Leslie Glass's Blog, page 258

What To Know About Alcohol And Brain Damage

From Medical News Today:

Alcohol has many effects on the body and can potentially damage the brain. Long-term and short-term effects can result in a range of physical and psychological changes. Learn more here.

Alcohol begins affecting a person’s brain as soon as it enters the bloodstream. In a healthy person, the liver quickly filters alcohol, helping the body get rid of the drug. However, when a person drinks to excess, the liver cannot filter the alcohol fast enough, and this triggers immediate changes in the brain.

Over time, excessive alcohol consumption can damage both the brain and liver, causing lasting damage.

Excessive alcohol consumption can have long-lasting effects on neurotransmitters in the brain, decreasing their effectiveness or even mimicking them. Alcohol also destroys brain cells and contracts brain tissue. Some people with a history of excessive alcohol use develop nutritional deficiencies that further damage brain function.

The precise symptoms of alcohol-related brain damage depend on a person’s overall health, how much they drink, and how well their liver functions, among other factors.

Short-term effects

As soon as alcohol enters the bloodstream, it changes how the brain functions. Moderate consumption of alcohol may cause the following temporary effects:

loss of inhibition
decreased planning and organizational skills
changes in mood and concentration
difficulty forming new memories
sleepiness
depressed mood
changes in energy levels
memory loss
poor judgment
reduced motor control, including delayed reflexes that can make driving dangerous

People with severe symptoms of intoxication or symptoms that last many hours are at risk of alcohol poisoning.

The ethanol in alcohol acts like a poison. When the liver is not able to filter this poison quickly enough, a person can develop signs of alcohol poisoning or alcohol overdose. An overdose of alcohol affects the brain’s ability to sustain basic life functions.

Symptoms include:

vomiting
seizures
slow heart rate
difficulty staying awake
fainting
low body temperature
low gag reflex, which can increase the risk of choking if a person vomits
clammy skin

An untreated alcohol overdose can be fatal. Severe alcohol overdoses may cause permanent brain damage even if the person survives.

The higher a person’s blood alcohol concentration, the higher their risk of alcohol overdose. The heavy consumption of high-alcohol drinks is more likely to cause alcohol poisoning. People who have smaller bodies, drink alcohol less frequently, or have a history of liver disease are also more vulnerable to alcohol poisoning.

 
Long-term effects

Over time, alcohol abuse can cause permanent brain damage.

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

One form of alcohol-related brain damage is Korsakoff syndrome. Korsakoff syndrome often appears after an episode of Wernicke’s encephalopathy, which is acute alcohol-related brain dysfunction.

The two conditions, together called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, happen in people who are severely deficient in thiamine (vitamin B-1). Alcohol abuse makes it more difficult for the body to absorb this nutrient, but other issues, such as severe eating disorders, cancer, AIDS, and conditions that affect the body’s ability to absorb nutrients, may also cause Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.

Some symptoms of Wernicke’s encephalopathy include:

confusion and disorientation that continue well beyond the period of drunkenness
malnourishment that may cause significant weight loss
trouble moving the eyes or strange and jerky eye movements
poor balance

Following Wernicke’s encephalopathy, the person may develop signs of Korsakoff syndrome. This disorder is a type of dementia.

Symptoms include:

memory problems, in particular, difficulties forming new memories
poor judgment
decreased planning and organizational skills
mood and personality changes
hallucinations
progressively worsening cognitive decline that may affect every area of functioning, including speech, vision, and bowel and bladder function

Vitamin supplements and complete abstinence from alcohol may reverse symptoms of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome within the first 2 years after stopping drinking.

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Why Y12SR Can Help Your Recovery

Y12SR is short for Yoga of 12-Step Recovery (Y12SR®). It is a 12-step-based discussion and yoga practice open to everyone dealing with addictive behaviors or affected by the addictive behaviors of others. Y12SR is short for Yoga of 12-Step Recovery (Y12SR®). It is a 12-step-based discussion and yoga practice open to everyone dealing with addictive behaviors or affected by the addictive behaviors of others.

A Y12SR meeting weaves together the ancient wisdom of yoga and the practical tools of twelve step programs. Y12SR meetings are a donation based practice, except when the situations prohibit such transactions. There is no charge to participate in the yoga or the meeting; everyone is welcome.

Yoga by the sea



5 Ways Yoga Works To Heal The Body



Addiction and the body

We recognize that the
“issues live in our tissues.” The body bears the burden of addiction; the effects get ‘stuck’ in us. The 12-step model is cognitive, a talking-thinking practice, while yoga provides a somatic approach. Provided as an adjunct to a 12-step program, Y12SR meetings and practice can be another helpful tool in addressing the physical, mental, and spiritual dis-ease of addiction.

What does “Yoga” mean

The word yoga translates to ‘yoke,’ ‘union,’ or ‘integration.’ Patanjali, the author of the Yoga Sutras, defines yoga as “the ability to calm the fluctuations of the mind.” Utilizing the appropriate aspects of yoga, from a trauma-informed training and perspective, can facilitate calming of the mind and union to self, community, and one’s own higher power.

Y12SR around the world

Y12SR meetings are spreading throughout the world. Open meetings are readily available in North America and Europe, with additional meetings in Bermuda, Australia, and Nicaragua.  Meetings are also being held in treatment facilities, hospitals, and correctional institutions.  Y12SR was developed by accomplished speaker and teacher Nikki Myers, an MBA, C-IAYT Yoga Therapist, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Addictions Recovery Specialist, and Certified Health Coach. She also co-founded the annual Yoga, Meditation and Recovery Conferences at Esalen Institute and Kripalu
Center.  Nikki was also named as a Yoga Journal Game Changer in 2015 and honored as a recipient of the esteemed NUVO Cultural Visionary Award in 2014. 

Where can I find a Y12SR meeting

You can find links to research papers on yoga and addictions, Y12SR meetings near you, deeper understanding of this movement, ways to become certified to start your own Y12SR, and answers to any other questions or interests you may have at www.y12sr.com.

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The Secondhand Harms Of Drinking Impact 1 In 5 Adults, Study Says

From CNN:

About one-fifth of adults in the United States have experienced some form of harm due to someone else’s behavior while drinking.That’s according to a study published Monday in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, which found that in 2015, an estimated 53 million adults — or nearly 1 in 5 — said they had experienced at least one harm attributable to someone else’s drinking in the past year. That harm ranged from property damage to physical injury.”One thing to think about with the one-in-five number is that it is only limited to a snapshot in time of about a year. So probably more people have actually been harmed by someone else’s drinking at other times in their life,” said Katherine Karriker-Jaffe, a senior scientist with the Alcohol Research Group at the Public Health Institute in Emeryville, California, who was an author of the study.”So it might be an underestimate of the negative impacts of alcohol on people other than the drinker,” she said.

The study involved analyzing data on 8,750 adults who answered survey questions from two databases: the 2015 National Alcohol’s Harm to Others Survey and the 2015 National Alcohol Survey. The surveys were conducted from April 2014 to June 2015. The study did not include children. Each adult was asked whether they had experienced any of 10 different types of harm in the past 12 months caused by “someone who had been drinking.”The different types of harm included harassment; feeling threatened or afraid; having belongings ruined; having property vandalized; being pushed, hit or assaulted; being physically harmed; being in a traffic accident; being a passenger in a vehicle with a drunk driver; having family or marital problems; and having financial trouble.

The researchers found that 21% of women and 23% of men in the study reported experiencing at least one of those harms in the past year. The most prevalent type of harm was harassment, according to the data.

When it comes to harms other than harassment, “for women, the most prevalent are family and marital problems or financial problems due to someone else’s drinking and a close third runner-up would be driving-related harms — so riding with a drunk driver or actually having a crash caused by someone who had been drinking,” Karriker-Jaffe said.

Other than harassment, “for men, the driving-related harms were the most common, followed by property damage and vandalism,” she said.Overall, women were more likely than men to report harm by a spouse, partner or family member who had been drinking, and men were more likely to report harm because of a stranger’s drinking, the data showed.The study had some limitations, including that the data was self-reported, which lends itself to bias if a person in the study was not answering survey questions honestly.Also, more research is needed to determine whether similar findings would emerge for other years, as the data was collected in 2014 and 2015.

The study findings were “fascinating” for Aesoon Park, an associate professor of psychology at Syracuse University in New York, who has conducted research on alcohol use and misuse but was not involved in the new study.She noted the study found that younger adults were more likely to experience a broad range of secondhand harms due to someone else’s drinking compared to older adults.”We know now that people who are 18 to 25, they are showing the highest rates of alcoholism,” Park said.”What is interesting about this study is that not only is it about alcohol use disorder, but it shows how the secondhand effect of alcohol is also affecting that same age group,” she said. “The second interesting part to this is the gender inequality.”She said both men and women seem to be affected by the secondhand effect of alcohol, even though men are more likely than women to drink excessively. “So it highlights a gender inequality of the secondhand effect of alcohol,” Park said.

Dr. Timothy Naimi, a physician and alcohol epidemiologist at Boston Medical Center in Massachusetts, wrote an editorial published alongside the study Monday.”The underreporting of harms among some individual respondents, coupled with the fact that previous harm leaves some portion of the population unable or less likely to participate in surveys because of premature death, injury, or psychological distress, suggests that even this robust prevalence is likely an underestimate,” Naimi wrote.”This is an emerging area of investigation in its relative infancy and is one that needs nurturing and growth,” he wrote in part. “Prevention of secondhand effects from others’ drinking at the population level must be driven by structural, environmental interventions that reduce excessive drinking.”

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A Short Bout Of Exercise Enhances Brain Function

From Science Daily:

Neuroscientists, working with mice, have discovered that a short burst of exercise directly boosts the function of a gene that increases connections between neurons in the hippocampus, the region of the brain associated with learning and memory.

Most people know that regular exercise is good for your health. New research shows it may make you smarter, too.

Neuroscientists at OHSU in Portland, Oregon, working with mice, have discovered that a short burst of exercise directly boosts the function of a gene that increases connections between neurons in the hippocampus, the region of the brain associated with learning and memory.

The research is published online in the journal eLife.

“Exercise is cheap, and you don’t necessarily need a fancy gym membership or have to run 10 miles a day,” said co-senior author Gary Westbrook, M.D., senior scientist at the OHSU Vollum Institute and Dixon Professor of Neurology in the OHSU School of Medicine.

Previous research in animals and in people shows that regular exercise promotes general brain health. However, it’s hard to untangle the overall benefits of exercise to the heart, liver and muscles from the specific effect on the brain. For example, a healthy heart oxygenates the whole body, including the brain.

“Previous studies of exercise almost all focus on sustained exercise,” Westbrook said. “As neuroscientists, it’s not that we don’t care about the benefits on the heart and muscles but we wanted to know the brain-specific benefit of exercise.”

So the scientists designed a study in mice that specifically measured the brain’s response to single bouts of exercise in otherwise sedentary mice that were placed for short periods on running wheels. The mice ran a few kilometers in two hours.

The study found that short-term bursts of exercise — the human equivalent of a weekly game of pickup basketball, or 4,000 steps — promoted an increase in synapses in the hippocampus. Scientists made the key discovery by analyzing genes that were increased in single neurons activated during exercise.

One particular gene stood out: Mtss1L. This gene had been largely ignored in prior studies in the brain.

“That was the most exciting thing,” said co-lead author Christina Chatzi, Ph.D.

The Mtss1L gene encodes a protein that causes bending of the cell membrane. Researchers discovered that when this gene is activated by short bursts of exercise, it promotes small growths on neurons known as dendritic spines — the site at which synapses form.

In effect, the study showed that an acute burst of exercise is enough to prime the brain for learning.

In the next stage of research, scientists plan to pair acute bouts of exercise with learning tasks to better understand the impact on learning and memory.

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5 ways Yoga recovery works to restore life after addiction –

Yoga recovery is a tool that works in many ways to enhance recovery from whatever ails you. Do you know what it is? Yoga is one of six major schools of thought in Hinduism.  There are different yoga disciplines, practices and goals.  The postures in yoga are designed to keep the body fit and to still the mind through meditation.  Yoga poses may help you open your mind to new possibilities.  It empowers you physically and mentally.  Also, yoga may give you the physical tools to use towards your recovery. Yoga can be one of the activities in your recovery journey from addiction.

Here are 5 tips how yoga can help you with recovery:
1. Enhance Physical Strength

We don’t think strength workout when we think about yoga. Actually, yoga creates functional strength that can be translated to everyday activity such as bending over, sitting, lifting or standing.

2. Build Confidence

Do you want confidence? Do you want to be a magnet for wonderful people and good things?  Part of confidence is liking who you really are, and by practicing yoga you will build this love to yourself and your body.  By the mere fact that you go to a yoga class it shows that you care about yourself and that sends a positive message to your brain and the rest of the organs.

3. Rid of Toxins in your Body

By different twists, folds and sweating yoga poses may help you get rid of toxins in your body. By practicing yoga poses the cells in your body will be richer in oxygen, and nutrition will be carried out to them smoothly.

4. Calm the Mind

Meditation is another aspect of yoga. By meditating you learn to calm and quiet the chatter in your mind.  Letting the thoughts freeze at will.  It is a form of mental cleanse or a reset.  Keep the phones and other devices away from you when you meditate.

5. Increase Awareness

By breathing, which is a very important component of yoga, you become more aware. You may concentrate your awareness on your body, or your feelings at a given moment.  Give yourself a moment to focus on your senses through breathing in and out.

Suggested yoga poses:

Forearm Plank – It builds strength in the core and activates your solar plexus chakra.  Start with holding the pose for 10 seconds and build it up to a minute.

Warrior II – After repeating this pose several times it will make you stronger.  When you hold the pose you learn to focus and concentrate.  Do you need some balance in your life?  This pose is also good for balance.

Chair Pose – This yoga pose builds strength in the legs, thighs and abs.

Seated Twist – Fold the knee, twist your upper body and turn your gaze.  Hold for a few breaths and do the other side.

Now take out your mat and go to class!

If you need help to maintain recovery, or deal with addiction, check out Recovery Guidance for a free and safe resource to find professionals near you.

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Why You Get Facial Flushing After Drinking May Surprise You

From Medical News Today
Facial flushing after drinking alcohol is a symptom of high alcohol sensitivity, which means that the body is less tolerant of alcohol. All alcoholic drinks — including beer, wine, and liquors — contain a substance called ethanol.

After having a drink, the body begins to break down the ethanol into other substances, or metabolites, to make it easier to flush out of the body. One of these metabolites, acetaldehyde, is very toxic to the body.

When drinking in moderation, the body can usually process these metabolites relatively well. However, if a person is sensitive to alcohol or has a lot to drink, their body may not be able to manage all of those toxins, and acetaldehyde can begin to build up in the body.

Some people develop a distinctive facial flush after drinking alcohol, when their face turns either slightly or very red. 

Although it does not cause immediate health problems, it may signal an increased risk of some serious health issues, such as high blood pressure and certain types of cancer.

A red face after drinking alcohol may be a symptom of high alcohol sensitivity.

The red facial flush happens because the blood vessels in the face dilate in response to these toxins. In some people, this can happen after very little alcohol.

A buildup of acetaldehyde can also cause nausea and a rapid heartbeat. These symptoms may make drinking alcohol an unpleasant experience, leading to people drinking less.

Is Facial Flushing dangerous?

While the red flush itself is not acutely dangerous, people who get it are at higher risk of high blood pressure and other health problems.

A 2013 study of Korean men looked at the differences in blood pressure between men who did and did not experience facial flushing when they drank alcohol.

After taking factors such as age, weight, smoking, and exercise into account, the researchers found that men who flushed after drinking alcohol had a significantly higher risk of high blood pressure when they drank four or more drinks per week.

In contrast, men who did not flush after drinking did not see an increased risk of high blood pressure until they drank eight or more drinks per week.

Studies have also associated drinking alcohol with certain types of cancer. Some researchers believe that this increased cancer risk could be due to the rise in acetaldehyde levels in the body. High levels of acetaldehyde can attack the DNA in the cells of the body, which can trigger the growth of cancer cells.

In a 2017 study, researchers looked at the link between cancer and facial flushing after drinking in people in East Asia. Men with facial flushing had a higher risk of cancer, particularly cancer of the throat, which is also called esophageal cancer. The researchers did not find the same association in women.

Who does Facial Flushing affect?

Whether or not a person’s face goes red after drinking seems to link to their genetic makeup.

A liver enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) breaks acetaldehyde down into less toxic substances. Some people have a genetic condition that means that they do not make this enzyme.

As a result, acetaldehyde builds up in the body after alcohol consumption, which causes the characteristic red flushing of the face.

Although anyone can lack this gene, it is more common for people from East Asia not to have it.

Can you prevent it?

Flushed skin is usually a signal to slow down and rehydrate with water.

There is no way to change the genes or enzyme deficiency. The only way to prevent this red flush and the associated risk for high blood pressure is to avoid or limit the intake of alcohol.

Some people use over the counter antihistamines to reduce the discoloration. However, this is not advisable. Although some people may find the flushed skin embarrassing, it is a signal that the body is accumulating toxic levels of acetaldehyde and that it is time to slow down and rehydrate with water.

It is important to recognize that even people who do not get this type of reaction when drinking are still at risk of the health complications of alcohol use, including high blood pressure, liver disease, cancer, and stomach problems.

The red flush that some people get while drinking alcohol may not seem serious, but it can indicate that someone has a higher alcohol sensitivity and may have an increased risk of high blood pressure and certain cancers.

While taking antihistamines can help reduce the redness, these drugs only hide the symptoms and do not address the underlying cause.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that if people choose to drink, they do so in moderation. They define moderate amounts as one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.

If a person has high alcohol sensitivity, meaning a low tolerance to alcohol, they may feel the effects of alcohol more strongly and quickly and may benefit from drinking less alcohol.

People who are concerned about this symptom can talk to their doctor for advice.

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Things You Should Know About Dating An Addict In Recovery

From Sober Nation:

Dating is hard. So is being in a relationship.

There are times I’ve been on dates and in relationships when I’ve told the other person that I’m in recovery. There are times when they’re accepting, supportive, and have questions. Though, there are other times when they’ve looked at me like I have five heads.

If you’re not in recovery, and you’re dating someone who is, chances are, you’re about to have some questions. Recovering from addiction requires acceptance, self-awareness, and dedication – and so does a relationship.

Here are 7 things you should know about dating an addict in recovery:

Remember, We’re Human

Addiction and people in recovery have a huge stigma surrounding us. Chances are in this day and age, you’ve known someone that’s had substance use disorder. However, if you don’t, there’s a belief that people who have had a dark past with addiction are individuals you see on viral videos with impaired judgements or erratic behavior, and oftentimes we seen at the public level as “less than.” For decades, this combination of personal shame and public stigma has produced tremendous obstacles in allowing those to tell their stories and become open and honest about their addiction.

However, these observations and this barrier of stigma is completely false, and often times holds us back from becoming vulnerable with a potential partner. It’s important to remember that many of us in recovery were and still are successful people. We’re lawyers, coaches, great daughters, aunts, and great students. We’re people just like you – we just have a couple of obstacles we’ve overcame – and we also deserve to find love.

Don’t Try and “Fix” Us

If you’re a rescuer or someone that loves to try and “fix” others, know that this relationship may not last. Just because we’ve suffered from substance use disorder, doesn’t mean that we’re in need of someone to take care of us. In fact, now that we’re sober, we’re completely capable of pointing out our own character flaws and taking appropriate actions to address them. Chances are, if we practice a good recovery program, we may be one of the healthiest people that you have in your life.

Ask Questions

Oftentimes, not asking questions and making assumptions can lead to un-communicated feelings, resentment, and broken trust. If you’re not in recovery and dating someone who is, it can be easy to jump to conclusions. If you’re uneducated with addiction and recovery, going straight to the source can keep trust and communication lucid. Just because we’re an alcoholic doesn’t mean that you have to dodge the subject, and can’t order a drink at dinner. We don’t want you or expect you to babysit or safeguard our sobriety. The important thing is to ask, be open and mindful about our responses.

Additionally, if we’ve been dating for awhile, just because we don’t answer our texts or calls doesn’t mean we’ve relapsed. Starting to worry or become anxious about potential downfall may create bitterness and broken trust and be just enough to ruin a relationship before it goes anywhere.

Know Our Recovery Will Come First

While dating and new relationships exciting, recovery and support groups will need to take priority over the relationship in order to keep it strong. As a saying goes, “whatever we put in front of our recovery, we’ll lose.”

Accept Our Baggage

Everyone has baggage. However, chances are, if you’re dating someone in recovery, there’s going to be some baggage or skeletons that we’re still trying to shove into the closet. This could be anything from legal, health, family, social, or financial issues. While this doesn’t make us bad people, it’s apart of our past and important to address. During this time, it’s important to be honest about if you’re willing to accept us for our faults and be truthful about your level of tolerance. If not, don’t lead us on. Break up the relationship before getting more involved.

Know Our Warning Signs

Lying? Cheating? Manipulating? These are all some of the signs of relapse. While lifelong recovery is possible, it’s important to know that relapse can be common. While you shouldn’t be responsible for pointing out a potential relapse, as a partner, you should know us well enough to know now if something with us is off.

Get Your Own Help

In recovery, we’re always trying to better ourselves, and it’s important that you do the same thing. Often times in recovery we can have a lot going on – whether that be support meetings or therapy. It’s important that you develop your own hobbies and interests separate from us. Relying too much on a relationship to fulfill unmet needs can be a sign of codependency. Figure out what you can do to practice self-care so we’re better able to enjoy our time together.

Love Won’t Be Enough, But Support Can Be

I hate to break it to you, but you cannot love someone enough to get them sober – especially if the person isn’t committed to their own sobriety. If we’re still using or actively in relapsing, it’s crucial to hold off on your relationship and support them in getting help or entering treatment. If we have a support group, close sponsor, or sober supports, it may be wise to get their input if you’ve been in contact with them. At this time, you’ll also want to continue to educate yourself about addiction and make an informed decision to either continue the relationship once we get help, or break it off.

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How To Stop Drinking

From Psychology Today:

Many have done it. Here’s how.

If you’re reading this, chances are you have wondered about or have concerns about your drinking or that of a loved one. You’re not alone. Heavy drinking is on the rise in the U.S. and alcohol-related problems increase with an increase in drinking. And it’s natural to have second thoughts or feel two ways about drinking when it’s having some effect on your life you don’t like. But unless you’ve really decided to stop drinking altogether, the first step is to increase your internal motivation to change. Changing just because others want you to will not usually lead to any lasting change. Unless you agree for the need to change, want to change, and have some confidencethat you can change.

Increasing your own motivation to quit

Fortunately, my research team and many others in the field who address alcohol problems have developed programs and protocols to help people resolve their ambivalence (i.e., feeling two ways about something) about changing their drinking. These programs go by the name of brief motivational interventions or brief interventions. These programs are offered both in face-to-face formats (originally the only option) and more recently as digital or online options. The elements are similar though and include:

A screening to determine whether a brief intervention might be helpfulAn explanation of what the intervention entails (anywhere from 40 minutes online to 2-3 sessions with a psychologist or counselor with expertise in the protocolA detailed assessment of one’s drinking, alcohol-related problems, history of drinking, the severity of dependence, family history of alcohol problems, and screenings for depression and anxiety. All of the questionnaires have been validated and are reliable measures of what they measureFeedback follows that summarizes the assessments and compares your clinical picture to others of your gender and age range. It avoids labeling you or telling you what to do. Rather the feedback is provided in an empathic way that makes it easier to accept it as valid. What you do with the feedback is up to you.A final set of exercises or discussions focus on your reactions to the feedback, exercises to help you resolve your ambivalence in changing, and help with setting up a plan to change if you decide to move in that direction.

That’s it in a nutshell. And for many people, the brief motivational intervention increases their motivation for change, their commitment, and confidence in their ability to stop drinking. And that’s all that’s needed. They go on and quit on their own.

Next Steps

Let’s say for a moment that you’ve decided to quit drinking. Now what? Well, you can take many paths to achieve and maintain sobriety and it’s becoming increasingly cool to be sober. A recent New York Times piece covers this movement well.

The first thing to keep in mind is that there is no single path that works best for everyone. There’s no “silver bullet” to be had. And run, do not walk away from anyone who claims to have a “silver bullet.” Rather, there are a number of promising and effective pathways to sobriety. Here are some:

Stop on your own.Ask for support from family and friends.Ask for support from your minister or clergy.Ask for guidance from your primary care provider.Seeking support for your efforts from online communities (e.g., SMART Recovery).Use a digital tool (shameless plug here, we’ve developed such a tool in conjunction with SMART Recovery). Buyer beware though, look for evidence of effectiveness. There are a lot of tools out there that have zero evidence of effectiveness.Psychotherapy with a licensed professional. If you have a significant mood disorder(s), this may well be the best place to start.Start treatment in a substance use disorder treatment program. NIAAA has an excellent site to help you with this — their Treatment Navigator.

Whichever path you take be mindful that it may or may not meet all your needs. And many people use multiple pathways at the same time. Be honest with yourself and use what works.

Practice, Practice, Practice

A final word about stopping drinking: To be successful usually takes time, effort, and persistence. The good news though is that you can join the ranks of those who’ve decided to stop and been successful in doing so.

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7 Steps To Help Generation Z Fight And Beat Addiction

From Psychology Today:

Today’s teens and young adults need your help to guide them through addiction.

Is it just me, or have you noticed the disproportionate number of students who have addictions today? I hear Generation Z students freely acknowledge addictions to pot, vaping, sex, alcohol, and even their smart phone. The negative stigma for being an addict seems to be evaporating.

Wait. I just read the research. It’s not just me noticing this. And it’s not just kids.

Let’s examine the narrative of alcoholism.

“Global alcohol use continues to rise, and it’s expected to continue to rise in the years ahead,” according to a new study from The Lancet; “in the past 27 years, the total volume of alcohol increased by 70 percent, from 5.5 billion gallons in 1990 to 9.4 billion gallons in 2017.”

According to the report, Europe and Australia consume more alcohol than people in North America do (the U.S. and Canada); however, there is a big difference in the ability to handle alcoholic intake. Those in Europe and Australia seem to be able to handle their drinking. They mind their Ps and Qs, (their “pints and quarts.”) On the other hand, those in the U.S. are more prone to become alcoholics. We are always into bigger and better. We love to supersize our consumption. We lose control.

According to a May 8th report in USA Today, by the year 2030 it is forecast that half the world’s population will be drinkers, and almost a quarter (23 percent) will binge-drink at least once a month.

Why is this addiction so widespread?

The Facts Behind Addictive Behavior

I believe addictions are on the rise today because people haven’t developed healthy coping skills. Instead, addictions are appropriately called coping mechanisms. We are a generation that is stressed out and overwhelmed and drinking is an escape. It’s a way of dealing with anxiety. It’s a way of medicating.

And if students see adults cope with life in this way, what do we expect them to do?

Couple this with teens’ ever-increasing “external locus of control” and you’ve got a powder keg on your hands. An external locus of control,according to psychologist Julian Rotter, is a person’s outlook that assumes some person or outside force is in control of their outcomes. It’s embraced by those who feel overwhelmed, victimized, or otherwise irresponsible for their own life. Because this is a growing reality for students today, they are more prone to addictive behavior.

Consider this reality: If you are a student and you feel overwhelmed by your daily life, you’re prone to assume an external locus of control. With that outlook, it is difficult to combat addictions since you don’t really believe you’re responsible. You feel more like a victim who needs someone else to intervene.

Mark is a vivid example. He struggled with depression and could not seem to get the dosage right on his medication. When he drank, he felt relief from his mental health issue. So, he drank. And drank some more. Soon he was binging. He felt better for a while, but then he found himself in greater need of wine, whiskey, or vodka. Finally, he turned himself into a rehab clinic and was treated over a period of four days. He’s not consumed alcohol since but is now on “this side” of the battle. He needs a plan. 

7 Steps to Help Them Win the Fight

Let me offer the following seven steps to fight addiction, that can complement getting professional help. Whether it’s you or a student you know, try these simple ideas. Each one is about a “fight” they must put up in order to overcome addictions:

1. Discuss how addiction makes us slaves and how we must fight for mastery.

I believe humans are at their best when they’re free from the bondage of any substance. When I’m addicted to anything in order to cope, it makes me a slave. I must fight for self-leadership– the mastery of myself.

2. Encourage them to “own” their life by fighting for an internal locus of control.

With an “internal locus of control,” I begin to take responsibility for my life and my problems—even addictions. I stop blaming others for my problem, and I stop depending on someone else to fix it. I can say, “if it is to be, it’s up to me.”

3. Teach them to fight cognitive distortions by speaking a hopeful narrative.

Cognitive distortions are “lies” I tell myself when I’m feeling bad: “I can never overcome this”; “my future is bleak”; “I’m no good at math”; etc. The best solution is to speak words that describe a growth mindset: “I’m not good at math…yet.”

4. Request they fight isolation and join a supportive community.

One of the surest ways to be trapped in addiction is to go it alone. Most of us need support and accountability, like an A.A. or N.A. meeting. We must find people we respect and who love us unconditionally to join us in the journey.

5. Enable them to fight a “cold turkey” approach by finding substitutes.

Most addictions or habits are overcome when we find a healthy substitute for them. Over the years, millions of people have chewed gum in order to quit smoking. Help your students replace an old addiction with a positive habit.

6. Point out any progress they make and encourage them to fight for more.

Learned helplessness (as Martin Seligman taught us) occurs when we see no progress after lots of effort. We stop trying. When we point out progress, endorphins flow from seeing improvement and the feeling of hope.

7. Help them to not merely stop “using” but to fight for a different life.

Free people who stay free don’t just “will” their way to stop practicing the addiction. Transformation happens when we actually choose a different life. We must see ourselves differently and swap our old lifestyle for a new one.

Free people who stay free don’t just “will” their way to stop practicing the addiction. Transformation happens when we actually choose a different life. We must see ourselves differently and swap our old lifestyle for a new one.

The post 7 Steps To Help Generation Z Fight And Beat Addiction appeared first on Reach Out Recovery.

Teens who can describe negative emotions can fight depression

From Science Daily

“Adolescents who use more granular terms such as ‘I feel annoyed,’ or ‘I feel frustrated,’ or ‘I feel ashamed’ — instead of simply saying ‘I feel bad’ — are better protected against developing increased depressive symptoms after experiencing a stressful life event,” explains lead author Lisa Starr, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Rochester.

Teenagers who can describe their negative emotions in precise and nuanced ways are better protected against depression than  peers who can’t. That’s the conclusion of a new study about negative emotion differentiation, or NED — the ability to make fine-grained distinctions between negative emotions and apply precise labels — published in the journal Emotion.

Those who score low on negative emotion differentiation tend to describe their feelings in more general terms such as “bad” or “upset.” As a result, they are less able to benefit from useful lessons encoded in their negative emotions, including the ability to develop coping strategies that could help them regulate how they feel.

“Emotions convey a lot of information. They communicate information about the person’s motivational state, level of arousal, emotional valence, and appraisals of the threatening experience,” says Starr. A person has to integrate all that information to figure out — “am I feeling irritated,” or “am I feeling angry, embarrassed, or some other emotion?”

Once you know that information you can use it to help determine the best course of action, explains Starr: “It’s going to help me predict how my emotional experience will unfold, and how I can best regulate these emotions to make myself feel better.”

The team found that a low NED strengthens the link between stressful life events and depression, leading to reduced psychological well-being.

By focusing exclusively on adolescence, which marks a time of heightened risk for depression, the study zeroed in on a gap in the research to date. Prior research suggests that during adolescence a person’s NED plunges to its lowest point, compared to that of younger children or adults. It’s exactly during this developmentally crucial time that depression rates climb steadily.

Previous research had shown that depression and low NED were related to each other, but the research designs of previous studies did not test whether a low NED temporally preceded depression. To the researchers, this phenomenon became the proverbial chicken-and-egg question: did those youth who showed signs of significant depressive symptoms have a naturally low NED, or was their NED low as a direct result of their feeling depressed?

The team, made up of Starr, Rachel Hershenberg, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Emory University, and Rochester graduate students Zoey Shaw, Irina Li, and Angela Santee, recruited 233 mid-adolescents in the greater Rochester area with an average age of nearly 16 (54 percent of them female) and conducted diagnostic interviews to evaluate the participants for depression.

Next, the teenagers reported their emotions four times daily over the period of seven days. One and a half years later, the team conducted follow-up interviews with the original participants (of whom 193 returned) to study longitudinal outcomes.

The researchers found that youth who are poor at differentiating their negative emotions are more susceptible to depressive symptoms following stressful life events. Conversely, those who display high NED are better at managing the emotional and behavioral aftermath of being exposed to stress, thereby reducing the likelihood of having negative emotions escalate into a clinically significant depression over time.

Depression ranks among the most challenging public health problems worldwide. As the most prevalent mental disorder, it not only causes recurring and difficult conditions for sufferers, but also costs the U.S. economy tens of billions of dollars each year and has been identified by the World Health Organization as the number one cause of global burden among industrialized nations. Particularly depression in adolescent girls is an important area to study, note the researchers, as this age brings a surge in depression rates, with a marked gender disparity that continues well into adulthood.

Adolescent depression disrupts social and emotional development, which can lead to a host of negative outcomes, including interpersonal problems, reduced productivity, poor physical health, and substance abuse. Moreover, people who get depressed during adolescence are more likely to become repeatedly depressed throughout their life span, says Starr. That’s why mapping the emotional dynamics associated with depression is key to finding effective treatments.

“Basically you need to know the way you feel, in order to change the way you feel,” says Starr. “I believe that NED could be modifiable, and I think it’s something that could be directly addressed with treatment protocols that target NED.”

The team’s findings contribute to a growing body of research that tries to make inroads in the fight against rising rates of adolescent depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide. According to the most recent CDC data, about 17 percent of high school students nationwide say they have thought of suicide, more than 13 percent said they actually made a suicide plan, and 7.4 percent attempted suicide in the past year.

“Our data suggests that if you are able to increase people’s NED then you should be able to buffer them against stressful experiences and the depressogenic effect of stress,” says Starr.

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Rochester. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

Lisa R. Starr, Rachel Hershenberg, Zoey A. Shaw, Y. Irina Li, Angela C. Santee. The perils of murky emotions: Emotion differentiation moderates the prospective relationship between naturalistic stress exposure and adolescent depression.. Emotion, 2019; DOI: 10.1037/emo0000630

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