Posts Tagged ‘relationships’

A Young Man Hits The Bottom of the Barrel in Life, Overcomes His Depression, Gets Alcohol Rehab for His Heavy and Abusive Drinking, and Increases His Self Image

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

Samuel was a forty-six-year-old marketing manager who was sick of feeling depressed on a daily basis and sick of his hazardous and abusive drinking behavior. Stated simply, he was sick of feeling tired every morning, he was tired of going through broken relationship after broken relationship because of his heavy drinking, he missed his old enthusiasm for doing various things he liked, he hated the hangovers he experienced on a recurring basis, and he was mad at himself for spending his hard-earned money on a worthless habit.

Additionally he was annoyed with the many times he failed an alcohol test at his workplace, he was bored with his drinking friends, he despised the fact that he had to go to court for his first DUI, he was upset with how physically unfit he was, and he was fed up with paying for alcohol-related lawyer fees.

As well as the perceptible alcohol-related health problems he was experiencing, conceivably the unhealthiest part of his drinking behavior was the undependable and conniving person he had become. In his heart he realized that he had been deceitful about his drinking behavior to his friends, family, and relatives and he also knew he had been dishonest with himself about the “positive” outcomes of drinking. Not only this but he justified wolfing down three or four drinks before going to social events and he also rationalized needing two or three drinks as soon as he awakened so that he could deal with the “stress” at his job.

His Depression and His Abusive and Irresponsible Drinking Lead to Major Changes in His Life

Undoubtedly Samuel was sick of putting up with the adverse effects of his depression and his unhealthy and abusive drinking and at long last made up his mind that something major had to change in his life. So he made up his mind that he would quit drinking, develop a new circle of friends, start focusing on becoming a more healthy person, start exercising, involve himself in some worthwhile hobbies, and get professional counseling.

In brief, Samuel got to a pivotal time in his life during which he saw that he hit rock bottom and was now prepared to begin the gradual road that leads to health.

One of the ways that Samuel operationalized his “plan” was by requesting a transfer at his workplace. When his request was approved, he moved 900 miles away to a new state. If nothing else, this certainly made making new friends and separating himself from his old friends much easier. Then he visited with a healthcare professional in his new city and made an appointment for a thorough exam.

Samuel Meets With a Healthcare Practitioner About His Excessive Drinking and His Depression

After meeting with the healthcare professional and taking a number of lab tests, it was determined that Samuel had made the unfortunate change from alcohol abuse to alcoholism and consequently was in need of alcohol detoxification and alcohol rehab. At this time, the healthcare professional made it a point to review the various signs of alcoholism, the symptoms of alcoholism, and information about long term alcohol effects with Samuel.

The healthcare practitioner then told Samuel that it was decided that he was clinically depressed and in need of treatment for this medical problem.

Samuel Decides to Fortify His Body by Eating Wholesome Foods, Taking Vitamins and Minerals, Living an Alcohol-Free Way of Life, Drinking Spring Water, and Exercising

Due to his readiness to follow through with the therapy protocol, after four weeks of inpatient rehab, Samuel was ready to begin rehab on an outpatient basis. At this point in time, he started working at his new job and over the weeks began revitalizing his body by exercising, taking vitamins and minerals, living an alcohol-free lifestyle, drinking spring water, and eating nutritious foods.

Samuel also came to grips with his spiritual yearnings by joining the local Unitarian church and going to the weekly services.

After around seven months of outpatient rehabilitation during which time he never suffered through a relapse, Samuel stopped going to alcohol treatment and instead began going five times per week to local AA meetings. Attending these meetings helped Samuel continue his alcohol-free lifestyle, they provided him with the support he needed, and they served as a unceasing reminder of the negative outcomes that are related to careless and abusive drinking.

After going to AA meetings nearly ten months Samuel felt that he was ready for a relationship and so he started dating Phyllis, a young woman he met at church. It clearly surprised Samuel how much more ready he was for a dating relationship now that he had his abusive and unhealthy drinking under control. Indeed it also amazed Samuel how much better life was now that he wasn’t under the control of his abusive and careless drinking. Life was now rewarding and loaded with possibilities that he could have never hoped for or made real when he was involved in excessive and hazardous drinking just a few short months ago.

A Success Story That is a Testament to the Relevance of Alcohol Therapy and the Power of Positive Thinking

Samuel’s success story is evidence of the value of alcohol rehabilitation and the power of change. As Samuel thought about his newfound self worth and drive for involving himself in worthwhile, healthy activities, he was actually thankful that he decided to do something positive about his careless and hazardous drinking rather than giving into his depression and into the lure of his alcoholism. The result: he is involved in a loving relationship, his life now has a positive direction, he is in command of his life rather than letting himself languish under the control of his alcoholism, he likes his new job responsibilities, and he has more energy now compared with any time in his adult life.

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A Young Male Needs Counseling For His Extreme Depression, Relationship Problems, and For His Drug Addiction and Alcohol Dependency

Monday, October 19th, 2009

Approximately five months ago I had lunch with a forty-one-year-old male named Alexander who experiences severe depression, has relationship problems, and who is drug and alcohol dependent. As declared by Alexander, it is his alcoholism and drug addiction and his extreme depression that had the most to do with his endless relationship difficulties.

I remember reading that a history of mental health problems, chemical dependency, and abusive drinking many times happen in the same family. Furthermore, I remember hearing that in such situations, a person needs to get treatment for both medical conditions and that dependency and mental health issues tend to occur in the same person.

As declared by Alexander, he is so crushed by his relationship difficulties and by both of his medical problems that he essentially has no desire to accomplish much of anything. What is particularly unfortunate about this is that earlier in his life, Alexander managed to finish two semesters of grad school in marketing.

Alexander’s condition makes me question if he is an example of a person who can look in the mirror and perceive his drug abuse and alcohol drinking problems and do something meaningful about these issues or if he is someone who has to hit the bottom of the barrel before he gets alcohol and drug dependency counseling that leads to long-term recovery.

The Need For a Treatment Program He Can Believe In and a Therapist He Can Trust

If it would be helpful I would presume that I could suggest more than a few blogs and websites that could possibly help him find info about drug abuse symptoms, the stages of alcoholism, chemical dependency information, and relationship issues. In my opinion, however, Alexander needs to locate a treatment protocol he can believe in and follow over the long term and locate a physician he can trust.

I could be mistaken but it seems to make sense that Alexander probably needs to look honestly at his life regarding his drug addiction signs and alcoholic symptoms and admit the fact that he cannot use drugs or even drink responsibly if he wants to get sober, stay sober, and start on the path to long-lasting recovery.

It may be asked how therapy would help his alcohol and drug dependency. First of all, there are more than a few newly discovered doctor-prescribed meds that can help Alexander avoid a drug and an alcohol drug relapse, help him through the drug and alcohol detox process, and help him through his withdrawal symptoms.

Second, Alexander would learn to understand the fact that there is completely nothing productive about substance abuse and abusive and careless drinking and that involving himself in one or both situations is the path to deteriorating health, financial difficulties, poor work and school performance, shattered relationships, legal problems, and a premature death.

Third, therapy for his relationship issues and his depression might help him manage these medical issues more effectively and possibly create less of a need for him to involve himself in addictive behavior.

The Relevance of Support Groups Such as Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous

There are more likely than not a lot of other people, friends, and family members who would offer to help Alexander with his drug addiction and his excessive and careless drinking. He more likely than not would experience greater understanding from a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, on the other hand, instead of getting guidance from individuals who drink responsibly or who have never used drugs.

When People Accomplish Things They Like and About Which They Are Zealous

There’s a philosophical outlook that asserts that people who do things they love and something about which they are zealous attain a splendid place in life. Stated differently, when people do what they love, they hardly ever go through boredom or an uneventful life. If they involve themselves in something that is fulfilling, furthermore, they become more complete and experience more gratification and joy in life and in their relationships.

When this is examined in more detail it becomes obvious that this affirmative mindset is the exact opposite of a life that is grounded in drug and alcohol dependency because such a lifestyle removes the satisfaction and delight that life offers.

Due to the fact that Alexander doesn’t have the ambition to succeed at doing much of anything in his life, it is obvious that he definitely needs a little hope for a healthier lifestyle. And the unfortunate thing is that hope is all around Alexander if he could only get to the point in life to get the therapy he needs for his severe depression and dependency and adhere to his treatment program.

Enhanced Relationships, A Wonderful Life, Self Respect, and Constructive Change Are Possibilities

Alexander is clearly too young to be defeated in life. He doesn’t realize this at the moment but if he can learn how to refrain from drugs and alcohol through drug and alcohol therapy and get the treatment he needs for his severe depression, he can reorient his life and start living with direction, self-respect, and passion.

Stronger relationships, a wonderful life, self respect, and beneficial change are certainly a reality for Alexander if only he could get motivated to seek the medical rehab he requires, follow through with his therapy regimen, live his life in a sober and healthy way, and learn how to foster a more positive attitude about his life.

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A Young Couple Reviews Their Heavy and Hazardous Drinking and Their Short and Long-Term Goals, Aspirations, and Dreams

Saturday, July 25th, 2009

Augie and Merissa have been seeing one another for eight years. They met while taking the same economics class at a small, rural, Church affiliated liberal arts college located in the Southern part of the United States. While they were only good friends at first, they finally began dating when they were in their second year of college.

Because both of them came from very strict backgrounds, neither one of them drank much beyond the experimental stage when they first started to date. As the time went by, however, they began to go to more keg parties, happy hours, sorority and fraternity parties, and football bashes. Consequently, they slowly but surely began to drink increasingly more as they progressed in their relationship.

Their Social Life Regularly Consisted of Going to Happy Hour With Their Friends, Going to Professional Sporting Events, Going to Parties With Their Friends, Going to Restaurants Three or Four Nights Per Week, and Going With Their Friends to the Local Club on the Weekends

After they graduated from college, they both got jobs in a relatively large city that was located about ninety miles from their undergraduate college. Then they finally determined that they would move in with each other.

Because they were far removed from the college drinking scene, however, their social life commonly consisted of going to happy hour with their friends, going to professional sporting events, going to parties with their friends, going to restaurants three or four nights per week, and going to the local disco with their friends on the weekends. In brief, Merissa and Augie began drinking in a hazardous and irresponsible manner.

Now that they were living in the same apartment together and beginning to get more serious about their relationship, nonetheless, they began to think about having children, becoming more responsible, getting married, and buying a house.

With any substantial alteration in an individual’s life there is frequently something that triggers the particular alteration in question. For Augie and Merissa the notion of buying a new house and having children was this “mechanism of change.” Stated more precisely, for the first time in their lives, Augie and Merissa began to critically evaluate their irresponsible and hazardous drinking and the alcohol long term effects on their health.

How Would Their Abusive and Irresponsible Drinking Affect Their Relationship With One Another, Their Ability to Have Children, Their Finances, Their Relationship With Their Parents, and Their Mental Health?

Would their abusive and hazardous drinking negatively affect their ability to have children? How would they be able to continue spending a large percentage of their money on drinking if they were to begin saving for a new house? How responsible would they be if they had children and continued to drink in an irresponsible and excessive manner? How would they be able to face their parents and tell them about their long term dreams, goals, and aspirations while they still drank in an abusive and hazardous manner while having fun as they did when they were in college? What would their abusive drinking do to their relationship? How would their hazardous and abusive drinking affect their mental health?

From a different perspective, although neither one of them ever suffered from alcohol poisoning, received a DUI, or experienced alcohol withdrawal symptoms, they realized that their irresponsible and heavy drinking was becoming a troublesome issue that they could not turn their backs on anymore.

After Giving Their State of Affairs Considerable Deliberation, Merissa and Augie Finally Understood That Their Dreams, Hopes, and Aspirations Would not be Fulfilled if They Continued Their Irresponsible and Heavy Drinking

All of these questions undeniably pointed to the same conclusion: Merissa and Augie needed to be more aware that they couldn’t continue their hazardous and abusive drinking if their hopes, aspirations, and dreams were to be accomplished.

Once they came to this conclusion, they told their drinking buddies about their their goal of buying or building a new house, about their marital plans, and about their plans to start a family. They also told their drinking pals that they still wanted to pal around with them but that they would be drinking in strict moderation from this moment forward so that they could start realizing their future dreams, aspirations, and goals.

Much to their wonder, all of their pals expressed relief because they too had been reexamining their lives and concluded that their life-styles were totally focused on drinking. They also believed that they would have to change significantly if they were to become more responsible and exhibit more care for their careers, their health, and for their goals in the next ten or fifteen years.

After opening up to their buddies about their hopes, plans, and dreams, Augie and Merissa basically started to have more meaningful relationships with all of their pals. The main reason for this was the fact that all of them had the same mindset regarding their abusive and excessive drinking and their relatively short and long-term aspirations, goals, and plans.

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