Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Alcoholic Losers Or Victims of Innocence?

The explanation that follows is not meant in any way to mock or jab the real alcoholic. Although the language used is blunt, it is written with words which best portray the common characteristics of an everyday drunk. Because alcoholism is often referred to as the disease of denial, active alcoholics would find it difficult to find words to explain or even acknowledge their illness. Hopefully, this accurate assessment will help some problem drinkers identify the severity of their malady.

alcoholic drinks

So powerful is its grip on the victim, the alcoholic mind manages to convince drunks the world over that they need the 'high' in order to function! Furthermore, a typical drunk has such a warped psyche that they believe there is nothing in their life today that sustained sobriety can possibly make better. More often than not, the one with the drinking problem not only turns his or her life upside-down, but they have a tendency to drag anyone who's close to them into their pitiable turmoil too.

ALCOHOLIC

The world of a chronic alcoholic is one of rampant self. Most display self centred, self seeking egotistical behaviour more often than not! Many say that these folks are nothing more than the alcoholic losers of the twenty first century! Weak willed souls who have given up on life and who live only for the bottle. Others with more compassion would say they are simply lost victims of innocence. Ill-fated individuals who have fallen prey to a fatal disease.

Whatever other people's views are on the alcoholic, the problem today is so great that just about everyone on the planet knows someone, or knows of someone, who has major issues with drink. It's simply one of mankind's modern day curses. Alcoholics are riddled with inferiority, even though they themselves may not know it. Most have a negative image of themselves, which probably explains why they're always on the defensive and at wars with the world. Nothing is ever their fault! Everything would be just fine if only the world would leave them alone and agree with everything they say!

Alcoholic Losers Love to Gossip!

Alcoholic types love to gossip too. So long as they are focusing on the faults of others, they don't have to work on their own shortcomings. It's a common trait of drunks to ignore their own misgivings by zooming in on the seeming inadequacies of anyone but themselves. Often referred to as egomaniacs with inferiority complexes, the stereotypical alcoholic is self-centred to the extreme and become impossible to be around, let alone live with. In the mind of a true alcoholic, nothing is ever their fault!

Alcoholic Losers Love to Resent!

According to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), one of the biggest problems their members face is that of resentment. It is said that resentments destroy more alcoholics than any other cause. The reason they resent so much is, once again, to focus on the defects of others so that they don't have to look at their own faults. Their mind is often twisted to such an extent that they find it impossible to separate the false from the real. A life filled with resentment and loathing can never be productive and fruitful.

There is a solution!

After reading the above, you might think that the everyday alcoholic is destined to a life of unequalled misery and an early grave. Some reading this might also think that the term 'loser' is a little harsh, but is it? Loosely translated, loser simply means a person with a record of failing. If trashing your god given life and making the lives of those around you a misery isn't classed as failing, then pray tell what is? The good news is that it doesn't have to be this way. Many alcoholics can and do recover from their once seemingly helpless condition of body and mind, but only when they throw in the towel and admit to their problem with booze.

Above are just some of the common character defects of a typical drunk, but there are many more. Alcoholics are not necessarily born as awful people. They didn't ask to be this way, but once in the grip of king alcohol, they get caught in a downward spiral and over time emerge with distorted minds. About 1 in 10 people are said to be alcoholic or borderline alcoholic, but many started out just like everyone else, as moderate, temperate, social drinkers. For some reason, some of us end up in the grip of what is recognised as a progressive illness. A condition which only gets worse over time if left untreated!

The alcoholic who is able to put aside that false pride and reach out for help when life becomes totally unmanageable, is indeed the lucky one. Talk to many 'recovering' alcoholics, and most are brimming with gratitude. They have managed to untangle their minds and gone on to live a life beyond their wildest dreams. Those who are able to stop and stay stopped have transformed their attitude and outlook on life from one of darkness and discord, to one of light and relative harmony.

Alcoholic Losers Or Victims of Innocence?

ALCOHOLIC

Hepatitis Cure - How to Treat Your Liver Naturally

Many doctors will tell you that there is no permanent hepatitis cure. Apart from conventional drugs which just cover up the symptoms, the medical community has very little to offer. The good news is that a new natural approach to treating this dreadful illness is showing promising results without the side effects of dangerous drugs.

A natural hepatitis cure brings your internal environment back into balance by eliminating toxins from your body, boosting your immune system, quelling inflammation and repairing damaged cells.

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Diet is at the forefront of treating hepatitis. You need to eat a diet rich in raw vegetables and fruits. Drink "green juices" rich in chlorophyll like those made from broccoli, parsley, cabbage and celery. The addition of some carrot or beetroot juice will sweeten the juice and boost its healing powers.

Avoid alcohol, sugar, highly processed foods and excess fats, especially trans fatty acids like those found in margarine and processed foods. Avoid drugs that have not been prescribed by your doctor.

Herbs like dandelion, golden seal and milk thistle, to name just a few, act to rebuild and repair the liver. There are many more powerful herbs that specifically target liver viruses. Nutrients like the B complex and the antioxidants normalise liver function and protect it from further damage. They are an essential part of a permanent hepatitis cure.

You need to find an exercise routine that you enjoy. Regular exercise is one of the corner stones of a hepatitis cure as it stimulates blood flow to the liver, providing healing nutrients and carrying away fats and toxins.

Stress management like relaxation and adequate sleep is part of a hepatitis cure. Stress is often the trigger for viral infections like hepatitis to take hold. You also need a good night's sleep in order for your body to produce enough growth hormone - your body's repair hormone.

If you or a loved one are suffering from the nausea, fatigue, fever, liver pain, headache or muscle aches often seen in this nasty disease, then a natural hepatitis cure may be the answer you are looking for. It can give you the peace of mind and freedom to permanently eliminate liver problems from your life and re-claim the full life you deserve.

Hepatitis Cure - How to Treat Your Liver Naturally

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Monday, December 5, 2011

Rehab Psychology - How to Help an Alcoholic Get Into Rehab

Very often when an alcoholic has reached their lowest point, their so-called bottom, they will only then be ready to enter a drug rehab facility. Why is this? Why must an alcoholic be humbled before they are willing to ask for help. It is not because they do not want it. In fact, the alcoholic or drug addict generally will do anything to change the path that they are on. The reason the alcoholic does not ask for help sooner is because he or she believes that they can do it themselves.

alcoholics anonymous

This is not entirely a bad thing. After all we live in a culture were self-reliance is considered a much desired attribute. And alcoholics, as a group, tend to have a healthy sense of pride. The fact of the matter entering rehab can be considered a person's greatest failure. It is them admitting that they can not succeed at life without help.

ALCOHOLIC

Or at least that is how it often is seen. Because the alcoholic, in addition to having a healthy ego also carries with them a strong feeling of shame. It is an embarrassment that they have messed up their life. They feel it and it wears on them. But, the fact of the matter, is the alcoholic has not failed. As anyone with any experience can attest, the alcoholic who has found sobriety sits on an entirely different perch than the individual who has yet to admit their drinking problem. An alcoholic with some sobriety or clean time under their belt views their condition as a disease that they were powerless to control. And they see their so-called bottom as an inevitability that allowed them to reach a healthier place in life. It was, indeed, a necessary evil.

So, the key to convincing an alcoholic to get help is to let them fail. If a person (usually a family member or girlfriend/boyfriend) is propping them up, what we call enabling) then it can take the addict that much longer to reach the place where they realize they can not achieve sobriety on their own. They must ask for help, and usually as a result of this, they find themselves in a drug and alcohol treatment center or rehab. In rehab the alcoholic learns of the disease of alcoholism and comes to regard themselves as person who can be redeemed.. No matter how far down they have fallen, they will see new ways in which they can find meaning in their life.

So, returning to enabling, the question becomes, how can the addict realize that he or she can not overcome alcoholism alone when they have not been allowed to fail. It becomes critical for the family and the friends of the alcoholic to stop covering up, stop providing money, and stop taking actions to abet the using behavior. Usually, what happens when an alcoholic is cut off they quickly enter a downward spiral and within a short time, are finally willing to accept outside help. Now, you will need to explain to your loved one that you will support them in going into treatment. This is important because it is possible that they can become so overwhelmed if they see no way out that they will consider doing something to harm themselves. But once you've made the rehab option available you need to get out of the way and allow them to fail to a certain degree.

This may seem harsh, but the key to getting your loved one to go to rehab is to let them see that so long as alcohol and drugs remain a part of their lives, they will not be successful. They will not achieve a sense of fulfillment and will not get the help that they need. In the end, if you allow them to realize what they need on their own, then the results will be far greater for the alcoholic or addict and his or her family as well.

Rehab Psychology - How to Help an Alcoholic Get Into Rehab

ALCOHOLIC

Natural Hepatitis Treatments - 3 Ways to Reclaim Your Liver Health

Natural hepatitis treatment is showing promising results in relieving debilitating liver symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fatigue, fever, abdominal pain, jaundice, headache and aching joints and muscles.

Your liver is the largest internal organ in your body and one of the most hard-working. Its roles include filtering the blood, removing toxins, releasing bile to help digest fats, breaking down hormones and producing immune factors.

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

When hit by hepatitis, the liver becomes inflamed. The major cause of this disease is a viral infection like Type A, B and C Hepatitis, the Epstein Barr virus (that causes mononucleosis), CMV and yellow fever. Alcohol and drugs are implicated in some cases.

The aim of natural hepatitis treatment is to reduce or stop the viruses from multiplying and destroying your liver. If alcohol or drugs are involved, then these will be need to be eliminated in order to give the liver a chance to heal.

Natural hepatitis treatment consists of 3 easy steps:

1) Anti-viral remedies

Powerful anti-viral remedies are at the forefront of effective hepatitis treatment. Scientific studies are revealing nutrients and herbs that specifically work against liver viruses and help the liver to heal. Milk thistle, dandelion and artichoke are examples of liver herbs that can repair and rebuild the liver.

Certain vegetables and fruits, like broccoli, cabbage, carrot and beetroot offer anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting benefits. Juicing these fruits and vegetables can accelerate the healing process by flushing out toxins that are over burdening the liver. The foods and remedies recommended for natural hepatitis treatment are affordable and easily available from health food shops and grocers.

2) Body cleansing

A clean internal cell environment, free of toxins, acids and microbes, is essential to keep chronic illnesses like hepatitis at bay. When your cells are full of toxins, your immune system shuts down and leaves you exposed to viruses, bacteria and fungal infections. To get off the cycle of chronic infection, hepatitis treatment must cleanse the body and regenerate your cells so that microbes cannot get a hold.

A breakthrough diet that changes your body's internal environment to one of vibrant health is the fastest, most effective way to cleanse your body. This diet is based around an abundance of healing vegetables, fruits, quality protein, essential fats, whole grains and pure water.

3) Stress Management and Relaxation

It is a fact that stress and worry can lower immune health and leave you exposed to infections. Relaxation techniques that calm your mind, ease tension and give you a good night's sleep, can release the effects of stress on your body.

A regular exercise program that makes working out easy and enjoyable will accelerate your results. Walking, swimming, cycling, playing competitive sport or dancing are all good choices. As well as helping your stress, exercise helps boost circulation to the liver to flush out excess fats.

The benefits of a natural approach to hepatitis treatment is that you can eliminate your infection permanently without dangerous drugs and unwanted side effects. You also get the freedom of living a life without constant doctors appointments, surgery and hospital visits. If you or a loved one are suffering from this dreadful illness, then natural hepatitis treatment may be the answer you have been looking for.

Natural Hepatitis Treatments - 3 Ways to Reclaim Your Liver Health

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Hepatitis - Low Cost Drugs in Pakistan

Hepatitis is fatal disease of liver and in Pakistan there are millions of hepatitis patients. The hepatitis drugs are very expensive and ordinary poor Pakistani can not afford them and died as result. A large batch of interferon injection produced indigenously by researchers in Pakistan for the poor patients of hepatitis will expire in December 2010 due to indifference attitude of authorities. Research work was done at the Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMP) and Allama Iqbal Medical College (AIMC) in 2008 where interferon was replicated to reduce the cost of hepatitis.

Hepatitis C is the number one killer disease in Pakistan and infected predominantly, if not exclusively the poor and middle-class people. The group cloned interferon injection to make it available in the local market at the price far lower than that of imported vials of the injection.

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Import bill of interferon was Rs 1.1 billion in 2005, Rs 1.4 billion in 2006 and Rs. 3 billion in 2009. Despite the massive spending only five per cent of hepatitis patients got properly diagnosed and treated while 90% died. Recently all the brands are beyond the reach of poor people.

The proposal for indigenous production of interferon has been pending with the federal ministry of health and the Pakistan medical research council (PMRC). If delay persists, 100000 interferon injections produced a couple of years ago will expire next month, resulting in the wastage of research effort and material resources.

Hepatitis C patient had to take three injections per week and the treatment continued for 6 to 18 months, depending on the intensity of the virus. On an average, the diagnosis and follow-up cost more than Rs 50000 per patient, with total cost of treatment often amounting to Rs 150,000. a dose of local interferon cost Rs 70 whereas the price of the imported medicine was Rs 6000 to 9000.

A researcher said that if and when this research, which led to the indigenous production of 18 imported pharmaceutical proteins, was allowed to reach the poor patient, Pakistan would benefit greatly in the shape of foreign exchange savings and minimising the suffering of millions.

Lahore High Court on 12 November 2010 issued notice after petition filed that health ministry be directed not to create hurdles in the production of locally produced hepatitis medicine. Justice sought a written reply form secretaries of health and science and technology and executive director of the Pakistan Medical Research Council.

This is really depressing situation because in Pakistan there are more than 12 million patients of Hepatitis and government is not doing enough for those people. Now, when researches successfully made a low cost medicine for poor, indifferent attitude of government machinery not allowing them to use.

Hepatitis - Low Cost Drugs in Pakistan

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Alcohol and Cancer Relation

Alcohol intake is found to be a factor that increases the risk of a number of cancers. Any one or all of these risk factors, when combined together can be life-threatening for the affected person. These can be diagnosed as a result of excessive consumption of alcohol, especially for a prolonged period, as the studies reveal. The organs that may get cancer are:

Mouth, throat, Pharynx and larynx Breast Liver Colon and rectum(Colorectal) Stomach Ovary Lung Esophagus

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Brief description is given here about a few of them.

Mouth, pharynx and larynx

The U.S National Cancer Institute has warned that alcohol drinking leads to mouth, esophageal, pharynx, larynx and liver cancer in women as well as men. Women can develop this serious disorder if they consume one drink (12 ounces for beer, 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor, 5 ounces for wine) per day. For men it is two servings daily. Some of the important facts every one must be well aware of are that:

The risk for esophageal tumor is doubled in alcohol drunks in the first two years. However after a long duration of abstinence from drinking, there is a considerable reduction in the risk for getting lumps.
Every additional drink consumed daily by an individual, increases the occurrence of oral cavity and pharynx tumor by 1 per thousand (1/1000). While the incidence of esophagus and larynx cancer is 0.7 per thousand (0.7/1000)

Breast

This is now evident that breast tumors have a strong link with an excessive and alcohol intake on regular basis. The women who are habitual of taking alcohol daily have 8% higher risk of getting cancer of the breast. Every additional drink per day the incidences of this disease goes to 11 per thousand (11/1000). Regrettably, about 6% of this disorder occurred in UK annually can be prevented with a reduced drinking level (about 1 unit per week).

Liver

As you know, alcohol causes cirrhosis of the liver that in turn leads to the development of a tumor inside this vital organ. Drinking heavily forms scar in the liver that is a symptom of cirrhosis. About 5% of people with the scars get cancer and hepatic cells are badly damaged by drugs especially alcohol. Taking five or more drinks every day increases the chances of this disease to a considerable extent, according to several researches conducted by National Cancer Institute (NCI). Chances go up to 0.7 per 1000 with every additional drink taken on daily basis. In U.S the statistics for liver cancer causes are:

61% by HCC 13% by HCV( hepatitis C virus) 18 % by excessively high alcohol intake

It is the single most cause of this serious disease in Brescia, a province in northern Italy.

Colorectal

The evidence can be given from the following health organizations that have included alcohol in the list or risk factors for the cancer of colon and rectum. These are:

American cancer society Cancer Research National Cancer Institute National institute of health American society of Clinical oncology Colorectal cancer coalition and Memorial Sloan-Kettering cancer center

Stomach

There is a significant increase in the number of stomach cancer patients who got it because of heavy drinking for a longer time. The danger is high especially who are chain smokers too besides being drunks. According to a study, tobacco smoking can cause gastric cancer and alcohol consumption may promote the already worse condition.

Ovary

There can be an increase in the incidence of epithelial ovarian cancer to a small extent, among women consuming 40 grams or more every day. But the studies are ongoing to fully understand the mechanism and the link between the two.

Alcohol and Cancer Relation

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Alcohol Abuse and Related Illnesses

Even though statistics vary from nation to nation, alcohol related illnesses are still a major cause of mortality. How does alcohol abuse kill people? The following result from long-term alcohol addiction:

Nervous System

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

It is estimated that three to four out of every ten men have experienced alcohol blackout when they were teenagers or in their twenties. This comes as a result of too much drinking which results in memory loss regarding spacio-temporal orientation. A popular effect of alcohol is sleep disturbance resulting in reduced overall sleep quality. Numbness as well as tingling may be felt in the arms and legs. Korsakoff's and Wernicke's syndrome may be experienced together or separately. The culprit for both are low thiamine levels. (a type of vitamin B complex) present in alcohol. Korsakoff's syndrome affects the memory severely and prevents new learning from taking place while Wernicke's syndrome results to very poor balance, difficulty in walking and disordered eye movements.

Gastrointestinal system

Loosening of the muscular ring is also one of alcohol related illnesses. It prevents the re-entrance of the contents of the stomach to the esophagus. Stomach acids flows into the esophagus and causes bleeding and pain. Stomach inflammation may also be the culprit for decreased appetite and pain and bleeding. Severe, uncontrollable bleeding comes as a result of bloated dilated blood vessels within the esophagus also known as esophageal varices. Hemorrhaging as well as bursting may develop from this as a response to liver disease. Diarrhea is one of the common symptoms due to the effect of alcohol on the pancreas. Pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas are also alcohol related illnesses. A malnourished state is likewise created by alcohol which prevents the absorption of nutrients. As the liver is where metabolism of alcohol takes place, it is also affected by constant levels of alcohol. The liver is enlarged and fatty liver results. Fibrous scar tissue also known as cirrhosis impede the normal structure and function of the liver. The organ may also be inflamed (hepatitis).

Blood

Changes in blood cell types are also considered as alcohol related illnesses. Red blood cells are inflamed or abnormally enlarged. White blood cell reduction results in a weakened immune system as these are the cells that fight infections. Alcoholics Increased risk of having cancer is blamed on this factor. Platelets as well as blood clotting factors increase which in turn results to increased risk of bleeding.

Heart

Fluctuating blood pressure is also an alcohol related illness. Increased alcohol intake causes increased blood pressure even if small amounts cause a drop in blood pressure. High levels of fat in the bloodstream is also a coronary risk factor. Higher risk of stroke is also blamed on heavy drinking as a blood clot goes to the circulatory system from the heart to the brain and blocks a blood vessel there. You can also expect blood clot risk in heart chambers, weakened heart muscles and enlargement of the heart.

Reproductive System

Alcohol related illnesses likewise find link to the reproductive system. Alcohol decreases the size of the testicle as well as ovary and interferes with egg and sperm production which then causes reduced fertility in both species. A mother who is alcoholic also puts her child at great risk of developing fetal alcohol syndrome. You can expect the child to have facial defect, lower IQ as well as behavioral problems.

Alcohol Abuse and Related Illnesses

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS