Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Dec. 5, 1985, edition 1 / Page 10
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Early Stage Alcoholism Special To The Pool Tony and Bill are greet friends. They work together. They work out together. And they drink together. Sitting side-by-side at the bar, it’s difficult to tell one from the other. They drink virtually the same Amount. In fact, they drink the same drink - scotch and water. They ism and chemical dependency treatment center. "On the outside the alcoholic and the non-alcoholic drink and behave just about the same. It's not until the middle stages of the disease when problems begin to appear that people start noticing the symptoms.” Emmert says this delay in the onset of obvious symptoms is the reason for much of the misunder standing that surrounds the disease. For example, the idea that the al coholic is responsible for his own disease. “As the disease progresses the alcoholic begins to drink more. Most people think if he didn’t drink so much, he wouldn’t be alcoholic,” says Emmert. "Actually, his escalating drinking is the result of a physiological change that happened early on. In fact, increased tole rance is one of the earliest symp toms of the disease.” Another symptom displayed by the early-stage alcoholic is that of improved performance. 1 According to Emmert, concen tration, memory, attention span and creative thinking all improve in the non-alcoholic with an ounce or less of alcohol. However, when his blood alcohol level (BAL) reaches a cer tain point, deterioration begins. The more he drinks, the more he de teriorates. But, when he stops drink ing and his BAL returns toward noriqal, he begins to improve. - The primary difference between i the non-alcoholic and the alcohoOc is that the higher his BAL, the more the alcoholic’s performance im proves, to a point. Often a BAL that would render one person virtually nonfunctional has been recorded in another who displayed scarcely any symptoms of intoxication. And, for the alcoholic, the closer his BAL descends toward normal, the more deterioration he experiences. “For the early-stage alcoholic, an increased BAL means - improved performance. That’s why we often hear people saying they work better when they’re drinking, that they can drive better when they’re drink ing. This can be true of the early stage alcoholic. So naturally the drinking experience is rewarding to him. He feels better, he is able to perform better. If he could just maintain that high BAL, he could continue to function on an improved level,” says Emmert. “But this, of course, is impossible.” Alcoholism is a progressive dis ease. Unless it is interrupted, it will continue to get worse. The alcoholic will begin to show the more ob vious symptoms of the disease. He will inevitably begin to have alcohol related problems in different areas of his life. It is when these pro blems begin to appear that the alcoholic reaches the middle-stage of his disease. The length of time between early and middle-stage alcoholism varies with individuals, says Emmert, who explains that the progression hap pens rapidly for some individuals, sometimes within weeks or months. Others may drink for years before they cross that “invisible line” be tween the hidden, early-stage of al coholism and the more obvious middle-stage. What about early detection and treatment for first-stage alcoholics? • Emmert doesn’t hold much hope. “There’s really no reason for the early-stage alcoholic to suspect he’s got a disease,” Emmert says. “Mu’S:' r oot drinking any differently than many of his peers, alcohol isn’t causing him any problems. In fact, it’s still pleasurable. There’s no reason for him, Ms friends or family to be concerned." Emmert states, “We can’t prevent the disease yet, we’re Just beginning to be able to predid who might get It We live in a society that en courages drinking and shuns alco holics. And one that knows won-, fully little about the symptotna of the disease. Oiyen these factors, there’s virtually no chance that the early ■' stage alcoholic won’t progress at HUS#”1** mlddJe * ** ,Li.l ism and its treatment is available through Charlotte Treatment center, 704-554-8373. . 4 > ' ' - ’ • \\ , \ ( For Your Complete Home Funuthing Come By And See Tony STERCHTS 111 TmkuMget Road i Charlotte, N.C. 333-3751 TonyLMimct II Ukl »n»r«imlrnv« II The Christinas Grit That Lasts, and Lasts, and Lasts r*" . fOIFT CERTIFICATE4 BUFFALO TIRE « ___ 4V»W 4K. *«/h y jpmm <»4rAn A 4L mnU y._ ,- Bt^tk m*Am /imm «.A. .- i.i m-Gntm w_. _ —e a 8 a —i - .■■■■' —. .J Give Buffalo's Gift Certificates for Tires, Auto Service, and Custom Wheels .*50—.MOO — cnjwKAn IftU PAT SAVE $50 00.W 101A 0/ Sioo.oo .*87“ I 1 72 70 5150.00___i *131** -— The PI Phi chapter of Onega Pal Phi Fraternity recently celebrated its 22nd Animal Achievement Week Banquet. Ualng the theme "Toward the lMOs-Uplifting As We Climb Through Education and Economic Development" members of the fraternity awarded many of Its members. Pictured above is one such . honored Individual. From left to right. Sterling Woodard, the IM4 Omega Man of the Year pre sented the 1*85 Omega Man pt the Year award to Kenneth Diamond while chapter baailens, Tony Singletary looks on. (Photo by Peeler’s Portrait Studios) FOR THE BEST IN FOOD BARGAINS Read The Charlotte Post | I! • •• ...Jar*at.. »"-j ’APEHTOWN Supplies To Decorate J P • Your Home \ ! • Your Gift* i_ •Year Party Table | [Bow* - Gift Boxes - Wrap - Card*' .Napkins - Table Cover* ; .Cuttlery-DInnerware • Candles J Decorative Tin* - Place Mat#, 'Catering Supplies -pjew Year's] Party Supplies, etc. ^ Top Quality - L*westh££e~~] 1 442SE.Indep.Blvd 5S8-SSS3 ‘ > , 515 N. 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The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Dec. 5, 1985, edition 1
10
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