Alcohol and the Alcohol and the DiseaseDisease

AlcoholismAlcoholism Over 100,000 deaths per year in Over 100,000 deaths per year in

the U.S. due to alcohol and the U.S. due to alcohol and alcoholismalcoholism

Of all stress related diseases Of all stress related diseases treated by doctors, 60% are treated by doctors, 60% are alcohol relatedalcohol related

ALCOHOLISM IS A DISEASE!!ALCOHOLISM IS A DISEASE!! It is incurableIt is incurable, progressive and , progressive and

leads to loss of control. 35 to 36 leads to loss of control. 35 to 36 untreated die of the disease, untreated die of the disease, while 4-5 treated recoverwhile 4-5 treated recover

AlcoholismAlcoholism There is a genetic There is a genetic

as well as an as well as an environmental environmental cause to cause to alcoholismalcoholism

The thing you The thing you need to remember need to remember is… is… If you don’t If you don’t drink you will not drink you will not develop alcoholismdevelop alcoholism

Alcoholism actively Alcoholism actively destroys brain destroys brain cells.cells.

AlcoholismAlcoholism Alcoholism runs in familiesAlcoholism runs in families. Look at . Look at

your family tree to see if it might be your family tree to see if it might be in your own.in your own.

Avg. age of first intoxication in U.S. Avg. age of first intoxication in U.S. is 11 yrs.is 11 yrs.

#1 sign of an alcoholic is high #1 sign of an alcoholic is high tolerancetolerance

Drink, drink and drink and not Drink, drink and drink and not appearing intoxicated is another appearing intoxicated is another sign of alcoholismsign of alcoholism

AlcoholismAlcoholism .2 % blood/alcohol content or higher .2 % blood/alcohol content or higher

and certain organs begin to and certain organs begin to shutdown, the first being your lungs.shutdown, the first being your lungs.

Check out p. 382 in text.Check out p. 382 in text. An individual who begins to drink An individual who begins to drink

despite consequences is a sign of despite consequences is a sign of alcoholismalcoholism

Women are just as likely as men to Women are just as likely as men to become an alcoholicbecome an alcoholic

AlcoholismAlcoholism Alcoholics are incapable of being Alcoholics are incapable of being

rationalrational When a person becomes an When a person becomes an

alcoholic, they stop alcoholic, they stop maturingmaturing, i.e. , i.e. a 35 yr. old alcoholic could have a 35 yr. old alcoholic could have the maturity of a 15 yr. old (the the maturity of a 15 yr. old (the time they began drinking)time they began drinking)

A rule of thumb is that it takes 5 A rule of thumb is that it takes 5 years to get sober and 5 years to years to get sober and 5 years to figure out what to dofigure out what to do

The CAGE TESTThe CAGE TEST Have you ever felt you Have you ever felt you

should cut back?should cut back? Have you gotten angry at Have you gotten angry at

someone questioning your someone questioning your drinking?drinking?

Have you ever felt guilty Have you ever felt guilty about alcohol use?about alcohol use?

Have you ever felt to Have you ever felt to crack on open in the crack on open in the morning?morning?

Any two “yes” means you Any two “yes” means you need further investigation.need further investigation.

AlcoholismAlcoholism““Alcoholics drink because Alcoholics drink because they are alcoholics. They they are alcoholics. They don’t drink because they don’t drink because they have problems, problems have problems, problems they have are because they have are because they drink.”they drink.”

AlcoholismAlcoholism People who are alcoholics often People who are alcoholics often

do not want relationships. They do not want relationships. They want someone who supports want someone who supports their drinking habit.their drinking habit.

Understand this, alcohol is their Understand this, alcohol is their best and only friend. best and only friend.

Alcoholic personalities are very Alcoholic personalities are very difficult to understanddifficult to understand

AlcoholismAlcoholismAlcoholics often use their Alcoholics often use their career status to justify career status to justify and/or rationalize their and/or rationalize their drinking.drinking.

Alcohol is the biggest cause Alcohol is the biggest cause of dysfunctional families of dysfunctional families and violent crimeand violent crime..

Alcoholics AnonymousAlcoholics Anonymous

The most effective treatment The most effective treatment known for alcohol abuse.known for alcohol abuse.

www.alcoholics-anonymous.orwww.alcoholics-anonymous.orgg

The 12 Suggested Steps of Alcoholics AnonymousThe 12 Suggested Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous We admitted we were powerless over alcohol--that our lives had become We admitted we were powerless over alcohol--that our lives had become

unmanageable. unmanageable. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we

understood Him. understood Him. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of

our wrongs. our wrongs. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to

them all. them all. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so

would injure them or others. would injure them or others. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly

admitted it. admitted it. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with

God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. power to carry that out.

Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

What’s in a DrinkWhat’s in a Drink

Go to page Go to page 375375 in your in your text. Let’s figure this out text. Let’s figure this out together.together.

FactsFacts Alcohol IS A DRUG. It just Alcohol IS A DRUG. It just

happens to be legal.happens to be legal. It is also a depressant.It is also a depressant. FermentationFermentation is the process of is the process of

yeast consuming sugars, which yeast consuming sugars, which creates alcohol and CO2.creates alcohol and CO2.

IntoxicationIntoxication is that state of is that state of impaired mental and physical impaired mental and physical awareness.awareness.