April is Alcohol
Awareness Month
Alcohol remains the number one drug of choice.
Every April the National Council for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) sponsors Alcohol Awareness Month to increase awareness and understanding of the causes and treatment of the nation’s #1 public health problem: alcoholism.
How Do You Know if Alcohol Has Become a Problem?
One way is to learn more about Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). AUD is a medical diagnosis that ranges from moderate to severe, with the severity based on several criteria.
Briefly, alcohol becomes a problem when it impacts your life in a negative way. For example, is your personal or work life deteriorating because of your drinking? Do you feel anxious or irritable without a drink? For more information about the criteria for AUD, see: https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/dsmfactsheet/dsmfact.htm
If you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself, it’s time to rethink the role that alcohol plays in your life. NIAAA has some interactive resources to help you examine your drinking patterns further and, if needed, recognize and search for quality care.
10 Shocking Facts About Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol Awareness Month is to increase public awareness and understanding, reduce stigma and encourage local communities to focus on alcoholism and alcohol-related issues. Here are some surprising facts about alcohol:
75% of esophageal cancers are attributable to chronic excessive alcohol consumption.
Chronic alcohol consumption is associated with 10% increase in a woman’s risk of breast cancer
Among emergency room patients admitted for injuries, 47% tested positive for alcohol and 35% were intoxicated; of those who were intoxicated, 75% showed signs of chronic alcoholism
As many as 35% of heavy drinkers develop alcoholic hepatitis.
Accidents related to alcohol use are among the leading causes of death for teens
Nearly 50% of cancers of the mouth, pharynx and larynx are associated with heavy drinking
Heavy chronic drinking contributes to approximately 65% of all cases of pancreatitis
There are more deaths and disabilities each year in the U.S. from substance abuse than from any other cause
As many as 36% of the cases of primary liver cancer are linked to heavy chronic drinking.
Alcoholics are 10 times more likely to develop carcinoma than the general population
Alcohol Awareness Month – Common Myths of Addiction
IHS alcohol and substance abuse expert Marcy Ronyak, Ph.D., speaks about common myths of alcoholism during Alcohol Awareness Month.