What is Alcohol Awareness Month?
Alcohol Awareness Month is a public health campaign organized by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD). It aims to increase public awareness and education about the dangers of alcohol and alcohol use disorder (AUD), which was formerly known as “alcoholism.”
Signs and symptoms of alcoholism can be behavioral or physical and include:
- Sweating
- Rapid heartbeat
- Hand tremors
- Problems sleeping
- Nausea and vomiting
- Hallucinations
- Restlessness and agitation
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress
Some risk factors can be:
- Mental illness
- Peer pressure
- Binge drinking (is most common among youth aged between 18-34 years)
- Community influence
Both internal and external factors contribute to the development of alcoholism.
- Genetics
- Psychological conditions
- Personality
- Personal choice
- Drinking history
- Family
- Environment
- Religion
- Were abused or endured trauma as a child
- Have mental disorders such as:
- Depression/anxiety
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Certain personality disorders
- Problems at school or work, including bullying
Treatment and Support
Treatment and recovery vary from one situation or circumstance to another.
Some treatments are as follows:
- Detox and withdrawals- inpatient and outpatient services
- Come up with a treatment plan and develop new skills
- Psychological counseling
- Oral medication (discuss with a licensed physician)
- Spiritual practices
- Be supportive. Let them know you care.
- Don’t judge. Listen. Let them know you are there to help.
- Offer to be with them if and when they’re ready to speak to a trusted adult, such as a counselor or family doctor.
Places to find help
- Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a self-help group for people recovering from alcoholism. AA offers a sober peer group and is built around 12 steps as an effective model for achieving total abstinence. - Women for Sobriety
Women for Sobriety is a nonprofit organization offering a self-help group program for women who want to overcome alcoholism and other addictions. It focuses on developing coping skills related to emotional and spiritual growth, self-esteem, and a healthy lifestyle. - Al-Anon and Alateen
Al-Anon is designed for people who are affected by someone else’s alcoholism. Alateen groups are available for teenage children of those with alcoholism. In sharing their stories, family members gain a greater understanding of how the disease affects the entire family. - Celebrate Recovery
Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered, 12-step recovery program for people struggling with addiction. - SMART Recovery
SMART Recovery offers mutual support meetings for people seeking science-based, self-empowered addiction recovery.
Significant Statistics
It is critical to understand the statistics of alcoholism. This is an illness that can affect anyone.
- Alcohol sales increased by 54% in the week ending 21 March 2020 due to stay-at-home orders.
- Alcohol-related deaths rose by 43% between 2006 and 2018.
- 4% of adults admit to drinking alcohol at least once in their lifetimes.
- 80% of college students consume alcohol.
- 1 million adults in the US aged 18 and older have an alcohol use disorder.
- Excessive alcohol use led to more than 140,000 deaths and 3.6 million years of potential life lost (YPLL) each year in the United States from 2015 – 2019, shortening the lives of those who died by an average of 26 years.
April Recommendations
Please, be aware that this month’s recommendations deal with topics that can be triggering. The topics can vary from alcohol, depression, physical and sexual abuse. It is important to bring awareness to these topics, but it is also important to know one’s limitations and boundaries. Please, be safe and take caution in reading and watching these materials.
Empowering Your Sober Self: The LifeRing Approach to Addiction Recovery
Written by Martin Nicolaus
A sophisticated, insightful, well-documented view of the philosophy and practice that are at the heart of the LifeRing approach. This book offers a perspective on recovery that can motivate change in clinicians and researchers as well as among individuals struggling to find their sober selves.”
—Carlo DiClemente, Ph.D.
Written by Robert J. Moore
Have you ever felt lost, lonely, and became your own worst enemy? I had never thought I would become the person I did. Alcohol and drugs had been the highlight of my life. I would do pretty much anything for them, including lying, stealing, and robbing others to feed my own addictions. I became a very angry man over the years and did a lot of jail time because of my associations and behaviour. After almost 36 convictions, over years of drinking and drugging, I finally became emotionally numb and did not know how to react to anyone or anything.
