April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and this year's theme, "Changing Attitudes: It's not a 'right of passage'", is a national grassroots effort to draw attention to the many opportunities individuals, families, and communities have to educate young people on the dangers of alcohol use.
According to the NCADD, "Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States. 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence along with several million more who engage in risky, binge drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems. More than half of all adults have a family history of alcoholism or problem drinking, and more than 7 million children live in a household where at least one parent is dependent on or has abused alcohol." Warning signs of alcohol abuse include:
- Drinking to calm nerves, forget worries or boost a sad mood
- Guilt about drinking
- Unsuccessful attempts to cut down or stop drinking
- Lying about or hiding drinking habits
- Causing harm to oneself or someone else as a result of drinking
- Needing to drink increasingly greater amounts in order to achieve desired effects
- Feeling irritable, resentful or unreasonable when not drinking
- Medical, social, family or financial problems caused by drinking
https://www.ncadd.org/index.php/blogs/in-the-news/april-is-alcohol-awareness-month