Alcoholism and insurance

Which would probably mean not driving at all, as many alcoholics drink so much they are never below the legal limit.

Not quite sure why he is informing the DVLA?

You only lose your licence if caught driving over the limit. No law against being drunk - provided you don't drive like that.

BTW, there is no 'treatment' for alcoholism. The only way is to stop drinking totally. That is the definition of an alcoholic - one who can't control his drinking.

Medication is sometimes used to overcome the withdrawal symptoms when an addict stops using their drug of choice. And that medication may well make it inadvisable (or illegal) to drive too.

It probably comes under mental health conditions. and is in the list under A

Crikey. Have you seen the list of notifiable conditions? I'll bet the majority suffer from some extent to at least one of them. ;-)

Addicts are notorious for denying they have a problem. Admitting that they have is one of the first things they have to do if meaning to beat that addiction.

I'd take the advice of a pro as to whether the DVLA *must* be informed. Most alcoholics will already have one or more drink driving convictions anyway.

In article , Berty Blenkinsop scribeth thus

Well done to him for admitting he has a problem and is doing something about it. A word with his GP would be the best bet re informing the DVLA they do seem to be clued up on that sort of thing or if he/she doc isn't they can refer it up the chain..

As to insurance best to ask a broker for comment, has he been done for drink driving at all?..

No, as I said he wouldn't dream of driving if he wasn't 100% and uses a breathalyser if he has the slightest doubt. You can buy a digital one on ebay for under a tenner these days.

OK i wonder if an alcoholic is a medically diagnosed illness/term as such?. I know a few people who are -very- fond of the pop but they keep it together otherwise in their lives.

I'd hate to think their liver state;(...

It is. It's also an addiction that experts will tell you is worse in most cases than addiction to illegal drugs.

They are unlikely to 'qualify' as alcoholics then.

Or worse, the effects on their mental health later in life.

Chris

It's normally accepted as being one who can't control their drinking. Although many function while drinking heavily. Not all alcoholics drink cider on a park bench. ;-) Making it rather difficult to give an accurate definition.

It can certainly do more physical harm to the body than some illegal drugs. But as regards being hooked, it's easier to get off than many illegal drugs. The chemical addiction only lasts a few days. The mental one is the greater problem. But that last one is common to all forms of addiction.

Many can not drink during the day and therefore work, but get drunk each and every evening. The real test is if they can stop totally for some time. Without it causing distress. The answer is often 'I could if I wanted to' ;-)

Alcohol abuse can damage just about every organ in the body.

A young woman of my acquaintance is head of the drug and alcohol abuse team in my nearest city. She has dealt with hundreds of addicts of all types, and it was she who told me that the worst form of addiction, and the hardest to treat, is alcoholism. There are no effective medications to treat it, unlike many other forms of addiction.

It's also the most difficult thing to stay clean, due to the ease of availability.

As an aside, the council she works for sets a yearly target of 20% of clients ending up 'clean' - a pretty low one when you consider that only the small percentage of those who are addicted ever seek help. Over the last 10 years, they have never, ever managed to achieve even a 5% 'clean' figure.

Very, very sad when you hear some of the stories.

They would not be considered alcoholics in terms of their ability to claim that their illness prevents them seeking work for example.

...and their relationship with just about every friend and family member.

Chris

I'd ask if she is an addict in recovery herself? It's fairly commonly held view that only an addict can truly understand addiction.

I've also worked with addiction charities. And my view is she's wrong. A standard de-tox involves substituting alchohol with another drug - usually something like librium - under controlled conditions. To much reduce withdrawal symptoms. Then gradually reduce the dose of librium as the withdrawal symptoms disappear. Takes about 7-14 days. After that, an alcoholic's *body* won't be demanding alcohol. With many illegal drugs this will take a lot longer, and not be so effective.

The real problem is the mental addiction - the reasons addicts do what they do. This can take a lot longer to turn round. And in the majority of cases seems to be impossible.

As are most drugs in any town. Ask any addict. Even mail order. Removing the supply (apart from being impossible) is fairly pointless unless the addict really does want to stop. Because if he doesn't, he'll just go back to his old ways at some point.

Yes - success rates are low. Snag being many are forced or cajoled into such programmes. Without actually wanting to stop. Hence the AA bit about reaching a rock bottom. The point where you realise in yourself that there are only two choices - stop or die.

Absolutely. If you're interested, it's worth attending an AA meeting if it has an open day. Normally, AA meetings are for alcoholics only - for obvious reasons. Most meeting have a 'chair' where the speaker (an alcoholic in recovery) tells his story. It's then you find out that no two have the same path to their rock bottom and subsequent recovery. Although their will be lots of similarities.

That's not the definition of an alcoholic. Many are dependant on alcohol but hold down a job, etc. But often won't admit they are dependant on alcohol.

Yes. The big snag being there are so many variations. Not everything applies to each alcoholic equally.

AA has at least as good a record of helping alcoholics to recovery as any very expensive re-hab. And at zero cost to the public. But as you said earlier, percentage figures are poor. But actual numbers high.

Definitely not!

I've just spoken to her; she said the problem is that there is no substitute drug for alcohol. Librium is used to treat the short-term withdrawal symptoms; it's not a 'safe(r)' replacement, as many of the drug addiction medications are.

She also said current thinking is to not differentiate between physical and mental addiction, but consider the addiction as a whole.

It's good to hear your understanding of addiction; too many folk don't realise how easy it is to end up there yourself.

Chris

They're not all notifiable - you have to click on them to find out if they are.

Obvious troll is obvious.

and a bell goes ding in the webmaster's office....

I guessed not. ;-)

The whole idea is to get such people off drugs completely. Not start out trying to find a safer substitute. As that doesn't address the reasons for addiction in the first place. Oh - many such legal drugs, thought to be safe - have long term use health problems too. Fine if used to wean someone off drugs, but in no way a long term solution.

Provided you do realise the two are separate but inter related. With the mental side being far more difficult and time consuming to treat. It requires a total change in outlook by the addict. A sort of 'brain washing' if you want. That is a the basis of the 12 step AA programme - and things like CBT.

I think many have no idea just how many are actually alcohol and drug dependant. While appearing to lead a fairly normal life. Long before they go anywhere near any form of treatment - if indeed they ever do.

I've lost three close friends due to alcohol abuse. One died young - the other two in their 60s. And more work colleagues etc than I can remember.

Or it could be someone with a problem themselves. Looking for help.

Someone I know, but don't have a close connection to, died of MI caused by drug and alcohol abuse just last week.

He was 42.

I often wonder if alcohol didn't exist, but was discovered today, if it would be permitted.

Chris

Many years ago I met one of the then accepted experts on addiction. He said that if we were invaded and controlled by aliens, alcohol would be banned long before many of the so called recreational drugs. Mainly because of the irreversible damage it can do to the body, if abused.