WANT TO STAY AWAY FROM ALCOHAL & DRUGS

GET RID OF ALCOHAL & DRUGS

People drink alcohol for lots of reasons - to have fun , to relax or to fit in with friends. Lots of people try alcohol when they are young , and for most , it does not cause any serious problems. However drinking too much can lead to having problems at school , work or home . Alcohol is also a major cause of road trauma and other accidents .

If your body becomes too used to alcohol , it may not be easy for you to cut back or stop drinking . The best time to take action is before you have major problems .

It is not just older people who have problems with alcohol , young people aged 14 to 29 may often binge drink and young people aged 18 to 24 have more problems with alcohol than any other age group .

Some of the other problems caused by heavy drinking are :

1. relationship problems with family and friends
2. money and legal problems .
3. feeling depressed and anxious
4. unplanned and unwanted sex
5. sexual problems
6. problems with and thinking and comprehension.
7. problems with sleeping
8. for pregnant women , damage to the unborn baby

What are the signs of problem drinking ?

If you have any of the following problems , your drinking may be putting you at risk of harm !!!!

If you have been drinking heavily for a long time you may be alcohol dependent , this means that your body is now used to alcohol and you may suffer “withdrawal symptoms” , when you try to stop or cut down your drinking habits. Withdrawal symptoms include , shaking , sweating , feeling sick or disturbed sleep .

Do any of these problems sound familiar ?

• you some times miss school or work due to a hangover .
• you drink in situations when you know it is dangerous (for ex-driving while drunk)
• you get into fights or create a scene while you are drunk
• you keep on drinking despite problems caused by or made worse by alcohol
• you need more alcohol to get drunk
• you experience withdrawal symptoms when you have a break from alcohol (shaking , sweating , feeling sick or disturbed sleep )
• you drink to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms
• you drink more than you want to drink
• you are not able to stop or cut down your drinking
• you spend more and more time and effort on drinking and recovering from its effects
• you can no longer do what you enjoy because of your drinking for ex-going to the beach , surfing , shopping etc.,

What is Alcohol Withdrawal ?

If you have been drinking heavily , for a while you may experience some withdrawal symptoms , if you stop drinking , for example , shaking , sweating , feeling sick , vomiting , and problems of sleeping . If you have such symptoms , you will need to be watched by a nurse or doctor when you start cutting out alcohol . Withdrawal is a sign that your body is recovering from alcohol . How bad the symptoms are will depend on how long you have been drinking and how much alcohol you have consumed , and whether you have tried to stop drinking before , if you use recreational or party drugs or you have any other medical problems . You may experience more severe health effects during alcohol withdrawal .

Common Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms :

Shaking, sweating , feeling sick , vomiting , agitation , disturbed sleep .

Withdrawal Settings :

Alcohol withdrawal can be undertaken at home , as an out patient in a hospital or in a community residential facility . The most suitable setting for you will depend upon how serious your alcohol withdrawal is , whether you have any other physical or mental illnesses , your choice , your situation , and the services available in your area .

1. Home-based Withdrawal :

Management involves withdrawing from alcohol at home in a supportive setting . Your withdrawal symptoms are checked by visits and telephone calls from a health care worker . you or a trusted family member or friends can manage any medications that may be necessary .

2. Out patient withdrawal :

Management is similar to home-based withdrawal management , however you would usually attend a clinic every day to see how you are going and to collect some medication .

3. In patient withdrawal :

Management maybe at a community residential setting or a hospital with trained medical staff available to care for you if you have alcohol withdrawal problems such as seizures

Medicated Withdrawal :

Some people are given a short course of medication to help them through the withdrawal . “Homoeopathic Medicines” are thought to be the most helpful , medication for alcohol withdrawal problems . Medications do not speed up the withdrawal process , but can make it easier for you by treating the symptoms .

HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINES :

1. Strophanthus hispidus - Q (mother tincture )---nausea with special disgust for alcohol and so aids in treatment of “ dipsomania “
2. Angelicin tincture Q (mother tincture ) five drops . three times daily , produces disgust for liquor .
3. Quercus glandium spiritus Q ( mother tincture ) antidotes effects of alcohol , vertigo , deafness , with noises in head , takes away craving for alcoholics , give dose as below for several months . 
4. Nux Vomica Q
5. Hyocyamus
6. Cannabis Indica
7. Opium
8. Sulp Acid 

Tips For Coping With The Urge To Drink Include :

1. do some physical exercise or other distracting activity
2. have some thing to eat or a non alcoholic drink
3. leave the situation
4. use relaxation techniques
5. think of the positive consequences of not drinking and the negative consequences of resuming excessive drinking
6. delay having a drink for 15 minutes

Family Therapy :

Family therapy involves working with you and members of your family to support changes in drinking habits , however it is only suitable when there is agreement between you , your family and the counselor that your family's involvement is likely to be helpful .

How Can I Avoid Returning To Heavy Drinking ?

If you do slip up and drink too much , it's important that you don't see your self as a failure . Instead look at how the problem happened and see if there is a way you can manage it better in future .

The first step in preventing a return to heavy drinking or a relapse , is to help you to recognize the high risk situations that might lead you back to drinking alcohol . This will mean noticing which situations cause problems for you and working out ways to either avoid these situations or cope with them with out drinking . This might mean working out ways to see your friends that don't involve drinking or learning how to set limits on your drinking when you are out with your friends . You can also change your life style to avoid drinking , for example-you can focus on activities and behaviours that do not go with drinking alcohol , finding new ways to reward your self , and developing new friendships .