Testing It Up

The rate of alcohol related diseases is up to 9,000 in the UK each year, an increase that is three times higher than what it was 25 years ago. According to the Alcohol & Health Research Unit at the University of the West of England’s research the rate of disease is directly proportional to the rising level of heavy drinkers in the country and as a result to higher death rates. Researchers calculated that an increase of one liter in alcohol use would result in 928 additional alcohol-related deaths in the UK.  With the typical person drinking an extra 0.08 of a liter per year — an extra 810 people will die by 2019.

Part of the cause for this is directly related to the ease of purchase, England’s largest eight cities outside London showed that alcohol is now so inexpensive that it can be bought for as little as 9p a unit — or £1.18 for a three-liter bottle of cider.  Britain is one of the highest drinking country in Europe with the rate as high 1.1 million adults there being alcohol dependent. Britain’s drinking problem is bad enough to require a £ 2.7 billion cost in rehabilitation a year and this doesn’t take into consideration the cost of treating those who become ill as a result of their alcohol abuse. Most health officials in the UK feel that a price hike in alcohol would do a great deal in reducing these numbers. Until these sort of measures are taken those who deal with alcohol problems and their families will deal with a great deal of financial and personal hardship.

Advertisements promoting quitting alcohol drinking target mostly adolescents and pregnant women. However, there are quite a number of advertisements that focus on the dangers of drinking and driving, as well as the potential effects of continuous alcohol abuse. One ad is from a law firm that specializes in DUI cases. Although the firm does its living by defending DUI cases, they also have a campaign against DUI, focusing on its legal implications and the reality of having to spend jail time if convicted for it.

Another ad is from a youth services center and describes the lows that a teenager can sink to if he or she does not stop abusing alcohol. Included in these possible scenarios are homelessness, a life of crime and prostitution. Most ads, however, focus on the dangers of drinking and driving – how it can lead to loss of life, destroy property and harm others irrevocably.

For full version of this article, please visit “Scariest Quit Alcohol Signs and Promotional Materials“.

According to research the level of habitual alcohol abuse and smoling can have an effect on your relationship. While the relationship seems to do well if the level of use is similar if there is a major difference in the level you use versus that of your partner it could have negative consequences. If this difference is especially prominent (most notably in cases where one spouse is abstinent and the other uses these substances) it can cause significant damage to the relationship and could be a major reason for that relationship’s failure.

Using a questionnaire format 634 newly married couples were asked to take part in the survey over the course of 7 years. When they reached the 2^nd, 4^th and 7^th years they were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with their marriage. There was a noted decline in the first few years and then a period of leveling off. Heavy drinking was most common in these cases.

Major changes such as a couple that goes through a significant alteration in use (such as when one enters treatment or AA) can have particularly harmful side effects as one partner tries to lower their use or quit while the other continues.

This research underlines the need for therapy that includes both partners to be effective and save the relationship from being damaged. Factors like the partner’s use levels should also be considered part of the treatment for a patient to be successful.

Drinking early has been found to have an effect on the genes related to alcoholism, increasing the likelihood of the subject developing a serious drinking problem later in life. Using twins, a researcher in Australia analyzed the affects of early drinking on heritable genes. When these subjects began drinking at an early age it increased the likelihood of their developing alcoholism by as much as 90% among the youngest drinkers. Those who drank at older ages were not affected in this way. While genetic changes occurred for the younger subjects for the older subjects factors like environment were much more likely to influence them in their drinking habits. The reason for this age difference having different effects isn’t clear but if a younger drinking age is responsible for changing genetic traits related to alcoholism as the study shows then it does become even more important to prevent such habits from developing at a young age.

The twins in the study were between the ages of 24 and 36 at the time of interview but some of the subjects reported drinking ages as young as 5 or 6. Those who were 15 or younger when they began drinking were more likely to develop drinking problems than those who were older. Twins offered the researchers an opportunity to study behavioral differences in two people with the exact same DNA. Differences in things like drinking between the pair are concluded to be caused by environmental factors for this reason.

Smoking is an addiction that will lead to other addictions. In effect, a smoker might just turn into a modern day version of the ‘Hobbit’ of the ‘Lord of the Rings’. He/She might have the urge to eat more than is healthy, and in many cases develop a drinking habit. Moreover, the body undergoes changes with regards to smoking. As the bone density decreases, a smoker might actually have a stinted growth.

Smoking might also lead to insomnia. At the other end of the spectrum, a smoker does not really feel like sleeping. This hinders the sleep pattern. At first, it might seem like a good idea not to face the kind of fatigue and weariness experienced by non-smokers. However, after a time, the boon becomes a bane.

Smokers think they look cool smoking, as the nicotine works with respect to a rewards system. They feel that they can take on the world. Also, the menthol in the cigarettes gives a cooling effect to the mouth. All this hides the true nature of the cigarettes.

For full version of this article, please visit “A Few Uncommon Side Effects of Smoking that One Must be Aware Of“.

Alcoholism is a disease that often starts early in the teenaged years. Parents who are concerned that their young teen may be drinking can use an at home testing kits for alcohol in the blood or urine. There are kits that test the urine, the breath and even digital detectors that can tell a parent if their teen has been drinking. Saliva and urine tests are the most economical way to test for alcohol when it comes to parental testing.

Urine tests can reveal many different problems in teens including drugs and alcohol in the system. Parents of teens who want to make sure that their teen is not abusing alcohol can use home tests that can tell them if alcohol is present in the system. The cost of these home alcohol tests is minimal compared to how it can curtail under age drinking that can lead to alcoholism later in life. Parents can take action to try to make sure that their teens stay alcohol free.

It’s a new year once again, and it’s time to come up with those New Year’s resolutions. While some may already be cheating on their resolutions, there are others who are determined to be steadfast in their commitments.

According to a survey conducted by the U.S. Government website, what most Americans will try to change in 2009 will revolve around weight, finances and bad habits. And among bad habits, drinking less and quitting smoking follow each other among the top choices.

Drinking alcohol and smoking are relatively benign activities that only become deadly when used irresponsibly and indiscriminately. Addiction and abuse usually begin with the occasional glass of wine that graduates into heavier use when left unchecked. What may complicate things is the fact that it is easy to let yourself go, since alcohol and cigarettes are very accessible to consumers.

Alcoholism alone is not only deadly in itself but is one of the leading indirect causes of death in America, children and teenagers included. Vehicular accidents and homicides are sometimes attributable to the irresponsible consumption of alcohol.

Those who have a bit of an alcohol problem and are resolving to mend their ways this year may want to remember three simple things.

First, remember that you need not be alone. It may help if you share your resolution with someone who can be your buddy and guide.

Second, remember that is is alright to drink, as long as you do it responsibly. Do not restrict yourself to alcoholic beverages and drink water in between shots when going out or partying with friends. You can also resolve to limit your drinking to a certain number of glasses, and ask a friend to check on you.

Lastly, it is important to remember that irresponsible drinking may not just harm you but others as well, so think of other people first before deciding to drink one more bottle.

Another helpful thing would be to keep a disposable alcohol detector tester. Breath scanners are handy and cheap, and are useful to have around when going out to test for intoxication levels to ensure safety at all times.