Advertise with Us

Bookmark and Share

Drug Abuse Alcohol- A World Wide Headache!

Hangovers and Related Symptoms

Have you ever woken up with a hangover? If you’ve responded “no”, then you are one of the fortunate rare few who has not suffered from this debilitating, self-inflicted ailment. It’s symptoms can be unruly, painful, and incapacitating, consisting of a ‘foggy’ feeling in the brain, depleted energy, severe dehydration, topped off with decreased motor skills, and weighed down by even less desire to move or do anything! When plagued by a severe hangover, even despite ones increased sensitivity to light and sound, it’s unfathomable to reach up and close the blinds, let alone find and turn off your mobile phone that’s been ringing incessantly with concerned or mocking friends, and plans for brunch. Many of us have endured the gut rot, nausea, and worst of all, the headaches that ensue an evening’s indulgence of drug abuse alcohol. At the best of times we can remember what happened during the blur and slur of the night before, and can hopefully make light of whatever embarrassments we might have self-inflicted. If you too can relate to these symptoms and scenarios, not to worry, we are not alone. Drug and alcohol abuse occurs at such an extortionate rate across the globe, that any day of the week it is safe to say that drug abuse alcohol is a worldwide headache!

The Social Drinker

If you’ve answered “no” to the initial question because you’ve never woken up with a hangover, then I am assuming that you do not suffer from drug and alcohol abuse. However, if you answered a raging “yes!” to the afore questioned, it might be a fair assessment that you’re not one to pass up a ‘social drink’, and perhaps indulge in several social beverages once Friday rolls around? Nowadays, social drinking is the most common activity to do when catching up with friends and decompressing from a long day, a hard week, or all of the above. Due to the common occurrence of social drinking, it has become increasingly socially acceptable to drink alcohol on a daily basis. Daily alcohol consumption can become a ritual of sorts, and before you know it you’ll be enjoying that drink or those drinks even without the company of friends. As you’ve maybe come to realize, human beings are creatures of routine and habit. Once we begin an activity that becomes habitual, our minds and bodies start to feel like something is missing or incomplete without it.

Some people have more addictive personalities than others, and are consequently more susceptible to becoming addicted to the way drugs and/or alcohols make us feel. First and foremost it’s important that as individuals we take a sober assessment of our own personality’s strengths and weaknesses. Once we remove our ‘beer goggles’ it is more feasible to take a realistic look at our own habits, and decide whether or not they’ve become compulsive, dangerous, or just downright embarrassing. If you can’t quite manage to find a sober minute for that moment of clarity, or discover that your beer goggles are in fact too tightly secured, rest assured there is always a helping hand not too far away. It’s called Alcoholics Anonymous or AA.

Getting Help

The best part about getting help is that you don’t have to do something by yourself. If the task at hand appears too grand to do alone, then with a little support, the challenge will undoubtedly appear less daunting. By the way, if you’ve already admitted to yourself that you’ve got a problem, then that’s half the battle right there! Furthermore, if you’re serious about wanting to break your bad habits, you can rely on the help and support of teams of professionals at treatment centers. Treatment centers such as AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) provide excellent support structures while showing you how to stop drinking. The program is designed to break alcoholic patterns and replace them with healthy habits, along with techniques for remaining alcohol free. The therapy sessions, otherwise known as ‘rehab’, are generally in-group settings with other patients and successful graduates of the program. They offer a refreshing and reassuring opportunity to hear others speak candidly about their problems with alcohol abuse. You’ll begin to realize that you’re not alone, and that alcoholism is not beyond your ability to beat.

If you’re sitting there trying to decide if you need help controlling your drinking, visit AA’s website and fill out it’s questionnaire- your score will spell out that answer for you. Despite the fact that many rock stars and movie legends have been in your shoes and graced the rooms of therapy centers before you, it is still your prerogative if this type of setting is right for you. If you do decide to get help, that is a step in the right direction. Once you’re sober you will acquire a different perspective on social drinking, and begin to see that what your peer group actually engages in socially, is binge drinking.

Once they see you clean and revitalized, don’t be surprised if many of them ask you in private how they too can get help. Eventually your friends will jump on the bandwagon, and the messy blackout nights will become a thing of the past. The quality of your social encounters will rise to the next level, with conversations worth remembering, as the virgin cocktails flow like water, and everyone will be looking and feeling like they’ve found the fountain of youth.