10 Surprising Facts About Alcohol Abuse

It’s deeply ingrained in our societal standards and culture, and most of our social events revolve around it—but thousands of people can’t ‘have just one’. Alcoholics Anonymous refers to it as an alcohol allergy, but it’s an uncontrollable mental and physical craving caused by heredity and other factors.

Nearly 86% of adults have consumed alcohol at least once, and over 25% of adults have admitted to binge drinking within the last year. These statistics underscore the importance of learning the facts about alcohol abuse, which we’ll share below.

It Leads to Liver Disease and Death

There’s a strong link between alcohol abuse and disease. In 2019, of nearly 86,000 reported fatal liver disease cases, over 43% involved alcohol. The numbers are significantly higher for men than women, but alcoholism is a problem that doesn’t discriminate based on gender.

Underage Drinking is a Nationwide Problem

According to research from the National Institute of Health, nearly 5000 people under the legal drinking age of 21 die of alcohol-related causes like car accidents, self-harm, homicide, and alcohol poisoning every year. While many people assume that it won’t happen in their family, it can—and it does. Talk to your children about the dangers of underage drinking before someone else does.

Teen Alcohol Consumption Causes More Deaths Than Drugs

As further evidence of the link between underage drinking and premature death, it’s been shown that alcohol consumption by teens is responsible for more deaths than all legal and illicit drugs combined.

Prolonged Alcohol Abuse Changes the Brain

Known to science as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome but colloquially referred to as ‘wet brain’, this irreversible condition leads to symptoms like personality changes, memory loss, confusion, disorientation, agitation, and hallucinations. This devastating neurological condition is thought to be caused by an alcohol-related thiamine deficiency.

Alcohol Abuse and Opioid Overdose are Linked

Not only does the overconsumption of alcohol lead to increases in prescription drug misuse and other risky behaviors, but many who abuse opioids also drink more to enhance the drugs’ effects. According to a survey by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, over 22% of opioid overdose deaths also involved alcohol.

It Gets Expensive

Alcohol addiction and abuse cost the United States billions of dollars every year, and the economic consequences are increasing in severity. Those who drink excessively tend to suffer from decreased employment opportunities, spend more on alcohol, be less eligible for financial assistance, and have more healthcare and legal expenses.

Alcohol-Related Car Crashes are Deadly

The Centers for Disease Control reports that nearly 30 people lose their lives in alcohol-related auto accidents every day, at a rate of about one every 50 minutes.

There’s a Link Between Alcohol Abuse and Domestic Violence

Research backs up the connection between alcohol overconsumption and intimate partner violence, along with issues like childcare insufficiency, financial hardships, and infidelity.

Many People Are Arrested While Intoxicated

A recent article suggested that roughly 25% of violent crimes are alcohol-related, with about five percent of cases involving alcohol and other substances. Alcohol is known to affect our inhibitions and judgment, which makes legal violations more likely.

Thousands Seek Treatment

While many people who need help for alcohol addiction never get it, cases of alcoholism make up most of the United States’ treatment admissions—about 2.5 million out of 4.1 million every year.

Help Is Available

If you or a loved one are struggling with alcohol dependence or abuse, sobriety and recovery are possible—but not without professional help. To learn about recovery options, schedule a visit to a local rehabilitation center.