What Is EtOH Withdrawal? Addiction, AlcoholismBy The RanchOctober 5, 2018The chemical in alcohol that gets you drunk is ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol or EtOH. This chemical is a depressant, but it has a very intoxicating effect. EtOH can be highly addictive both physically and psychologically. When a doctor refers to EtOH withdrawal, he or she is talking about the unpleasant symptoms that arise when a person who is addicted to alcohol abruptly stops drinking. Once you have become physically dependent…
Should Benzodiazepines Be Used to Treat Alcohol Withdrawal Seizures? Alcoholism, Articles>Drug AddictionBy The RanchOctober 5, 2018When withdrawing from alcohol, some addicted users experience severe symptoms such as seizures and delirium tremens (the DTs). The potential for these problems makes alcohol detox more dangerous than most other forms of detox. If you develop seizures during alcohol withdrawal, your doctor will likely treat this complication with a medication called a benzodiazepine. These medications have…
Alcohol Metabolism 101: How Do You Metabolize Alcohol? Alcoholism, ArticlesBy The RanchSeptember 30, 2018Drink, drank or drunk – whatever state of imbibing you’re in, the way you metabolize alcohol has an impact. From genes that affect alcohol metabolism from that first sip of wine to metabolic processes that contribute to that nasty hangover, alcohol’s journey through your body is complex. When you drink alcohol, you lose 2 to…
Substance Abuse Evaluation: What to Expect Addiction, Addictions, Alcoholism, Articles, Recovery, Substance Abuse, TreatmentBy The RanchSeptember 30, 2018Whether by choice or by force, a substance abuse evaluation is one of the first steps in addiction treatment. There are four goals of a drug and alcohol abuse assessment: Determine the types of substances abused Determine the severity of substance abuse Assess co-occurring mental health disorders Make a treatment recommendation, if necessary During a…
What’s the Difference Between an Alcoholic and a Functioning Alcoholic? Alcoholism, ArticlesBy The RanchJuly 21, 2017Popular culture has helped shape an image of the “classic alcoholic” in people’s minds. Usually we imagine an alcoholic as a middle-aged man who looks a bit disheveled and staggers in and out of bars all day and all night. He’s so easy to recognize because he makes no effort to hide his drunken condition.…
How I Won My Freedom From Daily Drinking AlcoholismBy The RanchJune 8, 2017I grew up in a small town in southeastern Massachusetts, the kind of small town where there was absolutely nothing to do. So when I drank my first sip of alcohol as a senior in high school, it was love at first sip. Not that I liked the taste, but almost instantly it seemed I…
The Secret Fooling No One: Your Addiction AlcoholismBy The RanchApril 12, 2017You binged again last night, and yet you managed to still show up at the office at 8 a.m. sharp with your shoes on the right feet. Sure, you’re feeling a little queasy, but it will all settle down once you’ve had your third coffee.
Liquid Courage: Does Drinking Really Help With Your Anxiety? Alcoholism, Helpful ArticlesBy The RanchFebruary 16, 2017In social situations, some people use alcohol as “liquid courage” to help them overcome the anxiety of interacting with others. This practice is relatively common because, in the short-term, drinking can help reduce your inhibitions and make you feel more relaxed. However, alcohol can’t touch the actual source of the anxiety you experience. In addition,…
How to Help the Family of an Alcoholic Alcoholism, ArticlesBy The RanchDecember 31, 2016Among the many tragic aspects of alcoholism is that it doesn’t only affect the alcoholic. The disease extends its tentacles into the lives of all those who surround the addict until the entire family is ill. Years of living with an alcoholic can plunge the family, as well as close friends, into their own morass,…
How Alcoholism Affects the Whole Family Alcoholism, ArticlesBy The RanchDecember 21, 2016Alcoholism is a form of addiction that affects all aspects of the drinker’s life. When a person has a problem with alcohol addiction, the compulsion to drink becomes the most important thing in that person’s life. Many people who abuse alcohol or become addicted to it believe they aren’t hurting anyone but themselves. But alcohol…
