It's never easy witnessing a friend or loved one suffer from alcohol addiction. Chances are you're going to want to reach out and help them. However, it's important to be able to differentiate between fact and fiction. This can ensure alcoholics receive proper treatment on time.
Here are three statements about alcoholism that simply aren't true.
1. Alcoholics can have a couple of drinks
While you may not feel it, a couple of drinks can affect you. According to the Counseling and Psychological Services at UC San Diego, some people who only have one drink can actually have a blood alcohol concentration of .02 percent, depending on their weight. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that those who have this BAC typically feel relaxed and have some loss of judgment. In turn, this affects how they drive, as they're less likely to see properly and be able to perform two functions at once.
"We recommend that alcoholics never try to solve their problem alone."
2. Alcoholics can recover on their own
On the contrary, we recommend that alcoholics never try to solve their problems alone. This is dangerous for a couple of reasons. First, it's often difficult for alcoholics to realize and accept they have a disorder. Typically, this fact is pointed out by family, friends or professionals.
Second, once alcoholics recognize they have a problem, they typically don't know how to treat it. It's not as simple as stopping their drinking habits. Instead, steps need to be taken and progress needs to be measured by professional treatment centers. Without the proper help, alcoholics can relapse, which puts their health in further danger.
3. Alcoholics can be cured by professionals
The answer to this statement lies somewhere between yes and no. Many consider alcoholism to be a conditioned disease, meaning alcoholics may relapse because the smell, taste or sight of alcohol in certain environments provokes them to drink. However, scientists have also shown that conditioning can be used to treat alcohol.
Located in Clearwater, Florida, Fairwinds Treatment Center has over 25 years of experience diagnosing and treating alcoholic related problems. Dr. M.K (Khal) El-Yousef and his full-time staff of professional psychiatrists, nursing professionals and licensed therapists use a dual diagnosis approach to treat individuals with addictive behaviors. In using this approach, they can discover the root of the disease and look for possible treatments using therapeutic counseling and clinical practices.
