Posts Tagged ‘women alcoholics’

April Marks Alcohol Awareness Month

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

Thought we’d let this one slip by? Not a chance. With all the allocated months out there for racial and cultural understanding, eco-samaritans and diseases without cures, it’s easy to miss April’s significance in the fight against alcohol addiction.

Though this month’s marker hasn’t been particularly publicized, it’s a step forward in not only awareness, but in prevention. We’re all for getting people to look around, look at themselves and look at potentially hazardous habits that can spiral into something much more, and recognize Alcoholism as a disease.

In the United States, an estimated 15.1 million people suffer with Alcoholism; of these, an estimated 4.6 are women. Annually, an average of 100,000 people die from alcohol-related fatalities, be they from deteriorated health or alcohol-induced action or vulnerabilities. Lastly, but of special importance, the US annually spends $185 billion dollars on alcoholism-related problems.

This disease is 100 percent curable, but the general populace hasn’t yet realized what it takes to make it happen. Alcoholism itself is not something to be ashamed of; continuing to needlessly suffer without treatment is.

April should seek to promote better treatment, and, like we have done through AIDS Awareness, Alcohol Awareness should seek to end the stigma attached to this disease and accentuate the need for better treatment and continuing care.

If you think your loved one may be an alcoholic, aid him or her in receiving help through intervention. During this process you and the rest of those who care will understand the disease, how to overcome its effects on your lives and how to help your loved one heal and grow. This process continues into the individual’s treatment, which we can help you select, and even after he or she completes the program.

If you yourself have a problem with alcohol and are unsure of where to turn, our trained clinicians can listen to your story, point you in the right direction, lead you to the correct treatment facility, work with you, your family and your budget and keep you on the right path with continuing care for a brighter, healthier future.

Whichever case you fall into, it’s never too early to seek help or advice regarding alcohol or any kind of substance abuse. The sooner you identify the problem, the sooner you can implement the solution and regain control over your life, your family and your health.

Tags: addiction intervention, addiction intervention resources, alcohol awareness month, alcohol-related consequences, alcoholism, alcoholism and holidays, intervention, women alcoholics
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Drinking and driving facts

Friday, August 14th, 2009

An article in the Associated Press by Lisa Flam (seen here in the Dallas Morning News) brings up some interesting facts- that more women are getting behind the wheel of automobiles after consuming cocktails. According to the article, the number of women arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs was 28.8 percent higher in 2007 than it was in 1998, while the number of men arrested was 7.5 percent lower, according to FBI figures that cover about 56 percent of the country.

“Younger women feel more empowered, more equal to men, and have been beginning to exhibit the same uninhibited behaviors as men,” said Chris Cochran of the California Office of Traffic Safety. This article was brought up as a result of a New York woman causing a fatal accident while drunk and under the influence of drugs.

A good article from Women’s eNews touches on issues with women and substance abuse, especially among mothers. This talks about how dealing with kids is difficult, as well as dealing with marital issues. More women are turning to alcohol and drugs for stress relief.

Well the truth is, everyone deals with stress. Developing healthy coping mechanisms is one of the integral parts of recovery; however, if we work with our families at a younger age, we may be able to encourage healthy behaviors prior to a mother driving the wrong way down a one way street, drunk and with children. The main issue here is denial; this woman’s husband has said repeatedly that he’s never seen her drunk during their marriage. Our guess? He probably wasn’t looking that hard. People don’t just randomly decide to go out and drink and drive– there tends to be some sort of build up.

If her husband and family had been aware of the resources available, or hadn’t been to worried to say anything, then we could’ve avoided this tragic accident. Denial kills far more alcoholics and addicts than treatment, that’s for sure.

Tags: addiction, alcoholism, drunk driving, DUI, mothers against drunk driving, women alcoholics, women drinking more
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