Alcohol’s availability and consumption are an ever-present theme in most societies. Alcohol has found its niche among the wealthy and the poor, the educated and the uneducated, urban cities and rural towns, and all age groups. Every day we are barraged with advertisements, paraphernalia, and references that are intended to make us purchase and consume more alcohol – and we do. Alcohol advertisers spent $2 billion on alcohol advertising in measured media (television, radio, print, outdoor, major newspapers and Sunday supplements) in 2005. In 2006, it was found that for each additional alcohol advertisement seen by a young person, he or she drank 1% more (Snyder, Milici, Slater, Sun, & Strizhakova, 2006). According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the United States consumed 7.5 billion gallons (or 117 billion standard drinks) of beer wine and spirits in 2006 (NIAAA).
Given the fact that we consume so much alcohol as a nation, alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a prevalent and costly problem in society. According to a study by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine (2011), in 2006 the economic cost of excessive drinking was estimated at 223.5 billion dollars (72.2% from lost productivity, 11.0% from healthcare costs, 9.4% from criminal justice costs, and 7.5% from other effects). Additionally, the non-monetary costs of alcohol consumption can be just as high. In 2005, AUD was associated with 65,000 deaths, 1,152,000 years of life lost, 2,443,000 years of life lost to disability, and 3,595,000 disability-adjusted life years in the US (Rehm, et al., 2014). As a result, it is imperative that individuals who are struggling with AUD or over-reliance on alcohol seek treatment in order to prevent issues and pathology related with heavy/problematic alcohol use.
Even individuals who consume alcohol in a moderate manner can also experience negative effects or unduly influence the treatment of other acute and chronic health conditions. Even among non-pathological drinkers, there is evidence to suggest that excessive alcohol use can increase the risk for mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder; it can lead to cognitive impairment; it can increase the risk of self-harm; it can disrupt emotional regulation processes; it can lead to undesirable social and relationship outcomes; it can increase the risk of abusing other substances; it can influence the way your body interprets and responds to stressors; it can increase the risk of developing sleep disturbances or disorders; it can increase the risk of other health conditions; and it can interfere with treatment of other health conditions (Rehm, 2011). Thus, it is important for all patients who are struggling with their alcohol use to talk to their provider(s) and come up with ways to manage their consumption.
If you or a loved one are struggling with alcohol use and would like to speak to someone, please call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (SAMHSA’s National Helpline) or check out the following resources:
https://www.samhsa.gov/
https://smartrecovery.org/
https://celebraterecovery.com/
https://www.dea.gov/recovery-resources
References
1. Snyder, L., Milici, F., Slater, M., Sun, H., & Strizhakova, Y. (2006). Effects of Alcohol Advertising Exposure on Drinking Among Youth. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 160(1), 18-24.
2. Volume beverage and ethanol consumption for States, census regions, and the U.S., 1970–2007. www.niaaa.nih.gov/Resources/DatabaseR- esources/QuickFacts/AlcoholSales/consum02.htm.
3. Bouchery, E., Harwood, H., Sacks, J., Simon, C., & Brewer, R. (2011). Economic Costs of Excessive Alcohol Consumption in the U.S., 2006. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 41(5), 516-524.
4. Rehm, J., Dawson, D., Frick, U., Gmel, G., Roerecke, M., Shield, K., & Grant, B. (2014). Burden of Disease Associated with Alcohol Use Disorders in the United States. Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research, 38(4), 1068-1077.
5. Rehm J. The risks associated with alcohol use and alcoholism. Alcohol Res Health. 2011;34(2):135-143.
