How many people’s lives are cut short due to destructive and hazardous 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 crime or violence each and every year? How many people face severe consequences in their lives because they received a “driving under the influence conviction? On an annual basis, how many alcoholics fail to get the professional alcohol treatment they need? How many individuals get injured or lose their lives in alcohol related traffic accidents every year? How many people lose their lives each year from a condition that is one hundred percent preventable, such as alcohol poisoning? How many people experience alcohol related mental health problems like depression? How many individuals lose their lives every year because of drinking problems? How many children are born each year with fetal alcohol syndrome?
Why Would Anyone Want to Drink in an Abusive and Irresponsible Manner?
So what’s the point in asking these questions? Basically to highlight the devastating and destructive nature of excessive and careless drinking. Indeed, and based on the above questions, I wonder why anyone would choose to drink in an irresponsible and excessive manner.
Stated more precisely, with the host of relationship issues, legal proceedings, health dilemmas, financial problems, and employment difficulties that are correlated with alcohol dependency and chronic alcohol abuse, why would any person with average intelligence want to drink in a hazardous and abusive manner? In fact when some of the above topics are examined more closely, hazardous drinking becomes more illogical and makes even less sense.
Wouldn’t you think that heavy drinkers would be able to see some of the alcohol symptoms that they display? In a similar way doesn’t it seem feasible to think that more families would involve themselves in an alcohol intervention for the individual in the household who is an alcoholic or an alcohol abuser? Not only this but wouldn’t you think that people who drink heavily would try to learn more about their drinking behavior by reading about various alcohol related statistics?
After reviewing the alcoholism and alcohol abuse research findings, the point is so relevant that it needs to be said again: With all of the damaging and debilitating outcomes that are directly or indirectly associated with continuous and repetitive alcohol abuse and alcoholism, why would any person want to engage in hazardous and abusive drinking?
What Can be Done About the Extensive Nature of Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse in the United States?
So what can be done about the pervasive nature of alcoholism and alcohol abuse in our country?
- Our students need more meaningful and more relevant preventative and educational approaches and methods so that more students at all grade levels, including those at college, are “reached.
- In a similar manner, our students need to learn how to become problem solvers in life rather than gravitating to the “instant gratification” and the “quick fix” of an alcohol or drug abuse ”high” or “buzz”.
- Individuals who are alcohol abusers or alcohol addicts need to look look at themselves candidly and ask why they are not getting the professional alcohol therapy they require.
- Society needs to get the message to more people about the debilitating and destructive consequences of abusive and hazardous drinking.
There’s Room For Hope if Those Who Engage in Abusive Drinking Can Become Persuaded to Get the Alcohol Rehab They Require
There’s a lot of room for hope and optimism if people can start drinking responsibly and those who engage in unhealthy drinkingcan become motivated to get the alcohol rehab they require. Indeed, why put your loved ones through pain, suffering, and turmoil because of your abusive and unhealthy drinking when you have the power to control your life by drinking responsibly or even refraining from drinking if you can’t control your drinking behavior?
