Answer Addiction

Tag: alcoholism

  • How Does Alcohol Work?

    How Does Alcohol Work?

    Alcohol alters your brain and has many effects on your body. But how exactly does alcohol affect the body and brain? Does alcohol have the same effects for everyone, especially as relates to how alcohol makes you drunk? And who gets addicted to alcohol? We’ll explore these questions and more in this article. And we invite your questions about how alcohol works at the end.

    How does alcohol affect the brain and nervous system?

    Alcohol works as a depressant on the brain. Alcohol can also affect the inhibition of neurotransmitters, thus making you sluggish and slow to respond when drinking. Alcohol also directly interacts with the serotonin and dopamine receptors in the brain. This is what accounts for the feel good sensations in the body and good moods you feel when you’re drunk. When you drink too much, serotonin and dopamine carried by alcohol flood the brain and create this reaction. Over time, if you drink too much you can slowly kill brain cells which control memory and cognition.

    How does alcohol work in the body?

    Alcohol affects everyone differently based on your weight, age, and gender. But alcohol is process the same for everyone. Once you drink alcohol, it slowly moves through the body and absorbs into the blood stream. Most of the alcohol gets absorbed through the stomach and small intestine. Once in the bloodstream, alcohol can cross the blood-brain barrier and affect the brain. The liver then breaks down the alcohol and metabolizes, or processes, alcohol to pass through the system. Alcohol in system for how long? Alcohol can linger in the body some two odd hours after drinking.

    When alcohol starts to affect the body, your limbs feel a little numb and you lose control of motor functions. Your body responses are slower and your sense of touch decreases. If you drink too much all of the time, you begin to affect your liver and heart. Over time, alcohol weakens the liver’s ability to process alcohol and can actually cause disease in the liver. When you are drunk, accident likelihood increases and the potential for body harm can occur.

    How fast or quickly does alcohol work?

    How fast alcohol works involves a great many factors. Factors that contribute to the speed of intoxication include:

    1. Food in the stomach
    2. Gender
    3. Genetic factors of dependence
    4. Height
    5. Other substances and drugs in the system
    6. Tolerance
    7. Weight

    How long does alcohol work?

    Alcohol generally stays in the body for about 2 hours. You may feel the various effects of alcohol within about this time frame. In general, you can feel the effects of alcohol about 30 minutes after it enters the system. The effects might last for awhile afterward, depending on how much you continue to drink. Still, keep in mind that how long alcohol works varies by type of alcohol and type of physical body as well as the environmental and genetic factors which predispose drinking. People with a higher tolerance for alcohol may be intoxicated for shorter periods while those with low tolerance may be drunk for longer amounts of time.

    Alcohol work better

    Alcohol has a stronger effect on people with lower tolerance. The concept of the “light weight” actually means that alcohol works better on people with a lower tolerance for alcohol. Additionally, different strengths of alcohol content will work better on some people. Drinking on an empty stomach will get you drunker faster than if you had food in the body.

    Also, some people take many different types of drugs both illegal and prescribed while they drink. Other times people purposefully use drugs and drink. Don’t do this! If you are on medications and drink, pharmaceutical drugs can interact with alcohol in negative ways. In these cases, drugs increase the absorption rate of the alcohol into the system. The end result might be faster intoxication, but you can also overdose or experience alcohol poisoning. Likewise, alcohol increases the effects of drugs in the system making the high stronger, as well as increasing the danger of all the substances in the body. Consult your labels.

    Does alcohol work for everyone?

    Yes. Alcohol works on almost everyone. Because there are so many different forms of alcohol, it really is a matter of finding what works for you. Some people do have a very high tolerance to alcohol and it may take many drinks or high alcohol content start to feel the effect of alcohol and to alter mood and perceptions in the way the body and mind reacts to everything.

    How alcohol works questions

    There are so many different types of alcohol. Wine, beer, and hard liquor, to name a few. But drinking alcohol is not always bad for you if you drink responsibly. Do you still have questions about how alcohol works? Please leave your questions here. We will try our best to answer you personally and promptly. And if we don’t know the answer to your questions, we’ll refer you to someone who does.

    Reference Sources: NIH: Alcohol effects the body
    NIAAA: Alcohol and the brain
    NIAAA: Exploring Alcohol’s Effects on Liver Function
    State of California: Stop Teen DUI campaign – The short and long term effects of alcohol

    View the original article at addictionblog.org

  • How long does Antabuse stay in your system?

    How long does Antabuse stay in your system?

    Antabuse (disulfiram) is an alcohol antagonist drug used in the management of chronic alcoholism. It one of a handful of medicines to help you stop drinking that has been designed to act as a deterrent to alcohol consumption. Antabuse works by making you feel physically nauseous, provoking vomiting if you drink. But how is disulfiram metabolized in the body? How long will it stay in your system?

    Continue reading here to learn more about the use, mechanism of action, elimination, and possible side effects of Antabuse. If you have any questions after reading the text, we invite you to ask questions and share comments at the end of the page. We do our best to respond to all questions about what happens when you quit alcohol…personally and promptly.

    Main Antabuse uses

    Antabuse is prescribed for people who suffer from chronic alcoholism. It works as a deterrent to drinking by making you feel nauseous any time you consume alcohol. While not prescribed for people who want to try controlling their drinking, it is an excellent option for those who would like to abstain. How does it work exactly?

    The main ingredient in Antabuse, disulfiram, produces an irreversible inhibition of the enzyme responsible for oxidation of the ethanol metabolite called “aldehyde dehydrogenase”. By blocking oxidation of alcohol and allowing the enzyme to accumulate in blood concentrations 5-10 times higher than normal, it produces a very unpleasant side effects if the person taking Antabuse also consumes alcohol. The disulfiram-alcohol reaction provokes the following number of unpleasant symptoms:

    • intense flushing of face
    • difficulty breathing
    • heart palpitations
    • pulsating headache
    • nausea
    • vomiting

    Antabuse produces best results if/when used together with behavior modification, counseling sessions, psychotherapy, and when you have an adequate support system. It is not, however, a cure for alcoholism.

    How do you take Antabuse?

    Antabuse can be administered after at least 12 hours of alcohol abstinence. At the beginning of the course of treatment, Antabuse is usually taken only once a day, preferably in the morning, at a maximum dose of 500 mg. After the first 1-2 weeks of Antabuse treatment, patients are usually given a single daily dose of 125-500mg. The duration of Antabuse therapy may be several months (or sometimes even years), or simply until the patient has established a solid recovery from alcoholism and has established period of a long term sobriety.

    Peak levels and half life of Antabuse

    Antabuse is slowly absorbed by the body. Likewise, it is also eliminated from the system at a very slow rate. Upon administration, about 80-90% of a single oral dose makes it into the blood system, while the rest are quickly eliminated. Disulfiram is metabolized in the liver and is excreted primarily through the kidneys, while some metabolites are exhaled as carbon disulfide. The half life of Antabuse is 60-120 hours and up to 20% of a single dose may remain in the body for a week or more.

    Antabuse starts to affect ethanol metabolism within 1-2 hours after administration. Following a single dose of the medication, the body may react to any amount of alcohol for up to 14 days.

    Antabuse drug testing: How long does Antabuse stay in the body?

    Antabuse is not a narcotic and IS NOT subject to the legal restrictions of the Controlled Substances Act. But, doctors will probably be scheduling frequent blood tests if you are taking Anatabuse. Regular blood check-ups are important for monitoring the liver function and checking for side effects.

    Note here that Antabuse (disulfiram) may also interfere with certain laboratory tests, including urine VMA/HVA tests. Since it can cause a false positive on drug test results, it is important that you notify the laboratory personnel and all your doctors that you are using Antabuse.

    Antabuse and alcohol addiction

    Antabuse tablets contain the active ingredient disulfiram, which is an aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor. This medicine is a tool to keep alcoholics away from drinking. If someone who is taking Antabuse drinks alcohol, a severe, unpleasant and potentially dangerous reactions occur quickly. This is achieved because disulfiram interferes with the way the body metabolizes alcohol.

    It is important that Antabuse therapy is used in combination with other forms of therapy and good social and psychological support. After all, alcoholism is not only a drinking problem, it’s also a thinking and social problem. A recovering person needs to implement many new and positive changes in life, in order to remain alcohol-free.

    Who should not have Antabuse in their system?

    Some people may experience unwanted reactions to disulfiram (the active ingredient in Antabuse) that may require medical attention. If this medication causes any severe or persistent physical or mental problems you should notify your healthcare professional as soon as possible.

    For safety reasons, Antabuse should not be administered by intoxicated patients, or if a person hasn’t abstained from alcohol for at least 12 hours. It shouldn’t be used by patients allergic to disulfiram or by pregnant women. Further, Antabuse should be prescribed and used with great caution in the populations who are diagnosed with:

    • cerebral damage
    • chronic and acute nephritis
    • diabetes mellitus
    • epilepsy
    • hepatic cirrhosis or dysfunction
    • hypothyroidism

    Antabuse questions about length in system

    If you or a loved one are suffering from alcoholism and are looking for medications that can help you quit, Antabuse is one of several meds that can help. We suggest consulting your family doctor or a medical professional who specializes in addiction treatment to be screened for treatment.

    If you have any questions, feel free to share them in the comments section below. Or if you are someone who succeeded in recovery with Antabuse, share your story with others. We appreciate your feedback and try to answer all legitimate enquiries in a personal and prompt manner.

    Reference Sources: Sultan Qaboos University: Disulfiram
    Medline Plus: Disulfiram
    NCBI: Incorporating Alcohol Pharmacotherapies Into Medical Practice: Chapter 3-Disulfiram 
    MedSafe: Antabuse (disulfiram) 200mg Tablets-Data Sheet
    PubMed: The efficacy of disulfiram for the treatment of alcohol use disorder

    View the original article at addictionblog.org

  • 1 in 12 Americans Have Alcohol Use Disorder

    1 in 12 Americans Have Alcohol Use Disorder

    Seven times more Americans deal with alcohol use disorder than opioid use disorder.

    The opioid crisis fills our newsfeeds day after day, but at the same time Americans are grappling with the addictive nature of another, totally legal substance: alcohol. 

    According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, 17.6 million Americans—1 in 12—have alcohol use disorder. Despite its prevalence, few people realize how widespread alcoholism is. In addition to people with alcohol use disorder, even more Americans report problematic drinking habits. 

    “Varying degrees exist, from mild to severe, depending on the number of symptoms a person experiences. But a powerful craving for alcohol, despite its consequences, is common across that spectrum,” Linda Searing wrote for The Washington Post. 

    This means that 7 times more Americans deal with alcohol use disorder than deal with opioid use disorder, according to Pew Charitable Trusts.

    In addition, more people are dying from alcohol-related causes: 88,000 Americans perish each year from alcohol-related causes, compared with 72,000 who die from opioid overdoses (although opioid overdose rate is likely underreported, research has shown). That makes alcohol use the third-leading lifestyle-related cause of death in the United States. 

    Like opioid addiction, alcoholism is also increasing. Last November, USA Today reported that between 2007 and 2017 the death rate from alcohol increased 24%. Among women, the death rate increased a staggering 85%. 

    “The story is that no one has noticed this,” said Max Griswold, who compiled data on the trend for the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. “It hasn’t really been researched before.”

    Psychologist Benjamin Miller said that because alcohol is legal and socially accepted, people aren’t as wary of its dangers. 

    “Culturally, we’ve made it acceptable to drink but not to go out and shoot up heroin,” Miller said. “A lot of people will read this and say ‘What’s the problem?’”

    In addition to alcohol’s health effects, abusing alcohol can also have secondary effects on loved ones living with or around people with alcohol use disorder.

    The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence estimates that half of American adults have a close loved one with alcohol use disorder, while 10% of children live with at least one parent who is an alcoholic. 

    “Parental alcohol use disorders put children at greater risk of experiencing abuse or neglect and developing mood disorders,” Pew Trusts writes. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Can Alcohol Affect Your Brain Even After You Become Sober?

    Can Alcohol Affect Your Brain Even After You Become Sober?

    Researchers set out to discover if prior heavy alcohol use continued to affect the brain’s white matter in sobriety.

    Brain damage caused by excessive alcohol use continues for at least six weeks after someone stops drinking, a new study has found. This reverses previous thinking that the brain-changing effects of alcohol stop as soon as a person sobers up. 

    “Until now, nobody could believe that in the absence of alcohol, the damage in the brain would progress,” Dr. Santiago Canals, co-author of the study, told Medical News Today. 

    The study, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, examined the brains of 91 men with alcohol use disorder and 36 men without alcohol use disorder, who were used as a control group. The drinkers were hospitalized and in a detox program so that their alcohol intake could be carefully monitored. 

    “An important aspect of the work is that the group of patients participating in our research [is] hospitalized in a detoxification program, and their consumption of addictive substances is controlled, which guarantees that they are not drinking any alcohol. Therefore, the abstinence phase can be followed closely,” Canals said. 

    The researchers found that changes to the brain’s white matter—which affects communication between different regions of he brain—continued even after the participants got sober. 

    “[T]here is a generalized change in the white matter, that is, in the set of fibers that communicate [with] different parts of the brain. The alterations are more intense in the corpus callosum and the fimbria,” Canals explained. 

    He went on, “The corpus callosum is related to the communication between both hemispheres. The fimbria contains the nerve fibers that [enable the communication between] the hippocampus, a fundamental structure for the formation of memories, the nucleus accumbens, and the prefrontal cortex.”

    These areas of the brain control reward-seeking, decision making, and understanding of socially-acceptable behavior. 

    In addition to monitoring humans, the research team looked at how rats’ brains changed in early abstinence. The team was able “to monitor the transition from normal to alcohol dependence in the brain, a process that is not possible to see in humans,” said Silvia De Santis, lead study author. The animal research confirmed what researchers say in humans. 

    Researchers are beginning to understand how excessive drinking can have long-term effects on the brain.

    Another study published recently found that alcohol use by teens was linked to smaller brain volume, something that can have effects on cognition. This may also be associated with heavier drinking in adulthood. 

    “Thus, developmental brain volume changes in the span of late adolescence to young adulthood in macaques is altered by excessive alcohol, an insult (the cause of some kind of physical or mental injury) that may be linked to the continuation of heavy drinking throughout later adult life,” study authors wrote. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • April is Alcohol Awareness Month

    April is Alcohol Awareness Month

    This year’s theme “Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow” focuses on educating young people about the dangers of alcohol abuse.

    April is Alcohol Awareness Month. In 2019, the focus is on underage drinking.

    Alcohol abuse/addiction have taken a backseat to the epidemic of opioid abuse that has swept the country. However, alcohol abuse continues to increase in America.

    Alcohol Awareness Month, established in 1987, was created in part to reduce the stigma of alcoholism and to support local communities in addressing alcohol-related issues.

    A 2015 NSDUH study of young people between the ages of 12 to 17 estimated that 623,000 adolescents ages had alcohol use disorder, or AUD. (This study looked at 298,000 male and 325,000 female subjects.)

    According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), alcohol use disorder is defined as “a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive alcohol use, loss of control over alcohol intake, and a negative emotional state when not using.”

    Signs of teen problematic drinking are similar to the signs of drug addiction, according to Project Know—including shirking of regular responsibilities (such as ditching school or suddenly getting bad grades), lack of interest in relationships, irresponsible behavior or a change in appearance such as exhaustion, weight loss or gain, or sudden lack of concern for appearance.

    Teens who have a family or personal history of addiction or mental health issues are more at risk of alcohol abuse, as are teens who are under greater stress due to socioeconomic or personal circumstance.

    The theme of Alcohol Awareness Month with its focus on youth drinking is “Changing Attitudes—It’s not a rite of passage.” This slogan seeks to change the cultural idea that heavy drinking is an important or expected part of teenage social life.

    The first weekend of April, the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence (NCADD) is encouraging the public participate in Alcohol-Free Weekend. NCADD offers this weekend as a gesture of solidarity in our communities in support of alcohol-free youths, in remaining completely alcohol-free for three days.

    The Office of Disease Prevention offered these ideas as April’s action tool kit for communities:

    1. Share about April’s Alcohol Awareness month and focus on underage drinking on social media.

    2. Host a community event where families can learn about the issues around underage alcohol use and abuse.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Vanderpump Rules' Lala Kent Reveals Alcoholism Battle

    Vanderpump Rules' Lala Kent Reveals Alcoholism Battle

    The sober reality star took to Instagram to reveal that she is battling alcoholism and is “now a friend of Bill W.”

    Vanderpump Rules star Lala Kent has a problem, and for the first time she is admitting it publicly. Kent, 29, shared on Instagram that she is seeking help for alcoholism by joining a 12-step fellowship. 

    “Five months ago, I came to the realization that I am an alcoholic, and I am now a friend of Bill W., which you will never know how much this program means to me [and] has given me new life,” Kent said in a temporary Instagram post, according to People. 

    The reality TV star went on, “I always say if you don’t have to be sober, I wouldn’t recommend it, but me—as someone who does need to be sober—being in my right frame of mind every single day is truly incredible. When I’m having the roughest day that I could possibly have, I—for once in a very, very long time—see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know that tomorrow I’m gonna be okay.”

    Three months ago, Kent announced that she was 50 days sober. 

    “We’re just kind of taking a different turn with our life,” she told People in December. At the time, she explained that she and her fiancé, Randall Emmett, had made a pact to help each other stay sober. In just 50 days, Kent had already seen the positive effects of sobriety on her life. 

    “I have been open about suffering from anxiety, and [I’m] not saying that I don’t anymore, but it has gone down tremendously since I gave up drinking,” she said at the time. “I don’t smoke weed anymore. I’m a clean baby, and I feel like I glow a little bit… I’m ready to be a healthy person.”

    Kent said that her drinking was beginning to feel out of control after her father, Kent Burningham, passed away last April. 

    “I’m thinking a lot about my dad today—not different from any other day—and I just feel very, very blessed that I think back on my time that I had with him and there’s no regrets,” Kent said in her recent post.

    “I’m so grateful that I have this program and that I can mourn him. The program has allowed me to sit down and remember my dad in a clear frame of mind, and remember what he brought to my life, what he meant to me, what he taught me.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Bam Margera's Family Reportedly Admits Star Into Treatment Facility

    Bam Margera's Family Reportedly Admits Star Into Treatment Facility

    After a series of irate videos hit the internet, family members are reportedly helping the Jackass star receive mental health treatment. 

    After a 10-day stint in treatment earlier this year, family and friends have now reportedly committed former Jackass star Bam Margera into a behavioral health facility. 

    Concerns about Margera stemmed from recent Instagram videos in which he ranted about his wife, Nicole Boyd, Philly Voice reports. The videos have now been removed from his account.

    Then, according to the Philly Voice, another video came to light of Margera threatening his manager and refusing to attend his appearance at a comedy club in New York.  

    TMZ reports that while entering treatment has to do with alcohol use, family and friends also believe Margera may have a personality disorder as well. 

    Earlier this week, Margera’s sister-in-law Kelly Margera posted on Instagram asking for prayers and support during this time. Margera’s wife also shared the post. 

    “Addiction is a scary and complicated disease. A family disease,” Kelly’s post reads. “Giving and receiving help is a process that is not always easy to navigate. What our family needs right now are not your words, opinions, IG comments and Facebook shares. We need your prayers, prayer is a powerful thing, and until you’ve walked in our shoes on this journey with us, you have no idea.”

    Margera has been to treatment three times previously, according to Pop Culture. In the past, he has talked about the death of his co-star Ryan Dunn and how that has played a role in his drinking.

    “I have spent enough time grieving over Ryan Dunn through alcohol,” Margera previously stated. “I’m 39 years old, the party is over. I don’t plan on drinking anymore. I have wasted too much time at the bad and all my friends who needed decades of help are now all sober. I would like to join the sober parade.”

    Margera has reportedly been sober on and off, and even shared a video of himself ending seven months of sobriety at one point, Pop Culture reports.  

    As Margera enters treatment, two of his previous co-stars on Jackass, Brandon Novak and Steve-O, are celebrating milestones in their own recovery. Both have struggled with substance use disorder. 

    Novak took part in in-patient treatment 13 times before getting sober, Philly Voice reports, and he spoke at a drug court graduation recently. 

    Steve-O celebrated 11 years of sobriety on Monday, March 11 and commemorated the occasion on Instagram.

    “Eleven years clean and sober today, and I couldn’t be more grateful… Thanks to everyone who wished me a “happy birthday”!” his post read. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Five Finger Death Punch's Ivan Moody Is One Year Sober

    Five Finger Death Punch's Ivan Moody Is One Year Sober

    “I’m speechless man. A lot of people didn’t think I’d make it 24 hours. To be honest with you there were times I didn’t either,” Moody said.

    Ivan Moody, the lead singer in the rock band Five Finger Death Punch, celebrated one year of sobriety over the weekend, according to his bandmate. 

    “I’m speechless man,” Moody said in an emotional Instagram video. “A lot of people didn’t think I’d make it 24 hours. To be honest with you there were times I didn’t either.” 

    He took time to acknowledge the people who are fighting to stay sober. 

    “I’m with you every step of the way, whether you have 24 hours or 24 years,” he said. “Keep the fight man.” 

    Chris Kael, the group’s bassist, recently achieved his own year of sobriety, and he took to Instagram to help acknowledge Moody’s accomplishment. 

    “Join me in celebrating @ivanmoody today on his One Year Sober Birthday! Roughly 75 percent of those who start the path to sobriety don’t make it a full year,” he wrote. “I’ve seen firsthand the work that Ivan has done through 365 consecutive days to get himself to this HUGE milestone. I’ve seen the amazing, positive changes in him over this past year that have gotten closer and closer to the man we all knew he could be. I’m proud of you, my friend. As are countless people you have inspired along the way. Keep that shit up! #ShitYesSon #SoberAsFuck #PresentAsFuck #IvanAsFuck”

    Moody had tried to get sober before, but always found himself relapsing, according to Blabbermouth. 

    “Recovery, you have to be committed; it’s an honest program, and I wasn’t being honest with myself at the time. I’m very, very proud of the progress I’ve made,” Moody said on a radio appearance last September. 

    Moody said that he could count on fellow sober rockers when he needed fellowship. 

    “Rob Halford [of Judas Priest] is the person that I called a lot of the time when I was in recovery,” he said. “I think he’s been sober now for going on 40 years — maybe, I think, a little longer than that; I could be wrong. But Jamey Jasta [of Hatebreed] — another one. Jamey’s been sober now for 18 years; Jonathan Davis [of Korn]; so on and so forth. So these were all people that I looked to when I was struggling, and I was very, very lucky and blessed to have them on my team.”

    Moody nearly died from alcohol at one point, and he said that since he’s been sober it’s like he’s living a new life. 

    He said, “I feel I took a nap for about four years and I woke up one day and I saw somebody else wearing my skin. It was like Rip Van Winkle; it was really odd. I feel better than I felt in years, which is really… it’s a plus.”

    In addition to Moody and Kael, Five Finger Death Punch’s former drummer Jeremy Spencer is also sober. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Deaths From Alcohol, Suicide & Overdose Reach Record High

    Deaths From Alcohol, Suicide & Overdose Reach Record High

    Suicide, drug overdose and alcohol now kill more than 150,000 Americans annually. 

    Deaths from suicide, drug overdose and alcohol have reached an all-time high in the United States. 

    Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analyzed by two non-profit organizations revealed that deaths attributed to those causes rose 6% in 2017, USA Today reported.

    Those factors are now responsible for 46.6 deaths per 100,000—killing more than 150,000 people each year, according to U.S. News and World Report.

    In 2017, deaths from suicide rose 4%, double the pace of increase over the past decade. Deaths caused by synthetic opioids also skyrocketed, up 45%. However, five states saw decreases in deaths from suicide, overdose and alcohol. Those were Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Utah and Wyoming.

    Loribeth Bowman Stein, of Milford, Connecticut, believes that social isolation is contributing to these co-called diseases of despair.

    She said, “We don’t really see each other anymore. We don’t share our hopes and joys in the same way, and we aren’t as available to one another, physically and emotionally, as we need to be. The world got smaller, but lonelier.”

    Kimberly McDonald, a licensed clinical social worker in Wisconsin lost her father to suicide, and says that she sees patients struggling with suicidal ideation and addiction every day. Often, they don’t get the support that they need to heal. 

    “We are a society that criticizes and lacks compassion, integrity, and empathy. I work daily with individuals who each have their own demons,” she said. 

    However, Benjamin Miller, a psychologist and chief strategy officer at the Well Being Trust, said that people need to avoid the temptation to explain away these alarming statistics. 

    He said, “It’s almost a joke how simple we’re trying to make these issues. We’re not changing direction, and it’s getting worse.”

    The Well Being Trust calls for policy changes, such as restricting access to firearms and medications that can be deadly for someone looking to end their life. In addition, the trust calls for more funding for programs that support resiliency in kids, address childhood trauma, and provide treatment for addiction.

    All of these efforts, Miller said, can help save lives. Progress has been made in these areas, but there is need for more work, Miller said. 

    “It is important to see hope in the slowing of rates—but it’s not nearly enough. We should not be satisfied at all. Too many of us are dying from preventable causes.”

    Overall, the suicide rate has increased 33% since 1999. Rural states including West Virginia, New Mexico, Ohio, Alaska and New Hampshire have the highest suicide rates. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Daniel Radcliffe Used Alcohol To Cope With Fame

    Daniel Radcliffe Used Alcohol To Cope With Fame

    Radcliffe discussed his past relationship with alcohol and decision to get sober on “Off Camera With Sam Jones.”

    Actor Daniel Radcliffe, who shot to fame when he was cast as Harry Potter, said that he used alcohol to cope with his sudden fame. 

    Radcliffe was discussing his sobriety on “Off Camera With Sam Jones.” According to E! News, Radcliffe was uncomfortable with how often he was recognized in his teens after he starred in the Harry Potter films. He would drink to cope with that anxiety, but realized that just led to more attention. 

    “There is an awareness that I really struggled with particularly in my late teens when I was going out to places for the first time where you would feel…again it could have largely been in my head but…you would feel watched when you went into a bar, when you went into a pub,” said Radcliffe, who is now 29. “Then, in my case, the quickest way of forgetting about the fact that you were being watched was to get very drunk and then as you get very drunk, you become aware that, oh people are watching more now because now I’m getting very drunk, so I should probably drink more to ignore that more.”

    Radcliffe said that it took him some time to break this cycle, but he was able to do it with the help of family. 

    “It took a few years and it took a couple of attempts. Ultimately, it was my own decision…I woke up one morning after a night going, ‘This is probably not good.’”

    He said in part his excessive drinking was an attempt to reconcile his new lifestyle. 

    “When I think of the sort of chaos that I used to invite into my life, I’m really much happier now and I think there was some part of me that was like actors have to be like crazy, cool drunks. I have to live up to this weird image that I have in my head of what it is to be a famous actor or something.”

    He also felt that he couldn’t be open about the downsides of his fame. 

    “Part of the thing is the expectation that you should just be delighted all the time. You have a great job, you’re wealthy, you don’t have a right to ever feel sad or to not be excited about the whole thing all the time and I think that’s a pressure as well.”

    Despite the challenges, he said he’s still grateful for the role that defined his career. 

    “Even at the lowest point, I still loved my job so much and I loved going to set and there was never a day where my own shit would affect how I was on set. There was never a point where I was like ‘I wished this didn’t happen to me. I wish I wasn’t Harry Potter,’ like that just didn’t happen.”

    View the original article at thefix.com