Online Alcohol Awareness Classes: alcohol class

Showing posts with label alcohol class. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

I Enjoyed My Alcohol Awareness Class

I was impressed by how comprehensive the online 24 hour alcohol education course I took for my new job was. I was starting to work at a new law office and was encouraged by the prospect of working in a new place but was a little discouraged by all the requirements I had to go through before starting my job.

One of the requirements, was to take an online alcohol class. Initially, I wasn't happy about taking the class online, but since my job as paying for it and I could start immediately, I wanted to get through it quickly.

I found an online alcohol class that looked reputable and signed up right away. What surprised me, was how much I enjoyed the class. I learned a lot about substance abuse, drinking behavior and patterns, problems associated with drinking and the shocking DUI statistics. As a lawyer, these things were fascinating. The class was well written and incorporated videos as well. I also learned how much I "prejudge" situations and have decided to be more open and neutral.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

I Learned About My Alcohol Behavior in an Online Alcohol Class

If I am to be honest, I did not really think I had a drinking problem. Yes, I enjoyed a few drinks after work, and drank more freely on the weekends but so did my friends. There were times when I drank too much, but I never considered myself "a drunk" like my father.

One particular Friday night, we were celebrating a big merger when a few drinks turned into more drinks and I was arrested for public intoxication. Part of my sentence was to enroll in an alcohol awareness class.

This turned out to be a problem because no one offered any courses near me; and the closest one was a three hour round trip drive. I was not sure what to do until a friend suggested that I find an online alcohol class about alcohol awareness.

Not only was the price lower then what I would have paid in person but it was convenient and well written. It also met my sentencing requirements but more importantly, in the privacy of my own home- the class helped me open my eyes. I was able to be more honest with myself and see why I was abusing alcohol. It got me to turn around my life.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Helping the Alcoholic by Not Helping

If you think one of your friends or family members needs an alcohol awareness class, you need to understand that no one gets help until they are ready. As a drug and alcohol counselor for ten years I saw time and time again, addicts and alcoholics ordered by the judge to attend rehab or counseling. The individual showed up and went through the motions, but never really engaged and got anything out of the treatments.

Addicts typically don't get better unless they truly want to get better. So if you are frustrated that you can't help your friend or family member, remember that it's not up to you to save them. Your power is limited and you can only help yourself. This may mean attending Al-anon meetings or setting boundaries with that person.

The paradox is that you may help these people best by not trying to help them at all. It is possible that when you step out of the "parent role" they may come to the realization that they are being self-destructive and want to stop.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Don't Risk a DUI: Take a Taxi!

Trust me when I tell you that the best $50 you'll ever spend will be on a taxi home after getting drunk. By driving home in a drunken state you are jeopardizing your life and future as well as the lives of others.

Why then do so many people avoid spending the $20-$50 it would cost to take a taxi? As a counselor for both in-class and online alcohol awareness classes I often discuss this principle with my students. Not surprisingly almost all agree they wished they had paid for a cab. They provide interesting excuses including, "I didn't have enough money on me", "I wasn't sure how to call a cab at that hour", "I didn't want to leave my car there over night", and my personal favorite, "I thought I was OK to drive".

At best, drinking and driving can result in a DUI violation which will cost you thousands of dollars. Heavy fines, increased insurance premiums, alcohol classes and counseling are only the tip of the iceberg.

At worst, you can permanently injure yourself or even kill yourself and others due to the "excuses" that allowed you to drink and drive. Imagine how the rest of your life would look if you killed your best friend or another innocent person because you were too cheap to take a cab ride? I have looked into the eyes of people with these stories. The regret and despair are unshakable.

Next time you are out on the town and know you have had too much to drink, please do the most responsible thing and call a taxi. Just think how fun a karaoke cab would be!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

A Hobby can Help You Stop Drinking

If you're somebody who has a drinking problem, the worst times are probably when you are bored or feeling anxious. Often when you are just sitting and thinking is when you're tempted to grab an alcoholic beverage.

But a healthy distraction such as a hobby can thwart the temptation to drink better than almost anything. When you have a great project in front of you, like wood working or weaving, you'll feel excited to work on that and stay busy rather than crack open a beer in front of the television.

Another benefit is that handiwork takes skill and concentration. You will quickly realize that as you get further into your project, you want to be careful with your work and avoid mistakes. So staying sober means that you'll have better, more precise results of your craft making.

To learn other ways of staying sober, take a 24 hour alcohol awareness class or online alcohol class.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Improve Your Nutrition by Cutting Alcohol Consumption

You probably have read that alcohol is basically empty calories. You also may have heard that drinking a glass of red wine every day is good for you.

When it comes to alcohol there are many facts and myths. A good alcohol awareness class can explain them in more detail, but we'll give you some of the basic facts in this article. Alcohol is called "empty calories" for a very good reason. On average alcohol is mostly sugar and carbs. That means it contains no protein, no vitamins and no micro-nutrients. One drink has been shown to reduce blood sugar in Type-2 diabetics; however, alcohol is lethal if more is consumed.

Alcoholic beverages have marginal nutritional value when combined with other foods or drinks. Fruit and juices are examples. But, when alcohol is mixed with juices which only slightly improves the nutrition, there is a lot of additional sugar added.

What About Red Wine?

Some studies have shown that a glass of red wine every day is good for your heart and reduces the chance of heart disease. There are other studies that show no added value to your heart from red wine.

Red wine may be the most nutritional alcohol beverage. Would you care to guess what nutritional value a glass brings to your daily requirements for vitamins and minerals?

From a glass of red table wine you get about 1% of your daily requirements for riboflavin, vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. You get 2% of the required daily intake for manganese. That is it!

Not only are alcoholic beverages empty calories, booze also has the ability to inhibit the absorption of vitamins and other minerals. So if you are looking to boost your health, it is a good idea to strictly limit your intake of alcohol (especially during the holidays). If you want to learn more about how alcohol affects your health, consider taking a 12 hour alcohol awareness class .

Saturday, October 27, 2012

How to Avoid People Who Drink

The absolute key to staying sober, especially in the early days of sobriety, is to stay away from alcohol. This means not only do you have an alcohol free home but also that you stay away from people who are drinking.

If getting together with friends for a drink after work is a regular part of your life, you will need to find a new activity to replace it with. Starting a new hobby or challenge is a good idea. This could be anything from cooking for your family every night, going to the gym, or taking a photography class. You need something to focus on besides your friends and drinking at the bar.

Another thing to do is to communicate. Make sure your friends and family members are aware that you are avoiding alcohol. Loved ones are very accommodating in helping someone they care about stay sober.

A third thing you can do to avoid people who are drinking is to find activities you can enjoy doing alone such as gardening or jigsaw puzzles.

If you or someone you care about has a drinking problem I urge you to seek help. If you prefer to maintain total anonymity there are alcohol awareness classes too.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Alcohol Classes Keep People Sober and Save Lives

The best way not to kill anyone after drinking and driving is to have never consumed a drink in the first place. I believe that alcohol awareness classes, administered often and at an early age, beginning at 11 or 12, will help reduce future alcohol consumption and drunk driving.

Less alcohol consumption means fewer DUIs and fewer fatal accidents caused by drinking and driving.

New research shows that in 2010, more than two-thirds of the 10,228 drunk driving deaths (7,145 or 70 percent) involved drivers with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .15 or higher.

The most frequently recorded BAC among all drinking drivers in 2010 fatal crashes was .18, more than twice the legal limit in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. On average, there was one alcohol-related death every 51 minutes.

Not surprisingly, the age group with the highest percentage of drivers with BACs of .08 was 21 to 24 years old. The alcohol impairment rate among drivers in fatal crashes in 2010 was four times higher at night than during the day.

A higher percentage of fatal crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers occurred on weekends (31 percent), compared to 16 percent during the week.

What do these statistics mean? I challenge my loyal readers to let me know. Do you think alcohol classes will help keep people sober and thus save innocent lives?

http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1078518_most-drunk-driving-deaths-caused-by-drivers-with-twice-legal-bac-limit

Monday, September 24, 2012

College Binge Drinkers Should Take an Alcohol Class

Do you think binge drinking is a problem on American campuses? If not, start lining up your evidence because the majority of evidence points to a major problem with binge drinking among college students.

Is this a new problem? Certainly not. Is it worse now than ever before? Who knows. But the fact remains that it is a big problem that affects many college students.

Are you ready to take a look at this from a very deep perspective? If not, quit reading now. If you are ready begin by asking yourself if alcohol should be banned from college campuses. I know how radical a thought this is, but just think about any possible reasons why this might be a good idea.

Keep in mind that the vast majority of students on college campuses are under 21, the legal age to consume beverages in the United States. This simple fact, legality, is often overlooked, yet still a good reason why, perhaps alcohol should be banned on campus.

This is the third in a series of blogs looking at the nature of binge drinking on college campuses. In our next one we will take a deeper look into how harmful alcohol is for college students.

Hsu told CBS Atlanta in an email that researchers involved wanted to specifically focus on the motivation for a student to drink unsafe amounts of alcohol despite knowledge of its harmful effects.

“There are a lot of alcohol education programs in the U.S., and students are aware that [there are] negative consequences to binge drinking … like being at higher risk for sexual assault, violence, drunk driving, future alcohol dependency,” she said. “They know that they can get in trouble with school authorities and with the law. If they persist in binge drinking despite this, there must be some kind of other positive motivation for doing so.”

Monica Swahn, a professor at the Institute of Public Health at Georgia State University, was alarmed by the findings and their allusion to a dichotomy between student knowledge of the negative effects of drinking and the desire to enrich their social lives.

“These findings make me distressed as a public health professional, especially knowing that binge drinking is associated with so many adverse consequences,” she said to CBS Atlanta. “Addiction, poor academic performance, violence, drunk driving, suicide, sexually transmitted diseases – the list is so long of what’s linked to alcohol abuse, especially in the late teens and early 20s.”

Steven Liga, director of the Middlesex County, N.J. chapter of the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence, noted to CBS Atlanta that expectations of a college experience centered around alcohol have made class after incoming class of college freshmen see drinking as an unavoidable part of higher education.

“They think drinking is part of the culture – what they’re supposed to do. They start out doing that because everybody else started to do that at the same time,” he said, noting that the shared experience creates a feeling of community. “They feel a part of something, especially coming in as a freshman in a new place. It’s easy not to feel a part of something, so they gravitate to it. Freshman [gravitate] toward a drinking party. It’s an equalizer. Everyone is new, and social inhibitions – that feeling that you don’t belong – disappear.”

These expectations also lead to feelings of pressure regarding binge drinking.

“At the end of the survey, students were given an open comment box and could whatever they wanted. … [Q]uite a number wrote that they did not want to binge drink,” Hsu recalled. “But they felt pressured to do so because ‘everyone’ … does on campus. At the same time, they would associate binge drinking with high status, saying that rich, white kids in fraternities were the ones to drink.”

Liga noted that, while the frequency of such binge drinking incidents may not necessarily be increasing, the level of consumption is all the same in danger of rising.

“What people are hearing about are more and more cases of extreme drinking,” he said. “It’s not just four or five drinks several times a month – it’s, ‘Let’s see how many [drinks] I can do in a short amount of time.’ That’s where the funnels come in, and beer pong.”

That mentality, combined with a lack of student knowledge regarding what they are drinking – and how much of it – could lead to serious problems with binge drinking.

“Most kids don’t realize they’re drinking as many drinks as they are,” he said, adding that red Solo cups, a college party staple, have enough room for the equivalent of multiple drinks. “It’s very easy to binge drink, particularly going into social situations where someone is trying to fit in.”

Hsu mentioned that the objective of the study was to delve into why students engage in behavior they know to be risky, and found that the main differences were between what she called “subjective” or temporary happiness and “objective well-being.”

“Binge drinking is objectively bad, a dangerous and self-destructive behavior. In our study, students who binge drank often missed class because they were hung over, or felt hung over in class. They put themselves at risk for sexual assault and harassment,” she said. “On the campus where the study was conducted, students have been suspended, expelled, arrested, physically harmed, and even killed as a result of intoxication. Studies show that students who binge drink are at risk of becoming alcoholics for the rest of their lives.”

Swahn asserted that these studies highlight the importance of discouraging drinking activity in minors for as long as possible.

“Addiction, poor academic performance, violence, drunk driving, suicide, sexually transmitted diseases – the list is so long of what’s linked to alcohol abuse, especially in the late teens and early 20′s,” she said. “It’s about trying to figure out how to delay the age at which they drink … to delay alcohol use as long as possible.”

And for Liga, who works in an organization geared toward addiction prevention, the emphasis falls on how to break the stigma of drinking as an integral part of the college experience.

Consistently scheduled activities that offer legitimately fun opportunities for students interested in sobriety are one part of the potential solution.

“It’s important for people not to just give up on colleges – to not simply say, ‘There’s going to be tons of dangers drinking and there’s nothing we can do about it.’ We know that’s not true,” Liga observed. “Part of that [solution] is going to be the way the school handles drinking infractions, whether they are being proactive or not regarding interventions with students when they see problems developing and doing something about it early.”

Swahn agreed, while additionally pointing out the influence of one crucial unit – family.

http://atlanta.cbslocal.com/2012/08/28/study-college-binge-drinkers-happier-than-sober-students/

Monday, September 17, 2012

3 Reasons to Take an Alcohol Class

Do you drink alcohol? If not, this blog entry may not be for you. What we will discuss in this article is why anyone who drinks should take an alcohol class.

1. Basic Training – Either a classroom or online alcohol class can provide extensive information about the basics of drinking. It will educate you on alcohol, its properties and chemical make-up. And it will educate you on how alcohol affects each part of the human body. You will learn the basics about how even a small amount of alcohol can negatively affect your mind and body.

2. Self-Assessment – Taking any alcohol class, including an online alcohol class, can help you gauge whether or not you have a drinking problem. Alcohol classes explain the different patterns of drinking and help the student evaluate his or her own pattern of consumption. Maybe you have a drinking problem, maybe you don’t.

3. Action – An alcohol class can help motivate you to take action to cease aberrant behavior. This is not fiction – thousands of students have quit drinking after having taken an alcohol class. One of the primary focuses of both in-class and online alcohol classes to prevent recidivism. In layman’s terms, that means to help you quit drinking and stay sober!

If all of those reasons seem hard to grasp how about this one – you will feel much better in the near and long-term future if you quit drinking right now!

Friday, September 14, 2012

An Alcohol Awareness Class Can Help You Stop Drinking Today

As a recovering alcoholic I can tell you there is no better time to begin your sobriety than right now. Sometimes quitting a terrible habit like drinking alcohol to excess happens with a snap decision. It happened for me, and it certainly can happen for you.

As a counselor for both in-class and online alcohol classes I often discuss the benefits of a life without alcohol to my students. Please believe me when I tell you that the benefits far outweigh any pleasure you derive from alcohol.

Quitting is One Stage

It has been said there are three stages to addiction – denial, anger and acceptance. The human brain is an amazing organ and can help us rationalize all sorts of aberrant behavior.

Again, having counseled thousands of students from my alcohol class I can attest that once one’s addiction takes hold, the addict is cognizant of the situation. Denial is a very short phase and sometimes anger does not have to happen. It is possible to go straight to acceptance.

I went from being a serious alcoholic who got intoxicated daily to quitting. An alcohol class helped me and it can help you too!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

If You Sneak a Drink, You Need an Alcohol Awareness Class

Have you ever hidden the fact that you were drinking alcohol? I am not talking about hiding it while you and your friends drank a beer in your basement in high school. It is common for adolescents to hide their drinking when they are first experimenting with alcohol. What I am referring to is known as the “closet drinker.”

What exactly is a closet drinker? A closet drinker is anyone who as a young adult or adult hidden their drinking behavior because they thought they would be criticized or chastised for drinking or drinking too much.

If you sit at your desk and take a few belts out of a bottle of booze, you are a closet drinker.
If you pound a beer quickly and then grab another to make it seem like you only have one beer, you are a closet drinker.
If you drink vodka because you think it will not be detectable on your breath, you are a closet drinker.
If you hide alcohol anywhere (other than from your kids because you don’t want them drinking), you are a closet drinker.
If you drink while you drive, hiding the booze in a brown paper bag, you are a closet drinker.
If you mix your alcohol in a Gatorade bottle and drink while driving, you are a very dangerous closet drinker!

While one or all of the above-mentioned “closet drinking” activities may seem ludicrous, believe me when I tell you, they are all very common.

As a counselor for both in-class and online alcohol classes I always discuss the nature of hiding drinking behavior with my students. Given that virtually all of my students have been charged with an alcohol-related offense, many have personal experiences with “closet drinking.”

This will be the first in a series of articles dealing with the problem of “closet drinking.” We will use real-life experiences and discuss what to do if you, or someone you care about is a “closet drinker.”

Mabry’s Story

Mabry is a 45-year-old geologist. She is married and has three children between the ages of 4 and 12. In a private counseling session after her alcohol class she disclosed to me that she and her husband are “closet” drinkers. You see, she knows her husband hides his alcoholism from her. He drinks in the garage while he works and gets rid of the recyclables away from home. Rooting through his trunk she found numerous empty vodka bottles.

Despite her being aware of his problem, she truly believes he is unaware that she too is suffering. She hides her drinks. They drink together, but she has hidden locations for extra “pops.” They do not discuss their relative problems.

Mabry was shocked when her husband asked her if she had a drinking problem after her arrest for driving under the influence (DUI). She admitted that she drinks and drives all the time, as does her husband.

It seems like her DUI conviction turned on the light. She wants to stop drinking, but knows that she must also address and confront her husband. I am hopeful that together they might be able to support each other and quit their destructive, addictive behavior.

If you or someone you care about has a drinking problem, I urge you to seek help immediately. An alcohol class is a good place to start. If you prefer to maintain total anonymity there are online alcohol classes too.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Frequently when I teach alcohol drug classes college students ask, "How can I tell if I'm an alcoholic." This article will handle what I like to label "The Mind of an Addict."

In The Beginning - Are We All Created Equal?

Both yes and no responses to this question are appropriate. Each and every individual is made with a personal mind and body; he is presented with perseverance and he is free to do whatever he wishes when it comes to his acts. This free choice covers all of our routines, consisting of consumption of foods and beverages.

Genetics is incredibly crucial for the character of a person. Several people are prone to addictive behavior like cigarette smoking or consuming alcoholic beverages, and that is a fact proven by geneticists. Predisposition or not, we still have the power to choose whether to drink alcohol or smoke.

The Mentality of An Addict

No person drinks and toasts in the hope of becoming an alcoholic You can find drugs that can easily turn you into an addict from the very first time you use them; crystal meth and also heroin are two of such narcotics. For most drugs, like alcohol consumption, destructive addictions happen right after extended and often regular use.

Thus, as opposed to replying to my frequent query of how am I able to tell when somebody is an alcoholic, I simply ask them if they have " An Addict's Spirit".

For our uses, my classification of "Mind of an Addict" is a person's incredible ability to rationalize their drinking behavior. Our intellects are extremely powerful and joined with our vanity can generate effective and gripping reasons that lets us know that what we are doing is Ok.

"An Addict's Mind" Common Sense

One of my first signs that I might have a predicament transpired throughout college or university and is certainly one of our brain's frequent justifications for our demeanor "I'm just like everybody else." I used to drink alcohol a lot and many times per week I was just exhausted by alcohol. Did I drink until I passed out every night? Definitely not. Nonetheless, I was binge drinking virtually every time I drank. Thankfully, for my pride, for my solid case of rejection, I had surrounded myself by a like group of drinkers. I was in fact "normal."

I couldn't notice my issue and I kept on denying everything mainly because I was enclosed by people who seemed to drink a lot more than I did. That was my everyday living. I was employed by a community newspaper and given that we were leaving work late we usually stopped in pubs and after we often moved to someone's place and carry on drinking.

I used to think that I was normal and that I experienced a normal daily life. I didn't want to admit I had a problem. I was just 22 and in control and experiencing my life. The bait was established and I had bought in hook, line and sinker.

As a news reporter, I also authored comedic columns about attending sex addiction and alcohol anonymous programs. Here I was, on my way to serious alcohol addiction, and possibly with a sex addiction (but aren't all 22 year olds addicted to sex?) and I was able to mock them and their genuine value programs like these have for junkies who want to rid themselves of their issue and flip their day-to-day lives around!

Asking for Help

Taking part in a course like Alcoholics Anonymous may be a massive assistance for an addict commencing and preserving abstinence from booze. You will find also online alcohol classes and alcohol awareness classes that could be taken from home. It's extremely essential to stop consuming alcohol for good simply because an alcoholic's system will always stay alcoholic. The smallest blunder can easily induce your body, and by the time you know it alcohol consumption will be your greatest problem once more.

In spite of its legitimate position, it is essential to take note that alcohol is a drug and its usage should be controlled. In case you know somebody that is an alcoholic try to make them to look for professional therapy. You will find web based alternatives to take voluntary and also involuntary lessons on alcohol rehabilitation. Options include 8 hour alcohol awareness classes, 16 hour alcohol awareness classes, 12 hour alcohol awareness classes and 24 hour alcohol awareness classes

This is the very first in a number of alcohol exploring the power of the brain and its capacity to convince us that it is OK to keep on drinking or doing drugs. On our upcoming article we will talk more about other examples related to "The Mind of an Addict".

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Alcohol Classes Come in All Shapes and Sizes

Often when clients contact me looking for an alcohol awareness class, they aren’t sure the length of class they should take. Our alcohol classes, for example, come in 8 hour, 16 hour and 24 hour lengths. They are also called our Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 classes.

Which is the best for you?

If you are a client who is coming because of a mandated hour or session alcohol awareness class requirement… let’s say from your work or from a a court then you should find out from them what the requirement is. That makes your option very simple.

But if you are taking an alcohol awareness class that has no specified hour or session requirement or taking the class for a personal reason, then with luck I can help you find the right alcohol class length.

8 Hour Class - The Starting Point

At a minimum you should look at a course which is 8 hours in length This is the shortest class that will really give you a good comprehension of the issues around alcohol and it’s impact on you, your friends and relatives and your community as a whole. A course like this can really cover all the important subjects including:

Problems and patterns of alcohol abuse
Learning about how alcohol works
Understanding how specific drugs work
Legal vs. illegal drugs
Impact of DUI on you and your community
Ideas for how to end dependency
And many others

Once you begin your study of alcohol awareness, you’ll learn there’s a lot more to it than just learning about the basics of Blood Alcohol Content (BAC). So an eight hour class will give you a pretty good look of all the topics. On the other hand it’s mainly a survey of these subjects and won’t give you the full in-depth look that the longer courses will.

16 Hour Class – Getting Deeper

With the Sixteen hour alcohol class you really jump up in the depth of the subject matter. There are not more topics, but a more in depth study at each topic. Plus there are a lot more examples and vignettes. You might find this class to be easier because the examples and stories make the study a bit more restful. as an alternative of having to learn subject after subject in the 8 hour format, you can see lots of different examples of each subject matter. For example in our sixteen hour course, we have more personal interviews with the victims of DWIs so you can really learn more about the personal impact driving under the influence has on the community.

24 Hour Class

The 24 hour alcohol awareness class goes even deeper than the 16 hour class. Like the 16 hour class in comparison to the 8 hour alcohol class there are more examples, more photos and more in-depth understanding of the topics Taking this Level 3 alcohol class means you will really come away with a thorough understanding of the subject matter. Sure it’s a greater commitment, but of you’ve had a serious problem with drinking or maybe are a repeat offender, then this is the best course for you.

Still Unsure?

If you are undecided as to which course to take, we recommend contacting Online Alcohol Class for a free consultation.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Online Alcohol Class Starts New Blog

A sister site of ours, Online Alcohol Class has started its own Alcohol Awareness Blog which will discuss many problems and current topics associated with drinking and alcoholism. Please take the time to check out this informative blog!

We welcome suggests for blog posts that you might be interested in!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Why Does the Super Bowl Focus so Much on Drinking?

As a counselor for alcohol awareness classes I am very familiar with the part alcohol plays in our community and is meshed in our culture. My aim in teaching about alcohol is trying to get my students to get more educated about alcohol and its effect on the human body. I try to make them understand about drinking and its effects on not only your body, but in addition those close to a person addicted to alcohol.
At this time of year I always believe about another type of "alcohol awareness" - the powerful pitch to advertise alcohol during the Super Bowl. The ads from Budweiser, Coors, and Heineken have become to many, more important from a viewing standpoint than the game itself. When people think "Super Bowl" they think football, television ads and alcohol - and not necessarily in that order.

Let's All Drink to the Super Bowl

Nobody should be surprised that "Super Bowl Sunday" ranks right up with the 4th of July and December 31 as the days where the most people are arrested for drinking and driving.
In one of my recent alcohol classes I polled each person in my class if they drank during the Super Bowl, and if they drank how much they consumed. The results probably don't shock you. Out of twenty students, 90% had drank alcohol during last year's Super Bowl. The couple that didn't - one was working and the other had pneumonia.

A Super Binge

Of the rest who had consumed alcoholic beverages, according to their recollection, during the Super Bowl they averaged 8 beverages each. Of course they said that the Super Bowl lasts forever and most of them were sure that they were sober enough to drive by the end of the game. Almost half of the 18 admitted to being intoxicated during the game. One feel asleep before the final whistle.

Super Bowl DUI

Only one of my students that session was attending class to handle a Super Bowl DWI, but throughout the years many of my students were requred to take an alcohol awareness class from a DWI obtained after watching the Super Bowl.

Avoid becoming a statistic. I urge all of you to make sure you have a designated driver for the Super Bowl if you plan on consuming alcoholic beverages. Remember, a cab is ALWAYS cheaper than a DUI.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

How Can You Tell When Your Drinking Has Become a Problem

Often when I run alcohol classes clients ask me, "How how can you find out if you are an alcoholic?" Let's look at some crucial indicators that your regular drinking habit has turned into full-blown alcoholism.

Let's commence by asserting that no person has 1 drink of alcohol and it instantly it becomesa problem. Heavy drinking and drinking problems are developed over long periods of time. Of course the span of time will differ from person to person.

Your Genes Can Play A Role

And as is the case with numerous health problems, genetics play an crucial role. If one or more of your mother and father or other close relatives is an alcoholic you as well may have a genetic predisposition toward alcoholism. However, even though your parents may be alcoholics, there is no reason you also must endure this illness.

Deciding not to drink is personal. It is a decision in which your genes have no say.Deciding not to consume in excess is also personal.

You have the capability and control over what you do. Even if you do not believe you have an issue, I ask you to re-think your drinking.

Are You a Heavy Drinker?

Excess drinking is a pattern of drinking seen in almost all alcoholics. Heavy drinking is defined as having five or more alcoholic beverages on the same occasion five or more instances in the past month.
Being a recovering alcoholic, I can certainly tell you that almost every time I partook in the drinking of alcohol, I had five or more drinks - normally a lot more.

Recent data has shown that around 17 million U.S. residents can be defined as heavy drinkers. That's practically 7% of everybody 12 and older If you only look at those of legal drinking age, 21, almost 12% are considered to fall into the pattern of heavy drinking.

If you drink heavily it is quite likely you have a drinking problem and should seek help from a group like Alcoholics Anonymous, or if you prefer, try taking an online alcohol awareness course.

Are You Embarrassed by Your Drinking?

Even with commonpublic perception, most heavy drinkers feel shame or guilt about their heavy drinking and alcoholic tendencies. Even when they are in the beginning stages of alcoholism, while they still deny themselves that they are addicted to alcohol, drinkers feel guilty.

They also tend to become embarassed in front of their friends,their family and their work colleagues, because of their behaviors after getting drink. Perhaps it is getting a DWI, or just making a total ass of themselves due to their drunken state.

Again, if you feel ashamed by the amount you drink or how often you drink, it is critical you think about whether or not you are an alcoholic The odds are, you do.

What Have You Got to Hide?

Many problem drinkers are what we term "closet alcoholics." This group tends to hide their drinking from as many people as they can. They may only go to bars far away from their homes and work. Or they may prefer to drink just in the privacy of their own home. Some problem drinkers go to extreme measures to disguise their addiction to alcohol. Alcoholics have been known to keep a container hidden in their office drawer for a quick shot in their latte. Some conceal a flask in their automobile or closet. A surprising number of alcoholics go so far as to fill water or 7 Up bottles with vodka.

Seriously, if you are a "closet alcoholic" and exhibit any of the symptoms listed above, I suggest you look for help immediately Finally, I challenge each of you to stop drinking for 30 days. Check if it helps you to feel better. Be aware of your moods, good and bad (you may exerience signifant mood shifts).
It is essential to be aware that alcohol is a drug and its use must be controlled. If you or anyone you know may be suffering from alcohol dependence, please have them seek help immediately. You can learn more by taking an alcohol awareness class.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

What to Do When Your Teenager Drinks

Among the many nightmares that parents encounter is catching your teenager has been drinking. This might have happened when you smell alcohol on their breath after they came home from a date. Or possibly it's actually catching them drinking at a party, or in your basement Sometimes another mother or father will contact you saying they caught your teen drinking with theirs. It could even be the horrible situation where you are contacted by the police who have captured your kids drinking, or even worse drinkingand driving. When you learn that your child has been drinking it can elicit several distinct responses. Some teen parents are afraid and confused. "How could Bobby have started consuming alcohol? I thought this was a nurturing home". Others are indignant. "I TOLD Will what would happen to him if I found him with alcohol!" And others encounter denial. "It must be Tammy's friends. They're the ones at fault!"

But irrespective of the reaction, once you find out that your child is a drinker it's time to put being afraid, indignant, or acting as if it isn't happening away and start working on with the issue. The first action is to develop a plan. The plan is composed of 3 different parts: when, what and follow-through.

When

The when means that you act once your plan is determined AND you are ready to confront them. You don't want to have your confrontation with your teen when your emotions are out of control. It is crucial you deal with them in a rational manner. The same goes for their state of mind. Don't deal with them if they are drunk or high. Wait until they sleep it off. After you wait their emotional reaction will be something you can deal with.

But although you do want to wait for the "right moment" to speak to your teen, you also shouldn't wait too long. You ought to plan on having your dialogue with them within 1 day of your finding out.

What

Your next task is to create your plan of what you are going to say and do. In general this should fall in the following categories:

Letting them know the rules and penalties of drinking. Particularly tell him or her the consequences they face today and the punishments they will receive if they break the new rules. For example, if the punishment is taking away the cell phone for 6 months you might tell them that if they do it again will add an additional 3 months to the losing their phone.
Telling them that they are going to be carefully monitored. Frequent calls, stricter curfew restrictions, a GPS tracker on their auto and drug testing are all potential ways to more strictly monitor their activities.
Tell them the help they are going to receive for their drinking problem. This may perhaps include one-on-one or group counseling. This can include a minor in possession class or minor in consumption class. Or perhaps visiting your church's pastor. Make sure they know this aspect isn't about punishment but about understanding the problem and helping to learn how to prevent it in the future.
Telling them there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Tell them that you love them and this isn't a everlasting black mark on their record. If things go well you can once again have a joyful close family.

Follow Through

Finally, you need to plan your long-term goals What I mean is to make sure all you tell your child is something you are going to really do. Make sure you follow through on your steps once you tell them. And if you feel you need support, perhaps counseling such as an alcohol class will help.Parents need support to deal with hard circumstances such as these.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Colorado Alcohol Classes

Finding an alcohol awareness class that works in Colorado can be very difficult. Fortunately here are some resources to help: