Over the last 30 years, since the inception of MADD, society has been increasingly focused on impaired drivers. Given the carnage on the national highway system, this was an inevitable and reasonable result. It does not address the underlying problem of alcohol dependence, which comes with a host of problems. Recovering from the disease requires societal help such as the sobriety house Asheville.
For the average citizen, mentioning the word alcoholic brings to mind the image of a homeless, bedraggled old man, living on the street begging for money and carrying a paper bag with a can or bottle in it. While this is certainly one possible end result of alcoholism, it is far from the only or even most common ones. People with a disturbing relationship to alcohol live all around us, most would never be suspected.
The definition of alcoholism is somewhat vague, encompassing a compulsive nature of consumption to the detriment to health and social relationships for the user. One of the problems with defining the condition is that it varies so greatly. Someone who consumes a seemingly minor amount of alcohol can still have changes in the brain and body as a result.
There are both physical and mental components to a dependency on alcohol, and both can be masked quite easily by the sufferer. High functioning alcoholics abound, and the problem with that is they are still susceptible to the excesses of abuse. The difference between the alcoholic in the street and the one still holding a job is more luck than skill.
The problem is insidious, and changes the chemistry in the brain permanently. One who has the disease can successfully quite drinking, but will be continuously tempted to restart. If they do begin drinking again, the result is not as if they start at the level they had when they quit, but as if they had never quit at all.
In American society, the promotion of alcohol is ubiquitous, one can hardly avoid it during a normal day anywhere. From billboards, radio and television the many varied types of alcoholic beverages are touted, and with the exception of the mandatory admonition to please drink responsibly, little is mention of the devastating possible consequences.
Self realization that the problem is real and must be addressed is one of the most difficult parts. Getting completely sober can take more than a week in some cases, and after becoming sober the decision that one really wants to end the dependence can be even harder. Without these two steps, however, the individual will not be able to stop drinking, as no external force can truly end the behavior.
Getting sober may require medical supervision for some, and once one has finally become sober, stabilizing their lifestyle and keeping busy are important second steps. Finding a place to stay can also be complicated for one who has been on the streets or lost their home due to the addiction, but there are supportive organizations. The sobriety house Asheville is an excellent example of a supportive place for those seeking to regain a clean and sober lifestyle.
For the average citizen, mentioning the word alcoholic brings to mind the image of a homeless, bedraggled old man, living on the street begging for money and carrying a paper bag with a can or bottle in it. While this is certainly one possible end result of alcoholism, it is far from the only or even most common ones. People with a disturbing relationship to alcohol live all around us, most would never be suspected.
The definition of alcoholism is somewhat vague, encompassing a compulsive nature of consumption to the detriment to health and social relationships for the user. One of the problems with defining the condition is that it varies so greatly. Someone who consumes a seemingly minor amount of alcohol can still have changes in the brain and body as a result.
There are both physical and mental components to a dependency on alcohol, and both can be masked quite easily by the sufferer. High functioning alcoholics abound, and the problem with that is they are still susceptible to the excesses of abuse. The difference between the alcoholic in the street and the one still holding a job is more luck than skill.
The problem is insidious, and changes the chemistry in the brain permanently. One who has the disease can successfully quite drinking, but will be continuously tempted to restart. If they do begin drinking again, the result is not as if they start at the level they had when they quit, but as if they had never quit at all.
In American society, the promotion of alcohol is ubiquitous, one can hardly avoid it during a normal day anywhere. From billboards, radio and television the many varied types of alcoholic beverages are touted, and with the exception of the mandatory admonition to please drink responsibly, little is mention of the devastating possible consequences.
Self realization that the problem is real and must be addressed is one of the most difficult parts. Getting completely sober can take more than a week in some cases, and after becoming sober the decision that one really wants to end the dependence can be even harder. Without these two steps, however, the individual will not be able to stop drinking, as no external force can truly end the behavior.
Getting sober may require medical supervision for some, and once one has finally become sober, stabilizing their lifestyle and keeping busy are important second steps. Finding a place to stay can also be complicated for one who has been on the streets or lost their home due to the addiction, but there are supportive organizations. The sobriety house Asheville is an excellent example of a supportive place for those seeking to regain a clean and sober lifestyle.
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