Alcoholism Myths
Myth One
Ernie Hooker, NCAC II
Eating something sweet helps the alcoholic stay off alcohol.
• Actually the opposite is true. Studies have been done in treatment that show those with a lot of sugar in their diet have significantly more cravings for alcohol and consequently tend to relapse at a higher rate.
Myth Two
Hypoglycemia causes alcoholism.
• Highly unlikely. Most alcoholics show some hypoglycemic tendencies in early recovery; however, after a few months all but a few tend to have normal blood sugar levels.
Myth Three
When it is clear the person is alcoholic there is no more need for diagnosis.
• Accurate diagnosis is time consuming and necessary for a good treatment outcome. Here are a couple of examples:
The patient has a bad liver and his ammonia level is high which may cause dementia. This usually is temporary; however, if this hasn’t been recognized he may be viewed as unable to benefit from treatment or be an unwilling patient.
• In one study 40% of the patients had brain damage serious enough to impair their functioning. The damage was usually due to falls and accidents. If this isn’t recognized they may not receive proper treatment.
• Inadequate diagnosis often results in the "bad patient" problem.