1. ALCOHOLISM

3. Target: I will be able to describe the stages of alcoholism, and recognize when a person may need help. Pg. 83 Alcoholism: A disease in which there is a physical and psychological dependency on alcohol

4. Three stages of Alcoholism: 1. Early Alcoholism- Characterized by the drinker using alcohol on a regular basis and building up a tolerance to it. Tolerance: Drinking more while still functioning in normal daily activities Users tend to drink to relax, relieve stress or depression; they then begin to develop a dependency to alcohol, and become intoxicated regularly.

5. Dependence: Relying on drinking in order to function, resulting in withdrawal symptoms when drinking ceases. Early alcoholics will try to rationalize their behavior/reasons for drinking 2. Middle Stage- User can’t stop drinking; they are physically dependent. Performance at school, work, or home suffers Denial of having a problem An attempt to control drinking often occurs

6. Late/End Stage: Obsession with and uncontrollable drinking. Ability to hide or deny the condition at work, school, and home becomes difficult May be overly aggressive May suffer from malnutrition Frequent blackouts Severe withdrawals if they stop drinking Delirium Tremens (DTs): Alcohol withdrawal in which there is hallucinations and muscle convulsions Cannot be cured but they can be treated

7. Intervention: Planned confrontation with a counselor Aims to get family to stop enabling drinkers and for the alcoholic to take responsibility for themselves/their actions

8. HELPING THE ALCOHOLIC 1.Be supportive-be willing to help them get help SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service: Call 1-800-662- HELP 2.Remain calm-don’t nag them 3.Never ride with them when they’ve been drinking. 4.No emotional pleas 5.Never enable them-make excuses for them 6.Do not assume their responsibilities 7.Don’t argue with them when they’ve been drinking 8.Don’t ignore the problem

9. Treatment: Step 1: Detoxification: Removing alcohol from the body. Lasts about 3-7 days Requires medical attention Step 2: Rehabilitation: Recovering from malnutrition, counseling, continued medical care, and learning how to build healthy relationships. Step 3: Support Groups: AA-Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon/Alateen

10. Costs to Family and Society: There are more than 3 million teen alcoholics, and up to 5 million problem teen drinkers Leading causes of death for 14-24 y/o Plays a role in domestic violence Choosing to be Alcohol Free- just say no! It takes a commitment to be alcohol free. Summary:

11. DEALING WITH ALCOHOLISM Imagine you are an alcoholic or a family member of an alcoholic… write a creative narrative describing the stages of alcoholism that you/your family member is going through. Conclude with ways to get help. OR Write a letter to someone you know who abuses alcohol, describe the stage you think they are in, what behaviors you see, why you think/why you want them to get help, and what they can go to get help. *Use good grammar, and write a minimum of 2 paragraphs* Pg. 82