Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholism is prevalent in many societies and families today. A number of people struggle with this type of addiction or care about somebody who does.

It is possible to go a long time before identifying drinking as problematic behaviour. In fact, it is hard to know when the line between recreational drinking and alcoholism has been crossed.

Even though some people are more susceptible to developing this type of addiction than others, there are many factors that play into becoming an alcoholic. Being aware of signs indicating alcohol abuse can lead a person to identifying dependency issues. Once truth surfaces, recovery can begin.

The goal of this blog post is to discuss alcoholism with respect and brevity. It is apparent that this disease impacts the lives of many people. Additional research is required to embark on a pathway to recovery. For more information about alcoholism, there are two useful sites that proved useful to this post:

– http://www.helpguide.org/mental/alcohol_abuse_alcoholism_signs_effects_treatment.htm
– http://www.aacanada.com/

More so, Disability Living recognizes each person is on a personal journey of discovery. Testimonies of recovery are some of the most effective ways to support people with addictions. Share how good sober life can be by volunteering a personal story of AA in the reply section at the bottom of this post.

Factors Increasing Alcoholic Tendencies

It is common to hear about the lineage of alcoholism that plagues families. There is no doubt genetics play a large role in developing alcohol dependency. In addition, upbringing and environment also influence how much a person drinks and the drinking habits he or she develops.

Disability Living is also dedicated to sharing facts about the disability community of Canada – no matter how sad they seem. This is why it is important to quote the article referenced above in highlighting that, “…those who suffer from a mental health problem such as anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder are also particularly at risk, because alcohol may be used to self-medicate.”

General Signs of Alcohol Addiction

Acknowledging problem behaviour exists is the first step to identifying addiction. Below is a non-comprehensive list of signs of alcoholism that may indicate addiction is present.

– Guilt over alcohol consumption
– Hiding evidence of drinking
– Feeling a need to drink in order to maintain a normal routine (relaxation, sleep, feel happy, etc.)
–Blacking out from drinking
–Setting a drink limit and then surpassing it

Where to Turn to for Support

Recovery programs are available for people who desire to stop drinking. Alcoholics Anonymous has been around for more than 75 years. It is a 12 step recovery program that countless people attribute to “saving their lives.”

Also, there are recovery programs for family members of alcoholics. Some of these programs are associated with AA and are referred to as Al-Anon or Alateen (for friends and family), and ACA for adult children of alcoholics.

The journey of recovery is individual for each person. Continue researching specific needs pertaining to alcoholism and programs that exist to serve family and friends impacted by the substance abuse of someone they love. AA Canada (http://www.aacanada.com/) is a good place to start.

Image made available by glenn~on Flickr through Creative Common Licenses.