Alcohol Use Disorder

May 30, 2014 Alcohol Education, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

Despite the fact that you can buy it at almost any gas station, grocery store, or restaurant – and despite the fact that it is as common an accompaniment to many American dinners as a glass of water – alcohol is a drug. Alcohol use may be socially acceptable, but alcohol abuse can have devastating consequences.

According to the CDC, nearly 88,000 deaths can be attributed to alcohol abuse each year. Moreover, the long-term heath risks associated with alcohol abuse are staggering – excessive alcohol use can cause neurological, psychiatric, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular problems. Liver diseases and cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, colon, liver, and breast have also been linked to alcohol abuse.

In spite of these risks, more than 88% of Americans over the age of 18 reported that they drank alcohol. Perhaps more significantly,almost 25% of Americans over the age of 18 said that they took part in binge drinking (defined as consuming 5 or more alcoholic beverages on a single occasion) in the past month. Finally, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has estimated that approximately 17 million Americans have an Alcohol Use Disorder (a term that includes both alcoholism and harmful drinking).

Although it does not have a single, defining cause, Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a disease. AUD is thought to result from a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors. Low self-esteem; anxiety, depression, and other psychological disorders; and genetic influences can all predispose a person to developing AUD. Signs of AUD include drinking alone, drinking as a means of escaping reality, drinking with the intent of becoming intoxicated, and continuing to drink despite facing negative consequences (loss of employment, fractured relationships, legal problems, etc.) as a result of drinking.

While AUD has no known cure, it can be treated in a number of ways. Individual and group therapy, inpatient and outpatient detox and rehabilitation, medical (pharmaceutical) treatment, support group attendance, and drug testing are all effective options. Moreover, clear communication and effective supervision by parents have been shown to demonstrably reduce alcohol abuse among teens.

New Treatment for Alcoholism: “Light Therapy”

March 27, 2014 Addiction, Alcohol Education, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

Alcohol is one of the most abused (and most dangerous) drugs in the world, and addiction to alcohol as a drug is one of the most common in the United States. Many studies have shown that 53% of all adults have one or more relatives who is addicted to alcohol, and 17.6 million people abuse alcohol or are alcohol dependent. But researchers say they might have a new cure: optogenetics or light therapy.

Scientists from the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have been using optogenetics in their neuroscience research and have found something amazing. From the study:

There is compelling evidence that acute ethanol exposure stimulates ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine cell activity and that VTA-dependent dopamine release in terminal fields within the nucleus accumbens plays an integral role in the regulation of ethanol drinking behaviors.

In other words, using light to control the brain’s behavior and activity. The mouse the researchers used in the study had specific brain neurons controlled and found that, with optogenetics, it’s actions and impulses could be altered.

Study leader and assistant professor of neurobiology and anatomy at Wake Forest Evgeny A. Budygin used the light tool to gain control over a particular set of dopamine controllers and cell populations through light. This essentially gave insight as to the specific patterns of activity and could lead to reducing alcohol use, as well as a greater understanding, and a better diagnosis of epilepsy and depression.

However, scientists have had great obstacles using optogenetics on humans. Altering and re-engineering brain cells in mice may be acceptable, but as it stands now implementing this in the human brain has yet to become an option.

Elizabeth Hillman, a biomedical engineer at Columbia University, said in an interview with NPR, “It’s really hard to get light to go deep, and we all know this just from trying to shine a flashlight through our hand.”

But scientists remain hopeful. Being able to treat addiction, depression, and schizophrenia with a flash of light may just be the future.

If you would like more information on how we can help you, please contact us any time.

An Innocent Drink?

January 10, 2014 Alcohol Education, Alcohol Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

Many people are able to have just “an innocent drink”, consuming alcohol in social situations and continuing their day to day life without their alcohol use causing damage to themselves or those around them. On the other hand, some people are NOT able to control their alcohol consumption. For these individuals, what was once “an innocent drink” becomes a chain that rules their life. Recent data from the National Institutes of Health reports that 15% of the people living in the United States are considered “problem drinkers”. Another study found that approximately 30% of people in the U.S. report experiencing an alcohol disorder at one point in their lifetime. Researchers from the University of California in San Diego have found that the lifetime risk of alcohol-use disorders for men is greater than 20%. They share that there is a risk of around 15% for alcohol abuse and 10% risk for alcohol dependence. Some employees and employers believe drinking after working hours will not result in negative job performance, however, over-consumption may cause lingering effects while at work. Whether they are aware of it or not, the effects of alcohol may still be in their system, which is why Alcohol Testing is an essential tool.

Individuals metabolize alcohol differently so it is impossible to say what effects having a certain number of drinks has on a person. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is used as a guide as to what affects alcohol may have on behavior. Alcohol takes an effect on the brain within five minutes of being consumed. The BAC peaks about 30-45 minutes after a drink is consumed. Rapid consumption of multiple drinks results in higher BAC because the average body can only break down one standard drink per hour.

The more you drink daily, the more likely you are to develop alcohol withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking. Physical withdrawal symptoms from alcohol can begin as early as 2 hours after the last drink. These symptoms usually worsen within 48 – 72 hours and may persist for weeks. Withdrawal symptoms occur because long-time alcohol abuse causes adaptations in the brain whereby the brain and central nervous system become physiologically changed to become dependent on alcohol. Once this physiological dependence occurs, a sudden drop in blood-alcohol levels can cause the central nervous system to enter a hyper-excitable state, which causes a number of physical symptoms – some of them potentially deadly. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can range from mild anxiety and shakiness to severe complications, such as seizures and delirium tremens (also called DTs). The death rate from DTs — which are characterized by confusion, rapid heartbeat, and fever — is estimated to range from 1% to 5%.

Our facility has provided Alcohol Testing services for over 10 years. We have assisted many companies in determining alcohol issues in their employees and referred them for treatment and/or counseling to a qualified professional. Call us if you need personal assistance to help you select the type of alcohol test that would best accommodate your needs. We offer several options for you to choose from, including instant breath alcohol testing kits, which allow you to administer the breath alcohol test conveniently by yourself on an employee or loved one. You may also have the test conducted at our facility without an appointment between the hours of 8am – 5pm on Monday – Friday. We provide breath alcohol tests that conform with DOT’s (Department of Transportation) stringent regulations. All of our testing is focused on maintaining the highest level of integrity as we are an Accredited Collection Facility by the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA).