Alcohol — America’s Drug of Choice
It is thrown in our face in every other commercial, in almost every movie, on billboards, in flashing lights, in magazines, and just about everywhere you turn.
It’s the idea of having a cold brew, a shot on the rocks, or a martini— shaken not stirred.
Companies have done a marvelous job of making drinking look so cool. You can’t escape it--the concept permeates every part of society. Young people see their parents do it, they see their favorite actor or musician “enjoying” a drink.
Every Super Bowl party has to have beer and most people would tell you it’s not a tailgate party without drinks. It appears most people live to work and then go to the bar on the weekends to have that oh-so-satisfying drink.
It’s no wonder roughly 30 people die in drunk driving-related accidents every day. Alcohol poisons the body and impairs your judgement and while these are the direct ramifications--let’s not forget all the various heartaches and troubles excessive drinking can bring.
Why are we talking about this? It’s because we are not facing the facts. Look at these statistics:
- 15.1 million people struggle with alcohol addiction in the United States, but less than 10 percent seek and receive treatment.
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In a past study, 136.7 million Americans were reported to be currently using alcohol. More than 65 million Americans engaged in binge drinking in the past month and 16.3 million used alcohol heavily.
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Kids who start drinking young are SEVEN times more likely to be in an alcohol-related motor vehicle accident.
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Teen alcohol use kills 4,700 people each year.
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Drunk driving costs the US $200 billion every year.
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Alcohol poisoning kills 6 people every day.
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Also, about 1 in 5 underage individuals (aged 12 to 20) were current alcohol users.
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About 7.3 million in that age bracket reportedly drank alcohol in the past month. 4.5 million had been binge drinking and 1.1 million were otherwise involved in heavy alcohol use.
But despite all these statistics, we somehow turn a blind eye, go about our day, and fall into the trap of allowing this dangerous drug into our lives.
I’m pretty sure a large percentage of us have some sort of alcohol in our homes. And most people think it’s totally fine to have a few drinks: “it takes the edge off”, “you’ve earned it”, “it’s so refreshing”, “it’s what we do”…
The fact is, alcohol is a drug—a nervous system depressant. Its effects on the body include: loss of coordination, loss of judgement, increased agitation, decreased heart rate, slower respiration, and sleep interference. It causes damage to the brain, liver and other internal organs and causes depression.
Should one partake of such a harmful substance? These are the statistics and effects—you be the judge.
If you or someone you know need help, don’t hesitate to call or reach out. You could save a life!
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