Addiction Flashcards
characteristics of the first stage (warning)
- drinks to feel good
- drinks to get rid of stress
- finds reasons to drink
- builds up a tolerance
- goes from drinking occasionally to drinking daily
characteristics of second stage (danger)
- wants more alcohol/seems drunk more often
- blacks out occasionally
- drinks alone
- sneaks drinks
- feels guilty about missing work/school
characteristics of third stage (losing control)
- blames others for needing a drink
- withdraws
- rejects others
- spends money recklessly
- ignores responsibility
- blacks out often
- requires occasional hospitalization
characteristics of fourth stage (loss of control)
- takes any kind of drug
- stops making excuses
- gets comfort in being drunk
- shakes
- fails at simple tasks
Alcoholic Hepatitis
inflammation in the liver that is treatable
Alcoholic Cirrhosis
scarring in the liver that is permanent
treatment options
- AA (alcoholics anonymous)
- in-patient rehab
- hospitalization
- professional help
- day + night programs
obstacles associated w/ treatment
- cost
- time
- relapsing
- still in denial, not willing to recover
negativism
- any communication among family members is negative
- complaints, criticism
- overall mood is downbeat
- positive behavior ignored
- only way to get attention is to create crisis
parental inconsistency
- erratic rule setting
- inadequate family structure
- children can’t figure out boundaries between right and wrong
- might act out so that parents can set boundaries
- children can’t predict parental responses and behave accordingly
- key factor: confusion in the children
parental denial
- despite warning obvious signs: “what drug/alcohol problem? we don’t see one”
- after authorities intervene “you are wrong! my child doesn’t have a drug problem”
miscarried expression of anger
- children or parents who resent emotionally deprived home
- afraid to express outrage, so turn to substances
- use substances to manage their anger
self-medication
parent or child will use substances to cope with intolerable feelings like anxiety/depression
unrealistic parental expectations
- children can excuse themselves from all future expectations
- “you can’t expect anything of me– I’m just a pothead/freak/junkie”
- or they may work obsessively to overachieve
- feel like nothing they do is good enough to meet parental expectations
- joke/clown to deflect pain
- if expectations are too low throughout childhood/told that they might fail, children might conform behavior to predictions
physical dependence
a person’s body needs alcohol in order for them to feel “normal” and shows signs of withdrawal when they can’t get substance (shaking, sweating, confusion, irritability, hallucination)
psychological dependence
- person doesn’t believe that they can live without substance
-compulsive need for alcohol - can occur out of desire for effects or fear of withdrawal symptoms
