Drug Rehab

What is Drug Rehab?

Drug Rehab also known as drug rehabilitation refers to a program or a facility that helps individuals that are addicted to any type of drug whether prescription or illegal. In these programs or at the facility, the person learns how to overcome their addiction as well as learn how to live life without the need of the substance.

Drug rehab is usually considered as an option when the addiction to a drug is interfering with their relationship, their life, their work, or other aspects of their lives. The way in which most drug rehab programs work is to help the person relearn how to live their lives without the substance being a part of their life. The program teaches these individuals how to deal with stress and be a positive and contributing member of society.

What does Drug Rehab Involve?

Basically, the way in which a drug rehab program works is first ridding the body of the substance and then learning how to deal with life without the drug.

Detox is the first step in which a person is going through withdrawal symptoms.

Drug Rehab programs help individuals using different medications and medical supervision to ensure the person suffers less withdraw symptoms and no major health issues occur. The length of time a person is involved in this part of the program depends on the type of drug the person has been using.

A residential drug rehab program normally lasts for 28 days.

In this program, the individual will live at a residence with others working through their drug addiction. This is one of the most popular drug rehab programs as it is a house in most cases with individuals addicted to a wide array of substances.

During this program, each person will be required to wake up at a specific time each day, go to classes on substance abuse, attend other classes that are aimed at self help, attend one on one counselling sessions, attend group counselling sessions, and do chores around the home.

All drug rehab programs usually have some type of Therapeutic Community treatment. This program is based on self help where the person can take an active part in their recovery.

Counselling is a very important aspect of any drug rehab program where the individuals will have a chance to talk with a counsellor and others that are also having problems with drug addiction.

For any drug rehab program to work effectively family and friends must also be involved with the counselling sessions or must be supportive in the decision and learn how to be supportive.

One thing family and friends must remember is that drug rehab will not work if a person is not ready to receive help. Until a person actually believes they have a problem and want help no program will successfully work.

You can admit a family member into a 30 day drug rehab program and they can successfully make it through the program, but once they return home they can go back to their lifestyle including the drug.

How can Drug Rehab Help?

If the person is truly ready for a change and has the desire to rid their life of the drug addiction, drug rehab can be very successful. In most cases, after drug rehab especially the residential program, the person has learned to be able to carry on daily activities without using any type of drug.

Detox or detoxification will rid the body of the drug. Once the drug is out of the body, the body no longer needs the drug. However, the craving may still be there for a long time to come due to the feelings one achieves with the use of the drug. This is where the counselling sessions come into play.

With the counselling sessions, a person can learn that others suffer from the same problems, which will also show that he/she is not alone in the world. Working through the reasons a person turns to a drug to help them make it through a day will often help them learn how to deal with the stress or other issues that may be at the root of the addiction.

If you have been taking a drug for a long time, it would not be in your best interest to stop taking the drug without medical supervision. Depending on the type of the drug, withdrawal symptoms can be extremely severe, & in extreme cases even fatal.

To ensure that a drug rehab program is the best option for you talk with your doctor and then advise your family and friends of your decision. They will be there to give you support in your decision.

Learn about drug abuse, drug addiction, & drug addiction treatment.

Drug Addiction Treatment

Drug addiction treatment is designed to help those that are addicted to various drugs to stop depending on them.

There are several different drug addiction treatment facilities and programs that offer various programs, different forms of help, and last for various amounts of time.

One very important aspect of drug addiction a person must remember, is that detoxing your body is not enough to stop using the drug. Whatever is at the root of the drug addiction may still be still present, and a drug addict must learn to live their life without the drug as a crutch before they will no longer be addicted.

In the majority of cases, you will find that the best drug addiction treatment programs uses a combination of therapies and services that will meet the needs of each personal individually.

Residential drug addiction treatment programs involve individuals living at a treatment facility in which they must be drug and alcohol free.

Most of these programs involve the person living at the facility for between 30 & 90 days.

While in the drug addiction treatment facility, each person will be living in a roommate situation with others that are also addicted to drugs or alcohol. Every day will be monitored and will include tasks around the facility such as cooking, cleaning, etc… along with self help classes and individual & group counselling sessions.

Relapse prevention programs for drug addiction include partial hospitalisation and intensive outpatient programs.

Partial hospitalisation is a drug addiction relapse prevention program that meets at least three times per week but can meet up to five times per week. Each session lasts for several hours with all participants receiving medical monitoring as an outpatient.

Intensive drug addition outpatient programs work around a persons work, family, or other commitments. In most cases, these meet three times per week for around three hours.

The majority of times, the drug addiction treatment will be centered on the person’s needs and the types of drugs they are using, for example, a person that is addicted to a drug such as heroin will have different needs than a person addicted to marijuana.

Some individuals that are having drug problems also have other medical or mental health problems that should also be addressed. Special needs may be required according to a persons age, sexual orientation, culture, race, gender, pregnancy, housing, employment, among others.

A few medications that might need to be used during a drug addiction treatment program include:

If the patient is addicted to opioids, the medications may be methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone.
If a person is addicted to alcohol the medication often used include Disulfiram, acamprosate, naltrexone, and topiramate.

The above-mentioned drugs help individuals overcome the addiction to the drug during the withdrawal stage.

Other medications may also have to be used to help with withdrawal symptoms such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety agents, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotic medications.

Therapy and counselling is one of the most important factors in drug addiction treatment programs. These sessions can help reinforce behavioral contingencies and promote a lifestyle without the use of drugs. Along with counselling sessions, friends and family can be a support system for those trying to cope with life without drugs.

Every type of drug addiction treatment program helps a person detox their body, learn to live life without the drug, and work through various emotions and situations that make the person want to use the drug.

Once a person has gone through the drug addiction treatment program, living life without drugs can be achieved and a drug free life can once again be enjoyed, although the importance of the support of family, friends, counsellors, and former addicts cannot be over emphasised.

In the majority of cases, a drug addiction treatment program where the person enters into a residential treatment program has greater success.

The main reason this type of program seems to work the best is that this program works with the entire person, their body, mind, and their being. During the time the patient is at the residence they will perform day-to-day tasks without the drug, talking with counsellors, and going to classes on drug addiction.

All of this will better prepare the person for life without the drug once they see that they made it through the program.

Learn more about drug abuse, drug addiction, & drug rehab.

Drug Addiction

How is drug addiction defined?

Drug addiction is defined as the mental or physical dependence of a drug. However, this is a short and sweet definition that only skims the surface.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition categorised three different stages of drug addiction, which are preoccupation/anticipation, binge/intoxication, and withdrawal/negative affect.

The characteristics of preoccupation/anticipation include constant cravings and preoccupation with obtaining the drug.

The characteristics of binge/intoxication include using more of the drug than required to experience the usual effects that the drug had originally.

The characteristics of withdrawal/negative affect include experiencing acceptance, withdrawal symptoms, and decreased enthusiasm for normal activities.

The main reason individuals become addicted to a drug is the effect they experience when using the drug, however, different effects are associated with different drugs.

Cocaine and methamphetamine often produces the effect of increased energy. Heroin, oxycontin, & benzodiazepines often produces the effect of relaxation. The drug stimulates the pleasure center of the brain and once the drug is not taken the person can become uncomfortable or even experience pain, thus the desire to keep taking the drug.

Drug addiction can become such a problem that it begins to interfere with relationships, work, and even the health of an individual.

Signs and Symptoms of drug addiction

Drug addiction has several different signs and symptoms, which can be different according to the drug that a person might be taking. The effects a drug has on a person physically or mentally is also of course different according to the type of drug they might be taking.

The pattern of drug addiction is the same, on the other hand, no matter the type of drug a person may be using.

One of the first signs of drug addiction is that the drug becomes more important than anything else does in the world including their family, friends, job, and other activities the person at one time enjoyed.

In the majority of cases, the emotional and physical consequences of drug addiction are that a persons judgment is impaired which can lead to dangerous situations.

Mental or emotional signs of drug addiction include:

Being unusual talkative
Anger
Anxiety
Increased irritability
Abnormal calmness
Unresponsiveness
Indifference
Depression
Suspicion
Delusions
Temporary phobias
Hallucinations

Physical signs of drug addiction include:

Increased energy (seen with stimulants)
Restlessness (seen with stimulants)
Inability to sleep (seen with stimulants)
Unusually slow movements (seen with opiates, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates)
Unusual slow speech (seen with opiates, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates)
Unusual slow reaction time (seen with opiates, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates)
Confusion (seen with opiates, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates)
Disorientation (seen with opiates, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates)
Rapid weight loss or weight gain
Excessive sleepiness
Sudden changes in dress (eg wearing long sleeved shirts to hide injection marks)
Sinusitis
Nosebleeds
Persistent cough
Bronchitis
Coughing up excessive mucus or blood
Dental problems

Finding specific items in a persons room or belongings can also be a sign of drug use or drug addiction including:

Pipes
Roach clips
Syringes
Razor blades
Small handheld mirrors

Causes of Drug Addiction

There are many different reasons that one can become addicted to any drug since the force behind drug addiction is the inability to get relief from untreated physical or mental pain. Drugs can be a very tempting to help a person to handle depression, stress, and loneliness.

A few risk factors that help contribute to drug addiction include:

A family history of drug addiction – at this time there is no scientific evidence that places genetics or a person environment with drug addiction, but a person that has a family history of drug addiction is at greater risk for abusing drugs.
Untreated mental illness – a person suffering from mental illness may use drugs to help overcome their problems can become addicted if they are not receiving medical supervision.
Untreated physical pain – a person that has any type of pain may use drugs to help ease the pain can become addicted if they are not receiving medical supervision.
Peer Pressure – usually teenagers fall prey to this risk factor as their friends are doing drugs and he/she want to be liked and therefore begin taking drugs, which can lead to drug addiction.

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Drug Abuse

What is drug abuse?

Drug abuse is similar to drug addiction in that once a person begins to abuse drugs they can quickly find themselves becoming addicted.

Drug abuse is the use of illegal drugs, or can be the use of prescription drugs when a person begins to take more than prescribed. Many individuals become addicted to prescription drugs and the doctor may keep providing the drug but not in the quantity desired. The person will then find other ways in which to obtain the drug.

A person abusing drugs may or may not become addicted, however, in most cases, these go hand in hand. Once a person begins abusing drugs by using them to forget their problems, relieve stress, or to enjoy that “high”, they begin to depend on the drug to get through the day. This is when it becomes a drug addiction.

Drug addiction is a compulsion that causes the seeking and use of a drug no matter what the consequences may be. Once a person begins to abuse drugs, the craving takes control and the craving for the drug is more important than life itself.

This means if a the drug was in a bag sitting on the railway track with a train heading straight towards the bag, the person that is addicted will walk in front of that train to get the bag of drugs, not considering the consequences to their own safety.

How drug abuse affects the body

Drug abuse affects individuals differently according to the type of drug they may be abusing, however, the drugs work by tapping into the way in which the brain communicates to the rest of the body, such as the way the brain sends, receives, and processes the information.

Drugs have two ways in which they can interrupt the brain processing system, which includes by imitating the way the brain controls this process and by over-stimulating the way the brain works.

Marijuana contains what are called neurotransmitters, which have a similar structure to the chemical messengers that the brain produces. This drug along with heroin uses these neurotransmitters to fool the receptors in the brain, which will activate nerve cells and send the wrong or different messages.

Cocaine and Methamphetamine cause the nerve cells to release the neurotransmitters that the brain produces, except in much larger quantities, causing a rush or high. In some cases, as well as releasing neurotransmitters, these types of drugs may affect the neuro chemical balance of the brain, disrupting the communication pattern of the brain and leading to behaviour similar to that found in people with mental illnesses such as manic depressive disorders.

How drug abuse affects people physically

Once again the way in which the drug affects a person physically has a lot to do with the drug itself.

Stimulants can give a person quite a bit of energy and they will be “up”, but as the drug begins to wear off the person may feel very depressed and have no energy.

Physical signs of drug abuse include:

(With Stimulants)

Cycles of increased energy
Restlessness
Inability to sleep

(With opiates, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates)

Unusually slow movements
Unusual, slow speech
Slow reaction time
Confusion
Disorientation

Other drug abuse symptoms may include:

Rapid weight loss or weight gain
Cycles of too much sleep
Changes in the type of clothing worn (eg like wearing long sleeved shirts to hide injection sites)
Sinusitis (with snorted drugs)
Nosebleeds (with snorted drugs)
Persistent cough (with smoked drugs)
Bronchitis (with smoked drugs)
Coughing up excessive mucus (with smoked drugs)
Coughing up blood (with smoked drugs)
Severe dental problems (often seen more with methamphetamine)

How drug abuse affects people mentally

The most common ways drug abuse affects people mentally include:

Abnormal calmness
Abnormal unresponsiveness
Cycles of unusually talkative or “up” mood, often associated with unlimited energy
Depression
Delusions
Increased anger
Increased anxiety
Increased irritability
Indifference
Suspicion
Temporary phobias
Temporary hallucinations

How drug abuse affects the family

Living with a person who is abusing drugs can put an enormous strain on the family, often causing the family unit to break down, since drug abuse can lead to marital problems, physical abuse of family members, poor work performance, and in many cases the loss of a job.

Drug abuse disrupts the normal flow of a family with most family members afraid to say or do anything that might let others know about the drug abuser. In many families, the families begin to cover up, give the person money, and even deny the person has a problem.

How drug abuse affects the unborn child

Pregnant women may not realize the problems they are passing on to their unborn child which can include:

Low birth weight
Addicted babies that go through withdrawal after birth
Fetal alcohol syndrome
Physical, developmental, and psychological abnormalities

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Alcohol Rehab

What is Alcohol Rehab?

Alcohol rehab, alcohol rehabilitation, or alcohol treatment programs all refer to the specialised facilities or mental health clinics that work with individuals who are addicted to alcohol.

In alcohol treatment programs or at the facility, individuals learn how to overcome their addiction to alcohol as well as learn how to live life without taking a drink.

Most people turn to alcohol rehab when their drinking begins to interfere with their relationships, marriage, work, or other aspects of their lives. The way the majority of alcohol rehab programs work is help those dependent on alcohol to relearn how to live their lives without taking a drink.

What is involved with Alcohol rehab?

There are different types of alcohol rehab programs and according to the type chosen there are different aspects involved.

A few of the programs include twelve-step alcohol treatment programs, therapeutic community alcohol treatments, religious based alcohol treatment programs, and medical model alcohol treatments, with the most popular alcohol rehab program being the twelve step program.

The various forms of alcohol rehab programs are normally divided into biological alcohol treatment, psychological alcohol treatment and social alcohol treatment, with some programs including all of these forms.

The first step no matter which program you choose to use, is that you must come to the conclusion that you have a problem with alcohol and that you want help. No one can make this decision for you or the program will not be successful.

Detoxification is the next step. During this time, your body will be learning how to function without any alcohol.

Withdrawal symptoms can include shakes, sweats, panic, anxiety, and withdrawal fits. In the majority of cases, medication will be given to women that drink more than 12 units per day and men that drink more than 16 units per day to help during this process.

All individuals are advised to not stop drinking all at once due to the life threatening risk factors, which include seizures, Delirium Termens, and Wernicke’s Encephalopathy.

All of the various alcohol rehab programs have some of the same factors. The majority of rehab programs agree with some type of support system whether through friends, family, individual counselling or group counselling.

If a resident alcohol rehab program is chosen, the individual must be drug and alcohol free, but will still be allowed to use tobacco.

All alcohol rehab programs provide a structured program of psychological, educational and social therapy. The idea is to help the person learn to handle their life without the use of alcohol. In this type of alcohol rehab program, every day will be structured from the time you wake up to the time the lights go out at night.

In most cases, a person will be living in this structured environment for one month or 28 days. During the time spent at the rehab center, all individuals will be required to attend self-help classes, counselling sessions both individual and in a group, and do chores.

Counselling is the most important factor in alcohol rehab programs as individuals can learn to work through their problems or situations that often bring on the desire to drink.

How can Alcohol Rehab Help?

If the person is ready to stop drinking, alcohol rehab can be successful.

An alcohol rehab program helps a person learn to live a normal life without drinking as well as learn how to face the problems they experience without resorting to drinking.

Once the body has detoxed, living a life without alcohol can be achieved with support of other ex-drinkers, family, friends, or counsellors.

Many of these alcohol rehab programs such as the 12 steps gives you a person to call when you feel that you need a drink. You sponsor or helper will help you through the craving so you do not slide back into drinking again.

Alcohol rehab can and does help many individuals that are not only mentally addicted to alcohol, but also physically addicted.

The programs work with the entire body to ensure that the individual both physically and mentally can live a life free from the addition of alcohol.

While some individuals may be able to have a drink now and then without problems, there are others who allow alcohol to control their lives. Alcohol rehab programs help these individuals take control of their lives and enjoy life without the need for alcohol.

Learn more about alcohol abuse, alcohol addiction, & alcohol addiction treatment.

Alcohol Addiction Treatment

The very first step in any alcohol addiction treatment is the realisation that a problem exists.

If you are trying to help another person to kick their alcohol addiction, you will not get anywhere at all unless the person admits they have a problem and want help. When a person is ready to stop drinking, the next step is getting sober.

Getting sober will not be as easy as you might think. Some individuals will need medical help during the withdrawal stage, and should not stop “cold turkey” without consulting a medical professional.

During the detox stage, as it is known, a variety of symptoms may be experienced, including withdrawal symptoms which include irritability, insomnia, agitation, nausea, vomiting, headache, loss of appetite, hand tremors, increased blood pressure, rapid pulse, low grade fever, heart palpitations, delusions, hallucinations, and seizures.

Alcohol Addiction Treatments available:

There are different alcohol addiction treatment programs available, with the majority using the same factors such as learning to live life without alcohol and counselling to help the individual to learn how to cope.

Residential treatment involves the person living at a treatment facility in which the patient must be drug and alcohol free.

In the majority of cases, the person will live at the facility for a period of 30 days to 90 days. During this time, they will be living a dorm type building with others that are either addicted to drugs or alcohol.

Each day will be structured including the time to wake up and the time for bed. During the time spent at the Residential treatment center, all individuals will be required to attend self-help classes, counselling sessions (both individually and in a group), and do chores such as keeping their area clean, working in the kitchen, or other areas around the facility.

Partial hospitalisation is a relapse prevention program that normally meets between three and five times per week for around four to six hours each session. In the majority of cases, the individuals are required to receive medical monitoring as an outpatient.

Intensive outpatient programs are also relapse prevention programs but are normally scheduled around a persons work, school, or family schedule. Patients meet three days per week for between two and four hours.

Twelve step programs are programs in which individuals meet normally once or twice per week.

During these meetings, each person has a chance to speak about how they are coping being alcohol free as well as learning how others are coping. These programs often use a buddy system, so the person will always have a person to call if they are having problems with their cravings.

Counselling is often included in each of the above treatments.

If the counselling is not included with the treatment, it is often used after a person has gone through treatment to help them to learn to cope with the problems of every day life.

The counselling can be individual, group, couple, or family sessions.

Once counselling has begun, the person often learns the causes of their alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction and can learn how to cope with these issues without feeling as though they need to turn to alcohol.

The success of any alcohol addiction treatment program has more to do with the person than the program.

One person can attend a 12-step program and never drink again, while another person can graduate from a 90-day residential treatment program and start drinking within a week of leaving the facility. If a person truly wants to stop drinking then any alcohol treatment program will be successful.

All alcohol treatment programs help a person become sober, learn to live their lives without alcohol, and even work with each individual to help them cope.

Once the body has detoxed and the withdrawal symptoms are gone, living a life without alcohol can be achieved once a person learns how to carry on their day-to-day lives without drinking.

Residential treatment programs often have a better success rate as they work on the whole body, not just the addiction to alcohol. During the time in the residential treatment program, a person will learn a schedule and will learn that they can cope with alcohol free life again.

Living in the treatment center, doing every day chores, and counselling sessions will help the person be prepared to begin their life anew, alcohol free.

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Alcohol Addiction

How is alcohol addiction defined?

Alcohol addiction (also known as alcoholism) is the incontrollable need for alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, and other spirits – this is different to alcohol abuse.

A person considered an alcoholic craves alcohol and cannot stop once they begin drinking. A person addicted to alcohol can start drinking the minute they awake and throughout the entire day. The craving to drink is so strong that nothing else matters except the next drink, which bears a strong resemblance to drug addiction.

People suffering from alcohol addiction will steal money from family members to buy alcohol, and even sell belongings.

As a person begins to rely on the alcoholic beverage to handle their emotions, the more alcohol a person will need in order to reach that same state. If the person does not have a drink, they can experience shakiness, sweating, anxiety, and nausea.

Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction

With alcohol addiction, there are both physical and psychological signs.

The physical signs you can watch for with alcohol addiction include:

Passing Out
Black Outs – doing things that are not remembered
Weight loss
Upset stomach
Sore stomach
Redness in the face
Redness in the cheeks
Numbness in the hands and feet
Tingling in the hands and feet

Another physical sign is that of tolerance which means that the body begins to depend on the alcoholic drink and will need more in order to have the same effect.

Those that drink heavily may experience shaking in the morning, and if they do not obtain an alcoholic drink their body can react in ways such as not only shaking but also sweating, vomiting, confusion, seizures, and hallucinations.

Psychological & behavioural signs that you can watch for with alcohol addiction include:

Unable to control or supress the urge to drink alcohol
Irrational or dangerous behaviour such as driving while intoxicated
Increased irritability
Increased agitation
Increased anger
Lowered threshold for violence
Avoiding events where alcohol will not be served
Sudden & unexpected weeping
Sudden & unexpected emotional displays
Unexplained absences
Unexplained days off work
Failure to uphold commitments
Sleeping too much
Problems sleeping

Causes of Alcohol Addiction

Some scientists believe that alcohol addiction is hereditary or that if a person in your family was an alcoholic then children exposed to this behaviour may also be at a greater risk of having an alcohol addiction themselves.

Alcohol addiction has been seen to develop or become worse due to a persons environment or if they have had a traumatic experience. Other causes may include peer pressures, family, friends, and culture.

As with other addiction, research is ongoing to determine if hereditary or environmental factors may be at the root cause of alcohol addiction.

Dangers of Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction can lead to all kinds of problems not only for the person with the addiction but others that may come in contact with the person.

At this time it is estimated that alcohol plays a part in about half of all crimes, murders, accidental deaths, and suicides in the UK.

Health problems associated with alcohol addiction include brain damage, diseases of the liver, and heart disease. If a person does not stop drinking, they reduce their life expectancy by ten to fifteen years.

Brain damage occurs due to the fact that too much alcohol can detroy brain cells which of course will cause brain damage.

In addition to harming the brain, alcohol can also damage the central nervous system by disturbing its structure and function.

If the central nervous system is damaged the result can include the obstruction of the ability to retrieve, combine, and process information.

A person that is addicted to alcohol can also experience inflammation in the mouth, stomach, and esophagus, which could lead to cancer in these areas, especially if the person is a smoker.

Alcohol has been known to damage sexual function, harm the vision, cause water retention, cause malnutrition, and cause slow circulation. Alcohol in large quantities can lean to skin disorders, pancreatic disorders, weakening of the muscles, weakening of the bones, and a decrease in the immune system.

The liver is often the worst hit when a person is addicted to alcohol, since the majority of the alcohol is broken down in the liver.

As a person consumes excessive amounts of alcohol over time, the liver can suffer from disorders or serious damage.

Liver damage from alcohol addiction is seen in three stages including:

Stage 1: liver enlargement – liver cells have been attacked with abnormal fatty tissue
Stage 2: alcoholic hepatitis – liver cells swell, become inflamed, and then die
Stage 3: cirrhosis – fibrous scar tissues are formed

Eventually the liver can be irreparably damaged requiring a liver transplant, or of course, death.

Learn more about alcohol rehab, alcohol abuse, & alcohol addiction treatment.

Alcohol Abuse

What is Alcohol Abuse?

The definition of alcohol abuse is very close to alcohol addiction or alcoholism, but can be stopped before it leads to this addiction.

Alcohol abuse is a pattern of drinking that includes one or more of the following:

If a person cannot carry on their responsibilities at home, work, or school due to drinking they are abusing alcohol.
If drinking puts a person in dangers way such as driving while drinking the person is abusing alcohol.
If a person is having legal problems due to drinking, they are abusing alcohol.
If a person keeps drinking even though it is causing relationship problems then they are abusing alcohol.

Alcohol addiction and alcoholism are the physical dependence on alcohol. Alcohol abuse does not include a physical dependence. However, if a person does not seek help, alcohol abuse can easily lead to an alcohol addiction.

How alcohol abuse effects people short term

Binge drinking is often the type of abusive drinking that is witnessed, since most individuals that abuse alcohol are still employed and only drinking at weekends, thus they drink as much as possible during this time to get as drunk or intoxicated as possible.

The short-term affects of alcohol abuse include:

Hangovers
Violent behavior – alcohol is a deppresant that affects the mood, so one minute a person could be happy, then sad, and then angry and violent.
Accidents – forty percent of household fires are due to excessive drinking – seven percent of drownings are due to alcohol use – half of the adults seen at hospital with head injuries were drunk at the time.
Hospitalisation – Alcohol intoxication is the major problem seen in those under the age of 15 with close to 1,000 being seen every year.
Regretted sex – since a persons inhibitions are lowered, it is possible to have sex that will later be regretted. Since a person is drinking they may forget to use protection, may have sex with someone they would not normally associate with, and of course, this increases the risk of a sexually transmitted disease.

How alcohol abuse effects people long term

There are all kinds of problems that affect individuals that abuse alcohol long term including:

hepatitis
cirrhosis of the liver
ulcers
gastritis – inflammation of the lining of the stomach
pancreatitis – inflammation of the pancreas
high blood pressure
mouth cancer
throat cancer
larynx cancer
pharynx cancer
oesophagus cancer
liver cancer
stomach cancer
colon cancer
rectum cancer
brain damage – loss of brain cells
heart disease
heart failure
neurological problems
vitamin deficiency – drinking alcohol leads to a loss of vitamin B complex which can lead to diarrhea, depression, anemia, and skin damage.
Reproductive problems – men can experience the inability to obtain an erection, shrinking penis, shrinking testes, and reduced sperm count. Women – disrupted menstrual cycle, and the increased risk of miscarriage.
Mental health – alcohol abuse has been linked to such problems as clinical depression and around 65 percent of suicides.
Dependence also known as alcoholism – Alcoholism affects 9.7% of adults in the United Kingdom.

How alcohol abuse affects the unborn child

Women that drink heavily while pregnant are at risk of having a baby with fetal alcohol syndrome.

Fetal alcohol syndrome can result in deficiencies in growth, problems with the nervous system, facial abnormalities, and decreased intelligence.

At birth, many of these symptoms are not present and many parents do not realize the child has been affected until the child does not develop properly. Besides fetal alcohol syndrome, women can give birth to babies that are stillborn or have low birth weight.

Low birth weight is often seen when a woman drinks more than 10 to 15 units per week.

How alcohol abuse affects people psychologically

The psychological effects of alcohol abuse are often at first the feeling of relaxation and peace. This is the major reason that most people begin drinking - to help them to relax.

Even one drink per night can lead to alcohol abuse if a person begins to drink more to achieve the same affect as their bodies tolerance to alcohol increases with increased consumption.

Problems appear when the person believes they must have a drink in order to relax and that one drink becomes more.

Long-term excessive alcohol abuse can lead to depression, anxiety, problems sleeping, violent behavior, mood swings, and suicide.

Learn more about alcohol addiction, alcohol addiction treatment, & alcohol rehab.

Drug Rehabilitation

This section deals with drug rehabilitation, drug abuse, drug addiction, drug addiction treatment, and drug rehab.

You can access the information your need from the links above or from the drop down menu.

The aim is to give people who have issues with drugs, and their families and friends, the information they need to start and address the problems faced by drug dependence.

Alcohol Rehabilitation

This section deals with alcohol rehabilitation, alcohol abuse, alcohol addiction, alcohol addiction treatment, and alcohol rehab.

You can access the information your need from the links above or from the drop down menu.

The aim is to give people who have issues with alcohol, and their families and friends, the information they need to start and address the problems faced by alcohol dependence.

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