Rethinking Drinking
Often, problems due to alcohol abuse or dependence sneak up on an individual. This is because it is a progressive disease. Non-drinkers simply do not become alcohol abusers and alcoholics over night. But it can happen over time, so it is not a bad idea to take a self-evaluation to see if a problem is developing.
Most people can make a choice between drinking alcohol or not in social situations. They can also decide when to stop once they start. This is normal social drinking, and the pattern generally remains the same for life with few exceptions.
Some individuals increase the amount of alcohol they drink per session or of days per week they imbibe. The change is typically gradual so it can go unnoticed for some time, even by those who are changing habits, to some extent. But they know something is different and may not know where to get information. Friends and family may not know how to point out the increases without confrontation.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has posted a resource that helps individuals evaluate their drinking patterns. It is very simple and can encourage individuals to change drinking habits before alcohol treatment is needed. Loved ones can possibly use it to convince someone to enter alcohol detox and treatment.
Click on the link below to take the test:
http://rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/default.asp
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles makes a daily effort to find treatment resources that we can share with our readers in the alcohol and drug treatment community. The external content was found among other articles of equal informational and educational quality.
Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley, and in Santa Ana.