| You should also make sure that you understand the | | | | check yourself in and stay admitted in a rehab center, |
| connection between your drinking and your daily habits. | | | | but that it is important that you involve the experts in |
| If you normally drink when you are upset or stressed, | | | | your fight against alcohol dependency. These centers |
| pay attention to the things that make you upset and | | | | are the best source of help and support for alcohol |
| try to either eliminate them, or deal with them in a | | | | recovery. |
| different way. For instance, if you are experiencing | | | | Fetal Alcohol Effects or FAE causes fewer problems |
| stress at work, and usually drink after work, try | | | | but the issues are still serious. Children born with FAE |
| something else that relieves stress, such as taking a | | | | may face a lifetime of handicaps that will limit their |
| walk after dinner or listening to your favorite music. | | | | potential. These children often need special care |
| You can also take advantage of meditation to clear | | | | throughout their lifetimes. If this is not enough to |
| your head and calm yourself down. This may feel | | | | convince you that drinking alcohol can be dangerous to |
| strange to you at first but after a while, you will | | | | an unborn baby, here are some other possibilities. A |
| become accustomed to using alternative methods to | | | | baby affected by alcohol may have a small body size |
| make yourself feel better. It is also best to substitute | | | | and weight. He may develop at a slower rate and |
| drinking with positive activities as soon as possible. | | | | have problems catching up to other children his age. |
| Even if you feel that you are just a social drinker and | | | | He may be born with a deformed sternum and ribs. A |
| only drink when you are out with friends, you should | | | | curved spine and hip dislocations may be present as |
| use things like physical activity, your favorite television | | | | well as missing, bent, fused or webbed fingers or toes. |
| show, or spending time with loved ones to replace | | | | He may have limited movement in his joints and small |
| your tendency to drink. | | | | eye openings. Babies who have mothers who drink |
| How can I stop drinking? There are many ways to | | | | alcohol during pregnancy may be born with facial |
| help yourself stop drinking. You do not have to drink | | | | abnormalities, small jaws, thin upper lips and short, |
| when other people drink. If someone gives you a drink, | | | | upturned noses. They may be nearsighted or have |
| it is OK to say no. Stay away from people or places | | | | drooping eyelids. The ears are sometimes low-set or |
| that make you drink. Do not keep alcohol at home. If | | | | poorly formed. |
| you cannot stop drinking, GET HELP. You may have a | | | | With all these benefits it is important that you |
| disease called alcoholism. There are programs that | | | | implement a plan to stop drinking today. Contacting a |
| can help you stop drinking. They are called alcohol | | | | support group or seeing a doctor is the best first step |
| treatment programs. Your doctor or nurse can find a | | | | to take when you want to stop drinking. If you prefer |
| program to help you. Even if you have been through a | | | | to do it yourself then the first thing you should do is set |
| treatment program before, try it again. There are | | | | a specific date to stop drinking. However, you should |
| programs just for women. | | | | make sure you realize when you can't stop drinking on |
| Set a positive tone. When your teen is ready to drive, | | | | your own and at this time make sure you find medical |
| let him know that you think he will be a great driver. At | | | | help to manage the physical symptoms that come |
| the same time, grant privileges slowly so you can add | | | | with your withdrawal. Talk to your doctor if you think |
| more as your son or daughter demonstrates they are | | | | you have an addiction alcohol. Because you may need |
| ready for them instead of having to take privileges | | | | to stop drinking under medical supervision if this is the |
| away when your trust is violated. Teenagers love to | | | | case. Medicine can be prescribed by your doctor to |
| test their parents and in fact it is their job to do so. It is | | | | help your withdraw from the alcohol safely. Late a |
| the parents' job to set clear rules and to hold | | | | doctor may prescribe you medications to help you |
| teenagers responsible when they are violated. | | | | stay sober. Withdrawal from alcohol addiction is safer |
| Consider rewarding your teen if he or she is | | | | if you have a doctors help. One of the most important |
| accident-free for a certain period of time and remove | | | | steps to decreasing your alcohol consumption on your |
| restrictions when you find they are no longer | | | | own is to identify your reasons for discontinuing use of |
| necessary.Sign a Contract. The best way to lay out | | | | alcohol. One of the reasons you may want to list is |
| the rules you expect your new driver to follow is to | | | | health reasons. Improving general health such as |
| put them in a contract you both will sign. The contract | | | | sleeping and eating habits is a good reason. Under |
| should cover such things as the number of friends | | | | these reasons you should also list what area of your |
| who can be in the car with the new driver (most likely | | | | health is being affected by the alcohol. |
| one), what time the driver must be home on school | | | | Alcoholism is the inability to control or ignore a strong |
| nights and weekends, responsibilities for gas, insurance | | | | craving for alcohol. People suffering from alcoholism |
| and car maintenance and the mandatory use of seat | | | | often find that they need the aid of alcohol to feel |
| belts for all passengers. | | | | good or normal. They often crave alcohol, but this |
| Alcohol addiction is a serious problem that can | | | | craving is much stronger than the occasional craving |
| escalate to gigantic proportions if left untreated. | | | | people have for certain foods. The craving for alcohol |
| Alcoholism has been known to be and is till today, one | | | | experienced by those suffering from alcoholism is |
| of the major causes of family and relationship | | | | often so severe that the individual feels they need |
| breakdowns and psychological illnesses. Not only this, it | | | | alcohol as if it were food or water. They do not feel |
| is a major cause of premature deaths all over the | | | | they can go a day, or in some extreme cases, an |
| world. Therefore, it is imperative that professional help | | | | hour, without consuming alcohol. Alcoholism is not |
| be sought the moment the problem of alcoholism is | | | | characterized by the type of alcohol consumed or |
| diagnosed. Most people turn to self help groups when it | | | | how much alcohol is needed to satisfy the craving. |
| comes to de-addiction and alcohol recovery. While this | | | | Alcoholism is characterized mostly by the loss of |
| is an extremely important part of the process of | | | | control. Alcoholics often build up a tolerance to alcohol |
| getting rid of alcohol addiction, getting medical help and | | | | over time. This means they need more and more |
| treatment is just as important when it comes to alcohol | | | | alcohol to satisfy their need for it. As they consume |
| recovery. People who are serious about kicking their | | | | more and more alcohol, serious health problems |
| alcohol addiction should definitely involve an alcohol | | | | manifest themselves. Alcoholism also affects the |
| rehabilitation center in their quest for an alcohol free | | | | sufferer psychologically, as well as physically. |
| existence. Keep in mind that it is not necessary to | | | | |