Liver Disease

Alcoholism is the most common cause of liver disease. To see why this is a problem, we must first look at the liver and why this organ is important. Being the second largest organ in your body, the liver preforms many tasks that effect an individual's entire being. Mainly, it processes what a person eats and drinks and turns this into energy and nutrients to fuel the rest of the body. It also filters harmful substances from the blood. When a person drinks alcohol, the alcohol travels through their bloodstream and is filtered by the liver. If a person drinks more alcohol than the liver can process, it can become seriously injured or damage. It is common knowledge that the liver can repair itself, but alcohol can severely damage or destroy these liver cells – sometimes beyond repair. When this happens, it is called liver disease. There are three main types of alcohol-induced liver disease. They include fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis, and alcohol cirrhosis.

Fatty liver disease is the earliest stage of any alcohol-related liver disease. It is caused by the build up of extra fat in the liver cells. It is hard to tell when this happens because the symptoms are usually very mild and not recognized in a lot of patients. They may include weakness, fatigue, and weightloss. It can safely be assumed that almost all heavy drinkers have fatty liver disease. Luckily, because the liver is such a powerful organ, if these drinkers stop drinking, this stage of the disease will stop progressing, and the liver will repair itself to its normal state.

Alcohol hepatitis is caused in up to thirty-five percent of heavy drinkers. This disease causes damage to the liver, and it begins to swell. Alcohol hepatitis can be mild or severe. If it is mild, the damage done to the liver can still be reversed. If it is severe, it can happen suddenly and lead to immediate complications like liver failure. It can even lead to sudden, unexpected death. Symptoms of alcohol hepatitis may include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, and jaundice.

Ten to twenty percent of heavy drinkers develop alcoholic cirrhosis. This is the scarring of the liver which is caused by hard scar tissue replacing the soft, healthy tissue. Alcoholic cirrhosis is the most damaging type of alcohol-induced liver disease, and it exhibits symptoms similar to those of alcohol hepatitis. The damage done from alcoholic cirrhosis cannot be reversed and can end in liver failure. However, not drinking alcohol can prevent further damage to the liver.

People who already have a chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis C, are at a higher risk for developing and quickly progressing through alcoholic cirrhosis. Complications from alcohol-related liver diseases can be serious. They may include a build up of fluid in the abdomen, bleeding from the veins in the esophagus or stomach, an enlarged spleen, high blood pressure, brain disorders, coma, kidney failure, and liver cancer. Much of these complications from liver disease can be avoided or treated. Because alcoholism is a dangerous disease as well, alcohol rehab provides treatment for liver damage. The specific ways that liver damage is treated is through a healthy diet, abstinence from alcohol, and possible medications to help manage any complications that may have arisen. If you have a liver disease or are worried that you may be developing one, get help and get treatment. Chances are, you can save your liver and become completely healthy in the process!

Signs of Addiction

Millions of Americans struggle with addiction to drugs and alcohol every day. Addiction is a disease of the mind, and it is characterized by many different signs and patterns of behavior. Despite negative consequences and failed efforts to stop or reduce use, drug addicts will continue to use. If you are wondering whether or not you have an addiction, or if you are worried about someone close to you that may be struggling with a drug or alcohol problem, there are a wide range of signs to look for.

Drug Addiction & Alcohol Addiction Signs

Addiction can destroy lives and in many cases lead to death or imprisonment due to drug and alcohol abuse. What may start out as recreational and occasional use can easily lead to increased tolerance and physical dependence. One of the primary characteristics of addiction to look for is the failure to resist the impulse to use. Temptation plays a huge part in addiction, and addicts find it difficult and sometimes even impossible to resist their urges to drink or take drugs. This compulsive behavior is developed over time as the condition worsens, and addicts can soon find themselves being under the influence most of if not all the time due to their lack of impulse control.

When addicts begin to realize that they have a problem, they try to stop or reduce their use, often with failed efforts. Despite suffering from health issues, problems with work or school, or alienating themselves from friends and family because of their addiction, addicts will continue to use. They may have periods of abstinence, sometimes for months or even years, but the addiction can come back at any time. When they do start to use again, the addiction is usually stronger and they use more. With continued use of drugs and alcohol, people begin to build up a tolerance. It takes increasingly more to get the initial effect each time. This can led to spending large amounts of money on drugs and alcohol and eventually having serious financial problems.

Addicts have a preoccupation with using drugs or drinking alcohol. It consumes their thoughts, and if they do not have access to substances, they may begin to suffer from withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to severe, and they can even be fatal in some cases. These involve anxiety, depression, tremors, headaches, nausea, vomiting and even seizures. If you experience any of these symptoms when you are not under the influence or coming down from drugs or alcohol, you most likely have an addiction.

Physical & Behavioral Signs of Addiction

When people take drugs and alcohol for extended periods of time, they may begin to exhibit physical and outward signs of their addiction. These involve an overall decline in physical appearance, such as weight gain or loss, looking disheveled, poor hygiene, always looking tired, paleness, and even losing teeth with some types of drug use. Behavioral signs include being secretive or sneaky, being inaccessible for long periods of time, sleeping more or less than usual, and hanging out with people that also drink or use. Many of these behaviors result in no longer participating in normal activities and dropping them to drink or use instead.

Rehab

For most addicts, they cannot stop without professional help. There are thousands of drug rehab and alcohol rehab centers across the country. If you or someone you know is addicted to drugs or alcohol, there is help available. Many health care plans are also starting to cover the costs of drug and alcohol treatment as well. Since addiction has been recognized as a disease, health care organizations and medical professionals are treating it like one. Before your life or the life of someone close to you spirals out of control, looking into the options for rehab may be the best answer.

What Is Binge Drinking?

There are many people who are able to drink in moderate and healthy amounts. However, there are also many people who are not. Though in some cases it constitutes an alcohol addiction, this is not always true. There are many people who do not have alcoholism that will participate in negative and dangerous drinking behaviour. One extremely common form of dangerous drinking is binge drinking.

Binge drinking is defined as consuming enough alcoholic beverages in a short period of time to accumulate a BAC of at least .08. This amount, when driving in the United States, becomes illegal, as the drinker is quite impaired in this state. The BAC stands for "blood alcohol content." This means how much alcohol is in the bloodstream? An individual with a BAC measured at .10 has a tenth of one percent of their blood's volume consisting of alcohol. This may not seem like a lot, but it is. To give you an idea, a BAC of less than .50, less than one half of one percent of volume, is considered the lethal dose of alcohol.

Many factors play into the BAC level. Averages that instruct how many drinks would reach a certain BAC are often vague, as there are so many variables. A person's weight can influence the number quite a bit. More weight and more muscle mass are able to better absorb the alcohol consumed. While the average person may be heavier, some people will be affected by less drinks, reaching a high BAC level after only a couple of drinks. Certain individuals simply have a higher or lower tolerance for alcohol than others. Also, the BAC gradually reduces over time. One of the best ways to ensure safety while drinking is to give each drink time before starting another. The time varies per drink, but it is suggested that each drink be equivalent to about an hour of drinking time.

Unfortunately, this guideline is rarely adhered to, as many drinkers are binge drinkers. Whether the individual is an alcoholic, with a disease causing them to be dependent on drinking, or simply has a habit of drinking in a dangerous manner, the situation can cause great harm. Often, people will advocate or encourage others to drink as quickly as possible, insisting that it is cool. In other circumstances, people will try to quickly consume as much alcohol as they can before heading to another establishment or event, possibly one where they can't drink. Often, individuals brag to one another about how many drinks they have consumed in one night, eliciting responses of laughter or admiration, rather than fear or concern. Our culture has a backward view of what is important and what is the healthy way to live. 

Whatever the case, it may be necessary to seek out alcohol treatment. It can be done in a residential treatment setting, or as an outpatient, while living in their own home. Either way, this process can greatly assist the drinker to see the consequences of their actions and avoid great possible dangers in the future. Binge drinking is a very serious occurrence and, if not approached in the correct way, could result in legal trouble, injury, or death. If you or someone you know is having difficulty with binge drinking, please find out more information about alcohol rehab, as it could save a life.

Why Are Women Less Likely to Seek Treatment?

When it comes to substance abuse issues, there are certain differences between men and women. In recent decades, more research has been done on the subject, and new information has come to light concerning gender-specific alcohol addiction and drug addiction matters. Studies have shown that men are more likely to develop drug and alcohol problems than women, due to a variety of reasons. Another aspect of gender-related substance abuse differences is that women are less likely than men to seek drug treatment or alcohol treatment for their addictions.

Women and the Social Stigma of Substance Abuse

One of the main reasons why women are less apt to seek rehab treatment for substance abuse than men is because there exists a social stigma for women that have drug or alcohol problems. It is more socially acceptable for men to take drugs or drink alcohol in excess than women. Because of the differences between body mass and other physical traits, women typically drink less than men when they do drink, and overall they drink less frequently.

Aside from the fact that overall, women drink less than men, there are certain mental, emotional and interpersonal issues that men may not face. Family responsibilities and economic issues have a lot to do with why women are less likely to go to rehab treatment. Being a mother, earning less money overall than men, and the shame or embarrassment they may feel from being in drug rehab or alcohol rehab all factor into the equation.

Overall, women are judged more harshly when they develop drug or alcohol problems. Going to drug treatment or alcohol treatment admits to the rest of the world that they do indeed have a substance abuse problem, and many women are afraid of facing the criticism associated with them going to rehab. What is interesting however, is that even though women are less likely to have substance abuse problems, once they begin to drink or take drugs their problems progress more quickly than men.

The Benefits of Rehab

Although many women may fear the harsh judgment they might face from going to rehab treatment, what is most important is that drug rehab is a positive thing. Even if people will criticize a woman for going to rehab more than a man, this should be the least of one's worries if they have a drug addiction or alcohol addiction. Rehab treatment saves lives, but unfortunately many people do not receive the treatment they need. It is estimated that nearly 25 million Americans have problems with substance abuse, yet only 3 to 4 million ever go to drug rehab or alcohol rehab.

As more research is being conducted, and because of the fact that drug addiction and alcohol addiction are now considered to be diseases, going to drug rehab or alcohol rehab is becoming much more common. Having to drop everything and be committed to a facility for months at a time can be difficult, but there are also many other options that do not involve inpatient treatment. Outpatient treatment that allows patients to return home after they participate in rehab programs and support groups such as AA and NA have proven to be extremely successful and effective alternatives to residential drug treatment.

Does Intervention Help?

Addressing the drug addiction or alcohol addiction of someone close to you can be a difficult situation to handle. The last thing you want to do is turn the person away and send them deeper into a cycle of addiction. But at the same time if someone has a serious issue with drugs or alcohol, an intervention may be the most effective way to convince them to seek treatment for their problem. A drug intervention or alcohol intervention is the organized attempt by the friends or family of an addict to get them to get professional help for their addiction. The confrontation is usually directed with the help of a licensed treatment professional.

Direct Intervention vs. Indirect Intervention

There are two different ways that an intervention can be carried out. A direct intervention is a confrontational meeting with the individual that has the drug addiction or alcohol addiction. An indirect intervention involves working with family members in order to help them be more effective in helping the addict in question. Oftentimes, family members develop co-dependency issues, and when they believe they are helping the alcoholic or addict their behaviors actually attribute to the addiction. This includes things such as giving someone with a drug or alcohol addiction money, allowing them to be under the influence, giving them a place to live, or anything that makes it possible for them to continue their addiction.

Whether the intervention is direct or indirect, the main goal is to get the individual in question to attend drug rehab or alcohol rehab. This can be extremely difficult at times, considering the stubborn nature of addiction. Drug addiction and alcohol addiction are mental diseases that affect a person's judgment, and they can quickly take over their life. Convincing someone to go to drug rehab or alcohol rehab through an alcohol intervention or drug intervention can prove to be much harder than it sounds. Addiction can be very powerful, and it can become the most important thing in one's life - even more important than family and friends.

As popularized by the television series Intervention, drug and alcohol interventions can save lives. Typically, an intervention consists of friends and family members reading letters describing how the person's addiction has directly affected their lives. This tactic can be very effective, as it showcases the impact of addiction from every angle. Addicts and alcoholics sometimes do not realize how much their substance abuse affects the ones around them. For friends and family members, it can be extremely painful to watch the ones they love waste their lives on drugs and alcohol, and letting them know in which ways they are affected by addiction can shed light on the situation.

Intervention can be very helpful in getting addicts to seek professional help for their problem, and it can save lives. Many people have been able to turn their lives around because of a drug intervention or alcohol intervention that was initiated by people who care about them. Interventions can come as a wakeup call and let addicts know how hurtful their behavior can be to the people that love and care about them. 

Inhalants Your Brain on Drugs (Volatile Solvents, Gases, Aerosol Sprays, Nitrites)

When most people think about drug abuse and drug addiction, inhalants are not usually the first substances that come to mind. But statistics show that more than 23 million Americans have experimented with inhalants at some point in their life. By age 13, one in five children has used them. Inhalants such as aerosols, gases and solvents are some of the most common drugs tried by children. After tobacco, alcohol and marijuana, they are the most abused substance in the nation.

Volatile Solvents, Gases, Aerosol Sprays & Nitrites

There are four main types of inhalants, and most of them are commonly found in many households. Although the intended use of most of these inhalants is for cleaning, painting or other household purposes, when they are used to get high they can be deadly. Aerosol sprays are some of the most common inhalants found in households, and they can include spray paints, deodorants, and dust cleaning sprays. They are easily obtainable and accessible by children of all ages, and most parents do not realize how dangerous they can be.

Gases can be either medical substances such as ether or nitrous oxide, or commercial products such as butane lighters or refrigerants. Volatile solvents are liquids that turn into gas at room temperature, such as paint thinners, gasoline, glue and the chemicals from felt-tip markers. Nitrites, which are commonly called "poppers" or "snappers" can be found in room deodorizers and other products. When opened, they release a vapor that is inhaled by the user.

The Effects of Inhalants

Whether inhalants are sniffed, snorted, sprayed directly into one's nose, or inhaled through a rag, paper bag, or balloon, they can all have very dangerous effects on the brain and the body. Inhalants can be deadly, even at their first time of use. When the vapors are inhaled, they are absorbed into certain parts of the brain, and most of them slow down the user's body function. The effects of the drug abuse of inhalants are similar to that experienced by people who have an alcohol addiction or alcohol abuse problem. Their speech becomes slurred, and they can become tired, dizzy and have impaired motor skills.

Other side effects of inhalants include increased heart rate, unconsciousness and vomiting. People can die from using inhalants a number of different ways, including cardiac arrest, asphyxiation, choking on their own vomit, suffocation, and fatal injury. Inhalants are also extremely addictive, and long-term effects of drug addiction to inhalants include brain damage, depression, weakness, frequent headaches and nosebleeds.  Since the high experienced from using inhalants only lasts a few minutes, users often inhale the chemicals over and over again to keep their buzz going. This makes them even more dangerous, as more of these toxic chemicals are entering the user's body.

Inhalants are as dangerous as many drugs that are bought illegally. What's scary about these substances is that they are found in most households and most of them can be purchased from any grocery store or supermarket. In order to help prevent the abuse of inhalants, it's important for parents to educate their children about the dangers associated with their use and to try and keep them out of reach. Treatment programs for inhalant abuse and addiction are similar to those in drug rehab and alcohol rehab. Although inhalant addiction is not commonly thought of as a serious drug addiction, it is a common problem especially among young adults and children. Inhalants are dangerous, addictive, and they can be deadly.