Monday, September 30, 2013

How the Social Media Encourages Alcoholism


While alcoholism has been around since fermentation was discovered, it is being encouraged today like never before. Social media has given people the opportunity to share every thought and behavior at rates previously unseen. Unfortunately, this includes some very negative behaviors, including excessive consumption of alcohol. This means that everyone needs to be vigilant about how they spend their time surfing the web.

In the past hundred years, stars have often become alcoholics and glamorized the lifestyle of drinking and partying. Today, many of them send out "tweets" on Twitter talking about their favorite alcoholic beverages or making jokes about getting drunk. The paparazzi gets pictures of the rich and famous leaving bars and parties and, within minutes, these photos are often spread all over the Internet, making these poor choices appear "cool."

Additionally, people get extra pressure from their friends and classmates to drink to excess. Parties are promoted through facebook, Youtube and Twitter. Homemade videos show the popular people at universities partying their way through school, oblivious to the fact that others find this behavior inviting because they seek the same popularity.

Social media also encourages alcoholism by people sharing tasty recipes for all kinds of alcohols. When people see these "pinned" or "shared," they think that creating these drinks will make their party successful. Others may simply justify their drinking because they are creating pretty drinks and do not associate the behavior with less savory images of alcoholism.

It does not really matter which form of social media or who is behind it. The bottom line is that alcoholism is a serious problem. When people spend time on their favorite social media sites and see things that encourage drinking to excess, it influences their perception of consumption. For those with a predisposition to alcoholism, this can have a detrimental effect on their lives.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Recognizing Three Early Signs Of Alcoholism


Moderate consumption of alcohol is typically not a cause for concern. In fact, a very moderate amount of certain types of alcohol, like red wine, offers a few health benefits. When an individual begins to show signs of dependence on alcohol to relieve stress or to cope with a difficult situation, it is important to recognize what specific tendencies indicate that there may be a problem. It is important to get treatment as early as possible. This helps reduce the amount of damage that regular, repeated use of alcohol can cause on a person’s health. Here are three early signs of alcoholism:

1.     Using Alcohol On A Daily Basis

A person who consumes alcohol every day or several times a day needs to monitor their drinking carefully. Drinking one or two drinks per day does not necessarily indicate a drinking problem, and a person does not need to be getting completely drunk every day to have a drinking problem. If the amount of alcohol consumed daily increases steadily, it indicates that a physical dependence on the substance is forming.

2.    Downplaying Drinking Habits

If a person begins to hide their drinking from family and friends, it is an indication that on some level they are aware that their drinking is becoming a problem. If they become defensive about how much they drink when asked about it, it is almost certainly a sign that a person is beginning to struggle with alcohol.

3.    Experiencing Discomfort When Without Alcohol

A dependence on alcohol means that there are withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, nausea and anxiety to contend with when drinking stops. Most people experience these after an incident of heavy drinking as hangovers. For those who have an alcohol problem, hangovers are only part of the problem. If they find they must carry a flask with them it means they are trying to avoid having to do without it. If they are in an environment where drinking is not allowed, they may become irritable. This is a sign that they need to get help as soon as possible.

Alcoholism affects more than just the alcoholic. Alcoholism affects entire families. The sooner a problem can be recognized and treated, the better it is for everyone. Early treatment of alcohol addiction means less suffering and less health, financial and emotional problems down the road.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

The Perpetual Disaster Of Drinking To Alleviate Depression


Sure, it's easy to reach for a drink to boost your mood. A few glasses or bottles later and your depression is cured! Isn't that cause for celebration? Certainly something to toast another drink to, right? Yet in the morning, what's different about your life? How has it changed at all, much less for the better? Using alcohol to negotiate depression is futile and it will keep you in a tailspin indefinitely.

Stop The Cycle

Drinking to get over depression never stops unless the consumption of alcohol is halted. Each day is just as painful and discouraging as the last, only with another episode of drinking added to it. Every time you reach for another drink, you inadvertently give yourself more reasons to be unhappy, thereby perpetuating the relationship between your alcohol and depression. It's truly a sad cycle to be caught in and the only way out is by resisting the temptation to keep drinking.

Look Inward

You may have legitimate cause to be depressed, such as trauma or loss in your life. You may also have a chemical or genetic condition that leads to frequently bouts with the blues. Quite often, a person's depression was temporary and alcohol became a permanent solution. Whatever the circumstances that led you to the cycle of drinking to solve your problems were, reexamine them and look for some other way to resolution.

Reach Outward

Nearly all people who learn to lean on alcohol need help getting away from it. People use alcohol to fill a void, numb the pain or to otherwise offset some negative in life and breaking from that is incredibly challenging. Look for local help in your area. People you can call upon anytime and groups you can visit on a regular basis. Without that network, breaking the dependency cycle may be near impossible. With help though, from people who have been where you are now, you've got a good chance to recover yourself emotionally and put your life back together. While sobriety may seem like a scary place, it is higher ground that can truly lift you up.

There's really no such thing as drinking to treat depression, because alcohol contributes to depression or in some cases, it's the absolute cause of it. If you are depressed, stop drinking and give yourself a real chance at getting over depression. Stop the cycle, look inward and then reach outward to a whole new world. One where you are welcomed and strengthened, and one where you can be truly happy.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Treatments For Methylphenidate Addiction

Methylphenidate is a stimulant drug prescribed to treat hyperactivity problems in children and can be quite essential if used properly. However, regardless of whether bought as an over counter drug or prescribed by a doctor, the users may be at risk of various health problems. This drug contains vitamin R, which is quite addictive in addition to the R-ball that can cause various side effects if taken. There are numerous treatments for methylphenidate addicts.

Personalized counseling is an essential methylphenidate addiction treatment where the addicts share their conditions with their private counselors.  The addicts usually see their counselors on daily basis who guide them on what to do to refrain from drug intake. The MPH addicts may also work on their own by avoid situations that can tempt them to involve themselves into using such products. This treatment is ideal in that it helps addicts to refrain from taking such drugs.

Depending on your addiction severity, you may be prescribed to an inpatient or outpatient treatment program. Through the inpatient treatment program, you may have to stay for a certain period in the treatment centers to ensure you are fully attended by your doctor to help refrain from substance abuse. The outpatient treatment programs are also essential treatment programs designed to help addicts to be meeting counselors on daily basis.  Before leaving the methylphenidate addiction treatment centers, the physicians usually help the addicts to set certain policies that will help them refrain from going back to the substance abuse.

Although the intake of methylphenidate is usually quite essential, numerous health effects can accompany long-term usage of the substance abuse. These drugs usually pose numerous side effects some of which are insomnia, fatigue, nightmares, increase in appetite, depressions and disruptions. The above treatments for methylphenidate addictions are quite essential to help you achieve your dream of refraining from the intake of methylphenidate.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Let Music Heal Your Soul


"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music."
-Aldous Huxley

Music has been called "The Greatest Gift Given To Mankind" numerous times throughout history, but why is music the greatest gift? Why not life, medicine, or happiness?

The answer is quite simple, music is life, music is medicine, and music is happiness. Music encompasses every emotion, feeling, and thoughts in our lives. It is ethereal, and immortal, yet can be used as a sort of medicine, since it is so deeply-intertwined with our lives.

Music has the ability to cure your every qualm, sate your every thirst, and mend your every wound.

See the unique ways that music therapy is helping those struggling with addiction:
Arizona Music Therapy for the treatment of addiction