Parents and other adults can make a difference in helping teens make the right decisions when it comes to alcohol and preventing underage drinking. Another strong start is to understand your key function as a role model when it comes to alcohol. Adolescents are less likely to drink heavily when the adults in their life demonstrate responsible behavior regarding their own alcohol use and when they live in homes where parents/guardians https://soberhome.net/ have specific rules against drinking at a young age. The NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator can help you recognize and find high quality treatment for alcohol use disorder. If you drink excessively, seek medical help to plan a safe recovery as sudden abstinence can be life threatening. NIAAA’s Rethinking Drinking can help you assess your drinking habits and provides information to help you cut back or stop drinking.
- In April, we’re raising awareness about minority health, alcohol awareness, and celebrating public health.
- Although consuming even one drink a day increases your cancer risk, binge drinking is particularly risky.
- Awareness areas include alcohol use risks, AUD treatments, AUD prevention, and the effects of alcohol misuse on individuals, families, and communities.
Long-term, excessive drinking of alcohol can gravely affect your health and leads to chronic diseases including high blood pressure, liver disease, digestive problems, and even cancer. Each month we highlight National Health Observances (NHOs) that align with our mission to improve health in the United States. In April, we’re raising awareness about minority health, alcohol awareness, and celebrating public health.
Binge drinking puts people at risk for many short- and long-term outcomes in addition to cancer, such as injuries, violence, and stroke. Most of us are familiar with the link between some lifestyle behaviors and cancer—like smoking or physical inactivity. But some people may be surprised that alcohol consumption is also a risk factor for cancer, and that these lifestyle factors combined contribute to as much as 40% of cancers. Given that half of U.S. adults drink alcohol, it’s important to understand how alcohol use increases the risk of cancer.
The Prevalence of Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism in the U.S.
Alcohol can affect the normal functions of the cells in your body, causing them to grow out of control into a cancer tumor. Drinking alcohol raises your risk of getting at least six different types of cancer—mouth and throat, voice box (larynx), does alcohol release dopamine esophagus, colon and rectum, liver, and breast in women. As I discussed in my previous blog post, NIAAA also has an important new website that can help you navigate the often complicated process of choosing treatment for alcohol problems.
NCADD Alcohol Awareness Month encourages organizations and communities to reach out to the public with information about alcohol use and alcoholism as a preventable disease and encourages people who are already addicted to seek treatment. Binge drinking is often thought of as a rite of passage, and many fraternities and sororities use alcohol in hazing rituals that often turn deadly. College administrations and state governments are turning to “creative prevention strategies” to address the epidemic, and Alcohol Awareness Month gives them the platform to spread the message. During Alcohol Awareness Month, you can also find information across the NIAAA website to learn more about NIAAA-supported research and initiatives. These efforts aim to generate and disseminate fundamental knowledge about the adverse effects of alcohol on health and well-being. Such research is critical in helping us to improve the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of alcohol-related problems.
I also encourage you to take a close look at Rethinking Drinking and the Alcohol Treatment Navigator to learn more about AUD and how to find quality care to address it. Its primary goal is increasing public awareness and education about alcohol and alcohol use disorder (AUD), formerly known as “alcoholism”. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) underage drinking prevention campaign, ‘Talk. They Hear You,’ has talking points and tools for coalitions, parents and caregivers so they can start talking to their children early—as early as 9 years old—about the dangers of alcohol.
All types of alcoholic drinks, including red and white wine, beer, cocktails, and liquor, are linked with cancer. These numbers suggest that problematic alcohol use continues to plague our society, and awareness about addiction and its harmful effects on our lives, is necessary in order to protect our loved ones and selves. Recognizing that you want to change your relationship with alcohol is a big step, and it can be overwhelming to think about the next steps, such as treatment. Even if there aren’t local events, there are several ways you can participate in raising awareness.
Need Help for an Alcohol Problem?
Full of educational events across the week, NDAFW will focus on educating teens and families on the myths of substance abuse and addiction with the help on industry experts. If you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself, it’s time to rethink the role that alcohol plays in your life. NIAAA has some interactive resources to help you examine your drinking patterns further and, if needed, recognize and search for quality care. The NCADD encourages people to participate by wearing red ribbons, talking with kids and teens about alcohol, hosting dry parties, having conversations with friends and family about drinking, and having an alcohol-free weekend. Programs like Alcohol Awareness Month exist to ensure that families and communities have the resources, information, and options available to control the crisis of alcoholism. Alcohol Awareness Month is dedicated to increasing public knowledge about the dangers of alcohol and the effects and causes of alcohol use disorder.
Denial in alcoholism is a real disease
The Council leverages traditional and social media campaigns during April to draw attention to the causes of alcoholism and the risks of alcohol dependence, and encourages people to talk about this disease. It aims to foster responsible attitudes by designating a month of candid discussions and information sharing, while reaching out to the American public via community-sponsored awareness activities and campaigns designed to prevent alcoholism. With this and other National Health Observance toolkits offered on healthfinder.gov, we’ve made it easier for you to make a difference.
Most adults in the United States who drink alcohol drink moderately and without complications. At the same time, alcohol-related problems are among the most significant public health issues in the country. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) affects about 15 million adults in the United States, and an estimated 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the third leading preventable cause of death in the nation. SAMHSA’s mission is to lead public health and service delivery efforts that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and provide treatments and supports to foster recovery while ensuring equitable access and better outcomes.
April is Alcohol Awareness Month, an opportunity to update your knowledge about the adverse effects of alcohol misuse on health and society. It is also a good time to talk to teens about drinking and to equip them with the knowledge to handle situations involving alcohol. Even teens who would not normally be tempted to drink alcohol may be drawn in by certain social situations, so don’t assume they have all the facts they need to resist peer pressure. Parents and trusted adults can play a meaningful role in shaping youth’s attitudes toward drinking. Alcohol Awareness Month is a public health program organized by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence as a way of increasing outreach and education regarding the dangers of alcoholism and issues related to alcohol.
The month-long campaign kicks off this week with its Alcohol-Free Weekend to raise public awareness about the use of alcohol and how it may be affecting individuals, families, businesses and communities. During Alcohol-Free Weekend, NCADD extends an open invitation to all Americans to engage in three alcohol-free days. If the Easter Bunny’s chocolate isn’t enough and one craves alcohol this weekend, then the council encourages people to seek help. Sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), Alcohol Awareness Month encourages community organizations to host events that increase public awareness and educate people about the treatment and prevention of alcoholism. Awareness areas include alcohol use risks, AUD treatments, AUD prevention, and the effects of alcohol misuse on individuals, families, and communities.