Question 1: My grandmother is 66 years old and is a very prim and elegant lady. Lately she has alcohol on her breath most of the time and occasionally slurs her speech. Is it possible that she is an alcoholic even though she did not start to drink until two years ago?
Answer: Yes, it is possible and even very likely that she is one of the elderly late-onset alcoholics More»

Question 2: My husband was a heavy drinker until three months ago when he became very sick. He was put on a dialysis machine because his kidneys failed. The doctor said this was due to the effect of alcohol on his muscles. Can you explain?
Answer: The condition was probably acute alcoholic rhabdomyoiysis, which is caused by the effect of alcohol on muscle tissue. More»

Question 3: Does age affect alcohol use?
Answer: Alcoholism and other drug dependencies cross all boundaries of age and gender. More»

Question 4: I am 68 years old and for years I have enjoyed a glass or two of wine at dinner. However, throughout the past six months it seems the wine has a much stronger effect that it did before. Does my age have anything to do with it?
Answer: Your age has probably the most to do with this increased sensitivity to alcohol. More»

Question 5: Does taking vitamins prevent damage to a person who is still drinking almost daily? My father insists that because he has been taking vitamins, drinking hasn’t hurt him a bit. He is 72 and gets drunk at least twice a week on much less than he used to drink.
Answer: Lots of things are happening to your father. First of all, absorption of vitamins is impaired in chronic alcohol consumers. More»

Question 6: Is alcohol abuse more common than drug abuse in young people?
Answer: Yes. Alcohol abuse/dependence is the most common chronic illness between the ages of 18 and 44. More»

Question 7: My son tells me that all the kids sniff glue and things like that to get a dizzy feeling. He says they only do it for fun. What do you say?
Answer: All the kids don’t do this but some do – 8 percent of fourth graders were found to have sniffed similar substances More»

Question 8: I have seen young people with open sores on their bodies that are similar to chicken pox. I was told this was because of long-term use of speed (amphetamines) and if one came in contact with the sores, they could acquire hepatitis B. Is this true and would cocaine do this also?
Answer: A person could contact hepatitis B in this case, only if the person with the open sores had hepatitis B and if the contacted person had an open wound so that More»

Question 9: I am a high school teacher. I understand that there has been a resurgence of LSD use in young people. Can you comment on this?
Answer: LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) is a drug developed in the 1940’s that became popular among young people in the 1960’s. More»

Question 10: What real harm could come from getting high on inhalants? I’ve heard that many kids do it, especially the younger ones.
Answer: Sudden death by way of cardiac arrest (sudden heart stoppage) is the most serious and not uncommon hazard associated with children taking "deep whiffs" of the fluorocarbons contained in aerosols. More»

Question 11: Are there any clues as to whether a woman may become alcoholic?
Answer: Alcoholism in the immediate family (genetic) may be an indicator. More»

Question 12: Is there any safe amount of alcohol a woman can drink while she is pregnant?
Answer: Drinking alcohol during pregnancy causes a cluster of symptoms called fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). More»

Question 13: About alcoholism in women, do they have a tougher time of it than men? I know that women seem to be more reluctant to come forward about a possible problem with alcohol because they feel ashamed and because of society’s double standard that silently exists – men can drink heavily, but women shouldn’t. It was certainly harder for me as a mother of four and a teacher to admit that I had a drinking problem and stop drinking. I delayed much longer than I should have before asking for help. But what are the many differences?
Answer: Women do seem to be hit harder than men and death rates are one of the main indications. More»

Question 14: Does alcohol have a similarly damaging effect on the nervous system of women as it does in men?
Answer: Yes. Alcoholic brain shrinkage, as measured by computed tomographic scans, has been found to be similar in men and women. More»

Question 15: Is there any connection between smoking cigarettes and other drug use in children?
Answer: Most definitely! I am glad you said "other drug" use because tobacco is a drug. More»

Question 1: Could Pain be Linked to Drinking? My mother who is 48 years old and drinks five or six glasses of wine a day, developed severe pain in her right hip. X-rays showed that she had what the doctor called deterioration of the hip bone. He says it is from alcohol. Could you comment on this?
Answer: Your mother has a condition that occurs in 5 to 10 percent of alcoholics. More»

Question 2: I am a 57-year-old retired executive. I have been a social drinker all my life but since retiring I have upped my drinking to about 8 or so ounces of vodka spread over the day. About three months ago, I noticed a kind of numbness in my feet. Is this from alcohol? The doctor says it is.
Answer: I believe your doctor is right. More»

Question 3: My father insists that because he has been taking vitamins, drinking has not hurt him a bit. He is 72.
Answer: First of all, absorption of vitamins is impaired in chronic alcohol consumers. More»

Question 4: What nutritional value does alcohol have?
Answer: None. Alcohol provides seven empty calories per gram More»

Question 5: My physician advised me to stop drinking alcohol because of gastritis. Does drinking alcohol cause gastritis?
Answer: Yes, and as the thoroughness of your physician has shown, More»

Question 6: Recently I was driving to work at 6:30 AM when I was stopped and arrested for drunk driving. The police said my blood alcohol level was above the legal limit. The night before I had been at a late party where I had a lot to drink, but my last drink was at about 2:30 AM. I got home, slept a few hours, got up and ate something and drove to work. Could I still have that much alcohol in me?
Answer: You can, and this is how it happens. More»

Question 7: Does drinking beer cause one to put on weight?
Answer: Yes, but so does drinking any other kind of alcoholic beverage. More»

Question 8: Can alcohol cause problems with sexual function?
Answer: Yes, it can. Alcohol has a direct and indirect damaging effect on More»

Question 9: I enjoy skiing and do it a lot. What is the effect of alcohol in conditions of extreme cold?
Answer: Answer: Alcohol has an underserved popular reputation of being a useful More»

Question 10: I get abdominal pain when I drink alcohol. It happens almost every time I drink. The doctor in the emergency room said that I probably have pancreatitis. What is pancreatitis?
Answer: The pancreas is a gland in the upper part of the abdomen behind the stomach. More»

Question 11: Besides liver and brain damage, are there any other physical consequences of heavy drinking?
Answer: These two should be enough, but usually even before these two develop More»

Question 12: Does drinking have any special bad effects on an insulin-dependent diabetic?
Answer: In addition to all the other organ damage that can happen to anyone who drinks large amounts of alcohol over a period of time, More»

Question 13: Over the past few months I have pains in my stomach after a few drinks which continue for a couple of hours. When I don’t drink alcoholic beverages, I don’t have any trouble. I have been a fairly heavy drinker for years but I don’t think of it as a problem. Now I know that if I take even two drinks I get these pains. What’s happening?
Answer: Your body may be warning you that your heavy drinking days may be nearing an end. More»

Question 14: Is there a connection between breast cancer and alcohol?
Answer: There seems to be. A recent statistical analysis of a number of studies (Alcohol Health and Research World 16 (3): 223-229, 1992) suggests that breast cancer rates tend to increase proportionately with increasing exposure to alcohol. More»

Question 15: Does having a couple of drinks a day prevent heart attacks?
Answer: Controversy surrounds the findings that drinkers of “moderate amounts” of alcohol, usually defined as one to two drinks a day, experience lower rates of death from cardiovascular disease than heavy drinkers or nondrinkers. More»

Question 16: I am a 32 year old Asian man and I drink about three or four beers a day after which my face becomes neon red and also burns. What is the cause? Please, is there anything short of not drinking-period-that can be done?
Answer: "Not drinking-period" is the way to avoid having a neon red face after a few beers or any other kind of alcoholic beverage for that matter. More»

Question 17: What effect does eating have on alcohol consumption?
Answer: Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach will heighten the alcohol blood level within the first hour of drinking or less. More»

Question 1: Will you say something about prescription and other drug abuse?
Answer: Prescription drugs, illegal drugs, and legal drugs with psychoactive side effects all target the brain. More»

Question 2: Around about twelve hours after my last drink of my last two binges, I began to see things and hear threatening voices that I knew weren’t there. The visions left after about twelve hours but the voices still come back every now and then. Was this the D.T.’s? Is this going to happen every time I drink?
Answer: No, this was not the D.T.'s (delirium tremens) and yes, it probably will happen every time after you come off a binge. More»

Question 3: I think of myself as a moderate drinker—two or three drinks a day, more on the weekends—but it has never interfered with my work nor does my family think I have a problem. Three weeks ago, I was at a gathering of friends and had a few more drinks than usual and the following day I was not able to remember anything about the previous evening. My wife tells me that I appeared to be normal and did not act drunk in any way. This concerns me very much. I am 57 years old. Can only five or so drinks cause this?
Answer: Well, it seems they did. What you experienced, but cannot recall, is an alcohol blackout which involves two levels of memory. More»

Question 1: My son is a recovering heroin addict and thinks he can have a beer or two now and then. He feels it will help him assuage his cravings. He has never had any problems with alcohol but I would welcome your opinion. I have also noticed that since his abstinence, his desire for sweets has increased appreciably. Any harm there?
Answer: A beer or two now and then is risky for a person recovering from heroin addiction More»

Question 2: Is there a link between domestic violence and drinking?
Answer: In about half of the cases of domestic violence alcohol is involved More»

Question 3: I am a recovering alcoholic and have been dry for twenty-two years. My wife died five weeks ago and my physician, who does not know my alcoholism history, prescribed a tranquilizer called diazepam for my insomnia and my depression. Am I safe taking these?
Answer: No, you are not safe taking diazepam or other drugs like it. More»

Question 4: How many people who are alcoholic have a mental disorder?
Answer: Alcoholism is a mental or behavioral disorder so I would say all of them. More»

Question 5: What is an antisocial personality? My son has been in a couple of treatment centers for alcohol and drugs and now is back in jail after resisting arrest while drunk. He was told that he has a drinking problem along with an antisocial personality disorder.
Answer: Antisocial personality disorder is one of the most difficult conditions to treat More»

Question 6: I have been dry four years and I do not belong to any sobriety organization. I have used my own willpower to stop drinking. Two and one half months ago, I had some business reversals and I had great difficulty sleeping. My doctor prescribed a mild nerve pill which helps me to sleep all night but I have the same feeling I had after a drink or two. The name of the pill is diazepam.
Answer: My guess is the reason you have written is that you feel you are on dangerous ground More»

Question 7: I am a 42-year old woman and an alcoholic. In addition, I take lithium as directed and I am monitored by my psychiatrist for manic-depressive illness. My question is: would I be accepted for treatment in an alcohol treatment center?
Answer: Yes. You would be welcome and since it is not uncommon for those suffering from manic- More»

Question 8: I am a schizophrenic and have been getting along okay for many years as long as I take my Haldol. I started drinking heavily two years ago and was referred to A.A. which has helped me to stop drinking. However, I am concerned because someone in A.A. questioned whether I can still take Haldol and be considered clean and sober. Would it be wise to stop my medication?
Answer: Do not stop taking the Haldol prescribed. You have two disorders: schizophrenia and alcoholism. More»

Question 9: I have a depression for which I have been prescribed a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). Is drinking alcohol not recommended? I do not have an alcohol problem.
Answer: It is absolutely not recommended. In fact, your physician has no doubt told you that many other prescription and over-the-counter drugs will react adversely with your MAOI antidepressant. More»

Question 1: What can you tell me about kudzu?
Answer: Kudzu is an imported weed that grows in the South and has recently become a nuisance More»

Question 2: Does marijuana have any medicinal use?
Answer: In a report to the U.S. Congress in 1980, the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare summarized the research on the therapeutic applications of marijuana. More»

Question 3: What is the rationale behind switching heroin addicts from heroin to methadone?
Answer: There are several reasons behind methadone use in the treatment of opiate addiction. Detoxification and replacement of heroin or morphine is the initial reason. More»

Question 4: Can a person get liver damage from using cocaine?
Answer: Yes. When the body deals with a chemical introduced by whatever manner (orally, nasally, or as an inhalant), a chemical process begins More»

Question 5: How long does craving for cocaine last? I stopped smoking crack fifteen days ago.
Answer: Smoking cocaine delivers the greatest dose the fastest and, therefore, produces the greatest desire for the drug when you stop using it. More»

Question 6: Is nicotine a drug? Is it addicting? If it’s a drug, why isn’t it regulated by the FDA?
Answer: The authorities in Washington are considering these questions right now. More»

Question 7: Can steroid use be dangerous?
Answer: Yes, it has caused sudden deaths More»

Question 8: I have been taking a prescribed tranquilizer for a long time. I wonder if there are any serious consequences if I just stop using them. Are there?
Answer: I can’t answer this question fully without the specific name of the tranquilizer, or benzodiazepine, you are taking. More»

Question 9: Does smoking cocaine cause convulsions? A friend of mine had a fit when he smoked crack. The doctors in the emergency room said it was the cocaine.
Answer: It probably was! Cocaine can and does cause convulsions, especially in those who smoke the drug or, those who have epilepsy. More»

Question 10: What is PCP? Is it dangerous?
Answer: Phencyclidine, commonly known as PCP, is probably the worst and most dangerous of illegal drugs. More»

Question 1: The other evening I attended a banquet at which the dessert was Cherries Jubilee. I am recovering from alcoholism and even though they say there is no alcohol in a dessert after it is burned off, I think it is too risky to try. Am I right?
Answer: You are right and you did not miss much anyway. Any dish like that requires some alcohol, More»

Question 1: What is the difference between outpatient and inpatient alcohol treatment? Are there any special advantages of one over the other?
Answer: Both show comparable recovery rates depending on the population they serve. More»

Question 2: I have been in the A.A. program now for about three years and I just don’t seem to be able to get the happy, joyous, and free feeling that most of my friends in the program certainly seem to have. I have attended meetings three to five times a week, have a sponsor and in meetings I always share my thoughts and feelings. However, I still feel not quite part of the group, if you know what I mean.
Answer: I know exactly what you mean. "There are some people who get stuck at a level of recovery, that is, they are dry but uncomfortable socially. More»

Question 3: What is treatment of addiction?
Answer: Treatment of addictive disease follows a logical pattern of More»

Question 4: How long does alcohol withdrawal last? I ended my last binge twenty-seven days ago and I am still shaky and I can’t sleep. I’ve been going to AA daily. When do I start feeling better?
Answer: Soon; hang in there! It really does get better. More»

Question 5: What do you think about trying to quit smoking while I’m undergoing treatment for alcoholism?
Answer: I think it is a good idea. It used to be thought that dealing with one addiction at a time is enough but More»

Question 6: After my last two binges, I began to see things and hear threatening voices that I knew were not there. The visions left after about twelve hours but the voices still come back every now and then. Was this the D.T.’s? Is this going to happen every time I drink?
Answer: No. This was not the D.T.’s (delirium tremens) and yes, it probably will happen every time after you come off a binge. More»

Question 7: What is the eventual outlook for the severe alcoholic who won’t or can’t quit?
Answer: There is a typical profile of that end-stage career. The alcoholic begins to narrow his or her drinking repertoire with little day-to-day variability More»

Question 8: Are a few drinks taken at five or six hour intervals a good way to detox from months of heavy drinking – about a quart of whiskey a day?
Answer: No, there is a better way. Although this method was used in centuries past, there were many poor souls who braved the experience of delirium tremens More»

Question 9: How does Antabuse work? If, as I was told, it makes a person sick if he drinks why would any other treatment be necessary?
Answer: Antabuse (disulfiram) works by blocking the removal of a toxic substance (acetaldehyde) that occurs in the liver when alcohol is broken down or metabolized. More»

Question 10: What is this new drug naltrexone? Is it the cure for alcoholism?
Answer: First off, naltrexone is not a new drug. It has been used for a number of years to deter the use of opioids More»

Question 11: What kind of training do physicians get in medical school about alcoholism and drug addiction?
Answer: It is considerably more and much better now than when I went through medical school. More»

Question 12: Do prayers help in trying to get an alcoholic to stop drinking?
Answer: Sometimes, it seems, they are the only things that do. Hope and the internal spiritual strengths More»

Question 13: Does taking a cold shower or drinking a couple of cups of strong coffee sober a person up faster? It does not seem to work when I try to sober up my friends.
Answer: It does not work for anybody else either. More»

Question 14: What is the success rate of Alcoholics Anonymous? I have never seen it published.
Answer: Every few years Alcoholics Anonymous does a survey of its members. More»

Question 15: Can a person be expelled from A.A. if he keeps having slips?
Answer: No! As a matter of fact, until a decade or so ago, alcoholism was defined in the medical literature as More»

Question 16: Is it necessary to go to A.A. meetings for life? How long does treatment for alcoholism take?
Answer: Yes. Treatment takes as long as a person has alcoholism, which is a lifetime. More»

Question 17: I am in the ninth year of my sobriety and for the last three years I have attended A.A. perhaps once a year at most. During the first seven years, I had a wonderful analysis and in the final year my therapist’s goal was to wean me away from A.A. He is familiar with and supportive of the program but claims that my progress, growth and insight were so strong that A.A. and its "peer counseling" were restrictive to my growth. I am not better than anyone else and I am grateful to A.A. for starting me on the road to recovery. I have no desire to drink and if I meet a newcomer to A.A. socially, I help them. I feel that A.A. is no longer in my best interest after seven or so years. Your feedback, please!
Answer: Your letter tells me that you have been an active member of A.A. for about seven years. More»

Question 18: What is this business of having an A.A. birthday?
Answer: It is a serious business indeed. It marks a successful passage from one year to another in sobriety. More»

Question 19: How can I start an A.A. group? I live in an isolated ranch area and the nearest town (population 3,500) is 15 miles away. I got sober four years ago and moved here to work a month ago. I was told there was no A.A. in the town.
Answer: Here is what you do—it is what Bill Wilson, founder of A.A., did in June of 1935 in Akron, Ohio. More»

Question 20: I am a newcomer to A.A. I heard about it and I just started going to meetings. Some in A.A. tell me I need a sponsor. Do you think having a sponsor is absolutely necessary?
Answer: Some have made it through recovery without having a sponsor so I suppose it is not absolutely necessary but it is an absolutely good idea. More»

Question 21: How long does a person who has gone through a treatment center have to keep going to A.A.? I feel that I have learned enough in the treatment center to get along without drinking. How about it?
Answer: It works this way. You have a chronic disease (alcoholism) characterized by relapse. More»

Question 22: I have been hanging around A.A. for years and it hasn’t worked. I know all about the steps and all that stuff. I even went to A.A. meetings while I was in prison. I’ve had the D.T.’s a couple of times. Doctors don’t know anything about alcoholism—they just tell me I’m going to die if I don’t quit—anyway there are more old drunks than old doctors, ha ha. I’ve had a couple of drinks just to write this but I’m just about to give up.
Answer: Please don’t! In the rest of your letter you mention that you are 62 years old and have lost everything; More»

Question 23: I have been married to an alcoholic for over forty years. I have watched my husband’s mother die from alcoholism. That was enough for me but it seems it wasn’t for her two sons. My husband goes religiously to A.A. twice a week here in our city. He doesn’t enjoy going but he goes. He said he does need a sponsor and when he asked for one, he was told that their organization wasn’t large enough to supply one. What I am asking for is a suggestion. We can’t afford for him to go to a private organization for help.
Answer: There are some odd features about your question. I must ask first if you have heard of Al-Anon? More»

Question 24: What is aversion therapy?
Answer: Aversion therapy is a kind of conditioning based on coupling the sight, smell and taste of alcohol More»

Question 25: Will you say something about acupuncture. I have heard that some people in treatment for alcoholism have benefited from it. How does acupuncture work?
Answer: Western medicine does not understand exactly how it works but it seems to have some effect on the natural More»

Question 26: I am a health care insurance consultant. Are there any statistics to show that alcoholism treatment is cost effective?
Answer: Yes. A long-term study of over 3,500 identified alcoholics showed that More»

Question 1: Are there some nations more prone to alcoholism than others?
Answer: It seems that way. People who live in or whose origins are in the northern water countries of Europe appear to drink more and have a higher rate of alcoholism. More»

Question 2: Is there such a thing as an alcoholic personality?
Answer: Yes and no. Specific tests, such as the Edwards Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), that were developed to identify an alcoholic personality have been unreliable. More»

Question 3: My father died of alcoholism when I was 14 years old. My friends tell me that I can be an alcoholic because this disease is inherited. Is this true?
Answer: Yes. There is convincing evidence that alcoholism More»

Question 4: What are the age groups that have the greatest alcohol problems and does the alcohol abuse rate decline in older people?
Answer: First, from studies on hospitalized patients reported in The Journal of the American Medical Association More»

Question 5: Are there any reliable predictors of whether a person will become an alcoholic or not?Are there any reliable predictors of whether a person will become an alcoholic or not?
Answer: Absolute predictors –no. Strong clues—yes. More»

Question 6: Are there many persons in the United States who don’t drink any alcoholic beverages?
Answer: Yes. It is estimated that about one third of this country’s population never drink alcohol. More»

Question 7: I drink because of stress. A few drinks used to do the trick. However, in the last couple of years, it takes more to relax me and most of the time I don’t get the same relief from my stress that I used to. Also, since my wife started attending Al-Anon meetings, I feel even more stress about the way I choose to relax.
Answer: Relief may be at hand if you trust what I recommend. More»

Question 8: Is there such a thing as an alcoholic personality?
Answer: Yes and no. Many professionals, who have worked in the field of addictive disease for years, have More»

Question 9: Should everyone be a teetotaler?
Answer: No. I do not believe everyone should abstain from drinking entirely More»

Question 10: Will you explain the difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence?
Answer: In short, alcohol abuse is too much, too often and alcohol dependence is the inability to quit. More»