Established in 1987 to aid in reducing the stigma associated with alcoholism and alcohol addiction, Alcohol Awareness Month was an initiative by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) that encouraged individuals and communities to reach out to the American public each April of every year to inform and educate about alcohol, alcoholism and recovery from alcoholism.
Every April, communities and health departments across the country use Alcohol Awareness Month each year to pass along important information and tips related to alcohol, alcohol abuse and alcohol use disorder. According to the National Institute of Health, 86.4% of people ages 18 or older report that they drank alcohol at some point in the lifetime and 15.1 million adults ages 18 or older qualify as having an alcohol use disorder diagnosis (these figures are based on a 2015 survey.) Additionally, an estimated 88,000 people (62,000 men and 26,000 women) die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States.
Alcohol is a chronic, progressive disease that many individuals are genetically predisposed for at birth and is fatal if left untreated. Recovery, however, is very possible with the right treatment and recovery support, as it is estimated that as many as 20+ million individuals and family members are living lives in recovery.
The 2018 Alcohol Awareness Month theme from NCADD is “Changing Attitudes: It’s not a ‘rite of passage’” and throughout April local, statewide and national events will take place throughout the country in order to try to help break the stigma of alcoholism and recovery and educate the public about treatment, prevention and recovery. There is also a major focus on youth and the role that parents and families can play in giving kids a better understanding of the impact alcohol can have on their lives. Awareness, education, prevention, treatment and recovery are all vital pieces in helping Americans deal with and overcome the challenges of alcohol-related incidents and alcoholism.
If you or someone you know is in need of help because of drug and/or alcohol abuse or addiction, please give us a call. Maryland Addiction Recovery Center offers the most comprehensive drug/alcohol addiction treatment Washington DC, Mid-Atlantic area. If we aren’t the best fit for you or your loved one, we will take the necessary time to work with you to find a treatment center or provider that better fits your needs.