Alcohol Abuse - Do You Have A Problem
 

Alcohol Abuse - Do You Have A Problem?

By Stephen Todd

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Has alcohol become a problem for you? Are you ready to change?

image: college student having fun drinkingWhether you are looking to stop drinking alcohol completely, cut down on the booze - or just reduce the amount you drink.

Hypnosis Can Help You

In the United States, 37 per cent of people in a group study had got drunk for the first time before the age of 14. In all, nearly 90 percent of people in treatment for alcohol abuse reported getting intoxicated before the legal drinking age.

Alcohol is thought to cause over 30,000 deaths a year in Britain, and is implicated in 60 per cent of suicides and 40 per cent of domestic violence cases.

If You Drink More Than You Think You Should

If you binge drink, either beer or spirits, or find it difficult to cut down, hypnotherapy can help you become in control of yourself again.

There are techniques in hypnotherapy that change the thought process. This helps the mind move from the thought of drinking to excess, to the though of just having a moderate amount, and actually staying in control of yourself.

Many people who have drinking problems also have mental health conditions, such as depression, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, or anxiety disorders. Although it might seem like drinking helps with symptoms of these problems, it actually makes them worse. Alcohol use sometimes decreases when these conditions are treated.

image: doctor in lab reviewing test results for alcohol abuserHypnotherapy can help you find out why you are drinking heavily, and work on the issues.

People with alcohol problems often need help with their self esteem and confidence building, and rely more and more on alcohol to help them through difficult times.

Some people binge drink deliberately. Many, however, find themselves caught in patterns of thinking and behaviour they would rather change, some find themselves drinking to excess after having begun with the intention of just having one or two drinks. Just another little tipple, and then of course they get out of control.

The amount of alcohol in the blood is called blood alcohol concentration or blood alcohol content (BAC).  Alcohol is metabolized at the rate of .015 of (BAC) every hour.  For instance, a person with a BAC of .15 (this BAC is almost twice the legal amount when driving) will have no measurable alcohol in his or her bloodstream ten hours after the last drink (.15 divided by .015 = 10).

Substance or alcohol abuse are often used by those who are shy or have social anxiety - they find that a drink can alleviate some of their anxiety, and often alcohol is readily available in the social situations most feared. Drink also blocks out the pain of isolation and rejection, perceived or real.

 

So what problem do you deal with first?

Hypnotherapy can help with both binge drinking and anxiety - it is usually best to start with the alcohol problem first as it is difficult to help someone with social anxiety if they are still abusing alcohol or other drugs. Liquor and drugs cloud judgement and perceptions, making any type of psychotherapy more difficult.

The first stage of addiction is the more a person drinks, the better they feel, their mood improves, and they can escape into a fantasy world, leaving behind worries and anxieties.

They then build their life around the addiction, needing increasingly intoxicating drinks, becoming out of control with their behaviour, they need that drink, and if they cannot get it, they are constantly thinking about it.

Your success in treatment for alcohol abuse  and dependence is strongly linked to admitting that you have a problem and your desire to stop drinking. Supportive treatments, such as counseling, won't be successful if you continue to drink.

The Destructive Phase

The next stage is, their mood changes for the worst, they believe that nothing is ever their fault, and everything would be alright if they were just left alone, they become moody and difficult.

Becoming dependent on alcohol can lead to loss of jobs, loss of relationships, health problems, depression, financial problems and much more. No one who starts using drugs or alcohol intends to do destructive things to themselves and others, and no one intends to become addicted, but it happens.

If you feel you are dependant on alcohol and want to change, you probably need a variety of approaches and strategies - hypnotherapy is a highly effective treatment approach.

To learn more about alcohol abuse hypnotherapy visit the HypnoSpot web site:
http://www.HypnoSpot.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Todd

Although some people can stop drinking on their own, others need medical help to manage the physical process of withdrawal. If you think you have an addiction to alcohol, talk to your doctor about whether you need to withdraw from alcohol under medical supervision.

The family members of someone who has an alcohol problem are affected too. They can benefit from education, family therapy, and participation in Al-Anon or other self-help support groups. Sometimes family members with good intentions will enable you to continue drinking by making excuses for your drinking or covering up problems that your alcohol use is causing. Counseling can help them recognize destructive, enabling behaviors and might help strengthen relationships.

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