How many individuals get injured or lose their lives in alcohol related traffic accidents every year? How many individuals face serious consequences in their lives because they received a DWI conviction? How many individuals lose their lives every year because of drinking problems? On an annual basis, how many alcoholics fail to get the professional alcohol treatment they require? How many children are born each year with fetal alcohol syndrome? How many individuals lose their lives each year from a condition that is one hundred percent preventable, such as alcohol poisoning? How many people’s lives are cut short due to irresponsible and destructive drinking? How many junior high, high school, and college students lose their lives every year due to an alcohol overdose? How many people are the victims of alcohol related violence or crime each and every year?

Why Would Anyone Want to Drink in an Irresponsible and Excessive Manner?

So what’s the point in asking these questions? Basically to highlight the devastating and destructive nature of abusive and careless drinking.  Indeed, and based on the above questions, I wonder why anyone would choose to drink in an excessive and abusive manner.

Stated another way, with the host of financial difficulties, relationship issues, health problems, employment dilemmas, and legal proceedings that are associated with chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism, why would any individual with any sense at all want to drink in a hazardous and excessive manner? If truth be told when some of the above topics are looked at more closely, careless and abusive drinking becomes more illogical and makes even less sense.

Wouldn’t you think that alcoholics would be able to see some of the alcohol symptoms that they display?  In a similar manner doesn’t it seem plausible to think that many more families would involve themselves in an alcohol intervention for the person in the household who is an alcohol abuser or an alcoholic?  What is more, wouldn’t you think that people who drink irresponsibly would try to learn more about their drinking behavior by researching various alcohol related statistics?

After reviewing the alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse research findings, the point is so relevant that it needs to be stated again:  With all of the destructive and disastrous outcomes that are directly or indirectly associated with repetitive and continuous alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction, why would any individual want to engage in excessive drinking?

What Can be Done About the Widespread Nature of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in the United States?

So what can be done about the widespread nature of alcoholism and alcohol abuse in the United States?

1. Our students need more meaningful and more relevant educational and preventative approaches and methods so that more students at all grade levels, including those at college, are “reached.
2. In a similar way, our students need to learn how to become problem solvers in life rather than getting easily attracted to the ”quick fix” and the “instant gratification” of a drug or alcohol abuse ”high” or “buzz”.
3. Individuals who are alcoholics or alcohol abusers need to look at themselves in the mirror and ask why they are not getting the professional alcohol therapy they require.
4. Society needs to get the message to more people about the debilitating and unhealthy effects of abusive drinking.

There’s Room For Optimism if Those Who Engage in Unhealthy and Abusive Drinking Can Become Persuaded to Get the Alcohol Rehabilitation They Need

There’s room for hope and optimism if people can start drinking responsibly and those who engage in careless and excessive drinkingcan become encouraged to get the alcohol rehab they require.  Indeed, why put your loved ones through suffering, pain, and turmoil because of your abusive and unhealthy drinking when you have the power to control your life by drinking responsibly or even stopping drinking if you can’t control your drinking behavior?