Alcohol abuse continues to be misunderstood as a moral failure or character flaw, when in reality it is a brain disease that causes painful symptoms for the person affected and their loved ones. By raising awareness about alcohol abuse, we can help others be more likely to catch the signs and seek support when it’s needed.

What are the physical and psychological signs of alcohol addiction?

Alcohol is in a unique position compared with other addictive substances because using it, at least to some extent, is so normalized in our society. Many people who use illicit (“hard”) drugs are at least partially aware that they may have a problem with addiction, but most people who drink alcohol are not addicted.

When someone has an addiction to alcohol, they may be diagnosed with alcohol use disorder. In everyday terms, this disorder is sometimes called “alcoholism.”

It’s important to be aware of the warning signs of alcohol addiction so that you can be ready to seek, or offer, support for yourself or loved ones.

Alcohol use disorder can manifest both physically and psychologically.

Some psychological and behavioral signs of alcohol addiction include:

• You crave and think about alcohol when you’re not drinking.
• You find it difficult to control how much you drink.
• You keep drinking even though it’s causing problems in your life.
• Your mind is often preoccupied with thoughts of drinking.
• You drink alone, or hide or lie about your drinking from others.
• You neglect your responsibilities because of drinking.
• Your relationships are strained due to your alcohol use, and your loved ones have told you that they’re concerned.
• You’ve tried to quit or cut down on drinking but have been unsuccessful.
• You experience mood swings or irritability when not drinking.
• You experience legal issues related to your drinking, such as DUIs.
• You engage in risky behaviors while intoxicated, such as driving under the influence or unprotected sex.
• You experience physical symptoms such as shaking, sweating, or nausea when not drinking.
• You prioritize drinking over other activities or hobbies.
• You experience financial problems due to spending money on alcohol.
• You feel guilty or ashamed about your drinking but continue to do so.
• You experience changes in your appearance or hygiene due to alcohol use.
• You find it hard to relax or have fun without alcohol.
• You turn to drinking to cope with stress, anxiety, or depression.

Alcohol addiction, especially when it’s severe, can also have some physical effects. Physical signs of alcohol addiction may include:

• You may notice changes in your appearance, like gaining or losing weight.
• You might experience tremors or shakes, especially in the morning.
• You notice you have a red or puffy face due to flushed or broken capillaries.
• You might feel chronically fatigued or lethargic.
• You could suffer from gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
• You may experience liver-related symptoms like jaundice or abdominal pain.
• You might have an increased tolerance to alcohol.
• You could experience withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, rapid heartbeat, or anxiety when not drinking.
• Long-term effects on your body could include liver disease, pancreatitis, or cardiovascular problems.

Not everyone with an alcohol problem experiences these signs. Even if you don’t experience these things, that doesn’t necessarily mean you do not have alcohol use disorder. The only way to know for sure is to talk to a mental health provider or your primary care physician.

Signs of substance abuse at work

Even though things have changed in recent years, alcohol continues to play an important role in many workplaces (for example, employees may drink at holiday parties or during happy hour gatherings). This can make it difficult to be able to tell when an employee has an alcohol abuse problem and when their drinking is within “normal” limits.

Some signs that someone at work has alcohol use disorder include:

• They’re frequently absent or tardy, especially when they didn’t used to have these problems.
• Their job performance or productivity has noticeably declined.
• You detect the smell of alcohol on their breath or notice other physical signs of intoxication.
• They exhibit mood swings or changes in behavior, such as irritability or aggression.
• They tend to isolate themselves from coworkers or avoid social interactions.
• They make frequent trips to the restroom, possibly to hide drinking.
• They seem to struggle with concentration or decision-making.
• They experience financial difficulties or borrow money from coworkers.
• Their appearance has changed, such as unkempt attire or poor hygiene.
• They make excuses for their behavior or deny any alcohol-related issues when confronted.

How to get help for alcohol addiction

If you suspect that you or a loved one is experiencing a problem with alcohol, the importance of seeking professional treatment can’t be stressed enough. Alcohol use disorder is a brain disease that can get worse when left untreated.

Seeking support is nothing to be ashamed of. Again, alcohol abuse is not a moral failure and says nothing about your character. It is a serious health condition that affects over 10% of the population.

It’s normal for people with alcohol use disorder to be ambivalent about getting treatment. Part of you may want badly to stop your problem drinking, but you likely also have personal reasons why you drink, to begin with – it helps you in social situations, it helps you to sleep, and so on. This is normal, and treatment providers expect ambivalence. You do not have to be 100% sure to seek help. You only need to take the first step.

Ambivalence also means that you may experience pushback from your loved one. Although this can be incredibly painful, try to understand that it’s normal and a symptom of the way alcohol addiction affects the brain. Offer steady support without disrespecting their autonomy.

You can look for a treatment provider by calling the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Does my employee assistance program (EAP) cover substance abuse?

Your EAP is also a free resource at your disposal. The MINES & Associates EAP can offer you 24/7 free and confidential counseling and resource referral for alcohol use disorder. If your company is enrolled, then you just need to call (800) 873-7138 or use our digital intake form to get started.

To Your Well-Being,

The MINES Team

The post Alcohol Awareness Month: How to Recognize the Signs and Get the Support You Need appeared first on MINES and Associates.

Dr. Robert Mines (chairman and psychologist) and Dr. Dani Kimlinger (CEO) from the MINES Team were honored to contribute to an article by Bruce Shutan in this month’s issue of The Self-Insurer. The article is called Beyond Opioids and covers how EAPs, like MINES, and good benefit-plan design can help treat addictions and other substance use issues in an employee population as well as control overall health care spending.

The issue can be viewed here:

Check out other Self-Insurer publications here: https://goo.gl/2TjaUV

And check out other MINES publications here: www.minesandassociates.com/about_staff_publications.html

To your wellbeing,

The MINES Team

The post Publication Update December 2017 appeared first on MINES and Associates.

This week is NEDA Week, a.k.a. National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, and every year I make it a priority to openly discuss this deadly disease that is often left in the dark. Unfortunately, it seems that unless a celebrity addresses the topic, or an extremely severe case finds its way to the media, eating disorders are rarely talked about. This makes them more stigmatized, underfunded, and a seemingly ‘less important’ mental health issue.  Also, the lack of discussion and education about eating disorders can make it much more difficult for those struggling to seek help.

The Facts

• Anorexia nervosa has the highest overall mortality rate and the highest suicide rate of any psychiatric disorder.
• Eating disorders have very low federal funding, totaling to only $28 million per year. *To give you an idea of how limited that amount of research money is, Alcoholism: 18 x more funding ($505 million), Schizophrenia: 13 x more funding ($352 million), and Depression: 12 x more funding ($328 million)
• Every 62 minutes, at least one person dies from an eating disorder.
• There are more eating disorders than just anorexia and bulimia; there is also EDNOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified), orthorexia, ARFID(avoidant restrictive food intake disorder), and diabulimia.
• Only 1 in 10 people with an eating disorder will receive treatment in their lifetime.
• Insurance companies’ often refuse coverage for eating disorder treatment. *Based on level of care needed, treatment costs between $500-$2,000 PER DAY.

My Own Battle

It took me many years, and numerous rounds of treatment, to get to where I am today: recovered from anorexia. I wanted to start by saying that so that people can realize if recovering from an eating disorder was as simple as “just eat your food,” it wouldn’t have taken 4+ years, 3 different facilities, and 8 admissions to do so. For me, my eating disorder was a slow suicide, and one of the many self-destructive behaviors I engaged in. It wasn’t about the food, and if you ever are to hear anyone talk about eating disorders, they’ll also tell you the same.

Recovery didn’t come until I really wanted it, which took much longer than the people who were by my side through it all had hoped, including myself.  What it really took for me to choose recovery was a very serious medical complication. In my last relapse, I had a seizure on my best friend’s floor at 2 a.m. The seizure was caused by refeeding syndrome, which is a life-threatening reaction that the body has when it is severely malnourished, then suddenly increases its food intake.  Unfortunately, it took me losing complete control over my body to want to take back control of my life; and as strange as it may sound, I am so grateful for that seizure, and truly don’t know if I’d be here now, had it not happened.

Because of the struggles I have endured, I am an advocate for eating disorders, mental health, the LGBTQ+ community, women, and children. I believe whole-heartedly that I am here on this earth to let people know that they are not alone.

To Those Struggling

There is help out there, and it’s okay to ask for it. That’s why things like eating disorder treatment facilities, programs, and specialized therapists exist. Know that you are worthy of love, happiness, and freedom and that you are not alone. Asking for support takes a great amount of strength, so please try not to look at it as a weakness. Recovery is possible, and this big, beautiful, chaotic mess of a world needs you.  Stay strong, and keep fighting.

Resources

NEDA Helpline: 1-800-931-2237

Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-223-5001

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

With wishes of happiness & health,

Amy Babich

Final thoughts from MINES

Eating disorders are serious. Please don’t wait to reach out if you need assistance. Employee Assistance Programs like MINES are here to provide resources and guidance to make sure you get the help you need. We are always here to talk. Please call us at 1-800-873-7138 if you or someone you care about is struggling with an eating disorder, depression, or any other work/life issues that you may need help with.

Sources:

https://www.aedweb.org/index.php/education/eating-disorder-information/eating-disorder-information-14

http://www.anad.org/get-information/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-statistics/

The post National Eating Disorder Awareness Week appeared first on MINES and Associates.

Mindfulness relates to the psychology of performance directly in that when the individual’s beliefs/filters/assumptions/schemas that are the cognitive filters we perceive events through are irrational, the individual can get emotionally triggered. This reaction can lead to negative judgmental statements that interfere with performance in any area of one’s life. For example, at a recent tae kwon do tournament, I was coaching a participant who lost a match. He had a set of beliefs that were perfectionistic: all or none. This led him to a series of negative self-talk statements such as “I am no good; I am a bad person; I can’t get this right.”  He then sat down, became non-communicative, tearful, and refused to fight in the next match resulting in another “defeat” as he was classified as a no-show and the fight went to the opponent. It took a series of discussions regarding his negative self-talk and corresponding negative feelings and physical sensations for him to get to the non-judgmental state of mind where he could then start to be kind toward himself. The important elements of this example are that the individual perceived an event through a negative set of beliefs resulting in judgmental, negative self-talk leading to negative, low performance behavior. The examples from business, relationships, sports, the arts, and other areas are endless.

The practical question is how can anyone enhance their performance if these automatic thoughts evoke almost instantaneous negative reactions? The first aspect to be learned and practiced is to learn to sit mindfully and observe without judgment one’s thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations as they arise and disappear. The breath (mantras, chants, and other focus objects) is often used as an anchor activity to return the mindfulness awareness to when the mind wanders. Many examples can be found on youtube. This is one that MINES produced as a quick starting point.

After observing the thoughts, feelings, and body sensations, one proceeds to notice any judgments about them. This is a starting point for analyzing these judgments and how they impact performance in any area of concern. To the extent that the judgments are viewed as dysfunctional, irrational, or just plain unfounded or unsubstantiated, they are fair game for retraining your self and your reactions under those circumstances so as to improve performance the next time.

Other blogs have addressed areas that can also negatively affect performance that mindfulness also can shine the light of nonattached observation related to conditions such as sleep deprivation, substance use, over eating, lack of exercise, and others that also negatively affect performance.

Have a day filled with mindfulness,

Bob

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D., CEO & Psychologist

The post Psychology of Performance 44: Mindfulness appeared first on MINES and Associates.

This week alone, I had client organizations call about each of these concerns.  In one case a senior executive was observed to drink one bottle of wine at a company function, plus cocktails before dinner. Her behavior became problematic when she propositioned a male colleague, angrily denied she had drank too much and proceeded to accuse others on her executive team of “being out to get her.”  To make this situation even sadder, the executive had done something similar three years earlier at the same company function.  This became a performance issue at a number of levels.  First, upon investigation, it turned out she had a number of days in the last few months where her secretary reported she left early for lunch and never returned resulting in significant loss of individual productivity. Second, she created liability for her company when she propositioned a colleague. This created a potentially hostile work environment/sexual harassment lawsuit. In addition, there was lost time for human resources, management, and legal to review the situation and interview all parties. Third, when confronted with her behavior and the company’s requirement to go to the employee assistance program for an evaluation and potential referral for treatment if indicated, she refused and resigned. This resulted in additional loss of intellectual capital and the personal long term health costs to her. This reminder for everyone in supervisor, management, or executive functions is that alcohol and other substance use disorders have not diminished despite policies, procedures,’ and education interventions. It is important to stay alert to your employees’ and colleagues’ behavior and act in a timely and compassionate manner similar to the company discussed in this paragraph.

The research on sleep deprivation is well documented. Sleep deprived individuals do not function well cognitively and their reaction times are diminished. This finding was significant enough for one researcher to say that sleep deprived drivers were more dangerous than alcohol impaired drivers. What are the costs to your organization related to sleep deprivation? We know that individuals who are sleep deprived eat more, make poorer food and exercise decisions, are more irritable with others, and make poor decisions. Many companies recognize the dangers of sleep deprivation and provide nap rooms, meditation classes, and other options so that employees can refresh themselves and perform better at work.

Obesity, wellness, and financial impact discussions are ubiquitous on the internet and in the professional literature. Our workforces are getting fatter and fatter. Recent research suggested that obesity not only has downstream health costs for the employer, there is some evidence that cognitive functions can be influenced as well. This research needs to be replicated. Then there is the subgroup of morbidly obese individuals who also have co-morbid depression. Depression affects performance in terms of diminished problem solving skills, concentration problems, social withdrawal, lowered energy which is compounded by the lower energy associated with morbid obesity, as well as other symptoms such as memory impairment. Any of these symptoms will negatively affect performance in most jobs. As an employer it will become an even heavier burden going forward to manage the workforce as the obesity incidence continues to grow. What is becoming more apparent is that the typical wellness program is unsuccessful in helping the morbidly obese. A major component that is missing is the psychological aspects of performance related to weight loss and weight gain. The research in this area has been well established for over 25 years.  Coors Brewing in 1988 was one of the first companies to incorporate an intensive outpatient obesity program as part of its wellness program. It was a highly successful program. Unfortunately during that time there were many fasting programs and one of the unintended side effects of these programs was an increase in gall bladder surgeries and the corresponding cost. Due to a variety of factors beyond the scope of this blog, all weight loss programs were discontinued a few years later. There are best practice examples of successful interventions with the morbidly obese employee population which apply the psychological elements needed to lose and sustain weight loss.

Contact us if you would like to learn more:

info@minesandassociates.com

Have a day filled with loving kindness and compassion,

Bob

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D., CEO & Psychologist

The post Psychology of Performance – 41: Impact of Alcohol, Sleep, and Obesity appeared first on MINES and Associates.

As the prescription drug epidemic continues to rise we need to do more in the area of prevention. Here are some wonderful resources for prescription drug abuse prevention from our friends at Peer Assistance Services:

http://www.peerassistanceservices.org/prescription/drugabuse_materials.php

Ian Holtz,
Manager, Business Development

The post Drug Abuse Prevention appeared first on MINES and Associates.

1. Situation Questions – Tell me about your life? How is it working now?
2. Problem Questions – Can we be specific about what is not working? Are you concerned about your current quality of performance?
3. Implication Questions – What happens if you don’t do something different?
4. Need-Payoff Questions – If you act and it improves – how does that impact your life?

Take time to reflect on these questions, write down your answers, and be curious about where this may take you. If you find yourself resisting the questions or process, look more deeply into that instead.

It’s up to you….as they say “no one can do your push-ups for you.”

Exchange love and happiness with everyone you meet today.

Bob
Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.
CEO & Psychologist

The post Psychology of Performance – 35: Attachment to the Status Quo appeared first on MINES and Associates.

How much is enough? Ratey stated that walking is enough. Low-intensity exercise is at 55 to 65% of maximum heart rate, moderate is 65-75% and high intensity is 75-90%. “The process of getting fit is all about building up your aerobic base” (p.251). Ratey goes on to discuss the role of strength training and flexibility as important elements of optimizing your brain chemistry and hormone levels.

What does this have to do with optimizing your performance at work and in all areas of your life? Everything! Get started today and stick with it.

Have a day filled with optimal brain chemistry,

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.
CEO & Psychologist

The post Psychology of Performance – 34: Spark! appeared first on MINES and Associates.

According to this site, Bill W., the founder of AA, was successfully treated for depression with 3,000 mg of niacin a day. Unfortunately, this information has not been widely discussed or published in the media. I would be interested to hear from any of you who have used niacin as a means of treating depression or alcoholism and what your results were. Please let us at MINES know.

Have a day filled with mindfulness,

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.
CEO & Psychologist

The post Psychology of Performance – 32: Nutrition, Depresssion, Alcoholism and Performance appeared first on MINES and Associates.

~The HealthPsych Team

The post Overcoming Addiction appeared first on MINES and Associates.