Posts Tagged ‘alcoholism’
Does a Loved One Have to Hit Bottom?
Does a loved one have to “hit bottom” before they can successfully treat their alcoholism or other drug addiction? The short answer, “NO!” But before I continue, please know language to describe alcoholism or drug addiction has changed greatly in recent years, falling under the umbrella term, “substance use disorder.” Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are…
Read MoreAlcohol By Volume (ABV) and “Proof” Explained
Alcohol By Volume (ABV) can be very difficult to determine. (Another term you often hear related to ABV is “proof.”) But it’s an important concept to understand in order to stay in control of one’s drinking, which is why I have updated my 2011 post on this topic. I’m updating this post because one of…
Read MoreFears for Children When Divorcing an Alcoholic
The thought of divorcing an alcoholic * is terrifying for so many reasons, but when one has children, it can be paralyzing. Time and again I receive phone calls and emails from spouses expressing fears like these: “I am terrified to divorce because my children aren’t safe with him/her they drink.” “He drinks and drives…
Read MoreHidden Half-Empty Bottles – Should I Dump Them Out or ???
Some variation of this question comes up often, “I found hidden half-empty bottles of vodka all over the house. Should I dump them out? I did that the last time, and he accused me of snooping…not trusting him.” I remember that sick, kicked-in-the-gut feeling when I found my loved ones’ hidden half-empty bottles. Sometimes I’d…
Read MoreCo-occurring Disorders Require Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment
Co-occurring disorders require co-occurring disorders treatment. So what are they? Co-occurring disorders means having a substance use and two or more other mental health disorders (aka mental illnesses) at the same time. (Substance Use Disorders are commonly referred to as alcoholism, addiction or drug or alcohol abuse.) A person with anxiety, depression and alcoholism (aka…
Read MoreChildren of Alcoholics | Guest Author Darlene Lancer
Children of alcoholics grow up – obviously. But what is not fully understood is the trauma they may have experienced growing up with a parent with severe alcohol use disorder (aka an alcoholic) and how that trauma affects their lives unless treated. Frequent guest author, Darlene Lancer, JD, MFT, explains this in her post below,…
Read MoreUsing Brain Science to Treat Substance Use Disorder
Using brain science to treat substance use disorder (SUD) can be a HUGE help. Why? Because substance use disorder (aka alcoholism, addiction, alcohol or other drug abuse) is now understood to be a brain disorder, sometimes referred to as a brain disease. As Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)…
Read MoreExcessive Alcohol Use – a Leading Cause of Preventable Death
Excessive alcohol use is a leading cause of preventable death in America. It causes more preventable deaths than opioid overdoses; more preventable deaths than all drug overdose deaths combined. It causes more preventable deaths than car crashes. According to the CDC, “excessive alcohol use is responsible for more than 95,000 deaths in the United States each…
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