Health Tip | Four Things To Know About Risky Drinking

by Contributor | October 6, 2020 10:22 am

OSWEGO – Knowledge is power when it comes to avoiding the potentially serious consequences of alcohol.

For starters, check out these facts from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism[1].

1. Alcohol is the most used addictive substance in the U.S. About 1 in every 17 adults struggles with an alcohol use disorder. Millions more engage in risky drinking.

2. Dangerous drinking does real damage. Consider a few stats about alcohol’s extreme impacts:

• Excessive alcohol use is linked to 88,000 deaths per year.
• Alcohol is the third-leading preventable cause of death in the U.S.
• Alcohol misuse costs the U.S. about $249 billion per year.

3. Alcohol can cause serious health problems. For instance, binge drinking (drinking a lot of alcohol in a short amount of time) or heavy drinking (binge drinking on five or more days a month) can increase the risk of:

• Infections due to a weakened immune system.
• Stroke.
• Heart problems, such as irregular heartbeat and high blood pressure.
• Cancer, including liver, oral, esophageal and breast cancers.
• Liver disease, including cirrhosis.
• Pancreatitis.
• Alcohol use disorder.
• Car crashes and other accidents.
• Violent behavior.
• Suicide.

4. Alcohol use disorder has little to do with what you drink. Whether a person is dependent on beer, wine or liquor, they have an uncontrollable need for alcohol—a need that can feel as strong as a craving for food or water.

Know the warning signs

Could you be at risk for or already have a drinking problem? The following can help you find out. For example, you could have a drinking problem if, in the past year, you:

• Ever drank more, or for longer, than you intended.
• Unsuccessfully tried to cut back or stop more than once.
• Got into dangerous situations involving alcohol.
• Had to drink more to get the same buzz.
• Kept drinking even though it made you feel depressed or added to another health problem.
• Spent a lot of time drinking or recovering from a hangover.
• Kept drinking even though it was causing trouble with family or friends.
• Found that drinking interfered with home or work responsibilities.
• Missed out on other things you care about so you could drink.
• Had legal troubles because of drinking.

Ask for help

If you’re concerned about your alcohol use—and you want to make a change—you don’t have to go it alone. Your doctor can help you find treatment. Ask friends and family to support your decision too.

Addressing a drinking problem early can help it from getting much worse.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/oswegohealth/todays-health-tips/health-tip-four-things-to-know-about-risky-drinking/

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