Claire

Claire is a 19 year old girl and she has joined me in rehab for her alcohol addiction. She says that she knows she has to stop because she wakes up in strange places and has to be reminded by her quickly diminishing pool of friends of the embarrassing and sometimes dangerous things she did the night before.

She says she is tired of vomiting in back alleys and gutters.

Alcoholics primary indicator of addiction is that they will endanger themselves physically by drinking at times, and in measures that pose a threat to the body and its’ normal function. The second sign that someone, possibly previously thought to be a casual drinker, is an alcoholic is their inability to control their drinking.

Like most long term drug users, the reason behind their addiction is usually emotional. Yes, they may be at a point where their bodies have become physically addicted, but an emotional void, or particularly upsetting experience is normally the trigger. This can be hard to believe given that many addicts are adults and supposedly in full control of their emotions, but the reality is that emotions are a lot more complex than our society has come to view them.

Alcohol withdrawal is rated as one of the most dangerous as it can be directly fatal. Fatalities may occur during the withdrawal period of other drugs, but they are usually linked to some underlying medical condition. A healthy person with no underlying medical condition can die from the effects of alcohol withdrawal.

Alcohol acts as a depressant on the central nervous system, causing the down regulation of the GABA receptor, leaving the user physically dependent. When the consumption of alcohol is abruptly ended with such a user, the person’s nervous system can begin uncontrolled synapse firing, which normally results in symptoms such as anxiety, possible seizures, delirium tremens, hallucinations, shakes and the possibility of heart failure.

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