The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines alcoholism, which is also known as alcohol dependence, as a disease which includes the following four symptoms:

* Craving--A strong need, or urge, to drink.
* Loss of control--Not being able to stop drinking once drinking has begun.
* Physical dependence--Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety after  stopping drinking.
* Tolerance--The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get "high." 

Visit their FAQ Page to access information about all aspects of alcoholism and its effects.

Do you enjoy a drink now and then? Many of us do, often when socializing with friends and family. Drinking can be beneficial or harmful, depending on your age and health status, and, of course, how much you drink.  What do you think about taking a look at your drinking habits and how they may affect your health? Rethinking Drinking can help you get started. 
 

It's that time again!  Parents are helping their college-age kids get ready to make a transition.  If you are sending your son or daughter off to college, consider talking to them about "drinking" which continues to be a serious problem on college campuses.  A variety of brochures and handbooks on preventing college drinking are available from the NIAAA. For specific information and to download resources relating to college age drinking, use this link to go to http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/. 

The Faith Partners Recovery Ministry at Ashford UMC is part of a larger national network of recovery and healing ministries in churches across different denominations. Headquartered in Austin, TX, Faith Partners focus has been to engage and assist people of faith in the development of caring communities that promote prevention of alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse and where recovery from addiction is valued and supported. Visit the Faith Partners website to learn more.

More organizations we network with:

Parents Resource Center a resource component of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. It provides advice and stories from parents and professionals about drug prevention, intervention and raising healthy teens.

Special Program on Substance Abuse and Related Violence (SPSARV) is general church initiative housed at the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church United Methodists around the world exert their faith through ministry responses that help individuals, families, congregations and communities obtain a life of hope, healing, deliverance and wholeness. As witnesses to God's love, this ministry is called to share the uplifting message of salvation and abundant life through Christ, for through Christ all things are possible. They offer hope and life-affirming solutions to people who are afflicted and affected by substance abuse and related violence. SPSARV's website has many excellent resources.

The Hope, Healing and Health Reading Circle is one project of SPSARV. This online resource provides United Methodists and partners with an opportunity for ongoing education, reflection, and online dialogue on alcohol, other drugs, and related violence concerns. A new selection is featured quarterly for reading and reflection. Anyone with internet access can post their thoughts and participate in discussions in each post's comments section. You may post anonymously, using your first name or a pseudonym, or using your own Blogger account (not required to comment). All comments are moderated and will be reviewed before they appear to ensure that the Reading Circle is a safe place to share thoughts about sensitive issues.

Where there is addiction, there is always at least one codependent.

What is a codependent? A codependent is loosely defined as someone who exhibits too much, and often inappropriate, caring for persons who depend on him or her. The dependent may have emotional, physical, financial difficulties, or addictions they seemingly are unable to surmount. The codependent person exhibits behavior which controls, makes excuses for, pities, and takes other actions to perpetuate the obviously needy person’s condition, because of their desire to be needed and fear of doing anything that would change the relationship. A codependent can feel responsible for an addict’s poor choices, feel indispensable when successful at controlling the addict’s life, and ashamed when unsuccessful. They often believe the addict’s promises that “I won’t do it again” even though that promise has been broken over and over again.

Codependent behaviors can be learned by family members in order to survive in a family which is experiencing great emotional pain and stress caused, for example by another family member’s addiction such as alcoholism, sexual, physical, verbal or other abuse within the family, a family member’s chronic illness, etc.

Links to community programs that help with addiction.

• Houston Council on Drugs and Alcohol -  Offers help anyone at any time with any issue related to alcohol and drugs, including assessment or evaluation, counseling, intervention services, pediatric care, information, referrals, intensive outpatient treatment services, an aftercare group, continuing education workshops, an alcohol or drug education class, specialized services for seniors or workplace services, The Council is here.The Council's doors are open to everyone. Their services are confidential, unbiased and bilingual. Counselors are qualified, licensed professionals, and sliding-fees are available for specific programs.
• Alcoholics Anonymous: Houston, Texas - If you want to drink, that's your business.  If you want to stop, that's ours..... Call Alcoholics Anonymous in Houston. Phone: 713-686-6300.
• Hascona - Houston Area Committee of Narcotics Anonymous.  Membership is open to all who are affected by drug addiction, regardless of the particular drug or combination of drugs used. When adapting AA's First Step, the word "addiction" was substituted for "alcohol," thus removing drug-specific language and reflecting the "disease concept" of addiction.
• You're Not Alone.org -  For parents of addicted children. A non-denominational ministry, strongly grounded in faith in Jesus Christ. "You're Not Alone" ministry was started in 1999 for pastors, missionaries and Christian workers whose kids abuse drugs or alcohol. It began as a conference ministry. By 2003, the focus expanded to include Christian families and weekend ministry in churches.
• Tobacco Free Kids -  Works toward changing public attitudes and public policies on tobacco; strives to prevent kids from smoking, help smokers quit and protect everyone from secondhand smoke.