JIM LEAR'S Home Page



Hunting - Flyfishing - Alcoholism?!

I live in Hamilton, New York, which is home to Colgate University. I have been a drug and alcohol counselor for the past "20 some" years and have the fortune to be employed at The Center for Addiction Recovery located in Clinton, NY. My wife, Shelly, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and is the Associate Director at the Colgate Counseling Center. Yep, she's pretty and smart! Undoubtedly, I am a lucky man. Central New York is a beautiful area, with abundant outdoor opportunities, including hunting for deer and turkey, and flyfishing for trout in pristine lakes and streams. Hence, life is good. While I am obviously in no position to complain, I must admit that I miss my home state of Pennsylvania - the mountain streams, those favorite hunting places, the wonderful memories of being in the outdoors with my brothers and my father. It is there that I developed a love and appreciation of nature and the outdoors. The Allegheny mountains provided numerous outdoor recreational activities and a place where hunting and fishing was and continues to be the cultural norm. I make no apologies for being a hunter or fisherman and have been able to witness, first hand throughout the years, the vital role that sportsmen and sportswomen play in wildlife management and conservation in general. Such individuals consistently demonstrate love of nature and respect for the environment and I am proud to call them my friends. For many, like myself, nature is their primary spiritual endeavor.

Below are links to several of my favorite (and helpful) sites for hunting, flyfishing, and the outdoors in general.

Links to other sites on the Web

Pennsylvania Outdoor Guide
New York Camping/Cabin Reservation Service
New York Hunting Sportsman License Application
The Virtual Flyshop
L.J.'s Flyfishing Page
FlyFish@
L.S. Gorney's Page
David Kile's Page
Fly Fish
Fly Stream
Fly Anglers Online
NY DEC
Hunting PA
PA Game Commission

Jim Lear

ALCOHOLISM

Medical and social scientific research indicates that the disease of alcoholism is rooted in a combination of biological, psychological and sociological factors. There is ever-increasing evidence that these three areas are equally interactive in the development of alcohol dependency.

Some research also indicates that symptoms of alcoholism can be divided into various stages of the disease and that there are several different types of alcoholism among women and men, which may contribute to inheriting higher risk for alcoholism due to predispositional factors. Biochemical markers have been discovered which indicate possible correlations to the susceptibility and development of alcoholism. Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is a genetically controlled enzyme involved in regulating mood-state. Neurotransmitters in the brain, i.e., serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine are regulated by the amount and function of MAO. MAO levels in alcoholics are generally much lower than in non-alcoholics, even if an individual has remained abstinent for a prolonged period of time. Additionally, children of alcoholics (COA) have been found to have an overall lower level of MAO. Serotonin is another neurotransmitter that has been found to be in lower concentrations in alcoholics. Electrical brain activity has been monitored showing different responses between alcoholics vs. non-alcoholics. Specifically, the P300 brainwave reveals a slower response time in alcoholics, even when abstinent. This same result has been found in sons of alcoholics, ages 10 - 14, who have never had alcohol. In essence, these biological factors play a significant role in the development of alcohol dependency when various social/psychological factors are introduced to an individual.

Sociological/Psychological factors are equally important in the development of alcohol dependency when combined with the various biological/biochemical factors listed above. Social Learning Theory suggests that social norms and frequencies of various drinking behaviors have a major impact on an individual's drinking and subsequent outcome. Self-Awareness Reduction Theory suggests that alcohol use can impair cognitive functining to the extent that an individual becomes less aware of personal values and beliefs about appropriate social behavior. The Stress-Response Dampening Theory suggests that alcohol use has a pharmocological impact which dampens or reduces the amount of stress being experienced. Subsequently, alcohol use becomes reinforced on an ever-increasing level.

On-line drug and alcohol related resources: