Many common questions regarding hypnosis frequently center around it’s effectiveness on compulsions as multi-faceted and complex as substance addiction and abuse.
Alcohol addiction is a particularly troublesome, because like any other addictive substance, the body becomes totally dependent on something that is ultimately toxic to it when imbibed in mass quantities, and whereas the short term effects for drunkenness can be embarrassing and even gruesome, such as nausea, vomiting, even alcohol poisoning, the long term effects are lethal.
What differentiates alcohol addiction from any other, is that its legality makes it accessible any time, anywhere, to anyone of legal drinking age. Furthermore, the intoxicating contents within an alcoholic beverage can be found in even higher quantities in many household products, such as mouthwash and antiseptics intended for First Aid, and many people that are especially desperate will resort to inappropriately imbibing products as a means to achieve a state of drunkenness.
Not everyone who drinks alcohol is an alcoholic (even I enjoy the occasional cocktail), but what concerns me is when people are incapable of drinking in moderation, particularly with underage teens.
The pressure to feel cool and fit in, the desire to escape issues as opposed to coping with them, and feelings of invincibility all lead teens to experimenting with alcohol, and though technically illegal for anyone under 21, its accessibility makes it simple for anyone underage to obtain.
Though curiosity and experimentation is common during the teen years, because they lack emotional maturity and haven’t fully completed their mental development, they become more vulnerable to completely losing control of their lives, when and if this experimentation is taken to excess.
Alcoholism does not discriminate against age, gender, or race, and the earlier one succumbs to this disease, the harder it is to ultimately overcome.
I recently read a disturbing article in the Huffington Post about a rising trend in teens referred to as “Butt Chugging”; teens are literally soaking tampons in vodka, then inserting them into their vaginas or rectums, not only to hide their consumption from their parents and other authority figures, but also because they receive a faster, longer, and more intense high.
This revelation about the current state of our youth, that teens today are so desperate to get drunk that they are willing to risk instantaneous damage to their bodies, really shocked me and shook me to my core. This is not the world I grew up in, and I feel that it is my duty to bridge the generation gap by keeping you all informed.
So parents, I advise you – do not be fooled. This is not an urban legend but a societal reality. “Butt Chugging” takes experimentation to a whole new level; while this practice still maintains the same dangerous short term consequences of underage drinking, the risks are also increased and exacerbated, opening the door to a number of very serious, irreversible medical complications, including death.
Those who are lucky enough to pull this kind of stunt and walk away unscathed, are left at a much higher risk of grappling with full blown alcoholism in their adult life.
At Gluck Solutions, I offer a unique program of hypnotherapy in conjunction with rational cognitive coaching. I’ve spent years helping people overcome addictions, I can say, with confidence that this is not only one of the safest methods of treatment out there, it is also incredibly effective.
If you believe your teen may be abusing alcohol, or if you yourself believe you are suffering from alcoholism, take the first step to getting help and contact my office. (212)-599-3195
Below is the link to the Huffington Post article, if you are interested in reading more about this disturbing trend. Stay informed!