Show Increased Points Need to o Recovery y Programs Alcoholism continues to tank rank first in major US U.S. health Up tip Upwards wards of nine million Americans arc are chronic alcoholics and the disease of If alcoholism increases early by an estimated ALCOHOLISM IS a disease which need not lead either to death or confinement con In a mental Institution n can be arrested through total abstinence If the sufferer reaches the most important and difficult point on the road to recovery re rc- ery cc Identification of his sickness as alcoholism and the acceptance of the fact that he Is an alcoholic and no longer can practice controlled drinking A man or woman who ho concludes conclude's from matching typical with his or her own o behavior that his drinking problem lem is out of control is not a rarity is an isolated individual Surveys show there are arc more than alcoholics among antong the who today use alcohol regularly ALCOHOLISM NEARLY always is a progressive disease While progression differs in many cases the majority of alcoholics follow patterns which can be used as guidelines Some cases cases develop slowly and methodically others swiftly and violently but for lor the most part the average time required to progress from the first signs of loss of control to final stages is 15 years for men and seven for women To begin at earliest stages we look at pre-alcoholism pre periods when individuals individuals may show first of the disease The length of time varies considerably con can considerably from a few months to many years Only some of this type of drinker develops alcoholism It is that person with whom we must be concerned not all who drink THE PERSON who eventually abuses alcohol invariably is unaware th that t he heis heis heis is finding although not deliberately seeking an increasing number of occasions occasions oc oc- oc for drinking This person derives an exceptional reward from his drinking He lie feels liquor li liquor liquor li- li quor does more for him than it does for most people For him alcohol brings a relief from tension This feeling of or pressure he is positive comes from circumstances circumstances cir cir cir- and surely not from the liquor When much later he analyzes honestly he realizes that his reaction to liquor has built up tip p tensions HE CONTINUES to drink more heavily heavily ily 11 and more often orten experiencing feelings feel ings of freedom adequacy and confidence ence once which normally arc are not his As he drinks more he eventually becomes aware the drinking of alcohol is more important than is the occasion he once considered to be an excuse The next step is obvious The former pattern of occasional drinking grows into constant or regular relief drinking drinking drinking drink ing ONCE SUCH relief drinking begins the imbiber may be designated as a 3 problem drinker His Ills drinking most likely is not yet et as conspicuous as that of the alcoholic holic The pattern of progression toward acute and chronic alcoholism usually includes includes in in- the beginning of daytime drink drink- ing For a great many weeks and years th the heavy drinker refrains from starting start ing before evening HE IS determined to wait until he is through with his work usually so that he can can eagerly get at his drinking at It a time when there will be no interference interference inter inter- ference from the demands of conducting the details of his job Drinking truly is a welcome release from the of ofa a troubled existence It is the common boast of practically aUy every alcoholic that drinking rarely if ever interfered with his work He lie does shrug off the inefficiencies resulting from hangovers T The They h e y also may have made him sometimes late but he always reported in ONCE THE individual is motivated toward the morning jolt to start the day he is slipping from pre-alcoholism pre into the acute state which will come under study in the next article of this series There are Ire no time standards to help helpin in identification of a drinking problem in th the pre-alcoholism pre period It may be only five or six months or many years Progression depends on the mental mental men men- tal tai stability physical stamina and spiritual spir spiro spiritual ih al resources of the individual as well as the degree of social responsibility which he has previously achieved |