The term "alcoholic" means different things to different people. For example, some individuals can abuse alcohol without becoming dependent (dependency being the traditional threshold for alcoholism). In other cases, opinions vary on what, exactly, indicates dependency. To avoid these inconsistencies, and to ensure standard definitions across the profession, most medical personnel refer to the Diagnostic Statistical Manual.

"The criteria for [alcohol dependence] reflect that the patient is physiologically dependent upon alcohol, and would suffer alcohol withdrawal symptoms when he stops drinking. To be diagnosed with Alcohol Dependence, one must meet three [out of five] criteria."

The five criteria referenced in the DSM excerpt above include the following:

• Alcohol withdrawal symptoms
• Alcohol tolerance
• Alcohol taken in larger amounts over a longer period than intended
• Persistent desire or unsuccessful effort to cut down on alcohol consumption
• Increased time spent attempting to obtain alcohol

Source: Marin Independent Journal

Labels: alcohol, dependency, diagnosis

Officials at the Rock Hill (South Carolina) Keystone Substance Abuse Center say that teenage drinking is getting worse. By "worse" they don't necessarily mean it's becoming more prevalent, but the teens that are drinking a lot more.

"...many underage drinkers no longer simply drink to get high but instead drink to induce oblivion. This binge-style often revolves around drinking games in which drinkers ingest large amounts of alcohol quickly, sometimes to the point where they suffer alcohol poisoning and have to be rushed to the hospital."

Many of the drinking games played by teens cause them to ingest five to seven shots in an hour. It takes the body about an hour to break down the alcohol contained in just one shot or can of beer. Source: The Rock Hill Herald

Labels: alcohol, alcohol_abuse, binge_drinking

Students at Pleasant Valley High School in Jacksonville, Alabama, got to experience firsthand the effects of alcohol. A grant from Westinghouse allowed the school to purchase four sets of "fatal vision goggles" which distort vision and simulate the effects of a 0.08 blood alcohol level.

"Students walked the green line of tape, were asked to stand on one foot for 30 seconds, find a nickel among a group of coins on the floor and then, the most difficult part, to pick it up... Most students were amazed by how distorted their vision was..."

The goggles were part of a Drunk Busters program which was held just a few days before prom. The hope was that students would be deterred from drinking and driving during this year's prom celebration. Source: Jacksonville News

Worried about being liable for your teen's risky behavior behind the wheel? Learn more about Parental Liability for Underage Drivers at DrugRehabTreatment.com.

Labels: alcohol, drunk_driving, students

The governor of the state of Oregon has named April "Alcohol Awareness Month." The designation comes, in part, in response to statistics from the Oregon Department of Human Services Addictions and Mental Health Division, which states that alcohol is the leading cause of death among the state's young people.

"As noted in the proclamation, alcohol contributes to adolescent motor vehicle crashes, traumatic injuries, poor school performance, and health and safety problems. Research shows that the younger individuals are when they start to drink, the more likely they are to become alcoholic."

DHS' Addictions and Mental Health Division prevention manager Rick Cady says April is just a "starting point" for raising awareness and getting people involved in finding solutions. Source: AA-UK.org.

NorthStar Center offers a rehab and recovery program for young adults who have completed full rehab and need a safe, sober environment to help them get back on track. Visit www.northstarcenter.com to learn more about their teen and young adult substance abuse recovery program.

Labels: alcohol, awareness, death

April is Alcohol Awareness month - a time when parents are encouraged to begin or continue discussions with their kids about the dangers of underage drinking.

"Parents can play a powerful role in influencing their children's attitudes. Parents' drinking behaviors and favorable attitudes about drinking are associated with adolescents' initiating and continuing drinking. Research indicates that children are less likely to drink when their parents are engaged in their lives and when they and their parents report feeling close to each other."

Organizations like Partnership for a Drug-Free America provide free resources to help parents determine the best way to talk to their kids about alcohol. Knowing a child's friends and their parents is also helpful because it better enables the parent to monitor a child's activities. Source: Pine City Pioneer

Labels: alcohol, awareness, communication

Alcohol consumption lowers inhibitions and can affect a person's ability to recognize dangerous situations or unhealthy decisions. Studies have shown that 55% of females and 75% of males have been drinking when an alleged date rape occurred.

"A fact that often goes unnoticed is people are more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted by people they know versus the hooded stranger standing in the corner. Date rape may happen to you, your loved ones or friends."

Teens need to be alert to dangerous situations and parents, of course, need to be looking out for their kids. Know the people your child goes out with, and when possible, make sure they're not going out alone. Read more at GuamPDN.com.

Labels: alcohol, rape, risky_behaviors

Adolescents are more likely to drink if their friends do, and their peers may influence their drinking habits even more than their parents do, according to a new study from Washington University in St. Louis.

Dr. Danielle Dick and her colleagues studied data from 4700 teenagers in Finland, looking for associations between teen friendships and alcohol use. The researchers found that girls' drinking in particular is linked to the influence of peers. Having friends of the opposite sex correlated with increased drinking for both sexes.

Parents should be aware of their children's friends, Dr. Dick advised. "This awareness is particularly important for girls, and when the friendship group consists of members of the opposite sex."

This study appears in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

Labels: alcohol, friends, influences

The holiday season is a festive time. But the family and social gatherings often include alcohol, which is fine for adults but poses a problem for teenagers.

"Teenagers or younger children may view these parties as opportunities to sneak alcohol, spike their soda when nobody is looking, or convince a relative to assist them in getting an alcoholic beverage. Some parents, feeling it is part of the holiday spirit, may be more inclined to let their teenagers have an alcoholic drink to share in a family toast."

But numerous studies have shown that the earlier someone begins to drink, the higher the chances that he or she will have alcohol-related problems later in life. Consider keeping alcohol to a minimum at holiday gatherings, and make sure friends and relatives know that they're not to give alcohol to anyone who's underage.

How do you help your teen in recovery during the holidays? Send him to Excel Academy, a sober high school, and give him the environment he needs to stay on track.

Labels: alcohol, holidays, underage_drinking

The latest trend among college students is mixing energy drinks with alcohol. The caffeine in the energy drinks masks the effects of the alcohol, making a person think he's less drunk than he actually is.

"The research, by investigators at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina, found students who mix energy drinks with alcohol were twice as likely to be injured during a bout of drinking, to need medical attention or to ride with a driver who was drunk. They were also twice as likely to take advantage of someone sexually and nearly twice as likely to be taken advantage of sexually by someone else."

The new cocktail has become so popular that some companies have begun selling pre-mixed versions.

Teen alcohol and drug abuse often affects every member of a family. A private boarding school that offers a strong recovery program, like Excel Academy in Texas, can help.

Labels: alcohol, binge drinking, cocktails

A new study by Health Canada concludes that parents tolerate drinking older teens but worry if their children start drinking before they are fifteen years old.

"A key transition point" occurs when young people enter high school, according to the authors of the study, which involved focus groups of teens and their parents in Winnipeg, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec and British Columbia.

The Health Canada report indicates that parents of older teens believe drinking is an acceptable part of their children's lives. A small number of parents buy alcohol and host drinking parties in their homes for their teenagers.

A good residential treatment center like SunHawk Academy can help with teen substance abuse.

Labels: alcohol, parents, underage_drinking

Researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism have identified five distinct subtypes of alcoholism. This study differs from previous attempts at identifying sub-types because it includes people who don't or haven't sought treatment for their alcoholism. It's estimated that only 25% of people with alcoholism ever seek treatment.

"We find that young adults comprise the largest group of alcoholics in this country, and nearly 20 percent of alcoholics are highly functional and well-educated with good incomes. More than half of the alcoholics in the United States have no multigenerational family history of the disease, suggesting that their form of alcoholism was unlikely to have genetic causes."

The five subtypes developed by the NIAAA were: young adult, young antisocial, functional, intermediate familial, and chronic severe. Those who fall into the chronic severe subtype are the ones most likely to seek help. Read more at EMaxHealth.com.

Teen alcohol abuse is a serious condition. Research shows "that those who began drinking at an early age were significantly more likely to develop a dependence on alcohol, and the dependence is more likely to be chronic and associated with long-term health issues." Read more at www.drugrehabtreatment.com.

Labels: alcohol, alcohol_abuse, treatment

Researchers at the University of California San Francisco have found that smoking cigarettes during the first six to nine months of recovery may interfere with an alcoholic's overall success.

"Corresponding study author Timothy C. Durazzo, of the University of California San Francisco, says non-smoking alcoholics showed a significantly greater level of recovery than smoking alcoholics in the areas of mental efficiency; higher-level reasoning and problem-solving; visual-spatial processing skills and working on short-term memory."

The mortality rate for cigarette smoking is also four times that of the mortality rate relate to alcohol-induced diseases. Read more at EarthTimes.org.

Recovery is a life-long process and requires commitment, introspection, and most importantly, courage. Learn more about Recovery Support at www.drugrehabtreatment.com.

Labels: alcohol, recovery, smoking

Sixth and seventh graders who view high numbers of advertisements for alcoholic beverages are 50% more likely to drink and 36% more likely to decide to drink than peers who do not view such materials.

Liquor and beer advertisements appear on television, radio and the Internet, in magazines and in-store promotions, and as promotional items like t-shirts and posters. The study by the Rand Corporation concluded that adolescents see about 250 television ads every year, and that even fourth graders are familiar with brand names and slogans.

This study appears in the June 2007 Journal of Adolescent Health.

Dealing with teen drug abuse or teen drug addiction? Find a teen drug rehab at DrugRehabTreatment.com.

Labels: advertising, alcohol, media_influences

A small study indicates that alcohol may damage the brains of women more extensively than male brains.

Researchers tested 24 female alcoholics, 78 male alcoholics and 68 non-users of both sexes. The non-alcoholics scored the best on tests of working memory, visuospatial skills, and psychomotor speed. However, female alcoholics performed significantly worse than the males, even in instances when they had consumed less alcohol over shorter lengths of time.

Barbara Flannery, a senior scientist at the RTI International research institute in Baltimore, said she believes that there should be "gender-sensitive public awareness programs" about alcoholism.

Other studies have proven that the higher percentage of body fat in females makes alcohol more toxic for them. There is also evidence that adolescent girls who drink incur damage not only to their developing brains but also to their reproductive systems.

This study appears in the May issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

Adolescent girls suffering from teen drug abuse and addiction can get help from a licensed residential drug treatment program like the one at SunHawk Academy. Learn more about SunHawk’s adolescent residential treatment center >>

Labels: alcohol, brain_chemistry, brain_damage

When you talk about teen substance abuse, most people think of marijuana, cocaine, or even heroine. But alcohol is as common among teens as any other drug - maybe more - but it's often overlooked. Some don't think that underage drinking is a "big deal".

"Alcohol is a leading contributor to traffic fatalities, homicides, suicides, and all other accidents among people ages 15-24... Recent research tells us that alcohol consumption by young people damages the developing brain and contributes to the onset of adult drinking problems."

Surprisingly, some parents allow their children to drink at home, thinking it's safer to offer them a controlled environment where they can teach their kids to drink responsibly. Unfortunately, this approach more often increases the likelihood of dangerous behavior. Read more online.

Labels: alcohol, parents, underage_drinking

Most teenagers get their first alcoholic drink from their mother or father, according to a new study by the University of Florida and the University of Minnesota.

Researchers surveyed 4000 children ages 12 to 14 years old in Chicago between the years 2002 and 2005. About 17% of the 12-year-olds had consumed a full glass of alcoholic beverage within the past year – and a third reported that their parents had given them their drinks.

Author Kelli Komro said that the researchers suspected that teens first discover beer or hard liquor with friends, but that assumption proved false.

"It's important to educate parents about the consequences of the early onset of drinking, and to prevent them from being a source of alcohol for their children," she said.

This study appears in the April issue of Preventive Medicine.

If you, your teen, or someone you know is struggling with teen alcohol or drug abuse, there are lots of great resources online. Learn about teen alcohol drug abuse at drugrehabtreatment.com and ways for parents to help their teen with drug and alcohol abuse at byparents-forparents.com.

Labels: alcohol, parents, teenage_drinking

New York District Attorney Janet DiFiore is joining substance abuse experts and others in a presentation intended to expose the dangers of private teen drinking parties. The event is the first in a campaign that will run through graduation season and is hosted by Responsible Action: A Drug and Alcohol Resource (RADAR).

"We're trying to make parents more aware of their legal responsibilities. Mostly, it's about the need to supervise their children. Just because they are teenagers doesn’t mean our parenting days are over,' said Janet Buchbinder..."

The presentation will address more than just the legal ramifications of teenage drinking parties, but also the longer-term effects that can follow a teen into adulthood. Read more at TheJournalNews.com.

Labels: alcohol, binge drinking, teenagers

Anheuser-Bush has recently released an energy drink called Spykes. The main difference between this and other energy drinks is that this one is an alcoholic beverage. Some consumer and parenting groups are accusing the company of intentionally marketing the product to teenagers.

"Spykes... has roughly the same alcohol content as wine and comes in such flavors as Spicy Mango and Hot Melons. But it is the energy-drink appeal and the marketing that is nearly exclusively present on the Internet that has some researchers worried."

Underage drinking accounts for over $20 billion in alcohol sales each year. And though Anheuser-Bush has released a statement claiming Spykes is intended for adults, researchers are doubtful and are calling both the drink and its marketing campaign "highly irresponsible". Read more at ABCNews.com.

Labels: alcohol, marketing, teenagers

Former Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare Joseph A. Califano has released a new book titled High Society. In it, he states that fundamental changes need to occur in the ways that we think about and deal with substance abuse and addiction.

"The problem can be addressed only by a revolution in the nation's criminal justice, medical, educational and social service systems, as well as foreign-policy priorities, Califano says."

He also believes that parents must realize how much influence they can really have over their children's decisions regarding drugs and alcohol. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University estimates that alcohol use, abuse and addiction cost $313 million annually, and that doesn't include any illegal drugs. Read more at TheAdvertiser.com.

Labels: alcohol, cost_of_addiction, legal drugs

Millions of underage children are using alcoholic beverages, according to United States Surgeon General Kenneth Moitsugu. Nearly 7.2 million children are considered binge drinkers, meaning they drink more than five drinks in one sitting.

In a press release dated March 6, 2007, Moitsugu calls for "a change in the culture and attitudes toward drinking in America. We can no longer ignore what alcohol is doing to our children." While there has been a drop in the use of illegal drugs and tobacco among America's youth, underage drinking is still a problem, partly because adults tolerate it.

Moitsugu said that new research shows that alcohol is harmful to adolescent brain development. In addition, those who start drinking before age 15 years are five times more likely to have alcohol-related problems as adults.

Labels: alcohol, binge drinking, underage drinking

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has designated April as Alcohol Awareness Month. The purpose is to not only raise awareness, but give people an opportunity to be tested for signs of alcoholism.

"To recognize the serious problem of alcohol abuse... April 8 marks the annual observance of National Alcohol Screening Day. At locations across the United States, people can be screened – anonymously – to see if their drinking habits may be risky."

More than 203,000 people participated last year at over 5,400 screening sites nationwide. Read more online.

Labels: alcohol, awareness, drug testing

Trend watchers say 40 is the new 30. At Flatbread Co. in Portland, make that the new 21. Restaurant patrons who look under 40 are carded when they order drinks, even if they've been old enough to buy beer for decades. The national obsession with youth is making it harder to tell how old someone is, say the restaurant's owners. And they would rather be wrong about someone's age than be sorry. Read more online.

Labels: alcohol, carding, id

The teenager that once openly shared the details of his life, now takes to locking his bedroom door. He begins sleeping in late and goes about the house with a glazed look. There are suddenly new friends on the scene but you don't know their names or their numbers. Read more online.

Labels: alcohol, legal drugs, prescription drugs

A recent study in Australia revealed that many of the high school students who tried alcohol got it from their parents. Of the students who said they had recently consumed alcohol, 37 percent said their parents provided the drink.

"Dr. Delyse Hutchinson, from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, says the figures are a concern, because research shows those who drink early are more likely to develop problems with alcohol later in life."

Some proponents say it's good to introduce alcohol to kids early, to reduce or remove the stigma of drinking - as is done in many European countries. But Dr. Hutchinson warns that the positive effects are largely overstated, and many of those countries have higher rates of alcohol abuse that we realize. Read more at ABC.net.au.

Labels: alcohol, parents, teenagers

Kentucky Senators have introduced a bill that they are hoping will cause teens to think twice about consuming alcohol. Under the bill, anyone under 21 who's found in possession of alcohol could have their driver’s license suspended for three months.

"Last year, nearly 1,900 minors statewide were found guilty of possessing alcohol, or paid fines after being issued citations..."

Though some skeptics doubt whether the threat of losing a license will deter teens from drinking, many feel that it’s better than nothing. Read more at Courier-Journal.com.

Labels: alcohol, prevention, teenagers

The Baltimore Sun reported on a new study in Pediatrics that shows teenagers who drink often do so solely to get drunk. Of the 15,000 teens surveyed, 64% admitted to regular binging.

"Those rates are 'unacceptably high,' said Susan Foster, director of policy at the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. 'We're seeing an increase in rates of drinking to get drunk, and we're seeing that most who drink in college began drinking in high school or younger. The more they drink, the greater the likelihood they'll become addicted,' said Foster."

This study shows an increase in binge drinking among high school and college students. Read more from the BaltimoreSun.com.

Labels: alcohol, binge drinking, teenagers