Category Archives: Alcohol

Smoking Alcohol

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smoking alcohol

Smoking alcohol is the latest trend following a big stir of what is known as butt chugging. Smoking alcohol is an effort to gain a bigger buzz for fewer calories and many young drinkers are inhaling their booze by pouring it over dry ice or free basing it and sucking up the vapors. Either way, skipping over the stomach and liver is incredibly risky when ingesting alcohol.

Smoking alcohol supposedly provides all of the flavor and intoxication of chugging a mixed drink with none of the sugars and calories; this for some people is a God send. But what they may not realize is they are doing more damage than good. Some of the damage done to the body by smoking alcohol may be more dangerous than the weight they would put on from simply drinking it.

Videos of smoking alcohol can be found all over YouTube of course with young people inhaling a smoky dry ice and alcohol mix. Smoking alcohol is a very dangerous tend particularly among college aged students who are looking for extreme ways to get high. It is particularly popular among the college aged men and women who are trying to restrict calories before a night of partying. It even has a name; drunkorexia.

When someone smokes alcohol what happens is it goes directly into the lungs and circumnavigates the liver. The liver is what metabolizes alcohol but when you smoke it, it goes directly from the lungs to the brain making it very harmful and dangerous. The lungs and membranes in the lungs are highly susceptible to alcohol. Not only that but smoking alcohol can dry out the nasal passages and mouth which can leave many alcohol smokers vulnerable to infections. Smoking alcohol also increases the risk of getting alcohol poisoning. When an individual drinks alcohol normally, if they have drunk too much, they will usually begin to vomit. This cannot happen to someone who is smoking alcohol. Instead if they smoke too much alcohol their body will have no way of getting rid of the toxins and helping itself. This could lead to instant death in a worst case scenario.

Smoking alcohol is one of the most ridiculous and dangerous trends to hit the drinking scene yet and the sad thing is the dangers of smoking alcohol could totally be prevented if people would just do what you are supposed to do with a beverage-drink it. All of these new fads which include vodka tampons,butt chugging and smoking alcohol can lead to so many adverse health effects. In fact just purely drinking alcohol can have adverse effects so the effects of consuming alcohol through smoke, the lining of the bowels, or the lining of the vagina seems doubly unpleasant.

For kids who are looking to get high quickly or are looking to get high without all the calories; they should be careful. Using substances in manners other than the way they were intended to be used is also a clear indication of alcoholism and addiction and that can change your life forever if it doesn’t end it first.

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

5 best college drinking games

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College Drinking Games

Every college student on every college campus would argue what the best college drinking games are. Not only that but for every college drinking game there is a different variation depending on how you were taught to play it and how you are now passing it. Needless to say though, there are definitely some drinking games that are better than others. Here are the 5 best college drinking games and we think you probably already know what is number one.

5.) Beer pong: Beer pong requires a ping pong table, ping pong balls, some red solo cups and quite a bit of alcohol. Beer pong will probably always be THE BEST college drinking game. In beer pong, opposing teams, usually two, stand at opposite ends of the ping pong table with nine cups set up in a triangle in front of them. Each team tries to bounce pin pong balls into the opposing teams cups filled with beer forcing the opposing team to drink. Beer pong is fast paced and is fun for the “audience” too. The rules of beer pong vary slightly but this is definitely number one of the list of the 5 best college drinking games.

4.) You may know it as circle of death, waterfalls or ring of fire: This college drinking game has so many names but for the sake of keeping it simple we are going to call it Ring of Fire. Ring of fire requires a deck of cards and a lot of alcohol. Players sit in a circle and draw cards that are spread out in the middle of the circle of players; that’s why its name the ring of fire. Each card has a corresponding rule the players must follow. For example when a 6 is drawn it means all the chicks have to drink. “Six, chicks.” Then the next person will draw a card with a corresponding rule. This is the one of the best college drinking games because the rules can be changed to fit whatever and it can become totally hilarious. Only reason it doesn’t beat out beer pong as THE BEST is because it isn’t that great for onlookers.

3.) Quarters: Quarters is a quick and simple way to get drunk. This is what makes it one of the best college drinking games for those looking to get messed up quick. The point is to try and bounce a quarter into a shot glass and assign drinks. If you miss the shot you take a drink. Quarters is one of the best college drinking games, but it does take practice.

2.) Asshole: Asshole is one the best college drinking games but it is complicated and frustrating. A deck of cards is dealt out to players. In the first round the goal is to be the first player to get rid of all their cards. The first player to get rid of all their cards is the President next round, the last player to get rid of all their cards is the Asshole. The President creates hilarious moments for players and onlookers. The goal is always to become President next the round. Asshole can go on for a long time which makes it one of the best college drinking games.

1.) Never Have I Ever: Never have I ever mixes drinking, low inhibitions and sharing of personal information. Players take turns making “never have I ever…” (Example: Never have I ever been to France-they are usually more sexual in context when actually playing) statements and players who have done those activities have to drink. This is one of the best college drinking games because it can be really hilarious and you can learn some occasional disgusting facts about your friends. The only time this best college drinking game gets dull is when you run out of “never have I ever…” statements.

For more about college and drinking, check out the Top 5 Party Schools or Florida’s Hottest Spring Break Destinations

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Alcohol and Memory

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Alcohol and Memory

Alcohol and Memory     

Everyone knows that alcohol has a profound effect on memory. It’s no big secret that after a night of partying your memories can be a little hazy. But what is the connection between alcohol and memory? How does alcohol affect your ability to remember?

Alcohol and Memory: How alcohol affects the memory

Alcohol primarily interferes with the ability to form new long-term memories. Memory formation and storage take place in several stages, proceeding from sensory memory (which lasts up to a few seconds) to short–term memory (which lasts from seconds to minutes depending upon whether the information is rehearsed) to long–term storage. When someone attends to sensory information, it is transferred from a sensory memory store to short–term memory. The transfer from short-term memory to long term memory depends on many different factors including rehearsal, depth of processing attention, motivation, and arousal. Alcohol impairs the transfer of information from short term memory to long term memory.

Alcohol and Memory: Blackouts

One of the more extreme effects of alcohol on memory can be seen in blackouts. These are periods of alcohol-related amnesia. Most people experience one of two types of blackouts-en bloc blackouts and fragmentary blackouts. En bloc blackouts happen when you are unable to recall anything from the blackout period, even when your memory is prompted. Fragmentary blackouts are classified as being able to remember certain things during the blackout period, but having gaps in your memory. Fragmentary blackouts seem to occur with lower blood alcohol content then en bloc blackouts. Sometimes, when prompted, a person can remember certain things that happened during a fragmentary blackout.

The important thing to remember about blackouts is that they are not the same as “passing out” or losing consciousness. Blackouts are periods of time when the drinker is completely conscious, having conversations and performing sometimes amazing feats, but later they have absolutely no memory of the events that transpired.  Total amount of alcohol ingested does not seem to be the determining factor when people blackout. Whether or not a person will blackout seems to depend on how quickly they consume the alcohol. Surveys suggest that a person can drink the same amount or more alcohol as he or she did when the blackout occurred and not experience memory loss, provided they drink the alcohol over a longer period of time.

Enough alcohol will prevent the brain from recording new memories. These periods of amnesia are primarily “anterograde,” meaning that alcohol impairs the ability to form new memories while the person is intoxicated, but does not typically erase memories formed before intoxication. During the blackout, the brain is not recording anything going on, which is why you are unable to recall it later. Alcohol affects the hippocampus area of the brain, which is involved in memory storage.

Though repeated episodes of blacking out will lead to permanent changes in the brain, blackouts are more psychosocially damaging than physically damaging. Many people report engaging in high-risk behavior during a blackout. They drive while intoxicated, get into fights, or engage in unprotected sex. During a blackout, normal restraint of emotions, impulses, and desires is impaired and that may result in enormous harm to self and others.

http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh27-2/186-196.htm

http://www.livescience.com/14952-alcohol-blackouts.html

 

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Is “Blowfish” the ultimate hangover cure?

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Is blowfish the ultimate hangover pill?

Have a little too much to drink last night? You aren’t alone. “How to cure a hangover” is one of the most Googled phrases of 2012. Recently, some smart product developers have stepped in and created products to meet that demand. Since this past New Years, the market has been flooded with products that are said to either cure or prevent a hangover.

Is “Blowfish” the ultimate hangover cure? What is “Blowfish”?

Blowfish tablets combine aspirin, caffeine and an antacid into an Alka-Seltzer-like effervescent tablet. A two-tablet dose of Blowfish (which is what the makers recommend for a typical hangover) contains 1,000 milligrams of aspirin and 120 milligrams of caffeine, which are equivalent of two extra strength aspirin and three shots of espresso. Blowfish was developed to fight the most common symptoms of a hangover: headache, fatigue, and upset stomach. Many hangover cure seekers wish to get these cures delivered to the office or other places where discretion is important. Responding to this demand, Blowfish Tablets are packaged in plain manila envelopes.

Is “Blowfish” the ultimate hangover cure? How does it work?

Caffeine, aspirin, and antacids have longed been used to treat hangovers. Caffeine has been clinically shown to react against the chemical compounds of ethanol. Alcohol consumption causes a buildup of acetate, which is what produces a headache the next morning. Caffeine has been shown to reduce the amount of acetate in the system. Caffeine can also fight the fatigue that generally accompanies hangovers.

Aspirin is also a common hangover cure. Alcohol is thought to trigger an inflammatory response – a process blocked by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin. The inflammatory response is similar to the body’s defense against flu, and is linked to lethargy.

The chemicals produced by the body to break alcohol down are hard on the stomach. This often causes nausea or sour stomach the morning after. An antacid can help mitigate these effects.

Is “Blowfish” the ultimate hangover cure? Is it effective?

Certainly the combination of aspirin, caffeine and an antacid can help the symptoms of a hangover, but the only real cure for a hangover is time. It’s unclear whether Blowfish, which contains acetylsalicylic acid and citric acid — both of which could diminish some of its stomach-soothing effects — is better than the age-old hangover remedy: aspirin and a cup of coffee.

Unfortunately, science has yet to come up with an “ultimate hangover cure.” The best they can do is to provide some relief by treating the symptoms. There is some action you can take however, to prevent a hangover. These include drinking a lot of water (a full glass for every alcoholic drink). Also, eating a meal before a night of drinking has been shown effective. The food slows the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream. Finally, you can prevent a hangover by simply not drinking as quickly-no more than one drink an hour. This gives your body the time it needs to fully process the alcohol and prevents the build-up of alcohol metabolites that are responsible for a hangover.

Sources:

http://www.emaxhealth.com/8782/blowfish-hangover-buyer-beware

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2011/12/06/blowfish-for-hangovers-cure-or-red-herring/

http://forhangovers.com/pages/believe

 

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Alcohol Addiction Facts

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                                     Alcohol Addiction FactsEven though alcoholism is the most common addiction in the United States, many people are unaware of the alcohol addiction facts. Everyone should have an understanding of the following alcohol addiction facts so that we can work together to move towards a cure for this deadly disease.

  • Alcohol addiction or alcoholism is a disease; it is not a moral failing or a matter of will power.
  • Even though it is illegal to consume alcohol before the age of 21, roughly 5,000 people under the age of 21 die from an alcohol-related incident including car crashes, homicides, suicides, alcohol poisoning, and other related injuries every year in the United States.
  • It is estimated that 20% of teens in the United States can be labeled as “problem drinkers”. In fact, it is estimated that 25 percent of the alcohol consumed in the United States, is done so by those too young to purchase it legally.
  • Another important alcohol addiction fact is that alcohol is one of, if not the most, dangerous drugs to quit. One out of three people suffering from severe alcohol addiction who try to quit without medical help will die due to complications from alcohol withdrawal. All those who are suffering from alcohol addiction should seek medical help to quit.
  • It is possible to have a problem with alcohol, even when it has not progressed to the point of alcoholism. Problem drinking means you drink too much at times, causing repeated problems, but you are not completely dependent on drinking. Both problem drinkers and alcoholics should seek professional help.
  • One of the most important alcohol addiction facts is that alcohol addiction has little to do with what kind of alcohol you drink, how long you have been drinking, or even exactly how much you drink.
  • Alcohol addiction affects people from every type of background, but here are several characteristics that can increase the risk that a person will develop alcoholism. These are known in the scientific community as “risk factors.
  • Children of those who suffer from alcohol addiction are 4 times more likely than others to suffer from alcohol addiction themselves.
  • “Binge Drinking” defined as five or more drinks in a sitting for men and four for women, can increase chances of developing alcohol addiction

These alcohol addiction facts can seem scary but the important point is that there is help available. Thousands of facilities in the United States offer alcohol and drug rehabilitation and treatment services, ranging from short-term residential or in-patient hospitalization to long-term, outpatient counseling and therapy. Treatment can be effective in helping people learn to live a life of sobriety. There is no cure for alcohol addiction, but the disease can be treated and people can live in remission. It is possible for those with an alcohol addiction to recover and live a normal life. If you or someone you know has an alcohol addiction, you should seek help from addiction professional as soon as possible. Untreated alcohol addiction can be deadly.

http://drugabuse.com/library/get-the-facts-on-alcohol-abuse/

 

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

5 Ways To Get a Goodnight’s Rest Without Alcohol

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5 Ways To Get a Goodnight's Rest Without Alcohol

Most people think that drinking a few beers or having a glass of wine before bed will help them get a goodnight’s rest. The truth is you can get a goodnight’s rest without alcohol and that actually alcohol can disrupt sleeping patterns all together making it so you don’t get as good of sleep. So if you are a night owl who finds they need something to help them get to bed don’t fret. Here are 5 ways to get a goodnight’s rest without alcohol:

Stick to a schedule/Sleep only at night: Your parents were right putting you to bed at the same time every night. Sticking to a schedule allows your body to set its internal rhythm so you can get up at the time you want consistently every single day and this is key to getting a goodnight’s rest without alcohol. Also, make sure you try to keep this same schedule on the weekends too or else you will wake up later and feel even more tired than before. Sleeping during the day can cause a fairly heavy disturbance in getting a goodnight’s rest. So if you are going to sleep try to do it only at night and if you have to sleep during the day keep it confined to 20-minute power naps.

Exercise/Take a hot shower: Exercise is a great way to get a goodnight’s rest without alcohol and has the added health benefits. Your body uses sleep to recover its muscles and joints that have been exercised. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise daily can help you sleep better in a healthy way without alcohol. Taking a hot shower is another great alternative to getting a goodnights rest without alcohol. Taking a hot shower right before bed helps to relax tense muscles.

Avoid eating before bed and caffeine: Eating before bed can keep your body from getting a goodnight’s rest because your body has to digest while you sleep. So if you are going to eat at night try to do so at least 2 hours before you go to sleep. And caffeine, well it’s obvious, caffeine keeps you awake. Stop drinking caffeine around 5 hours before its bedtime.

Read a book/Turn down the AC: For some people reading works great to get a goodnight’s rest. Reading can take you to a whole different place if you are really into it. If reading isn’t your thing then turn your attention to the thermostat. Cold rooms help the body to fall asleep easier and quicker.

Avoid alcohol: Alcohol is a depressant and while it make it easier to fall asleep, key word, fall asleep, it causes you to not get as good of a night’s rest. When alcohol is consumed it can cause dehydration, disruptions in sleep patterns and nightmares for some people. This can make it seem like you are getting a goodnight’s rest with alcohol but you are actually not sleeping as well.

So if you are having trouble sleeping the best way to get a goodnight’s rest without alcohol is to start off by not using alcohol and then find something else that can cause you to get sleepy.

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Hangover Remedy: Meditation

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Hangover Remedy: Meditation

Meditation has numerous health benefits. It has been conclusively shown to benefit practitioners in many different scientific studies. Neuroscientists have actually shown that the brain waves of meditators are different than those who do not practice meditation. This mental shift has been shown to reduce the negative effects of stress, anxiety and depression. People who meditate also have been shown to have lower blood pressure, less symptoms of chronic pain, and better overall health than those who do not meditate. In a study conducted on college students, meditation was shown to improve academic performance, concentration, reaction time, memory, empathy and self-esteem. In the over 1,000 scientific publications that have studied the effect of meditation to date, meditation has been shown to improve outcome in every health aspect studied.

It should come as no surprise that meditation also helps hangovers, if are able to do it. Here are some deep breathing techniques that can help you when you have a hangover:

Hangover Remedy: Meditation:  Belly Breathing

This is a type of breathing that is often employed in yoga classes. You expand your whole stomach and chest on the inhale and collapse it on the exhale. This breathing technique utilizes the lungs to their full capacity, oxygenates the body, and activates the relaxation response. The best way to know if you are doing it correctly is to lie on your back and rest your hand on your belly. When you inhale, expand your ribs, diaphragm, and belly, feeling your hand rise and fall with each breath. When you exhale, imagine flattening your belly against your spine. Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth.

Hangover Remedy: Meditation: Nostril Breathing

This breathing technique is great for a hangover. It balances the mind and calms the nervous system. Begin by letting go of all the air in your lungs – exhale using both nostrils. Gently press your thumb against the right nostril – closing it completely, and then inhale slowly through left nostril. Hold your breath for a few seconds. With your right forefinger close your left nostril as you release your thumb from the right nostril. Exhale through the right nostril, while keeping the left one closed. Hold for a few seconds. Inhale through the right nostril, hold; release your forefinger as you close your right nostril with your thumb. Exhale through the left nostril, while you keep the right nostril closed. Hold for a few seconds. Inhale through the left nostril; continue this for about 8 cycles.

Hangover Remedy: Meditation: Natural Breathing

This type of breathing technique is natural and rhythmic. Picture a baby breathing while sleeping and you will get a good idea of the goal of this technique. It has been shown to decrease blood pressure and anxiety.  With this technique, you breathe with your diaphragm. The best way to practice natural breathing is to lay down with your hand on your chest. There should be no movement here, natural breathing should come through your diaphragm. Inhale and exhale through the nose, keeping breaths rhythmic and smooth.

 

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Alcohol Abuse in the Music Industry

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Alcohol Abuse in The Music Industry

Drug and alcohol abuse in the music industry has long been sort of an accepted part of the culture.  How many famous musicians have overdosed on drugs and alcohol? How many more have waged battles against addiction, checking in and out of rehab so many times we’ve lost count?

The culture not only tolerates substance abuse, it almost demands it. Many people in the music industry worry if they turn their back on the party they will lose what makes their music good or what makes them appealing to their fans.

But the culture of drug and alcohol abuse in the music industry is undergoing a major transition across the entire musical landscape, according to artists, managers and others in the industry.  There is a higher degree of awareness now, and people are starting to recognize that even recreational use can kill you.

I recently spoke to a women who had spent her entire career working for the music industry. She said,

“It used to be so common, 20 years ago, to drink and do drugs on the job. We’d have entire days devoted towards a certain type of alcohol-like beer Wednesdays or vodka Fridays. Every executive had a full bar in the office and drinking was almost a requirement of the job.”

Then, she says, the landscape started to change.

“The constant drinking slowed, started to become taboo. There was still a group of us who did cocaine every day, but we could no longer do it out in the open. We started going to the bathroom together. Everyone knew what we were doing, but we couldn’t do it on our desks anymore. Executives stopped offering us drinks when we walked into the office. Things just changed.”

Kate* is now in a sober living facility after spending 90 days in an inpatient treatment center.

Part of the change may have to do with the economy, Kate says.

“Everyone is worried about the bottom line, and everyone has to be accountable. When the music industry stopped making as much money, everyone started to focus on productivity.”

More artists have also gone public with their addictions, and addiction is recognized for what it is- a disease. Gratuitous alcohol abuse in the music industry is no longer encouraged and rewarded as it once was.  It is now considered cool for artists to take care of themselves and live a healthy lifestyle.

In the mid-1980s, Aerosmith broke down the door that made it okay for big-name artists to go public with their sobriety. In the years since, several other artists have made their sobriety known.

In the 90’s, the Safe Harbor Room-a backstage area that provides a support system to artists and crew members struggling with addiction issues was instituted at the Grammy Awards. Today, Safe Harbor Room program has been extended to South by Southwest, the NAMM convention, Coachella, Ozzfest, the CMA Awards and other events.

Other programs, like Road Recovery, have made it easier for artists to use a drug-free road crew.

Sources:

http://www.today.com/id/5033438/ns/today-entertainment/t/music-industry-coming-grips-addiction/

http://musicians.about.com/od/beingamusician/tp/Five-Tips-For-Coping-With-Addiction-In-The-Music-Industry.htm

http://www.codyenterprise.com/news/opinion/article_561c10dc-5c20-11e1-b7b9-001871e3ce6c.html

 

 

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

3 Ways to Cure a Hangover

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3 Ways to Cure a Hangover

Hangovers call for a cure. Hangovers are the unpleasant side effect of having too much of a good time the night before. Enter in headache, nausea, possible vomiting, fatigue and severe dehydration and you now need to find a way to feel better. You may or may not know the way to cure a hangover. Luckily for you there are plenty of hangover cures out there to take care of those morning after blues and they actually are fairly simple. Here are 3 ways to cure a hangover:

Ways to cure a hangover: Seltzer Morning Relief

Seltzer morning relief is a special form of Alka-Seltzer made for curing a hangover. Seltzer morning relief promotes itself as fast acting formula that gets rid of the most common symptoms associated with a hangover such as headache and fatigue. This would make sense because the two active ingredients in Seltzer Morning Relief are caffeine and aspirin. These two ingredients actually have been shown to make hangovers worse. But that is not what Seltzer Morning Relief says. Seltzer morning relief also promotes itself as being a maximum strength pain reliever that is gentle on your stomach and will give you a burst of energy to get you up and moving again.

Ways to cure a hangover: Water

Water makes up over half of what your body is made of. And when you drink too much you dehydrate it of essential vitamins, water, and nutrients it needs to keep you feeling well and healthy. Water as a hangover cure is your new best friend. The best way to use water to cure a hangover is to drink a few glasses while you are actually drinking. But don’t worry if you forgot to do that. The next morning when your hangover is hitting you hard just find a clean cup, fill it with some good old H2O and drink half the glass and relax. Drink as much water as you want just make sure to drink it slowly. Eventually with water as a hangover cure you will begin to feel better.

Ways to cure a hangover: Sleep

After water; sleep is your second best friend. Because your body has been working so hard to process all the alcohol from the night before and because you have dehydrated yourself of essential nutrients and vitamins to keep you energized you are going to feel fatigued. This is where sleep comes in. Sleeping off a hangover is literally one of the most fool proof and effective ways to deal with a hangover. If you have to work in the morning then maybe use the water and seltzer morning relief but if you have the chance to sleep than take it. Nothing is going to cure a hangover like letting your body rest from the chaos and havoc you put it through the night before. Sleep until you are ready to wake up and keep that handy glass of water nearby and you will be right as rain in just a few hours.

Whatever you are using to cure a hangover just makes sure to let your body rest. Sleep and water are really the only two realistic options for a hangover cure that don’t actually wreak more havoc on your body. So drink up, water we mean and get some sleep!

Sources:

http://hangoverschool.com/water-hangover-cure/

http://www.alka-seltzer.com/asmr/introducing.htm

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Alcohol and Mid Life Crisis

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Alcohol and Midlife Crisis

Alcohol and Mid Life Crisis

Drinking patterns and alcohol problems change with age. Some people don’t even begin to abuse alcohol until they are middle aged or older. Although most people who start abusing alcohol in middle age have had previous experience with alcohol, they don’t meet the criteria for alcohol use disorders until they are between the ages of 50 and 64. A lot of this is likely due to the connection between alcohol and midlife crisis.

Alcohol and Mid Life Crisis: What is a midlife crisis?

Midlife crisis is a term that has come to mean a time where adults come to grips with their own mortality. Sometimes, midlife crisis comes simply when someone realizes that half their time on earth may be other. Other times, the crisis is triggered by transitions experienced in those years including hormonal changes, death of parents, unemployment, or children leaving home.

One of the main characteristics of a midlife crisis is seeing their life in a negative way and their health and enjoyment declining. Abuse of alcohol is a very common behavior in people who are experiencing a midlife crisis. Many people in middle age are overwhelmed by the amount of responsibility on their shoulders. They may be responsible for aging parents, children, paying a mortgage, and their own relationship with a spouse.

Alcohol and Mid Life Crisis: Substance Abuse and Mid-life Crisis

A midlife crisis can cause feelings of depression and anxiety. Many people will turn to alcohol or drug abuse in an effort to cope. They will use substance abuse as a means of escape or self-medication. Middle aged men and women are also more able to hide their substance abuse and maintain a level of function. This can allow addiction and/or alcoholism to progress without accountability.

Alcohol and Mid Life Crisis: How prevalent is it?

A recent study indicates that 23 percent of men and nine percent of women between ages 50 and 64 years old reported drinking at least five alcoholic beverages in one day-which is defined as binge drinking. Also, middle aged men and women were more likely than adolescents in their teens and twenties to report drinking every day.

Alcohol and Mid Life Crisis: Who is at risk?

The typical middle aged alcoholic is actually what’s known as a “functional alcoholic.” Most are highly educated and have careers. The decline may be slow and hard to notice at first. In addition, many middle aged alcoholics have what is known as a dual diagnosis. This means that they are suffering from other psychological problem like anxiety or depression as well as having a substance abuse disorder.

Alcohol and Mid Life Crisis: Health problems

Middle aged drinkers are much more susceptible to the adverse health effects of alcohol abuse than younger drinkers. The health costs due to alcohol consumption are mainly due to middle aged, middle class drinkers. On average, alcohol-related health problems among middle aged people are 13 times more costly than those of people in their early to mid-twenties.

Sources:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/MensHealthNews/story?id=8341707

http://health.howstuffworks.com/relationships/marriage/surviving-your-mates-midlife-crisis.htm

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.