Many older adults enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or a beer while watching the game on TV. Having a drink now and then is fine—as long as you don’t overdo it. Alcohol may affect older adults differently than younger adults. Alcohol and aging As you age, you become more sensitive to alcohol’s effects. [...]
It’s not unusual for children to experiment with new clothing, hairstyles or attitudes as they grow. But sudden and extreme negative changes could signal drug or alcohol use. General warning signs Common warning signs of substance abuse include: Withdrawal from family and family activities Being disrespectful, verbally abusive, or physically abusive Lying about what they’re [...]
What happens when you drink alcohol? Everybody reacts in a different way to it. But in general, it is quickly absorbed into your blood. The amount of alcohol in your blood peaks within 30 to 45 minutes after your last drink. Alcohol is also metabolized by your body. That means it is broken down chemically [...]
Setting Limits with Alcohol You may have heard that drinking a little alcohol may have health benefits in some people. But the harms may outweigh any benefits if you have features of metabolic syndrome, like high blood pressure, high triglycerides, or a larger waist. The Risks for You A report in Atherosclerosis says some, not [...]
Do you enjoy a drink now and then? Many of us do, often when socializing with friends and family. Drinking can be beneficial or harmful, depending on your age and health status, and, of course, how much you drink. For anyone who drinks, this website offers valuable, research-based information. What do you think about taking [...]
Alcoholism often is called a family disease because it affects both the person with alcoholism and his or her family. But it's also a workplace disease. Costly and dangerous Employees who are dependent on alcohol have higher health care costs than the average worker. In addition, workers who drink on the job or heavily after [...]
If you have a parent, grandparent or other close relative with alcoholism, you are at increased risk of having problems with alcohol. Many studies of children of alcoholics have found that they are about four times more likely to develop alcohol problems than people without a family history of alcoholism, says the National Institute on [...]
Many parents blame themselves when faced with the possibility that their child may be using drugs. But most experts recommend that parents worry more about helping the child, rather than trying to figure out the reason for the behavior. Children who use drugs often exhibit certain behaviors: Isolation. They want to hide the effects, the [...]
The main words used medically to describe substance abuse or addiction include the following: Substance (drug) abuse (alcohol or other drugs). Substance abuse is the medical term used to describe a pattern of substance (drug) use that causes significant problems or distress, such as failure to attend work or school, substance use in dangerous situations [...]
Seeking help for alcohol or drug dependency at a residential recovery unit is the first step toward beating addiction and regaining control of your life. And recovering people can use the tools they learned in rehab to begin the intense challenge of avoiding relapse. Patients can continue to use this support system after leaving the [...]