Alcoholism Statistics

"Research demonstrates that work that is boring, stressful, or isolating can contribute to employees' drinking. Employee drinking has been associated with low job autonomy, sexual harassment, lack of job complexity, boredom, lack of control over work conditions and products, physical and verbal aggression, and disrespectful behavior."

"As a person continues to abuse drugs or alcohol, the brain adapts to the overwhelming surges in dopamine by producing less dopamine or by reducing the number of dopamine receptors in the reward circuit. As a result, dopamine's impact on the reward circuit is lessened, reducing the abuser's ability to enjoy the drugs or alcohol and the things that previously brought pleasure."

"You might not realize that you have a drinking problem. You might not drink every day, or you might not drink large amounts when you do drink. You might go for days or weeks between drinking episodes. Many people say they are "social drinkers" because they do not drink every day. But even if you don't drink very often, it is still possible to abuse alcohol and to be at risk for becoming addicted to it."

"According to SAMHSA's 2002 and 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an annual average of 4.2 million persons aged 16 to 20 reported driving under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs during the past year. About 169,000 of these persons (4%) reported that they had been arrested and booked for DUI/ DWI involving alcohol or drugs in the past year."

"People who begin to drink at a young age are at much higher risk of developing a problem with alcohol later in life. According to one research study, it was found that 45 percent of the people who began drinking before the age of 14 developed later alcohol dependence, compared with only 10 percent of those who waited until they were 21 or older to start drinking."

"The research findings suggest that adolescents who drink are at high risk and should be targeted early with intervention programs that focus not only on alcohol, but also cigarette smoking, use of illicit drugs, and perhaps other problem behaviors."

"According to the substance abuse research literature, numerous drug users engage in criminal activity, such as burglary and prostitution, to raise the money to buy drugs, and some drugs, especially alcohol, are associated with violent behavior."

"Screening for problem drinking and alcoholism needs to become an integral part of the routine health screening questionnaire for adolescents and all adults, particularly women of child-bearing age, because of the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome."

"Depression is a common cause of alcoholism as the depressed person seeks a way out of their problems or a relief from insomnia. Unfortunately, alcohol is itself a depressant, so the problem is only compounded."

"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."

"Also called contingency management or behavior contracting, research shows that contracting with alcoholism patients to reward good behavior and to punish bad behavior can improve treatment outcomes."

"You can receive ongoing alcohol abuse support through aftercare programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous. You might want to discuss your need for a particular type of ongoing treatment or support program with your doctor or counselor."

"In the U.S., if you are convicted of drunk driving, your auto insurance premiums can double, and in some states, even triple. You may want to shop around; some companies specialize in high-risk policies."

"According to a report published by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, policy-makers need to step up enforcement of underage drinking laws and finance additional treatment programs for adolescents."

"According to alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics, roughly 9.7 million current drinkers in the United States are between the ages of 12-20. Regarding these young drinkers, 18.7% are binge drinkers and 6% are excessive drinkers."

"In the United States, fifty percent of cases involving major trauma are alcohol related."

"According to alcohol abuse and alcoholism research statistics, alcohol-related accidents are so common that an estimated 40 percent of the individuals in the U.S. will be involved in an alcohol-related traffic accident at some time in their lives."

"According to U.S. research, heavy alcohol consumption can raise blood pressure even in people with no history of heart disease."

"In a study published by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University it was found that college binge-drinking problems typically start before students get to college."

"According to the research literature, it is important for drinkers to realize that when they frequently abuse alcohol on a regular basis, they increase the risk of becoming an alcoholic."

"Acamprosate was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat alcohol dependence in people who have quit drinking. This medicine is used to reduce cravings for alcohol, and it might help with anxiety and other problems caused by withdrawal. It can be used with along with other medicines."

"According to the research literature, the following represents some of the negative consequences of drinking alcohol and the fertility of the father: killing off the sperm-generating cells in the testicles and abnormal liver function and a rise in estrogen levels that, in turn, affect sperm development and hormone levels."