Understanding Alcohol Abuse -- Prevention
How Can I Prevent Alcohol Abuse?
Returning to drink is a major problem for recovering alcoholics; preventing this may be difficult, but it can be supported by continued therapy, positive motivation, and strong social support. Other ways to prevent relapse include changing routines, accepting a new sense of values, and avoiding activities or people associated with the drinking habit. For example, 90% of alcoholics smoke. Alcoholics who stop smoking as well as drinking are more likely to achieve long-term abstinence -- to say nothing of the other health benefits.
A Self-Screening Test for Alcoholism
No single symptom defines alcoholism, but honest answers to the following questions will help you decide if you are at risk:
- Has a friend or relative ever suggested that you drink too much?
- Is it hard to stop drinking after you have had one or two drinks?
- Have you ever been unable to remember what you did during a drinking episode?
- Do you ever feel bad about how much you drink?
- Do you get into arguments or physical fights when you've been drinking?
- Have you ever been arrested or hospitalized because of drinking?
- Have you ever thought about getting help to control or stop your drinking?
If you answered yes to one or more questions, you may have a serious alcohol problem. For your own good, it's time to discuss the situation openly with a doctor or mental health professional.
Guidelines from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) recommend that men drink no more than 4 drinks in a day and 14 drinks per week, while women are advised to consume no more than 3 drinks per day and 7 drinks per week. "A drink" is defined as 12 ounces of beer or one 5 ounce glass of wine or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.
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