| April is Alcohol Awareness Month. There have been | | | | and even medically dangerous. In fact, it shouldn't be |
| six of them so far. Have they made any difference | | | | done without professional supervision. A good alcohol |
| whatsoever? It's probably helped some people who | | | | rehab program can get someone off alcohol safely. |
| acknowledge that they have a drinking problem - | | | | Whether or not a person can quit taking drugs, from a |
| although about 95% of those who need treatment | | | | physical standpoint only, depends on the drug, how long |
| don't acknowledge that at all - and it's probably helped | | | | they've been taking it, and their own metabolism. |
| a few people find resources to get help for a family | | | | Stopping marijuana, for example, doesn't usually have |
| member. But it's not going to help people who think | | | | serious side effects. Nor is there usually much of a |
| help isn't possible - and that's probably the biggest | | | | problem with psychedelics. |
| lesson to be learned. | | | | But with just about every other drug - including |
| It's quite amazing to think that there are tens of millions | | | | prescription drugs - the side effects of stopping can be |
| of people are coping with alcohol or drug abuse in their | | | | extremely painful and also, in some cases, medically |
| family and think they can't do anything about it. They've | | | | dangerous. |
| tried - they've talked, cajoled, yelled, cried, pleaded, | | | | The second factor is psychological dependence. The |
| lectured and laid down the law. None of it's worked, so, | | | | person started drinking or taking drugs for a reason |
| therefore, "nothing works." | | | | and until that reason is addressed and a resolution |
| Well, one thing is true: talking, cajoling, yelling, crying, | | | | found, quitting is unlikely. |
| pleading, lecturing and laying down the law rarely | | | | Some people manage to quit for short periods of time |
| works. | | | | - again, that's dependent on what they've been using |
| But, it's not true that 'nothing' works. Alcohol and drug | | | | and for how long - but when things get tough, or their |
| rehab in a long-term residential addiction treatment | | | | 'issues' exert enough internal pressure, they'll start |
| center works. And intervention works. | | | | again. |
| There are two basic factors you're dealing with. First is | | | | A person who quits for a while and then starts again, |
| the physical effect created by the alcohol or drugs | | | | or someone unable or unwilling to quit at all, needs to |
| and the consequences of quitting. | | | | go into a long-term residential alcohol and drug |
| If someone drinks relatively moderately (even though it | | | | addiction treatment center where they can be helped |
| may be enough to be categorized as a drinking | | | | to get off the alcohol or drugs, and address the issues |
| problem) and has only been drinking for a short time | | | | that caused the problem in the first place. |
| (not decades), there's a good chance they can stop | | | | And if they can't be persuaded to do so by a friend or |
| drinking without serious physical consequences. It may | | | | family member, an interventionist can help you. |
| not last long, but they can stop. | | | | If there's one lesson to be learned during this April, it's |
| However, if someone is a heavy drinker and has been | | | | that help is possible. No one has to live with alcohol or |
| drinking for a long time, quitting can be unbearably | | | | drug addiction, and no family member has to live with |
| painful - only another drink will give them any relief - | | | | the frustration and fear that goes along with it. |