neverassume.org

 

Who Me? Ask yourself.......

Is alcohol making my life unhappy? Do I care less about myself and others? Is drink affecting my reputation and relationships? Do I drink to escape? Do I drink alone? Do I lose time at work because of drink? Do I ever feel remorse after drinking? Have I ever been to hospital or involved with the police through drink? Have I had complete memory loss after drinking? Do I crave alcohol? Could I be alcohol dependant?......Only you can answer that.

 

 

 

 

 

Neverassume Self Help Project

We are a voluntary group based in Girvan,

South Ayrshire.

We provide Information, advice and support to anyone suffering from alcohol and or drug addiction, including children of alcoholics and their families.

We offer one to one confidential help and support through our website, email, facebook, msn or group activities, aimed at developing and improving Self esteem ,Confidence, Social skills, Self worth, Physical fitness, Independence, Resiliency and Recovery.

 

 e-mail us for more information  neverassume@hotmail.co.uk

   NHS24 Helpline Number: 08454 242424 

    Online NHS24  

 

 National Alcoholics Anonymous Helpline Number: 08455  7697555

     AA online 

 

Drinkaware      www.drinkaware.co.uk/

 

                                 Alcohol Focus Scotland online

 

  

Research indicates there are between 250,000 and 350,000 children of problem alcohol /drug users in

the UK.

The Scottish Government Hidden Harm report 2003

 

　

 

 

  If a child told you they were suffering because of someone else's addiction...what would you say?

 

Be aware of the help & support available for addiction related problems. Learning about alcoholism and how it affects the individual and their family members could be a life line to someone living with addiction. Armed with knowledge and information about alcoholism and the resources with which to address it, you can help too.

It is estimated that at least 100,000 children in Scotland are living with a parent or close family member who has an alcohol problem.They may witness or be victims of verbal,physical and emotional abuse.They may be looking after younger brothers or sisters and, or, care for the parent when they are drunk.Many of these children are completely isolated, embarrassed and ashamed to admit there is a problem in their family.These children suffer "Hidden Harm" .They need to be able to access help & support for themselves and others.They need to know they are not alone.

 

 BBC Newsround Special;Living with alcohol.

Email :neverassume@hotmail.co.uk

Facebook: @ neverassume

Txt or call : 07843835400

Inspiration Award winning website bringing together alcohol, drug and addiction help and support.

Volunteers are CRB Checked

 

The National Association of Children of Alcoholics provides a confidential national listening and advice service for people of all ages affected by someone else's drinking, primarily children and adult children of alcoholics       

 NACOA: 0800  3583456

           NACOA online

 

Children Of Alcoholic Parent/Person

             COAP online

   

             Childline: 0800 1111 

                    Online Childline

 

                 Alateen/Al-anon: 0207 403 0888

                    Online Al-anon

 

Online Interactive Alcohol Education for 7/11 years

           Look Out Alcohol

 

Or e-mail us for more information  neverassume@hotmail.co.uk 

 

Advice For Children Of Alcoholics From NACOA. 

If you think someone in your family drinks too much or uses drugs, these suggestions are important, because drinking or drug use can affect everyone in the family - including the children. If you don't have this problem at home, you may have a friend whose family has a problem with alcohol or drugs - talk to your friend. Let them know that you care and show them this page of information.

DON'T feel guilty or ashamed about the problem at home. Alcoholism and addiction is a disease and diseases are nobody's fault. Anybody who makes fun of alcoholics or addicts just doesn't understand the facts.

DON'T try to convince your parent to stop drinking or using, or argue when he or she is drunk or stoned. He or she is not thinking clearly and may forget what you say.

DON'T water down or pour away your parent's alcohol or hide drugs. It won't work. You have no control over someone else's drinking or using. You didn't make the problem start and you can't make it stop. It is up to your parent to get treatment. What your parent does is not your responsibility or fault.

DO talk about your feelings with a close friend, relative, teacher or your school head, who will usually help, or someone you feel happy to talk to. Call the Nacoa Helpline free on 0800 358 3456. Other Helplines are available too. Talking about your feelings is not about telling on your family - it's about taking care of yourself. Talking to someone about your feelings can help you feel less alone and that person might be able to help you.

DO get involved in doing fun things at school or near where you live - school clubs or sports activities, Scouts or Guides, Youth Clubs etc. Sometimes children from homes with an alcoholic parent worry so much that they forget how to have fun. If things are bad at home, you may not have anyone there who can help you have fun but that doesn't have to stop you. Doing outside activities can help you forget about the problems at home for a while and can help you feel better about yourself.

DO remember that your thoughts and feelings are normal. It's OK to hate the problem of alcoholism or addiction and love the person who is drinking or using - both at the same time. All people have self-doubt and mixed-up feelings - it's part of growing up and being human.

DO go to Alateen meetings if you can. You can call AlAnon on 0207 403 0888 or Nacoa will call for you. Meeting new friends who understand will help. There are at least 2.05 million adults in the UK who grew up in an alcoholic family. Imagine how many children are living with the problems that alcoholism and addiction can bring into the family today. Although it may sometimes feel that way, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

REMEMBER the Six "C"s
I didn't CAUSE it
I can't CONTROL it
I can't CURE it
I can take CARE of myself
I can COMMUNICATE my feelings
I can make healthy CHOICES

There are other helplines too. Call Nacoa to help you to find someone who can help you in the area where you live.

Nacoa 0800 358 3456
ChildLine 0800 1111
Al-Anon + Alateen 0207 403 0888
NSPCC 0800 800 500
Drinkline 0800 917 8282
Samaritans 08457 90 90 90

 

For some people, social drinking can lead to heavier drinking, which can cause serious health problems. It is estimated that 1 in 13 people in the UK are alcoholics, with several million drinking excessively, to the extent where they are putting their health at risk. As well as being directly related to many serious diseases, drinking large amounts of alcohol can also lead to poor sexual performance, and it can harm an unborn baby.

If you have an alcohol related problem, there are many ways in which you can get help to reduce your drinking, and there are also many services that you can use that will help you stop altogether.

Definition

The problems associated with alcoholism, or alcohol dependence, are wide ranging, and can be physical, psychological, and social. For someone with a drink problem, drinking becomes a compulsion and takes precedence over all other activities. Alcohol dependence can remain undetected for many years. Although some scientists think that there may a genetic link to alcohol dependence, it is very difficult to prove. The easy availability of alcohol and social patterns can  influence the likelihood of a person becoming alcohol dependent.

Binge drinking

Binge drinking is defined as drinking eight or more units of alcohol in one session if you are a man, and more than six units in one session, if you are a woman. Studies are starting to reveal that drinking a large amount of alcohol over a short period of time may be significantly worse for your health than frequently drinking small quantities. In the UK, binge drinking is becoming a big problem. Teenagers as young as 16, admit to binge-drinking, and around 40% of patients admitted to A&E are diagnosed withor illnesses.  alcohol-related injuries

Facts

Recent research has shown that a very high percentage of adults in the UK (over 90% of men and 86% of women aged 16 years or over) drink alcohol.

To reduce health risks from drinking, the Department of Health recommends that adult males should drink no more than 3-4 units of alcohol a day, and that adult females should drink no more than 2-3 units of alcohol a day. However, it is important to remember that alcohol affects different people in different ways. Women tend to have different metabolisms, they also tend to be lighter, have smaller builds, bodies that contain less water, which may lead them to have a lower tolerance to alcohol than men.

Risks

Excessive alcohol consumption can affect your physical and mental health, your work, and your social and personal relationships. You are also more likely to find yourself in dangerous situations if you have been drinking a lot, as alcohol affects your judgement and you may do things that you would not consider doing when sober. For example, a recent report showed that a quarter of all young prisoners had been drinking when they committed their crime

Heavy drinking also increases the risk of high blood pressure, cerebral haemorrhage (stroke), coronary heart disease and heartbeat irregularities. People who drink large amounts of alcohol over long periods of time are also at much greater risk of liver damage. This may lead to alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis.

Treatment

As with any addiction, if you are an alcoholic, the first step is to acknowledge that you have a problem. Once you have accepted that you have a problem, the next step is to seek help. If you have an alcohol problem, there are many different professional services and support groups that can help you to reduce your alcohol consumption, and give you the advice and support that you need to stop drinking altogether.

Self help

It is estimated that about 1 in 3 people who have an alcohol problem are able to reduce their drinking, or stop drinking altogether, without the need for professional help. There are many self help books, leaflets, and web sites available that offer help and advice about how you can stop or reduce drinking.

Counselling

Some people who have a drinking problem find it extremely useful to talk about their situation with their GP or practice nurse. You may then be referred to a specially trained counsellor who will discuss, in more detail, the issues surrounding your drinking problem, and help you to plan how you can control and manage your drinking. Sometimes, cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) is used to treat alcoholism. This therapy is designed to help you change your attitude and behaviour towards alcohol.

Treating other conditions

Sometimes, drinking alcohol is used to mask a range of other, underlying health problems. For example, people with an alcohol related problem often also have problems with stress, anxiety, depression, or other mental health problems. If you feel you may have a mental health problem, you should see your GP who will be able to prescribe medication or recommend other forms of treatment for you.

Always remember that heavy drinking is not the answer and, in the long-term, it is likely to make any underlying condition that you have, worse. 

Detoxification

Detoxification or detox is a process that involves taking a short course of medication in order to prevent you having withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking alcohol. Benzodiazepine medicines, such as chlordiazepoxide, are often used for detox. Usually, a high dose of medication will be prescribed for the first day that you stop drinking alcohol, before being gradually reduced over the next 5-7 days. This should reduce any unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that you might otherwise have. You should not drink any alcohol during the period of detoxification.

So Many Ways To Feel

Abandoned Abused Afraid Alienated Anxious Awkward Baffled Bad Betrayed Bewildered Bitter Burdened Concerned Confused Cowardly Crazy Defeated Dejected Dependant Depressed Desperate Destructive Different Disappointed Disgusting Dishonest  Distracted Distraught Disturbed Dominated Embarrassed Empty Envious Evasive Exasperated Exhausted Fearful Flustered Foolish Frantic Friendless Frightened Frustrated Greedy Guilty Gullible Gutless Gutted Hateful Helpless Hopeless Horrible Hostile Hurt Hysterical Ignored Ill Impatient Inadequate Incompetant Indecisive Inferior Insecure Intimidated Irrational Isolated Jealous Judgmental Jumpy Justified Lazy Left out Lonely Lost Low Mad Manipulated Miserable Misinformed Misunderstood Nauseous Nervous Negative Nothing Numb Odd Outraged Overlooked Overwhelmed Oblivious Off Oppressed Paranoid Petrified Possessive Preoccupied Pressured  Quiet Queasy Queer Reclusive Rejected Remorseful Repulsive Restless Scared Selfish Shallow Shy Sluggish Sorry Stupid Tempted Tense Threatened Tired Torn Touchy Trapped Uneasy Unsettled Uptight Used Violated Violent Vexed Victim Vulnerable Wary Wasteful Weak Weepy Withdrawn Worried Worse Worthless Wrecked Wretched Wrong