Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

I've been noticing lately that more of my "cop wife" friends are using alcohol more and more often. And it seems like they come up with excuses for use. There are 2 friends in particular that I am concerned with. I don't know how to approach the topic with them. My sister is a recovering acoholic and prescription drug addict. I know how defensive she got when I would try to say something. But I am worried about these 2 gals. I don't want them to get to the point of "rock bottom" like my sis did. I love a beer and a margerita but really am aware of drinking because I don't want to lose everything like my sister did. And I don't want to see my friends go down the same path.
I'm just wondering too if anyone notices that cop's spouses have a bigger tendency for alcoholism due to the stress of the job then some others and what is the best way to help them?
Thanks!

Actually you can't do very much especially if they have been drinking for a while.
The body has already adapted to the new condition and the drug has become part of them.
Eventually they are going to hit bottom and get a very rude awakening to reality.

Alcohol is the most destructive drug you can put in your system.
It kills red blood cells and the damaging process is irreversible.
It doesn't matter if you drink a lot or a little, if you take a drink every day or once a month, everytime you drink you destroy your own body, slowly but surely.

Alcohol is the most destructive drug you can put in your system.
It kills red blood cells and the damaging process is irreversible.
It doesn't matter if you drink a lot or a little, if you take a drink every day or once a month, everytime you drink you destroy your own body, slowly but surely.

I understand your desire to make a point, but making ludicrous statements makes you look like you have no idea of what you are writing.

In fact, alcohol does not destroy red blood cells, it enlarges them. I won't get into the details, but it has to do with minerals (Iron) and bone marrow.

Chronic and over use of alcohol can cause decrease of liver function and cirrhosis. It can raise blood glucose and affect insulin production.

Recent studies show that moderate amounts of alcohol (about 1 drink a day) is good for the coronary system.

Lets just look at ONE other drug effects on the human body; LSD

The most common dangers of LSD result from bad trips, including terrifying thoughts and feelings, despair, fear of losing control, and fear of death. These problems are especially common and severe in people with underlying mental problems like severe depression, schizophrenia, or bipolar disease. Some fatal accidents have also occurred among users who could not perceive the reality of their situation. They hallucinate safe situations when they are actually in danger or are unable to judge distances. You should never operate machinery or drive cars while taking LSD. Problems that might occur include:

Extreme changes in behavior and mood; person may sit or recline in a trance-like state
Chills, irregular breathing, sweating, trembling hands
Changes in sense of light, hearing, touch, smell, and time
Nausea, especially in the first two hours
Increase in blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar
Fatigue the next day.

Are there long-term consequences to taking LSD?
Hallucinogens can cause extreme, long-lasting adverse neuropsychiatric effects, like flashbacks (post-hallucination perceptual disorders), relatively long-lasting psychoses, severe depression or shizophrenia-like syndromes, especially in heavy or long-term users or in people with an underlying mental illness. Some of the long-term problems associated with chronic or heavy LSD use are:

A person can experience rapidly changing feelings, immediately and long after use.
Chronic use may cause persistent problems, depression, violent behavior, anxiety or a distorted perception of time.
Large doses may cause convulsions, coma, heart/lung failure or ruptured blood vessels in the brain.
"Flashbacks" may occur long after use.


And here are just a few of the effects of Cocaine;

Cardiovascular problems, including irregular heartbeat, heart attack, and heart failure
Sleeplessness or sexual dysfunction
Diminished sense of smell or perforated nasal septum
Nausea, and headaches
Neurological incidents, including strokes, seizures, fungal brain infections, and hemorrhaging in tissue surrounding the brain
Pulmonary effects, such as fluid in the lungs, aggravation of asthma and other lung disorders, and respiratory failure
Psychiatric complications, including psychosis, paranoia, depression, anxiety disorders, and delusions
Increased risk of traumatic injury from accidents and aggressive, violent, or criminal behavior
For intravenous (IV) cocaine users, there is increased


I don't even mention poisons like arsenic, ricin, cyanide, etc.

I would hardly call alcohol "the most destructive drug you can put in your system." :cool:

Alcohol in excess CAN be very dangerous, but lets not be dramatic.

Hmmm, funny, my post (word for word) was straight out of the "safety education" manual taught in anger management classes.

I have to go with TX on this one. While alcohol is indeed dangerous and deadly if abused, I would be hard pressed to label it the most dangerous drug. Like Tx pointed out, there are plenty of other drugs that will kick you square in the keister if used once let alone on a regular basis. But then, if abused, anything can be dangerous. Hell, vitamins are good for you but if you eat a whole bottle, every single day, eventually you're gonna end up sicker than a Muslim in a porkchop factory.

I have to go with TX on this one. While alcohol is indeed dangerous and deadly if abused, I would be hard pressed to label it the most dangerous drug. Like Tx pointed out, there are plenty of other drugs that will kick you square in the keister if used once let alone on a regular basis. But then, if abused, anything can be dangerous. Hell, vitamins are good for you but if you eat a whole bottle, every single day, eventually you're gonna end up sicker than a Muslim in a porkchop factory.

Do you know why it's dangerous, I will tell you, because it gets absorbed by the body faster than any other substance and the damage caused is irreversible.

Naturally large amounts will have a more accelerated effect compared to small ones.
First part that gets affected is the esophagus, secondary pats, stomach, liver etc.

Let's say you stopped drinking today, the damaging process will stop, if you start drinking again 3 years from now the damage will pick up from where it left off.

As far as the definition of the term alcoholic goes, it is this:
If you consume alcohol, you are an alcoholic, it doesn't matter if it's a can of Bud a month or a gallon of JD a day.

Do you know why it's dangerous, I will tell you, because it gets absorbed by the body faster than any other substance and the damage caused is irreversible.

Naturally large amounts will have a more accelerated effect compared to small ones.
First part that gets affected is the esophagus, secondary pats, stomach, liver etc.

As far as the definition of the term alcoholic goes, it is this:
If you consume alcohol, you are an alcoholic, it doesn't matter if it's a can of Bud a month or a gallon of JD a day.

The term alcoholic means: a person addicted to intoxicating drinks. You can look it up at Dictionary.com if you doubt me.
You have failed to rebut the arguement that a drink a day actually helps body. I don't quite think you know 100% what you are talking about. You are also trying to argue with verified officers who deal with drugs on a almost everyday basis I think they may know more then you do about drugs/alcohol.

Just my opinion on this subject.

As far as the definition of the term alcoholic goes, it is this:
If you consume alcohol, you are an alcoholic, it doesn't matter if it's a can of Bud a month or a gallon of JD a day.


Ahhhhh, you got your idiot post out the way early today.

As far as the definition of the term alcoholic goes, it is this:
If you consume alcohol, you are an alcoholic, it doesn't matter if it's a can of Bud a month or a gallon of JD a day.

You have GOT to be kidding me...

I will post a competing definition of the word "Alcoholic" and I'll cite a source; I invite you to cite yours as well...

From WebMD (http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/tc/Alcohol-and-Drug-Problems-Topic-Overview):


You have an alcohol problem if your use of alcohol interferes with your health or daily living. You develop alcoholism if you physically or emotionally depend on alcohol to get you through your day.

It is almost universally medically accepted that the criteria for what constitutes either abuse of alcohol or alcoholism is NOT quantity, but effect on your life. I have about 800 other sources waiting if you insist on maintaining your incorrect position.

Citicop.

The term alcoholic means: a person addicted to intoxicating drinks. You can look it up at Dictionary.com if you doubt me.
You have failed to rebut the arguement that a drink a day actually helps body. I don't quite think you know 100% what you are talking about. You are also trying to argue with verified officers who deal with drugs on a almost everyday basis I think they may know more then you do about drugs/alcohol.

Just my opinion on this subject.

Sure, if you view alcoholism from a drinker's point of view to hustify a drinking addiction, I bet you can find millions of resources to prove the point.
Nicotine is "healthy" for the system as well as alcohol, but...:rolleyes:

Have you ever attended AA ot NA recovery classes, anger management or any other state controlled classes?
Do you know what they teach in the classes and who attends?
The material I post is directly drawn from what is taught in the sessions.

If you never have attended or taught any what is your personal knowledge on the subject?

I'm just wondering too if anyone notices that cop's spouses have a bigger tendency for alcoholism due to the stress of the job then some others and what is the best way to help them?
Thanks!


i would say here that the cops are the bigger drinkers than their spouses and then it's a social or relaxing after work drink. no problems seen this end. also you can't help someone unless they ask for it or even acknowledge there is a problem. i think that maybe you are putting your own experience with alcohol into someone elses life when really there is no need. you are at risk of alienating friends if you just go wading in

I will give up drinking only when it starts to interfere with my hookers and blow habit.










:D

You have GOT to be kidding me...

No, I am not kidding, go to any AA sessions and this is what you are going to hear.
Any recovering alcoholic can back this up.

No, I am not kidding, go to any AA sessions and this is what you are going to hear.

An alcoholic should abstain from all drinking, but not all drinking is alcoholism.

From Alcoholics Anonymous (http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/en_is_aa_for_you.cfm?PageID=13&SubPage=77) website:


There is a saying in A.A. that there is no such thing as being a little bit alcoholic. Either you are, or you are not. And only the individual involved can say whether or not alcohol has become an unmanageable problem.



A.A.s feel that the illness represents the combination of a physical sensitivity to alcohol and a mental obsession with drinking, which, regardless of consequences, cannot be broken by willpower alone.


How can I tell if I am really an alcoholic?

Only you can make that decision. Many who are now in A.A. have previously been told that they were not alcoholics, that all they needed was more willpower, a change of scenery, more rest, or a few new hobbies in order to straighten out. These same people finally turned to A.A. because they felt, deep down inside, that alcohol had them licked and that they were ready to try anything that would free them from the compulsion to drink.

Unless you can find a documented source for your bizzare points, I will have to continue to disagree with you (as does AA, based on their website...)

Citicop.

There is a saying in A.A. that there is no such thing as being a little bit alcoholic. Either you are, or you are not. And only the individual involved can say whether or not alcohol has become an unmanageable problem.

The above is right on point, I agree with it 100%.


Unless you can find a documented source for your bizzare points, I will have to continue to disagree with you (as does AA, based on their website...)

I took the classes for 2 years as well as 2 year anger management.
The teachers were recovering alcoholics themselves, so I don't see why they would pass "bizarre" information out, especially to people who paid money for the materials.
It was certainly not free PDF files from the internet.

Those classes were also taught to people on probation convicted of domestic violence and other related crimes, (I co-taught the class for about 6 months), and I seriously doubt the state would want them to know the wrong information especially if they all forked out $3000 for 6 months session.

On the other hand if someone is a drinker already I don't expect them to agree with what I post.

The above is right on point, I agree with it 100%.

Exactly. That 100% contradicts your earlier assertion that EVERYONE who drinks alcohol is an alcoholic; AA says their members feel that it became an unmanageable problem.

Citicop.

I took the classes for 2 years as well as 2 year anger management.
The teachers were recovering alcoholics themselves, so I don't see why they would pass "bizarre" information out, especially to people who paid money for the materials.
It was certainly not free PDF files from the internet.

Those classes were also taught to people on probation convicted of domestic violence and other related crimes, (I co-taught the class for about 6 months), and I seriously doubt the state would want them to know the wrong information especially if they all forked out $3000 for 6 months session.

Outstanding.

I'm asking you to CITE YOUR SOURCE. What is the name of the book, journal, magazine, pamphlet, or other "Classroom Material" that stated that everyone who uses alcohol is an alcoholic? What is the name of the teacher who told you this?

Your anecdotal information is just opinion until you can produce some official documentation which substantiates your claim, which is contrary to all modern medical opinion.

Citicop.

Exactly. That 100% contradicts your earlier assertion that EVERYONE who drinks alcohol is an alcoholic; AA says their members feel that it became an unmanageable problem.

Oh most definitely, that's the beginning of recovery, admitting that you have a problem, and on the 1st lesson you will hear exactly what I posted : "If you drink you are an alcoholic"

Oh most definitely, that's the beginning of recovery, admitting that you have a problem, and on the 1st lesson you will hear exactly what I posted : "If you drink you are an alcoholic"

But my point is:

NOT EVEYONE WHO DRINKS HAS A PROBLEM

How can you not see this?

She is a recovering alcoholic herself, she is very well known in the recovery classes in CA and she is a councelor.
She tied up her husband with the lamp cord because he threw away alll the booze she had stashed in the refrigerator.
Let me know if it's ok to post it in the forum, if not I will PM it to you.

She is a recovering alcoholic herself, she is very well known in the recovery classes and she is a councelor.
Let me know if it's ok to post it in the forum, if not I will PM it to you.

Her name is fine, PM it to me if you want, but I'm only going to ask you where SHE got this info... it isn't any more valid if SHE made it up than it is if you did. There is nothing official from AA or anyone who has ever studied alcoholism that will support your opinion. If there was, you would have already cited it.

Citicop.

An alcoholic should abstain from all drinking, but not all drinking is alcoholism.

From Alcoholics Anonymous (http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/en_is_aa_for_you.cfm?PageID=13&SubPage=77) website:







Unless you can find a documented source for your bizzare points, I will have to continue to disagree with you (as does AA, based on their website...)

Citicop.


+1 sent

PM sent, please keep the information confidential.

PM sent, please keep the information confidential.

Recieved.

Still no firm documentation for your points, I see.

And she can't be that well known, An internet search and an online library search show no websites, books, journal articles, magazine arcticles, newspaper arcticles, or Encyclepedia arcticles either by her or about her.

Could a mod close this thread? It has wandered far beyond it's initial purpose, and it is now clear that there will be no real debate as one side will not move beyond anecdotal evidence of his point.

Citicop.

Recieved.

Still no firm documentation for your points, I see.

And she can't be that well known, An internet search and an online library search show no websites, books, journal articles, magazine arcticles, newspaper arcticles, or Encyclepedia arcticles either by her or about her.

Could a mod close this thread? It has wandered far beyond it's initial purpose, and it is now clear that there will be no real debate as one side will not move beyond anecdotal evidence of his point.

Citicop.

All you have to do is contact her at her place of business.

Alrighty... Highwayman, you may want to refrain from making preposterous statments without being able to back them up with some REPUTABLE source/documentation. The drunk that lives on the street corner probably won't passify many of the more critical thinkers on here.

Backpeddling probably won't make this thread any less of a bloodbath for you either. Perhaps you may want to consider posting some REPUTABLE source so you can at least pass the blame off to someone else for the obtuse things that you are posting.

Short of that, you may want to walk away from this one.

I am pretty sure that, should you not follow my advice, I (or another mod) will have to lock this thread. While, perhaps deserving, the lashing some members will feel compelled to give you will not be pretty and the thread will have to be locked.

After reading all this, I need a drink. :D

I know this thread serves no point any longer but....


Today while watching an autopsy of an alcoholic who passed away recently, the Doctor showed me his liver. It was about 2 times the size of a 'healthy' one and it was pink with white all over it. It was disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. Seeing that makes me not want to drink alcohol.

I was given a picture of it but I don't have access to a scanner.



Damn, someone reported this post. All the mods are here now :p





Oh yeah and I forgot to add. After all the organs are removed, there is a TON of blood in a pool in the body. Sorry, I never really got to see an autopsy up close close like I just did. I got the smell in my mouth though :(

Anyways continue on ladies and gents

Alrighty... Highwayman, you may want to refrain from making preposterous statments without being able to back them up with some REPUTABLE source/documentation. The drunk that lives on the street corner probably won't passify many of the more critical thinkers on here.

Backpeddling probably won't make this thread any less of a bloodbath for you either. Perhaps you may want to consider posting some REPUTABLE source so you can at least pass the blame off to someone else for the obtuse things that you are posting.

Short of that, you may want to walk away from this one.

I am pretty sure that, should you not follow my advice, I (or another mod) will have to lock this thread. While, perhaps deserving, the lashing some members will feel compelled to give you will not be pretty and the thread will have to be locked.

Will do!

After reading all this, I need a drink. :D

PMSL

WOW! This was certainly not the intention of me starting this thread!
SerenityBlue, you may have a point that I am more sensitive about it than others. That's why I was concerned for them.
And I know there is very little I can do if they are not willing to admit they have a problem and they may not- who knows.
I was curious to know if others dealt with this in leo families. Being married to a cop is not always a picnic, especially when you're raising your children mostly alone. It's not our spouses fault, it's life. Many have it worse. But it seems logical that some would turn to alcohol to cope. That's all I didn't mean to start a thread that would get nasty. Thanks for your input.

As far as the definition of the term alcoholic goes, it is this:
If you consume alcohol, you are an alcoholic, it doesn't matter if it's a can of Bud a month or a gallon of JD a day.


http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/alcoholic

Main Entry: 1al·co·hol·ic
Pronunciation: "al-k&-'ho-lik, -'hä-
Function: adjective
1 a : of, relating to, or caused by alcohol b : containing alcohol
2 : affected with alcoholism

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/alcoholism

Main Entry: al·co·hol·ism
Pronunciation: 'al-k&-"ho-"li-z&m, -k&-h&-
Function: noun
1 : continued excessive or compulsive use of alcoholic drinks
2 a : poisoning by alcohol b : a chronic disorder marked by excessive and usually compulsive drinking of alcohol leading to psychological and physical dependence or addiction

Pretty much says it all I think. (yes I think on occasion:D )

PVPD-

Don't bother. His cousin's best friend's sister's niece's hairdresser gave him the other definition, and she KNEW someone who had a relative who was actually IN Alcoholic's Anonymous...

He isn't going to believe something you found in a REFERENCE BOOK, for cryin' out loud...

:rolleyes:

Citicop.

PVPD-

Don't bother. His cousin's best friend's sister's niece's hairdresser gave him the other definition, and she KNEW someone who had a relative who was actually IN Alcoholic's Anonymous...

He isn't going to believe something you found in a REFERENCE BOOK, for cryin' out loud...

:rolleyes:

Citicop.

I know I know... The LEOs I work with tell me you can't fix stupid, I ought to believe them by now

;)