Finding Alcohol Abuse Information

image: middle age man fretting over his alcohol abuse

The popularity of alcohol in society has led to many problems with its over consumption and abuse. People of all ages drink alcoholic drinks for a variety of reasons including enjoyment, peer pressure, curiosity and to get drunk and escape from the reality of their life.

When people begin to consume too much alcohol it is important for the person and their friends and family to recognize this problem. Finding alcohol abuse information can help people understand and identify when drinking alcohol has become or is becoming a serious issue for an individual. Having the information readily available can lead to early and quick intervention.

Resources For Alcohol Abuse Information. A lot of information can be easily found in one's own community. Hospitals, clinics and schools will usually have some handouts with information and many will have a counselor or other professional that can assist with information.

Simple phone calls or visits can assist a person with finding a lot of great information and local resources. Local chapters of Alcoholics Anonymous and Alanon can also be great local resources for information and can also help in addressing any problems with alcohol.

Alcohol is by far the most used and abused drug among America’s teenagers. According to a national survey, nearly one third (31.5%) of all high school students reported hazardous drinking (5+ drinks in one setting) during the 30 days preceding the survey.

Good resources can be found at several government web sites. Sites such as the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (www.niaaa.nih.gov) offer information related to various aspects of alcohol abuse and even have printable resources. The recent increase in young people abusing alcohol has caused the government to increase the amount of resources available for both underage and college age alcohol drinking. These sites also offer reliable data and statistics for use in a large group setting or for anyone needing good research materials.

The decision to stop using alcohol or other drugs is very important to your health. If your doctor knows that your have made this decision, he or she can give you emotional support and treat any medical problems that may occur during your recovery.

For quick information on alcohol abuse and other alcohol issues there is some good information atalcoholism.about.com. This site offers a definition of alcohol abuse, a list of symptoms, and diagnosis and treatment information. The site also has current news articles and events related to alcohol abuse information. This site even offers a quick twenty question quiz to help determine if alcohol is a problem. The Alcoholism Screening Quiz is a list of question with yes or no answers that are easy for anyone to answer and can quickly identify a potential problem.

About 10 to 20 % of the people who drink heavily eventually develop cirrhosis of the liver (i.e., a scarring of the liver). Alcoholic cirrhosis can be fatal if the individual continues to drink. Even though cirrhosis is irreversible, if the affected person stops drinking, his or her chances of survival can improve significantly. Even though some people may eventually need a liver transplant as a last resort, many people with cirrhosis who stop drinking alcoholic beverages can receive treatment and may never require liver transplantation.

There are several ways for a person to get information on alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Any person who has alcohol included in their life should become familiar with the information so that they can quickly identify their own problem or a problem a family member or friend may be developing. Early intervention will prevent a snowball effect from this disease.

Alcohol abuse research has demonstrated that drinking at 19 years old or younger significantly increases the probability that the drinkers will experience alcohol-related problems later in life. Part of the reason for this has to do with being immature, possessing poor decision-making skills, and lacking life skills to realistically make good decisions regarding one's drinking behavior. Unfortunately, once an abusive drinking pattern develops, it is firmly entrenched in the person's everyday activities and thoughts and therefore becomes extremely difficult to break away from. The moral of the story, therefore is this: there are some things in life that should not be undertaken until a person is an adult. And drinking happens to be a prime example of this."