Alcohol Awareness Classes Can Help You Face the Facts

One of the most famous phrases surrounding alcoholism is that “denial is the first sign.” Of course that is absolute hooey because there are millions of people who abstain completely from alcohol who would deny being an alcoholic. But the facts are the facts. First fact, life-long teetotalers never are accused of being an alcoholic. For many years I have been sober and yet when accused of being an alcoholic, there is no denying that fact. Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic! As a counselor for both in class and online alcohol awareness classes my students and I often engage in lively discourse of about “facing the facts.” There is no doubt that all alcoholics go through denial. This article will address questions which help all people who drink to face the facts. You Never Expected to be an Alcoholic Let’s face it - nobody ever expects to become an alcoholic. I remember the first time when I was 22 when I joked with my friends that my “AA counselor would not approve” of our getting hammered that night. That was just a joke, at that point, despite the fact that I was getting drunk at least three times a week, there was not a rational thought in my mind that worried about me becoming an alcoholic. I am not abnormal - none of us think we will become an alcoholic. Fact #1 – How Much Do You Drink? The first fact about drinking is very simple – how much do you drink? That is followed by how often do you drink and how many alcoholic beverages do you consume when drinking? If you drink two or more alcoholic beverages daily you could be an alcoholic. If you binge drink frequently you could be an alcoholic. The standards for drinking are pretty straight forward – one ounce of booze per day for women and two for men. Any more than that and you are exceeding recommended dosage. Fact #2 Simply put – people who do not have drinking problems do not drink every day. They do not think about drinking and they do not have a nightly cocktail or two. At its natural state, your body never will seek to have alcohol absorbed into the blood stream. Remember, alcohol is a poison and has no medicinal value for your body. Fact #3 Your drinking habits are very indicative of how important alcohol is in your life. While genetics play a role, you and your behavior are the sole determining factor in if you are or will become an addict to alcohol. If you know you are genetically predisposed to addiction, I urge you not to drink. If you have parents with addiction issues and find yourself getting really drunk, even if you drink infrequently, I urge you to stop all consumption of alcohol immediately. This is a red flag toward addiction issues. Stop the snowball before it gains too much momentum.’ Remember, alcohol is a serious drug and its use should be closely monitored. Take a look at the facts. Closely examine your drinking behavior. If you or anyone you love has a drinking problem, please seek help immediately. If you prefer to maintain total anonymity, there are alcohol and drug classes as well.