Posts Tagged ‘alcoholism and holidays’

April Marks Alcohol Awareness Month

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

Thought we’d let this one slip by? Not a chance. With all the allocated months out there for racial and cultural understanding, eco-samaritans and diseases without cures, it’s easy to miss April’s significance in the fight against alcohol addiction.

Though this month’s marker hasn’t been particularly publicized, it’s a step forward in not only awareness, but in prevention. We’re all for getting people to look around, look at themselves and look at potentially hazardous habits that can spiral into something much more, and recognize Alcoholism as a disease.

In the United States, an estimated 15.1 million people suffer with Alcoholism; of these, an estimated 4.6 are women. Annually, an average of 100,000 people die from alcohol-related fatalities, be they from deteriorated health or alcohol-induced action or vulnerabilities. Lastly, but of special importance, the US annually spends $185 billion dollars on alcoholism-related problems.

This disease is 100 percent curable, but the general populace hasn’t yet realized what it takes to make it happen. Alcoholism itself is not something to be ashamed of; continuing to needlessly suffer without treatment is.

April should seek to promote better treatment, and, like we have done through AIDS Awareness, Alcohol Awareness should seek to end the stigma attached to this disease and accentuate the need for better treatment and continuing care.

If you think your loved one may be an alcoholic, aid him or her in receiving help through intervention. During this process you and the rest of those who care will understand the disease, how to overcome its effects on your lives and how to help your loved one heal and grow. This process continues into the individual’s treatment, which we can help you select, and even after he or she completes the program.

If you yourself have a problem with alcohol and are unsure of where to turn, our trained clinicians can listen to your story, point you in the right direction, lead you to the correct treatment facility, work with you, your family and your budget and keep you on the right path with continuing care for a brighter, healthier future.

Whichever case you fall into, it’s never too early to seek help or advice regarding alcohol or any kind of substance abuse. The sooner you identify the problem, the sooner you can implement the solution and regain control over your life, your family and your health.

Tags: addiction intervention, addiction intervention resources, alcohol awareness month, alcohol-related consequences, alcoholism, alcoholism and holidays, intervention, women alcoholics
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Holidays and Boundaries

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

It’s been a busy couple of weeks over at AiR. Our staff attended the Association of Intervention Specialists meeting in Palm Springs, visiting and getting a pulse on the intervention field around the world. You can see pictures of some of the conference attendees on our Facebook page. We had the opportunity to spend some time with our good friends around the country; nice to see everyone in the same place, and good to learn about the treatment centers who supported the meeting.

In other news, Carole Bennett, a columnist for the Huffington Post, is a clinical psychologist with a long family history of dealing with addiction. She posted a great article this week about setting boundaries around addiction over the holidays. Some good advice she shared: “Pick a boundary or boundaries that are important to you and MUST be adhered to by the alcoholic/addict or they will not be welcome to participate in the family festivities. Keep it simple and doable. Like with any boundary or condition, it must be accompanied with clear ramifications if those boundaries are not met.” She also stresses the importance of following through with consequences should a loved one violate boundaries; after all, the holidays can be a time where family members are more forgiving of upsetting behaviors.

The final quote from the article: “When discussing your needs, desires and expectations with the alcoholic/addict, keep your voice calm, stay neutral and don’t engage. Please don’t bring up old examples of how the alcoholic/addict let you down in the past or defend your position. In doing so, you might provoke an argument which serves no purpose.” The point is this- make sure that, as a family member of an addict or alcoholic, boundaries are set and kept. This can provide a calmer, and more fun, holiday season. If the addict or alcoholic is making choices and decisions that are detrimental to the family’s health, be sure to enforce those boundaries. It can be incredibly difficult during the holiday season; however, don’t forget that addiction truly is a life or death situation.

Also, for those smokers out there, this Thursday is the Great American Smokeout, so if you’ve been struggling to quit, now’s the time to give it another shot!

For help for yourself or a loved one, please call us at 877-320-0247 or visit us on the web at www.a-i-r.com.

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Tags: addiction, alcoholism and holidays, surviving the holidays
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