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April is National Alcohol Awareness Month

Every day, our country loses a staggering number of Americans to alcohol abuse. This month, we remember the loss of this many needless deaths hoping that it never happens again. However, only by educating ourselves about the signs and dangers of alcohol dependence can we make a difference in America’s health – one day at a time.

April marks National Alcohol Awareness Month and is sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) to educate the masses about America’s #1 health problem: alcohol dependence. Claiming the lives of more than 90,000 people every year, this month focuses on raising awareness about alcohol abuse and dependency before it is fatal.

 

History of National Alcohol Awareness Month

First started in 1987, National Alcohol Awareness Month was founded by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) as an extension of the temperance movement of the 1800s.

Marty Mann founded the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD). She was one of the early members of Alcoholics Anonymous and the first woman to have successfully gone through a 12-step group. She founded NCADD to help people like her get counseled and treated for alcoholism and dedicated this group to key medical and scientific research for the community. Encouraged by the massive number of families going into recovery, NCADD marked April to bring about a nationwide change by using communication tools to cultivate awareness about binge drinking and how much more dangerous it can be than just a night of fun.

The Council leverages traditional and social media campaigns during April to draw attention to the causes of alcoholism and the risks of alcohol dependence. It encourages people to talk about this disease. It aims to foster responsible attitudes by designating a month of candid discussions and information sharing while reaching out to the American public via community-sponsored awareness activities and campaigns designed to prevent alcoholism.

Since its inception in 1987, National Alcohol Awareness Month has saved many lives from alcohol-related deaths. Some of the ways the NCADD has made it possible to fight alcoholism is by launching personalized campaigns every year, Alcohol-Free-Weekend encouraging abstinence, and seeking help for someone if they are unable to. The D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and Know Your Limits campaigns have also instilled much-needed information about the harmful effects of alcohol consumption in children from an early age.

 

Why is Alcohol Awareness Month Important?

 

Denial in alcoholism is a real disease

Anybody suffering from substance abuse or struggling with alcoholism would deny it. They underestimate their ability to control the craving or to quit, the amount of alcohol they drink, and the impact it has had on their life. Denial is a common trait or symptom of alcoholism that has to be counseled.

 

There’s a stigma surrounding alcoholism

What comes to your mind when you think about alcoholism? A drunk man living in rags on the streets, drinking hard liquor on the job, and appearing at the bar every night? The movies’ depiction of alcoholism is only a quarter of the truth, and this is why millions of people have trouble recognizing the problem or seeking help.

 

Alcoholism claims thousands of lives annually

Alcohol addiction and abuse is not only a considerable burden on government spending, it also claims thousands of lives across the country each year. Some notable statistics on alcohol addiction include:

  • More than 65 million Americans report binge drinking or heavy drinking in a one-month period, which is more than 40% of those who drink alcohol
  • More than 14 million U.S. adults have an alcohol use disorder and excessive drinking is linked to 95,000 deaths every year
  • In 2018, there were 10,511 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities, totaling 29% of all traffic fatalities for the year 
  • Teen alcohol use kills 4,700 people each year, more than all illegal drugs combined.

By making people more aware of the situation and the viable solutions, alcohol awareness month aimed to reduce the pain and suffering alcohol abuse causes to people's lives.

 

How common is alcohol consumption?

  • According to the World Health Organization, About 2.3 billion people worldwide are classified as being current drinkers.
  • More than 85% of adults have consumed alcohol at some point in their life.
  • In 2019, more than 139 million people in the US aged 12 years and older reportedly drank alcohol in the past month.

 

Alcohol statistics by age

  • Approximately 414,000 adolescents between the ages of 12 to 17 years had an alcohol use disorder in 2019. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2021)
  • More than 47% of adults aged 18 to 22 drank alcohol in the past month. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2021)
  • About 65% of adults ages 65 years and older reported drinking an excessive amount of alcohol in the past year, exceeding daily guidelines at least weekly (two drinks or less for men and one drink or less for women per day). (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2020)

 

Underage drinking statistics

  • In 2019, 25% of teens ages14 to 15 years reported having at least one alcoholic drink.
  • In 2019, 7 million people ages 12 to 20 years reportedly drank alcohol in the past month.
  • People ages 12 to 20 years drink 4% of all alcohol consumed in the U.S.
  • More adolescent girls report drinking alcohol and binge drinking than adolescent boys.
  • Adults ages 26 years and older who began drinking before the age of 15 years are nearly six times as likely to have an alcohol use disorder than those who waited until at least age 21 to begin drinking.

 

Causes of Alcohol Use Disorder

There are a variety of physical, psychological, environmental, and genetic causes of alcohol use disorder. Physical causes may include damage to the brain or nervous system as a result of long-term alcohol abuse.

Psychological causes may include depression, stress, or anxiety. In a SingleCare survey, 21% of males and 16% of females reported drinking more alcohol as a coping mechanism for anxiety. Many resort to drinking as a means to cope with their feelings. Environmental causes may include easy access to alcohol or social norms that promote drinking. In adolescence, peers may encourage drinking.

Genetic causes of alcohol use disorder may also include a family history of alcoholism and mental disorders. Studies have shown that alcohol use disorder is more common in people with mental disorders.

While there is still a lot of research to be done on the biological and environmental causes of alcohol use disorder, it’s clear that risk factors such as genetics, social norms, and environmental triggers play a large role in addiction.

 

Preventing Alcohol Use Disorder

There are a variety of ways to prevent alcohol use disorder. One way is to limit access to alcohol. This can be done by not keeping alcohol in the home, only drinking in specific places, or not allowing others to provide alcohol.

Another way to prevent alcohol use disorder is to be aware of the risks associated with drinking and to be mindful of how much alcohol is being consumed. 

Finally, it’s important to have a support system in place for when times get tough. This may include talking to a friend or family member about drinking, going to behavioral health therapy, or joining a support group.

Several organizations focus on the prevention of alcohol abuse and alcohol use disorder. These include:

 

Participating in National Alcohol Awareness Month

As part of National Alcohol Awareness Month, NCADD encourages the public to spend 72 hours without alcohol. Make sure you and your family participate in this activity and monitor symptoms of discomfort or cravings within the three days.

Anyone who is interested in raising awareness about the risks of alcohol abuse is invited to take part. Organizations such as schools, healthcare facilities, general practitioners, community coalitions, faith-based organizations, law enforcement, and substance abuse treatment organizations were encouraged to create initiatives that would help educate communities about alcohol addiction and invite them to take part in campaigns and activities that would be inclusive to all.

It is your role as a responsible adult to initiate the conversations that nobody is willing to talk about. Speak with your friends and families whom you’ve noticed are reliant on heavy drinking. As a parent, teach your children about alcohol misuse and help them build coping skills. Tell them that stress, anger, loneliness, and peer pressure are a part of life and should not cause them to give in to liquor for relaxation.

 

Sources:

https://ncaddms.org/

https://nationaltoday.com/national-alcohol-awareness-month/
https://recovered.org/alcohol/alcohol-awareness-month

https://www.singlecare.com/blog/news/alcohol-statistics/

Filed Under: Events, awareness, event, alcohol