America Has a Drinking Problem

What do we mean when we say drinking problem? Well, what do you do when you are getting home from work? How about if you are from a small town and everyone wants to hang out on a Friday night? If you are like many other Americans, you probably didn’t just have a soft drink. Did you find yourself pouring a glass of wine or chugging a bottle of beer? Maybe more than a few bottles of beer? Perhaps something harder. You may have a drinking problem, but help is available.

What constitutes a drinking problem isn’t as tricky as you might think. It’s about consequences. Ask yourself honestly: Have I had any consequences as a result of my alcohol consumption? If the answer is yes, then you should at least consider that you may have a drinking problem.

The truth is that around 85% of adults in the United States have tried alcohol at least once in their life. Over half the adults in the United States drink alcohol at least once a month. The problem is that a lot of these adults don’t drink a healthy amount. They abuse alcohol which can lead to a drinking problem.

If you have a drinking problem, don’t hesitate to reach out Harmony Healing Center today. We can help you to overcome a drinking problem and begin a new, healthier and happier chapter in your life. Recovery is closer than you think and you aren’t destined to become a statistic. Don’t let a drinking problem get the better of you when help is just a phone call away.

What is a Drinking Problem, Anyway?

Americans have a long history with alcohol. In fact, alcohol was in the Americas before Christopher Columbus and it has become a social norm over the years. The truth is that America has a drinking problem. There was a drinking boom in 1919. Even when alcohol became illegal, people still traded and used it.

After the second World War, alcohol became more popular again. Fetal alcohol syndrome cases were very high, along with those of drunk driving. Even when the drinking age went up from 18 to 21 in 1984, there were still underage people getting drunk.

Today, more than 86 percent of U.S. adults over the age of 18 reports that they have drunk alcohol at some point. 70 percent said they have had a drink in the last year, and 56 percent have had a drink in the last month. But the American relationship with alcohol is far from healthy.

America does have one of the smallest alcohol use rates of the first-world countries. However, we also have one of the largest alcohol abuse rates out of these countries. Did you know that around 15,000,000 American adults have an alcohol use disorder. This isn’t even counting those who are underage that struggle with alcohol addiction.

Does the average American drink alcohol?

Binge drinking became a huge problem amongst college and high school students. However, these are not the age groups that struggle the most with alcohol abuse and addiction. In fact, middle-aged adults have the highest rates of alcohol abuse in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that around ¾ of all the alcohol overdose deaths were with those aged 35-64.

Which country drinks the most alcohol?

Who are the biggest drinkers in the world? Well, out of all the studies that have been done, Australia ranks amongst one of the top countries for most alcohol drank.

Is American drinking less than Australia and other countries? When it comes to alcohol use, America ranks n

ear the bottom which is good. However, when dealing with alcohol abuse and addiction, America has about double the average people who struggle with these issues.

What are the signs of alcohol addiction?

Do you consume alcohol? What about your friends or loved ones? How do you know if you or someone you care about has an alcohol addiction? There are some signs of this type of addiction that everyone needs to know about. Once a person can recognize these signs, they can determine whether they or someone they know needs professional treatment to help them overcome alcohol abuse or addiction.

Some of the common signs of alcohol addiction include:

• Hard time controlling how much alcohol you drink
• Giving up social activities to drink alcohol instead
• Having sweats, shakes, or nausea when you don’t drink
• Wanting to stop drinking, but can’t seem to give it up
• Spending a lot of time obtaining and drinking alcohol
• Having a lot of hangovers due to drinking too much
• Having alcohol cravings
• Not fulfilling responsibilities or obligations due to alcohol usage
• Continuing to consume alcohol despite the negative consequences
• Getting into legal trouble due to alcohol use, but continuing to drink regardless
• Drinking and driving
• Getting aggressive when under the influence of alcohol
• Having a higher tolerance to alcohol
• Becoming intoxicated practically every time you drink
• Impaired memory due to drinking too much
• Having regular blackouts
• Hand tremors or seizures because of drinking too much alcohol
• Alcohol poisoning (one or more times)

These are some of the common signs of an addiction to alcohol. If you or someone you know can relate to these, don’t hesitate to reach out for addiction treatment help today. Here at Harmony Healing Center, we can get you started in a treatment program right away.

What do you need to know about alcohol addiction recovery?

Do you want to know how to overcome addiction? When alcohol becomes a problem, there are numerous steps you can take to stop drinking and get into the recovery process. Some of these steps include:

• Telling your loved ones and friends you have an addiction and need help
• Calling a detox center and starting the detox program as soon as you can
• Attending a treatment program (outpatient, intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, and/or inpatient)
• Attending 12 step support group meetings
• Building a support network
• Working on a recovery plan
• Sticking to your aftercare plan

These are some of the things you can do if you want or need to get help to quit drinking and enter a life of recovery from the addiction. It is crucial to know that you aren’t alone in this journey. Even if you don’t have a lot or any friends or family that support you, there are addiction recovery professionals and others who get what you are going through and they want to help. Our team, here at Harmony Healing Center, is ready to support and help you from the start of your recovery journey all the way through your aftercare.

What are the risk factors of becoming an alcoholic?

How do you know if you have a high risk of becoming an alcoholic? There are various risk factors that a person might have, that increase their risk of developing an alcohol addiction. Some of these risk factors include:

• Having a family or personal history of addiction
• Being raised around those who drink alcohol or do drugs
• Suffering from mental health issues such as bipolar disorder, anxiety, or depression
• Having symptoms of PTSD
• Starting to drink at an early age
• Drinking when you were a teenager (before your brain was fully developed)
• Steadily drinking more and more over time
• Having friends how pressure you into drinking alcohol

If you relate to any of these risk factors, now would be a good time to reach out to our team. We know that it is possible for you to overcome an alcohol addiction and our team is here to help you do that.

Get Into an Alcohol Addiction Treatment Program Today

Americas alcohol abuse is a problem. There are millions of Americans who struggle with alcohol addiction. Luckily, there are numerous treatment programs and services that can help a person to stop drinking and get into recovery.

Do you have an addiction to alcohol? If so, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team here at Harmony Healing Center. We can help you overcome a drinking problem starting today.