| Ask Gary | ||
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Q: How can you tell if someone is an alcoholic or not? Are there certain signs and symptoms? -Lee A: Alcoholism is defined as a compulsion to drink alcohol in any form despite having problems from doing it in the past. An example would be someone who consumes beer, coolers, wine, or hard liquor and wakes up the next morning with a splitting headache from it, recovers through the day, and then begins drinking all over again that evening. Most people would be inclined to shy away from something that causes pain or hurt, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually. This is pure insanity, and has been described as doing the same thing "over and over," and expecting "different" results. Hence, it's like someone who might get in fights each time they drink but continues to drink because they believe "this time" will be different. Other symptoms of alcoholism are memory loss, mood changes, criminal behavior, and an increased tolerance that means they need more and more alcohol to reach the desired effects. Q: I have a friend who used to be involved in all kinds of drugs. She claims to have given them up by going "cold turkey." Is it possible to quit on one's own or is drug rehab necessary? We're both 17. -Sheila A: There are different levels of addiction -an early stage, a middle stage, and a late or chronic stage. It depends on how severe someone's drug problem is as to how successful they will be in giving up the habit. Obviously, your friend's addiction had not progressed to a point where she was unable to counter the extreme urges to continue on the road to eventual ruin. Her withdrawal symptoms were probably mild and not as painful as they are for many who might need support and a motivating factor such as drug treatment. Congratulations to your friend and you. It's great that you've both got something in common-the courage to live life drug-free! Q: I'm 15 and sick and tired of grown-ups always telling us to just say no! Do they really think it's that easy? -Marshall A: Many adults underestimate how serious the drug problem is in the world, and the enormous pressures on young people to go along with the crowd. I'll agree that just saying no is often not enough. I believe it's easier to just say yes! Yes to foregoing tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, and replacing them with sports, hobbies, and interests. Yes to taking pride in a healthy lifestyle. Yes to fulfilling goals, dreams, and aspirations. And yes to making a responsible decision to deal with life on life's terms without the need to use artificial substances. Q: This might sound like a dumb question, but here goes anyway. Are there withdrawal symptoms when someone quits smoking pot? -Jessica A: Yes, since marijuana is an addictive substance, it is possible to experience some withdrawal symptoms, especially with persons who use high doses repeatedly. Some of these symptoms are restlessness, nervousness, irritability, insomnia, and a decreased appetite. Overall, these symptoms are relatively mild and last only a few days. Of course, it can take several weeks before the body rids itself of the chemicals in marijuana. As with cigarettes, some of the hazards of marijuana are long-term and truly health-destroying. So beware: stay smart and stay off marijuana. Once off the weed, a person can truly say they are drug-free and healthy as can be! |