April is Alcohol Awareness Month
It seems like lately, there is a special titled day for literally every day in the year, even awareness weeks and months. Well April is also know as Alcohol Awareness Month. Alcohol Awareness Month is meant for individuals to take the time and realize who negatively alcohol can effect you or your loved ones. Alcohol abuse does not just effect one person. Multiple people are effected by this disease everyday. Whether you know someone that suffers from alcoholism or someone who was hit by a drunk driver, alcohol related problems are everywhere. Even if you choose not to drink, that does not mean alcohol will not effect your life sadly. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) released a very moving ad with a sad child that stated a very alarming fact, “10 percent of U.S. children live with a parent with alcohol problems.†This ads really puts things into perspective now just how much alcohol can effect people not even choosing to drink or who do not even know what alcohol abuse is yet.
Alcohol Awareness Month is also a time to learn about how alcohol effects your health and social life. Abusing alcohol can completely change your life in many different ways. The health risks involved in heavy drinking are alarming. People who abuse alcohol are prone to many more health risks than the average person.
Alcohol Health Risks
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Liver disease
- Digestive problems
- Cancer
- Dementia
- Mental health problems
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Social problems
- Alcoholism
These are just a few of the health risks involved with abusing alcohol. Problems with your social life will also be effected by alcohol abuse. You could lose your job, ruin relationships with your family members, and even become homeless. An even darker side to alcohol abuse is killing or injuring someone while drunk driving or performing other activities while intoxicated. Legal situations will also occur from abusing alcohol.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism states an estimated 16.6 million Americans have alcohol use disorder. This statistic ranges from mild, moderate, and severe alcohol problems. Binge drinking is also reported to be very high in the United States. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism also states, “Nearly one quarter of people age 18 and older report that they consumed five or more alcoholic drinks on the same occasion on at least one day in the past month.†This drinking pattern is also reported among teens ages 12-17 at 6 percent.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism have also released information for Alcohol Awareness Month. In women, drinking more than three drinks on any single day and more than seven drinks per week is a cause for concern. In men, drinking more than four drinks on any single day and more than 14 drinks per week would be a cause for concern. These numbers are based on average and alcohol consumption varies from person to person.