much less when you’re drinking on the job or before work or class. Even if you wait to drink until after you come home, you’re still going to feel it the next day. Your energy and ability to think clearly and concentrate will be hindered. Fall behind at work, and not only do you risk getting fired and losing your livelihood but you give yourself a reputation that may impede future opportunities. If you’re in school, you’re wasting money on classes that you’ll have to re-take, missing out on opportunities to excel and destroying your GPA. Even if you’re just chronically late or barely managing to skate by, if nothing else, you’re selling yourself and your potential short.

Symptom of Alcohol Abuse #4: Relationship Problems

Do you get irritated when other people comment on the amount you drink or how often you imbibe? Do you feel guilty the morning after a binge drinking session and vow not to do it again? Do you find your circle of friends changing to one that is based on alcohol use? Is your significant other drinking more than usual to keep up or is he or she one of the ones who is irritated by your alcohol use? All of these changes in your relationships could signify that you have an issue with alcohol abuse.

Symptom of Alcohol Abuse #5: Social Problems

If you choose which recreational activities or hobbies to pursue based on whether or not there will be alcohol at the event or avoid events solely because you won’t be able to drink before or during, then that is a clear sign of alcohol abuse. Another one: building your schedule according to when you want to drink or building secret drinking sessions into your schedule so that no one will know that you are drinking.

Alcohol abuse is serious, but perhaps the most serious consideration is that it is the precursor to alcohol dependence or alcoholism. If you recognize yourself in the symptoms listed above, get it under control before it’s too late!

Any other symptoms of alcohol abuse that were missing from the list? Add them below!

That’s right. It’s coming up: June 26th is the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking and it has been since the United Nations established it as such in 1987. Aside from creating a reason for a press release on a slow news day, what does the day’s demarcation mean for you and yours?

Honestly, Not Much…

Okay, so like many days that don’t give you a day off from work or the banks a reason to close early, IDDAIT probably doesn’t affect you too much directly. But unlike the laughable and expensive War on Drugs here in the United States, this initiative may actually do some good rather than just cost a lot of money.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is an important organization, or department within an organization, as it works to coordinate the efforts of its member countries in stopping the effects of drug addiction at the source: by stopping the trafficking of drugs.

In 2006, the UNODC launched a three-year campaign called “Do drugs control your life? Your life. Your community. No place for drugs.” In 2007, it focused on drug abuse itself; in 2008,they turned on drug cultivation and production; and in 2009, the will focus on drug trafficking. Specifically, their goal through this campaign is to raise awareness of the issues in their member countries and rally support for the initiative of drug control.

Education is Never a Bad Thing

If you feel like all this chatty-chat about drug education and awareness isn’t doing much good for any of the people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol, you’re not alone. I feel that way myself sometimes. But then again, education and making people aware of the problems that are around them can’t be a bad thing. And you never know who they’ll inspire. Maybe the next person they reach will realize the depths of the problem and do something about it. Or maybe they’ll get help for themselves.

Are You That Person?

If you’re realizing that you have a problem with drugs and/or alcohol and you need help, you’re already doing the right thing. Researching and finding out what is available to you as far as treatment and resources is the first and best step. Next is setting the goal of finding the right treatment center for you and initiating that treatment. If you have questions or if you’d like to find out more about what is available to you, call The Canyon.

Drugs can really turn a person’s life upside down, causing years of self-destruction and emotional pain.  Friends and family members don’t like seeing this happen to a person they love.  They can talk about drug rehab and even try to make their loved one go, but no one can really make a person better until they are ready.  Does this sound familiar?  How do you know if you are ready for drug treatment?  Below are a few compelling situations that might cause even a hard core drug addict or alcoholic to consider starting anew.

You’ve Hit Rock Bottom With Your Addiction

Your spouse packed your bags and kicked you out of the house.  You have been fired at work because of your absences and showing up loaded last week.  You need to keep a low profile because you just broke your parole by getting fired.  You haven’t “almost lost it all” like they say on TV.  It’s as good as gone, right this minute.  Where do you go next?

You Want to Avoid Rock Bottom With Your Addiction

You have a friend who looks like the person described above - losing their family and home, losing their job, in trouble with the law, etc.  You already have plenty of conflict at home, you’re on a thin string at work, and you don’t want to get involved with the law.  But you can see that a few more months or weeks on drugs, and any of those problems could have your name written all over them.  It’s time to take a U-turn before it all goes completely to hell.

Your Drug Addiction Has Changed You Too Much

You haven’t had a string of devistation like being arrested, being homeless, or getting divorced.  However, you know you weren’t always this way.  You seemed to have more money around, you were in better health, you used to enjoy life more, and it felt like people liked being around you.  These are slow-burning problems, changes that have evolved over time.  You hardly know who you are anymore, and neither does anyone else.  You know this is no way to live life - there has to be a better way.

You See Another Person Get Better From Drug Rehab

Your good friend decided they couldn’t keep living the drug lifestyle - their family had an intervention, and they went off to a residential drug rehab place for a few months.  When they were in a sober living home following treatment, you got a chance to visit them in person.  You knew they had a long road ahead, but they were already doing better.  They said they felt like their body was starting to feel healthier, they had learned some good ways to deal with cravings, and they had made some strong personal connections while in rehab.  Most of all, they were learning to live their life again. 

For the first time in years, you began to see a glimmer of hope, hope that you didn’t have to stay in the shadows, ashamed of yourself as your life slipped away.  You could see a flicker of light at the end of the long dark tunnel - drug rehab just might work for you.  

Get Started in Drug Rehab

The first step towards drug rehab is saying you are ready.  This can often be one of the more difficult parts of drug rehab.  However, The Canyon makes this as simple as possible.  Talk to one of our understanding phone operators to start the drug rehab admissions process today.   

Erika recently posted some great insight into Women, Depression and Alcoholism and I wanted to follow her lead with an emphatic verification: alcoholism is considered a male disease no longer. According to ScienceDaily, sadly, more and more women are alcoholics. Here’s what they have to say:

An Expert Opinion on Women and Alcoholism

According to the latest research, “A new examination of data on similarly aged groups, compared across decades, has found substantial increases in drinking and alcohol dependence among women. Increases were particularly notable among white and Hispanic women — beginning with those born in the United States after World War II.”

Richard A. Grucza is an epidemiologist at Washington University School of Medicine and the corresponding author of one of the latest studies. He says:

“By looking at two different cross-sectional surveys that asked the same questions in the same manner, but were conducted 10 years apart, we were able to compare, for example, 30 - 40 year olds in 2001 with 30 - 40 year olds in 1991. Essentially, this allowed us to correct for the effects of age on reporting. When we did this, we found that the tendency for young people to have higher levels of lifetime alcohol dependence clearly remained for women, although it disappeared for men.”

Why are the Number of Female Alcoholics on the Rise?

It could be a number of things. One of which is the fact that epidemiological studies aren’t foolproof. Even today, admitting that you have a problem with drugs and/or alcohol isn’t the easiest thing in the world, especially for women, the gender upon which the entire world is dependent. Few women want to admit that they have a problem and embrace the ensuing stigma that may befall them as a result. So the numbers could be reflective of the fact that more and more women are more comfortable admitting that they have a problem with alcohol and need help.

Or it could be that the number of women drinking in excess is legitimately on the rise. The stress placed on women to care for their family and provide for them financially, create a name for themselves in the business world and still be available to their children, spouses and elderly family members emotionally may be taking its toll.

Another Expert Opinion on Women and Alcoholism

Shelly F. Greenfield is the associate clinical director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Program at McLean Hospital. She says, “One possible explanation is that between 1934 and 1964, the social acceptability of women’s drinking increased. As it was more socially acceptable for women to drink, a greater number of them became drinkers. Because women have a heightened vulnerability to the effects of alcohol — that is, greater blood alcohol levels at similar ‘doses’ of alcohol — we may therefore see a concomitant rise in alcohol dependence among those who ever drank.”

What’s Your Opinion?

What do you think? Are the numbers of female alcoholics truly on the rise or are the numbers somewhat skewed due to public perception and stigma?

A few weeks ago we talked about 5 Signs of Addiction to CNS Stimulants like crystal methamphetamine, and since then I’ve fielded a few questions on the insidious nature of this drug. A common problem among those whose drug of choice is crystal is that they are often fooled into thinking that they can quit alone because the withdrawal symptoms are more emotional than physical like opiate withdrawal. Unfortunately, it’s just not true. The relapse rate for those addicted to crystal is about three months long. You may be able to hold off, not use, “white knuckle it” as they say in recovery, but the mental addiction to the drug is difficult to overcome on your own.

Here’s why.

Crystal Meth and Dopamine Production

It’s all about dopamine, the happy chemical in your brain. You know how you crash into an overwhelming depression for days and days after a run on crystal meth? It seems like the crash parallels the run in intensity and duration and, for some, it’s the kind of depression that is suicidal and desperate. That’s because the intense amoung of dopamine that is stimulated by crystal meth through smoking or injecting the drug is what makes you feel so good while you’re high. Take it away, and your brain crashes. No more dopamine stimulation, no more dopamine, hence the depression. 

Crystal Meth Plays Tricks on Your Mind

After about three months, according to studies, the dreaded crash has faded from memory and for some reason, crystal meth addicts begin to romanticize the high associated with the drug. Some are convinced that they can’t be really happy without it, that they won’t be able to handle basic tasks much less big projects. It’s a drug that seems to mess with your head even more than your body when you stop taking it.

Treating Crystal Meth Addiction

A crystal meth detox can be an overwhelming experience, one that you may require help with. If you feel suicidal, contact a medical professional immediately. If you need help breaking the mental hold of crystal meth, contact a drug addiction facility like The Canyon. The Canyon provides a relaxing and vacation like spot for you to get away from temptation and get the help you need. A dual diagnosis treatment facility, The Canyon specializes in treating those who are struggling with mental issues as well as addiction to drugs. We can answer any questions you have, whether it’s your drug use that has you concerned or that of someone you love. Contact us today for more information.

For more about the work being done to find new treatments for crystal methamphetamine addiction and other studies, check out the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) and Medical News Today.

The rate for depression in the United States is 1 in 4 women and 1 in 8 men.  It’s no wonder depression is called the “common cold” of the mental health world.  By no means is depression a casual ailment like a cold.  However, it’s frequency makes it a steadfast problem in our society.  Alcohol often enters the picture, which unfortunately creates another set of problems for women.  Effective dual diagnosis treatment is often the only answer.  Take a minute to learn about important facts about women, alcoholism, and depression.

Problems With Depression and Alcohol

Alcohol is a depressant to the nervous system and the brain because of its dulling effects.  The body is already slowed and stressed during depression.  Drinking alcohol only worsens this condition, causing you to feel even more miserable than before the person started drinking.  It may seem to take away the sharpness of the emotional pain for a while, but it really creates an even bigger problem in the end. 

Alcoholism Develops in Women Differently Than in Men

Current research suggests that alcohol problems can more commonly show up later in life for women than for men.  The stigma against being alcoholic may prevent many women from seeking treatment, especially after they may have already lived many years with a certain reputation. 

Depression and heavy drinking are strongly connected with women, with isolation being a major factor.  Depression tends to become established for women before they develop alcoholism.  This pattern has big implications for alcohol addiction prevention for women.  Treat depression more effectively across the female population, and there may also be a reduction in alcohol addiction.

Women Have a Greater Risk Than Men for Depression In Their Lifetime

Many factors make women more vulnerable to depression than men.  These aren’t intended to show sexism or negative stereotyping, simply research-based information that has been collected about women with depression.  Reproductive hormones can play a big part in the emotional stability across a woman’s lifespan.  As compared to men, women’s brains are “wired” in such as way that emotions take a larger role in their perspective of the world.   

Women tend to be more focused on doing for others and neglecting themselves, seeking approval, and covering up inadequacies in order to stay “in control”.  Women are also more likely to run problems over and over in their minds, perpetuating circles of negativity.  All of these vulnerabilities make it clear how women are at a higher risk for depression over their lifespan than men. 

Alcohol Affects Women Differently

Research has shown several ways that alcohol affects women differently than men.  Medications such as birth control slow down the process of eliminating alcohol from the body.  Also, it is widely known among researchers that it takes smaller amounts of alcohol to affect women in the same way as men. 

This means that a woman could do more damage to her body, get more intoxicated, increase her tolerance, and possibly develop an addiction in less time than a man drinking the same amounts.  This effect is from larger amounts of fat in women’s bodies, women’s relatively smaller body size, and women having smaller amounts of an important enzyme that breaks down alcohol. 

Effective Dual Diagnosis Rehab for Women

Dual diagnosis treatment gives a woman with depression and alcoholism the best chance at recovery.  The holistic alcohol rehab approach at The Canyon provides an ideal environment for healing.  The experts at the Canyon provide alcohol detox, a high level of specialized dual diagnosis treatment, and sober living options in California.