Do You Suspect You're Drinking a Little Too Much?

It all started in high school when you and your friends experimented at being adults, guzzling beer and smoking. Anyway the folks were doing these so it was perfectly all right and the bingeing went on until college. When you started filling those flasks like your stainless steel flask which you always got as cheap groomsmen gifts with Smirnoff for breakfast, you suspectd things were spinning out of control.

The signs of a budding alcoholic are obvious but the trouble is with the person; rarely does one accept he or she has a drinking problem. Do you want to know if you are a promising alcoholic? Check these out:

* Do you have bouts of memory loss and blackouts and cannot recall what transpired during the drinking marathon theprevious night?
* Are you stealing, lying and cheating to get money for a drink?
* Are you making up excuses to drink?
* You do not need company when you drink.
* You drink your hoard secretly when no one in the house is around.

You probably hocked your jewelry, desk clocks, designer shoes, and now you are [spion]eyeing|coveting[/spin] those nautical table clocks and padfolios stting on the office desks of co-workers. It is time to get help. Your hesitation is reasonable because you dread rejection and hurting the people you love. But there is no other way to let them know you need their help and understanding.

Getting Help

Quitting alcohol is tough and doing it on your own is harder. If you believe that you can kick the problem single-handidly, you are wrong if the theory has stats to back it. Statistics on alcoholism caution that only one in 50,000 can effectively [pin]quit|stop[/spin] without professionaltrained help. Is that lucky one you?

Fortunately, there are many non-profit and private treatment programs accessible state wide and there are many in your area. The Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is one such support program etensively known across states. AA is listed in the white pages of the local phone directory. Since AA is non-denominational, multiracial and membership is free, it is no problem enlisting.

You actually have choices. AA is one. Still there are other means to help you regain your old footing. Various treatment approaches are available - support groups, therapy and detoxification - and your doctor can help you make the proper choice, depending on the severity of your addiction.

Helping Yourself

Unless you are eager and ready to get help, you will never succeed, no matter how costly the treatment. Nor can you do a cold turkey, as this does not always work for everyone. You can try reducing the amount of alcohol you customarily drink. What you go through is a hint of what you can expect from a rehab.

Withdrawal symptoms can be severe. Alcoholics on treatment experience mild shakes, hallucination, convulsions, and even [spin|severe|excruciating[/spin] delirium tremens. Mild symptoms can be managed by health care providers or at the Out Patient Department but critical symptoms must be treated in hospitals.

Do not wait until the problem become uncontrollable. Get help fast. Your life counts.