Interpreting Troubling Alcoholism Statistics

The 2015–2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans says that moderate alcohol consumption involves consuming two drinks or less per day for men. It is even less for women. If you drink more than that, you might wonder if you have a problem. Alcoholism statistics indicate that people who binge drink or have a family history of the disease are more likely to struggle with alcohol.

What is Alcoholism?

woman thinking about the alcoholism statistics, holding a glass of wine.According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, or NIAAA, alcoholism is a disease that causes your body to become dependent on the substance. While there are varying degrees of alcoholism, it generally revolves around these four characteristics:

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  • Craving: an intense desire to drink
  • Loss of control: an inability to stop drinking once you start
  • Physical dependence: the need to drink to feel normal and stave off withdrawal symptoms
  • Tolerance: the need to consume more alcohol to feel a buzz

Even if you haven’t developed full-blown alcoholism, you can still have a drinking problem. Alcohol use disorder, or AUD, involves using alcohol to the point that it puts your health or safety in danger. Binge drinking is a sign of AUD.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a man binge drinks when he has five alcoholic beverages within a two-hour period. Experts consider a man a heavy alcohol user when he binge drinks at least five days a month.

Alcoholism Statistics

Recreational alcohol use is a relatively accepted practice in the U.S. The 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health revealed that more than 85% of adults have consumed alcohol. In fact, more than half of the respondents drank within the previous month.

More than 15 million adults fit the criteria for an AUD in 2015. However, less than 7% of them actually pursued addiction treatment programs.

Family History of Alcoholism

Millions of Americans have a family member who has struggled with alcoholism. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence states that genes make up 50% of the risk for alcohol addiction. The NIAAA reports that people with alcoholic parents are four times more likely than the general population to have problems with alcohol abuse.

Are You Doomed to Struggle With Alcohol Addiction?

Many factors contribute to alcohol dependence, including environmental influences, social elements, the way that your body responds to alcohol, and having a co-occurring mental health disorder.

If you currently struggle with alcohol abuse or have dealt with it in the past, getting proper treatment can help you stay sober. Serenity Lodge is a men’s drug rehab facility in a serene California setting that focuses on treating the whole person in order to improve the chances of success in recovery.

Our drug and alcohol addiction treatment facility provides a safe, tranquil environment in which Clients can take advantage of a wide variety of amenities to support their healing.

At Serenity Lodge, we infuse a 12-step program into all of our treatments, which include:

  • Individual counseling
  • Group therapy
  • Family groups
  • Dual diagnosis treatment
  • Education
  • Aftercare

If you don’t want to be an example of alcoholism statistics, take control of your future today. Call Serenity Lodge at (855) 932-4045 to learn about how our amenity-rich facility can help you move toward complete wellness.

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