| An alcoholic can be helped to find freedom from | | | | progression of the disease to avoid serious trouble, or |
| alcohol. And, anyone can help who has some | | | | the ultimate oblivion. |
| counseling or interviewing ability. | | | | A Window of Opportunity |
| There are Two Main Signs of Alcoholism | | | | Problem drinkers and alcoholics will eventually create a |
| Alcoholics suffer from an illness that stops them | | | | problem for themselves, or with other people, or a legal |
| seeing their real condition (denial) and a tolerance to | | | | problem, or problems at work - sometimes affecting all |
| alcohol that keeps them drinking beyond safe levels | | | | these areas at the same time. |
| (loss of control). | | | | When this happens the drinker may be feeling |
| Denial of the Effect of Alcohol | | | | emotional pain and may be in a 'window of opportunity' |
| Everyone uses denial. It is a normal subconscious way | | | | for listening to someone who cares, who really wants |
| to carry out day to day activities without annoying | | | | to help, and who can help. |
| interference. To illustrate; Stop for a minute and listen | | | | Watch for these 'windows'. |
| to the sounds around you. More than likely you will | | | | Anyone Can Help |
| hear sounds that you were not aware of previously. If | | | | If you care and can see the suffering of the drinker |
| you listened to these sounds constantly you would | | | | you have what it takes to help a problem drinker. You |
| probably get an overload of noise and may not be | | | | may be a loved one, a family member, a friend, a |
| able to carry out your normal duties. | | | | work mate or a healthcare professional. |
| But denial does not just occur. It grows over time and | | | | With a little help from experienced people you will learn |
| may be so deeply ingrained in the subconscious that it | | | | the particular action needed to enable anyone to see |
| is no longer a decision to deny anything. | | | | the reality of their problem and help them take action |
| In the noise example from above; denial begins as | | | | to solve the problem. |
| simple avoidance and minimizing of noises around you. | | | | Helping Plan |
| You build up a resistance, a second nature of denial of | | | | Over the past 65 years healthcare workers have |
| interfering noises by blocking out more and more. After | | | | been trying out many types of counseling and helping |
| awhile you are not aware that you are blocking out | | | | plans for alcohol abuse. Some action programs have |
| anything. | | | | stood out as being consistently successful in getting |
| Alcoholics are no different. They just block out another | | | | alcoholics into recovery. |
| form of annoyance, the amount they drink and the | | | | In these programs alcoholics are taken through a |
| effect of their drinking. And, again it starts out in small | | | | specific set of steps to highlight the effects that |
| ways and builds over time. | | | | alcohol is having on their lives. |
| Unfortunately for alcoholics their denial is contributing to | | | | Disturb Denial |
| the damage done by alcohol. | | | | This process disturbs alcoholic denial and motivates |
| Loss of Control of Alcohol | | | | the person to want to take action. |
| Recent research suggests that alcoholics are born | | | | Motivation and Action Plan |
| with a genetic variation that encourages them to drink. | | | | But, more than motivation is needed. The alcoholic |
| Males with alcoholic fathers need more alcohol to | | | | needs to know what to do and also support to carry |
| satisfy them than their non-afflicted peers. They need | | | | out an action plan. |
| to drink more to get the same affect as males without | | | | A successful plan includes putting the alcoholic in touch |
| an alcoholic father. | | | | with other recovering people immediately they make a |
| Additionally, alcoholics develop changes at the cellular | | | | decision that they have a real problem. |
| level in the brain. These changes actually demand | | | | Family and Friends of Alcoholics |
| more alcohol be consumed and fed through these | | | | A similar interview style may also be applied to family |
| altered cells. In a similar way that we all experience | | | | and friends who may be suffering from the effects of |
| hunger for food and our bodies demand more food. | | | | a loved ones drinking. They too may need disturbance |
| Alcoholics have an extra demand for alcohol. | | | | of their own denial and a workable action plan. |
| So we have two aspects making an alcoholic drink | | | | Compassion and Empathy |
| more alcohol. There is the genetic demand for more | | | | The person applying such a program needs to have |
| and a change in the brain cells demanding more. | | | | compassion and empathy for the alcoholic. An |
| Loss of Control plus Denial of Effects | | | | understanding of the inner pain and remorse they are |
| An alcoholic has slowly built up a subconscious | | | | suffering is essential. |
| defense about how much is drunk and the effect it is | | | | If you can, try to identify someone who can help. |
| having. And, the alcoholic body demands more in the | | | | Doctors, counselors and psychologists are a good |
| two ways discussed above. | | | | starting point. Or, if you are so inclined, get the training |
| One would imagine that in these circumstances an | | | | yourself. |
| alcoholic is doomed to oblivion. Many do continue to the | | | | Be ready for the next 'window of opportunity'. When |
| ultimate oblivion. | | | | you see one approaching gently offer to put them in |
| But, alcoholics can be helped - in the right | | | | touch with the helper. If you have gained the |
| circumstances. And they can be helped early in the | | | | necessary knowledge you will know what to do. |