April is traditionally “National Alcohol Awareness Month”, but I thought seeing how this week begins “National Drunk Driving Prevention Month” that I would take a moment out of my regular to discuss alcoholism.
Many of us enjoy a drink of alcohol every now and then, especially during the holiday season, but what happens when you become so dependent on alcohol that it causes damage to your health, your family responsibilities, your job and society.
Every years, across the country news papers carry tragic stories of alcohol related offenses.
In Canada on average, 4.5 Canadians are killed and over 125 Canadians are injured daily in alcohol related crashes. (Transport Canada)
According to statistics, about 76 million people throughout the world suffer from alcohol-related disorders.Those who suffer from alcoholism are obsessed with alcohol and are unable to control how much they consume
Alarming Alcohol Statistics
Over 8.2 million adults in the U.S are dependent on alcohol.
Every day, more than 700000 Americans are being treated for alcoholism.
Alcoholism costs the U.S. between 40 and 60 billion dollars per year.
There are more than 100,000 Alcoholics Anonymous groups worldwide.
Alcoholism is the primary diagnosis in one-quarter of all people who commit suicide.
In 1998, there were 19,515 alcohol-induced trauma deaths in the United States, not including motor vehicle
fatalities.
Heavy drinking is a major contributory cause of workplace accidents.
Did you know that teens who begin drinking early in life run the risk of developing serious alcohol problems like alcoholism.
Signs and symptoms of alcoholism
- Unable to control how much alcohol is consumed..
- Drinking that results in dangerous situations like driving drunk
- Feeling an urge to drink.
- Finding excuses to drink
- Requiring a larger quantity of alcohol to feel its effect.
- Violent episodes associated with drinking
- Becoming angry when confronted about drinking
- Drinking secretly
- Continues to drink in spite of harm being done to their personal relationships.
If you or someone you know has a drinking problem there are numerous places that you can turn to for help.
Alcoholism can be cured.
Admitting that you have a problem is the first step. Once you have accepted that you have a problem, the next step is to seek help. Rehab programs are ideal for some people. Effective alcohol treatment programs include individual therapy, group therapy, and medical care when appropriate.
Choosing the right alcohol rehab center for your treatment is critical. The Canyon, a private alcohol rehab center in California, provides programs and treatments that help patients overcome their addiction.
Resources: Not Everyone Who Gets Hit by a Drunk Driver Dies!
Alcohol and related disorders Health Article
Rose DesRochersRose wears many hats. She's a wife, mother, respite worker, proud shih-tzu owner, blogger, published poet, freelance writer, as well as the owner and administrator of Today's Writing Community and Blogger Talk Blog Community. Feel free to contact her with any questions you may have.Rose DesRochers has 1224 post(s) at Rose DesRochers – World Outside My Window
RSS
Subscribe
5 responses so far ↓
Wrote: Dec 3, 2009 at 1:38 pm
“Did you know that teens who begin drinking early in life run the risk of developing serious alcohol problems like alcoholism.” This is something to really watch out for as my child gets older, I did not realize this.
I know I joke around a lot about me drinking on my blog, but luckily I do not really have a problem with alcohol. Tho in ’94 when I was away from Jim for 6 weeks staying with his aging Mom in Canada, I did start drinking 2 whole glasses of wine every night to stuff my loneliness and I was becoming dependent on it. I did not like that feeling. When I came back to TX I was still in that wine mode and took a couple of weeks to break it.
This post is a very good thing to share, Rose, and maybe will help someone who is struggling.
I love how your blog is so from the heart, you put your passion in to things that are important and share them with us. Thank you for being you!
Rose DesRochers Reply:
December 7th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Thanks Jannie. By the way did you get my email about this post?
Wrote: Dec 4, 2009 at 4:08 am
My family has struggled with alcoholism pretty much my whole life. My mother is a recovering alcoholic, my biological father is an alcoholic, going all the way to at least my grandfather on both sides of my family. Something that I learned going to various meetings and talking with doctors, people are thinking that alcoholism is partially genetic as well as being learned. There are some theories that people of certain nationalities are more prone to alcoholism than others.
I enjoy the occasional drink, and once or twice a year, when the kids are gone for a weekend or whatever, a couple of friends and I get slightly tipsy and have a girl’s night in. Everyone who is drinking stays the night and we make a small party of it. Our husbands do the same thing for themselves.
I had an ex-boyfriend die from a drunk driving accident. He, his fiance and their daughter were driving home on the freeway when a drunk driver hit them going the opposite direction. The medics were able to revive my ex at the scene, but he lapsed into a coma that he never recovered from. His fiance died on impact, as did the driver of the other car and his 2 year old son. The only survivor of that accident was the 3 year old daughter who has nightmares every night.
Alcoholism touches everyone someway. Thank you, Rose for writing about this important issue.
Rose DesRochers Reply:
December 7th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
Erin, I’m so sorry to hear of your ex and his family.
Wrote: Dec 8, 2009 at 12:03 am
Thanks, Rose.