April is Alcohol Awareness Month
FORT MCPHERSON, Ga. -- When many people think of alcohol abusers, they picture teenagers sneaking drinks before high school football games or at unsupervised parties; however, alcohol abuse is prevalent within many demographic groups in the United States.
People who abuse alcohol can be:
o College students who binge drink at local bars.
o Pregnant women who drink and put their babies at risk for fetal alcohol syndrome.
o Professionals who drink after a long day of work.
o Senior citizens who drink out of loneliness.
In 2003, almost 23 percent (54 million) of Americans participated in binge drinking within 30 days prior to taking the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
That same year, approximately 21.6 million adults abused alcohol or were alcohol dependent.
To recognize the serious problem of alcohol abuse, April is designated Alcohol Awareness Month.
Apr. 8 marks the annual observance of National Alcohol Screening Day. At locations across the United States, people can be screened - anonymously - to see if their drinking habits may be risky.
Participants who come into a screening site on Wednesday will have the opportunity to view an educational presentation and pick up educational materials, such as a questionnaire that screens for risky drinking and dependence. People can also meet one-on-one with a health professional to discuss any concerns. The screenings are free and anonymous.
Last year, more than 203,000 people participated in NASD activities at more than 5,400 screening sites nationwide - the largest NASD yet.
If you suspect you might have a drinking problem or you know someone who abuses alcohol, call the Wellness Center staff at Fort McPherson at 464-2436 or the SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) at 1-800-729-6686.
The following free publications, available at Wellness Center, Bldg. 60 at Fort McPherson, can provide more information about the hazards of drinking alcohol:
o Reach Out Now: Talk With Your Fifth Grader About Underage Drinking
o Get Connected! Toolkit (Linking Older Adults With Medication, Alcohol, and Mental Health Resources)
o Alcohol Treatment and Adolescents
o The Role of Parents in Preventing and Addressing Underage Drinking
o Tips for Teens: The Truth About Alcohol
o Substance Abuse in Brief: What You Should Know About Alcohol Problems
How to Cut Down on Your Drinking
Answers key to self assessment for alcohol dependency
To determine your possible dependency on alcohol, answer yes or no to the following questions. Afterward, count your Aca,!A"yesAca,!A? responses and see your score at the end of the quiz.
1. I wonder whether I am a normal drinker.
2. I have awakened in the morning after some drinking the night before and found I could not remember a part of the evening.
3. My spouse (or parents) have worried or complained about my drinking.
4. I can stop drinking without a struggle after one or two drinks.
5. I have sometimes felt bad about my drinking.
6. My friends and relatives think I am a normal drinker.
7. I sometimes try to control my drinking by limiting it to certain times of the day or to certain places.
8. I can stop drinking whenever I want to.
9. I have attended at least one meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous on my own behalf.
10. I have gotten into fights when drinking.
11. Drinking has created problems in my marriage.
12. My spouse or other family member has gone for help about my drinking.
13. I have lost friends or boyfriends or girlfriends because of my drinking.
14. I have gotten into trouble at work because of my drinking.
15. I have lost a job due to my drinking.
16. I have neglected my obligations to family or work for two or more days in a row because I was drinking.
17. I have consumed alcohol before noon.
18. I have been told I have liver trouble.
19. I have had delirium tremens (DTs), severe shaking, heard voices, or seen things that weren't there after heavy drinking.
20. I have sought help about my drinking.
21. I have been in a hospital and/or treatment center because of my drinking.
22. I have been a patient in a ward of a general hospital or on a psychiatric ward of a general hospital where drinking was part of the problem.
23. I have been seen at a psychiatric or mental health clinic, or gone to a doctor, social worker, psychologist or clergyman for help with an emotional problem in which drinking played a part.
24. I have been arrested for driving after drinking.
Scoring:
0-3 points: probable social drinker (although social drinkers don't usually bother to take tests like this one)
4 points: borderline
5 or more: possible alcoholism
9 or more: probable alcoholism
Warning signs of alcohol abuse
If you answer "yes" to any of the following questions, you may have a problem with alcohol:
o Do you drink alone when you feel angry or sad'
o Does your drinking ever make you late for work'
o Does your drinking worry your family'
o Do you ever drink after telling yourself you won't'
o Do you ever forget what you did while drinking'
o Do you get headaches or have a hangover after drinking'
Social Sharing