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Nutrition in Addiction Recovery
February 27, 2019
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May 7, 2019

Alcohol Awareness Month began in April 1987 and each month of April thereafter, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) sponsors Alcohol Awareness Month to increase awareness and understanding to those who struggle with alcoholism. Another aspect of Alcohol Awareness Month is to reduce the stigma and negativity surrounded around being called an alcoholic and doing so by encouraging local communities to focus on alcoholism and alcohol-related issues.

There are a number of statistics to become familiar with, in order to understand the demand for Alcohol Awareness and properly educate ourselves and our youth:  

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reports that according to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (SDUH), the prevalence of drinking in the United States was 86 percent of people ages 18 or older reported that they drank alcohol in the past year; and 56 reported that they drank in the past month. 

According to the study related to Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in the United States, 15.1 million adults ages 18 and older had AUD (9.8 million men and 5.3 women). Only 1.3 million adults received treatment for AUD at a specialized facility in 2015 (898,000 were men and 417,000 were women). The means that only 8.3% of adults with Alcohol Use Disorder, sought treatment. 

According to the 2015 NSDUH study, youths ages 12 to 17, an estimated 623,000 adolescents ages had AUD (298,000 were males and 325,000 were female). 

Most importantly, it is imperative to be aware of just how harmful alcohol can be. Nearly 90,000 people die every year from alcohol-related deaths.  

Many have inquired about becoming involved and what they can do to help spread alcohol awareness and make a difference. Here are a few ideas: 

  • Encourage friends or family members to make small changes, like keeping track of their drinking and setting drinking limits. 
  • Share tips with parents to help them talk with their kids about the risks of alcohol use. 
  • Ask doctors and nurses to talk to their patients about the benefits of drinking less or quitting. 

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