Alcohol Awareness Month: Understanding Alcoholism
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- For those experiencing substance use, please contact SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357
April is Alcohol Awareness Month. Alcohol Awareness Month aims to promote awareness surrounding alcohol use disorder (AUD), including symptoms, prevention, and treatment for the condition.
Statistics from 2019 report that 14.5 million people above the age of 12 in the United States experience alcohol use disorder. The matter has continued to grow in recent years, with alcohol consumption rising throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
So, what exactly is alcohol use disorder, and what are the effects of alcohol on the body? What can you do to prevent alcohol use disorder, and what can you do if you or someone else in your life needs help? Let’s talk about it.
Defining alcohol use disorder
Defining alcohol use disorder
Understanding the symptoms of alcohol use disorder can help you gain awareness of the signs in yourself or other people—one of the goals of Alcohol Awareness Month.
Recognizing the symptoms of alcoholism
Symptoms of alcohol use disorder can include:
- Patterns of drinking more or longer than you intended
- Wanting to cut down or stop drinking but being unable to do so
- Impacted work, difficulty at school, or trouble in family life caused by drinking
- Continuing to drink despite its contribution to problems in your personal life, such as interference with your family life or difficulty with fulfilling obligations
- Disengaging in activities that would typically be important or enjoyable to you to drink
- Continuing to drink despite concerns such as feeling down, depressed, anxious, or experiencing a memory blackout
- Patterns of getting into situations where drinking increases your chances of getting hurt (for example, driving under the influence, using heavy machinery, swimming, unsafe sexual activity, and more)
- Increased tolerance for alcohol (needing to drink more than before to get the effect you want/ed)
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms after the effects of alcohol wear off. For example, shakiness, restlessness, G.I. distress, racing heart, sweating, or a seizure
Mild alcohol use disorder is defined by the presence of two to three symptoms. In contrast, moderate alcohol use disorder is defined by four to five symptoms, and severe alcohol use disorder is defined by the presence of six or more symptoms. If you notice two or more of these symptoms in yourself, or if you feel that you may have concerns related to alcohol for another reason, it is important to reach out for help.
Effects of alcohol and alcoholism on the body and brain
Alcohol misuse can impact all areas of life and well-being.
Physical effects of alcoholism on the body
Possible effects of excessive alcohol in the body, including the brain, include but are not limited to:
- Headaches
- Severe dehydration
- Increased risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, and stroke
- Increased risk of some kinds of cancer, which include but are not limited to liver cancer and esophageal cancer
- Digestive issues (ulcers, nausea, indigestion, and vomiting)
- Pancreatitis
- Liver problems include but are not limited to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and fatty liver
- Difficulty with memory, including both long-term and short-term memory
- An increased risk of dementia
- Trouble sleeping or changes in sleep
- Changes in appetite
- Mood changes
- Mortality
Impact of alcoholism on personal life
Drinking too much alcohol can negatively affect your immune system, work, education, and interpersonal or familial relationships. Getting help for alcohol use disorder is crucial and can be life-changing. Recovery from alcohol use disorder is possible, and there are diverse support methods out there.
Getting help for alcohol use disorder
Getting help for alcohol use disorder will look different for everyone, and your course of treatment, or that of your loved ones, may vary based on a range of different factors. The recovery process can include detox, inpatient or outpatient treatment through a program for substance use disorders, ongoing therapy, medication, peer support (via support groups and other methods), support from family, and more.
Treatment options for alcoholism
Treatment may also look different as time goes on. For example, it’s common that a person may first attend detox to move through the detox process safely, then move to inpatient treatment, and finally proceed to outpatient treatment or support once they’re ready.
Addressing co-occurring conditions in alcoholism
If co-occurring conditions or concerns are present, those may also be addressed in treatment.
Dual diagnosis programs may be advantageous in these cases. Ongoing self-care and connection to supportive people are typically helpful and important parts of maintaining recovery.
To find treatment for substance use disorders like alcohol use disorder or learn more about the treatment options available to you, go to https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/.
*Eating disorders are serious. Please call or text the National Eating Disorder Association Helpline at 1 (800) 931-2237 if you or someone you know has an eating disorder or believes they might. The helpline is available 24/7.
April is Alcohol Awareness Month: Prevention and healthy coping skills
April is Alcohol Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of alcohol misuse.One goal of Alcohol Awareness Month is prevention, which may come through education, early intervention, and other supportive factors, like the implementation of healthy coping skills. Here’s what you can do:
April is Alcohol Awareness Month: Self-assessment
Check-in with yourself. Think about why you drink and if you have a healthy relationship with alcohol. Know that you don’t have to wait for the signs and symptoms of alcohol use disorder to worsen before you make a change or seek support.
Get screened. Screenings are short, and they can help you better understand your relationship with alcohol. One of the most frequently used tools in screening for alcohol use disorder is the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT).
Limit or stop drinking alcohol
Limit or stop drinking. Heavy drinking and binge drinking are major risk factors for the development of alcohol use disorder. It can be beneficial to surround yourself with others who do not drink or for whom drinking isn’t a central part of social connection. You may consider making your household an alcohol-free zone, so it isn’t easily on hand. You don’t have to drink even if those around you do so. There are several ways to find alcohol-free communities, individuals, and spaces online or near you, as well as spaces for those who are sober-curious.
Identify healthy coping skills
Identify healthy coping skills. We all need these to help us navigate stress and other concerns in life. Coping skills may include but aren’t limited to spending time outdoors, journaling, breathing exercises, thought reframing, yoga, walking, spending time with positive people in your life, art, other hobbies, or meditation. Managing stress is often a crucial part of caring for your mental health.
Support systems and alcohol use disorder risks
Connect with a support system. Building your support system matters, and like coping skills, a support system is something that all of us need. A support system can include friends, families, medical and mental health professionals, people in a support group you attend, remotely or in a face-to-face setting, and more.
Know your risk. Alcohol use disorder can impact anyone. However, certain populations, such as low-income people between the ages of 18 and 25 or who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, are also at an increased risk of alcohol use disorder. Alongside heavy drinking and binge drinking, other risk factors for alcohol use disorder include but aren’t limited to a diagnosis of another mental health condition, trauma, and family history. If you experience symptoms you think may be due to a mental health condition, connect with a medical or mental health professional who can help, such as a therapist or your primary care doctor.
Alcohol use disorder impacts the person who experiences it and those around them. If a loved one is in treatment, you might attend therapy sessions with them, such as in cases where family therapy is a part of their treatment. You can also support them by celebrating important days or months including Alcohol Awareness/Recovery Month with them.
Reaching out for help can be important in keeping yourself healthy while you support a loved one. Therapy may be helpful if you or someone you love lives with an alcohol use disorder. You can find a therapist to work with in person or online, and no matter what option you choose, you deserve to get the support you need.
Online therapy
Online therapy is effective in helping individuals facing a broad range of concerns that impact mental health. You can find a therapist to work with online by signing up for an online therapy platform like BetterHelp.
BetterHelp is a convenient and cost-effective way to get support from a licensed mental health professional. It’s easy to sign up, and you can cancel services at any point in time if you need to. BetterHelp has continued to improve throughout the years, and there are over 35,000 licensed professionals who offer therapy on the platform.
Takeaway
Frequently asked questions
What is the theme for Alcohol Awareness Month 2023?
The Alcohol Awareness Month April 2023 theme is, "Connecting the Dots: Opportunities for Recovery."
In the U.S., Alcohol Awareness Month occurs yearly, in April. The National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence (NCADD), a voluntary health organization, founded Alcohol Awareness Month in 1987. The purpose of Alcohol Awareness Month is to raise awareness and reduce the stigma of alcohol use disorder (AUD), sometimes called alcoholism by the general public.
What is Alcohol Awareness Week?
The United States does not observe an Alcohol Awareness Week, but the United Kingdom (UK) does. In the UK, Alcohol Awareness Week is coordinated by an organization called Alcohol Change UK. Alcohol Awareness Week usually occurs in July and is intended to get people thinking more about the effects of drinking alcohol.
The US does have two weeks that are similar to Alcohol Awareness Week. The first is National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (NDAFW). NDAFW is an annual event that usually occurs in March of each year. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), puts on NDAFW.
National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week (NCAAW) occurs the third week of October each year. NCAAW focuses on educating college students about the risks of drinking alcohol, particularly binge drinking and other forms of excessive alcohol use.
What is alcohol awareness for adults?
Alcohol awareness for adults generally involves education on national guidelines for drinking alcohol, along with information about alcohol use disorder (AUD). The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adult men drink two or less alcoholic drinks per day and adult women drink one or less drink per day. The guidelines also note that adults can choose not to drink alcohol and that drinking less is healthier than drinking more.
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a diagnosis given to people who struggle to stop or reduce their alcohol use, even though it is negatively impacting their work, social life, or health. The disorder can be mild, moderate, or severe. Multiple treatments, including one-on-one therapy, support groups, and medications, can help.
What is the alcohol awareness message?
The alcohol awareness message is that, while drinking in moderation can be part of a healthy lifestyle, many people unknowingly adopt unhealthy drinking patterns. By spreading awareness of what unhealthy alcohol use looks like and the risks associated with it, those sending out alcohol awareness messages hope to help reduce the problems often associated with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Excessive alcohol use is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the U.S.
What National Awareness Month is June 2023?
Multiple awareness months are celebrated in June. The most well-known of these are LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month, Gun Violence Awareness Month, National Immigrant Heritage Month, and Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month.
Alcohol Awareness events generally don't occur in June. In the U.S., Alcohol Awareness Month occurs in April. National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week occurs in March, and National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week occurs in October.
What is the color for alcohol awareness?
A red ribbon is used to symbolize alcohol awareness. Many U.S. K-12 schools hold Red Ribbon Week events to try and prevent unhealthy alcohol and drug use. Red Ribbon Week generally takes place the last week of October. Red Ribbon Week events often involve interactive resources designed to engage and interest students while also conveying to them the potential dangers of drugs and alcohol.
What is the theme of National Recovery Month 2023?
The National Recovery Month theme in 2023 is, "Hope is Real. Recovery is real." However, moving forward, the permanent theme of National Recovery Month will be "Every Person. Every Family. Every Community." National Recovery Month occurs each September and began in 1989.
National Recovery Month was initially sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). However, from 2023 forward, an organization called Faces and Voices of Recovery will host the National Recovery Month website and take the lead on events.
What color ribbon is for addiction?
A red ribbon is usually used to symbolize addiction. A teal ribbon or purple ribbon may be used to symbolize addiction recovery.
Why do we drink alcohol to celebrate?
Drinking alcohol to celebrate was an ancient tradition in many regions of the world, and experts aren't entirely sure why humans first began using alcohol to celebrate.
A 2023 survey of over 1,000 Americans found that in our era, alcohol is often used to celebrate bachelor or bachelorette parties, weddings, nights out with friends or coworkers, family gatherings, office parties, and even dates. While some people drink alcohol to lighten the mood, others likely use it to reduce anxiety or help themselves tolerate uncomfortable situations.
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