Finally, we could not watch it anymore.  We got together, planned an intervention and got him to realize that he needed help with his addiction.  His kids only recognized him as a mass in the master bedroom, hollering for another beer or a shot of vodka.  His wife was on the verge of leaving him.  We had a counselor there and between all of us, we convinced him that he needed help.

He had to go through detoxification and he had a physical on that first day.  Then we got the bad news: he had liver failure, his kidneys were shot and there was nerve damage.  Further testing revealed that he was dying.

How do I help my friend who is dying from alcohol?  I talk to him every day, I take him to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings so that he can share his story with others in the hopes that they get a wake-up call sooner than he did.  I give his wife a break from the house every now and then.

He called me the other night.  He cried like a little child about all that he had given up—the privilege of someday walking his daughter down the aisle and the pride of seeing his son graduate from the university that the young lad has dreamed of attending for nearly five years.  The only way I could help him was to listen, to be there, to offer solace.  He was right.  He had done this to himself and to his family.  Still, he was my best friend and I wished with all my heart that things were different.

How do I help him now? I went with him to plan his funeral.  I promised to give his daughter away when the time came.  I promised to be a father figure to his son and look after him while he was in college.  As I held my dying friend’s hand in the hospital for the last time three nights ago, I promised to look after his wife and children.

How did I help my friend who was dying from alcohol addiction?  By giving him the reassurance he needed and telling him that his family would be looked after, by promising to be there for them.  I could not find a miracle cure for him, but I could help him leave this world feeling that someone would be there for his wife and children.  It was the only thing that I could do, a final promise to a friend.

I wish I would have convinced him go to alcohol addiction treatment earlier on. Please, if you have a friend who is starting on the funest  road of alcohol addiction it is time to help him now before alcohol kills him.

April is alcohol awareness month. It is a perfect time (before summer months) for people to become aware of just how widespread alcohol problems are. There are pre-teen children who already have problems with alcohol. Many times, there are alcoholics in every generation of the family. However, there is a way to prevent alcoholism. Learning the facts just may save lives in your family or with your friends. While there is always information available concerning alcohol awareness, rehabilitation centers, therapists and others make a point of offering information concerning alcoholism in April.

This is a good time to take advantage of all of the information out there. Whether it is you who has the alcohol problem or it is a loved one, arm yourself with knowledge. There are so many new findings on alcohol and alcoholism that people are unaware of. People used to pity alcoholics because they thought it was a disease. Alcoholism is a choice. That person makes the choice to take that first drink. After that, the alcohol controls them instead of them controlling the alcohol.

April is a good time to call or visit a rehabilitation center that promotes healing the alcoholism on all fronts; spiritually, mentally and physically. Holistic healing treats the whole person and not just one aspect. April being alcohol awareness month is a good excuse to get all of the information you can. It may just be the push you or your loved one needs to get help.

Alcoholism is an ever growing problem. Knowledge is power. That being said; what better time to find out all you can to defeat this debilitating condition. Families with alcoholics are fractured families. Now is the time to begin healing. Spring is often associated with new life. Flowers bloom, baby animals are born and life begins anew. The same can happen in an alcoholic afflicted family. There is a better life out there. Find out the facts, take action, and your family may be on the way to happiness and healing before you know it.

Unfortunately at some point in this journey we call life, most of us will be affected by either drug or alcohol addiction at least once.   It doesn’t necessarily mean that we will become addicts (although the only people exempt from these problems are the ones who don’t indulge in the first place), but it could mean that someone we love is affected.  As you know, alcoholism and drug addiction doesn’t just affect the addict, but can touch everyone in that persons circle of friends and family in some way or another.

* Sometimes, we find that we live in one part of the country and the person who is struggling with addiction lives in another.

That makes getting help a little more difficult, especially if we aren’t familiar with the facilities in that particular area.    Often times, there are alcohol rehabilitation facilities within your area who are willing to work with other States in order to help the addict get the help they need.

An example would be if you lived in Delaware and someone you love has an alcohol problem and would like help, but she lives in Texas.   If you aren’t familiar with the facilities in Texas, you could contact a local alcohol rehabilitation facility and they could work together with the State of Texas in order to get the alcoholic the help that they need.

“Often times we tend to forget that not everyone lives in the same neighborhood, city or even State as their loved ones, which is why it’s important to know that even though you may not be in the same location as the person struggling with alcoholism, there is help available.“

* It’s important to know that you can still offer your love and support and help find them the inpatient facilities they need in order to begin the road to recovery.

As difficult as it may be, especially when you can’t be there physically to help in other ways, try to avoid sending money which could enable the alcoholic to further their addiction.  It won’t be easy, but it’s the only way you can ensure that you aren’t enabling their addiction.  Remember there is help available regardless of where you may reside, whether it be for you, or someone you love.

It leads to many serious problems not only for the addicts, but also their family members. The sooner it is diagnosed, better are the chances to get rid off this problem. Nowadays there are various drug addiction tests available, making it convenient for anyone to easily find out whether they are suffering from drug addiction.

* Basically, there are five kinds of drug addiction tests that are in use off late.

They involve testing the urine, blood, saliva, sweat and hair of the addicts. These laboratory tests are accurate and have the ability to reveal all kinds of drugs such as cocaine, heroin, alcohol, marijuana, opium, morphine, etc. More extensive and detailed tests could also detect other serious drugs like methadone, vicodin, Librium etc. There is also another type of test which is known as “self test”, where some questions are present and the person has to answer them sincerely. The score of the test tells whether the person is a drug addict or not and if he is a drug addict, then what is his level of addiction.

* Urine Test is an inexpensive drug addiction test, hence extensively used by most of the employers, legal enforcements and also the house hold people. There are also some home based urine test kits available for individuals to take the test on their own, but the results may not be accurate. Most of the urine tests have the ability to detect the drug usage within the past week or up to 30 days later, but not beyond that.
* Saliva Tests are also reasonably priced, but they are only able to detect the drug usage within few hours. Although there are no cut-off concentrations for the confirmation of the drug usage and nationally accepted standards, this test is also commonly used.
* Hair Tests are the next inexpensive tests and are best suitable to detect the usage of drugs for longer periods – where they beat the urine tests. The only disadvantage with these kinds of tests is that there is a possibility of it giving false result for the people who are present in a room where there was a marijuana smoke.
* Sweat Tests are uncommon and rarely used as there is no guarantee that they give accurate results as such tests heavily relies on the contamination of the skin surface.
* Blood Tests are the most expensive and accurate of all drug addiction tests.

In United States, it is a rule that middle and high schools should conduct such drug addiction tests randomly to detect and prevent the spread of drug addiction in students.  However, the more number of tests that are getting invented and used, the more number of ways the teens and students are discovering to escape from them.

No one intends to become a drug or alcohol addict but several factors influence them to take such substances followed by the emotional feelings they get after taking them, making people use those drugs frequently and excessively. Those factors differ from individual to individual, but by identifying and taking the appropriate recovery treatments at the correct time, anyone can get rid off the addiction. However, strong willpower and determination are also required.

This article is an illustration of alcohol and drug addiction explained theory about how a person initiates such habit and what makes him a drug addict.

Get help today!!!

* What makes a person to start taking drugs?

Drugs are mind altering and certain chemical substances are present giving some artificial pleasure to the persons who take those drugs. According to many alcohol and drug explained theories, the primary reasons for initiating usage of drugs are because of the stress in the addict’s personal life, underlying hopelessness, sense of unhappiness, physical pain or any kind of suffering.

The chemical substances present in the drugs and alcohol cause several changes to happen in a human’s brain. As a result, the brain releases some senses, and the person can feel the artificial happiness and pleasure. Such emotional feelings last only till the presence of the effect of the drug and since they seek more pleasure, they again go for such drugs. The persons will be in the same trouble of what made them to initiate the drugs and so, they tend to continue them. After some time they even increase the dosage and also the frequency of the intakes. There are many technical aspects behind this alcohol and drug explained hypothesis and all of them state the same.

* While the cycle of taking the drugs continuous, there will be adverse physical and social effects happen on the person.

Alcohol or the drugs becomes more valuable for the addict, and he tends to spend most or all of his money on them. He might loose the sources of his earnings, dreams, ambitions and his sole concentration at this point obtaining the drugs consequently to enjoy the artificial feelings coming out of them. By now his body might have adapted the presence of foreign substances and it can not withstand without them, making the addict feel the drug cravings. At this stage, the person will do anything to obtain the alcohol or drug he needs becoming a formal drug addict.

Many alcohol and drug explained thesis warn that such drug addicts get involved in certain criminal activities to obtain money  like stealing to purchase the drugs.

They include impaired walking, slurred speech, lowered inhibitions, delayed reactions and blurred vision. Many people, from those having their first drinks to those who drink regularly often experience those primary symptoms.

After long term drinking, however, the effects get more damaging. Life threatening diseases can occur after subjecting the body to years of alcohol abuse. Warning signs that the body is beginning to wear from the alcohol are: incontinence, blackouts, frequent vomiting and chronic fatigue.

Currently, there is no treatment for the long term effects of alcohol on the brain.

Women’s bodies begin to show signs of serious disease in a shorter amount of time than men’s. Not only that, but women tend to have even more problems than men including problems with their heart, brain shrinkage, and memory problems. Permanent memory loss is also common in long term drinkers even after they have stopped drinking.

* The brain is further damaged as an indirect result of alcohol.

Those with cirrhosis of the liver and other common problems with alcoholism are going to lack vitamins. These same vitamins are needed for the brain to function normally. Therefore, drinking can affect the brain directly and indirectly.

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is a disease found among many alcoholics. It has devastating short term and long term effects. There is a short term phase of the disease called Wernicke’s encephalopathy and a long term phase called Korsakoff Psychosis. The first phase displays symptoms such as confusion, paralysis of the nerves around the eyes and difficulty with motor (muscle) coordination. Those who go on to experience Korsakoff Psychosis suffer with both short term and long term memory loss.

Alcohol so adversely affects the brain that up to 80% of alcoholics who experience brain disorders as a result will need custodial care. Currently, there is no treatment for the long term effects of alcohol on the brain. Since it is an actual impairment of the brain (such as shrinkage), there is not a lot that can be done about it. Since there is no cure, prevention is the only way of stopping these debilitating diseases.

* If you drink, stop. If someone you love drinks, encourage them to stop.

Short term effects may seem funny or silly to some. Long term effects, however, are heartbreaking, especially when you have to watch a loved one suffer with it. Long term alcohol related afflictions are 100% preventable.

Indeed, in January 2^nd 2006 his name was in the local daily. It was all about “Joel tops once again”.

It is usually unusual for someone to top national examination both in the primary level and secondary level. Joel had done it. His parents were overjoyed. They thought he would be a blessing. His three brothers had indeed disappointed the parents who were peasant farmers, by their unusual drinking behaviour. Though they were bright in school they ended up never completing their university education.

Alcohol turns people apart, get help today!!

Gifts and presents of all sorts were presented to him. It is a norm that the head of state and the head of government, being the president and the prime minister pay a personal visit to a candidate who leads the national exam. It was all smiles as the two CEOs of the nation visited Joel and his parents.

* For a whole week the media was obsessed with this genius Joel.

Every one anticipated he would be a doctor as he had said. Newspapers called him “the doctor in making”.

Some months later he was admitted in campus to study medicine. He was tops once again. Indeed as a first year the university awarded him a first class honours in human anatomy for an exemplary performance in this field; a very rare event. The president was there to honor him again. He was put under a full salary equivalent to $3000 every month.

$3000 was accurse in disguise. Joel started drinking alcohol. He would spend nights and days in a night club. He missed his lectures and as a celebrity, newspapers and the media were at it again. ‘Alcohol turns a genius to a walking cabbage’. There were photos of him drunk and sleeping on the road sides.

* A few months later he was expelled for missing examinations.

His salary was withdrawn. Once in the village and an addict he turned to local brews. One day he consumed a local brew that was poisonous. He first lost his sight. Imagine of a blind genius! Two days later he started vomiting blood.

On being rushed to the hospital, he was admitted to the intensive care unit. He lay in bed for ten days. His parents could not afford the rising hospital bill and he was transferred to a common ward. Within two hours after the transfer he went to be with the dead by passing on.

* * * Alcohol had turned a national hope to a corpse. * * *

For this intervention process, highly skilled counselors are used and it even can be done by the person itself. When you ask a drug addict the reason why he was addicted, he would blame others for his mistake. One should always remember that drug addicts are also humans and they should be given proper rights and privileges. For people who are addicted to drugs, the best way to control them is through love and care.

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The intervention program helps friends and family members to face the problem and understand what the drug addict is going through, and look for the best way to convince them to go rehab. There are out there various intervention programs available. One of the most important programs is family intervention program.

* We all know the power of love.

Anyone can be changed with the help of love and concern, and this is being used in the family intervention program. The friends and family members are given training in how they should approach the person who is addicted to drugs. This training would help your loved ones in getting involved in the treatment. Planning, preparation and technique are the 3 things that should be considered for an intervention program. The problem is that friends and family members do not plan properly in what they should do in approaching the addicted person. The main feature involved in an Intervention is that all the family members work together for a common thing. It is always recommended to perform a rehearsal process of what they have planned.

* Intervention is the best way to initiate recovery process.

To help your loved ones to get out of struggling that addiction to drugs does, the only medicine that would help them to come out is love and care. In this process of Intervention it is important that both family members and friends get involved.  The best way is that one should get educated himself before he is involved in the intervention process. If you could afford to hire a professional interventionist would be best and highly recommended, he would be a huge asset to help in guiding the family.

“You can get an idea from the interventionist if this process would suit the addicts and family needs and choose the best way to assist your love one to get the proper treatment and help he needs. Much information is available online regarding the services provided by the interventionists and also the way of contacting them.“

Happy 2010!!

People do not stop needing to get clean just because the holidays were upon us.  There is no quick cure for most addictions and as more and more people find themselves in the abyss of drug addiction or alcoholism, it is more important than ever to make people aware of what the signs and symptoms of such addictions are.

People of all ages and from all backgrounds come to this site and we wish each and every one of you a *Happy New Year*.  Maybe some of you are doing research for class, maybe you have questions about a loved one’s behavior and maybe you are an addict yourself.  Whatever your reason for stopping by, we do welcome you and hope you find the answers you are seeking here.

Many of us learned long ago that drugs and alcohol do not discriminate so if you find that you are unable to break free of alcohol, you are not alone.  If you find that the symptoms of a cocaine addict perfectly suit your brother and explains that powder residue you found on his shirt, then you are not alone.

* No matter what the addict’s drug of choice is, there is help for him or her.

As we usher in the new year, let us help you formulate a plan of intervention for your loved one or even the steps needed to get out from under your own addiction.  Call the number you see on the right to get immediate help now.  You may have gone through years of being an alcohol or controlled by drugs, but today can be a new beginning for you.  How appropriate that the next call you make be the start of a new life just as we are celebrating the start of a new year.

“We wish you, our readers, a Happy New Year and we encourage you to make 2010 the best year yet for you and your family.“

No matter what lies in the past, the future can be yours for the taking when you make the decision to break free and get clean. * A new step, a new beginning, a new journey, a new LIFE, these are the promises that 2010 has in store for you.  All you have to do is pick up the phone. *

* * * Happy New Year !

Alcohol is a drug; it is just in liquid form. While there is a chance, albeit small, that no harm would come from it, chances are an alcohol addiction would be formed. If the former drug addict thinks back to Detox and considers if that is something they may have to do again for alcohol, the answer will probably be no.

There is always help available to those who are tempted by drugs or alcohol.

* One away from drugs in any form, it is best to stay away from them. Alcohol is just as addictive as any other drug. In fact, many drug addicts are also alcoholics. Alcohol is a chemical that alters the brain and changes a person’s way of thinking, habits and behavior. Having one drink can lead to two, then three and so on. * Addiction to alcohol is no less dangerous than a drug addiction.

* Those who have been addicted to drugs would be better off leaving alcohol alone.

No one can predict what will happen but it is tempting fate. Just like any other drug, an addict usually tries some, thinking no harm will come from it. Also like other drugs, it soon spirals out of control and they are an alcoholic. That means starting back from square one and getting help.

If there is a strong temptation to drink alcohol, chances are stress is behind it (just like the drugs) and the individual needs to find out the cause of the stress. * Alcohol will not solve the problem. * Alcohol addiction is just as likely as any other drug addiction. Especially since the individual has had addiction problems in the past, drinking alcohol is like playing with a loaded gun.

“ There is always help available to those who are tempted by drugs or alcohol and the best time to get that help is before the problem exists “

Talking to a friend, a counselor or someone at a rehab center before taking that drink may just make walking away from it a bit easier. If a loved one has had an addiction problem in the past and is now drinking alcohol, seek help and don’t be afraid to confront your loved one. Most people just don’t think of alcohol as a drug and that is exactly what it is. Once addicted, Detox and rehab are needed to overcome it.