It’s discouraging watching a loved one struggle with alcohol dependence as the addict is compelled to make decisions that are self-destructive and damaging to their relationships, career and families. The individual may be fully aware of the problems they’re creating and yet be unable to make healthy choices. A new study provides clues to unhealthy …
Alcoholism (known more formally as alcohol dependence) is the well-known addiction characterized by such things as a physical/mental reliance on alcohol consumption and a destructive pattern of alcohol-fueled behavior. After going through the initial stages of alcoholism recovery, people affected by this addiction have a common goal of maintaining their sobriety for the remainder of …
What Influences Quality of Life for Long-Term Recovering Alcoholics? Read More »
Are you ready to take a dare? Can you go two weeks without hoisting a pint, sipping chardonnay, or slinging a shot? What would it be like to abandon alcohol for two weeks? Parvati Shallow of CBS News challenges viewers to do just that. She writes, “Nearly 23 million Americans need treatment for a drug or …
In the U.S. and throughout much of the world, significant numbers of both married and unmarried people consume alcohol regularly. Most of these individuals drink in light or moderate amounts that don’t generally lead to problems; however, some individuals increase their risks for a range of problems by drinking heavily. In a study published in …
Wives Have More Influence Over Husbands’ Drinking Than Vice Versa Read More »
There are those who realize that they have a drinking problem and are able to cut back or simply stop. I wasn’t one of them. I abused alcohol for 20 years knowing that it was causing problems both physically and mentally, but didn’t stop until I had lost everything. Here’s what I learned from thinking …
Even in Addiction, It’s Never Too Late to Start Over Read More »
All professionals who deal with alcohol-related issues know that a family history of diagnosable alcohol problems can significantly increase a person’s chances of developing his or her own pattern of problematic drinking. However, researchers are still exploring the ways in which such a history manifests in the present. In a study published in July 2014 …
How Does Family History Impact Risk for Drinking Problems? Read More »
Alcohol produces its most prominent effects by making significant changes in the brain’s normal chemical environment. In a person with alcoholism, some of these changes persist over time and lead to lasting, disruptive structural and behavioral problems. In a study published in April 2014 in the journal PLOS One, a team of researchers from Spain …
Health-related quality of life is a measurement that doctors and public health officials use to define each person’s ability to enjoy a productive, satisfying day-to-day lifestyle. People affected by alcoholism, one of two related conditions known together as alcohol use disorder, typically experience a substantial decline in this measurement. In a study published in May/June …
Study Calculates Life Improvement After Alcoholism Treatment Read More »
Doctors and researchers know that some of the risks for developing alcoholism are passed on genetically from generation to generation. In a study published May/June 2014 in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism, researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of California, Los Angeles assessed the potential impact of two genetic variations …
Which Genetic Factors Increase Susceptibility to Alcoholism? Read More »
The number of Americans addicted to either drugs or alcohol has reached roughly 130 million, according to a WorldNetDaily article. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in an average year 30 million Americans will drive while intoxicated and 10 million will drive while under the influence of illicit drugs. Even with …