Alcoholism
Depression
Compulsive Gambling
Anxiety
Eating Disorders

 

ALCOHOLISM/DRUG ABUSE

Alcohol is a depressant drug that slows the activity of the brain and Spinal Cord. It is a colorless liquid with a sharp, burning taste known chemically as ethyl alcohol.

What is Alcoholism/Drug Addiction?  Alcoholism and either prescription or illicit drug addiction are characterized by the uncontrolled use of alcohol or drugs. Few families or friends of alcoholics are, on their own, able to understand why the person "just can't stop drinking." The alcoholic can't stop drinking because he or she depends on alcohol to function. The alcoholic is addicted to alcohol. Definition: Continued use of alcohol and/or drugs in spite of negative consequences--can be fatal if left untreated.

Four Characteristics of Alcoholism/Drug Addiction 

1. Alcoholism/drug addiction carries an overwhelming urge to repeat the experience of getting high on alcohol. At times, this urge will go beyond the risk that seems to be involved.
2. The urge to drink/use drugs becomes the number one priority in the alcoholic's and addict's life.
3. The urge to get high with alcohol and/or drugs becomes linked to all other aspects of life.
4. An alcoholic/drug addict has this incurable disease for life. As time passes with sobriety, the urge reduces in intensity and often leaves completely.

What Causes Alcoholism/Drug Addiction?  Experts believe that genetic factors make certain people more vulnerable to alcoholism. Environmental, cultural and psychological factors can also contribute to the development of the disease.

What Can An Alcoholic/Addict Do?  Although alcoholism/drug addiction cannot be cured, alcoholics/addicts can recover and can return to a normal way of life. Recovery depends on total abstinence from alcohol and drugs.

See this printable screening test: Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test

Treatment:  Treatment for alcoholism/drug addiction is available in many forms depending on individual needs. Most common are detoxification, inpatient/residential, and outpatient. Effective treatment should include individual, group and family counseling. Also essential to the process are twelve-step group involvement (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous) and education about alcoholism to address the person's physical, mental and emotional needs (which are all affected by addiction). 

Warning Signs:

• Increased difficulty at home - conflicts, absences - "Disappearances, Disappointments and Discrepancies"
• Wide Mood Swings - anger, depression, nervousness
• Significant emotional and behavioral changes - family and friends concerned about behavior
• Unexplained absenteeism at work - isolates and withdraws from community and colleagues
• Frequent illness - need for medication - over prescribing
• Blackouts - Not remembering
• Alterations in lifestyle to accommodate chemical use - lies about use
• Decreased career satisfaction - avoidance of continuing education courses
• Legal and financial problems - DUIs, lawsuits, debts, etc.
• Continued use of chemicals with elaborate justification for need
• Problems at office with staff and patient complaints

If you, your spouse, family member or a professional associate need help, call 800-230-3934.  (back to top)
 

Did You Know: 

• Depression is one of the most common mental disorders affecting 340 million people in the world today, accounting for a full 10% of productive years lost throughout the world
• No one is immune from depression - it occurs in people of all social classes, all countries and all cultural settings.
• One in four women and one in ten men can expect to develop depression during their lifetime, but it is not just adults who suffer...
• ...depression affects at least one in 50 children under 12, and one in 20 teenagers.
• About half of all depression is unrecognized and untreated.
• About 10 - 15 percent of depressed people take their own lives.
• Depression costs, for example, the United States an estimated $53 billion each year.
• The World Health Organization predicts that by the year 2020 depression will be the greatest burden of ill-health to people in the developing world, and that by then severe depression will be the second largest cause of death and disability.
• BUT DEPRESSION IS ONE OF THE MOST TREATABLE MENTAL ILLNESSES.

Symptoms of Depression  A Major Depression is marked by a combination of symptoms that occur together, and last for at least two weeks without significant improvement. Symptoms from at least five of the following categories must be present for a major depression, although even a few of the symptom clusters are indicators of a depression, but perhaps not a major depression.

• Persistent depressed, sad, anxious, or empty mood
• Feeling worthless, helpless, or experiencing excessive or inappropriate guilt
• Hopeless about the future, excessive pessimistic feelings
• Loss of interest and pleasure in your usual activities
• Decreased energy and chronic fatigue
• Loss of memory, difficulty making decisions or concentrating
• Irritability or restlessness or agitation
• Sleep disturbances, either difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much
• Loss of appetite and interest in food, or overeating, with weight gain
• Recurring thoughts of death, or suicidal thoughts or actions.

This list is a guide to help you understand depression. It is not offered for you to diagnose yourself. If you have some of these symptoms, don't focus on how many symptoms you have. Instead, call the North Carolina Caring Dental Professionals for help.

If you, your spouse, family member or a professional associate need help, call 800-230-3934.  (back to top)
 

Pathological Gambling has often been thought of as immoral, decadent, criminal, insane, weak-willed, and irresponsible behavior. Today most authorities and several agencies are teaching a different view of this problem. Gambling is now considered a pathological addictive disorder, similar to addiction to alcohol and other drugs. In fact, the addictions can coexist, or one can develop during recovery from another. Gambling can take the form of cards, sporting events, slots, internet gambling, races, lotto or bingo . . . just to name a few.

In short, a person may be diagnosed as a compulsive gambler if he or she has been unable to control chronic gambling; if the gambling has continued despite harm to the family and personal problems; and if the characteristics defined by the Diagnostic Standards Manual are present.

What to Look For

• Time spent gambling: A person may have a gambling problem when the time spent gambling is excessive by the standards of the community, or when the time spent gambling is out of proportion with the person's other activities.
• Focus on gambling: When the person shows a special excitement in going to new gambling spots or rearranges his or her schedule to permit more time for gambling activities, he or she may have a problem. When the person gives the impression that a change in gambling activities will bring him or her good luck, the person could be in trouble.
• Size of Bets Increases: This is often a sign of chasing lost bets and trying to catch up by placing larger and more frequent bets.
• Special Occasions: A person may have a problem if he or she insists on a honeymoon or vacation where gambling is available, or if he or she invents reasons to travel to gambling spas.
• Bragging: Boasting of winning and minimizing losses are prime signs of compulsive gambling. The need for recognition and displays of power often drive compulsive gamblers to flaunt possessions or large amounts of money.
• Crisis Resolution: A compulsive gambler will often gamble to feel good when he or she is faced with a crisis. Gambling is sometimes used to celebrate good fortune, birth of children, job promotions, or pay raises, and to mourn deaths, bad luck, or lost jobs.
• Excessive Absences: Frequent, unexplained absences from work or home are characteristics of a gambling problem, particularly if the person is concealing how the time is spent.
• Mood Swings: Addictive behavior is characterized by severe mood swings in most people. Compulsive gamblers experience highs when they win and lows when they lose. When gambling is discussed the compulsive gambler will often display hostility; the gambler is under constant pressure for action and can rarely find peace, even when winning.
• Hidden Funds: Secret loans, withdrawal from family bank accounts, and hidden deals are signs of betting to catch up. When caught at one of these actions, the gambler will lie and minimize the importance of the event. While a social gambler will work to make up lost funds, an addicted gambler will scheme to acquire funds.

If you, your spouse, family member or a professional associate need help, call 800-230-3934.  (back to top)
 

How Common are Anxiety Disorders?

• Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in America.
• More than 19 million people are affected by these debilitating illnesses each year.
• Anxiety disorders cost the United States $46.6 billion in 1990 in direct in indirect costs, nearly one-third of the nation's total mental health bill of $148 billion.

What are the Different Kinds of Anxiety Disorders?

• Panic Disorder - Repeated episodes of intense fear that strike often and without warning. Physical symptoms include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, abdominal distress, feelings of unreality, and fear of dying.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - Repeated, unwanted thoughts or compulsive behaviors that seem impossible to stop or control.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - Persistent symptoms that occur after experiencing a traumatic event such as rape or other criminal assault, war, child abuse, natural disasters or crashes. Nightmares, flashbacks, numbing of emotions, depression and feeling angry, irritable, distracted and being easily startled are common.
• Phobias - Two major types of phobias are specific phobia and social phobia.
  • Specific Phobia - People with specific phobias experience extreme, disabling, and irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger; the fear leads to avoidance of objects or situations and can cause people to limit their lives.
  • Social Phobia - People with social phobia have an overwhelming and disabling fear of scrutiny, embarrassment, or humiliation in social situations, which leads to avoidance of many potential pleasurable and meaningful activities.
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder - Constant, exaggerated worrisome thoughts and tension about everyday routine life events and activities, lasting at least six months. Almost always anticipating the worst even though there is a little reason to expect it; accompanied by physical symptoms such as fatigue, trembling, muscle tension, headache, or nausea.

Is it Possible for Anxiety Disorders to Coexist With Other Physical or Mental Disorders?

It is common for an anxiety disorder to accompany another anxiety disorder, or in some cases depression, eating disorders or substance abuse. Anxiety disorders can also coexist with physical disorders. In such instances, these disorders will also need to be treated. Before undergoing any treatment, it is possible to have a thorough medical exam to rule out other possible causes.

This information is a guide to help you understand anxiety. It is not offered for you to diagnose yourself. If you have some of these symptoms, don't focus on how many symptoms you have. Instead, call North Carolina Caring Dental Professionals to talk about how you have been feeling.

If you, your spouse, family member or a professional associate need help, call 800-230-3934.  (back to top)
 

Food Addiction Self-Diagnosis Checklist
For many, food addiction is a self-diagnosed disease. See how you score on these questions:

1. Has anyone ever told you that you have a problem with food?
2. Do you think food is a problem for you?
3. Do you eat large amounts of high calorie food in a short period of time?
4. Do you eat to overcome shyness?
5. Do you eat when you are disappointed, tense or anxious?
6. Can you stop eating without a struggle after one or two sweets?
7. Has your eating ever interfered with any part of your life?
8. Has being overweight ever affected any part of your life?
9. Do you weigh yourself once or twice (or more) a day?
10. Do you eat more than you planned to eat?
11. Have you hidden food so that you would have it just for yourself?
12. Have you felt angry when someone ate food you saved for yourself?
13. Do you worry that you can't control how much you eat?
14. Have you ever felt frantic about your size, shape or weight?
15. How many of these methods of weight loss have you tried in the past:

    • self-induced vomiting
    • laxatives
    • diuretics
    • fasting
    • compulsive exercise
    • amphetamines
    • cocaine
    • over-the-counter diet pills, gum and caramels
    • sorbitol (for laxative effect)
    • chewing and spitting food
    • acupuncture, acupressure
    • hypnosis
    • urine shots
    • special food, drinks and supplements
    • weight loss programs: how many? how often?

16. Have you ever felt so ashamed of the amount you eat that you hide your eating?
17. Have you been so upset about the  way you eat that you wished you would die?
18. Do you overeat more than twice a week?
19. Do you invent plans in order to be alone to eat?
20. Do you seek out companions who eat the way you do?

This information is a guide to help you understand Eating Disorders. If you have some of these symptoms, don't focus on how many symptoms you have. Instead, call the North Carolina Caring Dental Professionals to talk about how you have been feeling.

If you, your spouse, family member or a professional associate need help, call 800-230-3934.  (back to top)