What We Get Wrong About “Alcoholism”
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- Опубліковано 15 вер 2024
- There are a lot of stereotypes and stigma surrounding alcohol that prevent both understanding and adequate care, and the spectrum of symptoms that alcohol use disorder can include is a lot more complicated than you might think.
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As an alcoholic this episode of scishow inspired me to talk to my doctor. Thanks scishow
How's that going?
Good luck! You can do this!
Same
That was my first step, now 3.1/2 years dry after a two bottle a day habit
Did you start some kind of program or get drugs to help?
The problem most people don't address is that alcohol addiction is often caused by another psychological disorder (like depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder) and most doctors will either not consider that, or will force patients to seek treatment for their addiction before they get help for their underlying suffering.
I think that's what the cognitive behavioral therapy does.
True of all "addictions". 99% of "addicts" are just self-medicating.
@@wmdkitty Not always. Addiction, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder all have different protocols in CBT. Sometimes they will start treating the addiction, and as therapy progresses, they will try to uncover the underlying problems, but it's unfortunately common for psychiatrists to prioritize treatment for the addiction because it has physical harms while the suffering of depression and anxiety are less visible.
Suffered from alcoholism and substance abuse due to my bipolar disorder. Once identified and medicated appropriately for the disorder my addictions stopped
Very true.
An ad for Chivas brand scotch whiskey played before this video. Nice work UA-cam
The advertising program responds to keywords.
@Who Dat - No, the advertising program responded to the word 'alcohol.'
I'm willing to bet money that Google passive observation saw something that looked like a bottle of Scotch in your room and wanted to suggest something that you might enjoy!
That can’t be true, you don’t understand algorithms, any vid with the words drugs, party, alcohol, etc can’t have those kind of ads
* watches UA-cam while adding rum to 7-Eleven Coke Slurpee...
This kinda made me feel safe enough to say: I'm an alcoholic.
It started when I was 17. Tbh I just loved how it made me feel. I'm antisocial and possibly on the autism spectrum. I just love the freedom.
I know it's wrong, but I can finally say what I without feeling guilty.
Hopefully you can get some help with that, or help yourself... Facing a truth is one thing, but conquering addiction is a whole other level of freedom.
I have bad anxiety and ADHD only started drinking at age 40 due to job stress but yes I love the feeling of drinking as I dont get hangovers or drink enough to get sick so it’s hard to get motivated to quit.
This recovering alcoholic will have 31 years clean and sober in Aug. 2021.
Thanks to AA.
Congratulations! And my respect!
Clap clap clap clap. Hooray girl. I will have 33 in Nov. and I still pinch myself sometimes in wonder that it is really true.
You know AA is FULL of smoking addicts? You know AA has as much success as no treatment at all
@@zapkvr you know that there are people having succes with this method. But are you seriously trying to pull the rug out under a persons support or did you not notice how mean spirited your reaction is?
Congratulations!!! That is amazing.
I am a recovering alchoholic and junkie and cigarette smoker. It was worth stopping. I went through the 12 step program, highly recommend it. Don't fool yourself, you will have to change your life no matter which road you take. You will fight it and it will be uncomfortable to say the least. My life is really great now. I made a lot a mistakes throughout the process. So will you. Don't give up, when you get to a certain point it is easy and rarely missed. I think what I miss is a fantasy of what it was like. Oh yeah and the buzz on occasion. I am a junkie, I just found better ways to be high. You would think they are boring, but in reality, what I did when using was boring. great to be clean and sober at 60. I started getting sober in my late 20's. What a rush it has all been.
Awesome! Congratulations!
I am an alcoholic (sober for 17 years). AA did it for me. I failed so many times, but my sponsor stuck by me, no matter what. The psychologists and doctors can say "Alcohol Use Disorder" or whatever they think up next, but inside most alcoholics we know we are drunks, and it's going to be that way until we die. As they say, "One drink is too many, and a thousand are not enough."
My dad is an alcoholic and refuses treatment and is basically in denial and has been for years, at least I can know more with this video.
Good luck with that. My father was, also, and it made life far more difficult than it needed to be.
same
@Wendel Bolide Phenobarbital is a much safer alternative than "Benzos" to use when try to slow down and stop drinking. It is classified as a
schedule IV Non-Narcotic. Its a Sedative barbiturate anticonvulsants/hypnotics. It works by controlling the abnormal electrical activity in the brain that occurs during a seizure.
It prevents the fatal symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal, the reason I say its a much better alternative to "Benzos" is because Benzos are pretty much just as addictive and have basically the same potentially fatal withdrawals as Alcohol.
Ive suffered through and overcome addiction to both Alcohol and Benzos. My addiction to alcohol was not as severe as most because my addiction to opiates has always been a financial inhibitor on the other drugs, but ive also had stints of sobriety from everything but alcohol, but I know that for people who are only drinkers and have only ever been drinkers, their battle will be different.
Ive been through rehab a few times with plenty of people who had been life long drinkers who, with Phenobarbital, safely got their sobriety within 2 weeks,
and when I say sobriety, I mean, they weathered the storm of withdrawals safely within 2 weeks, no matter what your addiction is, 2 weeks of sobriety & rehab is never enough to change your life.
of course that task (life long sobriety) is a daily battle. Everyone is different and it took me more than a couple different tries at different methods to find whats been working for me, if benzos works for someone, then more power to them, but I can say from experience, ive never met anyone that suffered with addiction of, any kind that would realistically be able to handle a prescription of benzos of any kind and still be a functioning member of society and not develop an addiction and rapidly increasing tolerance to benzos, at least not unless they're lying through their teeth.
To the OP: Hope your Dad gets better soon.
I'm sorry you're going through that.
Have heard of al-anon? It’s for friends and family of alcoholics. Alcoholism is a family disease. Even though you aren’t the drinker, you don’t need to struggle in your own.
AUD is usually just a symptom of deeper psychological problems. That's why fixating on abstinence as the primary goal almost never works. It's like telling someone with chicken pox that it's immoral to scratch their itches. Totally unhelpful.
Hebruixe Artman you’re mostly right, however abstinence is crucial. Alcohol F’s the body up BAD. Especially over time. If someone is to the point they need drugs to “mellow” their cravings, they’re still in denial that the problem isn’t the alcohol..
You are absolutely right, though.. if people don’t solve the things that make them use, they’ll NEVER quit wanting to “ scratch” their metaphorical Chicken pox! And changing the term from alcoholism to AUD making it sound less terrible is more absurd PC crap. I was an alcoholic for twelve years.. a real one. Not drinking hurts is an understatement. I’ve been sober seven years now. I simply cannot have it.. period. I went to a thirty day rehab. No AA, no meetings. I couldn’t stand to hear people whine about the same crap over and over without ever learning from their predicaments..
That's what's so unfortunate about it too because it has a huge psychological effect which, in turn, makes dangerous physically as well. If cirrhosis ever sets in then it's game over.
@@MidMo4020 man, I’m in the same boat. I’ve finally come to accept that I simply cannot drink alcohol, just like you said. The problem now is I have zero social life and all I do is work and then come home and watch tv and eat dinner. I also used alcohol to calm my extreme social anxiety so I don’t have that crutch anymore. What do you do now that you don’t drink anymore?
@@oldmanhendo7183 It's hard to go it alone like that. The fellowship of AA gets me in touch with people, and alleviates the loneliness. Since the Covid came, many meetings have been cancelled or gone online with Zoom but there's no substitute for being in the same room with other recovering alcoholics. Being alone makes relapse more likely, I know from experience. Alcoholism has been called "the lonely disease". But when drunks get sober, they usually become more shy, and it is hard to be around so-clled Earth people sometimes. But the AA people understand me. I can feel comfortable. They know without my saying what I am going through. If not AA, some kind of group based on sobriety can be found, but AA has proven to be the most successful over the decades. But it's all about whether I have a desire to stay sober. That's all that's required. Note that it doesn't even say "an HONEST desire to stay sober" because most people newly sober will vacillate from wanting sobriety to wanting a drink. That is, they have an honest desire to stay sober, and then they have an honest desire to get drunk. That's where a fellowship of people comes in. Being around people who are "in the same boat" is extremely helpful.
@@MidMo4020 idk seems like alcoholism is just a way for drunks to say “at least I’m not an alcoholic” and keep drinking. “Hey I drink 4 days a week and only beat my wife and kids sometimes, at least I’m not an alcoholic”.
But using AUD just so as not to shame people does seem stupid
Thanks for this video. My father died from alcohol-related pancreatitis. Not a nice way to go.
No it's not very painful way out
Mine as well
My buddy is on his way there at 41 years old. He goes to hospital every time he drinks heavily cause his pancreas swells
Amen.. lost my dad this year and mom last year to alcohol... everything in moderation, easier said then done. Love and prayers from Minnesota 💜
Alyson Shorthouse my uncle fell into a coma because of him drinking.He passed on boxing day
I went into rehab back in February 2017, entered a 12 Step group immediately after, but also went through an 18 months long therapy group session, as well as one on one sittings with a therapist.
After those 18 months I left the Anonymous group, because it had become a bit too much like a cult.
I continue going to a self-help group that is non-spiritual, and actually talks about alcohol dependency, how it still affects us, as well as how we manage our abstinence (we meet up once per week).
AA is more or less a good way to find support right after exiting rehab, but it's like medicine - not everyone is receptive to the same treatment, and some might even reject it from the start.
The cult like setting makes it difficult to stay with groups like AA. After I left, people became very agitated, told me I'd relapse, and I was making a very grave mistake. And then they cut ties with me, all of a sudden I was an outsider/outcast. People who I had called friends for over a year, became strangers.
Aside from that negative experience, I'm glad they were there for me in my time of need, but I don't regret having left AA.
My therapy based self-help group is wonderful, and they give me the support I need to lead an abstinent life.
More power to you
I had a similar experience, and the cult-like aspects and fear-mongering if you didn't attend became too much for me. I stopped attending regularly about 1 1/2 years ago, and stopped completely about 6 months ago. Still sober though - 8 1/2 years now.
That's wonderful that you've found your way, sober and recovering. Good on you for being true to yourself.
@@lunacouer Congratulations on making it out when you still could. Many people let themselves be guided by fear. It's just important that you do have some sort of support network.
A therapist explained to me that those Anonymous groups, while somewhat helpful, tend to replace the stuff people were addicted to. In other words, those people are now addicted to the group without having learned anything about a normal abstinent life.
@@rozempire2843 Thank you.
@@hubertcumberdale2008 I can understand the idea behind AA becoming the new addiction, but let me tell you as a wife of an alcoholic, AA won't ruin a marriage like alcohol can. Especially, since I have found Al-anon to be very helpful for me as well.
Alcohol is extremely destructive. It tore my family apart. I ended up being allergic to it, so I can't drink at all. Alcohol just isn't worth it.
I probably would have drank it anyway.
Allergic meaning an unusual reaction? I'm looking for proof people are actually bodily different
@@mickbowe4252 If wiki is to be believed, many Asians have a defective acetaldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme (basically constant disulfiram). In my case, alcohol fcks me up pretty thoroughly, so I never drink. It's not at all like anaphylactic shock from allergies.
Me too. I don't know if it's all alcohol but I get headaches, flushing, heart palpitations. It's terrible and scary so I just avoid.
Yeah it is
Giving the official name for alcoholism as Australia's currency. I've never heard a more accurately named scientific term 😂
What about SAD?
Alcoholic Dollarydoos? Tobias!
@@iHawke having a BAC under point one is a bootable offence!
@@andrewdeleonardis2381 yea i dont understand, alchohol costs more here than almost any other country on earth but we still continue to drink. btw im tipsy rn
And yet, it's the old Soviet republics where you can get paid with vodka.
I drank so heavily as a teen that I now have seizures. It's been years of different treatments and pills. Finally found a doctor who trusted me enough to prescribe benzos.Took control of my own treatment plan and haven't had a drink in almost nine months now, with no flopping about. Thank you for the well informed video. More often than not, you may only be presented with a couple options so this is nice to see.
Short term benzodiazepines are recommended when someone is going through alcohol withdrawal because of the seizure risk. You should have been given that straight away, under supervision of course.
I've abused alcohol for years. My last drink was on July 15, 2018.
How about now? Lockdown must've been rough
I have been sober for 50 days, and have been using a 12 step program along with personal therapy. I could not have done it alone or without one resource or the other. I'm glad to know there are medications out there as well and will be forwarding this video to a LOT of people.
Of all the drugs in Schedule I, II, and III in the US, it really seems like alcohol should be a scheduled drug.
Prohibition doesn't help much.. Education does.
Drivel
Prohibition started the mafia in the U.S. So not a good idea
Not a fan of banning things. I like the idea of providing great access to people when it comes to how particular chemicals impact the human body. If people cannot heed warnings, that's on no one else but that individual.
@@Mia-ln1zs If prohibition doesn't help much why are there scheduled drugs?
I watched my adult friends struggle with alcoholism since I was about eight years old.
Many warned me not to drink at all. Some would say this is hypocritical, but this bit of advice saved me the grief they endured.
Thank you for your video.
It is best never to drink alcohol at all.
I'm dealing with alcohol dependency.. thank you for this vid
Same here. It’s rough at times.
@@losttribe3001 it sucks. It snuck up on me
I think it sneaks up on all of us. You don't realize that you have a problem until it already is a problem. You can only wave away the consequences as the result of other extraneous circumstances for so long. Don't give up on quitting if that's the path your on and always try to take it a day/hour/minute at a time, if your withdrawals are life threatening or you are unsure of whether or not they could be, seek medical help if possible.
@@benzyl350 thank you for reply...
@@benzyl350 admiting a problwm is the first step to the recovery. NAD+ IV is really helping in the long run. It helps for many other mental disorders that are hidden under AUD, it changes the brain and stop cravings. I did a lot of research and it is amazing, especially because has no sife effects.
I've learned that 1 year of abstinence set me free of nicotine and beer dependence. It's pretty hard but not impossible. There is no "I'll have just one", that's a slide, and if you slip you fall back where you started. Nicotine addiction is more physical while beer is more psychological/habit based. Exercise and avoiding caffeine helps quite a bit. Ultimately you must have the desire to really want to quit. That's the most difficult part. F'ing up often leads to that so if you F up, embrace the opportunity. Living substance-free is real freedom.
8:28 - That's because private rehab facilities are an unregulated, highly profitable industry. They benefit from providing expensive, group-focused treatments that don't necessarily work so they can keep mining the same addicts for profit through the relapse revolving door. Private healthcare is concerned with money, not people.
Private healthcare gets fantastic results, as long as it's properly regulated. Germany and Taiwan are two examples of countries with private, but highly regulated healthcare sectors, and they have excellent health outcomes.
Private rehab facilities are regulated. In the state of florida they are regulated by The Department of Children and Families. Facilities can also choose to recieve additional certifications by being subjectacted to more intensive regulations by highly respected governing bodies throughout the United States. Like The Joint Commision. To generalize saying private healthcare facilities only care about money is ignorant as can be. Do you know every single private healthcare facility? While there are those who have taken advantage of the system and of people inorder to generate a profite at any cost, that doesnt mean every single one if them does. Can you name 1 single field of business that has never had anyone abuse the system? There have been plenty of public healthcare cases where people abused the system and the people. So by your logic that means no healthcare in the world cares about people only profit. In order to find a good facility you need to check there qualifications and see if those qualifications are backed up by respectable governing body. Also research their reputation in the field as a business.
You are absolutely correct. All those "feel good" cures only prolong the problem. I believe, as many "old-timers" do, that you have to tackle the disease head-on instead of trying to sneak up on it because it is much smarter and sneakier than you could ever be. "Just don't drink no matter what" was the mantra, but it took a lot of people, meetings and a great AA sponsor for it to work for me. Of course 90% of people who try to get sober fail because they really don't WANT to stop drinking. They want the bad things to stop happening but are either too deeply in denial or too frightened to put in the emotional and mental effort it will take to succeed. I was pretty far gone when I got to AA; it took almost a year before I could begin to relax around people, join in a conversation or learn to control my outbursts of rage which could be against myself in self-harm or against others in uncontrollable attacks. It was the hardest thing I have ever done or will ever have to do. But here I am, coming up on 33 years in Nov., and can't even comprehend what it would be like to drink again. Am I completely sane? Nope. Will I ever be? Nope. Is that ok? Absolutely. As long as I don't drink any obstacle can be overcome, although I admit being locked in my house and unemployed for 15 months has made me a bit nuttier than I was before.
@@FloozieOne Congratulations on your 33 years. I have 9 years.
@@troy5541 private healthcare should not exist. By definition they are about the money. It's not a generalization when the majority of Americans are saddled with immense medical debt as soon as they face the slightest ailment or suffer an injury, or if they have something like diabetes and are forced to pay exorbitant rates for accessible medicine. Stop defending the disgusting Healthcare in the US
I'm sober 3.5 years because of AA and 12 steps. I work this program everyday and it saved my life. I went from being a falling down drunk to a productive member of society. I keep giving back to my community and I dont drink no matter what. 12 step programs do work.
Good job linde keep up the good work you keep helping people maybe that's your purpose in life.
@@michaelelbert5798 thank you, it definitely is, I'm so grateful🥰
@@Lindylishus I like helping people but it seems like if they don't ask for it I can't do any good I have no patience either I think people should be as smart as me and should know basic things and they don't and I criticize them and I really feel bad about stuff like that
@@michaelelbert5798 yup, we cant help those who aren't ready.
I went to two meetings. Definitely not for me.. weekend binge drinker...and I do better on my own. Great it works for some though.
I've been in recovery for 12 years now. Severe AUD. My brain definitely changed (scientific neurological differences) with 18 months in a residential treatment facility. And I choose to thank God :-)
9 years sober and so damn happy!
Congrats! I'm glad you're happy without it! Here's a toast to many more sober happy years!
@@cedwardsmedia Thanks, man!
You failed to mention the reason we don't recommend those (awesome) anti-drinking drugs. People are STUCK on the religious myth that alcoholism is a MORAL WEAKNESS. Nope. I've succeeded at enormous things in my life (winning Album of the Year in my city twice, working for a famous tech company, family, kids, house....)...but alcohol has been the only battle I can't seem to win. This in my DNA. Will keep fighting.
You got it - none of the things you accomplished were easy. This isn’t either
@@PapaWheelie1
You are talking nonsense. There is no reason to think that everyone can stop drinking.
Drinking this while watching a beer
Yess 😂
PMW3 - chugging your comment while pouring another
Let me get another one!
Bowmore Islay SM + Penny Packer + Jim Beam double oak + cheap beer here right now.
😂😂😂🍻🍻👍👍
AA just made me want to drink more. I’m an introvert though, and being in a room filled with people is not my idea of a pleasant time. I take naltrexone now and I’ve been clean for 15+ years.
Bravo on using naltrexone. Have you discovered The Sinclair method of using naltrexone? TEDx talk ua-cam.com/video/6EghiY_s2ts/v-deo.html
Documentary film on Amazon, Hulu, Vimeo
Documentary www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07NBWMH9D
The book by Dr. Roy Eskapa PHD is pure science.
This interview with Dr. Eskapa is so worth watching www.twitch.tv/videos/1057004026
Different strokes. Happy for you
Good for you! I wish naltrexone had worked for me 😥
What’s natrexzone?
@@carolinaanthony4142 a medication used for alcohol abuse disorder :) not mentioned in the walls of AA, and I’m actually surprised it’s not talked about way more. It’s saved many lives.
Thank you for talking about Naltrexone! It is a lifesaver. A truly amazing drug for reducing alcohol cravings, and needs vastly more attention.
I recomend that drug to every problem drinker I know, so far, no takers... I quit drinking after a dui with the support of my friends, almost 4 years ago.
If it can give you heart problems I'll pass already have one.
If you think you might have a drinking problem, seek help now before becoming physically dependent.
Being sick from drinking is nothing like being sick from not drinking
Also, alcohol withdrawals can kill you. Or give you seizures. Heroin withdrawals can't kill you, but they make you wish you were dead. Then there's cannabis. No matter how much you use, or how long you use it, you won't have withdrawals. So why is it still illegal?!?
@@caroljomartin3051 You do though.
There's something faulty with your logic. You make sobriety sound worse than being drunk.
@@howtubeable Being an Alcoholic without alcohol,.........hurts. Does that help?
@Wendel Bolide Wouldn't that imply that benzodiazipines, like klonopids, and xanax would, despite giving the sensation of soothing over, prolong the underlying cause?
No aldehyde dehydrogenase? pfft never stopped me *Asian flush laughing in the distance*
🎵 Lucy in the sky, with diamonds 🎵
I love you, Lucy!
Ok, maybe I should not have had that last glass of wine... :P
@@Reth_Hard jesus christ dude
@@Reth_Hard pure cringe
Funny, flush actually helps me drink less. If I notice my hand getting red spots it's like a warning light signalling "Yo, you might want to cut back"
@@yunikage
I have to admit, I am pretty good at what I'm doing... :P
I wonder how much of the percentage of people lacking treatment is related to "stigma" vs. "not having financial access to insurance or ability to afford treatment for those underinsured"
And by " I wonder" I mean I already know the answer...
I have known many heavy boozers.. the key reason most don't get treatment is they figure it's not a problem and as such they don't feel they need it.
So, what is the answer? I wonder and dont know the answer. My guess is a pretty high percentage fall under the stigma issue as twelve step programs have no dues or fees, they are supported by voluntary contributions only.
I just got a Rosé wine ad when I clicked for this video. 😕
I forgot UA-cam had ads.
I got a beer commercial.
Beer commercial.
I also got the alcohol treatment ad. Alida I think it was called
Alavida
And people think I am weird for never starting to drink.
Good on you tbh, when I'm at Partys and someone doesn't want to drink it's way to common of an occurance for them to get pressured into it
Good on you for not giving in
Eh, if you don’t have some kind of genetic disposition towards abuse that is a bit strange to be honest, I think most things are worth trying, moderation is key.
@@jama211 I have members on both sides of my family. The most severe is one of my uncles. But yeah, I don’t want to wind up like those people.
@jama211 Every person is different, but there are definitely folks out there who shouldn't drink at all. Moderation works for some people, but not for others. It's not ok to judge anyone's choices concerning alcohol consumption.
i have believed that my mom is a functioning alcoholic for YEARS. thank you for this information.
I just started zoloft this week for anxiety and all my alcohol cravings have gone..... And i was a huge alchoholic up untill 2 days ago.
That's probably because serotonin blocks dopamine receptors, and alcohol releases dopamine and GABA. The latter is an inhibitory neurotransmitter needed for sleep.
Is that serotonin targeting antidepressant the safest one for your unique genetic code for the enzymes that metabolize medicine? If you're in the USA, you can get this genetic test to find out what's safest and what to avoid. It covers a lot of different types of medicine. genesight.com/find-a-provider/
@@woodypigeon the problem with too much sugar is the fact that glucose inhibits production of orexin which stimulates areas of the brain to make 4 very important neurotransmitters. 3 are for metabolism and 3 are for wakefulness, only one of those is different on the list.
@@woodypigeon Well im carer for my dad whos dying of cancer, so i cant avoid being in a constant stressful situation. All i know is it is helping me feel more level and not drink which is a good thing.
Give it a month to six weeks and see how you're doing with it.
There is also some evidence that lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin (which occurs in fungi of the genus Psilocybe) and ibogaine (which occurs in plants of the genus Apocynaceae) may be effective at treating alcoholism and other substance use disorders. However, research has been limited because these drugs are all highly illegal in the US and many other countries, and it's difficult for researchers to get permission to do studies with them.
Ibogaine is quite dangerous.
Alcohol abuse has been a thing in my family for generations. My mother's father died from it, my parents divorced because both of them were struggling with it, and my father continued to struggle for decades before finally getting treatment. He still drinks, but with strict moderation, and he has never been in better health.
As for me I've narrowly avoided it, but I am always very aware of how easy it would be for me to fall into that pit. I am very, very glad that science is still working hard to try to find ways to help. It's never been a "moral weakness," and it should never have been treated as something shameful, just as any mental health problem should not be shamed.
Thank you for this video. I learned some new things about a subject I thought I'd learned enough about. But you also chose your words with care for this script and kept firmly on the side of respect and compassion. Those are two things in short supply right now.
Alcohol ads should be abolished from anywhere, just like they did with cigars.
I had a beer ad before this video...
I totally agree! Alcohol is a very dangerous drug, not because its danger, but because people underestimate its danger.
Militant Pacifist banning is what communist countries do.
@@MatanuskaHIGH no communists, (just like right wing GOP) want you drunk and stupid, it makes it easier to control you ...
Banning ads is not an effective way to prevent alcohol abuse.
Besides, I don't like the idea of abolishing things just because it offends certain people.
My sister in law is an alcoholic and what helped her was disulfiram pellet under the skin combined with group and individual therapy. She made incredible progress in just one year! She's a totally different person now, much happier and healthier, got married and is successful at her job.
There's one downside though - she looks down on everyone who is drinking, and from my perspective she doesn't understand that not everyone is drinking to get wasted, like she did. It's incredibly irritating. :)
The prevalence of alcohol consumption at social events is an issue that needs to be addressed on a societal level. Just as it is no longer acceptable to drink and drive or smoke tobacco in most public places, maybe we need to examine wether serving alcoholic beverages on various occasions is problematic.
As an alcoholic I thank you for this video. Also AA is religious. I have yet to find a atheist 12 step program. Longest I quit was 11 months and 2 weeks. Then I relapsed. Haven't gone without a drink now for the past 4 years.
Alcoholics Anonymous for Atheists and Agnostics. Check it out, it's a real (no "god" required) 12 step program.
Part of the reason non-12 step programs aren't as well-known in the US is that many local governments have bought into them because they're an easy (and lazy) answer, and many people pretend that they're non-religious, which they absolutely are not. They may be non-sectarian, but that's not the same thing. When local judges are continually leaning on 12-step programs as part of sentencing alternatives, it is absolutely imperative that they start looking at scientific alternatives to what amounts to prayer-step programs.
There's Smart Recovery, which has no spiritual bent to it. It's more about mutual support, CBT strategies and incorporating whatever works for you, including 12-step programs if that helps. They have both in-person meetings and an online community. www.smartrecovery.org/individuals/
And yeah, there's no such thing as a non-spiritual 12-step program. While they don't tell you how to define a higher power, a higher power is still essential to the 12-steps. You can't really get past Step One without it.
@@jefranke How do the steps work, if a higher power is taken out of the equation?
aa is a bloody cult.
SciShow: "There are many new treatments for alcohol abuse that are proving to be very effective"
Me: "Hold my beer..."
:-)
Mutex30 clever
"Literally hold it and never give it back!"
*spills bear on the ground*
what did you do!?
I aimed for the head
That made me smile, thank you
What I never really get, and also quite annoys me, why the hell is alcoholism so many times seen as something different than other drug abuse or addiction. The line "alcohol and/or drug abuse", is so common, while alcohol is a drug and a very potent one as well. Or just group it all together as "drug abuse" or give every drug a category of there own.
I assume it's because relative to other drugs, alcohol is so readily available that the number of people who abuse it are far higher than the number of people who abuse other drugs. You're totally right about it essentially being the same thing though.
Agreed. And the separation allows people with alcohol use disorder to distance themselves from the term "addiction," and believe that their problem isn't as bad and hasn't hijacked their brain in the same way.
It's not potent at all. You have to consume vast quantities to get high. It's just that it's comfortable to do so, because it's liquid and taken orally.
What has worked best for my alcoholism has been Cannabis. It sucks that that option isn't available for me.
Canadian here. Legal weed here. Noone buys it because its crap but people can smoke their black market weed without guilt, stigma and risk now.. its a godsend and we dont see the drunken violence that plagued our isolated communities to the same extent .
Might just be me, but it didnt work. My weed-bone is connected to my drink-bone...just kept doing circles til i got rid of both
@@ddg9952 I like both. The reason cannabis helps is because it curbs the anger and excessive drunkenness more.
I am a heavy/severe alcoholic, drinking alcohol has caused me Permanent liver damage and hospitalized me a number of times, at my worst I drink about 6 liter of vodka a day and the withdrawals are so severe they are life threatening. People often forget to mention one of the worst things about severe alcoholism is that quitting drinking can kill you quicker if done suddenly than continuing to drink. I've been sober for almost a year and use a very non-traditional method, I take methadone daily for much the same reason people take Naltrexone, 12-step programs make me want to drink unlike anything else and the fact that people pressured me into 12 step programs for so long stood in the way of me getting better and I think it's great that you're letting people know it's not the only treatment option because for some people not only is it not a good treatment but it's detrimental. As a subscribing fan of this channel I'm really glad you made this video.
These are apparently all criteria for diagnosing AUD:
-Had to drink much more than you once did to get the effect you want? Or found that your usual number of drinks had much less effect than before?
-Had times when you ended up drinking more, or longer than you intended?
-More than once gotten into situations while or after drinking that increased your chances of getting hurt (swimming etc.)?
If you only need to meet 2 of the 11 criteria in order for you de be diagnosed with mild AUD, that would likely mean that everyone who likes to either recreationally drink, party or just have a social life while studying be put in this category.
No, not really.
Normal adults don't "party" all the time, and don't need alcohol to have fun. Alcoholics do.
And who tf drinks while studying???
-Had times when you ended up drinking more, or longer than you intended?
That's called "dealing with family members".
@@unseeliesidhegoddessYou don't drink while studying, you drink on the weekends the years while studying in college or university. And that mostly means people in high teens or early twenties. Still, a lot of people that would fit for the "mild AUD" diagnosis.
My mom started going to AA, and she completely stopped drinking. Well, as they say, one day at a time.
As a 12 stepper, I had tried so many things prior to the program and none of it ever worked. I fell back off and things escalated. I've been in the program for years and remain alcohol free. I know options dont fit every person but I stick with what works. I'm glad you are talking about this, it is a topic that is largely misunderstood.
As I'm typing, my dad is at the bar, even though his doctor says he can't have booze anymore due to him being diagnosed with dementia.
Kavina how is your dad?
@@elle8hcim Worse. If he stands/walks for too long, he needs help to walk back to his chair.
@@kavinaderrow3269 thanks for your reply. Sending Light your way.
big fan of cognitive behavioral therapy. mindfulness training...
Yeah i tried that once. Long story short i didn't get along with the therapist. i researched it myself but i don't think it's for everyone
Cbt is great. But i would say it's supplementary to group support.
Michael Funk Wow! I just made the same comment!
Mindfulness training, LSD, and mushrooms. That’s exactly how I got sober and quit 10 year alcohol addiction.
there is an old Tintin comic book where the professor gives a drug to the captain which makes him really sick whenever he drinks alcohol. Foreshadowing the third drug (acamprosate) you mention by years?
Haha, I thought of Tintin straight away when he described the drug. Trying to remember which story it was in, now...
That would be "Tintin and the Picaros" if memory serves.
Thank you for highlighting the multitude of options available. AA/12 Step has had a monopoly on treatment for far too long and it has harmed WAY more people than it has helped.
Yup! People quit everyday without AA, spontaneous remission is 4-5%
Tried AA ..two meetings only... definitely not for me.... better on my own. My issue is weekend drinking and I felt like my problem was small fry as compared with some stories I heard at AA. Not for the feint hearted!
The vast majority of folks who abuse ANY legal or illegal substance are self-medicating to alleviate underlying conditions their medical professionals refuse to address. I have been a chronic insomniac since birth and sleep disorders run strong in both sides of my family tree, as well as carrying thru to the newer branches that have grown since I was born. I started using alcohol to help me sleep in my very late teens because the doctors I talked to about my insomnia would not take me seriously. I could not hold a job due to the constant lack of sleep, but once I started using alcohol to help me sleep, I slept a solid 8 hrs every night and was finally able to hold down a steady job. My life changed for the better almost immediately, despite the fact that I have NEVER enjoyed the taste of any form of alcohol. I am now 67 years old, have a 45 year career in architecture (and still going strong), and I still use alcohol every single night to help me sleep. My current medical professionals are treading down the exact same path every other doctor I've ever talked to wanted to follow, insisting the alcohol is the problem and refusing to recognize the underlying insomnia as causal. If I don't sleep, I can't work, or drive, or communicate, or do any of the things I need to do to survive in life. And the only reason alcohol fixes this huge obstacle in my life is because doctors refuse to address the insomnia.
6:41 NMDA is not a neurotransmitter. It's glutamate that is the ligand for NMDA receptors.
Nigel Dao wot
How pedantic. NMDA is an exogenous agonist that binds to the same receptors as neurotransmitters. It functions as a neurotransmitter. For a lay audience, the distinction you're making is totally meaningless.
We got smart folk here. I barely even read anymore, but yall whippin out science.
yunikage Hi, neuroscience PhD student here. NMDA and glutamate are NOT the same thing. Like you said, gllutamate is the neurotransmitter, and NDMA is an artificially synthesized agonist of the NMDA receptor. Furthermore, the NMDA receptor is not the only type of glutamate receptor. Glutamate can bind to every receptor type, whereas NMDA can only bind to the NMDA receptor. Referring to NMDA as a neurotransmitter no different from calling THC a neurotransmitter.
@@yunikage NMDA is not physiologically present in the body, it's a pharmaceutical. So definitely not a neurotransmitter that alcohol messes with. That actual neurotransmitter would be glutamate.
being diagnosed borderline personality disorder i can say that CBT and DBT really helped me.
How would you describe your symptoms of BPD? If you don’t mind me asking.
Not knowing who I am, its hard to connect with people, poor self image, my emotions are wild at times. Anxiety is off the charts sometimes. There are so many more, if you think you are, I highly recommend CBT and DBT, they have helped me so much.
I recently had to quit drinking because it was negatively impacting my life and its been a nightmare.
Nearly a month in my body has been freaking out still but CBD has been a huge help
💌
Take super multivitamins and also fish oil. At times, I've been malnourished of some nutrient or other, and all I could think of was getting more alcohol. Finally one day I remembered to take my vitamins, with a healthy meal. the next day the craving was gone and I felt like a new person. Sometimes attending to nutrition can work a miracle. Heavy drinkers and real hard-core alcoholics substitute alcohol for food over long periods and become nutrient-depleted and feel even worse because of it. A healthy diet is absolutely essential in recovery
@@Dulcimerea I substituted alcohol for food because I wanted to get even more hammered, m8. I was also self medicating what I now know is bipolar disorder
I wish they would do a proper study on 12 step programs like AA and see if they’re effective. I’d also like to know how telling someone they’re powerless against their addiction and only prayer and forgiveness will help them toward sobriety. One of the things I thought they should have discussed was the reasons why people drank, find a better alternative to that, help people change habits like having to have a beer for every football game or after dinner to something else, maybe even discussing ways to avoid temptation like not driving by the place or hanging around the people that make you want to drink.
i take gabbapentin for anxiety. i always find it fascinating when medications are developed for one purpose (seizures in this case, which my doctor told me) then are found to have other strange, uses.
It’s an addicting benzo, I can’t take it I was on it for pain for only three days... I would fall asleep standing up. :(
No mention of the LSD trials in the 60's that had a 50% patient abstainance rate after a year, I'm rather disappointed.
Disappointed yes but surprised?
Several mushroom and LSD trips over course of time got me off of tobacco and many other hard drugs. Also a 10 year alcohol addiction. I’m sober now but still enjoy psychedelics responsibly from time to time. Amazing how no one ever talks about the life changing benefits of psychedelics.... oh well. If you don’t know you won’t know I guess. For the rest of us, we know and spread th we word to those who will listen.
It’s not approved for use so it’s not practical for people to know about. This video is telling people options. Currently LSD isn’t an option
I know right? Ketamine too
Due to stigma, a lot of substances like that haven’t had enough research done for us have enough data to recommend it I think
I’m a science advocate! But 12 step programs WORK! They’ve saved millions of lives!
They "work" if that means success in 5% of all cases.
I thought it was said that not many studies have been done. Where are you getting your statistics?
I’m a science advocate, too, but it’s very difficult to get proper statistics on the efficacy of 12-Step vs other types of alcohol treatment. It’s helped me a lot; 20 years clean and sober, thankfully.
@@sandrastreifel6452 No, YOU work. You did all the work and no matter the program you probably would have made it work.
@@kathyorourke9273 My statistics come from a 12 step program I attended myself. In countries other than America science and truth are highly valued and not at all as bastardized.
Methadone and their treatment program and starting an antidepressant regiment has kept me off heroin for 5 years now. It has saved and changed my life
I got off booze by increasing my other drug habits
That can happen too, try exercise and good food. Stay busy and remind yourself that they are artificial chemical feelings. Replace them with healthy real feelings. Try different hobbies as well...best of luck friend.
@@brandonbentley8532 I don't think he's asking for unsolicited advice. Perhaps he's happy with his drug habits. Lots of preaching going on in this comment thread.
Had to pause this video and say thank you, Hank and his crew, for researching, shoot, editing and publishing every piece of content in your library.
What specifically made me want to say this -- besides, you know, just how wonderful it is to learn -- was when you brought up how people who suffer from severe AUD don't have to give up completely, rather just get their drinking to a moderately controlled state. This simultaneously filled me with joy and also rage. I watched another UA-cam documentary about the Fentanyl crisis and their was a scene where a younger man was in tears talking to a rep from this facility. They were telling him that he had to be five days sober for them to do anything for him. This man was professing that within a few days of being sober, his withdraw symptoms were so bad that he had to take Fentanyl just to feel like he wasn't dying. They still turned him down.
Idk man, I just don't know how I should feel about that. I'm outraged that they would turn down someone begging for help but I get that the facility has to operate off of specific guidelines to offer specialized help and their budget probably doesn't accommodate a wider variety of treatment. Ig I'm just glad to know that at least AUG is receiving more care. It can seem like a tough word for a lot of people but we do have to remember that their are people out their trying to make life better.
The best opiate rehabs offer medication to help withdrawal symptoms so addcts can check in while they can still function. As you mentioned, after a few hours without the drug, the user feels so sick they have to have the drug just to feel somewhat "normal". Opiate withdrawal can be deadly if not overseen by medical professionals who can provide prescriptions to make the withdrawal symptoms manageable. Often, recovering opiate addicts remain on methadone for the rest of their lives; it sounds like the medication used to treat alcoholism is the same. It may be trading one addiction for another but at least the prescribed drug is legal and (hopefully) less damaging to one's body.
AA works for me, 8 years 6 months sober. It doesn’t work for everyone. If you have a difficult relationship with alcohol, it’s one option.
If you have an alcoholic disorder the FIRST step is to WANT to get better. I have known people who were pushed into a program, but since they were only trying to please others the treatment or program didn't hold.
*looks down at my 3rd pint of the evening*
Oh
Cheers mate :S
Would it be incorrect politically to say, lightweight.
I wouldn’t worry too much unless you have actual problems, because with the dsm change it’s extremely easy to get diagnosed with aud because if you get hurt while drunk and have had more than one hangover, then technically you have mild aud but in my opinion that’s a bit too jumpy to diagnose people with issues
I lived and went to school in england, every one in england is an alcoholic. I'm American and work in addiction recovery, there are both medication and advanced groups available for those suffering. No one gets away with it forever. If you have a loved one suffering don't give up on them, you may need to keep your distance but don't give up. No one can make someone change, they must decide to. Be there ready when they do.
Elaine McDonald - hahaha spot on
I am a alcoholic. I have been sober for a year and 7 months now. I quit drinking after years of hurting my self during blackouts. I suffered financially. My family was suffering from my depression and and alcoholism. I didn't use any treatment programs. Just my own willpower and a great family support group. If you think you have a problem. Sit down and talk with someone. It might just change your life. It did for me.
Peanut butter cups and Bundaberg ginger beer helped a ton too.
Thanks for making this video, SciShow! I work in a research center doing harm reduction research for substance use. We have primarily focused on alcohol use and have shown that harm reduction talk therapy is effective in reducing alcohol related harm. We have also done studies combining harm reduction therapy with Vivitrol (extended-release injectable Naltrexone). You can read more about our center and read our articles under the projects tab here: depts.washington.edu/harrtlab/. Also feel free to donate to our research while you're there if you have the means :)
Same where I work. I work in addiction recovery. We use all that you have listed along with everything from meditation to recreation therepy. Many many tools and medications available.
brandon bentley yes! Meaningful activities are so important
I had diabetes for years without knowing it. Years later I began drinking. I needed alcohol to sleep or I could not sleep at all. I did not want to take any pills or go to a doctor. Years later I removed one food from my diet and my glucose levels dropped from a 20 to a 3.2. After that I felt terrible after one beer so I stopped drinking without even realizing. My sleep became normal and I almost forgot....my blindness went away. My memory got better and my ferocious appetite went away. The diabetes directed me to drinking and after removing sodium nitrate my glucose dropped so low that drinking was uncomfortable so I stopped drinking.The removal of what caused me to start drinking caused me to stop drinking. In other words according to me...sodium nitrate is the cause of most addiction and the removal of it will direct a person away from addiction like it did for me. Haven't had a drink in 4 years nor do I crave it.
Anyone addicted to anything weather it be alcohol weed cigarettes sleeping pills hard drugs all have one thing in common....they have diabetes. Then why doesn't it show up in a blood test ? Say a person smokes and he checks his glucose ....it will read normal because he continues to smoke at a regular interval. Say that same person goes without a ciggy for one day and checks his glucose it will jump a point or 2. Say he checks the next day when he's really nervous it will jump another point or 2 from previous day. If then he finally smokes his sugar reading will be normal. Everyone addicted to any drug has diabetes and when checking glucose levels mood determines the level of sugar in blood. If in a good mood will register normal...if in a bad mood will show a high reading and that's from jonesing the drug that the person is addicted to.
Wow I'm really disappointed. For 25 years I struggled with alternate forms of treatment for my "AUD". 8,543 days without a drink because the 12 Steps AA and it's members and the God of my understanding Teach me how to live sober. Because if a drunk horse thief just stops drinking they are still a horse thief. Recovery is learning new behaviors so that drinking is no longer an issue. AA combines abstinence, CBT, identification theory, and suggests that professionals can also be a part. By no means does AA have a monopoly but I sure wish I hadn't wasted those 25 years trying the other methods. They sure didn't work for me...it's not just a drinking problem-it's a living problem. I'm so grateful for AA the 12 Steps and the God of my understanding. With out them I'm not sure I'd be here and if I was I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be sober happy joyous and free. Twelve steps and of course these comments can be edited by anyone so my sincere attempt at trying to share my experience strength and hope...
Well, as someone who had his life, kinda saved by AA, may I just say this.
The physical / chemical dependency normally has gone within 72 hours. But don’t suddenly stop if your are really drinking heavily, it can result in fitting. Speak to a doctor or health professional first to get advice for your own particular circumstances.
But after that, you have to ask why you were drinking or using and how can you change your way of thinking and dealing with life’s ups and downs.
Speaking to people who have been in that situation and understand and don’t judge is a huge plus.
And it’s simple - for some of us, maybe we could control our drinking and now we can’t. Or maybe we never could.
Either way, whatever life throws at you, a drink is not the solution. Because you will still have the original problem and now you are drunk all the time as well, which may not be the best way to deal with life.
A few other points and speaking from experience; that really good feeling from drinking never returns. And actually you can have a perfectly ok / good life and certainly one better than when you were drinking - by not drinking.
It’s certainly a mental illness for some of us and maybe a 12 step program may help you. Don’t worry about the “god” stuff or even the higher power stuff if that’s not your thing. The support and understanding is incredible. Plus there are many agnostic groups.
You really have nothing to lose - it doesn’t involve dangerous chemicals that “may cause heart failure” and it costs absolutely nothing.
Just turn up a meeting, in person or online.
I hope this may help someone.
My mom has been and alcoholic ever since... well, way too long, i'd say about 17 years, i'm 22 now. The issue is, she doesn't recognize she has a problem, so it's pretty difficult to win her over on the subject. She hasn't had a job for over 20 years and she gets wasted 4 to 6 times a week. I have no clue on how to help her, as she seems to want no help.
Victor 96 I’m so sorry only way she might seek help is to hit rock bottom getting no help from anyone no money no food no rides nothing let her hit the floor and not catch her she needs to be sick of being sick most won’t ask for help until they are forced to by law like after some dui or a major problem like a crash or becoming homeless or not able to get the booze they start to get sick when they don’t have it they act crazy then some how they end up in a hospital or but house then they get help it’s a awful thing there so many different versions of rock bottom and everyone’s rock bottom is diffrent I heard some ppl say I won’t let me mother or father be around my kids unless they stop drinking and sometimes that person stops because they want the baby’s around but some don’t care or still don’t think they have a problem best way as well is record them at there worst have them see what u have seen and once there sober enough like the next day show them sometimes it freaks them out there that bad they don’t remember it I hope she gets help I am very sorry victor best of luck
After 9 months in-patient and 2 years out-patient, I have come to the conclusion that immediate social/home interactions heavily effect consumption. I am down to 64oz beer each morning before work. Salary is good. 11 crew members kept busy and productive. 16 projects well planned and on schedule. If my wife wasn't drinking when I got out of the hospital, I would most likely have stayed away from it. She is my best friend and I try to guide and teach, but I fail to learn I guess. 41 now. Started when I was 12. AA was a dismal failure...what I started with...
I purposely only drink straight liquor because the foul taste makes me think twice about how much I think I want to have it. But then, I also avoid it if I'm feeling crappy or have any responsibilities to attend to--NEVER if operating machinery is involved... never drink before late afternoon, always eat food first and drink water before/during/after and eat again before hitting the hay, never drink 2 days in a row--even on weekends... avoid drinking in public as it's easier to get carried away and lose track (Anywhere other than inside my house being "public").... always use the same glass w/markings on it so I never accidentally pour too much... give myself permission to pour it down the drain if I'm tempted to keep going but am too blasted and know it's a bad idea... never mix with other drugs... basic rules I've had in place since I started at 21. Never touched booze before then, either. My alcoholic uncle started in his teen years and now it's really catching up to him.
I can walk away from booze whenever I want, go weeks without touching the stuff and never feel a "need" for it, but I feel really bad for people who have an actual addiction to the stuff. I think it probably also makes it harder for them to seek help when everyone and their grandma want to label anyone who touches booze more than once a week, too. Stop throwing the term around if you don't know the specifics of the situation or the person involved.
During my early 20s, I was a terrible drunk. I would work all day, nap for a couple of hours, then drink all night. Rinse, repeat. Then, one day, I simply didn't feel like drinking anymore. I found out the next day I was pregnant with my daughter. I haven't really drunk alcohol since then, save for a glass of champagne on New Years twice. I would be six feet under if it wasn't for my now 17 year old daughter.
Thank you for this video!
I also admit to breathing a sigh of relief that it was demonetized. I'm sorry to say, but those ads get on my nerves so bad right now, I'm happy finding videos without them. 🤐 That being said, thanks for pointing me to your patreon!
The three times I have been drunk, I've made myself horribly sick, once so bad I needed to have medical intervention for alcohol poisoning. I am happy to say those three times have completely deterred me from ever drinking again. Just the thought of drinking and getting that ill again makes my stomach ache.
What a video to watch before the 4th. Now to drink everything I see
It's on purpose. #1 drunk driving deaths on this holiday.
@@sawamichelle I mean they made uber and Lyft for a reason
@@davidlink8454 then his year it should be #2 drunk driving day after new years, I hope it declines!! We will see :)
@@sawamichelle I hope so! I won't even go to a bar unless I have a DD. It's not worth the thousands of dollars in legal fees or possibly killing someone drunk driving.
@@sawamichelle I have a scanner, it's been going off all day with dwis and deaths. A woman and baby just got hit in my local town by someone in a black pickup who had a .45! Hate to be emts on a day like today.
I think in the traditional treatment of alcoholism there is FAR FAR too much attention paid to the alcohol. I have gone through periods in my life where I was an alcoholic. I drank heavily enough during some periods that I endangered my life, especially considering I mixed alcohol with antihistamines etc. I went to a few meetings, and was very very aware of the problem I had. But I didn’t stop. What caused me to stop was a combination of physical consequences, starting to feel physical withdraw and the fear that induced, and a wish to simply be happier. It’s the last part that I don’t think we address enough, the emotional health aspect. We treat it too much as tools to avoid cravings and relapses and what to do to avoid those things. But the substance has little to do with it all in so many cases. IMHO most people develop a substance abuse problem because some part of them is in pain, depression, anxiety, loneliness, existential angst, guilt, trauma, what have you. Treat these and the need to drink disappears. I am MUCH happier than I used to be and alcohol doesn’t interest me anymore. I can even have a beer or two here or there.
Good video apart from that I would have liked to have heard mentioned treating the possible problems underneath the addiction (e.g. using alcohol to self medicate mental or physical health problems). To understand how to combat addiction you first have to understand why it occurs, often it's just to cope
To abstain from the drugs and alcohol that wreaked havoc on my life, I do a combination of 12-step, psych meds, cognitive behavioral therapy, substance use counseling, daily exercise, healthy eating, quality sleep, and meditation. I've also done rehab (twice) and sober living. It's taken a lot of time, energy, and (let's not kid ourselves) money to get out of the addiction / alcoholism lifestyle, but I'm happy that I'm doing it.
Shout-out to those folks who can only do harm reduction though. Anything to lessen the suffering created by these substances is a step in the right direction.
i like the perspective of 'AUD' as being an injury- sometimes debilitatingly severe and hard to heal, sometimes lifelong ache, but generally not so self-sustaining.
also why don't more rehabs integrate fasting into their regimen? giving patients a way to fail without backsliding lets them exercise (lit) free will
Cause generally if you're going to rehab for alcohol you've been eating terribly and your body needs nutrition where it can get it. Might be worth it once the acute physical symptoms are through, though
11 years alcohol free. Couldn't have done it without AA!
Can vouch for Naltrexone, so far. It seems to be helping with the cravings.
Sci-Show made me aware that there were medical options, instead of just those religious indoctrination groups.
Thank you!
Facts:
- alcoholism is hereditary
- early intervention is critical
-alchoholism is usually a sign of another condition (usually bi polar/ADHD)
-can be treated with medicine with great degree of sucess.
My own story condensed: I was a functioning alcoholic. When I was diagnosed with adult ADHD and subsequently put on 40mg Vyvanse, my alcohol cravings literally disappeared. I was amazed! I asked my therapist why; she told me alcoholism is the minds way of 'self medicating and satisfying the minds need for dopamine' thusly the amphetamine in Vyvanse replaces the need.
Alcohol; the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems.
I see what you did there
This is one of my most favourite quotes, but I must abstain, for I have AUD. I’ve been sober for 20 years.
Cue Simpsons theme song 🎶
Yeah I don’t wanna exist , so why should people feel bad about being an alcoholic
Thanks for making this video on a very serious underdiagnosed and undertreated condition. Packed a lot of info into a short amount of time. Big problem is denial by the patient that they even have a problem, which is when intervention and confrontation become necessary.
Psychedelics have been shown to be an effective treatment for some people. Sadly, they're illegal in most countries. So you got to choose between being a law abiding citizen or think with your own head and break these stupid laws.
I think it's also important to adress the social causes of AUD. The big one is stress and how alcohol is seen as the accepted coping mechanism, and how the goal posts about acceptable amount of drinking have moved further and further, and the way everyone is kinda expected to participate in informal competative drinking in their 20's.
Umm... Having 4 to 5 drinks is binge drinking? That's how many drinks i usually have to feel something
You are talking 5 shots, right? 😅
Some people do have a high tolerance (Myself included), those numbers are the general average/most common denominator. I think the gist of it is for people who're just unclear about "how many is too many". Reality isn't that black and white. But Waldorf is right about one thing: Alcohol IS poison. Always best to consume consciously, as even though we may not feel it as much as others, our livers still have to process more than theirs.
Everyone's tolerance is different. I don't like getting drunk so I drink because I like the flavors. It's also cultural -- if you live in France, daily wine isn't abnormal, it's part of a meal.
The hyperbole that any drink is bad or 4-5 is abuse isn't responsible reporting. For some 1-2 is too much while others drink socially, don't get drunk, and lead perfectly normal lives.
@@lohphat Sadly your livers reaction to alcohol is not cultural.
@Waldorf Salad 79' Pretty sure studies show a small amount of red wine is good for you.
I was a Substance Abuse counselor for a while at a CBCF where we used Cogitive Behavioral Therapy. Cool to see it mentioned in this video!
AA is cognitive behavioral therapy-sorry y'all missed that part.
I used to drink a normal amount of alcohol, at parties and stuff. But over a period of a few months, I started getting tired of alcohol and lost all desire for it, even though I had no bad experiences or anything. So I stopped drinking. That was 4 years ago. And I have never once since that point felt any attraction towards alcohol again.
Anyone else had similar experiences?
Yes wtf it just started tasting bitter to me
Nope, but I know people that have never had alcohol, ever. Kinda crazy IMO wouldn't you at least be curious?
Yes, I used to have the occasional drink, I enjoyed sparkling wine and champagne and a light crisp beer, but after I had my son 12 years ago, the smell of any type of alcohol makes me nauseous, especially that rancid wine smell outside of a restaurant, it makes me dizzy too. Years later when I had my daughter, it was spicy food I could no longer tolerate. Even during that pregnancy I was eating spicy sausages, putting hand fulls of jalapeños in my tuna fish, now I can’t deal with my favorite hot sauce!!! Crazy how taste buds and I suppose chemistry and hormones can effect taste.
You are fortunate. I work in recovery. We do have life long heavy drinkers just sorta outgrow it so to speak but it's rare...
@@NETBotic I drank a few times in college and hated being drunk, I'm lucky. On my german side we are alcoholics or workaholics, I got the latter. Lost a close uncle at 45 and many friends from drunk drivers in college. Drunk driver killed me for 27 minutes when I was 17, near death and all. I now work in addiction recovery.
As someone else has mentioned already, alcohol and drug use disorders are more often than not driven by trauma, depression, anxiety, or other disorders. When someone hasn't learned healthy coping skills (often due to a difficult early life), alcohol and drugs are often the best way they have to cope with challenges that are even worse. To really put substance abuse and dependence behind us, we need to address the reasons we drink and drug in the first place.
SciShow, I see you've omitted some data from this video. Specifically, the average cost of those drugs, the costs of therapeutic sessions, and the general availability of either. Investigating those factors might shed some light as to why only 9% of people struggling with alcoholism actually act on it.
Exactly! Mental disorders of all varieties are poorly covered by insurance and are expensive to treat! They tend to be treated as character flaws rather than illnesses!
I drink cause i am sad. When i drink i am not sad. Why should i not drink if i feel better? If i die, i won't have to go through all the emotional pain i have when not drunk. It's a win/win situation.
Yeah but you don't just die, you get sick first. Also it's expensive to stay drunk 24/7.
I'm glad to hear that science has been making so much headway since my last drink which was on 07/28/1996. A 28 day rehab facility convinced me that I had options that may lead to a better life. 12 work and fellowship with other recovering alcoholics , along with not taking a drink one day at a time brought about a complete psychic and spiritual change in me and I doubt science will ever find a pill that can do that. I am sober today by the grace of God.
You are sober because YOU took the initiative. YOU reached out to get help and kept with it. The idea of god might have helped a little bit, but you are the one that made the decision that saved your life.
@@mpk6664 I did not reach out for help. Help reached out to me in the form of an intervention by my family. You are correct in saying I am the one that made the decision that saved my life and that decision was to turn my will and life over the care of God as I understood Him.
My alcoholic father died of liver cancer when I was 11, I’ll never forget his yellow skin. I no longer am friends with people who actively use drugs or alcohol, nor are drugs or alcohol allowed on my property. This above all else combined has improved my quality of life. Enabling addicts creates real resentment. Addicts I’ve observed just get resources from the next naive enabler when the previous person is all out of money for the addiction. Great video here.
Great video. Really could’ve used this a year ago - especially from a source I’m familiar with and trust. Its unfortunate that many people don’t know a lot of this information no matter how much they try to help. In the end the user has to make the decision that they don’t want to keep drinking, and then I believe recovery is achievable.
LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA have all been shown to be highly effective in treating alcoholism. The 6-month success rate when treated with these drugs is >90%. The two year success rate is >80%. As a contrast, typical treatment has a 6-month success rate of ~20% and a 2-year rate in the mid-single digits.
While there may be more treatments now, alcoholics anonymous was the first treatment methodology that permanently worked with alcoholics, and has helped several million people find lasting recovery since its inception.
... So I really don't understand why you'd say that there's no proof that it's effective. Before it there were almost no recovering alcohol addicts, to the point that medical professionals considered them to be lost causes, and now millions have recovered through it.
My father died from liver/kidney failure in September, due to alcoholism. As far as I know his drinking got much worse when my stepbrother died in a car accident when I was very young, and he became suicidally depressed. So while he was difficult to deal with at times, I obviously still had compassion/understanding for him, and I don't know what any other alcoholics are going through either, so I have compassion/understanding for them too.