April is National Alcohol Awareness Month. It is an annual observance that was started by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD). It started back in 1987 and was created to “help reduce the stigma so often associated with alcoholism by encouraging communities to reach out to the American public each April with information about alcohol, alcoholism and recovery.”
Although opioids gather the most news in the substance abuse headlines lately due to the drastic increase in overdose fatalities, Alcohol is still a much bigger problem in America. It’s not just about “alcoholics”, as problem drinking comes in many forms. One of them is through binge drinking, which is usually defined as having 5 or more drinks at a single event for a male, and 4 or more drinks for a female.
Dangers of Binge Drinking
One recent article talked about the binge drinking habits in Georgia. Citing a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the article stated that Georgia was about in the middle of the pack for binge drinking rates in the country, and that people identified as binge drinkers consumed nearly 7 drinks per episode, which happened about 58 times per year. That in itself is pretty staggering, as these aren’t even considered “heavy drinkers,” which is a term used for people who consume more alcohol more often.
The theme for this year’s Alcohol Awareness Month is Changing Attitudes: It’s not a ‘rite of passage’. This especially applies to college students, where dangerous binge drinking behavior is seemingly rampant. Several well-known universities have had to suspend fraternities and other Greek life activities due to deaths associated with heavy drinking and hazing. One of those deaths that made national headlines was a local Roswell, GA student who was attending LSU in Baton Rouge, LA.
Seeking Treatment for Problem Drinking
People are often under the false assumption that only alcoholics seek or need treatment. However, most people who do go to some type of rehabilitation program for alcohol wouldn’t be classified as having alcoholism. Instead, they have disordered drinking and associated behaviors that can be addressed through education and therapy.
By raising a person’s overall level of awareness of themselves and life around them, as well as learning to be more mindful of their actions, reducing and even eliminating drinking becomes much easier. As one recent client stated in a review of our program, “I began to see light in my dreary world and eventually found the peace and joy that had always been waiting for me. All I had to do was look.”
If you know someone who has a problem with alcohol, contact Centered Recovery Programs today to find out how we can help. Call 1-800-556-2966.
