:The AA Blog

The Department Of Health – Shines a light on new research that links sleep problems with alcohol use. The research states that more the 50% of drinkers are unware of this link. Drinkers often feel that a drink or two will help them fall asleep – not the case.

More often than not your body is in a state of cleaning house meaning that as you slumber your body isn’t really resting at all, therefore the quality of your sleep is affected, leaving you feeling tired and sometimes even hungover the next morning.

To avaiod this feeling of sleepiness, researchers suggest that you avoid drinking too much alcohol prior to bed time, this way your body has enough time to metabolize the alcohol. When you awake you’ll feel more refreshed, and you’ll have a lot less explaining to do, particularly if you had one too many shots of the bottle.

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One in five adult Americans lived with an alcoholic while growing up. These numbers may be surprising to some but for other can be all to familiar. Detecting whether someone you know or love has an alcohol problem can be difficult as more and more Alcoholics try to cover up their abuse. Knowing the most common signs of Alcohol Abuse can be crucial to helping a loved one overcome their addiction.

Do you have a problem with alcohol abuse? Ask yourself these important questions:

• Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
• Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
• Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
• Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?

Being able to recognize these signs within yourself or loved ones is important to getting help. Alcohol Abuse is the US has risen dramatically and are claiming more and more lives every minute.

U.S. alcohol-related deaths reported in 2006:

• Automobile fatalities: 41%
• Teenage deaths: 25% of all automobile fatalities
• Homicides: 31%
• Boating accidents: 20%

Alcohol abuse affects the whole family. The health effects of alcohol abuse can include heart disease, liver disease, and even cancer. Treatment consists of medical attention, prescription medications, or treatment centers. Sobriety can be difficult to achieve but no impossible.

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Underage drinking has become quite common among teens and young adults. Early alcohol use may have long–lasting consequences. People who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence at some time in their lives compared with those who have their first drink at age 20 or older.

Underage alcohol consumption is more likely to kill young people than all illegal drugs combined!

Some negative effects of underage drinking are as follows:

• Drinking and Driving
• Sexual Assault
• Suicide
• High-Risk Sex

Parents’ drinking behavior and favorable attitudes about drinking have been positively associated with adolescents’ initiating and continuing drinking. Children who were warned about alcohol by their parents and children who reported being closer to their parents were less likely to start drinking.

Here are some general tips for parents and other adults:

• When you talk with your teens about drinking, listen to them and respect what they say.
• Make clear your expectation that your teens will not drink.
• Teach your children about the dangers of underage drinking.

Underage drinking can be hard to deal with as a parent. Teens like to do NOT what their parents tell them, but rather what they see their friends and peers at school doing in order to fit in or to be ‘cool’. Being open with your child about the risks involved with underage drinking is important in your parental duties and can help your child to better understand what exactly it is that they are getting themselves involved with.

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Children of Alcoholics or COAs is an issue which has been the subject of several publications from the National Institute on Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

An estimated 6.6 million children under the age of 18 years live in households with at least one alcoholic parent. Current research findings suggest that these children are at risk for a range of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems.

In addition, genetic studies indicate that alcoholism tends to run in families and that a genetic vulnerability for alcoholism exists. Yet, some investigators also report that many children from alcoholic homes develop neither psychopathology nor alcoholism.

The family environment may affect transmission of alcoholism to COAs. Children with alcoholic parents are less likely to become alcoholics as adults when their parents consistently set and follow through on plans and maintain such rituals as holidays and regular mealtimes.

School-aged children of alcoholic parents often have academic problems. Academic performance may be a better measure than IQ of the effect of living with an alcoholic parent. School records indicate that COAs experience such academic difficulties as repeating grades, failing to graduate from high school, and requiring referrals to school psychologists.

Although cognitive deficits in COAs may account, in part, for their poor academic performance, motivational difficulties or the stress of the home environment also may contribute to their problems in school.

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There are many different, arguable reasons for the development of alcoholism. Many feel that its a creation of emotional distress or even childhood difficulties. Throughout the succession of Alcoholics Anonymous, many new and interesting views on Alcoholism have come into light.

For a majority of people, alcohol is a pleasant accompaniment to social activities. Moderate alcohol use — up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and older people (A standard drink is one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits) — is not harmful for most adults.

Nonetheless, a substantial number of people have serious trouble with their drinking. Currently, nearly 14 million Americans — 1 in every 13 adults — abuse alcohol or are alcoholic.

Some reasons for the development of Acholism is as follows:

• Family History
• Genes
• Emotional Distress
• Childhood Abuse

Findings show that children of alcoholics are about four times more likely than the general population to develop alcohol problems. Children of alcoholics also have a higher risk for many other behavioral and emotional problems. However, Alcoholism is not determined only by the genes you inherit from your parents. In fact, more than one–half of all children of alcoholics do not become alcoholic.

Alcoholism, or alcohol dependence, is a disease that involves the following four symptoms:

• Craving - A strong need, or urge to drink.
• Loss of control - Not being able to stop drinking once drinking has begun.
• Physical Dependence - Withdrawal symptoms, such as upset stomach, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety after stopping drinking.
• Tolerance - The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get “high”.

Whatever the reasons for Alcoholism and alcohol abuse, the resolution for recovery is always the same. Getting involved with people outside of your typical “drinking” circle is important to beginning your road to Recovery. Keeping yourself surrounded with the same people who will provide nothing but temptation for you is probably not the best idea.

If you want to stop drinking, there are many resources and sources of support available, including medical assistance, treatment facilities, medications and support groups. If you have been affected by someone else’s alcoholism or addiction, there is also help available to you.

You are not alone.

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