Author Topic: Alcoholism - how to recognize it (Read 1768 times)

Matthew · « **on:** September 17, 2011, 03:52:32 PM »

Signs of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

Coming to terms with the fact that you or someone you love may have an alcohol problem can be a painful and difficult process. While many people can identify when they are abusing alcohol (e.g. hangovers, issues at work, problems with a loved one as a result of their drinking), they may not necessarily recognize that they are alcoholics. If you or your loved ones are concerned about your drinking, it may be time to ask yourself some important questions as to whether you are exhibiting signs of alcoholism.

While there are numerous signs that can indicate that someone may be abusing alcohol, it is important to remember that not everyone everyone exhibits the same patterns. Alcohol affects people differently. What may be a negative symptom for one person may not necessarily be the same for another. In determining whether you or someone you care for may have a problem, look for the follows signs:

Signs of Alcohol Abuse

• The ability to consume a good deal of alcohol without getting intoxicated
• A preoccupation with drinking and alcohol
• Experiencing blackouts or memory lapses
• The use of alcohol to alter one’s mood, i.e., to “calm the nerves”
• Binge drinking: episodic, gross over indulgence
• Hiding alcohol or sneaking drinks
• Drinking before events or social gatherings
• Job losses or complaints by employers regarding one’s drinking
• Relationship or marital problems as a result of too much drinking
• Friends, relatives or co-workers complain about problem drinking incidents
• Alcohol related arrests: public intoxication, DUI, lewd behavior, altercations
• Behavioral changes while intoxicated: anger, sɛҳuąƖ promiscuity, rash acts
• Feeling remorseful or ashamed of behavior after drinking
• Losing friendships or social rejection as a result of one’s drinking
• Drinking before noon
• A decline in self-care or hygiene
• Family history of alcohol abuse or alcoholism
• Frequent intoxication: drinking two or more days a week
• Physical harm as a result of drinking (accidents or fights)
• Drinking alone

If you suspect you or a loved may be abusing alcohol or is showing any signs of alcoholism, it’s important to consult with a medical professional. Your doctor or health care provider can help determine if a drinking habit is problematic and can recommend a treatment plan or course of action.

Alcoholism and Signs of Alcoholism

The primary distinction between the alcohol abuser and the alcoholic is a physical dependency on alcohol. Alcoholics meet all of the same criteria for alcohol abuse but have also developed a physical addiction to alcohol. Most dependency experts believe that alcohol abusers maintain the ability to set limits on their drinking habits while alcoholics lose this ability to control their drinking problem. The most common signs of alcoholism are as follows:

• Alcohol tolerance: it increasingly takes more alcohol to feel its effects
• Attempts at quitting are met with failure
• Alcohol consumption is required to avoid withdrawal symptoms
(In serious cases, withdrawal can include seizures, delirium or hallucinations)
• Loss of control (can not control the amount of alcohol consumed at any give time)

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

For anyone who displays signs of alcoholism or alcohol dependence, it’s important that a medical doctor be seen prior to quitting alcohol. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be life threatening.

• Anxiety and/or irritability
• Depression or feelings of apathy
• Upset stomach or vomiting
• Sweating
• Shaking
• Headache or body fatigue
• Disorientation

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be life threatening. Outside help is usually recommended. A professionally managed treatment program such as a detox or rehab center may be recommended.

Matthew · « **Reply #1 on:** September 17, 2011, 03:55:08 PM »

IS A.A. FOR YOU?

Only you can decide whether you want to give A.A.a try —
whether you think it can help you.

We who are in A.A. came because we finally gave up trying to control our drinking. We still hated to admit that we could never drink safely. Then we heard from other A.A. members that we were sick. (We thought so for years!) We found out that many people suffered from the same feelings of guilt and loneliness and hopelessness that we did. We found out that we had these feelings because we had the disease of alcoholism.
We decided to try and face up to what alcohol had done to us. Here are some of the questions we tried to answer honestly. If we answered YES to four or more questions, we were in deep trouble with our drinking. See how you do. Remember, there is no disgrace in facing up to the fact that you have a problem.

Answer YES or NO to the following questions.

1 - Have you ever decided to stop drinking for a week or so, but only lasted for a couple of days?
Most of us in A.A. made all kinds of promises to ourselves and to our families. We could not keep them. Then we came to A.A. A.A. said: "Just try not to drink today." (If you do not drink today, you cannot get drunk today.)
Yes No

2 - Do you wish people would mind their own business about your drinking-- stop telling you what to do?
In A.A. we do not tell anyone to do anything. We just talk about our own drinking, the trouble we got into, and how we stopped. We will be glad to help you, if you want us to.
Yes No

3 - Have you ever switched from one kind of drink to another in the hope that this would keep you from getting drunk?
We tried all kinds of ways. We made our drinks weak. Or just drank beer. Or we did not drink cocktails. Or only drank on weekends. You name it, we tried it. But if we drank anything with alcohol in it, we usually got drunk eventually.
Yes No

4 - Have you had to have an eye-opener upon awakening during the past year?
Do you need a drink to get started, or to stop shaking? This is a pretty sure sign that you are not drinking "socially."
Yes No

5 - Do you envy people who can drink without getting into trouble?
At one time or another, most of us have wondered why we were not like most people, who really can take it or leave it.
Yes No

6 - Have you had problems connected with drinking during the past year?
Be honest! Doctors say that if you have a problem with alcohol and keep on drinking, it will get worse -- never better. Eventually, you will die, or end up in an institution for the rest of your life. The only hope is to stop drinking.
Yes No

7 - Has your drinking caused trouble at home?
Before we came into A.A., most of us said that it was the people or problems at home that made us drink. We could not see that our drinking just made everything worse. It never solved problems anywhere or anytime.
Yes No

8 - Do you ever try to get "extra" drinks at a party because you do not get enough?
Most of us used to have a "few" before we started out if we thought it was going to be that kind of party. And if drinks were not served fast enough, we would go some place else to get more.
Yes No

9 - Do you tell yourself you can stop drinking any time you want to, even though you keep getting drunk when you don't mean to?
Many of us kidded ourselves into thinking that we drank because we wanted to. After we came into A.A., we found out that once we started to drink, we couldn't stop.
Yes No

10 - Have you missed days of work or school because of drinking?
Many of us admit now that we "called in sick" lots of times when the truth was that we were hung-over or on a drunk.
Yes No

11 - Do you have "blackouts"?
A "blackout" is when we have been drinking hours or days which we cannot remember. When we came to A.A., we found out that this is a pretty sure sign of alcoholic drinking.
Yes No

12 - Have you ever felt that your life would be better if you did not drink?
Many of us started to drink because drinking made life seem better, at least for a while. By the time we got into A.A., we felt trapped. We were drinking to live and living to drink. We were sick and tired of being sick and tired.
Yes No

LordPhan · « **Reply #2 on:** September 17, 2011, 05:04:58 PM »

I would like to add this:

Quote

Is Alcoholics Anonymous penetrated by the principles of naturalism, and if so, how can it be justifiable for a traditional Catholic to belong to it?

There can be no doubt about the essential accusation of naturalism, nor that it is penetrated by the principles of syncretism, that theory that regards all religions as different aspects of one world religion. It is certainly true that AA has never pretended to be anything else but this. It openly encourages all to believe in their god or power, as they understand it. As such it is a danger to the Faith of the weak. In this way it is penetrated with the ideas of Fɾҽҽmαsσɳɾყ. However, it cannot be equated with this condemned organization, which truly is a secret society and has a hidden purpose. AA’s purpose is not to promote anti-Catholic philosophies, but to help alcoholics, albeit by purely naturalistic means.

I always feel uncomfortable recommending our faithful to attend AA. However, sometimes there is simply no choice. A purely spiritual solution does not work, for these people have a severe personality disorder that requires a natural and psychological help. Anybody who maintains that confession and the spirit of penance suffice to cure alcoholism have absolutely no medical understanding of the condition at all. They are necessary, but not sufficient. The weak character, filled with self-doubt, lack of self-confidence and poor self esteem also needs help. There can be no denying the fact that Alcoholics Anonymous is particularly effective in providing this psychological help. Innumerable are the traditional Catholics who owe their sanity and their ability to live in the state of grace to the psychological support that this organization has given. In actual fact, we have no serious alternative to AA, with the sole exception of regular weekly professional counseling, which can be prohibitively expensive, and often times not nearly as effective.

Consequently, I maintain that it is permissible to use AA, in cases where the alcoholic has a strong faith, and provided that the danger to the faith be avoided by regular reception of the sacraments and spiritual direction. [Answered by Fr. Peter R. Scott]

Telesphorus · « **Reply #3 on:** September 17, 2011, 05:24:51 PM »

AA is definitely a kind of confessional cult where people are desperate to "spill their guts." (I've heard these accounts second hand)

This sort of thing is similar to pentecostalism - it is a huge mistake to try to baptize it.

The last thing these trad chapels need are lay-people confessing to each other - because most trads are simply incapable of holding their tongues.

It's possible to have a serious problem with alcohol without having all those symptoms too.

Someone who drinks chronically to stay calm and out of habit has a problem, even if they feel "fine."

Matthew · « **Reply #4 on:** September 17, 2011, 05:38:02 PM »

I agree with Fr. Scott on this issue.

There's a time to call for a priest, and a time to call for a doctor.

And a time to call for both.

Medicine and psychologists are sometimes needed -- spiritual solutions are not always sufficient by themselves. Disorders of the mind do exist, and require special attention.

When you have a broken leg, you go to the hospital. You are welcome and encouraged to say a rosary IN ADDITION, but not instead of legitimate medical attention.

We're not Scientologists.

parentsfortruth · « **Reply #5 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:10:16 PM »

I would also like to add to this.

Quote from: Matthew

Signs of Alcohol Abuse

• Relationship or marital problems as a result of too much drinking
• Friends, relatives or co-workers complain about problem drinking incidents

Ya know, sometimes, signs of alcoholism, might not just be signs, but might be (I suggest IS) the sole reason why it appears that one has an alcohol problem in the first place.

What do I think of when I see this?

I would drink a lot too if I had to listen to that!

Daegus · « **Reply #6 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:15:58 PM »

Quote from: parentsfortruth

I would also like to add to this.

Quote from: Matthew

Signs of Alcohol Abuse

• Relationship or marital problems as a result of too much drinking
• Friends, relatives or co-workers complain about problem drinking incidents

Ya know, sometimes, signs of alcoholism, might not just be signs, but might be (I suggest IS) the sole reason why it appears that one has an alcohol problem in the first place.

What do I think of when I see this?

I would drink a lot too if I had to listen to that!

The story of my life.. except I don't drink and I don't have a wife. My mother and aunt are nags.

parentsfortruth · « **Reply #7 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:20:01 PM »

Quote from: Daegus

Quote from: parentsfortruth
I would also like to add to this.

Quote from: Matthew

Signs of Alcohol Abuse

• Relationship or marital problems as a result of too much drinking
• Friends, relatives or co-workers complain about problem drinking incidents

Ya know, sometimes, signs of alcoholism, might not just be signs, but might be (I suggest IS) the sole reason why it appears that one has an alcohol problem in the first place.

What do I think of when I see this?

I would drink a lot too if I had to listen to that!

The story of my life.. except I don't drink and I don't have a wife. My mother and aunt are nags.

As a man, how does that make you feel? Please, I'm sure the ladies would like you to tell us.

Daegus · « **Reply #8 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:38:40 PM »

People (especially women) who nag me cause me to lose interest in what they have to say very fast. I cannot stand nagging. Most men cannot stand nagging. It's not a mere coincidence that people are less inclined to actually pay attention to what you're saying if you're going to nag. Nagging causes the person being nagged to feel like a child, and I already have one mother and father that I don't exactly hold to the highest esteem so I don't need another set of parents.

Whenever a person nags it almost always sounds like they're whining about nothing (which is usually the case), and no one wants to listen to the problems of someone who's whining like a petulant child. Men don't want to be told to do this and do that and be demeaned as if we're children. We want to be loved and respected (moreso respected than loved). If a man is a self-loathing bum who has failed in life, there is no need to nag him about it. How often does nagging ever work? If it does "work", it usually isn't because of the nagging, but because the person has come to the realization that their life is slowly wasting away for no real reason.

I don't like nagging. I don't like people who complain and gripe about every little thing. Shut the hell up. No one cares about you or your worthless opinions. We can all see that you're reasonably upset. Does that mean you have to be obnoxious about your complaints? No, right? Exactly. Shut up, please. (I'm telling the naggers (lol...) to shut their traps and just relax, not anyone specific)

What I can't stand are the people who sound like they're nagging every time they open their mouths to say something. It drives me crazy, especially when you can't really get away from them.

parentsfortruth · « **Reply #9 on:** September 17, 2011, 07:35:51 PM »

:) Thank you, Daegus.

I hope this illustrates to any women out there this very important lesson:

Rule #2 of having a happy marriage/relationship:

Don't nag.

It doesn't help. It doesn't work. It's the most unproductive thing you can do. You want a man to do exactly the opposite of what you want him to do? Then you just keep nagging, sister. You know why a lot of marriages fail now days?

It's because men don't like to be nagged.

Men prize something more than we do. It's called freedom, and when you nag, you're trying to remove that freedom from the man, so it's natural that he's going to do what? FIGHT FOR IT.

I want to touch on something he said here:

Quote from: Daegus

Men don't want to be told to do this and do that and be demeaned as if we're children.

YEP! That's exactly right. Spoken like a true man.

parentsfortruth · « **Reply #10 on:** September 17, 2011, 07:43:39 PM »

I also wanted to tell you that I admire your passion there, Daegus. It's only natural that you would show irritation towards the people that make you a hopeless victim.

I have a suggestion for you, Daegus. For your mom's birthday, might I gently suggest a book called If she actually reads it, you'll see some things change around there. I guarantee it.

Disclaimer: If she's not a full blown feminist, she will deeply appreciate this book, however, if she -is- a full blown feminist, she might disown you. Certain side effects may include: extreme joy, happiness, freedom from nagging, headache, nosebleed, and may include death. Gift at your own risk, but it's so miserable now being nagged, what have you got to lose?

Sigismund · « **Reply #11 on:** September 17, 2011, 09:06:02 PM »

Quote from: LordPhan

I would like to add this:

Quote
Is Alcoholics Anonymous penetrated by the principles of naturalism, and if so, how can it be justifiable for a traditional Catholic to belong to it?

There can be no doubt about the essential accusation of naturalism, nor that it is penetrated by the principles of syncretism, that theory that regards all religions as different aspects of one world religion. It is certainly true that AA has never pretended to be anything else but this. It openly encourages all to believe in their god or power, as they understand it. As such it is a danger to the Faith of the weak. In this way it is penetrated with the ideas of Fɾҽҽmαsσɳɾყ. However, it cannot be equated with this condemned organization, which truly is a secret society and has a hidden purpose. AA’s purpose is not to promote anti-Catholic philosophies, but to help alcoholics, albeit by purely naturalistic means.

I always feel uncomfortable recommending our faithful to attend AA. However, sometimes there is simply no choice. A purely spiritual solution does not work, for these people have a severe personality disorder that requires a natural and psychological help. Anybody who maintains that confession and the spirit of penance suffice to cure alcoholism have absolutely no medical understanding of the condition at all. They are necessary, but not sufficient. The weak character, filled with self-doubt, lack of self-confidence and poor self esteem also needs help. There can be no denying the fact that Alcoholics Anonymous is particularly effective in providing this psychological help. Innumerable are the traditional Catholics who owe their sanity and their ability to live in the state of grace to the psychological support that this organization has given. In actual fact, we have no serious alternative to AA, with the sole exception of regular weekly professional counseling, which can be prohibitively expensive, and often times not nearly as effective.

Consequently, I maintain that it is permissible to use AA, in cases where the alcoholic has a strong faith, and provided that the danger to the faith be avoided by regular reception of the sacraments and spiritual direction. [Answered by Fr. Peter R. Scott]

Very wise advice.

LordPhan · « **Reply #12 on:** September 17, 2011, 09:11:11 PM »

I wonder if I with my 42 inch computer screen am the only one who was able to laugh at this disclaimer on PFT's post lol

"Disclaimer: If she's not a full blown feminist, she will deeply appreciate this book, however, if she -is- a full blown feminist, she might disown you. Certain side effects may include: extreme joy, happiness, freedom from nagging, headache, nosebleed, and may include death. Gift at your own risk, but it's so miserable now being nagged, what have you got to lose? "

MaterDominici · « **Reply #13 on:** September 17, 2011, 10:04:03 PM »

Quote from: LordPhan

my 42 inch computer screen

:tv-disturbed:

wow!

herbert · « **Reply #14 on:** September 18, 2011, 01:48:56 AM »

Quote from: Daegus

People (especially women) who nag me cause me to lose interest in what they have to say very fast. I cannot stand nagging. Most men cannot stand nagging. It's not a mere coincidence that people are less inclined to actually pay attention to what you're saying if you're going to nag. Nagging causes the person being nagged to feel like a child, and I already have one mother and father that I don't exactly hold to the highest esteem so I don't need another set of parents.

Whenever a person nags it almost always sounds like they're whining about nothing (which is usually the case), and no one wants to listen to the problems of someone who's whining like a petulant child. Men don't want to be told to do this and do that and be demeaned as if we're children. We want to be loved and respected (moreso respected than loved). If a man is a self-loathing bum who has failed in life, there is no need to nag him about it. How often does nagging ever work? If it does "work", it usually isn't because of the nagging, but because the person has come to the realization that their life is slowly wasting away for no real reason.

I don't like nagging. I don't like people who complain and gripe about every little thing. Shut the hell up. No one cares about you or your worthless opinions. We can all see that you're reasonably upset. Does that mean you have to be obnoxious about your complaints? No, right? Exactly. Shut up, please. (I'm telling the naggers (lol...) to shut their traps and just relax, not anyone specific)

What I can't stand are the people who sound like they're nagging every time they open their mouths to say something. It drives me crazy, especially when you can't really get away from them.

great post!