Alcohol Abuse Statistics: A Wake-Up Call To Those Who Suspect They Have a Problem

 

Some say you can lie with statistics; others that statistics can't lie. But when it comes to alcohol abuse, the statistics are hard to argue with. They reflect the number of people who have sought treatment for alcoholism, the divorce rate in alcoholic families, and, sadly, the fatalities attributed to drunk driving.

But you do not have to be a statistic. Alcoholism is an addiction, a disease; and the only shame in it is failing get proper treatment for that disease. Sure, there is no cure for alcoholism. If you are an alcoholic, you know you will remain such to your dying day. But your goal is to be able to claim the status of "recovering alcoholic," that is an alcoholic who does not consume alcohol in any of its many forms and thus is not a danger to society or family.

The statistics themselves regarding alcoholism are sobering. Consider the following:
 

• Alcohol abuse is the third preventable cause of death in the United States, accounting for approximately 85,000 deaths a year.

• In 2012, there were approximately 1,825 unintentional injuries among college ages 18-24 that were alcohol related. This includes automobile accidents.

• Of students ages 18-24, some 97,000 have been victims of alcohol related sexual assaults or date rapes.

• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) affects between two and seven babies born per thousand in the U.S.

These are sobering statistics and there are so many more reflecting alcoholism’s threat to family life, health and safety. These are very strong arguments in favor of honest scrutiny if you have even the slightest suspicion that alcohol abuse is a problem with you.

Remember, the only shame is in ignoring the facts before you and continuing to endanger the lives of others, both those you love and those you don’t even know. So, join the millions who have faced these facts with courage and admitted to being alcoholics, ideally before they were forced to face such due to a disastrous catastrophe of their making.