Many people don’t immediately think of alcohol when they are considering drugs that pose a danger to the health and well-being of Americans. Due to its legal status, alcohol is sometimes perceived as being safer than illicit substances, however, alcohol has the same potential to ruin and end lives as other dangerous substances. At Highland Hospital Behavioral Health in Charleston, West Virginia, we treat substance use disorders that occur alongside mental health conditions, and we want to take the opportunity to draw attention to the seriousness of alcohol misuse during Alcohol Awareness Month.
Alcohol Awareness Month History
Every April since 1987, the United States has observed Alcohol Awareness Month. Though the observance was originally targeted at college students, it has grown broader in scope over time. It is now used to promote understanding of alcohol misuse and the impact it has on individuals, families, and society. This includes educating people about the risks that alcohol poses and addressing the stigma that can prevent people from seeking help.
Dangers Associated with Alcohol
The legal status of alcohol does not change the fact that it is an addictive substance that can ruin a person’s health, destroy relationships, and end lives prematurely:
- 4.3 million young people between the ages of 12 and 20 reported binge drinking in the month prior to a national survey conducted in 2018.
- More than 1800 college students die from unintentional alcohol-related injuries each year.
- Nearly 37 percent of full-time college students under the age of 23 and about 26 percent of all adults had engaged in binge drinking.
- Almost 10 percent of college students and more than 6.5 percent of all adults admitted to heavy alcohol use in that same survey.
- More than 14 million Americans over the age of 18 are estimated to meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder.
- Alcohol is the third leading cause of preventable deaths among American adults.
- Nearly a third of driving fatalities involve alcohol.
- The United States suffers a $250 billion loss every year, as a result of alcohol’s toll on society.
Long-Term Impact
The short-term effects of alcohol, such as poor judgment, impaired physical coordination, and temporary memory loss are quite obvious. Years of heavy drinking can lead to far more severe concerns, which include:
- Liver damage
- Heart problems
- Decline in brain functioning, including dementia
- Seizures
- Increased risk of cancer
- Digestive problems
How Alcohol Relates to Mental Health
Part of the reason why the stigma persists around getting help for substance use disorders, including alcohol misuse, is the false, but persistent belief that people who develop addictions are bad or weak. In reality, anyone can develop a substance use disorder and quite often, the people who do, are struggling with trauma and mental health conditions, both of which can make it more difficult for them to cope. When a person has a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder, this is described as “co-occurring”, “co-morbid” or “dual diagnosis” disorders. Approximately 9.2 million Americans are managing a mental health disorder alongside addiction, which may be so prevalent because:
- Mental illness and addiction have shared risk factors. The same things that cause mental health disorders (stress, trauma, genetics, environmental factors), can also lead to substance misuse.
- People with mental disorders may engage in self-medicating. People who experience anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions may turn to substances to relieve their symptoms. Unfortunately, they are at greater risk than the general population, for becoming addicted to those substances.
- Substances can trigger and/or aggravate mental illnesses. A person who only had a mild mental health disorder or no symptoms, before using alcohol or other drugs, may find that they begin experiencing symptoms after they start engaging in substance use or that their symptoms become worse.
How You Can Make a Difference
Alcohol Awareness Month is a great opportunity to get involved in raising awareness and reducing the stigma around getting treatment for alcohol use disorder. You can help by:
- Using your social media accounts to raise awareness
- Supporting people who wish to abstain from drinking and providing a good example through your own choices around alcohol
- Participating in local alcohol awareness events
- Donate or volunteer with programs that provide education, support, and/or treatment for alcohol misuse.
At Highland Hospital Behavioral Health, we treat people with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Our team understands how important it is to treat the whole person, with individualized care that is both, trauma-informed and evidence-based.
