Alcohol Abuse Statistics

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Relevant Information About Alcohol Abuse Statistics

As shown in various alcohol abuse statistics and facts, although alcohol has been used in a number of different ways throughout history that can be called "beneficial" it was, nevertheless, observed thousands of years ago that abusive drinking led to personal and social problems.

Targeting current alcohol abuse statistics, it is claimed, is an informative way to evaluate the personal and social problems that are correlated with abusive and irresponsible drinking behavior.

Why Alcohol Abuse Statistics are Significant and Needed

Unfortunately, the full impact of the damaging and debilitating consequences of alcohol abuse are not usually comprehended until relevant alcohol abuse statistics and facts are explicitly articulated.
Consequently, the following alcohol abuse statistics that have been acquired via different research studies and surveys on the Internet will be presented below:

  • In the U.S. on an annual basis, more than one third of pedestrians killed by automobiles were legally drunk.
  • As many as 3 million Americans over the age of 60 are alcoholics or have serious drinking problems.
  • In the United States, research has demonstrated that continued alcohol abuse is one of the major risk factors for violence in intimate relationships.
  • According to recent studies, it has been discovered that approximately 53% of adults in the United States have reported that one or more of their close relatives has a drinking problem.
  • Studies have shown that the drinking patterns of employed women are different from those of women not employed outside the home, with less abstinence, increased consumption and greater frequency of drinking occasions observed among employed women.
  • There are approximately 14 million people in the United States addicted to alcohol and millions more who display symptoms of alcohol abuse, including binge drinking.
  • Low to moderate doses of alcohol can increase the incidence of a variety of aggressive acts, including domestic violence and child abuse.
  • Twenty one percent of workers reported being injured or put in danger, having to re-do work or to cover for a co-worker or needing to work harder due to others' drinking.
  • Approximately 14 million Americans, about 7.4 percent of the adult population, meet the diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or alcoholism.
  • Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are the third leading cause of the preventable deaths in the United States.
  • Nearly one-fourth of all U.S. people who are admitted to general hospitals have alcohol problems or are undiagnosed alcoholics being treated for the consequences of their drinking.
  • In one U.S. study, employees who were in serious trouble with alcohol showed significant improvement in drinking behavior and job adjustment during the months immediately following an intervention to confront the alcohol abuse that was negatively affecting their work.
  • American work roles with little or no supervision and those characterized by high mobility are associated with increased rates of problem drinking.
  • One of every 130 licensed drivers in the United States has been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.
  • Up to 40 percent of the U.S. industrial fatalities and 47 percent of industrial injuries can be linked to alcohol abuse and alcoholism.
  • In the U.S., 25% of all emergency room admissions, 33% of all suicides, and more than 50% of all homicides and incidents of domestic violence are alcohol-related.
  • In the United States, the correlation between the battering of women and alcohol abuse is the highest for men who believe that male control and power over women are acceptable in various situations.

Alcohol Abuse Statistics: Conclusion

It is obvious from an examination of current alcohol abuse statistics that hazardous and excessive drinking result in a host of social, personal, and health problems.

After reading some of the appalling statistics about alcohol abuse, it makes an individual question how it is possible that alcohol abuse is increasing instead of decreasing throughout the world.

Extra Information

Finding a quality treatment program can be a difficult process.  This is why we are including the following information.

The following toll-free phone number is a number to a call center/treatment center that we are proudly affiliated with. This treatment facility provides top-quality and professional "holistic" drug and alcohol rehab and counseling that addresses virtually every aspect of the person's life.

There is someone at this phone number 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Please call this number if you have questions about a drug or alcohol problem or if you want some information about quality drug or alcohol treatment. (888) 565-2282

A Poll About Alcoholism

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Help for Drug and Alcohol Problems

The following toll-free phone number is a number to a call center/treatment center that we are proudly affiliated with. This treatment facility provides top-quality and professional "holistic" drug and alcohol rehab and counseling that addresses virtually every aspect of the person's life.

There is someone at this phone number 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Please call this number if you have questions about a drug or alcohol problem or if you want some information about quality drug or alcohol treatment. (888) 565-2282

Alcohol Abuse Statistics and Other Alcohol-Related Quick Facts

Did you know...


  • According to a 2007 Science Daily report, kids who drink to help them deal with anger or frustration issues are not likely to benefit from a prevention program developed for kids who are just experimenting with alcohol.

  • Many people do not go to a doctor specifically for alcohol problems but rather seek treatment for physical conditions (such as cirrhosis) that result from long-term alcohol abuse. Your doctor might ask you questions about your drinking to help see whether alcohol use is the cause of a condition like cirrhosis.

  • It seems that a lot of people focus more on the treatment of alcoholism than on the treatment of alcohol abuse. Clearly, one of the reasons for this is that alcoholism is a more serious medical condition than alcohol abuse. There is, however, a convincing argument for the treatment of alcohol abuse BEFORE an individual's abusive and hazardous drinking escalates and becomes alcohol dependency.

  • Alcohol abuse and alcoholism research shows that drinking alcohol can produce noticeable memory effects after just a couple of drinks (that is, after moderate drinking). As the individual continues to drink, moreover, so does the degree of memory problems.

  • After alcoholism detox, most alcoholics need some form of long-term counseling and to sustain his or her sobriety. Recovery programs teach the alcoholic about his or her disease and help him or her acquire new coping skills and strategies to better handle the stress and difficulty of everyday life without resorting to alcohol. Indeed, a number of alcoholics benefit from self-help, recovery programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous after completing residential or outpatient treatment.

  • Alcohol use interacts with conditions such as depression and stress to contribute to suicide, the third leading cause of death among people between the ages of 14 and 25. In one study, 37 percent of eighth grade females who drank heavily reported attempting suicide, compared with 11 percent who did not drink.

  • Alcohol abuse and alcoholism research has shown that everyone who experiences alcohol withdrawal symptoms needs professional treatment. As a result, alcohol detox and alcohol withdrawal should not be done at home and instead need to be undertaken in a medical rehab or treatment facility.

  • Several U.S. studies have shown that about half of alcoholics who have successfully undergone detoxification will relapse within 6-12 months.

  • The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has established procedures for mandatory alcohol testing that require the employment of a standardized breathalyzer. The categories of testing that are allowed by the DOT are the following: random, reasonable suspicion, and post-accident.

  • As shown in the alcoholism research statistics, once a person has lost control of his or her drinking, it is difficult to go back to drinking moderate amounts. Therefore, the goal of treatment of alcohol dependence is usually to stop drinking alcohol completely.

  • Sometimes family members, friends, or coworkers recognize that a person needs help for an alcohol use problem before the person does. This is usually because the person is in denial about drinking and does not think treatment is needed. A person in denial might make excuses for his or her drinking or blame other people or circumstances.

  • Since nothing can change what took place in the past, it is hoped that all of the state and federal prisoners who abused drugs and/or alcohol in the past have access to alcoholism and alcohol abuse programs as well as to substance abuse and addiction treatment while they are still in prison.

  • To make the argument for alcohol abstention and pregnancy even stronger, according to recent U.S. alcoholism studies, women who continue to drink even small amounts of alcohol while trying to become pregnant, may reduce their chances of conceiving.

  • U.S. research shows that many people do not go to a doctor specifically for alcohol problems but seek treatment for physical conditions (such as cirrhosis) that result from long-term alcohol use. Your doctor might ask you questions about your drinking to help see whether alcohol abuse is the cause of a condition like cirrhosis.

  • In the U.S., addicts tend to be risk takers and thrill seekers and expect to have a positive reaction to the abusive activity or drug before it is begun or used.

  • If you drink to an excess, you may consume more alcohol than your body can metabolize and eliminate. Under these circumstances, the body and the brain may become 'overloaded' and result in alcohol poisoning. If the amount of alcohol is great enough, the body and the brain will 'shut down' and the person can die as a result.

  • Alcoholism and alcohol abuse research studies reveal that adolescents who drink alcohol may remember 10 percent less of what they have learned than adolescents who don't drink. Question. Why in the world are teens and pre-teens drinking? Where are their parents? What are their school systems doing about this?

  • Alcoholism and medical research have discovered that drinking alcohol can be hazardous in smaller amounts if it is consumed along with the following drugs: street drugs such as heroin and opium; sedatives such as tranquilizers and barbiturates; anti-seizure medications such as phenobarbital; and narcotic pain medications such as Codeine, Codeine derivatives, and Darvocet. Not only this, but mixing alcohol and drugs not only compounds the drug and alcohol problems that the abuser experiences, but doing so increases the person's need for professional alcohol and drug treatment.

  • Regarding alcoholism and drinking problems, employers can be particularly effective. Their approach should also be compassionate but strong, threatening the employee with loss of employment if he or she does not seek help.

  • While the discussion of the causes of alcohol abuse and alcohol typically center on genetics and environmental factors, perhaps there is another component that needs to be added to the "causal equation," namely, a person's developmental processes and how she progresses through the developmental stages that are critical for growth.

  • Despite all the warnings, public awareness and educational programs, stiffer penalties for violations, and efforts by law enforcement agencies across the nation to be more visible and diligent in protecting the highways, people will still get behind the wheel of their vehicles while intoxicated.

  • Alcohol treatment programs need to be carefully monitored every step of the way, sometimes involving friends and family members, from the initial assessment phase through continued follow-up after the intervention program is completed.

  • An increasing number of studies show that treatment is effective for adolescents with alcohol and drug-related problems, but there are unique challenges to assessing, diagnosing, and treating alcohol problems in young people.

  • According to a report published by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, eighty-one percent of high school students have consumed alcohol, compared with 70 percent who have smoked cigarettes and 47 percent who have used marijuana.

  • Risk is not destiny. Just because alcoholism tends to run in families doesn't mean that a child of an alcoholic parent will automatically become an alcoholic too. Some people develop alcoholism even though no one in their family has a drinking problem. By the same token, not all children of alcoholic families get into trouble with alcohol. Knowing you are at risk is important, though, because then you can take steps to protect yourself from developing problems with alcohol.

  • U.S. alcohol abuse research scientists have discovered that people who stop using other drugs (such as marijuana, Oxycontin, or heroin) at the same time they quit drinking alcohol, might experience excessive withdrawal problems. These individuals, consequently, should see a doctor before they quit their addictive habits.

  • Substance abuse research shows that hangovers are a symptom of abusive and excessive drinking. Although hangovers are not necessarily an indication of addiction, they certainly are one of the symptoms of alcohol abuse. The following represents some of the manifestations of hangovers: dizziness, headache, thirst, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting.

Note to Problem Drinkers

If you cannot drink responsibly and in moderation, you have a drinking problem. Moreover, if you have a drinking problem, and you want to solve this problem professional alcohol treatment is usually a logical course of action.

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Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Related Links

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Some relevant links to websites about alcohol abuse, alcoholism, drug abuse, and other drug and alcohol-related topics.
About Alcohol Information
Alcohol Information. Learn about alcohol and alcoholism, alcohol awareness, alcohol information, and how abusive drinking can lead to alcohol problems.
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About Alcohol Rehab. Info about alcohol and rehab, alcohol rehab programs, dealing with an alcohol overdose, and about selecting an alcohol rehab program.
About Alcohol Testing
Alcohol Testing. Learn about alcohol tests, what types of alcohol tests are used, which alcohol test is the most effective, and why employers test for alcohol.
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Facts About Alcoholism. Learn about alcoholism facts, alcoholism statistics, and how people become victims to harmful alcoholism effects.
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Help for Alcohol and Drug Problems

The following toll-free phone number is a number to a call center/treatment center that we are proudly affiliated with. This treatment facility provides top-quality and professional "holistic" drug and alcohol rehab and counseling that addresses virtually every aspect of the person's life.

There is someone at this phone number 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Please call this number if you have questions about a drug or alcohol problem or if you want some information about quality drug or alcohol treatment. (888) 565-2282

Drug and Alcohol Treatment Info

The following toll-free phone number is a number to a call center/treatment center that we are proudly affiliated with. This treatment facility provides top-quality and professional "holistic" drug and alcohol rehab and counseling that addresses virtually every aspect of the person's life.

There is someone at this phone number 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Please call this number if you have questions about a drug or alcohol problem or if you want some information about quality drug or alcohol treatment. (888) 565-2282

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