Let’s Call Alcohol Poisoning What It Really Is: Drug Overdose
Let’s Call Alcohol Poisoning What It Really Is: Drug Overdose
Alcohol poisoning and an overdose on alcohol are similar to a drug overdose. Alcohol abuse and addiction are an addiction to a drug. It is time that we got that through our heads and stop thinking alcohol is different or not as bad as hard drugs. Alcohol is dangerous and deadly. And it can cause unhappiness and problems of many different kinds.
Because alcohol is legal and commonplace today, the consensus is that it is not something to be too concerned about. The truth is, this could not be further from the truth. There is nothing wrong with occasional, casual drinking. Alcohol abuse and addiction are the real concern here. It is far more prevalent in the United States than anyone ever thought before.
The Dangers of an Overdose on Alcohol and Alcohol Poisoning are Ignored
Alcohol abuse is out of control in the nation today. It has been since the turn of the century. But, that hasn’t been reported or really exposed as so many companies and people stand to make a lot of money off of alcohol.
However, the truth and the statistics about overdose on alcohol and alcohol poisoning don’t lie.
- In 2014, about 90 percent of people aged 18 or older reported that they had consumed alcohol. Roughly 70 percent of Americans 18 or older indicated that they drank in the past year. Also, 60 percent reported that they drank in the past month or even more recent than that.
- The prevalence and consistency of binge drinking and heavy drinking in the nation are also concerning. For example, in 2014 about 25 percent of people aged 18 or older reported that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month alone. To exacerbate the issue even further, 10 percent reported that they engaged in heavy drinking in the previous month. This heavy drinking makes excessive alcohol consumption something that at least one out of every ten Americans does on a regular basis, if not more often than that.
- About 1.5 million adults received treatment for an Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) at a specialized facility in 2014, but this was only about 8.9 percent of the adults who needed treatment for their addictions. This included no less than 1.1 million men (9.8 percent of men in need), and 431,000 women (7.4 percent of women who needed treatment). Essentially, it is very rare that someone who abuses alcohol actually gets the help that he or she needs. Less than five percent of those addicted actually do make it into rehab.
What is the Best Way to Handle the Alcohol Abuse Problem?
Here’s the worst statistic of them all. Nearly 88,000 people (approximately 62,000 men and 26,000 women), die from alcohol-related causes every year, making alcohol the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States. In fact, only smoking and obesity kill more people than alcohol does. Furthermore, in 2014, alcohol-impaired driving fatalities accounted for about 9,967 deaths altogether (31 percent of overall driving fatalities).
This is a big problem and it needs to be handled. The best way to do so is with rehabilitation. To be more specific, the best way to address addiction is with residential drug and alcohol addiction and treatment centers. These programs are proven to provide lasting recovery for their clients. Learn more about an overdose on alcohol and our programs by calling our toll-free number today.
