Live Sober: Find the alcoholism stages

Have you been sober for a while and still have drinking dreams. This happens to me all the time, last night I dreamed I was with friends and having a beer. When I woke up I was in a panic!!! LOL Thank god it was just a dream.

Here is what the meaning of having these kinds or dreams are:

Dreaming of consuming alcohol may reflect a need for you to hide some negative feelings you have about yourself, or about someone else, if you see him/her getting drunk.

Please comment if this has happened to you and give me your opinion of the definition.

Underage drinking is becoming a real problem.  Studies have shown that college-age kids take bigger risk than underage drinkers.  This study show that this risk increases when the students turn 21, which is the legal age to buy alcohol.

Some other studies show that freshmen in college seem to drink more than upper-classmen.  This, risky driving behaviors are related to alcohol and seems to increase with age among college students,  maybe since reaching the legal drinking age or more access to cars.

By Tom Randall

April 19 (Bloomberg) — About one-third of college students who tried indoor tanning facilities were addicted to the artificial rays, and the addicts drank more alcohol and smoked more marijuana than other students, researchers found.

The compulsive tanners met psychological criteria for addiction gauged by two different measurers, according to the study published today by the medical journal, Archives of Dermatology. About 42 percent of tanning addicts reported using more than one drug in the previous month, twice the rate of casual tanners.

Indoor tanning can cause skin cancer, premature skin aging and eye damage, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The health overhaul signed by President Barack Obama last month will charge customers a 10 percent tax effective in July. Curbing the habits of sun-starved undergraduates may prove more difficult than previously thought, researchers wrote in today’s study.

“Results suggest that treating an underlying mood disorder may be a necessary step in reducing cancer risk among those who frequently tan indoors,” wrote the researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and the State University of New York, Albany. “Individuals who use drugs may be more likely to develop dependence on indoor tanning because of a similar addictive process.”

The study evaluated 421 college students in 2006. The students answered surveys designed to evaluate drug addiction. The surveys were modified to measure tanning addiction.

Questions included: “Do you ever feel guilty that you are using tanning beds or booths too much?” and “Do you try other non-tanning-related activities but find you really still like spending time in tanning beds or booths best of all?”

–Editors: Andrew Pollack, Donna Alvarado

To contact the reporter on this story: Tom Randall in New York at trandall6@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reg Gale at rgale5@bloomberg.net.

I  found this great article from (Prudent Press Agency) and thought I would share these great tips!

There are several of ways quitting drinking alcohol.

Become physically fit – It is very important to prepare yourself, physically, emotionally and mentally when thinking of withdrawing from the terrible habit. People who are not prepared to stop drinking alcohol can experience withdrawal symptoms which can lead to certain health issues and complications. Fighting a big fight of your life is not easy and it needs physical and emotional strength to be able to overcome its effects and symptoms. Secure advice from experts when it comes to preparing your self prior to undergoing alcoholism treatments. Alcoholism specialist might advice you to engage in some physical activities which will all you to be physically fit while dealing with alcoholism. Running and walking an hour or so early in the morning or just before the sun retires can be extremely helpful to avoid certain complications and be physically strong while in the process.

Be ready to experience withdrawal symptoms – Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be tough and it requires all the strength you can get to be able to overcome its effects. Signs such as delirium tremens are not only risky but fatal as well so be sure to have enough energy when dealing with these.

Accept your mistakes - There are people who need interventions to be able to get out of alcohol addiction. The important factor to consider when planning stopping drinking alcohol is to accept you have drinking problems which need medical or psychological attention. Accepting you need to undergo alcohol treatments and you need help can lessen the factor of relapse and can be useful in terms of willingness and cooperation.

Seek advice and support – Family and friends will play a big role in your plans to stop drinking alcohol. Ask their help and support as it is a very tough enemy you are dealing with. You might also need constant reminder to continue doing what is right. Family can also provide not only advice but help and support when you are in the recovering process.

Alcohol rehabilitation and Detoxification – When you feel you can’t get out of the sufferings related to alcohol withdrawals and symptoms, it is best act to seek for support from people or group of people who specializes in this kind of treatments and condition. They can offer you medical support and emergency plans to get rid of all the pains and suffering you might experience and feel at the same time while in the process.

Pray – God is good. He wants everyone to be happy. He will help you to decide, plan and implement the best and easy way to stop drinking. He wants you to give up the terrible habit to enjoy life to the fullest. He just need your cooperation and he wants to see that you are willing to take all the actions needed in pursuing the goal.

There are plenty of help available in dealing with alcohol addiction. There are readily available solutions and proper treatments for every situation and condition. We just have to open our eyes and open our hand to get all the help and obtain our dreams to have a fruitful, alcohol-free life.

How much is one drink of alcohol?

As shown in the above photo one drink equals:

• Hard liquor is 1.5 ounces (1 shot).  Give the bartender a good tip and your 1 shot glass becomes 2 shots.
• Glass of wine is about 5 ounces.  Most wine glasses are pretty big and will hold more than 5 ounces.  This is why you see your server at restaurants  filling the glass about a quarter of the way.  But  if you go ahead and buy the bottle of wine for your table and are left to pour your own, you of course will fill the glass up pretty high and tell yourself I only had “1 drink” but in reality that one glass is 2.
• Beer is 12 ounces.

Please be careful of what you are really drinking do not fool yourself into thinking that 20 ounce mug of beer is only one drink, realize that this is almost two.  And do not get in a vehicle and drink after any amount of alcohol it just isn’t worth it!

With all the New Years Eve celebrations that are planned for Thursday, I think it is a good time to be reminded and aware of teen drinking.

Many teens get their first exposure to alcohol from parties or convincing adults to purchase alcohol for them. It is importance to stress to parents and other adults that they need to be taking a role in protecting their teenager from the dangers of drinking.

Here are some tips for adults that can help stop teen drinking during this New Years Eve and throughout the year for that matter.

• Talk to your teen about what happens and the dangers of underage drinking.
• Dispose of any alcohol that is not consumed at your own parties.
• Don’t leave your drinks unattended during these parties that have teenager present.
• Lock any alcohol in a cabinet.
• Know what you have in your cabinets and keep track of the amount in the bottles.
• Any guest at your house should know not to let anyone under the age of 21 drink alcohol.

New Year’s Eve is around the corner and this provides the perfect excuse to party and celebrate. About 90 percent of the alcohol consumed during this time will be in the form of binge drinking.

This kind of drinking can result in alcohol poisoning. It is said and defined by consuming alcohol in rapid succession (about five drinks for men and four drinks for women). The National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 grams percent or above.

Alcohol poisoning symptoms to look for are confusion or stupor, vomiting, seizures, slow or irregular breathing, blue-tinged skin or pale skin, low body temperature, and unconsciousness. Alcohol poisoning can lead to coma and death. Long term effects may include stomach ulcers, liver problems, cardiovascular disease, sexual dysfunction, and neurological damage.

Alcohol is also a major factor in vehicular accidents and deaths, unintended pregnancies, domestic violence, and sexual assault.

A person with alcohol poisoning needs emergency treatment immediately. Even when someone has stopped drinking, alcohol continues to be released into the bloodstream and the level of alcohol continues to rise. Do not encourage the person to vomit the alcohol. If they are suffering from alcohol poisoning, their gag reflex is impaired, and they may choke or inhale their own vomit which could cause a lung injury.

Source of this article.

Brittany Murphy is dead and drugs involvement is a big question. Brittany husband Simon Monjack said that he did not want an autopsy done.

Both possible drug abuse and her eating disorder maybe linked to the 32 year old’s unusual cardiac arrest. I just hope this news of drugs being involved is not true.

When I hear such sad news of another person dying because of drugs or alcohol abuse it makes me reflect on how lucky I am and how God has saved my own life many times. I am glad to be sober and living a happy life now. My heart goes out to her family and friends.

Rest In Peace Brittany!

This time of year presents all kinds of drinking triggers for those of us trying to stay sober. Here are just a few tips that might help.

• Go to meetings prior to parties.
• Don’t get too hungry, angry, lonely or tired.
• Stay busy, volunteer at places like pet rescues, food kitchens, senior centers, homeless shelters etc. It helps you feel gratitude and thankfulness.
• Try not to avoid social interaction that includes alcoholic beverages. It doesn’t help and just isolates you.
• When at a party order cranberry juice in a wine glass or non alcoholic beer so that you feel like you are fitting in.
• Have a plan, an escape route if you are starting to feel unsure.
• Make a support call during the party if you need to.
• Stay active

I’d like to share with you some information on the effects of alcohol on the brain that I’ve learned in an alcohol education class.

After two or more drinks the effects on the brain will be difficulty walking, blurred vision, slurred speech, and impair memory. Alcohol destroys brain cells and unlike many other types of cells in the body, brain cells do not regenerate. Alcohol acts as a sedative on the central nervous system, depressing the nerve cells in the brain, dulling, altering and damaging their ability to respond appropriately. Excessive drinking over a prolonged period of time can cause serious problems with cognition and memory.

Alcoholism physical symptoms and how they effect a person is different for everyone: