Tag: drinking

What to Do if a Friend or Family Member Has a Drug or Alcohol Problem

In 2014, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration concluded that approximately 22 million people suffered from a substance abuse disorder. In 2016, that number dropped by only 1 million. The same study found that 8.2 million of those people also suffer from a mental health disorder for both years. While living with addiction is hard, knowing someone with that addiction can be even harder. You want to help them, but feel that your voice will fall on deaf ears; especially, if they are your peers or family members. The right strategy will not only give you the confidence you need to speak up but will also save their life.

Be Well Informed

Before taking the plunge into a deep conversation, you should thoroughly know your topic. Many websites will give you in-depth information on the causes and effects of addiction. For example, the SAMHSA.gov website offers yearly data reports on substance abuse. The site also provides material on how to get help for someone who suffers from substance abuse and mental health disorders. In most cases, the addiction is used to hide depression, self-esteem disorders, and other mental health issues that are being suppressed by your friend or family member. You can also call a rehab facility and discuss your concerns with a professional without having to commit to anything. After you have studied on the subject, approach your loved one when they are not under the influence of their addiction. Explain to them how you feel and reassure them that they are not alone in the journey.

Be a Positive Support System

While the urge to take your friend or family member straight to a rehab center or AA/NA meeting is strong, sometimes the best therapy is knowing that you are there for them in their darkest hour. The most frustrating part of addiction for both you and your loved one is understanding the addiction recovery process. Recovering from addiction is different for each person. There will be times of anger, resentment, and withdrawal from your loved one. There will be times where they will mess up. Be patient with them and remember each day is a new day. Of course, if you do have to take them to a rehab center, be sure and maintain that same positivity. Their quality of life in the rehab center is just as important to their treatment as the therapy. Remember, addiction is just a disease, and you are just visiting a sick friend or family member.

When someone has an addiction, that person is not the only person who is affected by the habit. You have suffered the emotional rollercoaster of their addiction. While they are in a rehab center or meeting, take that time to go to Al-Anon meetings. These meetings are structured to help you understand their sufferings and help you learn how to deal with the recovery. Furthermore, plan events to distract your friend or family member during these hard times you know they are weak. The road to recovery might be a long journey, but in the end, their life is worth the trip.

Resources:

https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/addiction-statistics/

https://www.samhsa.gov/

http://www.midwestinstituteforaddiction.org/

5 Reasons To Get Sober and Stay Sober (at least for now)

There are many reasons why someone might begin using drugs or alcohol. It could be peer pressure, curiosity, or a severe case of depression. However, there are just as many good reasons to take charge of your life and learn to embrace sobriety. Here are 5 reasons to get sober and stay that way.

Better Health

Alcohol is well-known for the terrible effects it can have on a person’s liver. Liver damage can also result from abusing inhalants, prescription drugs, ecstasy and heroin. Cocaine and other stimulants can increase a person’s blood pressure and heart rate to dangerous levels. While these effects aren’t always reversible, the sooner a person gets into rehab, the easier it is to minimize damage that might have already occurred.

Fewer Legal Troubles

Sobriety eliminates the possibility of getting caught driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It can help keep you from losing your driver’s license or ending up behind bars for intoxicated manslaughter. When you give up drugs, you no longer have to worry about getting arrested for possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia. You won’t have to rebuild your life again after serving time for a felony.

Improved School or Work Performance

Prolonged drug and alcohol abuse often makes people lazy and disinterested in school or work. Students who frequently get high are less likely to graduate on time or get higher grades. Users are less ambitious than their peers who don’t abuse drugs and unlikely to pursue more demanding careers. Employees who use on the job are more likely to have accidents than those whose minds are focused on what they are doing.

Improved Relationships

Individuals with chemical dependence problems are more likely to have rocky relationships with friends and family. This often stems from the fact that their loved ones lose trust in them. Children of drug abusers are also more likely to suffer from some form of abuse. This can cause problems that are not easily forgotten by those most affected. This widespread emotional pain is one of the biggest reasons people commit themselves to a rehab program.

Better Self-Esteem

A person with a drug or alcohol problem isn’t likely to have a high self-esteem. Intoxication may offer a way to deal with self-esteem issues a person already has. In other cases, the user may begin feeling worthless because they’re unable to control the bad habits that are now ruining their lives. They may conclude that their lives aren’t even worth saving. It’s tempting to want to dull this inner pain by remaining drunk or high.

If you’re even considering sobriety, chances are that at least one of the reasons listed above has resonated with you. You might have some others, as well. Write your reasons down and make a commitment to get yourself into rehab as soon as possible. The sooner you act, the sooner you can begin to create the kind of life everyone deserves.

References

http://casanuevovida.com/

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/cocaine

http://fortune.com/2011/02/03/drug-use-at-work-higher-than-we-thought/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/heartache-hope/201306/low-self-esteema-disposition-can-lead-addiction

What are “Not A Drop” Laws and Why Should Teens Care?

You probably know that drunk driving is illegal and has very serious consequences, including fines, license suspension and even jail time. What many teens may not know is that drunk driving laws and penalties are different for those under the age of 21. These are commonly called “Not a Drop” laws, and they are important to understand.

How Not a Drop is Different

Regular drunk driving laws would allow the average adult to consume some alcohol before being considered legally intoxicated. This level is usually set at .08 percent blood alcohol, typically measured by breathalyzer and less frequently by an actual blood test. So long as an adult has not drunk enough to raise their blood alcohol beyond that point, then they are considered safe to drive.

Under Not a Drop laws, any level of intoxication is considered illegal. This means that a person under 21 cannot consume any amount of alcohol or have any amount of detectable blood alcohol.

Legal Penalty for Violation

 

A teen found in violation of Not a Drop may face several consequences. If they are a first-time offender, then their license will be suspended for 30 days and the will have to pay $20 to get it reinstated. If they are caught a second time, then their license will be suspended for 180 days and they will have to pay another $20 reinstatement fee. Further violations will probably result in the revocation of the license for a prolonged period of time and a much more complicated procedure for getting it back. The exact consequences for violation may vary by state or jurisdiction.

Other Consequences

Beyond the law, the consequences for driving intoxicated are real and serious. Accidents involving drunk drivers kill about 28 people every day according to attorney Dave Abels. A young person is likely to be more sensitive to the effects of alcohol and may be impaired at much lower levels of blood alcohol concentration compared to an adult.

It is also important to note that teen drivers are subject to regular DUI laws in addition to the Not a Drop rules. If a teen driver is found with a blood alcohol concentration over .08 percent, they will face serious consequences similar to and perhaps greater than those faced by an adult. This could include arrest, jail time and loss of a driver’s license for years and the requirement to attend drug and alcohol counseling before the license is restored.

Drunk driving is a serious offense for anyone, but it is especially serious for teens. In areas that have zero-tolerance Not a Drop Laws, it is important that underage drivers never consume any alcohol. The consequences to your future, health and ability to drive are never worth it.