Viewpoint: How Many People Reading this are Alcoholics?

February is always an important month for me. On the first day of February, for the last 34 years, I have celebrated another year without alcohol. I am blessed.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol and Abuse, an estimated 88,000 people die from alcohol related causes annually; making alcohol the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States.

Less than 7% of those with an alcohol problem seek help.

Fifty-six percent of U.S. adults had an alcoholic drink this month. More than 86% of the population has had a drink at some point in their lives, and 70% said they had a drink in the last year.

A recent study finds that the number of alcoholic related deaths has doubled since 1999. (Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research).

Death rates were highest among men, and people between 45 and 74 years old.

A new study finds that the number of alcohol related deaths per year among people ages 16 and older doubled from almost 36,000 to over 72,500 between 1999 and 2017.

Although the overall prevalence of drinking and binge drinking didn’t change for men, there was a 10 percent increase in the prevalence of drinking in women and a 25 percent increase in female binge drinking.

Those 50 and older were the fastest increasing consumers of alcohol.

Between 2000 and 2015, the rate of deaths from alcohol- related liver damage (cirrhosis) in the United States increased 35 percent, with the number of deaths about 74 percent higher, according to recently published research Trusted Source.

Alcohol intoxication is involved in 22% of all suicide deaths. Of those medically treated after a suicide attempt, alcohol use disorders were found to be a significant factor, with acute alcohol intoxication present in about 30% to 40% of cases.

For those who make an attempt or attempts to quit drinking, the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism estimates that 90% of alcoholics have at least one relapse during their first four years of sobriety.

Alcoholism is often comorbid with some other mental health issues, so if you suffer from depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or other such conditions, you may be at greater risk for addiction. Starting drinking at an early age, steady drinking over time, and spending time around people who drink are all risk factors, too.

There are a number of risk factors that can increase someone’s chance of becoming an alcoholic. You may know people with alcoholic family members who will never touch a drop of alcohol. Alcoholism is a genetically linked disorder, so their risk factor for addiction is higher.

My own research has indicated that, if you don’t have alcoholic parents, the odds are 1:10. If you have one alcoholic parent the odds jump to 3:10; and if both parents are alcoholic the odds are about 4:10.

Several other things to remember: Alcoholism is a disease not a result of weak moral character. Like other chronic diseases remission is possible. Alcoholism is not a problem for everyone who drinks.

AA, Alcoholics Anonymous, is still an essential part of recovering from alcoholism and that recovery rate is somewhere between 5 and 10%. Although, because AA does not have any cost associated with it, people are more likely to return to AA than they are to expensive treatment centers if they do relapse.

You would do well, if you reach out for help, to search for a program that recognizes the spiritual part of recovery. Mental, emotional, and physical treatment without recognition that we are spiritual beings has almost no chance of success.

The 12 steps of AA, deal with the entire person.

Need help? Be one of the 7% who changes the direction of your life. AA is in the phone book, most church leaders can get you in touch with an AA meeting, treatment centers abound, or you can check with me.