Alcohol is among the most addictive substances in the world, next to heroin, cocaine, and nicotine. Millions of Americans struggle with alcohol—some after their first drink. With so many people falling into the grips of alcoholism, it’s essential to recognize how addictive alcohol is to avoid falling into a pattern of alcohol abuse. For many, […]
How Addictive Is Alcohol? Read More »
Alcohol abuse and alcoholism can cause serious medical and mental health problems, which can shorten your life expectancy and diminish your overall quality of life. Because alcoholism leads to significant neurotransmitter imbalances, alcohol and depression often co-occur. Although alcohol is legal, it is also widely abused because it has the potential to cause both physical
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Like most diseases, alcoholism occurs over several months or years. Sometimes it can take so long to develop the addiction to alcohol that you don’t notice the stages of alcoholism as they are occurring. The main reason is that you and those around you grow accustomed to your behavior. While moderate drinking isn’t a cause
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Triggers are often internal or emotional reactions to external situations or environments. Triggers can occur at any time without warning. For this reason, they often catch people off guard. This surprise can be devastating for someone trying to break their addiction but falls prey to common relapse triggers of which they may not be aware.
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Your genetic structure determines a lot of things about you, including your health, physical disposition, psychology, and behavior. As such, your behavioral traits influence your thinking and behavior. Part of your behavior may include your predisposition to abuse drugs or alcohol. So is alcoholism hereditary? While genes alone do not determine if you will become
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Researchers are interested in and are beginning to understand why physical activity is associated with addiction recovery. In the broadest terms, we know that exercise is good for our bodies and that our brains are part of those bodies. So it makes sense that exercise would positively affect a brain condition like addiction. Whatever the
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The importance of gut health is hard to overstate. Most of us are familiar with the bloating, burning, nausea and general discomfort that can come from stomach issues. But what about the effects of alcohol on gut health? There’s much more to the story, though. The food we eat that keeps us functioning is broken
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Alcohol abuse may look different in a middle-aged or senior adult than it does in a teenager. There are physical and psychological signs, and some may be mistaken for symptoms related to aging. Here are some things to look for: Drinking frequently or in large amounts is one of the most obvious signs of a
Your Parent and Alcohol Abuse Read More »
It’s not easy to realize and accept that alcohol abuse has become part of your partner’s life. Are they a functioning alcoholic? You may see it more quickly than your partner does. You may recognize that drinking is increasing in frequency and amount. Your partner may seem irritable or nervous when they haven’t had a
Is Your Partner a Functioning Alcoholic? 4 Helpful Tips Read More »
When you think of alcohol abuse, what comes to mind? Your understanding of alcoholism might miss people who hide their harmful alcohol use. A person you know could be hiding their alcoholism in plain sight. Many people with alcoholism have jobs and parenting responsibilities. They take part in society and may include people you would
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