How many people’s lives are cut short due to destructive and hazardous drinking? How many junior high, high school, and college students lose their lives every year due to an alcohol overdose? How many people are the victims of alcohol related crime or violence each and every year? How many people face severe consequences in their lives because they received a “driving under the influence conviction? On an annual basis, how many alcoholics fail to get the professional alcohol treatment they need? How many individuals get injured or lose their lives in alcohol related traffic accidents every year? How many people lose their lives each year from a condition that is one hundred percent preventable, such as alcohol poisoning? How many people experience alcohol related depression? How many individuals lose their lives every year because of drinking problems? How many children are born each year with fetal alcohol syndrome?

Why Would Anyone Want to Drink in a Hazardous and Abusive Manner?

So what’s the point in asking these questions? Basically to highlight the devastating and destructive nature of excessive and abusive drinking. Indeed, and based on the above questions, I wonder why anyone would choose to drink in a hazardous manner.

Stated differently, with the host of legal proceedings, health problems, relationship dilemmas, financial issues, and employment difficulties that are correlated with chronic alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction, why would any individual with common sense want to drink in an abusive manner? If truth be told when some of the above topics are looked at more closely, abusive and excessive drinking becomes more illogical and makes even less sense.

Wouldn’t you think that alcoholics would be able to see some of the alcohol symptoms that they exhibit? In a similar way doesn’t it seem plausible to think that many more families would involve themselves in an alcohol intervention for the person in the household who is an alcoholic or an alcohol abuser? What is more, wouldn’t you think that people who drink heavily would try to learn more about their drinking behavior by reading about various alcohol related statistics?

After reviewing the alcohol abuse and alcoholism research findings, the point is so significant that it needs to be stated again: With all of the dangerous and disastrous effects that are directly or indirectly associated with continuous and repetitive alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction, why would any person want to engage in careless and abusive drinking?

What Can be Done About the Extensive Nature of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse in Our Country?

So what can be done about the extensive nature of alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse in the United States?

1. Our students need more relevant and more meaningful preventative and educational methods and approaches so that more students at all grade levels, including those at college, are “reached.
2. With a similar line of reasoning, our students need to learn how to become problem solvers in life rather than getting easily attracted to the “instant gratification” and the “quick fix” of a drug or alcohol abuse “buzz” or “high”.
3. Individuals who are alcohol dependent or alcohol abusers need to look in the mirror and ask why they are not getting the professional alcohol treatment they need.
4. Society needs to get the message to more people about the unhealthy and destructive consequences of careless and abusive drinking.

There’s Room For Optimism if Those Who Engage in Abusive and Careless Drinking Can Become Motivated to Get the Alcohol Rehabilitation They Need

There’s lots of room for hope and optimism if individuals can start drinking responsibly and those who engage in abusive and hazardous drinkingcan become motivated to get the alcohol treatment they require. Indeed, why put your loved ones through turmoil, suffering and pain because of your careless and abusive drinking when you have the power to control your life by drinking responsibly or even quitting drinking if you can’t control your drinking behavior?