Substance Abuse Affects An Estimated 25 Million Americans

Recovery is the process of participating in a group or program providing treatment and support for a longstanding psychological or behavioral problem, such as abuse, addiction, grief, or trauma (Melemis, Steven, 2015). As a non-addict it seems easy enough to make a decision to stop drinking and follow through with that decision when temptation presents itself, but for an alcoholic it is not the simple. However, an alcoholic struggles with the temptation on a daily bases. Relapse prevention begins with addressing social interactions, emotional triggers, and developing positive coping mechanisms. Recovery and relapse requires is a process that should be done with others around to support each step and each phase of the

Many people have been misguided about whether or not alcoholism is “disease” that attacks a person’s good health. A key suggestion of those that believe alcoholism is a disease is that a disease is uncontrolled. This is not so. When people develop an addiction to alcohol they tend to push everything of importance out of their lives: family, friends, and sometimes even jobs. People with addiction to alcohol throw

Some of the health concerns that we deal with as a society are also linked to substance abuse. The Center for Disease Control (Center for Disease Control, 2011) had estimated that about 1.1 million Americans were living with HIV, and approximately 21% did not know they were infected. In correlation to

Alcoholism is a prominent substance abuse issue in Western society. The treatment method of controlled drinking as opposed to abstinence is a continuing cause of controversy in alcohol research to this day. The US is different from Europe in its acceptance of controlled drinking as a goal of treatment: “in the US alcohol dependence is typically depicted as a ‘recurring disease’ and the ‘successful abstainer’ as a ‘recovering’ though never ‘recovered’ alcoholic” (Coldwell, 2005). Depending on the alcohol abuse patient’s individual characteristics, either controlled drinking or abstinence is chosen as a treatment.

I was very one sided as I walked into a AA meeting. I thought that the meeting where boring and little bit too much for people who wont to stop drinking. I couldn’t understand why people look forward to these meeting when they can simply talk to someone at home. Nevertheless, I was wrong. Hearing these people story who suffer from alcohol addiction was very heart breaking. I remember one story about this man losing his son to car accident. The only way he dealt with the pain of losing his son was to drink. He stated ever night he drunk him self-asleep. He was so adamant about telling his story because if it wasn’t for the hospital staff he would have lost his life. Alcoholism is an addiction to the consumption of alcoholic liquor or the mental illness and compulsive behavior resulting from alcohol dependency. alcohol is the main common substance abuse in the united states. The reported show over 16.3 million adults over 18 years older had a least try alcohol in the life time. 71 percent reported that they drank in the past year. 4.7 percent of people ages 18 or older reported that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month. 6.7 percent reported that they engaged in heavy drinking in the past month. 50 percent of marriage fell due to the spouse drinking uncontrollably (Burke, 2015)

A broad range of medical and psychological therapies is currently available for people who struggle with substance addictions. The scientific community is working on evaluation of various treatments to determine which strategies offer the best chances of successful outcome. People who need treatment for alcoholism and drug use are very diverse group. Addiction is a disorder that requires an individual case approach; therefore, different ways to

There are 12 million alcoholics in the United States. That means that 40 to 50 million friends and family members also suffer from alcoholism and its affects. The help for alcoholics is Alcoholics Anonymous and the help for the non-alcoholic is the Al-Anon recovery program.

About 24 million Americans over age 12 (or 9% of the population) have used an illegal drug (mostly marijuana) or abused a medication in the past month, (APA 2013). A drug is (1) any substance that affects the physical or mental functioning of a living organism, especially one used for the treatment or prevention of an ailment or disease or (2) a stimulant or narcotic taken otherwise than medically

In the article “Determining the Relative Importance of the Mechanisms of Behavior Change Within Alcoholics Anonymous: A Multiple Mediator Analysis” the authors conducted research to determine what techniques used in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) aid in relapse prevention. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (2016) alcohol is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States that is preventable. In 2014 alone, thirty-one percent of all traffic fatalities were alcohol related (NIAAA, 2016). The study participants suffered from Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and attended AA. NIAAA (2016) states the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV has integrated alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence into a single alcohol-related disorder, AUD with mild, moderate, and severe classifications. AUD is diagnosed when a client’s drinking causes themselves or others anguish or injury AA began in the 1930’s and is an informal organization of men/women who have a drinking problem (AA, 2016). AA is based upon anonymity along with twelve steps/principles and meetings for those seeking help with sobriety. Research has shown that participating in AA reduces risk of relapse and this article aims to understand the techniques that empowers those to remain sober.

In and around most large cities in America, the rising substance abuse epidemic has brought about a renewed interested in determining the root cause of substance abuse, the effects of substance abuse on individuals and societies, and the substance abuse treatment modalities that achieve the best outcomes. In reviewing the current research on substance abuse there seems to be no one clear cause of substance abuse disorders, although there is strong evidence that a number of life circumstances may predispose an individual to a substance abuse disorder, as well as a number of protective factors that may reduce an individual’s risk of developing a substance abuse disorder. One important risk factor that is commonly associated with substance

The third and final stage of recovery is known as late recovery, and involves a client finding growth and meaning in life. In this stage, relapse may be less frequent as a sense of purpose is found. As this stage is found only by enduring great challenges, a client may not be as tempted by relapse and the act of back tracking in their recovery may seem tiresome and unworthy of their time. However, though a deep awareness of the consequences of substance abuse is profound, relapse is still possible if an addict forgets that he or she has a disease that is incurable and succumbs to the enticement of “just this one time can’t hurt” or has the thought that “I have been clean for so long. I am cured.” Bill W. stated in his book Alcoholics Anonymous that “This is the baffling feature of alcoholism as we know it-this utter inability to leave it alone, no matter how great the necessity or the wish” (pg. 34). Complete abstinence is the only choice for those with the disease of addiction, and so many recovering addicts forget this simple realization in the late recovery stage.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website, there are over eighteen million people in the United States who have a dependence for alcohol. The Washington Post says that six people on average in the United States die each day due to alcohol poisoning. Two thousand one hundred and ninety people per year die because of an alcoholic dependence. Not only does it affect the ones who suffer from this disorder, but also the friends and family of the alcoholic. I myself am someone who has been affected by the abuse of alcohol, and lost one of the dearest people in my life, my grandfather.

Alcohol Anonymous was founded in 1935 and offers a twelve step program to help individuals kick the addiction. Fellowshipping with other alcoholics, sharing troubles of the addiction, and having a sponsor has shown to help addicts in their recovery process. Most counseling treatment centers focus on teaching a healthier lifestyle, overlooking the importance of the socioeconomic structure (Nikelly, A., 1994).

Alcoholism is a prominent substance abuse issue in Western society. The treatment method of controlled drinking as opposed to abstinence is a continuing cause of controversy in alcohol research to this day. The US is different from Europe in its acceptance of controlled drinking as a goal of treatment: “in the US alcohol dependence is typically depicted as a ‘recurring disease’ and the ‘successful abstainer’ as a ‘recovering’ though never ‘recovered’ alcoholic” (Coldwell, 2005). Depending on the alcohol abuse patient’s individual characteristics, either controlled drinking or abstinence is chosen as a treatment.

The alcoholic beverage has remained an established element to society’s social world and has grown into a way of living. As alcohol continues to flourish in its prevalence among citizens of the United States, so does the concept of alcohol addiction. A person becomes addicted to alcohol when they “drink excessively and develops a dependence that results in noticeable mental disturbance, or an interference with bodily and mental health, their interpersonal relations, and their smooth social and economic functioning” (Calahan, 1970, pp. 3). In 2009, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that about 52% of Americans used alcohol at least once within 30 days of their survey. As the percentage of Americans who consume alcohol