Study Examines Link Between Stress RelapseA new animal study finds that a stress-related gene and brain chemical may play a role in addiction relapse, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).Researchers from NIAAA and Camerino University in Italy found that rats that showed a preference for alcohol were more sensitive to stress. Those more prone to relapse under stress were examined for genetic patterns that might offer clues to this trait. Researchers found that these rats had higher expression levels of Crhr1, a gene that encodes the stress-related corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRH-R1).”Our findings demonstrate that the Crhr1 genotype and its expression interact with environmental stress to reinstate alcohol-seeking behavior in this animal model of excessive drinking,” said study leader Anita Hansson, Ph.D., a fellow at NIAAA’s Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies.”This finding helps untangle the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors that influence relapse,” added NIAAA Director T-K Li, M.D. “It also points to potential approaches for treating individuals at risk for relapse.”The research appears in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 

Research Reference: Hansson, A.C., et al. (2006) Variation at the rat Crhr1 locus and sensitivity to relapse into alcohol seeking induced by environmental stress. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.

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What symptoms of alcoholism does Brief-TSF address?

Many signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse may not be apparent even to a close relative or friend.

However, some can be easily seen and some may be hidden by other symptoms; or denied by the drinker.

The Brief-TSF course describes the signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse and alcoholism and provides ways of uncovering them.

Medical symptoms of alcoholism.

The medical symptoms of alcoholism are;

• Hangovers,
• blackouts,
• injuries,
• lethargy,
• weight gain or loss,
• poor coordination,
• high blood pressure,
• impotence,
• vomiting,
• nausea,
• cirrhosis of the liver,
• pancreas disease,
• brain damage, and
• tolerance to alcohol.

Psychological signs of alcohol dependence.

The psychological symptoms of alcohol dependence are;

• Poor concentration,
• sleep problems,
• cloudy thinking,
• depression,
• anxiety/stress,
• aggression,
• loss of control of drinking and
• denial of the effects of alcohol.

Social aspects of alcohol abuse

The social aspects of alcohol abuse are;

• Difficulties and arguments with family or friends,
• difficulties performing at work or home,
• unemployment,
• withdrawal from friends and social activities,
• legal problems and
• financial insecurity.

Spiritual affects of alcohol addiction.

The spiritual affect of alcohol addiction are;

• Dysthymia or mild chronic depression,
• restlessness,
• irritability,
• discontentment,
• self-centeredness,
• insecurity,
• self-pitying,
• resentful,
• fearful and
• feeling useless.

Partner Brief-TSF

Brief-TSF includes intervention with significant others in an alcohol dependents life. Significant others may be

• partners of alcoholics,
• children of alcoholics,
• adult children of alcoholics,
• parents of alcoholics,
• grand parents of alcoholics and
• work colleagues.

Partner Brief-TSF has similar goals and methods to Brief-TSF. The overall goal is referral of the significant other to Al-anon or Alateen.

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TSF TARGET POPULATIONS

Clients Best Suited for This Counseling Approach

TSF has been utilized in controlled outcome studies with alcohol abusers and alcoholics and with persons who have concurrent alcohol-cocaine abuse and dependency. It has been used with clients of diverse socioeconomic, educational, and cultural backgrounds and a range of maladjustment.

Clients Poorly Suited for This Counseling Approach

Individuals who have severe symptoms of addiction to cocaine or opiates, who are unemployed, and who also have no source of spousal or other family support appear to have the poorest prognosis. That is not to say that alternative treatments have proven effective with that group of individuals. When treating addiction to cocaine, it is recommended that sessions be scheduled twice a week for the first 3 weeks.

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Self-help and other supports bolster treatment success

Combining treatment with self-help programs, such as the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program, also improves outcomes, and is more effective than either treatment or self-help participation alone.

Attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings is significantly related to post-treatment abstinence. Although mandated AA attendance alone, without treatment, has not been proven effective, one major study showed AA to be as effective as treatment.

Research report; Runder the Influence Part 2: Treating Addictions, Reducing Corrections Costs. Katherine Merrow & Richard A. Minard , Jr. February 5, 2003. New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies in association with the Institute for Policy and Social Science Research, University of New Hampshire

BriefTSF can be used successfully in the correction setting

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Variety of AA Groups Reflects a Diverse Fellowship

Alcoholics Anonymous is known for the diversity of its membership, with A.A. members from every walk of life sitting side by side in the approximately 60,000 A.A. groups in the United States and Canada. Over the years, though, professionals-doctors, lawyers, airplane pilots, and others-have established a few A.A. groups for those in their field.

Given their common concerns and issues, these members have found A.A. meetings with peers useful. Such groups, which are autonomous along with every other A.A. group, are usually found in large metropolitan areas. They function as any other A.A. meeting.

Among their other purposes, these groups can allay the fears of new A.A. members who may feel more comfortable in a meeting of their peers. The preamble read at “Birds of a Feather” A.A. meetings, which are attended by airline cockpit crew members, refers to the “occupational sensitivity of its members.”

One of the hurdles facing those seeking help in A.A. may be fear of exposure or the shameful sense that their problem is unique to them. Local A.A. offices-called central offices or intergroups- sometimes have lists of A.A. members willing to talk one-on-one with a person seeking information about Alcoholics Anonymous. On these lists are representatives of many professions who will be able to reassure a prospective A.A. member that they are not alone.

There are also A.A. groups for women, men, gays, lesbians, and young people, among others. Information on where to find these groups or any other local meetings is available at A.A. offices around the country.

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Al-Anon offers new life to families of alcoholics

Alcoholism touched every aspect of Brenda’s family life. She lost a father to alcoholism, and her brother developed the disease. She also married a problem drinker. They had a large family, and her husband left the job of parenting to her.

"I had out-of-control children at home," she says. "There was no structure–no rules, no bedtime schedules. It was just chaos." Brenda tried to structure the household but found that she couldn’t do it alone. Some of her children developed behavior problems at school and eventually abused alcohol themselves.

For nearly a decade, Brenda searched for support. She went to parent meetings at school. She went to marriage counseling. She went to churches and Bible study groups. Finally, a therapist suggested Al-Anon.

"I remember listening to people at my very first Al-Anon meeting and thinking, this is where I belong,"

"I remember listening to people at my very first Al-Anon meeting and thinking, this is where I belong," Brenda recalls. "The stories I was hearing there were about the very kinds of things happening in my life."

Al-Anon offers free and confidential support for anyone affected by an alcoholic or problem drinker. This includes parents, grandparents, spouses, partners, coworkers, and friends. Alateen, a part of Al-Anon, is a recovery program for young people impacted by a loved one’s alcoholism.

Founded in 1951 by the wives of two Alcoholics Anonymous members, Al-Anon is based on AA’s Twelve Steps. There are no dues and no fees. Rather than relying on mental health professionals, members lead self-help meetings in a spirit of mutual help. The purpose is to share their hope, strength, and experience in dealing with an alcoholic loved one.

It works. Today more than 26,000 Al-Anon groups exist in 115 countries.

Al-Anon begins with the principle that alcoholism is a family disease. And those who care most about the alcoholic are affected the most.

Al-Anon literature compares life with an alcoholic to a drama where people develop stereotyped, almost scripted, roles. Their behaviors center on the alcoholic and are dominated by:

• Obsession–going to great lengths to stop the alcoholic’s drinking, such as searching the house for hidden stashes of liquor, secretly pouring drinks down the drain, or listening continually for the sound of opening beer cans.
• Anxiety–worrying constantly about the effects of the alcoholic’s drinking on the children, the bills, and the family’s future.
• Anger–feelings of resentment that result from being repeatedly deceived and hurt by the alcoholic.
• Denial–ignoring, making excuses for, or actively hiding the facts about the alcoholic’s behavior.
• Guilt–family members’ belief that they are somehow to blame for the alcoholic’s behavior.
• Insanity–defined in Al-Anon as "doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

With help from their peers, Al-Anon members learn an alternative–detachment with love. This happens when family members admit that they did not cause their loved one’s alcoholism; nor can they control or cure it. Sanity returns to family life when members focus on taking care of themselves, changing the things that they can, and letting go of the rest.

As a result, alcoholic family members are no longer shielded from the consequences of their own behavior. This, more than anything else, can help them face the facts about their addiction and admit their need for help.

"Since I’ve been in Al-Anon, my life has totally changed," says Brenda. "I filed for divorce and set up my own household. Now my children are getting a lot more of their needs met with a lot more stability in their lives, and I’m a much happier parent. Since I moved out, my son has been on the honor roll at school and my daughter has had the best two years of her life."

To learn more about Al-Anon go online to http://www.al-anon-alateen.org/. A basic text, "How Al-Anon Works for Families and Friends of Alcoholics," explains the Al-Anon program in detail.

Alive & Free is a health column that provides information to help prevent substance abuse problems and address such problems. It is created by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency based in Center City, Minn. "Copyright © 2003 Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved."

How Al-Anon Works for Families & Friends of Alcoholics

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