This article uses statistics to show how widespread and devastating the alcohol and drug abuse problems are in our society and the need for effective addiction recovery programs. It also shows the basic reason why people use alcohol and drugs, and how a person can become permanently free from them (as the author did 24 years ago after 18 years of use).

Alcohol and health effects of alcohol on the body can be short term or long term effects. The consumption of alcohol and health related problems can occur over a short time frame, while other conditions and long term effects of alcohol on the body may only happen following years of alcohol abuse.

Alcohol comes into direct contact with the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach and intestines as well as being absorbed into the bloodstream. Health problems can begin as headaches…

The major false belief that causes the most pain for many people is the belief that you can control how important people in your life feel about you and treat you. The behavior and resulting pain coming from this belief is often the underlying cause of addictive behavior.

People turn to addictions is to avoid the pain of loneliness and fill the empty place inside that really wants to be filled with love. Learn about the beliefs that keep you from accessing the love that will heal addictive behavior.

Surveys show that religion and spirituality play a central role in the lives of most of the population in human experience. Gallup (2004) found that 59% of adults nationwide say religion is a very important part of their lives. An additional 26% of Americans say religion is fairly important to them. Just 15% of respondents say religion is not very important. About two-thirds of Americans, 64%, belong to a church or synagogue. The religious and spiritual dimensions of culture were found to be among the most important factors that structure human experience, beliefs, values, behavior, and illness (Browning et al., 1990 James, 1961 Krippner and Welch, 1992).

Researchers however, report that some individuals seem to get fanatical about thier religion and develop maladaptive behaviors. Members of the American Psychological Association reported that at least one in six of their clients presented issues that involve religion or spirituality (Shafranske and Maloney, 1990). In another study, 29% of psychologists agreed that religious issues are important in the treatment of all or many of their clients (Bergin and Jensen, 1990, p. 3). Psychotherapy can sometimes be effective in treating religious problems. Robinson (1986) noted, “Some patients have troublesome conflicts about religion that could probably be resolved through the process of psychotherapy” (p.22).

When I was in high school during the early 70′s the drinking age was 18 years old. Every one of my friends was a big drinker; some of them even drank in my father’s bar, where I worked. It was unbelievable how much booze these kids could consume. I witnessed kids drinking a case of beer in one night, others drinking pitchers of mixed drink, and still others drinking booze right out of a bottle. I myself would have a few beers occasionally, but my real drinking didn’t start un…

Alcoholism is a devastating disease that effects millions of people every year. Recognizing alcoholism in yourself or someone else can be difficult. Alcoholism is defined as a disease that allows a persons use of alcohol to interfere with their life and the basic functioning of their daily tasks, needs and responsibilities.

The clinical way of looking at alcohol is by examining the amount of alcohol a person consumes. A women who drinks more than seven drink per week or mo…

Alcoholism & Drug Addiction are common realities in today’s society. Some estimates have shown that over twenty percent of the United States population battles with a substance abuse problem. Not only health caregivers and social workers encounter this population on a regular basis. Indeed, even company managers and professionals most likely encounter some (if not many) of this percentage more often then not. Professionals in their positions of authority may be the only ones …

Dulling the Pain

I have heard people say that they abuse alcohol and drugs to “dull the pain.” In fact, many of these same individuals state that almost everyone they know has a need to “dull the pain” somehow. Question: doesn’t life present all of us with pain? At the risk of sounding superficial, we need to stop our “paralysis by analysis,” stop searching for “the secret to life,” admit that we are all in some sort of pain, and start developing healthy, fulfilling, a…

(This is Part 2 of a 5-part series on addiction).

In Part 1 of this series of articles, I defined substance and process addictions, and described the four major false beliefs that underlie most addictions:

1. I can’t handle my pain.
2. I am unworthy and unlovable.
3. Others are my source of love.
4. I can have control over how others feel about me and treat me.

This article addresses the first of these beliefs, and goes into the process of learning to manage your …