Understanding Alcoholism as a Brain Disease by Linda Burlison

Understanding Alcoholism as a Brain Disease by Linda Burlison

'Understanding Alcoholism as a Brain Disease' includes an in-depth explanation of how alcoholism works inside the brain; the stages of alcoholism identified by scientific researchers; and a list of clues to your genetic vulnerability. Written in plain English from a true medical perspective, even if you aren't a doctor or scientist, you'll find this book easy to read and understand. Care-givers and loved-ones ask over and over again, 'Why does the alcoholic keep drinking or continue to return to drinking, despite all they continue to lose?', 'How can they keep drinking when it is killing them and irreparably damaging relationships?', 'What is wrong with them? 'Alcoholics berate themselves and question why they keep drinking when they see the damage it causes. They ask, 'What is wrong with me?'The answers to those agonizing questions are found in this book. The answers have nothing to do with how much the alcoholic loves himself or you, their level of 'spiritual awareness', or their 'flawed character'. Instead, the answers are medical in nature, and relate to the way that alcoholism hijacks and damages the brain. Alcoholism is a brain disease: this book will help you understand the disease in a way that will give you new perspectives on this devastating neurological condition.

Linda Burlison began researching medications for alcoholism for a friend who was fighting a battle with alcoholism. I started to come across hundreds of studies in the world's top medical and scientific journals showing their effectiveness. However, when we asked doctors about them, they had never heard of them. I realized there was a major disconnect between the medical research and what doctors were prescribing, says Burlison. Because North American pharmaceutical companies are not marketing them, and 12-step programs like AA don't talk about them, even though research proves these drugs are very effective, nobody knows about them. It's a tragedy with massive proportions. I know people who have lost daughters, wives, husbands, friends to this disease, and never knew medication was a real treatment option, says Burlison. In the United States it is estimated that 18 million Americans suffer from alcoholism, and the World Health Organization has called it the number one killer. Most of the medications, like acamprosate, naltrexone, baclofen, topiramate, gabapentin and several others are generic, and three of those can only be prescribed off-label for alcoholism. These factors mean no pharmaceutical rep will even mention them to a doctor. 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous look down on the use of medication. AA is an 80-year old religion-based program which strictly follows a structure developed in the thirties. They will not talk about medical options at meetings. And 12-Step programs only support complete abstinence - whereas some of these medications help drinkers reduce and manage their drinking, and don't require complete abstinence. There is an enormous gap in our system. There are thousands of top scientists working in this area right now, but there is a gap between their research findings and what the public knows about evidence-based medical care for alcoholics. This book bridges the gap. It provides a picture of the medications that exist, points you to the research behind them as well as additional resources, and gives you what you need to have an informed conversation with your doctor, says Burlison.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780997107678
ISBN 10	0997107677
Title	Understanding Alcoholism as a Brain Disease
Author	Linda Burlison
Series	Rethinking Drinking
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Addiction Publishing
Year published	2016-06-20
Number of pages	100
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.