April is National Alcohol Awareness Month: What Does That Mean?
April is National Alcohol Awareness Month, an annual educational campaign begun by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. This campaign began in 1988 to highlight the dangers of alcohol misuse. In April, we bring attention to the importance of prevention strategies and treatment for alcoholism and substance abuse.
Since their start in 1988, the organizers behind National Alcohol Awareness Month have made it their mission to educate and offer resources to over 15 million people who struggle with alcohol misuse or addiction. Let’s take a closer look at the start of this campaign and its many benefits.
What is National Alcohol Awareness Month?
The NCADD, also known as the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency, is a nonprofit organization that works to improve the lives of people and families affected by substance use disorders. This organization was founded by Marty Mann, an early female member of the infamous Alcohol Anonymous group. Marty found great success using the 12-step program and was able to live a sober life ever since.
Her recovery journey inspired her to create the NCADD, which combined scientific and medical research to help fellow addicts. Their work also helped inform the addiction treatment community of new and successful drug and alcohol addiction research.
The Facts on Alcohol Misuse and Addiction
Alcohol addiction is a severe issue; recent data collected from the CDC has shown that excessive alcohol use is the cause of death for over 95,000 people each year in the United States. That amounts to 260 people every day who die from excessive drinking. These numbers are staggering and bring awareness to just how prominent alcohol misuse and addiction are within our country.
Binge drinking is responsible for half of the 95,000 deaths that occur due to excessive drinking. The term binge drinking refers to having 4 or more drinks on one occasion for women and 5 or more drinks on one occasion for men.
With new generations beginning to explore the use of alcohol, it’s essential to keep them informed and educated about the many long-term health implications that come with excessive alcohol misuse and addiction, which include:
- cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and much more
- liver disease
- high blood pressure
- heart disease
- stroke
Not to mention the immediate effects of excessive drinking that can cause health issues such as:
- dependency
- behavior changes
- black-outs
- changes in coordination
- sexual disfunction
- muscle cramps
How to Create Awareness
The first step to creating awareness about alcohol misuse and addiction is to discuss the topic with friends and family members. Opening the floor to a conversation can make an excellent way for people suffering from addiction to come forward and seek help. It can also help educate young adults on the harmful effects that alcohol has on the body that they might not be aware of.
By reducing the stigma behind alcohol addiction, we can create an environment where those suffering from addiction do not fear recovery or judgments from others. Another way to increase awareness is to take to social media and use hashtags such as #alocholawarenessmonth to improve attention and get involved in the conversation.
Although alcohol misuse and addiction should always be discussed, it’s essential to take the month of April to reduce the stigma behind these disorders and show compassion and support to those suffering or those affected by addiction. At Serenity Springs Recovery Center, we are here year-round to help you or your loved ones on the journey to recovery. Once enrolled in our program, you will have access to a team of certified medical professionals, health and wellness services, and much more. Contact us today to learn more about our intensive inpatient and outpatient programs designed to help you live a healthy and sober life.
