Jasele Oita's Blog A weblog about everything

Some people begin abusing alcohol at a young age while others don’t become addicted until later in life. Read more about the factors that cause people to become alcoholics at different ages.

There are several factors that determine a person’s susceptibility to drug and alcohol addiction. Among these factors is age. Studies have shown that teens in drug and alcohol rehab tend to experience stronger mental and physical withdrawal symptoms. Scientists believe this is a product of the fact that teens’ brains are still developing, leaving them particularly at risk to the short-term effects of drug and alcohol abuse.

Along with impacting how people recover from alcohol addiction, age also plays a role in why people become addicted in the first place. While there are certain factors that are common among all alcoholics (such as a likelihood of having parents who were addicts), there are also other factors that are common in younger alcoholics versus those who become addicted to alcohol and need treatment in a rehab center later in life.

Teens who end up in alcohol and drug rehabilitation usually start drinking by age 12 and steadily increase their alcohol consumption until they are alcoholics by the time they are in their late teens. Boys are more likely than girls to become alcoholics at a young age. Frequently there are underlying mental health problems such as attention deficit disorder that are associated with teen alcoholics. Teens with drinking problems also tend to have a less stable social network and poor coping skills.

Adult alcoholics who end up in an addiction center tend to drink because of outside forces. For example, a person might start drinking because of stress at work or trouble with their personal life. Instead of using alcohol as a social lubricant or way to have fun, they use alcohol to dull their senses and numb their mental pain and stress. In an addiction program, adult alcoholics are taught more positive ways to relieve their stress and manage difficult situations.

Protecting your children from the harsh rays of the sun is very important, especially during summer. Take into consideration that your children spend more time outdoors during the summer, and that is coincidentally also the time when the sun is at its hottest. Keep a close eye on your kids, watch out for signs of a heatstroke, apart from sunburns, and you must ensure that your kids drink lots of water in order to prevent them getting dehydrated. Here are a few easy steps to ensure your kids stay safe:

While staying out of the sun would be the best way to avoid any problems, but that really is not even an option. Instead, invest in a really good sunscreen. Read the fine print and make sure that the sunscreen blocks UVB and UVA rays, and comes armed with a Sun Protection Factor or SPF of 30+ at least. Get your kids used to applying it around 30 minutes before they head outdoors, as they need this time for the sunscreen to be absorbed into their skin to ensure maximum protection from the sun. Once they are out and about in the sun, reapply the sunscreen every couple of hours, and even more often if they are swimming. When applying the sunscreen, apply it generously, and make sure you get every bit of exposed skin. In most cases, parents just do not apply enough.

Apart from the sunscreen, you should your children sun hats. Since they are available in a myriad of sizes, shapes and colours, you can let your children choose whichever ones they like. You just have to ensure that it covers their face, neck and ears.

If your children have skin that is very sensitive, then you might also want to buy them sun shirts, which are worn predominantly by surfers, and have an SPF of 150+.

It is not easy to maintain sobriety after a serious drug or alcohol addiction. In addition to regular doctor visits, therapy sessions and support group meetings, there could be times when a recovering addict may need to escape to a safe place where they can refocus their efforts on sobriety. And what better place to run to than the alcohol and drug treatment center they graduated from?

Whether you have been sober for 20 days or 20 years, there is always the temptation to drink just one sip or smoke just one hit. However, the right support and guidance will remind you of the serious consequences if you follow the path to addiction once again. If you are tempted to fall off the wagon, contact your rehab center.  They may have a program available that fits your needs. For example, leading rehabilitation center Cirque Lodge offers the Guesting Privilege. Available to residents who have completed the program, this service allows graduates an opportunity to return to the drug and alcohol rehab center and remain as a guest for up to four days (96 hours).

While this offer stands for the life time of the former resident, there are a few restrictions: Alumni must have remained sober and rooms are based on availability and approval from the clinical staff. If you need some time to recoup and refocus your efforts on sobriety, please contact the alcohol and drug addiction facility today.