The Coming Of Spring

Spring is just around the corner. And with it comes
all the lovely pollen. Lots of people have no problem
with spring. They welcome it with open arms.

But for thousands of people, spring means runny noses,
itchy eyes and congested breathing. These people
suffer from an allergy. Probably the most common
allergy, affecting the most people is the allergy to
pollen.

Spring brings new growth and with this new growth,
plants have the urge to produce fruit or seeds.

Basically, pollen is created by the male plant parts
and taken to the female plant parts. While some plants
depend on insects to do their pollinating, many use
the wind.

The pollen grains are carried by the wind to other
plants to keep the species alive and flourishing.

Most people are just annoyed by the collection of
pollen on their automobiles, porch, patio and
everything else that sits around outside. But for the
people allergic to pollen, their problems are more
than annoying.

The most common symptoms of an allergy to pollen can
be seen every where. Runny noses, itchy watery eyes,
sneezing and coughing are yearly evidence that spring
is in the air.

The pollen irritates the areas that come into contact
with air. That means eyes, nose, throat and lungs. As
the pollen blows on the wind, it causes problems that
turn the joy and beauty of spring into anything from a
nuisance to a nightmare for the thousands that suffer
from this allergy.

How to Avoid Getting Discouraged When Living with an Alcoholic

How to Avoid Getting Discouraged When Living with an Alcoholic

When you live with an alcoholic in you life, it is hard not to get discouraged and just want to walk away. If you care about the person, you want to help them, but the truth is that they are the only one that can take the first steps to helping him to herself. You can try to help as much as possible and do things to make things easier to quit, but sometimes all the help and treatments in the world are not enough. You have to be positive and hope that the day will come when the person finally goes for treatment and wins the battle of alcoholism.

Remember why you fell in love with the person. This is important or you will not make it. Many times, you will hate the person and other times, you will see a part of them come shining through. It is even harder when you live with an alcoholic that drinks and becomes mean and then goes a couple days of being their same loving self. They become the person you fell in love with. However, it can end in a minute when they start drinking again. This is the hardest thing to live with.

Think about the person they used to be and how much fun you used to have. This can work for a time, but after years of abusing alcohol, it can be hard to think about the good times. The person that lives with an alcoholic needs to be strong. This can be hard for some people, but if you love the person, you have to try. It is hard to watch them do this to themselves, but you have to give them love anyway. It is possible to make a difference if you remain strong.

Remember that there is help for you and the alcoholic. There are groups that offer support to the spouse or family of the alcoholic. Al-Anon is a great group to join. You can hear others talk and can even relate to what they are saying. After all, you are living the same nightmare that most of them are living. You have to have support to make it through the hard times. This is vital to living with an alcoholic. The support should come from family and friends as well. If the family does not have a clue as to what is happening, they cannot offer support.

Look at picture albums and see the joyous times you shared. This is a mask of the problem, but it does help. You see the times when the drinking did not control your life. You see another person standing next to you. Browsing through picture albums with the sober alcoholic may bring back memories for him or her as well. Sometimes it is these times that they start to think about what they are doing and want a change.

If you are living with an alcoholic, you have to stand up and let them know that you are feeling alone. You have to let them know that you are there for them, but they are the ones that have to change. You cannot do it for them, but you can offer support and encouragement if they agree to treatment. You are part of the process, but the person that drinks is the only one that can make things better.

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