Is It Time For Alcohol Abuse Recovery?

1. Strong motivation - If the drinker is not aware or can't see that drinking has become problematic, the logic becomes why fix something that isn't broken?. This is a huge problem because the denial of a problem is one of the defining characteristics of alcohol addiction. Now, even if the drinker does believe that they have a problem, there's a question of whether they're willing to do something about it, and what are they willing to do? Often they may concede that there's a problem with their drinking, but are not motivated to "do what ever it takes" to become completely abstinent. They will spin around in circles in futile efforts to maintain 'control' over their drinking.

2. Timing - If the drinker concedes that they have a problem with alcohol addiction or it is causing problems in their life, that's great, but it's not enough. Many drinkers are fully aware that they have a problem but not ready to do anything about it. Timing and motivation are frequently brought about by personal crisis that is close to home and personal. Getting whooped in the head with a figurative 2 x 4, such as narrowly escaping death, or losing a job, or losing somebody close to them. Motivation and timing generally do not come together as a result of nagging, finger-pointing or educating the alcoholic on the evils of addiction. I knew I had a problem with drinking for 20 years, and said I could quit any time I wanted to, but the time was never quite right. If a drinker has admitted that they have a problem with alcohol and states that want to quit the next question to be asked to simply... now? If the timing is right we move onto the next piece of the puzzle.

3. Persistence - If the motivation and timing are in place and a drinker has actually stopped drinking and achieved abstinence, the question now is how they stay stopped drinking for the long run? The only solution is to keep abstinence and growing in sobriety the primary alcohol addiction recovery goal. The way that is done is through persistence. It's crucial to keep a high level of daily awareness that no matter what twists of fate life has in store for us, returning to alcohol use is not a solution. The vast majority of people who have relapsed back into alcohol use have stated that sobriety lost its priority. They did not persistently maintain their awareness of their alcoholism; actively pursue relapse prevention, and life skills. Many people returned to drink because their life is going so well they forget they have a problem with alcohol and believe they can once again return to its use and control it.

There are many ways to look at alcoholism and recovery. There is no one definite view or methodology that has been proven to be more successful than another, so there are many theories and opinions out there. It is simply my experience as a professional working with people and alcohol addiction recovery that the confluence, or coming together, of motivation, correct timing, and persistence, are necessary pieces of the puzzle for long-term sobriety.

The majority of people who drink alcohol can do so with few or no problems. When problems do start occurring they can rapidly escalate. for these people the drinking problem is progressive, it gets progressively worse.

Shortly we will look at the 3 categories of drinkers mentioned, but there is also a fourth which deserves mention, the people who are abstinent. In my years as an addictions therapist, I have not had anyone sway me from my convictions that if you don't want problems with alcohol, don't drink at all. Being a realist, I know that doesn't work for everyone so it is important to keep alert for potential problems.

The Social Drinker:

A social drinker drinks occasionally, and when they do there are no problems or negative consequences. There are no real surprises as a result of having a drink. When they drink there are no complaints about behavior from friends and family. As an example there are no fights, nor extreme emotional mood swings.

A social drinker does not think about drinking often, it does not occupy their thoughts. Lastly, there is no loss of control or need to set limits when drinking; it just doesn't get that far.

The Alcohol Abuser:

An alcohol abuser is someone who has episodes of going to far with drinking; it can be frequent or just occasionally. This might be drinking when it could be physically hazardous, such as driving, or ending up in dangerous areas. A DUI is a common marker of alcohol abuse. The alcohol abuser starts to let obligations at work and home start to slip.

Drinking creeps in and occupies more and more thoughts and drinking is needed for its effect. At this point the drinkers' family and friends start to complain, but it is dealt with. Now there is a need to set limits on drinking, but they can be maintained. We have upped the ante from a social drinker, but at this point things are not always out of control.

Alcohol Addiction or the Alcoholic:

One aspect that is confusing for many is that alcohol addiction is not dependent on quantity or frequency of alcohol consumed. For example someone who drinks daily may or may not be addicted. Drinking 12 beers vs. 2 beers is not a necessarily a criteria for addiction. People with addiction generally show an inability to control or set limits and keep them. Drinking is occurring in larger amounts and taking up more time. Increasing tolerance for alcohol is an indicator, as well as having withdrawal effects when drinking stops.

At his point the drinker may want to stop or has tried to but not been successful. They continue to drink despite the problems and negative consequences that keep occurring. An example would be repeated DUI's or drinking when the doctor says it is hurting ones health. Important activities and roles are given up; the drinking becomes more important than family. Alcoholism is a disease of isolation, in order to keep drinking the user will push family and friends away. The sneaky thing about this phase is that it is characterized by denial. The drinker cannot honestly see that the problems occurring are a result of drinking.

And that will hopefully help clear up some differences in drinking behaviors. If you or someone you care about be be moving along the course of drinking outlined there is more information hand help available.

May I suggest a good place to start?

Start with an invitation to find your alcoholism and alcohol answers at our alcohol frequently asked questions page. You may also claim our Free, massive Recovery Help Resource Guide. To gain instant access, visit us at:

http://AddictionRecoveryBasics.com

There is a gallery of sober living and life skill information available in the Free, 103 Page Resource Guide. Lot's of '10 tips to...' and 'How to' articles. These are all solution oriented. We have been in the problem long enough.
Free Addiction Recovery Help Guide

Are You Ready To Learn Web 2.0 Tools And Tactics That Generate Traffic Instantly?

Authority Site Black Book

Do NOT Buy Any Product That Says Web 2.0 Until
You Read The 100% FREE Authority Site Black Book

64-Pages Of Resources For Web 2.0 Niche Domination,
Buzz Generation, Higher Rankings, And Endless Traffic

Here's A Small Sample Of What You'll Learn In The Authority Black Book:

* Over 500 links to the most powerful and useful Web 2.0 traffic and buzz resources on the web! We're talking immediate traffic to your mini-sites, Adsense sites or affiliate sites.

* How to use RSS subscriptions to explode your reach! So many marketers and webmasters are doing RSS the wrong way... we'll show you the right way!

* How to create and syndicate video to the top video sharing sites for high-powered and valuable backlinks (Google likes video links!)

* Linkbait: What is it, How to write it, and how to generate massive buzz and hundreds of backlinks in your niche using it.

* A tool to instantly and with the click of a button bookmark any page on the web in all the social bookmarking sites - FREE!

* Where to get buttons for your browser to submit your pages to all the leading buzz sites like Netscape, StumbleUpon, Reddit and dozens more!

* Thorough explanations of more technical steps and strategies by Jack Humphrey, the author of Power Linking Profits and the Authority Black Book.

100% Guaranteed To Drive Targeted Traffic To Your
Site And Get You Better Search Engine Rankings!

Click Here: Authority Site Black Book

There is a gallery of sober living and life skill information available in the Free, 103 page Resource Guide. Lot's of '10 tips to...' and 'How to' articles. These are all solution oriented. We have been in the problem long enough.
Click Here: Free Addiction Recovery Help Guide,