:The AA Blog

There are currently over a million soldiers in the US army, many have seen combat and survived to live with what they’ve witnessed. Some soldiers manage to cope, others never do, resorting to the use of drugs and alcohol to numb the pain and somehow kill the visions and voices in their heads.

Many soldiers suffer from a variety of psychological problems including nightmares, flashbacks, paranoia and irrational anger for these reasons, Alcohol and Drug abuse is quickly becoming a growing problem among returning war vets, with the number of binge drinkers and narco-users nearly doubling in the past six years. Figures suggest that 11 out of every 1,000 soldiers suffered from alcohol abuse problems in the first have of 2009.

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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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In the 12 traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.), we learn that A.A. is not formally associated with any particular organization or corporation. However, there are several non-profit organizations and government agencies (A.A. included) that are dedicated to providing crucial information and resources that you may not find at your local meeting. The following are just a few of the organizations dedicated to providing information and resources on alcohol abuse and alcoholism:

Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) World Services, Inc.
475 Riverside Drive, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10115
Phone: 212-870-3400
Email: Via the AA website
Website: www.Alcoholics-Anonymous.org

Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.
1600 Corporate Landing Parkway
Virginia Beach, VA 23454-5617
Phone: 757-563-1600
Email: WSO@al-anon.org
Website:  www.Al-Anon.Alateen.org

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD)
20 Exchange Place, Suite 2902
New York, NY 10005
Phone: 212-269-7797
Email: national@ncadd.org
Website: www.NCADD.org

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Scientific Communications Branch
6000 Executive Boulevard, Willco Building, Suite 409
Bethesda, MD 20892-7003
Phone: 301-443-3860
Email: NIAAAWeb-R@Exchange.NIH.Gov
Website: www.NIAAA.NIH.gov

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Hazelden and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are bringing together leaders from the area’s top health-care systems, insurance companies and major employers in a community-wide effort to decrease the number of alcohol-related accidents and injuries.

The one-day event, to take place at the Landmark Center on Tuesday, April 21 at 8:00 a.m., will train local health-care providers in CDC’s Screening, Brief Intervention or Referral to Treatment Program (SBIRT) and develop support for implementation of the SBIRT protocol throughout all levels of the health-care system.

SBIRT is an evidence-based approach to identifying patients whose alcohol-related behaviors put them at risk for injury or illness and providing early intervention and, if appropriate, treatment. The program has been shown to decrease the frequency and severity of alcohol use, reduce the risk of trauma, and related costs. And by preventing more severe alcohol-related health problems, the SBIRT program can significantly reduce medical and societal costs and improve patients’ quality of life.
 
Although CDC has been training health-care providers in the SBIRT program for several years, this event marks the first time that industry leaders from an entire metro area are coming together to put their support behind such a program. Attendees will include leaders from the Mayo Clinic and Hennepin County Medical Center, HealthPartners, the Buyers Health Care Action Group, the Minnesota Brain Injury Association, the Veterans Administration Minneapolis Health Center, Regions Hospital, state legislators and state agency personnel. There are still openings for interested persons wishing to participate — please contact Kathy Graf at 651-213-4701.
The event is open to the media — please contact Christine Anderson at 651-213-4231 to confirm attendance.
For more information, please visit www.hazelden.org

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Alcohol treatment is fundamentally distinct from drug treatment. Unfortunately, many of the most high-priced rehab facilities in Southern California fail to put that principle into practice. Alcoholics and individuals who feel they may have a developing alcohol abuse problem face a unique set of challenges on the road to wellness.

Cliffside Malibu was founded on the principle that every client is a unique individual with unique individual needs. That’s why Cliffside Malibu offers special private alcohol treatment programs to residents who need them. It’s also why those residents enjoy such a robust rate of success.

Alcohol addiction is a devastating disease. Fortunately, a professional luxury alcohol treatment center can help solve the problem – but only if it’s administered in the right way, by people who know exactly what they’re doing. Cliffside Malibu’s alcohol treatment experts can give you everything you need to get where you’re trying to go.

If you’d like more information on this topic, please call 1-800-501-1988, or visit the Cliffside Malibu website at www.cliffsidemalibu.com.

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