Archive for April, 2009
Effects of Alcohol
April 21st, 2009
Effects of Alcohol on the Human Body
Alcohol specifically ethanol, a nervous system suppressive, when ingested in excessive quantity has drastic effects on human body like Liver Cirrhosis, increased risk of cancer, coma and in some cases even death.
Have you ever roamed on the streets of your city adjoining bars and pubs after Saturday late night party? If ‘Yes’, then you would have come across a few people stumbling, not able to talk properly, claiming the world around them is spinning! You simply ignore their claims thinking they are "little drunk". So, what exactly happen to these people when they consume the drinks or alcohol? It may be little more dangerous and complicated than perhaps we think of…
Alcohol
Although, the nomenclature ‘Alcohol‘ denotes the entire family of organic compounds like methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, in more general terms we denote ‘Ethanol’ when we discuss alcohol, the most commonly ingested of these chemicals.
Alcohol, Ethanol (C2H5OH) in specific, is an organic compound made up of molecules of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen. It is highly volatile liquid with distinct odor having great affinity towards water. In fact, its high solubility in water makes it one of the most potent depressant of human central nervous system. It is a powerful hypnotic sedative with an array of side effects. The amount to which extent the central nervous system is affected depends upon the concentration of alcohol in blood, usually denoted by BAC (Blood Alcohol Content).
Effects at Initial Stages
When ingested, the effects of Alcohol on human body changes gradually over the time. At initial stages, person feels more relaxed and cheerful which is followed by more stumbling movements and animated speech. They become more confident, shying off their inhibitions. This happens because of the increased metabolism in nigrostriatal pathway of brain which is associated with body movements. While, increased alpha waves from brain makes person more cheerful, relaxed; stimulation by alcohol to cortex, hippocampus of brain helps to shed off inhibitions. This stage is often termed as Euphoria where BAC is around 0.03 to 0.12%.
Absorption and Distribution Mechanism
When consumed, alcohol first irritates the mucous lining of mouth and then esophagus causing an anesthetic effect. Then it goes to stomach where only 20% of the total quantity is absorbed by it. Rest 80% is then absorbed by small intestine from where it gets distributed throughout the human body. Alcohol travels through blood and come into the vicinity of cells of almost every organ. As mentioned earlier, due to its high affinity towards water, it can penetrate almost all cellular membranes resulting in absorption by all organs.
Metabolism and its effects
Alcohol dehydrogenase, the enzyme secreted by hepatic cells converts alcohol to acetaldehyde. This acetaldehyde further gets converted into acetic acid and then acetate by acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. Acetate is a compound of fats which gets deposited locally. Because of the chronic and continuous consumption of alcohol, the increase in fatty acid levels results in forming of plaque in the hepatic capillaries. This situation leads to Liver Cirrhosis. As liver performs vital role in filtration mechanism of body, malfunctioning of liver often leads to jaundice (Hepatitis). As alcohol enhances antidiuretic hormone secretion, more urine is formed which results in Dehydration.
Carcinogenic Effects
Alcohol comes under Group1 carcinogens as classified by WHO. Although, previous studies have failed to establish direct connection between alcohol and its effect on cancer, there is strong indication to suggest that alcohol enhances the effects of other carcinogenic chemicals like tobacco. Acetaldehyde, the byproduct of metabolism of alcohol, if gets concentrated in high amounts then it can damage the DNA of cells. Their reaction with polyamines can end up in forming Mutagenic DNA. The excessive consumption of ethanol also makes mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus more prone to cancer.
General Effects on Human Body
There are different effects of alcohol on human body subject to their concentrations in blood. They are generally classified as follows-
1. When BAC count ranging from 0.09 to 0.23% is present, the condition is known as Lethargy. In this condition, people become sleepy, their movements lose coordination, start loosing their body balance. It is also characterized by blurred vision.
2. When BAC count ranging from 0.17 to 0.28% is present, the condition is known as Confusion. It is characterized by aggravated emotional state where people try to be sentimental, overly aggressive. They are not certain of what they are doing. Dizziness continues. Nausea is the common symptom of this phase.
3. When BAC count ranging from 0.25 to 0.39% is present, the condition is known as Stupor. In this stage, body movements are severely affected and patients lose and regain consciousness intermittently. They have high risk of coma or even death.
4. When BAC count ranging from 0.35 to 0.50% is present, the condition is known as Coma. It is characterized by unconsciousness when body reflexes are low, breathing rate declines resulting in dropping of heart beat rate.
5. When BAC crosses the mark of 0.5%, it results in failure of CNS (Central Nervous System) ultimately resulting in Death.
Alcoholism is a major public health problem. While consumption of alcohol develops an array of diseases, its withdrawal also develops symptoms like delirium tremens which has high percentage of mortality rate (35%), if not treated. During Pregnancy, alcohol consumption can lead fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
By Jayashree Pakhare Published: 2/17/2007
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Alcohol Drug Abuse
April 20th, 2009
Take a look around you each and every day, you have seen the person on the street that obviously does not fit into the picture. This person will most likely be male, further will be disheveled, and will most likely carry some baggage. You have seen this person most likely today.
Did you ever think that this may happen to you? Today the economy in the United States is adding to the homeless population at an alarming rate. Situational homelessness from the economy is the same as the person who is homeless stemming from an addiction from any substance that impairs.
Homelessness is homelessness! The person that works with you that is dressed well, smells good, may have just lost his or her home due to a bad variable mortgage that exceeds what his or her income could sustain. They may have spent every last dollar from savings, pensions, and investments to try and make it work, but simply could not. The end result…Homelessness. These folks may have some family, friends etc that will take them in for their current situation merits it, however…just as it is with the people on the streets that are disheveled, dirty and foul of mood, how long will it take for the person that lost his or her home to wear out the welcome with the myriad of friends that he or she may have?
It has long been said, that guests that are staying for the holidays usually start getting moody after three days. Fish is the same way, if its not taken care of it will start to smell, and to get that smell away is a chore of the ultimate challenge.
Your best friend of 15 years, lost everything, and is staying with you, but after day three, he or she you find out is not a clean freak as perhaps you are, you find out that he or she, loves to watch cartoons, and you are the news channel junkie, and guess what…there is only one TV. Eventually there will be a significant problem, and your guest will be either asked to leave or volunteer to, but none the less both parties will have a permanent mark on that friendship.
Here is where it gets interesting. In this authors opinion, every single homeless person has a story, in most of the individuals I have spoken to, they started their homeless career after a death of loved one, loss of job, or medical issue, and only as of recently, a very bad variable rate adjusted mortgage.
Friends play a large part of the homeless cause and effects. Eventually each and every one of us will know someone, perhaps immediate family, co-worker, friend of friend, it does not matter, you will know of at least one person that went homeless. What you do as friend or family, will forever impact the person that is fresh from losing everything, whether at-first you help them, and you later give them the boot, it will forever affect them. Interestingly enough, it will be the very last action that effected the new homeless person, that they will remember!
A homeless person has a substantial challenge ahead of them, they have to learn to negotiate social services, which at this point in their lives, they most likely have no idea where the office to start is located, and more importantly, the mental condition of this new homeless person is not entirely to stable.
This is the element that seems to start the most damage in the fastest time. The new homeless individual is going to be looking for "crutches" such as whatever they liked when they were solid with employment and housing, I would have to say the immediate crutch is going to be alcohol. Its still by far the easiest item to obtain, and you will find some high potency alcohol for little money, however the new homeless person has to figure this out.
Over the course of one month, the new homeless has not maintained hygiene, has lost weight, shows significant physical signs of stress and exhaustion etc, perhaps been sleeping in his or her car, at a shelter, or the worst of all, outside, in the unprotected.
The new homeless tragedy through the "underground" homeless network in every major city, is at least eating, he or she knows that there are multiple places to get food, and recently was told that he or she could go the Social Services office and participate in a welfare program, that would generate to them personally a couple hundred dollars a month! After a month on the street with nothing, this is a huge accomplishment. Almost instantly the person does what he or she needs to do to be half way presentable to do what is required, to gain the $200.00 to sustain their life. Its at this point that the mental position of this person if noticed, can be manipulated to into a variety of areas.
This new homeless person is battling several issues that is promoting the "on-the street" mentality. This very person that you once knew as a powerhouse thinker or perhaps an all-around nice person, is stuck in a mode of thinking that is strictly survival at best. No matter WHAT! This is the time that will start generating law enforcement interaction. Perhaps this person has already picked up a open container citation, or urinating in public charge, or this authors personal favorite, improper use of a shopping cart. Its these extremely minor charges that cause some serious issues that I will cover in one of the next articles.
This General Relief as it is known in California, is an all purpose safety net, or at least that is what it was designed to do. This GR was meant to be used very short term, for items such as acquiring a birth certificate, for those that lost their identification, paying for state identification costs, perhaps buying a prepaid cellular phone, so one could at least make calls, basically and myriad of issues that would significantly help to get one on their feet. However, this is not what happens. Come the first of the month through the first couple of weeks of that same month, the payouts for the "GR" are issued.
Its at this time, that positive action could be initiated, however its the new homeless, or perhaps better stated, the seasoned homeless, can buy liquor, or with the help of the underground network, start purchasing items that are a tad more expensive than liquor, but…do the numbing job of liquor much faster, and as far as the bang for the buck…this would be it. Now, you have a person that is drinking, and followed the gateway drug alcohol into the realm of controlled substances and uncontrolled substances.
I would imagine being that your reading this letter from a loved one, educator, or social worker point of view, I would bet that your asking what happened at the place that this person was able to get the "GR" assistance, was there no interaction with the "client" at that point, was there no interviewing, or direct contact with this person? The answer is yes, there was indeed "through the glass" contact!
Pride is a huge factor still in the new homeless person even after some time in the streets. The intelligent case worker or screener should indeed know this as part of their training, or at least listen to some of their Intuitive ESP. Think about it, the person meets every single visual criteria for being homel 1ff8 ess, they show the signs of chemical abuse, wouldn’t a very good case manager be able to take some decisive action, and point their "fellow brother or sister" in the right direction, and help them significantly at this first point of contact?
The answer is an overwhelming NO! Department of Social Services in California is simply at best a cattle line, people come in and they go out, most of them if they chose to eliminate pride are taken care of fairly, they are given vouchers for single room occupancy hotels, General Relief, and food stamps. In the streets this is the "Grand-Slam". However the hotel expires in 30 days. "GR" and the food stamp program are limited as well, there must be some paperwork filed, and evidence of job searching. California does have a program that is mandatory to attend, which teaches folks how to look for, interview for, and appear for a job. This program goes as far as helping each graduate with the clothing for the interview process.
Again…the evil PRIDE presents itself in an incredible manor. This person who perhaps 6 months ago was working, drove a car, had a home, and wore considerably better clothing, finds him or herself presented with people that are his or her equal, and yet pride holds out yet again. This is a major contributing factor to the chronic homelessness problem. PRIDE!
The overall accomplishment of finally getting some cash, food stamps, and a small place to stay, is a huge accomplishment. This person is going to celebrate this accomplishment! Fresh off the simple feeling of accomplishment, this person is going to start spending money negatively, this person will buy more expensive alcohol, and will purchase a bit bigger quantity of the escaping drug that he or she was introduced to very recently. This formerly very responsible person will manage to rip through the "GR" money, and will find out through the "homeless underground" how to now sell their food stamps for cash, to earn a few more dollars.
In the next article, We will discuss the second and subsequent cycles of homelessness and addiction, and will start to reveal some techniques that are just now beginning to show promise when approaching the homeless population for getting them off the streets and into services!
Author: RB Wiseman
"RB" Wiseman is the Founder of the Policy Institute on Homelessness and Addiction Studies in Los Angeles California, he currently is completing his masters degree is Metaphysical Science with the emphasis on Metaphysical psychology.
Mr. Wiseman is a paramount force in the fields of homelessness and addictions study. RB currently works with rehabilitation centers and specialists developing new curriculum for overcoming addiction based behavior, as well as working with Drug and Alcohol educators in teaching positive and creative thinking, motivational self thinking, and action based momentum for the addict personality. RB is due to complete his first book in 2009, which deals with spiritual guidance and meditation specifically for the addictive personality.
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Alcohol Detox
April 19th, 2009
Alcohol Detox And Its Benefits
It has been seen that alcohol detox is considered to be one of the best options for getting rid of your addiction to alcohol. Basically alcohol detox implies the elimination and removal of alcohol from the body of an alcoholic, which is brought about by abstinence from alcohol. Alcohol detox also includes medication, and altering the diet of the patient along with support from friends and family so that they can remain committed on the same for a longer time.
Through the alcohol detox you can be ensured that the liver and kidneys would be able to normally carry out detoxification in the body. And in hardened alcoholics there are also options for alternative detoxification processes because they are the ones which are the most difficult to detox. There are various methods for alcohol detox and these include detoxification procedures that can be done at home but applies to the people where the alcohol consumption is moderate.
Alcohol Detox – Just the Beginning of Alcohol Treatment
Alcohol detox is only the first step towards recovery from alcoholism. In an alcohol detox program, all that has been accomplished is the elimination of alcohol from the body, the management of alcohol withdrawal symptoms and the development of a foundation for your future recovery. The real work must follow and comes in resolving the core issues surrounding why you continue to drink, despite all of the negative consequences. Research shows, that people who only attend alcohol detox, instead of also following through with an alcohol rehab program, will most likely end up in relapse.
The average length of time you spend in an alcohol detox program is between three to seven days. Alcohol detox can be completed safely and effectively in any residential alcohol treatment program. If you are using drugs in conjunction with alcohol, it is imperative that this information is shared with the treating physician. These additional drugs can drastically alter the alcohol detox protocol designed for you, which is the tool used to manage your alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Read more about Alcohol Abuse and Rehab Solutions.
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Drug Addiction
April 18th, 2009
Many drug addicts that I have come across often like to play the blame game. You know that? Instead of accepting responsibility for their actions, they blame others. They complained that others lead them into drugs. Now, that is a wrong step towards solving the problem. What you should do or let your loved one do is to accept responsibility for choosing to become an addict. Another problem of many addicts out there is that they don’t agree they have a drug abuse problem. If you don’t agree, then you will be rejecting every effort to get you out of the problem.
Now, what is the solution to the problem of drug addiction? Many people will advise you to check into a rehab center. That is good and highly recommended. But it is actually one of the many solutions. Another way to tackle the problem is to examine the source of the problem.
In other words, you need to know how you got into the problem in the first place. For instance, if you are a teenager, there is a high probability that your friends led you into it. So, the first step to dealing with the problem is to get rid of the friends that led you into the problem. The same thing applies if you have young person involved in drugs. Try and separate him or her from drug addicted friends. I am not saying that is the only solution. I am only saying that that is a step in the right direction. On the other hand, if you are an adult, there is a high probability that situations beyond your control led you into taking comfort in drugs. So, to solve the problem you will need to examine the situations that led you into it. You need to examine what can be done in order to stop yourself resorting to drugs when such situations arise. If you think you cannot solve it alone, it is highly recommended that you seek external help.
It is only when you don’t have solution to the problem of drug addiction even after looking at the source and taking the first step to solving the problem that you should take a look at the idea of checking into a drug rehab center. Many of these centers exist around you. However, you need to look before you leap. Make sure that the center is reliable and has the necessary facilities to help you or a loved one get out of drug addiction.
Author: Ras Reed
Ras Reed provide more useful information on Drug And Alcohol Rehab and Drug And Alcohol Rehab Centers on his website.
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Rehab Drug
April 15th, 2009
At some point in each person’s life he or she is given a talk about drugs and alcohol and the effects that both can have. Most of us were taught in school health classes that the effects of drugs and alcohol can be emotional as well as physical and can have a big impact on the people who surround us as well as on our individual bodies. While this is certainly true, what most people don’t understand-until they are in the throes of addiction-is just how devastating the physical and emotional affects of drug and alcohol addiction can be.
In drug and alcohol rehab, drug and alcohol addicts will work individually, together and with trained drug and alcohol addiction experts to understand both the physical and emotional demands of overcoming an addiction. The experts in drug rehab programs have helped many clients get sober and they know how to help people cope as they go through withdrawal and face the emotional truths that contributed to their drug and alcohol addictions.
Physical Effects of Alcohol and Drug Addiction
As a person falls deeper and deeper into the throes of alcohol addiction and drug addiction, their friends and family will start to notice that the addict is physically changing. Internally your body will be dealing with intense cravings for the addict’s drug of choice (or any drug at all, depending on the addiction). Outwardly, a drug addict can display any (or all) of the following symptoms:
- Bloody noses
– Coughing for no reason
– Lack of coordination or unexplainable drowsiness
– Irregular pupil size
– Eyes moving back and forth rapidly and unable to focus on anything
– Bloodshot or red eyes
– Smokey smell or other drug smells on clothing
– Physical marks on the skin (track marks, rashes, etc)
– Inability to sit still
– Incessant scratching or rubbing
– Infection on the skin
– Drug paraphernalia in pockets or usually within close proximity to the person
– Hair loss
– Excessive carefulness of one’s appearance and behavior when the person usually isn’t quite so meticulous (could be a sign of a cover up)
Emotional Effects of Alcohol and Drug Addiction
Emotional effects of drug and alcohol addiction aren’t always as obvious as the physical effects can be. The truth is that drug and alcohol addictions are usually closely related to an emotional issue that has existed for quite a while. While it is true that an addiction can be physical-the triggers for that addiction are usually emotional. Here are some of the emotional effects a drug addiction can have, both on the addict and the people in an addict’s life:
- Increased feelings of loneliness and ostracism
– Increased irritability
– Increased fatigue
– Unexplainable anxiety
– Inability to concentrate
– Feelings of abandonment (for both the addict and the people in the addict’s life)
– Stress from strained relationships
– Fear that the addiction is out of control
– Fear of rejection if addiction is discovered
– Fear that even if the addict gets sober, they will no longer be accepted by their social circle
– Anger at people who "don’t get it"
In a drug and alcohol rehab, both the person with the addiction and the people surrounding the addict will go through counseling sessions to help face and deal with the emotional ramifications of alcohol or drug addiction. Experts agree that these sessions are imperative for the addict’s continued sobriety once his or her time in drug rehab has finished and he (or she) has to stay sober in the "regular world." The experts and therapists can also help an addict cope with the physical addiction to drugs and alcohol and the withdrawal process the addict will deal with after being admitted to the center.
The truth is that drug addiction is neither all physical nor entirely emotional. The staff in most drug rehabilitation centers understand and work with you to deal with all aspects of overcoming addiction and living a sober life.
Author: Matt Brindisi
And now I invite you to Transformations Drug Treatment. You are important. You can change your life. You deserve it. Please call me, Matthew Brindisi, right now at 866-211-5538 and speak to me or one of my staff. Learn more about Transformations Treatment Center today.
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