10 Daily Practices for a Successful Addiction Recovery

In early addiction recovery, getting into some type of daily routine can be very beneficial to staying sober long-term.  For many addicts who have just finished treatment at their addiction treatment centre, 'real life' can seem very scary. And too much free, unscheduled time can lead to thoughts about using again. And while it is important not to over schedule yourself, creating unneeded stress in your life, it is good to have daily routines that will assist you on your road to recovery.

Your Daily Rituals for Successful Addiction Recovery

It is true that not every method works for every person, but the following daily activities will most definitely help any recovering addict stay sober — especially when incorporated within the first year of recovery.

                      

1. Make your bed.

This may sound like a silly, overly-simple task that should have nothing to do with recovery. But in fact, making your bed each morning has many benefits for all people, not just those in addiction recovery. Firstly, it gives you a sense of accomplishment, giving you a 'feel-good' boost throughout the day. Being able to stick to a simple task such as making your bed each day, and seeing the positive effect that just a moment of your time can make on the rest of your day, you will be inclined to pick up other habits such as putting your dirty laundry in the hamper instead of on the floor. Plus, it feels so much nicer to climb into a well-made bed at night instead of a messy one.

2. Remind yourself to be grateful.

Each and every day, take a photo of something that made you feel grateful and upload it into an album. Whether it is a beautiful sunset, a photo of your friend that you went to dinner with or a bird you saw chilling in the park. Finding something each and every day to be thankful for will help you find the good in even the worst of days and help you keep a positive outlook on life. Plus, it will be a great way for you to look back on your life in years to come.

3. Go for a walk.

Whether you go for a walk around the neighbourhood, head to the gym or take a dance lesson, incorporating some type of physical activity into each day is important. Physical activity has incredible healing powers for the mind, body and soul and will accelerate your progress in addiction recovery if you let it.

4. Meditate.

Mindfulness meditation has been proven to increase chances of long-term sobriety for those in addiction recovery by giving addicts the tools necessary to take life one moment at a time. When you live life in the moment, you will experience much less stress and anxiety because you rid yourself of worrying and negative thought processes. Just 10-15 minutes of mindfulness meditation can increase your chances of a successful addiction recovery.

5. Talk to someone.

Hang out with people you love. Have dinner with a fellow recovering addict. Whatever you do, reach out and connect to someone who is important to you each and every day. Sharing things such as how your day went and how you are generally feeling will help you keep from bottling feelings inside, causing unwanted stress and anxiety. Plus, if they are having a bad day it feels great to be someone who can help cheer them up too.

6. Make lists.

Every night before bed, write down your schedule for the next day. Make a list of things that need to be done, and then schedule them. The more structure you have to your days, the less likely you are to run into stress by forgetting to do things or running out of time. Stress is one of the most significant relapse triggers, so anything that keeps stress at bay is helpful in addiction recovery.

7. Eat right and hydrate.

Food is fuel for your body. And just as you would only put the highest grade of petrol in your car, you should only put the highest grade of food in you! Eating right and staying hydrated by drinking lots of water will not only relieve stress, but it will make you feel great from the inside out – ready to conquer each and every day!

8. Do something you enjoy.

Reserve at least 20 minutes of each day to do something that relaxes you. Whether it is painting a picture, reading a book, or doing a crossword puzzle, it is important to take time each and every day to just let yourself go. 

9. Make meetings a priority.

Meetings are important. Whether you are feeling down, recovering from a cold or simply do not feel like going to your recovery meeting – just go. Especially in early recovery, it is important to keep up with meetings. Read “Do I Need Recovery Meetings to Stay Sober?” for more information.

10. Remind yourself why you are in addiction recovery.

Last but definitely not least, take a moment each day to remember the reasons that you are in addiction recovery in the first place. Why is getting and staying sober important to you? Write a list and keep it on your mirror or in your wallet and take a look at it each and every day.

Living Sober in Addiction Recovery

It is important to remember that addiction recovery will be most difficult in the beginning. But over time, if you incorporate all of these daily practices, and anything else that you find calming into your daily life, you can achieve success in recovery.

Shafa Home is country’s premier organization for treatment of alcohol/drug problems, de-addiction, rehabilitation, counseling, treatment for females, nasha mukti, psychiatric disorders and secondary addictions like gambling, internet etc.

(These articles are the sole property of “The Cabin Chiang Mai”, they are its original authors.)

10 WAYS HOW LIFE GETS BETTER WHEN YOU ARE LIVING SOBER

In early addiction recovery you are probably still struggling to imagine what life will be like without your addiction. Living sober is new and awkward, but it is also incredibly rewarding. Whatever benefits you thought you gained from consuming drugs and alcohol will be put to shame as you discover that nothing compares to the benefits gained from living sober. Here are just 10 examples of the many ways sober living will make your life great. 10 Ways Living Sober Improves Your Life

1. Relationships improve.

Once you are sober you will be able to form and maintain healthier relationships. If you are a parent this is a huge area where living sober will positively affect your life and those around you. It may take some time to rebuild healthy relationships with your children, but you will no doubt be a more patient, present, and positive parent.

You will also become a better friend. You will have more time to devote to nurturing meaningful relationships, plus you will probably become more reliable and honest. As you get to know yourself in recovery you will know what kind of things interest you and will find friends who enjoy the same. Sober friendships are likely to be the most nurturing and fulfilling relationships you have ever had.

2. Your memory improves.

No more forgetting and missing out on important events, like your kids' birthdays. No more waking up full of shame and regret as you wonder what happened the night before. When you are living sober you get to remember everything. You are more aware of the finer details in life — like a stranger's smile, or a newly blossomed flower. Plus, becoming sober will give you the mental clarity to discover your personal passions and accomplish your goals.

3. You look better.

Once you stop poisoning your body with toxins, your complexion will inevitably look better. Blemishes clear, wrinkles lose some of their definition, and dark circles are minimized. Some people find that once they start living sober they look 10 years younger. But it is not a superficial benefit. When we look better, we inevitably feel better about ourselves. All the other benefits of a sober life will also have you smiling more — which definitely keeps you looking great.

4. You can maintain a healthy weight.

Many in recovery report initial weight regulation as a benefit to living sober. When you stop consuming empty alcohol calories, and participating in drunken binge-eating episodes, you naturally lose weight. If you were underweight due to a substance abuse disorder your weight is also likely to return to a healthier level once sober. This will help you feel better physically and reduce your risk for weight-related health complications.

5. You have more money.

Living sober will leave you with extra money that you otherwise spent on fuelling your alcohol or drug addiction. It is an automatic savings plan. With more money you can pay off debts, save for larger purchases, and invest in new hobbies. Instead of emptying your bank account regularly and having nothing to show for it you can now spend your money gaining meaningful experiences with people who truly love and care for you. 

6. You have more time.

You probably did not realise exactly how much time you spent thinking about and consuming drugs and alcohol until you stopped. At first having all this extra time can be overwhelming and leave you not knowing what to do. However, it does not take long to realise there is a world of things to do once you are sober. You can use your time to do things like walking your dogs, visiting family and friends, learning something new, and getting more sleep — all of which turn out to be much more rewarding than getting drunk or high.

7. You have more energy.

Constantly feeling tired from sub-par sleep quality is a thing of the past. While at first sleep might be difficult as your body adjusts, once you are sober you will find that your sleep is of a higher quality and you get more of it. Plus, your body will not have to work so hard repairing the damage of drug and alcohol abuse, which frees up its available energy resources. Who does not wish they had more energy in a day? Sobriety will give it to you.

8. You have more fun.

Yes, you will have more fun living sober than intoxicated (even if it does not seem that way at first). With more time, money, and energy the possibilities for fun are endless and never involve a hangover. Your definition of fun will probably change for the better and eventually you will think to yourself “how did I ever think life like that was fun?” Once sober, you are able to play more, you will have a youthful radiance when your laughter is genuine, and you can enjoy the experience of daily life.

9. You gain respect.

When you are sober, you gain respect from others as they acknowledge your commitment to change. You leave a positive impression on people around you through volunteering and helping others. People look up to you and admire your sobriety. When you are sober you are able to follow through with commitments and people will begin to trust you again. Becoming sober is a great display of self-respect as you commit to discontinue the abuse of your body and mind — and when you respect yourself, people are more likely to respect you as well.    

10. You feel good about yourself.

Feeling good about yourself is one of the best gifts sobriety will give you. First of all you can free yourself from the shame and guilt tied to your addictive behaviour. Each day you can be proud of yourself for making it another day in recovery. While increasing your self-esteem will still take some work and does not just magically happen once you enter recovery, living sober will contribute to healthy self-esteem in the long term.

Not convinced yet that life is better when you have got more energy, more time and a clear mind? Or when you get out of bed each day feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day ahead? Then go ahead and watch some of our alumni update stories to see how these real people's lives improved after leaving drug and alcohol rehab.

Shafa Home is country’s premier organization for treatment of alcohol/drug problems, de-addiction, rehabilitation, counseling, treatment for females, nasha mukti , psychiatric disorders and secondary addictions like gambling, internet etc.

(These articles are the sole property of “The Cabin Chiang Mai”, they are its original authors.)

HOW THE ‘SPICE’ DRUG IS KILLING YOUTH

Another synthetic drug is rampaging through India and taking lives with it. Alarmingly, the drug is disguised as a harmless — and often legal — marijuana alternative. Yet as innocent as the name may sound, spice is far from safe.

Alarming Increase in Hospitalizations and Death Caused by Spice Drug

Back in April 2015 police responded to a call that landed three boys in the hospital and one 18 year old high school senior dead after smoking spice. Another 19 year old boy recently fell into a coma after smoking spice and died a few days later. A mother reported her two sons were hospitalized after using the drug and one may have permanent kidney damage — a lifelong side effect that synthetic drugs can cause.

The parents of all the above cases are now advocating to spread awareness about the dangerous and deadly nature of synthetic cannabis. In their grief they state that their children were unaware that they were experimenting with such a dangerous drug. In the first five months of 2015 there were 15 deaths due to spice drug abuse. This is three times as many as were recorded in 2014.

In 2010, there were over 11,000 ER visits due to spice, and while no official total has been published since, many health officials across the globe have issued warnings about increased hospitalizations due to the drug this year. While it is now clear that the drug can cause toxicity and death in its own right, its use can also lead to severe psychosis and has been implicated in a number of deaths by suicide.

What is ‘Spice’?

'Spice' was originally one of many brand names of a synthetic cannabis product. By 2006 spice became the generic street name for all fake marijuana. Like many other synthetic drugs, spice was first legal and sold via the internet, pubs etc. as either an herbal smoking substitute or incense. The spice drug looks like potpourri and is often sold as such with the label 'not for human consumption.' Consumers, however, learned through the grape vine that spice was in fact meant to be smoked to produce a high similar to marijuana.

The story is similar to that of another dangerous drug, bath salts, which was originally sold legally and labelled 'not for human consumption,' but ended up causing cases of drug abuse, bizarre and psychotic behaviour and death. After bath salts, flakka joined the wave of dangerous and deadly synthetic drugs. With spice, the newest synthetic drug causing alarm, people first thought that what they were getting was a harmless mix of herbs with effects similar to that of marijuana. However, analysts found that the spice drug is actually plant material sprayed with various chemical concoctions of man made synthetic cannabinoids. They also found that many packages contained little or none of the harmless herbs that websites advertised.

Synthetic cannabinoids are meant to mimic THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. They are far from natural and the chemicals used can vary widely so consumers do not know exactly what they are getting, and the effects can actually be more potent than that of marijuana. The chemicals, like those of other synthetic drugs, are often made in labs and then sold over the internet. While many of the most common synthetic cannabinoids have now been outlawed, labs are always one step ahead of the law tweaking the compound to create a new drug that will not be detected. The fact that there is no one spice drug, but rather a range of chemicals whose effects have not been tested on humans, makes the drug particularly dangerous. Most experts agree that synthetic marijuana is more dangerous than the real thing. However the public, especially teens and young adults with whom the drug is most popular, is often unaware of the real dangers this drug poses.

The Dangers of Spice Drug Use

The marketing of spice as a harmless natural herb that promises the high of marijuana, without the legal consequences such as a failed drug test, makes it seem like a safe alternative to other drugs. However, in reality, the spice drug is an unlabelled, untested, and unpredictable mix of chemicals that can have devastating consequences and severe side effects.

Spice drug use does produce some feelings of euphoria similar to that of marijuana, but spice drug effects can also induce a wide range of negative reactions including hallucinations, unhealthy heart rates, nausea and vomiting, confusion, extreme paranoia and anxiety, and even death. Because the chemical compounds are constantly changing, when someone presents with symptoms in the emergency room doctors may have a difficult time testing for the drug and knowing what to do to help. As it is still relatively new, there is no research on the long term effects of spice drug use on the brain and body. However, one can assume that with severe short term effects that lead to hospitalizations and death, long-term effects of spice drug use would be detrimental.

Help for Those Struggling with Spice Abuse or Addiction

Synthetic cannabis, or spice, is not simply “fake marijuana” made up of harmless herbs. It is a dangerous, addictive and deadly drug. Use of this drug can also lead to all the social, physical and mental health problems that accompany drug addiction. It is important that parents speak to their children about the drug and inform them of the dangers. If someone you know is currently suffering from addiction to synthetic cannabis or any other type of drug, contact an addiction specialist today to help you determine which type of addiction treatment centre is right for you and get on the road to addiction recovery.

Shafa Home is country’s premier organization for treatment of alcohol/drug problems, de-addiction, rehabilitation, counseling, treatment for females, nasha mukti, psychiatric disorders and secondary addictions like gambling, internet etc.

(These articles are the sole property of “The Cabin Chiang Mai”, they are its original authors.)

LETTING GO OF ANGER: A BETTER WAY THAN DRUGS OR ALCOHOL

Many people who are struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, or who are in recovery have had some kind of experience with anger, or may even have an anger problem. Many a times, these individuals are unaware of the source of their anger, yet it is at the core of most of their problems in their life.

Anger could derive from past childhood traumas to frequent stress at work or home. At times, anger may seem to empower an individual, but in the end it will deplete them of any energy they had, and make any kind of positive thoughts and actions difficult to achieve.  

What Can a Person Do to Let Go of Their Anger?

Recognise the positive aspects of anger.

The first thing to do when trying to let go of anger is to recognise the positive role that anger can play in the individual's life. Yes that is right, the positive role. Anger does serve a purpose; it lets a person know that something is not right. When an individual is feeling angry, they should take a step back and closely examine the situation. This in turn will allow them to get closer to the root of the anger and then take the necessary action towards positive change.

Recognise how anger is being expressed negatively.

The next thing that an individual should do when trying to let go of their anger is to figure out how they are expressing their anger in a negative way. Often times, an individual will hide their anger and let it ‘grow' deep inside of them. Because they are unable to find a healthy way to express it, the anger comes out in other negative ways.

The following examples are things that a person with a great deal of hidden anger may show. The person may often be sarcastic, be late for work or important appointments, be over-polite to where it seems fake, speak in a monotone voice, procrastinate with tasks, have difficulty sleeping, become easily irritated, appear high strung or tense, or exhibit unintentional, similar, repeated physical acts.

The opposite of hidden anger is vented anger. This can be just as destructive. While it is important to express these feelings, sometimes it can be taken to an extreme and it is often used as a way of establishing power over people and situations.

Find the source.

The third thing to do when one is trying to let go of anger is to find the source or root. Anger can come from many different sources or circumstances. When calm, the individual should try to self-analyse: Do they have any unfulfilled expectations? Are things in their life not as they would like or are beyond their control? Do they often think about the negative experiences they have had? Do they feel overwhelmed or overworked? Do they think that life is unfair and are convinced that nothing will ever change for the better? Instead of dealing with the situations that seem beyond control, do they try to indulge in things they can control like, food, sex, drugs, or alcohol?

Once the root of the anger has been discovered, the individual must learn to accept it. This, of course, is not easy and may take some time. Opening up to trusted friends, family, or therapists can help with this.

Time for forgiveness.

After accepting the anger, it is time to forgive one's self and others. Holding onto anger, no matter how deep and painful it is, will always cause the most harm. Forgiving is a process and requires a full release of the source of the anger. If the individual is still angry after forgiving, then they have not truly forgiven them self. Forgiveness can open up new feelings and cause a restorative power to the individual. This is truly the pint of letting go and beginning a new positive journey. Once true forgiveness has been made, the individual should embrace optimism, and fill any void with positive thoughts and intentions.

Below is a great exercise to help an addict overcome and let go of their anger. After completing each statement with honesty, it may help to print it out and hang it in a visible place. 

Complete these statements ·         In order to become more optimistic, I need to get over this habit ..... ·         In order to become more hopeful, I need to overcome ..... ·         In order to become more happy and joyful, I must give up this attitude ..... ·         I want to become more optimistic in life because ..... ·         I want to be more hopeful in life because ..... ·         I want to be more happy and joyful in life because ..... ·         To become more optimistic, I will ..... ·         To become more hopeful, I will ..... ·         To become more happy and joyful, I will .....

Shafa Home is country’s premier organization for treatment of alcohol/drug problems, de-addiction, rehabilitation, counseling, treatment for females, nasha mukti, psychiatric disorders and secondary addictions like gambling, internet etc.

(These articles are the sole property of “The Cabin Chiang Mai”, they are its original authors.)

YOU’RE GUIDE TO STAYING SOBER IN ADDICTION RECOVERY

Abstaining from drugs and alcohol is the cornerstone of addiction recovery, but without making other positive lifestyle changes and following are lapse prevention plan your chances of staying sober in the long-term are slim. The following guide will help you keep on track with your recovery and give you an overview of the things you must do in order to stay sober.

Addiction Recovery Survival Guide

1. Find healthy ways to relieve stress.

Many people begin using drugs and alcohol to wind down after a long day, let loose, and forget about daily stressors. Once you are addicted, drug and alcohol abuse becomes your one and only coping strategy for managing stress. Developing new healthier ways to deal with stress is one of the first things you will need to master within your recovery.

The following are several ways you can reduce stress without using drugs and alcohol. The key here is to try several strategies until you find the stress relief techniques that work best for you.      

       

Exercise.

Over and over, exercise has been shown to reduce stress, and improve mood. Exercise therapy is making its way into addiction recovery programmes, and can be a key aspect to living a sober life.

Eat healthy.

Did you know that healthy eating habits will help reduce stress? Diet plays an important role in our overall physical and mental well-being. Eating well will help proactively keep stress out of your life.

Take a time out

Practice taking frequent breaks to avoid getting stressed in the first place. If you feel your anxiety and stress levels rising, take a few minutes away from what you are doing to simply breathe deeply or practice any other stress reducing technique that you prefer.

Practice yoga and/or meditation.

Yoga, stretching, and mindfulness meditation are all practices that have been shown to effectively help keep stress levels low.

Talk with a friend.

Speak out! Do not let stress build up to the point that you feel overwhelmed. Call on friends, family, and people in your addiction recovery circles to support you.

Find something that relaxes you.

Hot tea, scented candles, calming music, or a hot bath can lower your stress levels very quickly. Take time to relax each and every day (no matter how busy you might be) to keep your stress down.

Learn to say no.

One of the major causes of stress is taking on too much. Especially in early addiction recovery it is important to find a balance between having too much down time and overloading yourself with responsibility. Saying no to things you honestly do not have time or energy for is not wrong or selfish; it is a practice of appropriate boundary setting and self-care.

Keep a stress diary.

Keeping a stress journal will help you recognize more clearly when and how you become stressed so that you can work to prevent stress from developing in the future.

2. Manage Triggers and Cravings.

One of the key aspects of relapse prevention is knowing what your triggers are and avoiding the people, places, and things that could trigger use. Strong cravings may arise without notice and you will also have to learn how to manage and ride out these cravings without giving in.

To manage triggers, first make a comprehensive list of all the possible triggers you can imagine — and do not forget to think outside the box. Sometimes triggers are less obvious and can be tied to positive life events such as getting a raise.

Once you have your list, decide what you need to do to avoid or manage these triggers. Some examples are:

Take a new route to work to avoid driving past old hangouts or bars.

Just the sight or smell of old hangouts can trigger intense cravings. Do what you can to avoid these places.

Do not make the mistake of hanging out with old friends who are still using.

It will be difficult, but to stay sober you will need to avoid old friends and make new ones who support your addiction recovery.

Avoid becoming tired, angry, or hungry.

Becoming tired, angry, and hungry are common relapse triggers. Work to structure your schedule so you can avoid these states.

Practise healthy distraction.

Running, reading, or engaging in hobbies are all examples of healthy distractions that can help you ride out drug cravings. Want to pick up a drink? Go for a run. Feel like using? Pick up the guitar. Keep your mind focused on something more productive.

Keep the phone number of a sponsor or supportive friend or family member handy.

When you experience strong cravings to use it is important to talk to someone — either a friend, loved one, or sponsor. This will help you pinpoint where the craving came from as well as talk through the urge to use.

Challenge and change your thoughts.

When cravings arise, remind yourself of why addiction recovery is the best choice. Challenge thoughts about how great it would be to use with the reality of the despair that alcoholism or drug addiction has caused you.

3. Build a meaningful life.

When your life has meaning and purpose, returning to old patterns of addiction will become less appealing. Addiction recovery is all about creating healthy lifestyle habits that will in turn increase your confidence, self-esteem, and quality of life.                      

Volunteer.

Volunteering in your community will give you a sense of purpose and help you meet like-minded people.

Discover your interests and pick up a new hobby.

Addiction recovery requires finding out who you really are without drugs and alcohol. Try new things, take a class, and re-discover what you are interested in.

Set goals.

Working towards meaningful and realistic goals will give you a sense of direction. It does not matter if they are related to your career, lifestyle, or health, as long as they are meaningful to you.

Adopt a pet.

Pets are great companions, and if you are sure you can take on the responsibility of having one, a pet will help you feel loved and needed.

Help others in recovery.

Many people find that helping others in recovery helps create a strong sense of community and purpose in their life. Once you are ready, become a sponsor or even help set up local recovery meetings in your area.

4. Take care of yourself.

Practicing self-care is one of the most important ways to prevent relapse. While setting goals and working towards building a meaningful life for yourself is important, you do not have to make drastic changes all at once — nor should you. Taking care of yourself means not taking on so much that you become overwhelmed, keeping your physical and mental health a priority, and always keeping your addiction recovery at the very top of your priority list. 

Practicing gratitude is another self-care strategy that many people find helpful in their recovery.

5. Form a support network.

Lastly, but possibly most importantly, surround yourself with supportive people and attend recovery groups. You cannot do it alone; addiction recovery requires making healthy connections with others who have been down a similar path and will help you create a meaningful sober future.

Shafa Home is country’s premier organization for treatment of alcohol/drug problems, de-addiction, rehabilitation, counseling, treatment for females, nasha mukti, psychiatric disorders and secondary addictions like gambling, internet etc.

We encourage you to contact one of our counsellors today if you want to know how to stay sober in Addiction recovery.

(These articles are the sole property of “The Cabin Chiang Mai”, they are its original authors.)

Study finds that Alcohol is the Most Dangerous Drug above Heroin and Cocaine

With more than 3 million deaths each year linked to alcohol consumption, alcohol has been named the most dangerous drug on the market.

Despite the popular belief that illicit recreational drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine cause the most harm to society — which is fuelled in part by the war on drugs - a study indicates that alcohol actually surpasses all others as the most dangerous drug. It is no surprise, as the negative effects of alcohol are well-documented. However, they are easily ignored and significantly downplayed.

Researchers reviewed several recreational drugs and gave them each a score based on the harm they caused to users and the harm caused to others. According to their findings the most harmful drugs to users were heroin, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine. The drugs that caused the most harm to others were alcohol, heroin, and crack cocaine.

When the two part scores were combined alcohol came out on top as causing significantly more harm in society overall. The researchers argue that if the level of harm is taken seriously into account in the classification of drugs, alcohol should be treated as a class ‘A’ drug.

Of course, critics of the research assert that if heroin and crack cocaine were legal and there was greater widespread use, these drugs would prove to be more dangerous than alcohol. However, the reality is that the current levels of alcohol abuse cause the most harm to society, yet the dangerous effects of alcohol use are rarely given the spotlight.

This means that more and more research is pointing to the fact that the effects of alcohol are more harmful than we like to acknowledge.

Effects of Alcohol Abuse: Mortality, Disease and Violence

When you look at the statistics, declaring alcohol as the most dangerous drug does not seem too far-fetched. Alcohol kills more people worldwide than HIV, AIDS, violence and tuberculosis combined — plus alcohol use is also linked to the latter conditions. According to the World Health Organisation's most recent report, the harmful use of alcohol causes 3.3 million deaths each year worldwide. The mortality rate in young people due to alcohol use is especially high with 25% of all deaths amongst people aged 20-39 attributed to alcohol. For teens aged 15-24 alcohol is a factor in all three leading causes of death: accidents, homicides, and suicides.

Over half of all the children who die in alcohol-related traffic accidents were riding in the car with an alcohol-impaired driver. Alcohol impaired driving accounts for 31% of motor vehicle deaths, while other drugs such as cocaine and marijuana are implicated in around 18% of deaths. And, these other drugs are often used in combination with alcohol.

Beyond mortality, alcohol affects the day to day lives of many through disease and injury. Alcoholism is one of the most well-known detrimental effects of alcohol abuse, but the media does little to acknowledge the realities faced by those addicted to alcohol.

Alcohol advertisements encourage drinking behaviours that lead to dependence such as daily drinking, binge drinking, and also proliferate the idea that alcohol is a requirement for a good time. For those who are susceptible to, or already suffering from addiction this type of marketing is dangerous and also undermines their experience while feeding the denial that they do not have a problem.

Alcohol misuse can also lead to more than 200 diseases and cause injuries resulting in disability, in addition to alcohol dependence. For those struggling with alcohol addiction, the disease not only impacts their own health — as it could cause liver cirrhosis, some forms of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, amongst many other physical and mental health problems — but the effects of alcohol dependence reach much further than the individual and into their families and the public as well.

Addiction is a family disease and will impact all members of the family. It can cause a breakdown in relationships, depression, anxiety, shame, and guilt within families. Alcohol use is also a factor in the majority of domestic violence cases. The violent effects of alcohol misuse extend beyond the family as well.

Worldover, as many as half of all violent crimes involve alcohol as a factor. Further, alcohol is implicated in public violence, domestic violence including child and elder abuse, sexual assault, and self-directed violence including committing suicide.

What can be done to curb the Effects of Alcohol?

As alcohol is the widest used and abused substance, which currently contributes to the greatest amount of individual and societal harm, a multi-pronged campaign would be the best. The approach should lead with education about the effects of addiction and the serious enforcement of an alcohol policy and regulation of alcohol. The media's portrayal of alcohol use and abuse can also be used to reduce the harm of alcohol consumption on society. 

Of course, alcohol use is also a culturally engrained pastime around the world, and many people will use alcohol occasionally and responsibly without experiencing any negative consequences. However, for many others, alcohol contributes to significant problems in their life — providing leading and effective treatment options, like Shafa Home’s drug and alcohol rehab in Delhi and Kotdwar, India, should also be a crucial part of this campaign to minimise these harmful effects. 

If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol addiction, you must know, recovery is possible and addiction treatment is the first step in reversing the negative effects of alcohol in your life.

Shafa Home is country’s premier organization for treatment of alcohol/drug problems, de-addiction, rehabilitation, counseling, treatment for females, nasha mukti kendra , psychiatric disorders and secondary addictions like gambling, internet etc.

We encourage you to contact one of our counsellors today if you are concerned about Alcohol addiction.

(These articles are the sole property of “The Cabin Chiang Mai”, they are its original authors.)