Alcoholism in Relationships

"Alcoholic" is one of those words that raises high emotions. We tend to think of an alcoholic as someone who is violent, dangerous, and self destructive. We may also visualize an alcoholic as being selfish and not caring about anyone but themself. Sometimes those stereotypes are appropriate, but often they aren't.
By definition, and alcoholic is someone addicted to consuming alcohol, but how they behave when intoxicated, and the extent of their addiction vary widely. In addition, the word alcoholic is often used as a condemnation of someone who drinks more than their spouse would prefer.
So when can a loving spouse reasonably remain with an alcoholic, and when is it time to leave?
With one huge difference, the criteria for deciding the future of your relationship are the same whether your spouse is alcoholic or not:
1. If your spouse is physically violent or threatens physical violence, you must leave now - today. This is true whether your partner is drinking or just angry. It doesn't matter if they promise they will never hurt you again. It doesn't even matter if they promise to get help for their addiction. Violence or threats are cause to leave right now and seek safety.
2. If you feel safe and you are happy in your relationship, you have no cause to leave. Even if your spouse drinks too much for their own good, and even if they are unwilling to address their addiction, accept them as they are, love them, and don't pester them with demands to change their behavior. Of course you stand ready to support a decision on their part to get help in defeating their addiction, but you can't live their life for them.
3. If you are seriously unhappy because of any aspect of your relationship, consider leaving your partner. Whether the cause of your suffering is your spouse's addiction, philandering, angry outbursts, demeaning attitude toward you, or any other cause, it is your responsibility to take care of yourself.
The one exception to the general rule of maximizing your own well-being occurs when your partner makes a voluntary commitment to treatment for addiction and continuously follows up on that commitment. As long as you feel safe and you continue to see commitment and improvement, hold on. If your partner's progress turns to frequent backsliding, end the battle and take care of yourself by getting out of the relationship if you are suffering.
If children are involved in your decision, understand that their best interest is not well served by living with an addictive or hostile parent.

Read Don't Stay in a Broken Marriage For the Children
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Jonathan Lockwood Huie is an author of self-awareness books, including Simply An Inspired Life: Consciously Choosing Unbounded Happiness in Good Times & Bad. He has been dubbed "The Philosopher of Happiness" by those closest to him, in recognition of his on-going commitment to seeing Joy in all of life.
** Today is your day to dance lightly with life. It really is. - Jonathan Lockwood Huie **

Different Types Of Depression- 6 Common Types

According to common categorization, there are six different types of depression, which range from relatively mild to severe. Following is a description of each of them.
1. Major (or clinical) depression
This type of depression is what many people normally know about. This is the classic depression or what is often referred to as clinical depression.
Psychiatrists define major or clinical depression as that type of depression that dwells on the gloomy end of the spectrum, thus it is likewise referred to as "unipolar depression." A person with this type of depression gets sad thoughts, unable to control it, stays with being sad for a long period of time and is most likely to hate himself rather than other people for being the way he is.
A person with this type of depression needs utmost supervision. He is very likely to inflict harm to himself. Which is why, with clinical depression, a person must be treated with medications. This is to prevent suicide from happening whenever he falls into self-hate and loathing which is very common to this type of depression.
2. Dysthymia or Chronic Depression
The second of the 6 different types of depression is dysthymia more known to many as chronic depression.
With this type of depression, a person usually experiences depression symptoms way milder than that of major depression. However, if a person with major depressive episodes experiences the major blues for weeks or months, a person with chronic depression, on the other hand, feels the blues (although mild) day in and day out for a minimum of two years.
The feeling of hopelessness, sadness, insomnia and having eating disorders are experienced for a long time, as though having those feelings is just part of the daily life, or that sadness is the regular menu of the day. People falling under this type of depression sometimes fall into major depression.
A person with dysthymia or chronic depression requires treatment so as to give the person a chance to live a normal life during his depressed state.
3. Bipolar Depression
If there is unipolar depression there is also bipolar depression. This condition is characterized by mood swings - someone might be extremely happy one moment and then go into a melancholic state within a short period of time. These states are also referred to as "mania" and "hypomania", the two opposite poles in mental state - thus the term "bipolar".
4. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
There are people who get depressed during fall or winter - they have what psychiatrists call seasonal effective disorder (SAD). Whenever a certain season hits, they fall into depressed state, their hormones change and they can't function well, just like a person in a major depression. What's different with people with SAD is that when the depression season ends, they get well and function normally again.
Stressors for SAD are not limited to changes in climate. It includes celebrations such as a birthday (his or of someone close to him), Valentine's Day, Christmas or New Year's eve.
5. Atypical Depression
This type of depression makes someone difficult to live with. The sufferer may become hypersensitive emotionally, go into panic attacks, overeat and oversleep. This may prevent him or her from forming a lasting romantic relationship because the symptoms may drive the other person "nuts". This type of depression is mild and can easily be cured compared to other types.
6. Psychotic Depression
Of all the different types of depression, psychotic depression is the most severe type. With this type of depression a person experiences hallucinations, hears voices and gets delusional. If a person with mild or major type of depression goes untreated, he or she may suffer from a psychotic breakdown.

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How To Deal With Anxiety While Driving

Millions of people are suffering from panic disorder and some form of panic disorder comes out while driving a car or any vehicle. It makes some people stop driving and let someone else drive for them. But not everyone can afford to hire a driver or have someone to drive them around, there are cases that you need to drive and if you have an anxiety disorder, you have to learn how to deal with anxiety while driving.
Anxiety while driving is some kind of situational anxiety. People with anxiety disorder have intense fear about irrational things. Some have fear of riding elevators, fear of enclosed or dead end area and in your case anxiety strikes while driving. Anxiety disorder is accompanied by symptoms like sweating, trembling, feeling of choking, dizziness and pounding heartbeat. You have to learn to deal with anxiety while driving and control your fears.
An anxiety attack occurs when you are pressured while driving and it is like you are going to pass out. There are different fears ranging from crossing bridges, being trapped in traffic, vehicular accident or maybe as simple as being trapped inside the vehicle alone. Anxiety is a common emotion and helpful to keep you on your toes in the face of danger, but if this emotion becomes a liability and prevents you from functioning normally, then it is a disorder. You have to do something to deal with anxiety while driving and here are some tips:
Take your anxiousness as a positive thing and think that you are a capable driver. Of course it is better to be calm with no anxiousness at all but if you have anxiety, always think that it is not bad to be anxious and you can control your emotions. Actually, anxious drivers are not dangerous in the road because they are more careful and have a high level of alertness than ordinary drivers. If you have good driving history, the best way to deal with anxiety while driving is to always think that you are a capable driver. Reaffirm to yourself that you are a good driver and nothing bad is about to happen.
Do not pressure yourself. Panic drivers have anxiety attacks when pressured while driving. Learn to handle stress and as much as possible find a place that is not over populated so that you can pull over and relax if you want to. Avoiding stressful situations is another way to deal with anxiety while driving.
Condition your mind that there is always an exit and you are not trapped. Sometimes anxiety attacks when you are trapped alone in your car or trapped in traffic without someone with you to help you. Condition your mind that there is always an exit or escape and you are not trapped. You do not need assistance, you can do it alone and the traffic will always move. Conditioning your mind and rejecting intrusive thoughts is one good way to deal with anxiety while driving.

The freedom to drive around without unnecessary fear is an enjoyable experience that is why you need to learn to deal with anxiety while driving and control its disabling symptoms. Anxiousness should not stop you from driving and enjoying life. To get rid of anxiety disorder naturally visit Panic Away
To know more about natural remedies visit Great Discovery-Health and Beauty
Gerry Restrivera writes informative articles on various subjects including How to Deal with Anxiety While Driving. You are allowed to publish this article in its entirety provided that author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and included with every reproduction.