For years in the bodybuilding world there is always talk of safe bulking steroids. There have been numerous people who I have spoke with who claim that if you do the cycles correctly, buy from the right supplier, and keep working out, there will be no side effect to these bulking steroids. Well I did a little research on this and the conclusion I came to is that this is WRONG!

I have found nothing what so ever that supports the claim that there are safe bulking steroids out there. In fact everything I found points to the contrary. All of these bulking steroids have side effects in one way or another. While the muscle gains and fat loss is amazing when using steroids, I always ask people if it’s worth it in the long run. People do not stop and think of the long term effects these bulking steroids have on them and when they find out it’s usually too late.

Here are just some of the few side effects these so called “safe bulking steroids” can have on you:

For everyone: Liver tumors, jaundice, fluid retention, and high blood pressure

For Men: Shrinking of the testicles, reduced sperm count, infertility, baldness, development of breasts;

For women: Growth of facial hair, changes in or Cessation of the menstrual cycle, deepened voice; for adolescents growth halted prematurely through premature skeletal maturation and accelerated puberty changes.

Now if you stop to think about it, does building a few pounds of muscle merit the side effects that you will have to suffer with for probably the rest of your life?

You also have to take into consideration that if you stop lifting weights then all of your muscle gains go bye-bye and you are still left with the side effects from using the steroids.

While it may seem that everyone who weight trains is using steroids, remember that this is not true. Although the use of these bulking steroids is definitely on the rise, those who care about their body refrain from it. Think about it, you have to acquire them illegally, some you have to inject into your butt, then you have to deal with the devastating effects they may have on your body. You also have to deal with the mode swings and the shame of knowing your doing something illegal.

To sum it up there is no such thing as safe bulking steroids. With proper diet and exercise you will be able to reach your goals the right way and without destroying your body.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mickele_Ross

When it comes to delivering a message, or taking even the most appropriate and necessary action, nobody really likes to be the “bad guy.” In the case of addiction, the “bad guy” is the one who takes action and intercedes on behalf of a friend or loved one. God bless the “bad guy,” who sees a problem, tries to help, and in so many cases may wind up saving a life.

A couple of years ago I was on-call at the emergency room of the hospital, I noticed a man getting out of his car in front of the door. He was in his early 40’s and very fit. He had an athletic build and was muscular like a football player. He walked to the triage nurse and said he was seeking help for his friend. He explained that he had called his friend, but got no answer. Worried, he went over to his friend’s apartment and found him in a rundown physical stake.

The man brought his friend, “Frank” into the hospital. Frank was a mess. He smelled of alcohol and urine, and it was obvious he had not had any interest in taking care of himself. He probably weighed 130-140 pounds, but was nearly six feet tall. Skinny does not adequately describe him, as his bones stuck out and his dim, dark eyes were deep set in his face. He looked like someone coming out of a Nazi concentration camp.

As the medical team tended to Frank, his friend, “Scott” and I had a chat and he told me an amazing story.

“Frank is an old friend. He used to be my training partner and believe it or not, he used to look like me,” Scott explained. “We used to do triathlons together and it wasn’t that long ago. But then I moved to another town and we sort of drifted apart. We talked on the phone, but I never expected this.”

He went on to explain that Frank didn’t want help, but agreed to a check-up, just to see if he was ill. After a while the nurse invited us into the examining room. The doctor said that Frank in trouble, that the disease was probably going to kill him unless there was something done to reverse the direction it was taking.

Frank by this time was sensing that the hospital staff wanted to keep him there. He didn’t want treatment, he didn’t want to stay and he became angry. By this time Frank was not speaking to his friend, the “bad guy” who turned him in.

Frank was admitted and stayed a few days, as his friend contacted Frank’s family. I recall Frank’s father telling me that Scott was responsible for saving Frank’s life. The father was so grateful and expressing his feelings to me brought him to tears. Scott did save a life that day.

Far too many people, especially those who have never been addicted to anything, consider addiction a “life-style choice” — something an addict could stop if he or she “really wanted to” and wasn’t so “weak-willed.” Such opinions show ignorance of the scientific addiction literature and the experience of a drug detox professionals.

Long-term use of addictive drugs and alcohol “re-wires” an addicts brain — a popular, albeit over-simplified term that tries to explain why addicts are not so much “weak-willed” as they are driven by potent physical forces, as well as the mental and emotional factors playing a part in their addiction. Almost any drug detox specialist will confirm that addicts react quite differently to addictive substances than non-addicted people do — and quite differently than they did before they became addicted. These changes in brain chemistry are the main physical component driving ongoing drug addiction.

But many addictive drugs when abused long enough — and alcohol to an even greater degree than many other drugs — can cause alterations in the structure and function of other organs and tissues in the body. These can result in chronic pain and serious discomfort, and often real illnesses, that affect mood, outlook and behavior. These complications only add to the complexity of the addiction, and of the cure. Add to these the guilt and shame that addiction often creates, plus the addicts original emotional and mental problems that contributed to the addiction in the first place, and you begin to see how drug detox providers have quite complex situations to untangle.

Some addicts are lucky enough to find the will-power to get themselves into drug detox. But many cannot. Most serious addicts need someone they can trust to help make the drug detox and rehab decision.

If someone you know has a substance dependence or an alcohol addiction or a drug addiction, don’t hesitate to contact a drug detox counselor right away. Use your will-power to help them get the help they need, and get that person into a drug detox program.

Rod MacTaggart is a Florida-based freelance writer who contributes articles on health.

info@novusdetox.com

http://www.novusdetox.com

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Drug addiction is a compulsive disorder. Addiction can be of varied kinds, namely drugs, alcohol, gambling, spending, smoking, sex, eating or any other behavior. A person hit by this is often unsatisfied and restless. Drug addiction in layman’s terms would be dependence on chemicals or on unwanted plants for the sake of getting high. This disorder requires very high consumption of drugs in order to fulfill drug seeking behavior, and is very vulnerable to relapse.

The following are some of the most common drugs that are physically or mentally addictive.

1) Alcohol

The general concept of the masses about alcohol is wrong. Alcoholics are the ones who seek help for a problem related to his or her drinking. Alcoholism is “alcohol dependence.” Symptoms are craving (a strong desire to drink), loss of control (the inability to save oneself from drinking any time), physical dependence (the aftereffects of quitting alcohol, such as nausea, sweating, and shakiness), and tolerance (the need drink more and more to get “drunk”). Alcohol abuse differs from alcoholism in that it does not include an extremely strong craving for alcohol, loss of control over drinking or physical dependence. There are a lot of medical facilities that treat alcoholism. Drug rehabilitation centers are also present. Most importantly an alcoholic requires emotional support from the near and dear ones.

2) Cocaine

Also known as “crack” in layman’s words. It is a strongly addictive stimulant that affects the brain directly. It is one the most popular drugs. And is consumed in great amounts. Cocaine is consumed by either chewing, snorting, mainlining, injecting, or smoking. It’s effects include; increased energy, decreased appetite, mental alertness, high blood pressure, addiction, restlessness, and hallucinations. There has been an enormous amount of cocaine used over the years. It is one of the most common cited drugs around. As cocaine is a strong drug, it causes harsh effects on the mind and body so the treatment process is very harsh.

3) Ecstasy

One of the most dangerous drugs, it can bring about deadly reaction in the abuser. According to some users its one of the hottest drugs around. Ecstasy is often referred to as disco biscuit, go, “X”, love drug, and hug drug. Ecstasy is one of the harshest drugs around, as it causes accelerated dehydration, overheating, and can eventually cause death.

4) Hallucinogens

As the name suggests these are drugs that causes hallucinations (illusory perception). Hallucinogens cause their effects by by disrupting the interaction of nerve cells and then spread throughout the body. They are often referred to as acid, blotter, and blooter acid, dots, pane, and zen They generally react on the mind for around 12 hours within a span 30 minutes of administration. Prolonged use causes neural disorders and malfunctions of the brain.) It is one of the most highly addictive drugs. There is a misconception about this drug that it does not lead to addiction. Heroin is a processed form of morphine. It is often called smack, skag, and junk. The effects include; a rush, depression, abscesses, arthritis, and collapsed veins.

6) Marijuana

Marijuana is one of the most elicits drugs. The drug is excessively popular amongst teenagers. Commonly known as pot, weed, grass, herb, Maryjane, and the devil’s cabbage. It’s effects can last for around 1-3 hours. It can cause a lot of harm to the lungs and a person loses his or her concentration power. It causes severe smoking habits which are difficult to quit, and prolonged consumption can also lead to Cancer. There is no medical treatment available for marijuana abusers, as it is not considered physically addictive.

7) Methamphetamines

Methamphetamines are often called speed, meth, chalk, ice, crystal, crank, and glass. They are a powerfully addictive stimulant that dramatically affects the central nervous system. It comes in many forms and can be smoked, snorted, orally ingested or injected. Their effects are; increase in activity, hyperthermia, paranoia, hallucinations, stroke, and weight loss. This drug usually remains present in the brain for a longer duration, which ultimately leads to prolonged stimulant effects.

There is a distinct relationship between painkiller abuse and insomnia. People who use painkillers over a long period often become dependent on them. Whether they are still using or they are trying to stop, insomnia can occur.

Painkillers which come from opium or synthetic opium are among the most frequently abused. Acetaminophen combined with codeine is a very popular prescription for doctors to hand out. Vicodin or hydrocodone can also be used for pain management. However, when the person develops a need to take the pain medication continually, it becomes a problem.

People begin by taking the medication that has been prescribed to them. Next, they clean out the medicine cabinet of any similar medications that have been prescribed to family members. Finally, they will shop around for painkillers. They will do this by convincing each of their individual doctors, dentists, and specialists that they need a prescription for the painkillers.

The result is painkiller abuse, and insomnia is a part of the package. When the person first begins to take the painkillers, the initial effect is sleepiness or grogginess. This is a pleasant feeling to many people, especially to those in pain. They want to experience it again and again. They may even combine their painkillers with other drugs or with alcohol to increase the sedative effect.

The problem is that, over time, the body begins to get used to the painkiller. It takes more to get the desired effect. This means that sleeplessness is likely any time the person who is addicted cannot increase or at least maintain the dose usually taken. The addict wants more than anything to relax and often to go to sleep. This becomes increasingly difficult.

Even when people who abuse painkillers do go to bed, their sleep cycles are not normal. They are not able to go into the various stages of light to deep to REM sleep the way most people do. This leads to more sleep disturbances, and eventually to more insomnia.

Another reason painkiller abuse and insomnia go hand in hand is because of withdrawal. When a person does decide to get off of painkillers, a period of insomnia is almost certain to take place. The body is craving its accustomed fix of medications. It will not let one sleep unless they are given, or until long after physical withdrawal is complete.

Rebound headaches are a different source of painkiller abuse that can lead to insomnia. The painkillers may simply be over-the-counter preparations such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen. They could be migraine medications or opiates as well. When one takes them indiscriminately, it is a recipe for problems.

People begin by taking too much medication, or by taking it in anticipation of needing it. The body becomes used to having the medication. When a day of medication is missed, the headache comes back worse than before. Insomnia is one of the problems associated with this syndrome.

Painkiller abuse and insomnia are both problems individually. When the abuse is the cause of the insomnia, the difficulty is compounded. One must not only recover from the substance abuse. One must also tame the insomnia that has resulted.

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As we are all aware, doping activity has really picked up pace since it has gotten the media and celebrities involved. This has become a major reason to worry for almost every parent. Among the most vulnerable class are teenagers, who are trying to fit in and be cool.. They are following in the footsteps of all these pop stars who have used drugs. Second on the list are people who are unemployed or are emotionally disturbed, they tend to drift towards these activities. Despite strict laws there has been no stopping for a lot of people.

The facts and figures speak for themselves. Among the age group of 12-17 the most popular drug is marijuana because it is cheap, available, and gives a good kick. Next in the list is cocaine, it is a popular party drug. Pain relievers are the next most popular after cocaine, it acts as a stress buster for many people. A lot of drugs are comparatively less consumed because of financial issues. Another interesting figure was that among adults aged 18 or older who first tried marijuana at age 14 or younger, 12.9 percent were classified with illicit drug dependence or abuse, higher than the 2.2 percent of adults, who had first used marijuana at age 18 or older.

Among adults, the age they first used alcohol was associated with their dependence on or abuse of alcohol. For example, among adults age 18 or older who first tried alcohol at age 14 or younger, 17.5 percent were classified with alcohol dependence or abuse, compared with only 3.7 percent of adults who had first used alcohol at age 18 or older. Adults age 21 or older who had first used alcohol before age 21 were more likely than adults who had their first drink at age 21 or older to be classified with alcohol dependence or abuse.

The rate of illicit drug dependence or abuse among males age 12 or older was similar, 3.7 percent. The rate for females involved in these activities is 2.1%. Adults age 18 or older who were on parole or a supervised release from prison during the past year had higher rates of dependence on or abuse of a substance (36.9 percent) than their counterparts who were not on parole or supervised release during the past year (9.1 percent). Probation status was associated with substance dependence or abuse. The rate of substance dependence or abuse was 39.7 percent among adults who were on probation, which was significantly higher than the rate among adults who were not on probation (8.7 percent).

The figures are also not too convincing for adults, 11.3 % people above the age 18 or older were found involved in these acts, 18.6% people from the age group of 20-25, 12.5% were from 26-49, 7.1% from 50- older. The prime reason among adults drifting toward drugs was too much stress and emotion disturbance. Another interesting figure was that 27.7 % of the people involved in illicit drug habits,29.7% were found out to be chain smokers and 38.6% were found out to be involved in severe drinking habits.

It’s really depressing to see such figures. I hope people realize these things and at least make an effort to save their health and make a better tomorrow for themselves. If such acts continue at the same pace as they are, I wonder what will be of the generations to come.

“Drug taking is an almost universal phenomenon and, statistically, those that are not taking drugs are abnormal”.

Most people would like to disagree, but when you break it down, the above statement is remarkably accurate. How so? Well, a drug is defined as any substance that is used to modify a chemical process or processes in the body. In that respect, pretty much whatever we consume (or allow to enter our bodies) can be considered drugs.

Still need convincing? Well how about a quick can of Red Bull to ‘give you wings’, or some paracetamol to help soften the aftermath of last night’s antics? And the list goes on - tea, coffee, prescription medication, non-prescription medication, alcohol, recreational (illegal) drugs and even chocolate.

When you stop to think about it, mankind has throughout history used, in some way or form, a number of different types of drugs, whether naturally occurring or synthetically produced, to alter their state of being, either physically or mentally.

So, if drugs and drug takers are part of our everyday life, wherein lies the problem?

Well, any substance, whether considered a ‘good’ substance (e.g. pain relief medication or coffee) or a ‘bad’ substance (e.g. cannabis or heroin) is dangerous if abused, not only for the individual concerned but also for people in close proximity, in particular young dependants, as well as the community as a whole. To that end there have been a number of laws implemented within the UK, which control the manufacture and supply of medicinal drugs (Medicines Act 1968) and also prevent the misuse of non-medicinal / illegal drugs (Misuse of Drugs act 1971).

In the UK today, recent figures published by the Office of National Statistics suggest a conservative figure of 320,000 known problem drug users, in addition to the 1.8 million adults who drink at harmful levels, with numbers increasing yearly. The financial cost of dealing with substance misuse, in terms of the NHS, loss of productivity at work and policing, is estimated at £30 billion a year. All these factors have led to changes in policy and a more proactive approach towards treatment and rehabilitation for those affected.

However, before any form of treatment can begin, it is important to ascertain exactly what substance or substances are being misused, at what levels and over what time period. This is now possible, due to advances in analytical science.

Drugs, chemicals and biological substances, when ingested, smoked or otherwise permitted entry into the body, enter the bloodstream and are converted into specific metabolites. These metabolites, some of which are incorporated into keratinised matrices - hair and nails - circulate throughout the body before being excreted via urine or sweat. Upon analysis, if the appropriate metabolites are present in a given sample, then evidence of drug misuse can be concluded.

The choice of sample analysed will depend upon what you would like to show, as each type of drug test has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, if you wanted to establish that a drug was consumed recently, within the last few days, then urine or blood analysis would be the best choice of sample, as the window of detection is, depending on the drug, between 3 and 6 days. However, if chronic misuse or a pattern of substance abuse needs to be established, then a hair drug test would be the best type of test to use. Of course other factors such as the possibility of adulteration of the sample, storage of the sample, ease of collection and expense should all be taken into consideration.

To some extent, the accuracy and sophistication of drug testing techniques has overtaken the public’s acceptance of its use. Society does not, at present, endorse widespread drug screening programmes. However, in those situations where it has been deemed acceptable to carry out drug screening - prisons, the military and industries such as aviation - it has proved an effective means not only of detecting substance misuse, but also of monitoring and supporting drug rehabilitation programmes.

Peter Wood is Business Development Manager of Eurofins Genetic Services, which for nearly a decade has specialised in providing professional, accurate and conclusive results for an unrivalled range of accredited DNA testing and substance misuse toxicology services.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_G_Wood

Topic: Alcohol Rehab: Understanding Addiction:

Alcohol Rehab has made many changes since the days of locked doors and smoke-filled meeting halls. There has been considerable research into the psychological factors that underlie addiction. There are still many conflicting theories as to the root causes of addiction. Some still consider alcohol as a “disease” suggesting a cause inflicted from some outside force acting on the body, a more modern version, but not unlike earlier notions that alcoholics were possessed by the devil.

Modern psychologists have come to believe that a combination of internalized beliefs, psychological or physical traumas, and other emotional factors are more likely the cause of addictions. Recent findings have identified feelings of helplessness as being central to the addiction process. The addict, driven by this helplessness, attempts to regain a feeling of power and control over his or her life by using increasing amounts of alcohol. Rehab programs increasingly are adopting new approaches in an effort to obtain improved results.

Alcohol Rehab: Traditional Approaches:

The first step in traditional Alcohol Rehab is detoxification. It can take 3 to 7 days to complete the process. Most chronic drinkers will experience some level of withdrawal when they are suddenly deprived of alcohol. Most physical effects can be treated at outpatient services; however the more severe physical withdrawal symptoms as well as the addicts extreme desire to obtain alcohol may require close monitoring in a controlled environment. In the most severe cases, prescription tranquilizers or other medicines may be required to combat withdrawal. After seven days, the addiction to alcohol is primarily psychological. There are no universally effective medications to keep a person from drinking. Alcohol Rehab cannot offer a pill that will stop a person from drinking. There are some medications, the best known of these, Antiabuse, which makes the addict sick when he or she drinks.

Traditional Alcohol Rehab includes a combination of intensive individual and group therapy, family therapy and spiritual counseling. To lessen the chance of relapse, ongoing therapy and support is also recommended for an extended period once the initial Alcohol Rehab is complete

Alcohol Rehab: New Approaches:

Alcohol Rehab programs are increasingly incorporating previously unrecognized holistic approaches to combat the addicts feelings of helplessness. Holistic Alcohol Rehab addresses the physical, the emotional, the mental and the spiritual in an attempt to bring all four components within the addict into “balance.” Some methods commonly used in holistic Alcohol Rehab include acupuncture, acupressure, blood chemistry analysis, physical fitness training, herbal remedies, meditation and massage. These are in addition to more traditional spiritual counseling and individual and group therapy.

Alcohol Rehab: A Family Affair: Many studies have concluded that Alcohol Rehab is more successful if the addicts family, primarily the spouse or partner, is supportive. It has been well documented that family relationships play a vital role in the development and continuation of addiction. A spouse or partner may even be an addict also. Most Alcohol Rehab programs now incorporate couples and family therapy as an integral part of the addicts overall program. Groups such as Alanon can provide ongoing support for families once the addicts Alcohol Rehab is complete. A recovering family has the best chance of success.

@Copywrite by Stephen Huston. Mr Huston is a freelance writer on various topics. You can find more articles and resources on alcohol, and drug treatment at: http://www.bestadviceabout.com/alcohol_treatment

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What help for alcoholics? They are just fine, aren’t they? Waking up feeling all mess up, sleep was disturbed as if you did not sleep at all. You go from being passed out to waking up every 15 minutes. Then, when it is finally the time to get up, there is this throbbing head pain when you open your eyes. That is the feeling one gets after consuming too much alcohol the previous night.

When a person is affected by alcoholism in a family, the family members often want to find a way to help the alcoholic. There are indeed ways that have been proven to work for helping someone with alcoholism. Alcoholism affects everyone the alcoholic knows in one way or another and therefore convincing the alcoholic to get help will benefit everyone in the end. It is also important for people to understand, though, that alcoholism is hard to fight and it takes dedication, time and understanding to be successful.

In some households, it seems like normal practice to have a couple of drinks after a long day at work, whether it is wine with dinner or maybe even a nightcap. In this situation it is even less likely that you will notice if someone is an alcoholic or not. The same applies for couples or families who socialise a lot in pubs or other establishments which serve alcoholic drinks. When someone looks like a little tipsy, the people around will probably only pass it off as “one too many”, but how do you know when “one too many” becomes a daily habit?

Maintaining a normal environment with an alcoholic is important. Trying to change everything about an alcoholic’s life will just cause them more stress which might triggers the alcoholism again. It is important when helping someone that a person tries to keep things normal with the exception of eliminating alcohol.

Are you beginning to wonder why you’re drinking more and enjoying it less? I’ve been there, done that!

Some 17+ years ago, I attributed my heavy drinking to the business and marriage problems I was having. It never occurred to me that I was having these problems because I was trapped in a restless and angry fog resulting from too much alcohol consumption.

I saw myself as simply an enthusiastic social drinker. I kept thinking that anyone would drink like I did if they had my problems. At separate times, a therapist and a psychiatrist both confirmed my thinking. In therapy sessions we would always talk about my business or personal problems, alcohol was either never mentioned or brushed aside.

In my own mind I wasn’t the image of an alcoholic. An alcoholic to me was someone unshaven, in a battered raincoat, homeless, sitting on a curb drinking out of a brown paper bag. I would learn later that I could easily have ended up in that state had I continued drinking. Often, many very talented and capable people who somehow can’t accept their alcoholism end up that way.

I had never had a D.U.I., never had a car accident of any kind, let alone one related to alcohol. I had never been fired or kicked out of any organization for alcohol abuse. Later I realized how alcohol gave me a bad attitude that caused a long time employer to finally ask me to leave, even though I had never embarrassed the company because of my drinking. The words alcohol or drinking were never used during our severance discussions.

It took 35 years of ever increasing consumption of various alcohol products to bring me down. I was blessed (cursed?) with a strong physical constitution inherited from my father. When I was younger, I had no problem easily bouncing back from a good toot. I was 46 years old when I finally quit drinking and, by that time, my health was on a downward slide. I had become slightly yellow from jaundice and constantly endured a pain in my side. I would later learn that the pain was from an enlarged liver due to alcohol abuse.

The incident that started the process of changing my life occurred at a neighbor’s house over dinner. My wife and I were with long time friends, our drinking circle. I went overboard and drank copious amounts of white wine before dinner, copious amounts of red wine with dinner and copious amounts of brandy after dinner. I blacked out.

Upon leaving the neighbors, I fell off the front stoop, bounced off a sidewalk, rolled down a small hill and spread-eagled in the street in front of their house. I had to be told what happened later as I had no recall of that evening whatsoever. I still don’t.

My family doctor treated me for bruises and congestion (from the histamines in the wine). When I confessed I was uneasy about my drinking, he suggested I go to Alcoholics Anonymous. I took his advice hesitantly; still not convinced I was an alcoholic. I continued to cling to the hope I could find a way to moderate my drinking and get back to a perfect two martini lunch, which I thought was the mark of a gentleman. Of course, it had been decades since I had been able to have only two martinis at a drinking lunch.

I became a reluctant, even belligerent member of AA. It took weeks before I could even entertain the thought of calling myself an alcoholic. Finally, with the help and support of a very gentle, non-judgmental member of AA who listened to me and shared his experiences, some of which were highly personal and startling, I began to see I was not unique. I was suffering from an ailment that directly affects some 7-10% of the population. We are people who physically and mentally react differently and badly to ethyl alcohol. I didn’t ask for this condition, I just have it.

At first I was uncomfortable about the idea of alcoholism being a disease. It sounded like namby-pamby psychology to cover up my bad behavior when I was drinking. My sponsor, an experienced AA person, who’s function is to guide a newcomer through the program, quickly relieved me of that notion. He told me I was not only responsible for my actions when I drank, but I would have to eventually face these actions and the people I hurt directly if I was ever going to find long term sobriety and emotional peace. He turned out to be dead right. I had some of the best experiences of my life in this regard. I’ve now been a member of AA for over 17 years and recently wrote a story of my experience under the pen name used for this article. It’s a 200 page novel, primarily based on my personal story, but enhanced with many of the peculiarities found in AA meetings.

The book plays on the use of the incessant acronyms encountered at AA meetings such as: F.E.A.R., D.E.N.I.A.L., H.O.W., S.P.O.N.S.O.R., T.I.M.E., H.O.P.E., K.I.S.S., R.E.L.A.T.I.O.N.S.H.I.P., N.U.T.S., S.T.E.P.S., S.L.I.P., and S.O.B.E.R. The last, S.O.B.E.R., is the title of the book. I tried to show the real AA with all its humor, irreverence, witticisms, tough love and spiritual mystery. If you have concerns about your drinking, you may find this book is a non threatening way to explore the question of your drinking. To see more, go here: http://www.esober.com.

I’m not promoting AA, just trying to demystify it. My wish is that every alcoholic or problem drinker gets sober by whatever method works for them, AA or any other means. Too many lives, families, friends, careers and businesses have been devastated by this alcohol - the good news is there is a great way out!

Ian is a middle class professional, father of three who entered Alcoholics Anonymous in 1990 and hasn’t had a drink since. He is the author of “S.O.B.E.R. - How the Irritating Acronyms of Alcoholics Anonymous Got One Drunk Sober”. Email: ian@esober.com. Website: http://www.esober.com

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