Battles Men Face: Just One More [BOOK EXCERPT]

There are certain men who can take alcohol or leave it, but there are others who need to stay as far away from it as possible because of the havoc alcohol addiction has caused in their lives. Between those two polar ends are a great deal of men who need to keep a constant eye on what they drink, when they drink, why they drink, and how much they drink.

Many of these men in the middle:

• Derive a sort of pride in what they consider their ability to hold their liquor. Many start out drinking in moderation, but then something happens.
• Start drinking in moderation, but something happens. They go through a tough time and drink to help them get over the rough spots, but even after the circumstance is over, the dirnking continues.
• Believe that alcohol is synonymous with a good time. They need alcohol to relax, unwind and really enjoy themselves.

The National Institutes of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has a short way to help define if alcohol has become an issue. It's call the CAGE and has four basic questions:

• C Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
• A Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
• G Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
• E Eye opener: Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover?

If you think you may have a drinking problem, help and hope is out there. Twelve step programs have proven invaluable to millions of people all over the world, as well as the kind of whole-person addiction treatment and resources you can find through The Center.

The above is excerpted from chapter 9 in Battles Men Face: Strategies To Win the War Within by Dr. Gregory Jantz.