NCJ Number
53254
Journal
JOURNAL OF ORTHOMOLEUCULAR PSYCHIATRY Volume: 7 Issue: 4 Dated: (1978) Pages: 249-257
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER REVIEWS BIOLOGICAL, DIET-RELATED FACTORS OFTEN IGNORED IN TREATING DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSERS AND DESCRIBES A TREATMENT PROGRAM IN A SMALL SEMIRURAL COMMUNITY THAT USES NUTRITION COUNSELING IN THERAPY.
Abstract
THE CASUAL AND CHRONIC USE OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS IS KNOWN TO LEAD TO VITAMIN AND MINERAL DEFICIENCIES OF VARYING DEGREES, AND PROBLEMS OF NUTRIENT METABOLISM, ABSORPTION, AND UTILIZATION OCCUR AS FREQUENT SIDE EFFECTS OF MANY COMMONLY PRESCRIBED PHARMACEUTICAL AND RECREATIONAL DRUGS. RESEARCH ALSO INDICATES THAT A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF ALCOHOLICS SUFFER FROM HYPOGLYCEMIA. THE TREATMENT PROGRAM DESCRIBED HERE IS BASED ON RECOGNITION OF DIET-RELATED FACTORS TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE. PROGRAM PERSONNEL INTERVIEW NEW CLIENTS AND REVIEW THEIR HEREDITARY BACKGROUND, PRESENT DIETARY PATTERNS, AND PRESENT SYMPTOMS. COMPARISONS OF THESE INTERVIEW DATA SHOW THAT ALCOHOL AND DRUG-ABUSERS OFTEN SUFFER SIMILAR SYMPTOMS, SUCH AS DEPRESSION, INSOMNIA, AND NERVOUSNESS, AND FOLLOW SIMILAR DIETARY HABITS. CLIENTS REPORT EATING NO BREAKFAST OR A HIGH SUGAR BREAKFAST, HAVING IRREGULAR MEALS, CONSUMING HEAVY AMOUNTS OF SUGAR, WHITE FLOUR, CAFFEINE, SALT, ALCOHOL, AND PACKAGED FOOD, AND SMOKING TOBACCO. THE DIETARY PROGRAM USED IN TREATING THESE CLIENTS CONSISTS OF THREE, EVENLY-SPACED MEALS DAILY THAT INCLUDE FRESH VEGETABLES AND FRUITS, MILK PRODUCTS, WHOLE GRAINS, AND LEAN MEATS. CLIENTS ABSTAIN FROM SUGAR AND ALCOHOL AND LIMIT THEIR INTAKE OF CAFFEINATED DRINKS, SALT, AND DRIED FRUIT. CLIENTS FOLLOW THE DIET FOR 7 WEEKS, DURING WHICH TIME THEY ARE COUNSELED AND GIVEN SUPPORT BY STAFF. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)