Local Resources Department of Community Programs Use, , 459 E. First Street, Fond du Lac, WI Alcohol Dependence () 920-929-3500 The Progression of the Disease Holy Agnesian Behavioral Health Services For most people, having a drink (alcohol use) 435 E. Division Street, Fond du Lac, WI Family does not lead to problems in relationships, work, or legal arena. 920-926-4200

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If you continue to abuse alcohol, it can lead to Aurora Behavioral Health Services Guide to alcohol dependence. Alcohol dependence is 2640 N 6th St, Sheboygan, WI also called alcoholism. You are physically or 800-752-2673 Understanding mentally addicted to alcohol. You have a strong need, or craving, to drink. You feel like you must Addiction and drink just to get by. Other signs of alcohol Winnebagoland AA dependence include : 280 N. Main Street, Fond du Lac, WI Getting Help for -inability to quit drinking or control how much you drink. 920-922-7512 All - need to drink more to get the same effect. -experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking Local and National Websites (sweating, shakiness, - -spending a lot of time drinking and Alcohol Anonymous www.aa.org recovering from drinking, Adult Children of Alcoholics www.adultchildren.org -continue to drink even though you develop physical problems. Al-anon and Ala-teen www.alanon.alateen.org Alcoholism is a long-term (chronic) disease. It's Drug Free Communities www.drugfreefdl.com not a weakness or a lack of willpower. It has a course that can be predicted, has known Comprehensive Services Integration www.csifdl.org symptoms, and is influenced by your genes and and Mental Health www.samhsa.gov your life situation, like many other diseases. Services Administrations Holy Family Parish www.hffdl.org Addiction as a Chronic Disease...

condition with many similarities to asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure Addiction and Families All it takes is one addicted person in a The World Health Organization (WHO) de- The causes of chronic disease can be complex and in- household to turn it into a house of fines chronic disease as “disease of long du- clude hereditary factors. A person may not experience cards; very fragile and unstable. Fami- ration and generally slow progression.” Such many symptoms until the disease has advanced. A chronic lies do not need to work through this chronic diseases include diabetes, arthritis, disease doesn’t always follow a predictable course. Some alone. Reaching out to professionals people may relapse more frequently than others. asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure. in the addiction field is one step for all family members. Learning each per- However, one that we often do not talk Information provided by: about is alcoholism. Although alcoholism is son’s role and responsibility in families a diagnosable disease similar to other chronic George Washington University Medical Center with helps families to un- conditions, many people continue to re- derstand how they , at times, uninten- gard it as a social problem rather than a tionally enable the addiction to contin- health issue which causes social prob- ue. Professionals will assist families to lems. As a result, too few people get the learn about addiction and implement treatment they need, which in turn increases ways to manage their lives with care alcohol-related health care costs, disrupts and dignity families, cuts productivity in the workplace and threatens the safety of our communities. ______National Association of Children of Alcoholics Nearly 14 million Americans have serious problems because of their drinking including Alcoholism and other drug addiction have eight million men and women who suffer genetic and environmental causes. Both have from alcoholism. Stigma, the social disap- serious consequences for children who live in proval that confronts people with addiction homes where parents are involved. More than 28 million Americans are children of alcohol- to any drug, discourages people who are de- ics; nearly 11 million are under the age of 18. pendent on alcohol from seeking medical There are countless number of others who are attention and prevents the nation from ac- affected by parents who are impaired by other cepting that alcoholism is a chronic, relapsing psychoactive drugs.