April is Alcohol Awareness month and a good time for a self-evaluation. Why? According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (2018), more than 15 million adults and 623,000 adolescents meet criteria for alcohol use disorder. Approximately, 88,000 Americans die from alcohol-related causes each year. Nearly 10,000 people die as a result of drinking and driving. The United States spends roughly $250 billion on costs related to alcohol abuse. And these statistics just touch the surface of the problem.
People have different drinking patterns, and may not realize there is a problem. There are daily drinkers. There are binge drinkers. Some people are social drinkers. So, how do you know if your drinking is a problem? Let’s first look at what a standard drink is, because a can of beer is not the same as a vodka drink (see image).
Now let’s define drinking levels.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture (2018) considers moderate drinking as one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. Binge drinking is considered a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration levels to 0.08 g/dL. This usually occurs when women have four drinks, and men five drinks in a two-hour time frame. Binge drinking on five or more days in the past month is considered heavy alcohol use.
Of course, if you are driving a vehicle, taking medications, have a medical condition that alcohol worsens, are underage, or are pregnant you should avoid alcohol.
If you still question whether or not you, or someone you love, has a problem with alcohol take the Alcoholics Anonymous quiz.
If you believe you could use some help, please reach out to your local resources.
- Alcoholics Anonymous in the Polk County area
- Tri-County Human Services offers inpatient detox, inpatient treatment, and outpatient treatment.
- Peace River Center offers substance abuse evaluation, intensive outpatient group therapy, and individual and family counseling.
It’s a beautiful day to be sober. —Anonymous
References:
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2018). Alcohol facts and statistics. Retrieved from https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/AlcoholFacts&Stats/AlcoholFacts&Stats.pdf
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2018). Appendix 9: Alcohol. Retrieved from https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/appendix-9/
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