THE TWELVE STEPS OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

ALCOHOLISM AND THE COST OF HEALTHCARE

As a change agent, my mission in writing this article is to create public awareness about the impact of alcohol misuse and abuse and to provide a realistic solution that promote positive change.

WHAT IS ALCOHOL ABUSE ?

Alcohol abuse is a pattern of drinking that involves one or more of the following problems within a one year period.

1. Failure to carry out major responsibilities at work, school, or home.

2. Drinking in physically dangerous situations, such as drinking while driving or operating heavy duty machine.

3. Legal problems related to using alcohol / multiple relapse.

4. Continuing drinking despite ongoing problems in relationship with others.

Alcohol misuse and abuse impacts every facet of the way we live, work, play and do business. It is one of societal most urgent public health issues. According to National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), an estimated 14 million people in the United States alone are addicted to or abuse alcohol. In Nigeria that number can be double. For instance, in South-south, South-east and South-west parts of Nigeria drinking alcohol has become the norm of welcoming someone into a home.

Alcohol abuse kills more of our precious youths than all other illegal drugs combined and it is the leading contributor to violence, accidental death and injury, suicide and domestic violence, as well as unknown related health problems.

We all know someone who has been affected by Alcohol problems. So why are we afraid or unwilling to talk about it ?

SELF ASSESSMENT

Ask yourself: is the way or amount of alcohol I drink harming my health, my work, my relationship or the way I relate to others? Should I cut down on my drinking ?

Researchers use the term "alcohol problems" to any type of condition caused by drinking which harms the drinker directly, jeopardizes the drinker's well-being or places others at risk. Depending on the circumstances, alcohol problems can result from even--moderate to severe drinking. For example, drunk driving, drinking during pregnancy or drinking while taking certain prescribed medication. Alcohol problems exist on a continuum of severity ranging from occasional drinking to alcohol abuse or dependency (alcoholism).

TREATMENT:
TIPS FOR FORMAL INTERVENTION

THE TWELVE STEPS OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

FIRST YOU (WE) HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE READINESS TO CHANGE ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOR AND SUPPORT FROM FAMILY

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol-that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. We believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. We have made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him.

4. Began searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

7. We humbly asked God to remove our short-comings.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and power to carry that out.

12 Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

GOOD LUCK !

Dr. Fenny Fenibo Braide
Psychotherapist @ The Behavioral Health Center, Philadelphia