How many children are born each year with fetal alcohol syndrome? How many people experience alcohol related mental health problems like depression? How many people’s lives are cut short due to excessive and abusive drinking? How many people get injured or lose their lives in alcohol related traffic accidents every year? How many individuals lose their lives every year because of drinking problems? 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 serious consequences in their lives because they received a DUI conviction? How many people die each year from a condition that is totally preventable, such as alcohol poisoning? On an annual basis, how many alcoholics fail to get the professional alcohol treatment they need?

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

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

Stated a different way, with the host of financial issues, relationship dilemmas, legal proceedings, employment difficulties, and health problems that are linked to chronic alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction, why would any person with any sense at all want to drink in an irresponsible and abusive manner? In fact when some of the above topics are looked at more closely, careless and abusive 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 manifest? In a similar manner doesn’t it seem plausible to think that many more families would involve themselves in an alcohol intervention for the individual in the household who is an alcohol abuser or an alcoholic? What is more, wouldn’t you think that people who drink irresponsibly would try to learn more about their drinking behavior by reading about various alcohol related statistics?

After reviewing the alcohol abuse and alcoholism research literature, the point is so critical that it needs to be said again: With all of the destructive and disastrous consequences that are directly or indirectly associated with continuous and repetitive alcoholism and alcohol abuse, why would any person want to engage in excessive and abusive drinking?

What Can be Done About the Widespread Nature of Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency in Our Country?

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

1. Our students need more relevant and more meaningful educational and preventative 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 an alcohol or drug abuse “buzz” or “high”.
3. Individuals who are alcohol abusers or alcohol addicts need to look look at themselves honestly and ask why they are not getting the professional alcohol rehabilitation they require.
4. Society needs to get the message to more people about the unhealthy and debilitating outcomes of abusive and hazardous drinking.

There’s Room For Optimism if Those Who Engage in Abusive and Unhealthy Drinking Can Become Persuaded to Get the Alcohol Treatment They Need

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