Tag Archives: Alcohol Awareness

General Safety Issues

APRIL – ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH

CADD Announces 2014 NCADD Alcohol Awareness Month Theme –
“Help for Today. Hope For Tomorrow”
Alcohol Awareness – The Key to Community Change, Personal and Family Recovery
28 Years of Improving and Saving Lives Through Prevention, Treatment and Recovery

Each April since 1987, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) sponsors NCADD Alcohol Awareness Month to increase public awareness and understanding, reduce stigma and encourage local communities to focus on alcoholism and alcohol-related issues. This April, NCADD highlights the important public health issue of underage drinking, a problem with devastating individual, family and community consequences.

With this year’s theme, “Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow,” the month of April will be filled with local, state, and national events directed toward educating people about the prevention and treatment of alcoholism. Local NCADD Affiliates as well as schools, colleges, churches, and countless other community organizations will sponsor a host of activities that create awareness and encourage individuals and families to get help for alcohol-related problems.

Alcohol use by young people is extremely dangerous—both to themselves and to society, and is directly associated with traffic fatalities, violence, suicide, educational failure, alcohol overdose, unsafe sex and other problem behaviors.

This year’s awareness campaign will place a special emphasis on underage drinking, a problem that costs $62 billion every year. The fact remains that alcohol is more likely to kill young people than all illicit drugs combined; even more startling: annually, over 6,500 people under the age of 21 die from alcohol-related accidents and thousands more are injured. 7,000 American kids are taking their first drink every day, all of whom are under the age of 16. One-fourth of children have alcohol-use disorders in their own family.

“Underage drinking is a complex issue,” says Greg Muth, chairperson of the NCADD Board of Directors, “one that can only be solved through a sustained and cooperative effort. As a nation, we need to wake up to the reality that for some, alcoholism and addiction develop at a young age and that intervention, treatment, and recovery support are essential for them and their families,” says Muth. “We can’t afford to wait any longer.” 

Of course, we understand that alcohol abuse is really a systemic problem affecting the entire country, including every demographic. To combat this, we must take strong preventive measures, but also be aware of the signs of alcohol abuse so as to identify and assist those with problems.

The signs are many, and not always apparent. Those that have an alcohol problem often neglect their responsibilities at home, work or school. They also drink while engaging in risky behaviors, such as driving. Abusers also commonly drink as a way to relax and “unwind,” all the while causing more problems because of their alcoholism. This abuse results in a high tolerance, and eventually can lead to physical/psychological addiction.

Alcohol abusers may become dependent on drinking. When they do stop, they often experience short-term withdrawal symptoms including anxiety, delirium, tremors and general difficulty performing tasks. For these abusers, alcohol goes from simply a way to relax, to a necessary activity in order to get through their everyday life. Some addicts become quite skilled at hiding their addiction until the inevitable unraveling takes place.

Whether a person decides to use alcohol or drugs is a choice, influenced by their environment–peers, family, and availability.  But, once a person uses alcohol or drugs, the risk of developing alcoholism or drug dependence is largely influenced by genetics.  Alcoholism and drug dependence are not moral issues, are not a matter of choice or a lack of willpower.  Plain and simple, some people’s bodies respond to the effects of alcohol and drugs differently. 

Research has shown conclusively that family history of alcoholism or drug addiction is in part genetic and not just the result of the family environment.  And, millions of Americans are living proof, based on personal, firsthand experience, that alcoholism and drug addiction run in families, plain and simple.

 Genes provide the information that directs how our bodies respond at the cellular level.  Research indicates that over 99% of our genes are the same and the 1% that are different account for visible differences (hair color, height, etc.) and invisible differences, such as our risk of diabetes, heart disease or addiction to alcohol or drugs.

Therefore, our health is the result of the interaction between genes and environment.  As an example, our risk of developing high blood pressure is influenced by both genetics and environment, including diet, stress, and exercise.   Certain diseases, like sickle cell anemia or cystic fibrosis, are caused by an error in a single gene.  However, most diseases, such as alcoholism and drug dependence, are considered genetically complex and involve variations in a number of different genes.

“Alcohol dependence and dependence on other drugs frequently co-occur, and strong evidence suggests that both disorders are, at least in part, influenced by genetic factors.  In recent years, researchers have identified numerous genes as affecting risk for dependence on alcohol and drugs.  These include genes involved in alcohol metabolism as well as in the transmission of nerve cell signals and modulation of nerve cell activity.”

Drinking alcoholic beverages affects different persons in different ways.  Some become very happy while others may see the “down side” of everthing.  Alcohol is a depressant, and certain genes in ones chemistry may indicate that they should not choose this as a way of relaxing.  Studies show that there are genetics involved, but I have known people who had problems with alcohol that had families that didn’t drink at all.  A physician once explained that some people enjoy drinking beer the same as others would enjoy a glass of tea.  

Many times you can’t get someone to seek help unless they want to get help.  Do what you can to encourage that person to find counseling or other programs; if it’s a young person, try to help them face the fact that they have a problem before they or someone else gets hurt. 

Sources: NCADD;  TheGazette 

 

General Safety Issues

APRIL IS ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH

April is National Alcohol Awareness Month, an observance sponsored by the NCAAD (National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence) that promotes knowledge and education regarding all aspects of alcohol abuse and addiction. National Alcohol Awareness Month is in its 27th official year, with the slogan for 2013 being: “Help for Today. Hope for Tomorrow.”

Alcohol Awareness Month is designed to increase public consciousness and reduce stigma surrounding alcohol dependency and addiction issues. “National Alcohol Awareness Month is an excellent outlet to educate people about the huge weight of alcohol addiction and abuse in our society,” said Pax Prentiss, CEO and co-founder of the Passages Addiction Treatment Centers in Malibu and Ventura, California. “Through events like Alcohol Awareness Month, people become more educated about what causes addiction and other co-occurring disorders, causing stigmas to diminish and the quality of treatment to improve,” explained Prentiss.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), more than 18 million Americans (8.5% of the population) suffer from alcohol dependency or alcohol abuse issues, and 25% of children have been exposed to alcohol abuse within their families.

One of the main goals of Alcohol Awareness Month is to promote prevention practices amongst teenagers and adolescents through education about health risks, drunk driving, addiction, coping skills, self medicating, depression, anxiety, and more. Communities are encouraged to participate through local, state, and national events including educational talks, social media engagement, or most notably the “Alcohol Free Weekend” challenge from April 5-7.   

Before one more high school student dies in an alcohol-related accident or another college student dies of alcohol poisoning or another family breaks up because of alcohol, the seriousness of the public health problems associated with alcohol and alcoholism must be spotlighted by public awareness. 

Alcohol is America’s most frequently used drug, resulting in more than 100,000 alcohol-related deaths each year, and young people consume it more frequently than they use all other illicit drugs combined. Alcohol is responsible for the deaths of approximately 6,700 youth (those under the age of 21) each year:

  •           Motor Vehicle Accidents: 2,400
  •           Accidental death by fire, falls and overdose: 2,400
  •           Homicides:1,600;
  •           Suicide: 300. 

The earlier children are exposed to alcohol, the greater the probability of alcoholism and addiction. In fact, recent scientific research suggests that early use of alcohol by teenagers may contribute significantly to dependence on alcohol and other drugs later in life, with 40% of children who begin using alcohol before the age of 13 becoming alcohol dependent at some point in their lives.  

Too many dismiss underage drinking as a “youthful indiscretion” or a rite of passage from adolescence into adulthood, and many underage drinkers are often first presented with alcohol in their own dining rooms, living rooms and kitchens. Alcohol is marketed to them aggressively and associated with athletic and social events that are popular with high school and college students. Bars and clubs that knowingly serve alcohol to minors, do so often with a wink and a nod to fake identification. 

Nationally, the annual economic cost of alcohol-related problems exceeds $224 billion. That equates to $746 per person — more than substance abuse and tobacco. Cost includes healthcare., business and criminal justice costs and costs due to lost productivity.  Alcohol-related problems and alcoholism affect ALL of us, directly or indirectly, and is our nation’s number one public health problem. Alcohol is a drug that affects every cell and organ system in the body, affecting judgment, coordination and long-term health. 
If you know someone who needs help with alcohol addiction, encourage them to seek help. The addict is the only one who can actually make it happen;  they have to want to stop this bad habit. Our teenagers should be warned about all the risks they are taking when they break the law and drink.  Life isn’t just One Big Party.  Too many times there are consequences to pay. What better time than now to have “Help for Today-Hope for Tomorrow.”

Sources: NCAAD;  PreventionFirst.net

 

General Safety Issues

FINDING A WAY TO PREVENT ALCOHOL ABUSE

As we know, April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and the first Thursday of every April is National Alcohol Screening Day.  Most folks don’t understand what is in store for moderate alcohol users.  There should not be more than two drinks per day for men, and for women and seniors, it’s recommended not to take more than one drink per day.  There could be a sign of a problem if you are not following these guidelines.  Here are some signs of a drinking problem:

  • Guilt about drinking.
  • Unsuccessful trials to reduce or stop drinking.
  • Denying or hiding drinking addictions.
  • Posing risk or causing harm to oneself or someone else after drinking.
  • Drinking to soothe nerves, forget troubles, or bolster a somber mood.
  • Feeling angry, resentful, or unreasonable when not drinking.
  • Medical, family, social, or financial problems caused by drinking.
  • Thrust to drink enhanced amounts of alcohol in order to achieve the desired effect.

Now, these statistics about alcohol problems:

  • Almost 49 per cent of American adults prohibit alcohol or drink less than 12 drinks per year.
  • About 22 per cent of adult Americans are occasional drinkers.
  • About 29 per cent of American adults (nearly 3 in every 10 are “risky drinkers” whose drinking behavior lends them at increased risk for alcohol disorders. 

The National Alcohol Screening Day’s outreach program provides an informative and yet non-threatening process to raise awareness about this issue.  Early diagnosis of at-risk drinking behaviors is the first step to proper intervention and treatment remedies.  The Workplace Response alcohol screening program provides your EAP with effective tools designed to educate your employees about mental health and the resources available to them.  These private screenings reduce stigma, raise awareness about alcohol abuse and connect those in need of help to the proper resources available.  

Alcohol and Women: 

Women are at higher risk than men with several medical conditions of alcohol use.  Women who abuse alcohol are more prone to observe cirrhosis, damage of heart cells, and nervous system problems.  Women develop organ disorder easily and faster, and at lower levels of alcohol intake as comparable to men.  The progression of alcoholism seems to be quicker in women as compared to men.  One theory is that a woman’s body usually has less water than a man’s, enabling their blood alcohol content to achieve greater level,  much faster. 

Alcohol and College Students: 

Fourteen hundred college students in the age groups of 18 and 24 embrace death every year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries that cause motor accidents and fatalities.  More than 600,000 students in the same age group are assaulted every year by another drunken young person. 

Alcohol and Older Drinkers: 

Heavy alcohol consumption is considered to be the cause of memory deficits.  Alcohol-related troubles, including interactions with prescription and over-the-counter drugs are due to most of the know substance-related troubles experienced by older adults.  Heavy alcohol intake may also enhance the risk for Alzheimer’s disease in both genders and in women specifically, as they seem to be more prone than men to alcohol-related brain damage or disorder.  Due to age-related body changes, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism suggests that older people should not take more than one drink a day. 

General Safety Issues

ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH – 2012

Sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Alcohol Awareness Month is observed during the month of April.  There are many sobering facts about the effects that alcohol and drug addiction have on individuals, as well as family, friends, and co-workers.  The cost and consequences of these habits place an enormous burden on American society, as well.  Addiction strains the healthcare system, economy, harms family life, and threatens public safety. 

Substance abuse is everywhere, regardless of gender, age, ethnic groups, and people in every tax bracket.  Alcohol kills six times more young people than all illicit drugs combined.  It is a leading factor in accidents, homicides, and suicides.  Most high school students say it is fairly easy to get alcohol.  By the time American youngsters reach the age of 18, they have seen at least 100,000 beer commercials on television. 

Here are some eye-opening facts from the NCADD:

  • Almost half of all traffic fatalities are alcohol-related.
  • Between 48% and 64% of people who die in fires have blood alcohol levels indicating intoxication.
  • Alcohol consumption has been linked with greater risk of disturbing trauma, including motor car crashes, bicycling accidents, falls, self-inflicted wounds, injuries during sports activities, injuries in recreational events, and interpersonal violence.
  • Heavy drinking contributes to illness in each of the top three causes of death: heart disease, stroke, and cancer. (And, untreated addiction is more expensive than cancer, heart disease, and diabetes combined.)
  • One-quarter of all emergency room admissions, one-third of all suicides, and more than half of all homicides and incidents of domestic violence are alcohol-related.
  • Every American adult pays nearly $1,000 per year for the damages of addiction.
  • Alcohol and drug abuse costs the American economy an estimated $276 billion per year in lost productivity, health care expenditures, crime, motor vehicle crashes and other conditions. 
  • Young people who tasted alcohol before 15 years old were at 5 times greater risk to have past alcohol dependence or abuse as compared to persons who first used alcohol at age 21 or older.
  • About 20 per cent of 8th grade students, 35 per cent of 10th grade students, and 48 per cent of 12th grade students admitted having tasted alcohol in their lives.  About one-third of these students report binge drinking (five or more drinks on a single go.)
  • About 40 per cent of high school seniors believe there’s no great risk in consuming four to five drinks almost every day.

Diagnosis and treatment of this disease (yes, it is a disease) is of the utmost importance.  Treatment can save lives and also dollars that would otherwise be spent in other areas of social services and medical care.  For every dollar spent on addiction treatment, seven dollars is saved in reduced health care costs.   Many employers offer counseling to their employees who have problems with drug or alcohol dependence.  Studies have shown that when these employees have been helped, work results showed less absenteeism, decreased problems with supervisors, as well as less incomplete work and fewer mistakes in work. 

An individual that is hooked on alcohol or drugs is not only affecting his/her life, but the lives of family, friends, and co-workers.  If family and friends can get the assistance of a trained specialist to conduct an intervention, hopefully, the individual will want to stop.   Alcohol or drugs have the ability to alter ones’ personality to the point that they are completely different than when they are sober.   If they could see how they act when they have had too much, it might help them decide to stop.

Re-read the facts above and know that there is no good reason to become addicted to anything.  Stay in control of your life for yourself and your loved ones.  Most of all, keep our future growing by ending underage drinking.  Please continue to stay tuned.  April 5th is National Alcohol Screening Day, and we have some additional  information concerning screening that describes risks for women, college students, and older drinkers.

Sources: NCADD, US Department of Health and Human Services

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

NATIONAL ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH

As promised, we want to pass on some information regarding April being National Alcohol Awareness Month.  One of the reasons for this month being chosen is that many schools hold their proms in April, and the consequences of underage drinking need to be stressed to both parents and students.
Addiction to alcohol and drugs is not limited to young people, however.  Drug and alcohol dependence are America’s #1 health problem.  There are more deaths and disabilities each year in the United States from substance abuse than any other cause: more than eighteen million Americans have alcohol problems and between five and six million have drug problems.

Statistics from the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence show that almost one-half of all traffic fatalities are alcohol-related.  Costs of more than $276 billion per year in lost productivity, crime, traffic crashes, health care expenses and other conditions are attributed to these addictions.  Untreated addiction is more expensive than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined.
Families and coworkers play an important in convincing persons with these types of problems to get help.  Treatment improves health, job performance, and family cohesiveness.  When persons work with or live with someone who abuses alcohol or drugs, their safety and well-being are at risk.

Documentation from the Comprehensive Assessment Treatment Outcomes Registry in Ohio shows the following drastic results in occupational problems after treatment:

  • Tardiness decreased by 92%
  • Problems with supervisor decreased by 56%
  • Mistakes in work decreased by 70%
  • Incomplete work decreased by 81%
  • Absenteeism decreased by 89%

There are many places one can turn to for help.  Call: Substance Abuse Treatment Locator, 1-800-662 HELP, or www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov.  If you or someone you know needs to deal with this issue, this may be the best call you or they ever made.

Sources:
NCADD
USDHHS
SAMHSA