Yvonnie Bailey- Davidson

Dear Counsellor:

I am in my mid-30s and find life to be very stressful. My father was an alcoholic and I find myself drinking alcoholic beveragesin increasing amounts to deal with the stress. I am concerned that I am becoming an alcoholic. I would like to know what I can do to halt this progression to alcoholism.

- Carole

Dear Carole:

Alcoholism is a family illness in which there is an alcoholic with a dysfunctional family. It runs in families and sometimes skips a generation.

Life is stressful and one needs to have healthy coping mechanisms. Many people who drink alcohol are trying to cope with depression and life stresses. Stress is a part of life and we cannot escape it. We need to be on a stress-management programme. Whenever there are problems we need to view them as opportunities and challenges. We need to have a positive attitude towards life and see opportunities in circumstances. God's blessings and grace are always available as when one door closes, another opens.

Stress management involves managing our time and resources to get optimal outcome. Destructive coping mechanisms can make things more difficult and create a negative outlook on life. Many adults are carrying emotional baggage from childhood and need to get counselling to deal with these issues.

Parents act as role models

Alcoholic families are dysfunctional and each member has to play certain roles. These roles can be challenging and cause problems for the individuals. You need to identify the roles that you played in your family of origin and see how this is interfering with your current functions. Parents act as role models for their children and so the children copy their behaviours and actions. Your father drinks to cope with life stresses and you are finding out that you are doing the same thing.

Speaking with a psychiatrist will help you to sort out the problems. He will suggest healthy coping mechanisms and help you to deal with unresolved childhood issues. We are affected by our environment and we need to seek professional help to deal with the problems.

Alcoholism is a chronic condition and individuals do well when they are part of a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous. This group is very helpful and individuals find that their sponsors are very informative and supportive.

Sleepless nights

Dear Counsellor:

I have a problem with insomnia. I have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. I feel tired in the day and lack energy.

- Morgan

Dear Morgan:

Sleep-related problems are very common in the population. People who are sleep deprived feel frustrated and angry and are not able to function well at work. One needs to do a sleep assessment. Sleep is vital, essential and necessary for proper functioning.

We need to make a sleep diary to document certain information. We want to know when is bedtime and when you awake. What are your thoughts before bedtime?

Sometimes people worry about problems in life and have difficulty falling asleep. It is good to keep a journal and list your problems and possible solutions. This will help to put your thoughts together and help put things into perspective.

There are many medical problems that can cause you to not get a good, restful sleep. Two of the most common causes of sleep problems are depression and anxiety. People who are depressed have either insomnia or hypersomnia.

Common condition

Depression is a common condition and is associated with tiredness and fatigue. It is treated with cognitive therapy and medication depending on the severity of the depression. Anxiety can be treated so you need to see your doctor for a medical assessment.

Your bedroom should be sleep-friendly. The temperature should be comfortable, the bed and linens enticing and soft music should be playing.

Having a television and Internet-ready computer in your bedroom is not good. Technology can be so inviting that you will spend a long time with it. Bedroom is for sleep and this should be encouraged. There are sleep aids and medications to improve the quality and quantity of the sleep.

Phone Dr. Yvonnie Bailey-Davidson at 978-8602 or 791-1778, or email yvonniebd@hotmail.com