Search Results for: blog risk factors for alcoholism

Alcoholism Risk Involves More Than Just Genes

Some conditions that are passed down through a family’s genes are not exactly the kinds of things that anyone likes to talk about. Things like mental illness and alcoholism are very important to understand, yet discussion of them among family members may not be very frequent if they are discussed at all. This can make it difficult to know your family history of these conditions. If you know that someone in your family is an alcoholic or you suspect that there may be an alcoholic in your family, take heart. Although there are genes that are linked to alcoholism that … Continue reading →

Risk Factors for Addiction

I’ve talked a bit about alcoholism here at the Families.com Health Blog, and my own fears about addiction. There are some factors that can increase your risk of developing an addiction — but it is important to remember that a risk does not mean a guarantee. Still, it can be helpful to identify risk factors. Family history (or you can call it genetics if you like) is a big risk factor for addiction. If a family member has shown signs of trouble with addiction, you may want to be careful. My grandfather was an alcoholic, and I tend to avoid … Continue reading →

Alcoholism: When to Get Help

People can make a lot of excuses. My friend doesn’t really drink that much. I don’t have a problem. She can quit any time she wants. But sometimes you reach a point where you can’t make excuses any longer — you have to get help. Get help immediately — call 911 or another emergency service — if: Someone who has consumed alcohol is experiencing symptoms of alcohol poisoning like seizures, difficulty breathing, and loss of consciousness. Someone is having serious withdrawal symptoms like confusion and uncontrollable trembling. Severe withdrawal symptoms can lead to death in some cases. Someone has been … Continue reading →

Symptoms of Alcoholism

You don’t have to drink often to be at risk for alcohol abuse or dependence. You might not drink every day. You might go weeks between drinking, and call yourself a social drinker. Start by taking a look at the risk factors for alcoholism — are you at risk? I am. These are the signs that you are abusing alcohol: You have problems at work or school related to your alcohol use — tardiness, absenteeism, increased injuries, or decreased performance. You drink in dangerous situations — like before or while driving. You have blackouts — when you are sober after … Continue reading →

Risk Factors for Alcoholism

I worry that I am at risk for alcoholism. When I was a child, I remember my grandfather mixing his “tea” at noon. I’m pretty sure there was no actual tea in his glass, despite that being what he called it. I remember incidents of irrational behavior — like the time he shook my brother for dropping a piece of meat on the floor. It made me afraid of him. It made me afraid to drink. When my friends experimented in high school, I abstained. Even if I tried a sip, I told myself I didn’t like the taste. Once … Continue reading →

Talking to Your Kids about Alcohol Abuse

When I was getting ready to go away to college, my parents sat me down and said something to the effect of “you’re probably going to drink when you’re at college, just do it responsibly.” They didn’t know that I’d already been faced with offers of alcohol and turned them down without hesitation. But then, I wouldn’t consider myself a typical teen with a typical curiosity about drinking. I had already seen up close what serious drinking could do to a person, and was not at all interested in alcohol. I never had more than a sip to taste until … Continue reading →

Zinc Deficiency

When the body isn’t taking in enough zinc — or zinc isn’t being absorbed in the right amounts — it is possible to develop a zinc deficiency. What are the signs of zinc deficiency? Growth retardation including delayed sexual maturity Hair loss Loss of appetite, diarrhea, weight loss, and other gastrointestinal issues. Skin and eye lesions Delayed wound healing Problems with smell and taste Mental lethargy Some people are at higher risk of a zinc deficiency than others, including: Vegetarians. The body tends to absorb less zinc from plant foods than from animal sources. If you are following a vegetarian … Continue reading →

Has Your Ten Year Old Tasted Alcohol?

A study from the University of Pittsburgh found that two out of five American children between the ages of eight and ten — that’s forty percent — have tasted alcohol. That means just a few sips… nothing dangerous, right? What might be more worrisome is that of the children who had tasted alcohol, one third of parents had no idea that it had happened. Before the University of Pittsburgh study, research on alcohol use in children focused on older children and larger quantities of alcohol. Most of the prior research only asked about a child taking “more than a few … Continue reading →

Discipline During the Week, Wild on the Weekends?

If you’re good during the week, it’s okay to be bad on the weekends, right? Your weekend behavior may be sabotaging your hard work — like exercise, eating right, and living healthy — during the week. Here are some tips to help keep your weekends healthy AND rewarding. Entertaining requires eating, right? Wrong! Plan an activity between meals so you can see your friends and be social without involving food. Eating with friends can make a person eat up to fifty percent more than they would alone. A tough week deserves a weekend splurge, right? Right — just splurge wisely. … Continue reading →