Alcohol Misuse

In the United States:

• 86% of the population 18 and older had alcohol at least once in their life.
• 70% report drinking in the last year.
• Almost 26% of people reported binge drinking in the last month.
• It was estimated in 2019 that almost 15 million Americans 12 and older struggled with an alcohol use disorder. This can be broken down to 9 million men and 5.5 million women.

These statistics are striking, and unfortunately, only around 7% of these individuals received any type of treatment for their alcohol use. It’s been shown that most individuals with an alcohol use disorder seek help from a primary doctor rather than an alcohol abuse treatment center.

• Almost 19% of ER visits come from alcohol misuse or abuse.
• 22% of opioid-related overdoses also involved alcohol.
• Research estimates that there are around 95,000 deaths annually in the United States from alcohol.
• Alcohol is also the 3rd leading cause of preventable deaths in the US.
• There were over 10,000 DUI fatalities due to alcohol in 2019.
• It is also estimated that there are about 8 million children living with a parent that has an alcohol use disorder.

Withdrawing from alcohol can be an extremely dangerous process if done without medical supervision. Extended alcohol use can cause permanent alterations to the brain, and because those changes increase a person’s dependence on drinking just to function, stopping suddenly can lead to death.

Typically, alcohol withdrawal beings 6-12 hours after the last drink. After 24-72 hours, symptoms may become critical and require medical attention. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal are increased anxiety, nausea and vomiting, sweating, insomnia, hallucinations, seizures, delirium tremens, and fever.