• Addiction Bible Scriptures

    Addiction Bible Scriptures

    Now for the first time ever, this Addiction Bible Scriptures ebook gives you instant access to ALL the Bible scriptures on addiction and recovery.

    No more searching, no more wondering where to find every single scripture on addiction and recovery. Questions you've always had about where to find specific scriptures just on drug and alcohol addiction and other compulsive habits, are now ALL found in the Addiction Bible Scriptures eBook.
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  • Christian Rehab Guide

    Christian Rehab Guide.

    What do you think is the #1 obstacle that keeps people from getting clean and sober?

    This may shock you…it’s willingness. Willingness, you might say…that sounds so simple. Yes, it does, but here’s the problem. Most people are not willing to change. The fear of doing something new or making a change is paralyzing.

    Even though a persons life may be full of pain and heartache, the thought of changing is more painful. Why is that? It’s because of FEAR.
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  • Christian and Addiction

    Christian and Addiction

    Christian and addiction are TWO words you’re not supposed to see in the same sentence.

    However, other than being “saved” - Christians are no different than any other person, but they do have different pressures and different needs for recovery.

    Here are THREE keys areas and pressures I believe the Christian deals with in their walk with God. These pressures, if not addressed with Biblical truth, can lead to dabbling in drugs and alcohol for relief and eventually to addiction.
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    Kindle Your Desire For Recovery

    • September 21, 2011 • Comments (0)
    Kindle Your Desire For Recovery

    The Amazon Kindle is truly a life-changing device. It changes the way we read and how
    we obtain our literature. Eventually it will change the entire publishing industry.
    While we wait for this to happen we can enjoy the amazing benefits that the Kindle offers.

    Best selling Kindle author “Robert G. Jakobsen” has the largest inventory of recovery eBooks on AMAZON Kindle.

    Here are 12 Kindle eBooks by author “Robert G. Jakobsen”

    As you scroll the slide show below, you will find a wide variety of addiction recovery Kindle eBooks to encourage and support your recovery.

    To get more information on each eBook, including content description and cost, just run your cursor over any eBook and “click” …it’s that easy!

    Don’t have an AMAZON Kindle yet…no problem, get it here!

    Just “Click” the Buy From Amazon button below…

    Remember, you don’t need a Kindle player to read Kindle eBooks.

    You can download FREE software at AMAZON. You can read my Kindle eBooks on a variety of devices, including your desktop computer, laptop, iPhone, BlackBerry, iPad and Android. To get the free download software, just “click” on one of the eBooks ABOVE in the slideshow, when you get to the page, look in the LEFT hand column for the free downloads.

    Amazon revolutionized the electronic book industry when it introduced the Kindle in 2007. The Kindle gets abundant praise for its near instantaneous wireless downloading of books, fast growing library of more than 750,000 books and ability to hold over 1,500 books on a device a little larger than a paperback. Besides these well known attributes, the Kindle offers many more benefits that make it a joy to own.

    Top 10 Benefits Of Owning A Kindle

    1. Portability: The Kindle is lightweight, and easy to carry around. And it almost feels like a regular book when you put it in its book cover.

    2. Readability: The E-Ink screen is amazing. It is just like reading paper. I can adjust the font size up or down as needed. I also like that I can hold the Kindle “open” and “turn the pages” with just one hand (leaving the other hand free for coffee or tea).

    3. Accessibility: I have access to all my Kindle books and magazine subscriptions at all times. Plus, I can browse new books, read samples, and download directly to my device. As a result, I find I am reading more with my Kindle, which is a good thing.

    4. Flexibility: I am not limited to the Kindle reader but can read my Kindle books on a variety of devices, including my desktop computer, laptop, iPhone, BlackBerry, iPad and Android.

    5. Searchability: I can search for specific words or phrases in individual books or across my whole library.

    6. Free samples: Who doesn’t like free samples? I can download free samples from books or magazine subscriptions and preview before purchasing.

    7. Cost savings: This one is simple. Books are cheaper on the Kindle. Most books I have purchased are $9.99 or less. Many of them you can get for free (including over 30,000 classic titles from Project Gutenberg).

    8. Space savings: We ran out of bookshelf space a long time ago. Many of our books are currently in boxes. With the Kindle I can purchase new books without worrying about where to put them.

    9. Note-taking: It is easy to highlight text and make notes on the Kindle while I read, and I never need to look around for a highlighter or pen.

    10. Ebooks promote reading: People are spending more time in front of screens and less time in front of printed books.

    FROM Kindle Your Desire For Recovery GO TO Home Page

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    Without Faith It Is Impossible

    • July 20, 2011 • Comments (0)
    Without Faith It Is Impossible

    Without Faith It Is Impossible To Please God [Hebrews 11:6]

    To be honest, I’ve had a problem with this scripture, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Here’s my problem with it: This scripture makes it sound like all of the pressure is on me to have faith. Sounds to me like…

    “If I don’t have faith, I DON’T please God,” simple as that, according to the scripture as I understood it. GREAT…that’s all I need from God…is more pressure to perform! And it was my belief…if I only had a little faith, I would only please God a little.

    How do you think that made me feel? YES, inadequate, not good enough, can’t live up to expectations. I felt ashamed to approach God, and I thought, who am I to ask God for anything. Why would He want to answer my prayer? I only have little or no faith.

    Let me explain: When I was smack-dab in the middle of my drug and alcohol addiction, God was the last person I though of. I felt guilty and condemned. I felt ashamed, and I felt like I was a BAD person. I felt outside of God’s love and care. Why would God want anything to do we me?

    I even believed that God was mad at me. How could I not think that? Living the way I was living. Getting drunk and high all the time, and living a life full of self-interest and self-gratification. I did whatever I wanted to do and never thought twice about what God wanted.

    I wanted…what I wanted…when I wanted it. Period. My addiction ruled!

    I thought, that doesn’t sound like a person that God would love very much or want much to do with. Maybe you can relate with me on some level?

    Here’s the insight I recently received from scripture: First, my thinking was false and all screwed up. My thinking was wrong and was not true.

    Here’s what the scripture “Without faith it is impossible to please God” means. Everything starts with accepting Jesus Christ as personal savior by FAITH.

    Now it all makes since, because BEFORE I accepted Jesus Christ, God DID have a problem with me. You see, God is not pleased with me until I accept His Son Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior BY FAITH. Here’s how it works. Sin in my life had separated me from God and God cannot fellowship with me with sin in my life. So how did I get rid of the sin so my fellowship with God could be restored? Yeah, you got it…it’s FAITH in Jesus Christ.

    No wonder the scripture says without faith it is impossible to please God, because it takes FAITH to accept Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. Once I do that, that faith automatically pleases God and my fellowship with Him is restored…FOREVER.

    So what I failed to realize in the past was…it’s faith in Jesus that pleases God, nothing else. From that point on, there’s nothing else I can do to please God. Once I accept Jesus Christ by FAITH as Savior, God is please with me forever.

    And here’s what’s really cool: Now that we have accepted Jesus Christ by Faith, God wants us to use that same act of faith as (a model and guide) to receive ALL the rest of His promises He has for us.

    EXAMPLE:

    • If you have a financial need, ask God, believe and receive it by faith.
    • If you need a physical healing, ask God, believe and receive it by faith.
    • If you need God’s power to overcome an addiction, ask God, believe and receive it by faith.
    • Everything starts with faith and revolves around faith

    EVERYTHING we want and ask from God has to come by faith, starting with our salvation and going forward. Everything works the same way faith in Salvation did. God uses our faith as the vehicle to deliver all promises, miracles and answers to prayer.

    IN CONCLUSION:
    Once you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior by faith, Jesus has automatically FULFILLED Hebrews 11:6 for you, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”

    God has established FAITH as the only way to receive from Him.

    Receiving by faith is good news for someone who is addicted to drugs and alcohol because faith takes all the work out of it. I don’t need to do anything to receive God’s blessing and healing from addiction, all I have to do is receive what is rightfully mine by faith. That’s it!

    But remember, even if you don’t have any faith or just a little faith, God is still pleased with you because of Jesus Christ. God doesn’t see you…He only sees Jesus in you, which makes you perfect.

    But you might ask, “how do I get more faith?”

    Here’s how: Romans 10:17 – “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”

    If this BLOG post has spoken to you in any way and you are struggling with an addiction to drugs and/or alcohol, please check out our 90 and 90 Addiction Recovery Program.

    It contains 12-videos (each 20-30 minutes) that are full of this type of teaching and freedom in Christ. You CAN be freed from the bondage of addiction, and the 90 and 90 Program will show you how. Your life will be liberated!

    Click HERE to see the 90 and 90 Addiction Recovery Program

    FROM Without Faith It Is Impossible GO TO Home Page

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    Relapse Prevention

    • June 23, 2011 • Comments (2)
    Relapse Prevention

    You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on treatment to get your own personal Relapse Prevention program.

    Now for the first time, you have ALL the recovery tools you need at your “finger-tips”
    to effectively deal with relapse urges.

    A drug or alcohol relapse does not mean the end of recovery, it’s merely a stage in the journey that needs to be effectively dealt with.

    Although relapse can be emotionally difficult on both the recovering addict and the family, relapse should never mean an acceptance of failure.

    It should simply mean that the addict needs to work harder than ever to get back to sobriety. There also needs to be an examination of what caused the relapse and how adjustments can be made to improved the sobriety plan.

    Relapse, even after participation in a rehab program is common.

    It’s safe to say that one or more relapses are more likely than not going to occur at some point in the journey to recovery. But that doesn’t mean that a relapse must happen, and for many people, one intensive and serious commitment to treatment is enough to motivate behavioral change and a lifetime of sobriety.

    To increase the odds of long term sobriety, the recovering addict needs to participate fully and honestly in all of the recovery and relapse prevention programs during treatment.

    The recovering addict needs to work to discover their triggers to abuse, to develop a personalized recovery plan, and to follow that plan once rehab is completed.

    The recovering addict must also make a long term commitment to participate in aftercare programs.

    No two addicts are alike. How one stays sober long-term and the other relapses, is hard to understand. In general, there are a few important components to success in drug and alcohol addiction treatment.

    Practice Honesty & Commitment – Relapse Prevention

    No one but the recovering addict can induce personal change and growth, and create the best probability of long-term sobriety.

    Making the use of all tools available in treatment must be maximized. Full, honest and introspective participation in recovery sessions allows for growth and self-awareness that makes future abuse less likely.

    Anyone can go through the motions, and ultimately, even the toughest of programs cannot create internal change in a resistant person. Change comes from within, and change starts with a commitment to hard, emotional, and honest recovery and reflection.

    Stick To Your Recovery Plan – Relapse Prevention

    Through an honest and committed participation in after care programs like AA (Alcoholic Anonymous) or NA (Narcotics Anonymous) recovering addicts gain a better understanding of their triggers to use, and the people, social and environmental situations that make abuse more likely.

    Using this new-found awareness, recovering addicts need to create a detailed and comprehensive recovery and relapse prevention sobriety plan.

    Making a plan for the first 30-days out of rehab helps resist temptation. It also encourages the practice of the lessons of rehab once back in the home environment.

    Although making an honest and comprehensive recovery plan is important, the plan isn’t worth much if there is no commitment once back home.

    The recovery and relapse prevention plan should keep you busy, keep you focused and keep you safe. Failure to follow an honest recovery plan increases the likelihood of drug and alcohol relapse.

    It’s always difficult to stay true to a demanding recovery plan, but recovery is rarely easy, and a commitment to change and walking in sobriety will require sacrifices.

    Continue Recovery In Aftercare – Relapse Prevention

    After drug and alcohol rehab, relapse occurs most frequently either in the very initial period once re-exposed to the triggers and temptations to use, and again a few months later.

    The trap is when a person gains confidence with a period of sobriety and participation in aftercare seems unnecessary.

    Recovery is a day to day process. If a person participates in some form of aftercare for at least 1-year, the chances of maintaining long-term sobriety are greatly increased.

    Aftercare recommendation will vary based on the needs of the recovering addict, but aftercare will at a minimum consist of continuing peer group meetings at Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and continuing occasional sessions with an addictions professional.

    What Happens If I Relapse? – Relapse Prevention

    Drug and alcohol relapse doesn’t have to mean failure.

    Too often, when faced with a quick relapse, recovering addicts and families feel like the whole process of recovery has been pointless, and recovering addicts use a small relapse as a justification back into full blow abuse.

    The best way to deal with a relapse is not to have a relapse in the first place; and the best way to avoid relapse is to give everything you can to the rehab process, to follow your recovery plan to the letter, and to make continuing aftercare a priority.

    If a drug rehab relapse occurs, it’s not the end of the world, and it simply means that more hard work is needed.

    Failure can never be an option, and no matter how many relapses and rehabs it takes to achieve sobriety, ultimate success can be the only goal worth living towards.

    Don’t Let A Slip Become A Relapse – Relapse Prevention

    The best way to stay sober is to minimize the temptations to use, and to rely on the support network offered by family, friends and professional aftercare services. But sometimes, despite our best intentions, we do fail, and we do slip.

    Too often one day’s use can destroy all of our hard work, as we let that one slip lead us back into full relapse; and all of the pain and suffering of addiction once again.

    If you slip, it does not mean that you are a failure, and it does not mean that you need to start using again. Get immediate help from your support network, and start living one day at a time once again.

    The road to full recovery never ends, and a few bumps in the road are to be expected.

    Have the courage and the strength to get help when you need it, and never think that because you’ve slipped, you have to go back to abuse. Most addicts that have successfully beaten their dependency have slipped or even relapsed once or more.

    Drug Alcohol Relapse Prevention Recovery is a journey, and there is no overnight cure. – Relapse Prevention

    You should take steps to minimize the likelihood of a slip or relapse, and you do need to take responsibility for your actions and even your thoughts.

    However, if a slip occurs, you need to deal with it, and not use it as an excuse to throw away all of your hard work and fall back into your old ways.

    You don’t need to feel ashamed, but you do need to get help right away. Never be ashamed of your behavior, and never try to hide your slip from the people that care about you. Speak with your family, speak with your therapist; speak with anyone who you think can help!

    Minimize Temptation – Relapse Prevention

    The best way to maintain long term sobriety is to minimize the temptation to abuse, maintain appropriate family, peer and professional aftercare support, and live one-day-at-a-time with the goal of a-day-of-sobriety above all else.

    The urge to use lessens with time, but you never know when that urge can come back with a vengeance. Often it’s after the addict thinks the real danger has passed, is when they are the most vulnerable to a slip.

    The two periods that are most dangerous are:

    * the period immediately after rehab
    * the period a few months later, when confidence increases to the point it becomes easy to let down your guard.

    Just After Rehab – Relapse Prevention

    When just out of rehab, the temptations of the home environment hit you, and you are no longer in the safe drug and alcohol free world of rehab.

    Old friends will try to contact you, old situations will reemerge, and old stresses will bring back those cravings.

    The addict has to restructure their lives to get rid of the temptations. What seemed so sensible and obvious in rehab can become more complex and problematic when it needs to happen in reality. This is where your relapse prevention program really needs to “kick in.”

    Too many people give in to feelings of helplessness and powerlessness over their addiction during these initial days and weeks.

    Many times an initial slip during these first few weeks can become a complete relapse into addiction. Remember the lessons learned during rehab, use the strength of your sponsor, family and real friends for support when you need it.

    If you don’t have a relapse prevention plan, click here!

    Take advantage of any aftercare services provided and make a real effort to rid yourself from the triggers to abuse. This period is never easy, and it can feel overwhelming, but just take it one day at a time, or even one hour at a time, and it will pass, and it will get easier.

    Staying Clean & Sober

    A Guide For Relapse Prevention

    Only $9.97

    Instant PDF Download

    Go HERE for “Staying Clean & Sober”

    In this 72 page printable workbook and guide, the goal is to increase your awareness and range of choices concerning behaviors, to develop specific coping skills, self-management
    abilities and to create a general sense of manageability to your life.

    Almost everyone in recovery has times when compelling thoughts of drinking or using drugs resurface.

    Each persons relapse factors are unique to them, their life situation, their environment and personal recovery plan.

    • You’ll learn how to identify the warning signs that can lead to a relapse and how to take positive steps to stay clean and sober.
    • You’ll get a practical plan that addresses your physical, mental and emotional needs in a positive and constructive way.

    FROM Relapse Prevention GO TO Home Page

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    Specials

    • June 9, 2011
    Specials

    Memorial Day Special

    Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

    In honor of U.S. men and women who died while in the military service, we at the Recovery Network would like to extend this Memorial Day special offer to you.

    45% savings on THREE of our most popular ebooks until Memorial Day, May 28th 2012.

    Plus, you get the LIMITED OFFER BONUS Gift “Transformation Prayer Guide!”

    ALSO included in this special package is our FREE BONUS gift eBook titled: “Transformational Prayer Guide” ($12.97 Value)

    This 52-week prayer guide offers suggested prayers for each day of the week.

    The 64-page guide is focused on unleashing the passion and presence of the Lord to transform your personal and family life. Through Christ-centered transformation, the power of God is
    unleashed to restore hope and joy that leads to a decline in divorce, bankruptcy, and suicide.

    In this “Memorial Day Special” Package you’ll receive…

    • Addiction Bible Scriptures (All of the addiction and recovery scriptures in the Bible) Reg. $12.97

    • 12 Steps And The Bible (Biblical Guide To Addiction Recovery and Healing) Reg. $12.97

    • Stay Clean & Sober (Relapse Prevention Guide) Reg. $9.97

    PLUS…the Free BONUS Gift ebook “Transformational Prayer Guide” (Reg. $12.97)

    Total $38.91 – “Memorial Day” Special Price $19.97
    [45% Savings Discount!]

    Just click the “Add To Cart” button below…


    to get your THREE eBooks PLUS, Free BONUS eBook (Instant Download) for ONLY $19.97

    FROM Specials Page GO TO Home Page

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    Supply and Demand

    • May 4, 2011 • Comments (3)
    Supply and Demand

    Today, I believe God is asking us if we are Supply (or) Demand Oriented?

    Here’s what the Lord revealed to me. When you are conscious of My constant SUPPLY to you, you are living under GRACE.

    Conversely, when you are conscious of the DEMAND put on you to achieve, you are living under LAW.

    Simply put, the principle of GRACE is SUPPLY, while the principle of the LAW is DEMAND.

    The law says, “You Shall…You shall not…You Shall…” But under grace, God says, “I will…I will…I will… (Hebrews 8:10-12) Can you see the difference?

    Under grace, God is the one doing all the doing and supplying, not you. This is our relationship with Him under the new covenant of grace!

    When you are demand-oriented, you see everything as a demand placed on you. “I must do this…I must do that…” The result? You feel stressed and pressurized to perform, meet people’s expectations and achieve results.

    But when you are living under grace, you see the rich supply from God providing whatever you need for your situation despite the demands. The result? You walk in peace and always see God’s provision because your eyes are focused on His unfailing supply. As we deal with life on a day-by-day basis, we can be demand-oriented or supply-oriented.

    Let me ask you this: Are you facing a lack in any area of your life, be it finances, addiction problems, health or relationships? God has already prepared His superabundant supply, which will abound toward you and on top of that, His grace and more of His grace!

    In John 6:1-13, Jesus was with a large crowd of people who were hungry. The problem then was a lack of food. But Jesus knew that where there is lack, there is superabundant supply in His Father’s kingdom to overcome that lack.

    His disciples, however, did not know that. They did not think the same way Jesus did. They told Him that there was a boy with five loaves and two small fish, but they did not think that that would amount to anything. They said, “What are the five loaves and two fish among so many” (John 6:9)

    They saw only the problem, the LACK. But Jesus took the little, lifted it up as He looked to heaven and gave thanks to His Father, whose supply is so much more than we can ever ask for.

    When Jesus started distributing the little that was in His hands, a miracle happened. Five thousand men, not counting women and children, ate as much as they wanted and for as long as they were hungry!

    The supply kept flowing as long as the need was there. And after they were so filled, there were 12 baskets full of leftovers! That’s God’s superabundant supply. In God’s kingdom, there is no such thing as the Father not having enough or not wanting to give abundantly to His children. No, He promises that He will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus!

    What is your part in all of this? Your part is just to exercise faith by taking from God. People often say, “Depend on God.” How do you depend on God? Here’s how. You choose to see His loving heart and generous supply when others only see the demand. Today, reach out in faith and take from God.

    We who are in recovery (and those who are just beginning their recovery), it is crucial that we learn to be supply conscience towards God, and expect Him to meet all of our needs and continually pour out blessings upon us.

    Believe that His superabundant supply will flow and multiply your health, finances and emotions, and fill you up to overflowing!

    FROM Supply and Demand GO TO Home Page

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    Drug Addiction

    • February 26, 2011 • Comments (3)
    Drug Addiction

    Drug Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences.

    It is considered a brain disease because drugs change the brain, they change its structure and how it works. These brain changes can be long lasting, and can lead to harmful behaviors seen in people who abuse drugs.

    Because of drug addiction in the home, family members or friends may behave in ways that allow an addict to continue to use drugs or alcohol; these people are called enablers (also referred to as codependents when their own needs are intertwined with the addict’s continued use).

    Enablers may call in sick for an addict or make excuses for the addict’s behavior. The enabler may plead with the addict to stop using drugs or alcohol but rarely does anything else to help the addict change their behavior.

    Studies find that more people enter treatment if their family members or employers are honest with them about their concerns, and try to help them to see that drugs are preventing them from reaching their goals.

    What is Drug Abuse?

    Drug abuse is the use of mind-altering drugs without medical need. If there is continued use, it may threaten the quality of life or health and safety of the abuser and others. Dependence can be very powerful and difficult to overcome.

    The body adapts to the continuous use of a drug that produces dependence. This dependence can develop a tolerance and withdrawal symptoms when use stops. Tolerance is the need to use progressively larger amounts of a drug to reproduce the original effects achieved with the starting amount.

    Overdose of a drug may occur as part of drug abuse.

    With some drugs, an overdose may even be fatal. Although mind-altering drugs are typically the ones that are abused the most, other drugs that do not alter the mind are often abused.

    Drug addiction occurs in all socioeconomic groups and involves highly educated and professional people as well as those who are uneducated and unemployed.

    Withdrawal symptoms occur when drug use is stopped or when the drug’s effects are blocked by another drug. A person undergoing withdrawal from drug addiction feels sick and may develop headaches, diarrhea, or shaking (tremors). Withdrawal can evoke a serious and even life-threatening illness.

    Drug Addiction And Substance Abuse Statistics

    Drug addiction to alcohol, nicotine, and illegal substances cost Americans upwards of half a trillion dollars a year, considering their combined medical, economic, criminal, and social impact.

    Every year, abuse of illicit drugs and alcohol contributes to the death of more than 100,000 Americans, while tobacco is linked to an estimated 440,000 deaths per year.

    People of all ages suffer the harmful consequences of drug addiction.

    • Drug Rehab Babies exposed to legal and illegal drugs in the womb may be born premature and underweight. This drug exposure can slow the child’s intellectual development and affect behavior later in life.
    • Adolescents who abuse drugs often act out, do poorly academically, and drop out of school. They are at risk of unplanned pregnancies, violence, and infectious diseases.
    • Adults who abuse drugs often have problems thinking clearly, remembering, and paying attention. They often develop poor social behaviors as a result of their drug abuse, and their work performance and personal relationships suffer.
    • Parents’ drug abuse often means chaotic, stress-filled homes and child abuse and neglect. Such conditions harm the well-being and development of children in the home and may set the stage for drug abuse and drug addiction in the next generation.

    Why do people take drugs?

    In general, people begin taking drugs for a variety of reasons:

    • To feel good. Most abused drugs produce intense feelings of pleasure. This initial sensation of euphoria is followed by other effects, which differ with the type of drug used.

      For example, with stimulants such as cocaine, the “high” is followed by feelings of power, self-confidence, and increased energy. In contrast, the euphoria caused by opiates such as heroin is followed by feelings of relaxation and satisfaction.

    • To feel better. Some people who suffer from social anxiety, stress-related disorders, and depression begin abusing drugs in an attempt to lessen feelings of distress. Stress can play a major role in beginning drug use, continuing drug abuse, or relapse in patients recovering from addiction.
    • To do better. The increasing pressure that some individuals feel to chemically enhance or improve their athletic or cognitive performance can similarly play a role in initial experimentation and continued drug abuse.
    • Curiosity and “because others are doing it.” In this respect adolescents are particularly vulnerable because of the strong influence of peer pressure; they are more likely, for example, to engage in “thrilling” and “daring” behaviors.

    If taking drugs make people feel good…what’s the problem?

    At first, people may perceive what seem to be positive effects with drug use. They also may believe that they can control their use; however, drugs can quickly take over their lives.

    Over time, if drug use continues, pleasurable activities become less pleasurable, and drug abuse becomes necessary for abusers to simply feel “normal.”

    Drug abusers reach a point where they seek and take drugs, despite the tremendous problems caused for themselves and their loved ones. Some individuals may start to feel the need to take higher or more frequent doses, even in the early stages of their drug use.

    Is continued drug abuse a voluntary behavior?

    The initial decision to take drugs is mostly voluntary. However, when drug abuse takes over, a person’s ability to exert self-control can become seriously impaired.

    Brain imaging studies from drug-addicted individuals show physical changes in areas of the brain that are critical to judgment, decision making, learning and memory, and behavior control. Scientists believe that these changes alter the way the brain works, and may help explain the compulsive and destructive behaviors of addiction.

    What factors determine if a person will become addicted?

    No single factor determines whether a person will become addicted to drugs. The overall risk for addiction is impacted by the biological makeup of the individual.

    It can even be influenced by gender or society, his or her developmental stage, and the surrounding social environment (e.g., conditions at home, at school, and in the neighborhood).

    What environmental factors increase the risk of drug addiction?

    • Home and Family. The influence of the home environment is usually most important in childhood. Parents or older family members who abuse alcohol or drugs, or who engage in criminal behavior, can increase children’s risks of developing their own drug problems.
    • Peer and School. Friends and acquaintances have the greatest influence during adolescence. Drug-abusing peers can sway even those without risk factors to try drugs for the first time. Academic failure or poor social skills can put a child further at risk for drug abuse.

    What other factors increase the risk of drug addiction?

    • Early Use. Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, research shows that the earlier a person begins to use drugs the more likely they are to progress to more serious abuse.

      This may reflect the harmful effect that drugs can have on the developing brain; it also may result from early biological and social factors, including genetic limitation, mental illness, unstable family relationships, and exposure to physical or sexual abuse.

      Still, the fact remains that early use is a strong indicator of problems ahead, among them, substance abuse and addiction.

    • Taking the Drug. Smoking a drug or injecting it into a vein increases its addictive potential. Both smoked and injected drugs enter the brain within seconds, producing a powerful rush of pleasure.

      However, this “intense high” can fade within a few minutes. This server felt contrast, has lead scientists to believe this low feeling drives individuals to repeated drug abuse in an attempt to recapture the high pleasurable state.

      How does stimulation of the brain’s pleasure circuit teach us to keep taking drugs?

      Our brains are wired to ensure that we will repeat life-sustaining activities by associating those activities with pleasure or reward.

      Whenever this reward circuit is activated, the brain notes that something important is happening that needs to be remembered, and teaches us to do it again and again, without thinking about it. Because drugs of abuse stimulate the same circuit, we learn to abuse drugs in the same way.

      Can Drug Addiction Be Cured?

      There is no cure…only recovery. Like other chronic diseases, addiction can be managed successfully. Treatment enables people to counteract addiction’s powerful disruptive effects and regain control of their lives.

      Can Drug Addiction Be Treated Successfully?

      Yes. Drug Addiction is a treatable disease. Thankfully, once an individual makes the choice to get clean, there is a great Christian rehab guide available that can meet his or her individual needs for therapy.

      Click HERE for Rehab Guide!

      FROM Drug Addiction GO TO Home Page

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    Christian 12 Step Program

    • February 21, 2011 • Comments (4)
    Christian 12 Step Program

    Christian 12 Step Program. Little Known Ways On “How To” Conquer Drug and Alcohol Addiction with Massive Transformation Value!

    The 90 and 90 program is a complete Christ-Centered, Faith-Based 12-Step addiction recovery program that
    is available Online or on DVD.

     

    Robert Jakobsen

    Hi, I’m Robert Jakobsen, founder of the Recovery Network and I am a Christian, and I’m also a recovering alcoholic and drug addict.

    In the next few minutes I want to introduce you to a life-transforming 12 Step Program
    I have created, called: The 90 and 90 Program.

    The 90 and 90 rehab program really is a formula. It walks you step-by-step through the recovery process in precise detail. It shows you EXACTLY what to do every step of the way, right down to suggested daily action steps to take.

    We’re going to focus on ONE area of your life for recovery each week for 12 weeks.

    You’ll see why the 90 and 90 program is the most beneficial 12 Step Recovery Program available to you as we cover…

    3 KEY AREAS:

    • Holistic Approach to TOTAL Recovery – Physical, Emotional and Spiritual
    • How This Program Will Save You Time, Work and Money
    • Incredible BONUS Products to Accelerate and Assist Your Recovery

    Here’s What Your Life Will Look Like…

    Emotional – Before 90 and 90 Program

    Only you know what’s going on in your life. Maybe you feel like you’ve lost control? Maybe you feel like you can’t stop and there’s no hope? Maybe your lifestyle is causing you legal problems like DUI’s, or spouse separation or divorce, job loss, financial difficulties and relationship problems with your children? Maybe the bottom-line is you just don’t like the direction your life is going?

    EMOTIONAL – After 90 and 90 Program

    After completing the 90 and 90 program you’ll see a radical improvement in your life, here’s how. The urge to drink and drug will be gone. Your self-confidence and self-esteem will soar and you will be re-energized to receive and experience all the good things that God has planned for you. You and your family will see a new transformation take place in your life. Love and relationships will be restored and cherished.

    Physical – Before 90 and 90 Program

    Maybe you’re dealing with cravings, like a strong need or compulsion to drink or drug? Maybe your habit has progressed to a physical condition including withdrawal symptoms like shaking or dependence? Maybe you even have some physical problems? Maybe depression has sucked the life out of you, and you feel tired and exhausted and have no energy?

    PHYSICAL– After 90 and 90 Program

    In the 90 and 90 rehab guide you will discover how the right foods and good nutrition will help ease the cravings and make you feel good again. Nutritional healing and healthy eating are vital to recovery. When we are hungry, angry, lonely or tired, we are more at risk for relapse. You will learn how to avoid relapse with nutrition being one important component. Nutritional recipes are even included in the program to help you get started.

    Spiritual – Before 90 and 90 Program

    This is a biggie. Maybe you feel like your relationship with God has been broken? Maybe you feel like you’re all alone? Maybe you’re dealing with guilt and condemnation? Maybe you even feel like God is mad at you? How do you see God? How you see God effects your faith and how you receive from Him.

    If you see God as a strict, distant and isolated judge waiting to punish you for each mistake, you’ll spend your life in constant fear and insecurity. But when you see Him as He really is, a gracious, loving and forgiving Father, it will put so much faith in your heart to receive from Him.

    In the Bible, forgiveness always precedes healing. Psalm 103 says, “Who forgives all your iniquities” (before moving on to) “who heals all your diseases.” So in other words, you receiving forgiveness is crucial to your healing and recovery!

    SPIRITUAL – After 90 and 90 Program

    You’ll discover why drug and alcohol addictions are considered spiritual diseases, and how the 90 and 90 program is the ultimate spiritually-based rehab guide for recovery. You’ll also experience the love, forgiveness and healing of God’s GRACE, and peace will fill your life as guilt and condemnation go away. God wants to work miracles in your life, and you don’t need to beg or work for His blessings. You’ll also learn what the will of God is for your life, and how to walk in favor to fulfill your God-given destiny.

    CREDENTIALS

    What makes me qualified to be your personal mentor and coach for recovery? Well, the information in this 90 and 90 program comes
    from 25-years of experience fighting and battling drug and alcohol addiction myself.

    It comes through trial and error. It comes from hundreds of hours of in-patient and out-patient treatment and addiction counseling. It comes
    from going through the pain of relapse and starting over again.

    It comes from many years of studying the Bible and searching for recovery scriptures. And it also comes from the love of sobriety and living a life today that is happy, joyous and free.

    It is my belief that people would rather learn how to overcome an addiction from someone who has actually done it…and who is living it.

    I have walked a mile in your shoes and I will be covering the constant problems and challenges that people face everyday as they begin their new road to recovery.

    The 90 and 90 course is based on the 12-Step MODEL. The 12-Steps have been responsible for helping millions of people achieve sobriety for 70-years. It’s a proven, time-tested program that just simply works.

    90 and 90 BENEFITS

    Let me explain how the 90 and 90 program is going to help you.

    • You’ll get 6-hours of video-based addiction recovery treatment that covers all 12 Steps. Each video lesson will transform one specific area of your life each week…
    • You’re also gonna get 12 “inspirational study guides” that support each video STEP that walks you through a series of lessons, with “call-to-action” steps, a Q&A time and suggested assignments to rid your life of anxiety and depression…
    • In each step, you’ll get deep spiritual insight with targeted scriptures from the Bible that will make a huge impact on your life and help your faith grow even deeper…
    • You’ll discover how important health and nutrition is to prevent relapse and how to create your own personal relapse prevention plan…
    • You’ll learn how to maintain and protect your sobriety for long term recovery…
    • In addition to empowering you to manifest sobriety, the 90 and 90 rehab guide will help you manifest good relationships, marital harmony, and career fulfillment to live a life that is happy, joyous and free. Your life will become truly meaningful and authentic…
    • You’ll also discover how to transform your dreams, desires and faith into physical reality. The 90 and 90 program will help restore what you have lost, reveal how to attract the things you want and how to know what the will of God is for your life.

    Here’s why it’s almost impossible for YOU to fail.

    I’m ALSO going to give you [5] FREE eBook BONUS Products worth $58.88 that will be a major help and support to your recovery. BONUSES are only available until…

    Thursday, May 31st 2012

     

    BONUS #1: – Week 1

    Addiction Bible Scriptures

    (All of the Addiction and Recovery Scriptures in the Bible)

    Addiction Bible Scriptures In this Addiction Bible Scriptures ebook, you’re going to get all of the scriptures in the bible on addiction and recovery.

    You’ll have instant access to every single scripture on addiction and recovery in the Bible at your finger-tips.

    It includes: 47 Topics, 243 Pages, 1,832 Scriptures

    You’ll discover how to tap into a POWER greater than yourself and you’ll suddenly realize that God is doing for you what you cannot do for yourself.

    BONUS #2: – Week 5

    12 Steps And The Bible

    (Biblical Guide To Addiction Recovery and Healing)

    12 Steps And The Bible The ONLY way to break the cycle of addiction, is to get to the ROOT of the problem! You will discover what the deepest root of addiction is.

    12 Steps And The Bible will help you identify and deal with the deepest root. When you internalize this revelation, ALL of the destructive outward manifestations will begin healing automatically.

    If you remove the deepest root of your problem, the problem will cease to exist.

    In the Bible, forgiveness always precedes healing. Psalm 103:3 says, “Who forgives all your iniquities” (before moving on to) “who heals all your diseases.”

    BONUS #3: – Week 7

    Staying Clean & Sober

    (A Guide For Relapse Prevention)

    Staying Clean and Sober Almost everyone in recovery has times when compelling thoughts of drinking or using drugs resurface.

    Each persons relapse factors are unique to them, their life situation, their environment and personal recovery plan.

    You’ll learn how to identify the warning signs that can lead to a relapse and how to take positive steps to stay clean and sober. You’ll get a practical plan that addresses your physical, mental and emotional needs in a positive and constructive way.

    BONUS #4: – Week 10

    RECOVERY Health & Nutrition

    (Steps To A Healthier You!)

    Recovery Health and Nutrition Health and nutrition can enhance the recovery process and enrich quality of life mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

    Research has shown that a diet with the right types of high protein and high carbohydrate-rich foods can actually prevent relapse.

    You’ll also discover how certain foods can affect your moods. Like amino acids, and deficiency of nutrients like folic acid and B-complex vitamins and how they can have a serious and negative impact on your recovery.

    To give your recovery the best chance of success and sobriety, the 90 and 90 nutritional component of the program offers a diverse set of nutritional life skills. Recipes are also included inside.

    BONUS #5: – Week 12

    Family Roles In Addiction – VIDEO

    (Filled With Break-Through Recovery Insight For The Family) [Length: 46:36 - Instant Video Download]

    Most families play certain roles during the addiction and recovery process. In “Family Roles In Addiction” you’ll discover if YOU or your FAMILY fits into any of these roles…

    The Addict, The Caretaker, The Hero, The Mascot, The Lost Child and The Scapegoat.

    In “Family Roles In Addiction” you will begin to overcome issues, and what could be classified as the addiction to the role.

    TESTIMONIALS

    The 90 and 90 rehab guide is a complete step-by-step roadmap to recovery.

    I have worked hundreds of hours on refining it, adding to it and perfecting it. The results are a method, a formula, a course that my students have applied over and over again very successfully to achieve sobriety.

    And that’s what’s important. I have successfully showed others how to apply this program. We’ve had 1,088 students take this course in the last 7-months because it transforms their life in less time, with less work and saves them thousands of dollars.

    I can’t guarantee you’ll get clean and sober, that depends on your willingness, but I can guarantee you a great course. In short, you will achieve sobriety and be armed with the tools to continue your recovery long after you have completed the course.

    Let’s hear what “Alumni Students” are saying about the 90 and 90 program.

    One last thing I want to mention…you need to ACT NOW!

    The 5 FREE BONUS Products worth $55.88 will ONLY be available until…

    Midnight, May 31st 2012, after that, ALL BONUS PRODUCTS will no longer be offered with this 90 and 90 Online or DVD program.

    Here’s What To Do Next!

    You can choose to get your recovery course all ONLINE or you can purchase our DVD Series.

    If you choose the online course, each week for 12-weeks you will receive by email a direct LINK to a private website that will include the VIDEO Step and “Inspirational Study Guide” for that week.

    ONE STEP EACH WEEK, for 12-weeks starting TODAY with STEP 1.

    Here’s What You Get – 90 and 90 ONLINE Program!

    • 12-Power Packed Addiction Recovery Videos (6-hours)
    • 12-Inspirational Study Guides (103 pages)
    • 5-Free BONUS Products ($55.88 Value)
    • 24/7 Private Membership Website (Life-Time Access)
    • Monthly Encouragement Newsletter
    • 30-Day Money Back Guarantee!

    Reg. $600.00

    NOW Only 1 Payment of $297 (Save $21.00 with 1-payment)
    or (just 2 payments of $159)

    Just click the “Order Securely” button below:

    (Safe and Secure Online Ordering with Credit Card or PayPal)

    Here’s What You Get – 90 and 90 DVD Series!

    If you choose the DVD Series, you will receive the entire video course on 3-DVD’s, plus you get the 12-printable “Inspirational Study Guides” and 5 FREE BONUS products on CD-ROM. The DVD Series will be shipped to you within 24-hours, 2-day “priority mail” directly to your location of choice.

    Reg. $600.00
    NOW Only 1 Payment of $297 (Save $21.00 with 1-payment)

    PLUS: FREE Shipping

    Just click the “Order Securely” button below:

    (Safe and Secure Online Ordering with Credit Card or PayPal)

    30-Day Money Back Guarantee On The 90 and 90 Program!

    You Also Get A Full 30-Day No-Risk 100% Money Back Guarantee!

    At anytime from the date of your purchase, up until a FULL 30-DAYS, if you’re not completely satisfied with the 90 and 90 Program just send us a simple email and you’ll get a prompt and courteous REFUND, no questions asked!

    PLUS, you can keep your first BONUS product, the “Addiction Bible Scriptures” ebook as our gift for trying the program.

    NOTE: Refund email: robert@recoverynetwork.info – this email address is on every page in the 90 and 90 program.

    Immediately After Sign Up – Online Program

    Immediately after sign up of the online program, you will be taken directly to the WEEK 1 private website. WEEK 1 includes the STEP 1 VIDEO and the companion “inspirational study guide.” PLUS: You get instant access to your BONUS product, “Addiction Bible Scriptures” eBook.

    NOTE: You’ll also be sent an email with a direct LINK back to the WEEK 1 private website. You will receive WEEK 2 (7-days) after WEEK 1, and so forth throughout the entire 12-week program. Each WEEK you will receive a NEW video and a NEW “inspirational study guide” for that week for 12-weeks.

    Immediately After DVD Series Purchase

    Immediately after purchase of the 90 and 90 DVD Series, you will be taken to a special page where you will have immediate access to your 5 Free BONUS Products. Your DVD Series will be shipped within 24-hours 2-day “Priority Mail” to the location of your choice.

    WARNING

    You don’t have to continue to struggle day-to-day being depressed and fighting the urges of addiction. TODAY is your day, it’s your time, it’s your chance to begin a NEW beautiful life in recovery…full of joy, happiness and peace.

    PLUS, if you miss a week or fall behind for some reason, no problem, I’m still going to give you full-access to all of the recovery videos, inspirational study guides and BONUS products in the 90 and 90 online program for 1-FULL year.

    You can watch the videos online or download them to your computer and watch them anytime you want. How much would you pay for just 1-hour of this training? We’ll give you the tools to be free…and live a fulfilled addiction free life!

    Or, if you decide to purchase the DVD Series, you will own the entire 90 and 90 program, which gives you the flexibility to work the program on your own time and schedule.

    P.S. PLUS, if you sign up before Thursday, May 31st, 2012 you get FIVE FREE BONUS products worth $55.88 that will take your recovery to a NEW level by giving you wisdom, insight and understanding every step of the way.

    Your greatest days are ahead!

    Robert and Shelley Founders/Recovery Network

    QUESTIONS:

    Email: robert@recoverynetwork.info

    Call: 407-927-4471

    FROM Christian 12 Step Program GO TO Home Page

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    Binge Drinking

    • February 20, 2011 • Comments (0)
    Binge Drinking

    Binge drinking, the term refers to the heavy consumption of alcohol over a short period of time.

    Today the generally accepted definition of binge drinking is the consumption of five or more drinks in a row by men or four or more drinks in a row by women at least once in the previous 2 weeks. Heavy BD includes three or more such episodes in 2 weeks.

    According To National Surveys:

    • Approximately 92% of US adults who drink excessively report BD in the past 30 days.
    • Although college students commonly BD, 70% of BD episodes involve adults over age 25.
    • The rate of BD among men is 2 times the rate of women.
    • Binge drinkers are 14 times more likely to report alcohol-impaired driving than non-binge drinkers.
    • About 90% of the alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 in the United States is in the form of binge drinks.
    • About 75% of the alcohol consumed by adults in the United States is in the form of binge drinks.
    • The proportion of current drinkers that binge is highest in the 18 to 20 year old groups (51%).

    High School And College Students

    Binge Drinking Despite laws in every State that make it illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to purchase or possess alcohol, young people report that alcohol is easy to obtain and that many high school and college students drink with one goal…to get drunk.

    Why Do Adolescents Binge Drink?

    Liquor stores, bars, and alcoholic beverage companies make drinking seem attractive and fun. It’s easy for a high school student to get caught up in a social scene with lots of peer pressure. Inevitably, one of the biggest areas of peer pressure is drinking.

    Reasons For Adolescent Drinking:

    • They’re curious — they want to know what it’s like to drink alcohol.
    • They believe that it will make them feel good, not realizing it could make them sick and hung-over.
    • They may look at alcohol as a way to reduce stress, even though it can end up creating more stress.
    • They want to feel older.

    Many teens don’t think about the negative side effects of drinking. Although they think about the possibility of getting drunk, they may not give much consideration to being hung-over or throwing up.

    Excessive drinking can lead to difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, mood changes, and other problems that affect day-to-day life. But BD carries more serious and longer-lasting risks as well.

    Adolescent Drinking Statistics

    • BD, often begins around age 13, tends to increase during adolescence, peaks in young adulthood (ages 18 to 22), then gradually decreases.
    • BD in the last year was reported by 8 percent of youth ages 12 to 17 and 30 percent of those ages 18 to 20.
    • Among persons under the legal drinking age (12 to 20), 15 percent were binge drinkers and 7 percent were heavy drinkers.
    • About 10.4 million adolescents ages 12 to 20 reported using alcohol. Of those, 5.1 million were binge drinkers and included 2.3 million heavy drinkers who binged at least five times a month.
    • Nearly 9 percent of boys and 7 percent of girls ages 12 to 17 reported binge drinking in the previous month.

    Binge Drinking – Christian Addiction Recovery

    DID YOU KNOW?

    • Frequent binge drinkers were eight times more likely than non-binge drinkers to miss a class, fall behind in schoolwork, get hurt or injured, and damage property.
    • Nearly one out of every five teenagers (16 percent) has experienced “black out” spells where they could not remember what happened the previous evening because of heavy BD.
    • More than 60 percent of college men and almost 50 percent of college women who are frequent binge drinkers report that they drink and drive.
    • BD during high school, especially among males, is strongly predictive of BD in college.
    • BD during college may be associated with mental health disorders such as compulsiveness, depression or anxiety, or early deviant behavior.
    • In a national study, 91 percent of women and 78 percent of the men who were frequent binge drinkers considered themselves to be moderate or light drinkers.

    Impaired Judgment

    BD impairs judgment, so drinkers are more likely to take risks they might not take when they’re sober. They may drive drunk and injure themselves or others. Driving isn’t the only motor skill that’s impaired, though.

    Walking is also more difficult while intoxicated. It has been reported that roughly one third of pedestrians 16 and older who were killed in traffic accidents were intoxicated. People who are drunk also take other risks they might not normally take when they’re sober.

    For example, people who have impaired judgment may have unprotected sex, putting them at greater risk of a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or unplanned pregnancy.

    Physical Health

    Studies show that people who binge-drink throughout high school are more likely to be overweight and have high blood pressure by the time they are 24. Just one regular beer contains about 150 calories, which adds up to a lot of calories if someone drinks four or five beers a night.

    Mental Health

    Binge drinkers have a harder time in school and they’re more likely to drop out. Drinking disrupts sleep patterns, which can make it harder to stay awake and concentrate during the day. This can lead to struggles with studying and poor academic performance.

    People who binge-drink may find that their friends drift away. Drinking can affect personality; people might become angry or moody while drinking.

    Alcoholism

    Some studies have shown that people who binge-drink heavily, those who have three or more episodes of binge drinking in 2 weeks have some of the symptoms of alcoholism.

    College Drug Use And Binge Drinking On The Rise

    Nearly half of America’s 5.4 million full-time college students abuse drugs or drink alcohol on binges at least once a month, according to a new study that portrays substance and alcohol abuse as an increasingly urgent problem on campuses across the nation.

    Alcohol remains the favored substance of abuse on college campuses by far, but the abuse of prescription drugs and marijuana has increased dramatically since the mid-1990s, according to a recently released study.

    The study surveyed 2,000 students and found that college students have higher rates of alcohol or drug addiction than the general public: 22.9% of students meet the medical definition for alcohol or drug abuse or dependence (a compulsive use of a substance despite negative consequences) compared with 8.5% of all people 12 and older.

    Nearly half the students surveyed said they drank or used drugs to relax, reduce stress or forget about problems.

    Students who said they had abused painkillers such as Percocet, Vicodin and OxyContin during the past month rose from fewer than 1% of students in 1993 to 3.1% in 2005, a reflection of how the rising number and availability of prescription drugs has increased abuse.

    Getting Help

    Drinking too much can be the result of social pressures, and sometimes it helps to know there are others who have gone through the same thing. If you’re worried, don’t hesitate to ask someone for help.

    Here’s Where To Get Help

    Check out our 90 and 90 Program, it’s full of transformational recovery tools, including videos, “inspirational study guides” and BONUSES to help you get started on your road to recovery.

    Click HERE for the 90 and 90 Program

    Author: Robert G. Jakobsen Robert Jakobsen has battled drug and alcohol addiction for 25-years. Today, he is clean and sober and lives life one-day-at-a-time happy, joyous and free.

    He is the author of 6-transformational recovery ebooks, and has also created a Christian 12 Step VIDEO recovery rehab guide called: The 90 and 90 Program.

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    Signs Of Alcohol Abuse

    • February 17, 2011 • Comments (1)
    Signs Of Alcohol Abuse

    Quite often, the signs of alcohol abuse are unclear to many people.

    It is not unusual to have questions as to what alcohol addiction is exactly, how is it different from alcohol abuse, and when an individual should look for treatment due to their drinking problem.

    The following information will provide you with the answer to these questions and many others you may have.

    Signs Of Alcoholism, AKA Alcohol Dependence Is Characterized By:

    • Cravings: A strong need, or compulsion, to drink.
    • Loss Of Control: The inability to limit one’s drinking on any given occasion.
    • Physical Dependence: Drug alcohol detox withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, occur when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking.
    • Tolerance: The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to “get high.”

    SIGNS OF ALCOHOL ABUSE

    Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?

    Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking? Have you ever felt bad or guilty about drinking? Do you have a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?

    If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have a drinking problem or experiencing the signs of alcohol abuse.

    In the United States, 23 million people have a drug abuse problem and more than half of all adults have a family history of alcoholism or problem drinking according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

    Physical And Emotional Signs Of Alcohol Abuse

    • Insomnia
    • Accidents
    • Loss of self-esteem
    • Anxiety
    • Not taking care of yourself
    • Being unusually suspicious
    • Poor work performance
    • Blackouts/memory loss
    • Taking sick days for hangovers
    • Breakdown of relationships, such as divorce
    • Trembling hands
    • Depression
    • Trouble having erections in men
    • Driving offenses
    • Easily annoyed
    • Drinking alone or in secret
    • Not remembering conversations or commitments.
    • Making a ritual of having drinks before, with or after dinner and becoming annoyed when this ritual is disturbed or questioned.
    • Losing interest in activities and hobbies that used to bring pleasure.
    • Irritability as usual drinking time nears, especially if alcohol isn’t available.
    • Keeping alcohol in unlikely places at home, at work or in the car.
    • Gulping drinks, ordering doubles, becoming intoxicated intentionally to feel good or drinking to feel “normal.”
    • Having problems with relationships, employment or finances or legal trouble.

    Ask Yourself These Questions To Find Out If YOU Show Signs Of Alcohol Abuse

    • Have you ever decided to stop drinking for a week or so, but it only lasted a couple of days?
    • Do you wish people would mind their own business about your drinking?
    • Have you ever switched from one kind of drink to another in hope that you wouldn’t get drunk?
    • Have you had to have an eye-opener upon awakening during the past year?
    • Do you envy people who can drink without getting into trouble?
    • Do you need a drink to get started, or to stop shaking?
    • Have you had problems connected with drinking during the past year?
    • Has your drinking caused trouble at home?
    • Do you ever try to get “extra” drinks” at a party because you do not get enough?
    • Do you tell yourself you can stop drinking anytime you want to, but you don’t stop?
    • Do you have “blackouts”?
    • Have you ever felt your life would be better if you didn’t drink?

    Alcohol Affects Women Differently Than Men – Signs Of Alcohol Abuse

    Women become more impaired than men do after drinking the same amount of alcohol, even when differences in body weight are taken into account. This is because women’s bodies have less water than men’s bodies.

    Because alcohol mixes with body water, a given amount of alcohol becomes more highly concentrated in a woman’s body than in a man’s.

    In other words, it would be like dropping the same amount of alcohol into a much smaller pail of water. That is why the recommended drinking limit for women is lower than for men.

    Chronic alcohol abuse takes a heavier physical toll on women than on men. Alcohol dependence and related medical problems, such as brain, heart, and liver damage, progress more rapidly in women than in men. The consequences and effects of alcohol use are serious, in many cases life threatening.

    Physical Toll Of Alcohol On The Body – Signs Of Alcohol Abuse

    Heavy drinking can increase the risk for certain cancers, especially those of the liver, esophagus, throat, and larynx (voice box).

    Heavy drinking can also cause liver cirrhosis, immune system problems, brain damage, and harm to the fetus during pregnancy. In addition, drinking increases the risk of death from automobile crashes as well as recreational and on-the-job injuries.

    Furthermore, both homicides and suicides are more likely to be committed by persons who have been drinking. In purely economic terms, alcohol-related problems cost society approximately $185 billion per year. In human terms, the costs cannot be calculated.

    Clearly, Alcohol Affects The Brain. Signs Of Alcohol Abuse

    Some of these impairments are detectable after only one or two drinks and quickly resolve when drinking stops. On the other hand, a person who drinks heavily over a long period of time may have brain deficits that persist well after he or she achieves sobriety.

    Exactly how alcohol affects the brain and the likelihood of reversing the impact of heavy drinking on the brain remain hot topics in alcohol research today – Signs Of Alcohol Abuse.

    We do know that heavy drinking may have extensive and far–reaching effects on the brain, ranging from simple “slips” in memory to permanent and debilitating conditions that require lifetime custodial care.

    And even moderate drinking leads to short–term impairment, as shown by extensive research on the impact of drinking while driving.

    A Number Of Factors Influence How And To What Extent Alcohol Affects The Brain, Including:

    • How much and how often a person drinks.
    • The age at which he or she first began drinking, and how long he or she has been drinking.
    • The person’s age, level of education, gender, genetic background, and family history of alcoholism.
    • Whether he or she is at risk as a result of prenatal alcohol exposure
    • His or her general health status.

    Are Specific Groups Of People More Likely To Have Signs Of Alcohol Abuse?

    Alcohol abuse and alcoholism cut across gender, race, and nationality. Nearly 14 million people in the United States, 1 in every 13 adults, abuse alcohol or are alcoholic.

    In general, more men than women are alcohol dependent or have alcohol problems. And alcohol problems are highest among teenagers and young adults ages 18-29. Also teenagers that start drinking at age 14 or younger, greatly increase the chance that they will develop alcohol problems at some point in their lives.

    Children who grow up in families in which one or both parents are alcoholics tend to share a few characteristics:

    • Guilt
    • Fear
    • Shame
    • Depression
    • Low self-esteem
    • Fear of abandonment
    • Loneliness
    • Co-dependency

    Alcoholism effects the risks of alcohol abuse in relationships with children can be disastrous for child development. Young children often have nightmares and issues with bed wetting and feel responsible for the fights and yelling that accompany alcoholism.

    They are often tense and cry easily. Older children are often self-conscious and depressed, have trouble in school, and difficulty developing strong friendships and relationships.

    Children are more prone to becoming alcoholics themselves due to the low self-esteem that fuels their own parents’ alcoholism. Unstable home environments leads to early drug use, which in turn leads to a life of addiction.

    Alcohol’s Affects Do Vary With Age – Signs Of Alcohol Abuse

    Slower reaction times, problems with hearing and seeing, and a lower tolerance to alcohol’s effects put older people at higher risk for falls, car crashes, and other types of injuries that may result from drinking. Older people also tend to take more medicines than younger people.

    Mixing alcohol with over-the-counter or prescription medications can be very dangerous, even fatal. More than 150 medications interact harmfully with alcohol.

    In addition, alcohol can make many of the medical conditions common in older people, including high blood pressure and ulcers, more serious. Physical changes associated with aging can make older people feel “high” even after drinking only small amounts of alcohol.

    So even if there is no medical reason to avoid alcohol, older men and women should limit themselves to one drink per day.

    FREE Report: “Signs Of Alcoholism In Men”

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    Alcohol Addiction

    • February 15, 2011 • Comments (5)
    Alcohol Addiction

    Alcohol Addiction is a dependence that slowly builds until the individual is drinking nearly constantly.

    In extreme cases, this does not just mean every evening, but constantly, during all hours of the day, from the time they get up until the time they go to bed, or pass out.

    As tragic as it sounds, this happens every day, in the smallest towns and the largest cities, all over the world. It is also important to remember that many alcoholics may continue for extended periods of time to lead functional, relatively balanced, and productive lives.

    This causes the alcoholic to live in denial and makes it more difficult to admit they have a problem and enter an alcohol rehab program.

    The causes of alcoholism also includes the drinkers use alcohol to “self-medicate” themselves.

    This means that alcohol is used to try to relieve anxiety, depression, tension, loneliness, self-doubt or unhappiness. No one wants to be an alcoholic, but this doesn’t stop people from getting addicted.

    PROBLEM DRINKING

    Problem drinking occurs when alcohol is used repetitively, to relieve stress, anxiety, other emotional problems, or combination’s of these problems. Problem drinking can be characterized as the early stages of drug addiction or alcoholism.

    People often become dependent on alcohol after discovering that it helps relieve stress, and because alcohol is used more and more frequently, as stressful situations arise, a pattern of abuse develops.

    This is unfortunate because the more dependent a person is on alcohol, the less stress they can actually handle. This means that as the dependence on alcohol increases, the ability to effectively deal with stress decreases. Stress is only an example, you could literally, substitute almost any emotional problem into this equation.

    The most commonly asked question is simply – how?

    How could my son, daughter, father, sister, or brother become a liar, a thief, someone who cannot be trusted? How could this happen? And why won’t they stop? The truth is, they cannot, they oftentimes need the help of an alcohol rehab program.

    Effects Of Alcoholism – Alcohol Addiction And Abuse

    Alcohol Substance Abuse The effects of alcoholism vary from person to person, but the most common effects seen are changes in emotional state or stability, behavior, and personality.

    Alcoholics may become angry and argumentative, or quiet and withdrawn or depressed. They may also feel more anxious, sad, tense, and confused. They then seek relief by drinking more.

    Because time and amount of drinking are uncontrollable, the alcoholic is likely to engage in such behaviors as:

    • breaking family commitments, both major and minor
    • spending more money than planned
    • driving while intoxicated and getting arrested
    • making inappropriate remarks to friends, family, and co-workers
    • arguing, fighting and other anti-social actions.

    The alcoholic would probably neither do such things, nor approve of them in others unless he was drinking.

    SOCIETY – Alcohol Addiction

    Society tends to aid in the development of alcoholism by making alcohol seem glamorous, showing that by drinking, you will become more popular, more glamorous and more worthy of respects from others.

    PHYSICAL – Alcohol Addiction

    Excessive intake and prolonged use of alcohol can cause serious disturbances in body chemistry and cause someone to need addiction treatment to stop. Many alcoholics exhibit swollen and tender livers.

    The prolonged use of large amounts of alcohol without adequate diet may cause serious liver damage, such as cirrhosis of the liver. Alcoholism also causes loss of muscular control.

    Alcoholism The condition, delirium tremens (known primarily to heavy drinkers) causes hallucinations along with loss of control of muscular functioning.

    When this condition develops and the alcoholic slows their drinking, withdrawal symptoms can and often does occur, which is consistent with all drug addiction. This may include agitation, tremors, seizures, and hallucinations.

    Alcohol detox is necessary to deal with these symptoms. Alcoholism also cause’s damage to the brain.

    Alcoholics may suffer from lack of concentration.

    The alcoholic may also experience blackouts, occasional onsets of memory lapses, and possibly complete memory loss. They may also suffer from more serious forms of brain damage.

    FAMILIES AND EMPLOYERS – Alcohol Addiction

    Family Work Alcohol Addiction Families must deal with emotions such as anger towards the alcoholic and guilt over what role they believe they may play in the addiction.

    Family breakdown, financial problems, legal problems and psychological troubles all result from alcoholism.

    GETTING HELP – Alcohol Addiction

    Admitting that you have a drinking problem can be hard, but it is the first step to recovery. Although starting to drink again is common, alcohol problems can be overcome.

    People typically do not seek treatment for alcohol abuse until they are ready. They must accept that they are addicted and no longer have control of their lives.

    Sometimes family members point out the problem. Other times, people recognize that they have a problem after they have been arrested or lost a job or had other setbacks as a result of their drinking.

    Thankfully, once an individual makes the choice to get clean and stay sober, there is a great Christian rehab guide available that can meet his or her individual needs for therapy.

    Click HERE for Rehab Guide!

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