Live Sober: Find the alcoholism stages

Posts Tagged ‘Alcoholism’

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.

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