Alcohol Awareness Month

The facts are staggering; the tragedy enormous; the solution difficult.   Did you know that alcohol is the most commonly misused substance consumed in the United States?  Did you know that one in every 12 adults suffers from alcohol use disorder (AUD)? [1]   A substance use disorder (SUD) is defined as “a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive … seeking and use, despite harmful consequences.”[2]  When someone is suffering a SUD it essentially means that because of the compulsion, it is more important to use the substance than it is to breathe.

Yet, with all this information and an even limited understanding on the significant scope of the problem, the issue is dealt with in the shadows– discreetly– if it is dealt with at all.  To seek help is to appear weak and feeble; to acknowledge a problem is considered shameful.  It is critical that we change our attitude.  April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and this year’s theme is: Changing Attitudes:  It’s not a ‘rite of passage.’

Facts About Alcohol

Did you know that:

• • 88,000 deaths are annually attributed to excessive alcohol use?
  • AUD is the 3rd leading lifestyle-related cause of death in the nation?
  • Excessive alcohol use is responsible for 2.5 million years of potential life lost annually, or an average of about 30 years of potential life lost for each death?
  • Up to 40% of all hospital beds in the United States (except for those being used by maternity and intensive care patients) are being used to treat health conditions that are related to alcohol consumption?[3]

 

Alcohol is associated with traffic fatalities, suicides, domestic violence, educational failures, unsafe sex and a host of other issues.

It is noteworthy that the above facts deal with alcohol problems for all individuals.  However, alcohol use by children and teenagers can have an even greater lifelong impact. A teenager’s brain is still developing well into their early twenties, and using alcohol at an early age can detrimentally affect the person’s brain.  It can actually change the development of a teen’s brain for the worse creating a situation where as an adult the person is more likely to suffer a SUD.

It is a Lifelong Disease

Thanks to medical advances and improved technology, we now have a better understanding of the brain.  We now know that the brain is altered when a person has a SUD.  We now know that this condition is a disease.

Some people think it is wrong to call a severe SUD a “disease” because they can’t catch it like a common cold.  However, they forget that they can’t ‘catch’ diabetes or heart disease or cancer and they most likely have no issue saying those conditions are diseases.   A disease is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as: “A disorder of structure or function … especially one that produces specific signs or symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury.” With the significant changes in the brain that occur because of the substance, the brain clearly has a “disorder of structure” plus behavioral manifestation.

It turns out that it can be extremely difficult to remain sober when a person suffers a SUD because of the changes that occurred in the brain.  Once a person stops using, the brain does not heal quickly.  It takes time, and in fact, depending on the use, it is possible the brain may never heal completely.

For decades it was believed that a person a SUD was weak.  Some people still believe that to this day.  After all, all the “drunk” had to do was not drink; how hard can that be?  But change is hard for everyone.  Approximately 40-60% of the people who suffer this disease will relapse.  What this means is that a SUD is a life-long disease, similar to diabetes, hypertension and asthma.  It is not about “curing” the condition; it is about successfully managing it.

A Comprehensive Approach

What is needed is a comprehensive approach to address our destructive attitudes. It is time to recognize that while some people can drink in moderation and responsibly, there are those who cannot.  They are not weak or immoral; they are human beings with a difference that must be addressed.  It is time to recognize that the vast majority of people who suffer from a SUD need support from professionals to address it, and that it’s entirely appropriate to do so.  It is time to recognize that we can talk about alcohol and its dangers with our children.  Parents who discuss alcohol and other drug use with their child makes a significant difference.  That child is 50% less likely to use than a child who didn’t have that conversation.[4]  Knowledge is power.

It is time to recognize that we must change our attitudes and our behavior and bring this crisis into the light of the day.  One “easy” step is to discuss this issue out in the open with your family and friends, to acknowledge the societal issues surrounding the use of alcohol.  Then allow other individuals to discuss it with you; maybe they will even acknowledge their own substance use disorder. That discussion should take place in an atmosphere of caring and welcoming.  Remember it is a life-long disease that can be successfully managed.

This April, and every April since 1987, is “Alcohol Awareness Month.”  April has become a time to raise public awareness and understanding of the issues surrounding an AUD.  But it is also a time to recognize that we can do more to impact this disorder, not only in April but also in every month, every week, every day.  The time has come to change our attitude of anger and despair towards someone who is suffering from one to hope and support.  Do you know someone who suffers from this disease?  Have you talked with that person about it?  Open your eyes and your mind and take the time.  You could be the person that brings about a change for a lifetime.

This was first published on Justice Speakers Institute website on April 3, 2018, reprinted with permission.

 

Footnotes

[1] National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Facts About Alcohol.  Obtained from: https://www.ncadd.org/about-addiction/alcohol/facts-about-alcohol

[2] Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction, National Institute on Drug Abuse, obtained from: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drug-abuse-addiction

[3] Bullet points taken from: National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Facts About Alcohol.  Obtained from: https://www.ncadd.org/about-addiction/alcohol/facts-about-alcohol

[4] National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Alcohol Awareness Month.  Obtained from: https://www.ncadd.org/aam