Legacy Healing Center Blog

The State of Alcohol Consumption in the US

Alcoholism has, unfortunately, been a part of American society in some way, shape, or form, since our country’s inception. It was only recently that alcohol use disorder was classified as a disease. During colonial times and up through the 1900s, alcohol abuse was thought to be the result of poor decision-making and a lack of moral character, a societal perspective that would only further alienate and harm people suffering from the disease.

Even though the understanding of alcoholism has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, the number of people struggling with the disease continues to grow. The recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reviewed various trends regarding alcohol abuse. The results were, in a word, startling.

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Prevalence of Alcohol Abuse and Addiction

The NSDUH reported that approximately 14.5 million Americans suffer from alcoholism each year.  The study also reported that 25.8% of Americans surveyed reported binge drinking within the past month.  Binge drinking is typically defined as 5 or more drinks for men or 4 or more drinks for women consumed within a two-hour period.   Another concerning statistic reveals that “high intensity” drinking is on the rise- consuming alcohol at a rate of two or more times that of binge drinking.  The NSDUH found, not surprisingly, that people who engage in high-intensity drinking were 70 times more likely to go to the hospital for an alcohol-related emergency.

Alcohol-Related Emergencies and Deaths

Alcohol-related emergencies have been increasing by as much as 47% year over year.  They account for more than 18% of all emergency room visits.  Drinking and driving contributes to around 29% of all driving fatalities.  And sadly, an estimated 95,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually.

The Impact on the Younger Generation

One of the more worrying statistics regards how many young people are beginning to struggle with alcohol addiction. According to the same study, nearly half a million adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 have alcohol abuse disorder. Of this group, 1.3% are male while 2.1% are female. The fact that this age range begins at 12 years old should startle every person.

Lack of Treatment

Unfortunately, although there is an upswing in cases of alcoholism, the vast majority are not receiving the medical treatment that they need to be able to overcome their addiction:

• Approximately 7.2% of people between ages 12 years and older received any treatment within the past year
• Roughly 7.3% of patients that were 18 years of age and older received any type of treatment within the past year

More troubling than anything is that those who have alcohol abuse disorder were more likely to reach out to their primary care physician than an addiction expert. While your primary care physician may be able to provide you with insight and direction regarding reaching out to an addiction treatment center such as Legacy Healing, it’s important to remember that you have other options open to you. We strongly recommend that you take advantage of the 100% confidential phone call that Legacy Healing Center offers to learn more about how we can help you.

COVID-19 and Alcoholism

Not surprisingly, there has been a sharp rise in alcoholism during the age of COVID-19. Although a formal study such as the NSDUH has not been completed yet, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has come out with information indicating that many people have turned to alcohol to cope with the consequences of COVID-19 throughout the past year. If you have struggled with alcoholism during this turbulent time, we strongly recommend that you reach out to a member of the Legacy Healing Center team so that we can help navigate overcoming your addiction.

The Legacy Healing Center Team Can Help You Overcome Your Alcohol Use Disorder

When you come to Legacy Healing Center, you’re welcomed into a community of people who understand what you’re going through.  You never have to feel judged or embarrassed by your disease. We pride ourselves on working closely with each of our clients as individuals when addressing the factors that may have contributed to your alcohol abuse.  We create customized holistic treatment plans to give patients all the tools and resources for the best possible chance of achieving lifelong sobriety. Please don’t wait another day to reach out to one of our recovery specialists. Call us today at 888.534.2295.