Sounding Off:

The holidays are a chance for loved ones and friends to gather and enjoy each other’s company. Alcohol can be a part of many of these gatherings. All too often, there is someone in the crowd who has a problem with alcohol abuse or addiction. Alcohol abuse is a devastating killer that claimed more than 22,000 American lives in 2008. However, these parties and gatherings can be a point of hope and clarity for loved ones caught in the grip of addiction if we know how to look for the signs and symptoms.

Some common signs of alcoholism and addiction are slurred speech, restlessness, sudden weight loss or gain, confusion, or disorientation, or dramatic changes in a person’s daily life such as decreased performance at work or in school, and a lack of focus on goals and aspirations. By looking for these signals, you can help prevent your loved one from being lost to the pain and suffering of addiction and put back on the road to a fulfilling life of love and recovery.

As a board member for New Directions for Women, a nonprofit chemical dependency facility that has called Costa Mesa home for more than 30 years, I cannot stress enough the importance of helping loved ones overcome their disease. During this holiday season we’re encouraging all who see loved ones experiencing any signs of addiction consult a board registered interventionist and a licensed and accredited addiction rehabilitation center to assist in their recovery.

Helping friends and family through addiction strengthens our community and makes it a better place to live.

We need to realize that addiction is stronger than any one person, and that these people need our help in gaining their strength to control the disease.

If you have a loved one or friend unwilling to seek treatment, contact a board registered interventionist.

To find one in your area, go to http://associationofinterventionspecialists.org/, and to find a licensed and accredited treatment center near you, go to www.naatp.org.

CHRIS MEARS is a former Irvine City Council member who serves on the New Directions for Women Board of Directors.