Hypnotherapy and the Benefits of Hypnotism

October 17, 2008 · Filed Under Self Improvement · Comment 
by Mark Allen

Hypnotism and hypnotherapy have long been recognized for the benefits they can bring. In the last one hundred years, it has been studied, tested, and refined. Today it provides benefits for millions of people.

For as long as people have existed, they have looked for different means to alleviate suffering and improve themselves. The fields of psychology, medicine, and psychology developed in order to try to understand and improve the human condition.

Since the beginning of medicine, people have looked for means of “alternative” healing and self-improvement. This category includes hypnosis and hypnotherapy.

People have many different reasons for trying hypnotherapy or hypnosis. These include relief from both emotional and physical problems, as well as wanting to reach one’s potential and improve one’s self.

Hypnotism can address physical problems like over-eating and weight loss, as well as emotional issues such as anger and low self-confidence or self-esteem.

Hypnosis is also helpful in remedying addictions and habits and addictions such as cigarette smoking, gambling, even drug and alcohol abuse.

Hypnosis has even been used to treat the symptoms of severe medical problems like cancer and diabetes. Surgical patients have been able to undergo pain-free surgery with minimal anesthesia, and recovery times are reduced.

Hypnotism and hypnotherapy certainly aren’t a “cure-all”, or even always the best alternative. However it is becoming increasingly clear that there are real, tangible, and lasting benefits to this type of therapy and self-help.

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Executive Chef Jobs

October 15, 2008 · Filed Under Self Improvement · Comment 
by Abina Abigantus

Kitchen Hierarchy - Which One You Want to Become?
When you say you want to become a good, professional chef someday, it actually takes more than just saying what you really want to be. If you are decided to be a chef and do all of the chef’s job for a living, it is important that you maintain the positive attitude that all chefs exhibit while working professionally..Val’s office sends out tickets 48-72 hours before the next scheduled seminar. For instance, if you enrolled on a Friday at a time when the next seminar is two weeks away, you won’t immediately receive your ticket. It’ll arrive in approximately 10 days, just a few days before the seminar is scheduled.

What are the most frequently used gourmet knives?
Serious cooks generally agree that there are four basic knives that can handle virtually any kitchen cutting job. These are: (1) the chef’s knife [the eight-inch length is most frequently used]; (2) the six-inch boning knife or the six-inch utility knife; (3) the carver/slicer [the eight-inch length is most popular]; and (4) the 3.5-inch paring knife.Val’s office sends out tickets 48-72 hours before the next scheduled seminar. For instance, if you enrolled on a Friday at a time when the next seminar is two weeks away, you won’t immediately receive your ticket.

What’s the job market like in the culinary arts?
If you get a culinary chef certification, you make about $7 to $13 an hour, and your job title would probably be prep cook, line cook or lead line cook. To get past that to sous-chef or executive chef jobs, which pay more, you must pursue a degree in culinary arts. Many of our students already work as prep cooks and are studying to obtain their Associate of Occupational Studies degrees in the evening program. We always try to help students get jobs.The hospitality industry is vast, with endless jobs to be done.

I’m having trouble thinking of a name for my Money Club. Can you help?
Your club should choose a name that suits your personalities. Perhaps “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Saver”, “Hot Money Mamas”, or simply “The Financials”. Think: movie names, clever sayings, popular songs, and plays on words. No need to be nervous. Your job is to welcome the members and make them feel comfortable in the group. Once you do that, you’ll find the rest will just flow.

Is Being a Chef a Career or a Job?
Just like any other profession, whether or not being a chef is a career or a job depends largely on you. Of course, if your chef-dom is merely a job for you, dont be surprised if it doesnt take long to burn out. Fifty to 70-hour work weeks, high stress, and the creative brain drain all take their toll fairly early. To some, if you do not have all the correct tools (serrated-edge spatula, 2-prong fork, basting brush, and toothed tongs), your barbeque setup is just not complete.You can first write a topic sentence and then add support; or you can think of supporting ideas and then come up with a topic sentence.

What kind of experience do I need to get started in this industry?
Requirements for Stewardess: Restaurant and/or hotel cleaning experience, with a great ’service with a smile’ attitude, and willingness and ability to live on board and travel with the vessel. The Stewardess is responsible for all interior cleaning of the vessel, including setting the table and service of the meals, making the beds for the guests, doing the laundry for guests and crew, and for providing attentive service, anticipating their needs before they need to ask.Just like any other profession, whether or not being a chef is a career or a job depends largely on you. Of course, if your chef-dom is merely a job for you, dont be surprised if it doesnt take long to burn out.

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Feeling Things Out

September 18, 2008 · Filed Under Self Improvement · Comment 
by Dick Ingersoll

We all have an internal mechanism for detecting when something or someone around us is ultimately good or bad for the life we long for. Most of us pay no attention to this system, or are not aware of it, or even utilize it without even knowing it. This system is our intuition, and it is completely functional in all of us. We just need to take a moment to reconnect to it.

Of course, instinctual abilities may greatly decrease with the occurrences of emotional obstacles in our energy bodies. The more sealed off from the world we are, the less able we may be to use this ability. You need to keep your energy open, so that you can truly experience what I’m telling to you.

When in the presence of a new person or circumstance, stop for a second and notice your feelings; Are you anxious? - Nervous? - Relaxed? - Calm? - Afraid? Your emotional energy is a telltale clue as to the nature of your environment. This is what we often refer to as our sixth sense, or gut instinct. It’s also described as “vibes”, as in “So and so gave off some strange vibes.” These feelings are more often than not effective identifiers of our present predicaments or lack there of, and you can use them as a signal to move forward or retreat as necessary. In cases where we have habitual thinking that causes emotions, we may actually be creating them ourselves. This is why it is vital to be truly open, in order to be sensitive to the energy of any person or occurrence. Otherwise, it may just be a mental fabrication.

If you would like to develop this ability even more, you should start with working on meditation. As you learn to move into light trance states, and then slightly deeper, emotional obstacles and unhealthy mental patterns can begin to make themselves known. It is far easier to identify and do away with or heal such patterns and barriers when in meditation. In some instances, knowing the blockage or pattern exists may be enough in and of itself to do away with it.

You may need to work with a hypnotherapist if there is severe issues in your emotional body. Traumatic or otherwise painful occurrences in your past may be damaging a part of your energy field in the present. Seeking a professional to assist in removing such blocks is an wonderful first move towards getting a hold of your full power. You may also purchase healing and hypnosis CD’s to listen to each night as you go to sleep. Over time submersion into these types of materials will allow your subconscious to start the healing process, which may take anywhere from an hour to a year or more, but will in due course resolve in a healthy, positive energy body.

The more open you are, and the more powerful and clearer your energy field, the more easily you may be able to detect and perceive all of the distinctions of a given situation. You will know a bad person by the vibe you get immediately, and you may catch liars in their tracks. When things are not going the way they should, or if you are at the right place at the wrong time, you may get a feeling for that well in advance, and can alter your plans to mesh with better events.

Take charge of your natural abilities to intuit. Your life will be calmer and happier for it!

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Careful What U Pray 4

September 7, 2008 · Filed Under Self Improvement · Comment 
by Drs Bil and Cher Holton

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything from Picasso to Van Gogh. They would often sit together and admire their immense collection.

They had planned a buying trip to Europe, but the Iraq war interrupted their plans. The son’s reserve unit was called up and he found himself in Baghdad.

On his second tour of duty the son was killed by a roadside bomb. The father had lost his wife to cancer and now he had lost his only son.

A short time later, just before Thanksgiving, there was a knock at the front door. A young man stood at the door holding a large package.

He said, “Sir, you don’t know me, but I served with your son in Iraq. He saved my life. He was the most courageous man I’ve ever known. He often talked about you, and your mutual love for art.”

The young man held out the package. “I know this isn’t much. I’m not a famous artist, but I think your son would want you to have this.”

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son in military uniform. He stared in awe at the way the young man had captured his son’s personality.

He thanked the young man and offered to pay for the painting.

“Oh, no sir.” Countered the young man, “I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift for you.” They spent the afternoon talking about the man’s son and the arts.

The father placed the painting over the mantle. Whenever friends visited he showed them the portrait of his son before he showed them any of his latest acquisitions.

On New Year’s day the man made his own transition. Some of his dearest friends believed it was from a broken heart. As his last request, he wanted his paintings auctioned. Many rich people and art collectors came to add his rare paintings to their own collections.

The portrait of his son was perched on the auction easel. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “We will start the bidding with this portrait. Who will bid for this painting of the son?”

You could hear a pin drop, then murmurings. Finally a voice from the back of the room shouted, “We’re not interested in that one. We’re here for the Picassos, and Rembrandts, and Raphaels.”

However the auctioneer continued. “Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100? $200?

Another voice shouted defiantly, “We didn’t come to bid on this painting. We’re here for the Van Goghs and the DiVincis.”

Undaunted, the auctioneer continued, “The son. Who will take the son?”

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. “I’ll give $100 for the painting.” Being a a man of modest means, it was all he could afford. He thought highlyof the man and his son and felt the son was his son too.

“We have $100. Who will give $200?”

“Give it to him for $100. We want the master’s works, the real art work.” Someone chorused.

$100 is the bid. Won’t someone bid $200?

The crowd became angry. They weren’t bidding on the inferior painting. They wanted the priceless investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “Going once, going twice, SOLD for $100.

The room broke out in applause. One man handed $10 to the gardener as a token thank you for speeding up the auction, but the gardener refused. “They always made me feel like I was part of the family,” he confessed. “I have always been thankful for my employment with them.”

His purchase of the painting came from answered prayer. He had wanted a memento, and now he had one. He had received a small inheritance from the man’s will, but the portrait of his son was truly wonderful.

All at once, the auctioneer laid down his gavel. “I’m sorry, but that concludes the auction. The auction is over.”

“What?” shouted the audience. “What do you mean the ‘auction is over?’”

“I’m sorry for such an abrupt end to these proceedings. When I was asked to conduct this auction I was informed of a stipulation in the will. I can now tell you what that stipulation is. Only the painting of the son was to be auctioned. Whichever bidder bought the portrait would inherit the entire estate! The man who bid $100 for the son gets everything!”

It is through the acupuncture of prayer that we find peace, and rest, and answers, and wealth. Like the gardener, we have immediate access to Universal Supply. Our prosperity is waiting for us. Our prosperity is just a prayer away. All we have to do is turn to the Son, the Christ Spirit within.

Although the way we pray differs, most people have been taught by the faith traditions in which they grew up to ask, to petition, to beg an external anthropomorphic deity for things they want. They believe in ‘dial-up’ prayer instead of instant, high speed access prayer.

In this 6th in a series of “Get Over It” messages we have selected the familiar New Thought phrase ‘Be careful what you pray for’ as a phrase which should be buried with the embedded theology which gave birth to it.

It is an assumption which perpetuates the anthropomorphic deity myth which has kept our eyes concentrated on a super-being ‘out there’ who will save us if we’re obedient, patient, and gullible.

The help ‘out there’ motif is perpetuated by the mythological Superman, Batman, and Super Hero characters which Hollywood has so expertly created for us.

We have all grown up with the belief that the Messiah will come from ‘out there.’ That our Savior must be some kind of super hero with super powers. Essentially the message is we are too unworthy, weak, and whinny to save ourselves.

In his book, Dynamics For Living, Charles Fillmore said, “The way to attain health and wealth is to put your prayerful words and creative actions to work and bring into swift action the Superman Christ within.”

The super hero is within us. It is the Superman Christ part of us. The day we identify with our Superman Christ within, and not with fictitious superheroes ‘out there’ we master our earth experience.

The same thing goes when it comes to prayer. We believe there is a collective wisdom deep within each of us, and shared by all of us, that senses an unseen spiritual Presence. A Presence that is Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent.

In Matthew 21:22 the Christ said: “Whatever we ask in prayer, believing with faith, we shall receive.” The word ‘ask’ really means ‘affirm or declare.’ And ‘prayer’ means ‘direct, unobstructed communion with Spirit.’

So, what Matthew 21:22 is really telling us is when we affirm our oneness with Spirit by communing with Spirit to make that connection, and believe that we have passport-free access to Universal Supply, we will receive all we need to manifest our abundance. This verse is the key to manifesting our good.

It is praying FROM this this indivisible connection with the Christ within, that we move toward our good. It is FROM this interior place of alignment with the Omnipresence of God that we position ourselves to receive.

So we do not have to pray TO a God ‘out there.’ We don’t have to dial-a-prayer! We don’t have to worry for what we pray believing that if we don’t pray right we might get something other than what we prayed for. That’s not how prayer works!

There’s no dispensing God ‘up there’ waiting for us to make a mistake in our prayer languaging so It can give us something we didn’t expect. There are no prayer police watching our prayers to see if we’re asking for the right things.

‘Be careful for what you pray for’ is a fear-based message. It is not useful to build guilt, and fear, and anxiety into a prayer experience.

What is useful is to live a prayer-conditioned life, one which features absolute trust in your connection with Spirit.

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learning hypnosis Quickly

August 21, 2008 · Filed Under Self Improvement · Comment 
by Scott Green

If the thought of hypnosis interests you, you might consider conversational hypnosis training. You can easily learn the art of hypnotizing people that you know and interact with. You can find training for this through several mediums. You may choose to study with a book, DVD, or ebook. If you choose to do this training, you should find a training course that has been reviewed and has been proven to be effective. This will ensure you a better success rate.

Conversational hypnosis is the ability to hypnotize the people around you through the use of ordinary conversational techniques. The tone of your voice, word choice, and the use of emotional appeals can persuade those around you to comply with nearly anything you suggest.

The great thing about conversational hypnosis training is that you can learn it in your own home, on your own time using an ebook or DVD. Conversation hypnosis is a powerful skill since most people are unaware that you are learning to manipulate them.

Conversational hypnosis is used more often than you realize. Marketers, advertisers, and salesmen use the power of words on a regular basis in order to make emotional requests of their customers. They are practicing a kind of conversational hypnosis by placing the buyer in a mild trance-like state and persuading them to buy things on impluse. If you’re in one of these sales or marketing fields, conversational hypnosis is an important talent to possess.

You may think that learning how to hypnotize someone through conversation is difficult, but that’s not true. You can start conversational hypnosis training with an ebook or DVD and practice at your own pace, in everyday situations. The key is to keep practicing, and keep improving, little by little. In no time you will have mastered conversational hypnosis.

If you think you would learn better by having an instructor, you could find a conversational hypnosis training class. Just search online to find a seminar in your area that includes training specifically designed for covert or conversational hypnosis. You may want to email the instructor to find out the specifics of the course. This will help you find the perfect class!

When your conversational hypnosis training is complete, get ready to start fine tuning your skills. You can casually hypnotize a person without them knowing what is going on. It is a powerful skill to be able to connect with another person?s mind. This technique can be used to enhance your life in many types of situations!

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ESL Training Online Without Studying Overseas

August 13, 2008 · Filed Under Self Improvement · Comment 
by Amy Nutt

Quite possibly the most fun and effective way to learn a new language is to completely immerse yourself in the native culture of the language that you are trying to learn. This way you would have first hand experience with the people who regularly speak the language and get to see and feel all of the little nuances that are important to truly becoming fluent in a second language. Constant exposure to a language spoken by natives as you are trying to learn can really help with the learning process, giving you a great feel not only for the words of the new language, but how to say them in different situations.

Unfortunately, the above mentioned scenario isn’t an option for very many people. Living and learning abroad can be an incredible expense - almost too much in fact, for the average working person who is looking to learn a second language can afford. But that doesn’t mean that you should give up your dream of becoming fluent in more than just your native tongue. Learning a new language can be done from anywhere. All you need is a good instructor from an online English school, a good program and the dedication to stick to that program.

Fortunately for those that still have the strong desire to expand their mind and increase their knowledge by learning English as a second language - ESL training online is a fantastic and effective alternative to traveling to learn abroad.

For some people to effectively learn a language they need to have one on one attention with the instructor and with ESL online training you’ll have just that. You will have an instructor dedicated to one on one communication with you through the entire process of learning English and you’ll get all that attention right from the comfort of your own home.

You’ll incur no travel expenses and have the opportunity to learn your new and valuable skill in the most comfortable atmosphere in the world to you - your own home. You can set up your learning space however you see fit to suit your own needs while you are immersing yourself in your new language. You’ll be able to learn at your own pace, without being held back or bothered by the interruptions of other students who aren’t progressing at the same level as you are. There will be an atmosphere with no games or hold ups. It will just be you, your instructor and your lessons, ensuring that you get the most knowledge possible each and every time you sit down to learn.

There is no doubt that learning a new language will have many, many benefits for you and for your career; and there is little doubt that the single most valuable and useful language to take on as a second is English. Learning English Online can make new opportunities available to you at your current job or open the door to you with a bigger and better company and it can dramatically increase your opportunity to learn other things by giving you access to all of the incredible resources out there that are only available to those that can read and understand English. If you happen to be one of the very few that are lucky enough or wealthy enough to have the opportunity to learn it while staying where it’s spoken by all fluently than don’t hesitate to do so, but if you can’t, that should be no reason to stop your dream of speaking English as your second language - ESL online training is readily available and nearly as good as immersing yourself directly in the culture.

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Successful People Pratice Goal Setting

August 12, 2008 · Filed Under Self Improvement · Comment 
by tsesevich vermeesch

Successful people are very driven in life. Anyone who has a drive in life has some sort of direction. That map is provided by goal setting.

Setting goals for your self is quite painless and easy. Just ask your self , “What do I want to accomplish in the next six months?” The catch is to not set too many goals, because you may become overwhelmed very quickly.

The key is to not make the list of goals too large. It’s easy to get sidetracked and very easy to feel overwhelmed. Instead of trying to conquer the world overnight, why not take care of the small things first.

Once that goal is achieved, you will start to feel a sense of accomplishment. This can drive you to set another goal. By keeping your goals short term and reasonable, you can eventually start to grow the difficulty of the goal.

Maybe one of your goals is to lose twenty pounds. This is a mid term goal that will not happen overnight. Swimming hundreds of laps daily would not be a realistic short term goal.

If you want to get back into shape, it’s not going to happen overnight either. If you choose swimming as a means for your goal, don’t expect to join the Olympics. Start off with just five or en laps a day.

After a week or two, you might up to fifty or sixty laps. You probably will have lost a few pounds as well. By keeping this up you can realistically reach you goal over time.

The best way to accomplish a short or mid term goal is to schedule it. The more specific the time frame, the better. If the time frame is too broad, you probably won’t get it done ever.

Writing the goal down can bring success. It can help get your Lazy butt off the couch. Don’t think about it too much, or you’ll probably procrastinate.

Once you get the feeling and sense of accomplishment that comes with goal setting, you can move them up a notch. You might allow three months to accomplish a mid term goal. With other goals, you may want to put them on the five year plan.

The key to being successful in life is having a plan of action. As you set and accomplish goals, they become easier and easier. Before you know it, you may find yourself doing great things.

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Building a Strong Smoking Habit

August 9, 2008 · Filed Under Self Improvement · Comment 
by Sara Mendez

Imagine you wanted to start a habit. A strong, automatic way of thinking and acting. How do you start a habit like this? There are three basic ways; emotions, authority figures, and repetition.

An example will help explain this.

Let’s just use a younger you for the example, 10-14 years old. And for this example, let’s use the habit of smoking. If you don’t smoke…. replace the word “smoking” with any craving you get, or just pretend you smoke? It is an article about smoking after all.

While in that age range, we’ll assume you were learning about life and how you fit in it. You may not have felt as sure about yourself as you would later in life.

Kids that age sometimes feel self-conscious, dependent on others, powerless, not good enough, or??. We’ll call this feeling “bad”. This is not saying you felt miserable, but maybe didn’t feel “good” as you thought you should feel? Did you feel as “good” as you thought other people felt?

Feeling like that would lead you to wanting to feel better, or, as good as everyone else. What ways does your mind see to do this?? That matters upon what learning situations you’ve been exposed to.

Experiences that teach you smoking is strong, capable, tough, independent, self-assured, unique, and feels “good”. Experiences that involve emotions, authority figures and repetition. Of course advertisements do this, so do parents and family members. Are these experiences repeated? Of course.

This would start a feeling in your mind, the beginning of a craving. A part of you that believes smoking is what your life needs to fix the bad feeling. Not just in a “knowing” way, but a “feeling” way. This concept will make the most sense to someone whom has tried to quit any strong habit, you know your “feelings” are stronger than your “knowing” any day.

Then at some point you tried your first cigarette, and DID feel better. But you were not very good at smoking yet and since it made you feel better, you practiced it until you were good at it.

Time passes and you continue to reinforce the emotional associations with your triggers. If you feel tired, stressed or angry, you want to smoke to get that refreshing “ahhhh” feeling.

People that have tried to quit smoking have spent a lot of time analyzing their habit, fighting themselves for control of cravings. But, you didn’t learn the smoking habit with the thinking and analyzing part of your mind, so why try to use that part of your mind to change the habit?

It makes a whole lot of sense to quit smoking using the same methods you started smoking with. A “hypnotized” state of mind combined with emotions, authority figures and repetition. Also known as: modern hypnosis.

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Alcohol Problems - Halt your issue with drinking

August 8, 2008 · Filed Under Self Improvement · Comment 
by David Peters

Alcohol use and abuse occurs with a tremendous amount of variability among individuals. Frequently, there is a limited distinction between “social” or “moderate” drinking and “problem” or” harmful” drinking. It is obvious however, that as the frequency of drinking and the amount increases, so does the probability of problem behaviors frequently resulting in medical and psychosocial problems. A very prominent group of individuals affected by alcohol problems to a significant degree, who develop the syndrome of alcohol dependence, are usually referred to by most people as alcoholics. different groups of individuals with alcohol problems usually require different approaches to diagnosis and clinical management.

The physiological aspects of alcohol dependence are associated with a much greater potential for medical problems such as acute alcohol withdrawal. The first criteria usually associated with alcohol dependence are considered to be tolerance and alcohol withdrawal. The remaining criteria usually are defined as behavioral and cognitive dimensions of alcohol dependence including impaired control when an individual consumes larger amounts of alcohol over longer periods of time than they intend to, and when persistent desires or unsuccessful attempts to cut down or control drinking are not successful despite knowledge of a persistent recurrent physical or psychological problem, and alcohol use becoming incredibly important to the individual, including spending a great deal of time drinking, recovering from its effects, or when important social and occupational activities are given up or reduced because of drinking. These are all key criteria in the diagnosis of alcohol dependence.

The consequences of alcohol abuse are numerous and greatly affect the way people live their lives. At first, people don’t believe they have a problem because the way they drink seems normal and the same as everyone else’s drinking habits. However, drinking can become a way for people to deal with their problems, which is definitely an indication of alcohol dependence. Mental health problems as a result of drinking are also a sign of alcohol dependence. Most people feel that drinking relieves the symptoms of problems such as anxiety, panic attacks, or bipolar disorder. However, the fact is that drinking actually increases their symptoms. Physical symptoms are also a problem that drinking can cause, such as liver disease.

Teens are often very susceptible to the lure of alcohol. According to a 2004 survey of high school students by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 75% of high school students have at least tried alcohol. Many of them have had episodes of heavy drinking. It is a known fact that a leading death factor in teen-related car accidents is alcohol. Alcohol can affect the way the brain functions, especially the areas controlling decision-making and emotions, meaning that growth and development can be greatly hindered in teens if they drink alcohol. Memory and learning abilities can be affected, harming a teen’s performance in school. The worst danger is that use of alchol in a teen can progress to abuse, and perhaps to addiction.

Family risk factors for teenagers developing drinking problems include low parent supervision or communication, family conflicts, inconsistent or severe parental discipline, and a family history of alcohol or drug abuse. Individual risk factors include problems managing impulses, emotional instability, thrill-seeking behaviors, and perceiving the risk of using alcohol to be low. Girls who drink, as well as teens who begin drinking prior to the age of 14 years and those whose mothers have drinking problems, are more likely to develop alcoholism. Teen risk factors for alcoholism differ a bit between the 14- to 16-year-old and 16- to 18-year-old age groups, in that the latter tend to be less likely to drink in excess when they have a close relationship with their mothers.

Alcohol abuse is often associated with medical illness, which frequently becomes a common consequence of heavy drinking and also may occur in the absence of alcohol dependence. Early in the course of drinking, some individual’s alcohol abuse problems may show no physical or laboratory abnormalities, but as drinking continues problems begin to manifest themselves in many of the body’s organ systems. Obviously, a physical examination is necessary if there is any indication whatsoever of any medical problems. This physical examination will include important information about the presence and also the extent of any organ damage, and should be geared toward examining the organ systems most vulnerable to alcohol abuse including: the cardiovascular system, the gastrointestinal system, and the central and peripheral nervous systems. The physician will also be alert to other possible concerns related to alcohol such as alcohol withdrawal or delirium, intoxication or withdrawal from other drugs, and the acute presentation of psychological problems. Other nonspecific or systemic health problems associated with alcohol abuse include malnutrition, muscle wasting, specific vitamin deficiencies, infectious diseases (such as tuberculosis, dermatitis, pediculosis, and hepatitis), and trauma secondary to fights and accidents.

The management of alcohol withdrawal through detoxification is an incredibly important initial intervention for a significant number of alcohol dependent people. The objective of alcohol withdrawal is maintaining some comfort as the alcoholic goes through the early stages of treatment, the prevention of treatment complications, and preparing the individual for alcohol rehabilitation. The successful management of alcohol withdrawal is an important aspect of preparing an individual for subsequent efforts at alcohol rehabilitation. Social detoxification which involves the non pharmacological treatment of alcohol withdrawal has also been shown to be effective. This involves frequent reassurance, reality orientation, personal attention, monitoring of vital signs and general nursing care. Social detoxification is most appropriate for individuals with mild to moderate alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Many individuals have significant medical problems associated with alcoholism which substantially complicate therapy, so it is absolutely essential that therapists refer those individuals whose conditions require medical management.

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Alcoholism - The Enemy Within

August 7, 2008 · Filed Under Self Improvement · Comment 
by David Peters

Alcohol enjoys a long tradition of being an inseparable part of celebrations and social gatherings in almost every society. Be it the customary flute of champagne at weddings, or the officious glass of scotch which has become mandatory at almost every social do it is not uncommon to find the occasional drink being accepted, and even encouraged, at numerous occasions in the course of an individual’s adult life. But it is when this occasional drink becomes a way to escape or deal with stress, or when an individual gets accustomed to his round of drinks every evening, that without realizing it, he succumbs to the deep dark void of alcoholism.

Alcoholism as a disease is very deceptive as often the victim himself is prone to shrug away his excessive drinking habits as something he can ‘deal with’. The perception of those who are in his vicinity is also apt to be skewed as society by and large believes that this is a phase the alcoholic himself can pull out of, with just a little determination and will power. But not many are aware of the disastrous effects alcoholism has, both on the victim and those he interacts with, until it is indeed to late. Apart from the physical havoc that alcohol wreaks on the individual’s body, this disease also has several far-reaching consequences on society as a whole, both in terms of the huge dent it causes to economies all over the world, and also the delinquent behaviors it can lead to.

Alcohol first lashes out against the physical well-being of the individual, weakening his heart, tormenting his liver and kidneys, which leads him to skip work for prolonged periods of time. Gradually, as this disease overcomes its victim, it can even result in him losing his job, which in turn negatively affects the performance of the organization as a whole. And every organization that incurs such losses, contribute to loss of revenue for the economy of the country, slowing down its progress and growth.

In addition to the diminished amounts of income that an alcoholic earns, his expenditure only increases as he spends more and more of his earnings on alcohol. Needless to say, this behavior takes a toll on the physical and emotional health of his immediate family, causing relationships to be estranged and burdening the victim with financial woes. To escape these worries, he tends to drink more and more, without realizing the fact that alcohol is only further adding to his depression, as the inherent trait of alcohol is that of a depressant. This pattern of drinking has no end to it, as he continues to drink to evade the depression that his drinking itself is causing him.

Society is not very sympathetic in their outlook towards alcoholics as most people scorn victims of alcohol abuse as too weak to control their excesses. This takes its toll on the victim’s self esteem a condition that is compounded by the psychological disorders that alcohol is responsible for. The chronic depression that the alcoholic suffers from matures into more terrifying diseases like paranoia and even schizophrenia in the long run. Alcoholics are also more inclined to other forms of substance abuse which complicate the problems alcohol is already causing them.

Children who come from alcoholism-wrecked homes are also more likely to suffer from depression, which sets in right from early childhood in the form of uncontrollable crying, bedwetting and nightmares. Older children tend to exhibit extreme behavioral patterns where some of them are overtly rebellious, irregular in their study habits and destructive in their behavior, while those at the other end of the scale tend to be extremely docile, excessively meek and eager to please and compulsive about their grades. These children also cut themselves off social activities, with no one to speak their hearts out to, and despite their valiant efforts, are convinced that they are failures.

With the harried pace at which we live life today, in the modern world and the increasing pressures we have to deal with, both at the workplace and in our social interactions, it is not uncommon to find more and more people resorting to alcohol to alleviate their woes. But before surrendering to the bottle and all the promise it holds, first stop to think about whether the gamut of evils that this seemingly innocuous beverage causes is worth the momentary feeling of satisfaction it brings you and whether you are willing to take that risk and toe the line when the security and happiness of your family is at stake. The choice, though not difficult to make, may be a hard one to live up to but once you do take that first step, you’ll soon see the world of difference it brings about.

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