Alcohol

DISCLAIMER: Dawson McAllister Live does not engage in professional counseling of any sort. The resources that you are about to view are for support and guidance only. They are not intended to give authoritative advice, nor should they be seen as a replacement for professional counseling. These resources are best seen as a beginning point for those who are interested in getting help.

WARNING: The audio clips and stories contained in these resources may cause emotional pain to those who are struggling with the issues discussed.

Welcome to The HopeLine Virtual Coach for the issue of Alcohol. Below you will find stories, information, and resources dealing with the issue. Before you get started with the Virtual Coach, please listen to some DMLive callers talk to Dawson about their struggles with Alcohol. To hear the calls, please click here for call #1, or click here for call #2.


Jonathon’s Story:

Not too long ago there were few things that Jonathon enjoyed more than a cold beer with his friends. Even though Jonathon is only seventeen, he has no problem getting the alcohol. In fact, it is pretty easy. For a few years now Jonathon’s older cousin has been supplying beer to Jonathon and his friends. His cousin sees no problem with this and feels very good about “helping” Jonathon to keep his friends happy. What Jonathon’s cousin does not know is that Jonathon has gone far beyond just having a beer on weekends. Jonathon has been sneaking whiskey into his soda several days per week. He is drunk at least two nights per week and often feels the need to have a shot of hard liquor in the morning to steady his nerves. Jonathon’s girlfriend has begun to notice that he has been drinking more and more lately. She has tried to talk to him about this but each time that she does Jonathon tells her that she needs to mind her own business. He becomes angry with her and threatens to leave her if she does not drop it. Once he became so angry that he assaulted her.

What is alcohol abuse?

Alcohol abuse is drug abuse. Drug abuse is the improper use of any non-food substance that is taken into the body in order to cause a desired effect on the mind, body, or emotions. Any drug can be abused. The most common drugs of abuse include acid/LSD, alcohol, cocaine, ecstasy/MDMA, heroin, inhalents, marijuana, methamphetamine, PCP, smoking, and anabolic steroids. Alcohol is often abused by students and young adults who feel the need to use alcohol around their friends. In fact alcohol does decrease the anxiety that users feel in social settings and causes them to feel more at ease. This explains why friends often tell alcohol users how obnoxious and stupid they were when they were drinking. More seriously, alcohol abuse clouds the judgment of users and causes them to lose muscle control. This explains why abusers can’t walk straight or talk normally when they have been drinking. It also helps to explain why driving while drinking is extremely dangerous.

Like most drugs, alcohol has addictive properties that makes stopping very difficult. Even people who sincerely desire to stop often struggle to do so. In addition to the devastating mental, emotional, and physical effects of alcohol abuse, users also eventually experience a breakdown in social relationships that isolate themselves from those who care about them and who can help.

Your Story

Like Jonathon, and so many others, maybe you have found yourself abusing alcohol and you are not sure that you can stop. You may not even be sure that you want to stop. Perhaps you still enjoy the highs and are still excited by the drug use, but you know that it cannot keep being a part of your life. Maybe you have noticed your friends staying away from you and the new friends that you have are not really that good for you. Maybe your parents are coming down on you. Maybe you don’t like the way that you feel after the high or the way that the drug is affecting your body. Whatever the case, however you got here; you are ready to make a change. Whether you have just started or you are using daily, now is the time to stop. As you have likely learned already, stopping is not easy. The road ahead is filled with many pitfalls and there are many things out there that will tempt you to use again. The more you have used, the more difficult this will be. Whether you use alcohol because you are attempting to control or manage pain, because it provides some relief from intense emotions or anxiety, because you desire the attention of others, or because the experience provides you with a sense of being real or alive, there is may be a deep emotional pain associated with the use. Like other addictive behaviors, the alcohol abuse may best be seen as a symptom, not as the root problem. The good news is that people are able to overcome alcohol abuse and addiction. So be encouraged: hope exists and help is available.

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