Alcohol Awareness Month

April is Alcohol Awareness Month.
April is Alcohol Awareness Month. In this month of April, people everywhere will celebrate recovery from the deadly disease of alcoholism and engage in events, which educate the public about the consequences of alcohol misuse.  According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) about 10.4 million young people from 12 to 20 reported drinking alcohol just in the last month.  And, more than fifty percent of those young people admittedly participate in high-risk binge and heavy drinking behaviors.

National Alcohol Screening Day®.
April 9, 2020 is National Alcohol Screening Day®, where SAMHSA encourages drinkers of all ages to assess their drinking and ask the honest question, “Do I have a problem with alcohol.  The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) estimates that in 2009, over 19 million people 12-years or older were in need of treatment for alcoholism.

Underage Drinking is a BIG problem
Regretfully, there is a significant gap between those people with an alcohol problem who seek treatment and those with an alcohol problem who deny the problem. The gap is particularly noticeable among underage drinkers.  There are many reasons for such a huge gap, such as

• Young people are surrounded by other young drinkers whose behavior seems normal,
• In our culture, we regularly equate drinking with having fun, and
• Television openly and continually advertises and promotes alcohol.  On many of the popular television programs—scripted or reality, daytime or primetime—you’ll see people drinking as a natural part of life.  

Where Can You Find Help? 
If you know of someone with an alcohol problem or if you think you might have a problem, visit the National Alcohol Screening Day Web site and take the anonymous self-test.  If you are just interested in more information about alcoholism, alcohol abuse, the SAMHSA website is a great resource.  Plus, individuals who have an alcohol use problem can find help through SAMHSA’s Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator.

Until next time, I’m Francine Ward, alcohol-abuse-expert and mental health conference speaker. Join me in the conversation on Facebook.

fRANCINE d. wARD

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