CAPTAINZING2000

April is Alcohol Awareness Month

When many people think of alcohol abusers, they picture teenagers sneaking drinks before high school football games or at unsupervised parties. However, alcohol abuse is prevalent within many demographic groups in the United States. People who abuse alcohol can be:
Warning Signs of Alcohol Abuse
If you answer "yes" to any of the following questions, you may have a problem with alcohol:

• Do you drink alone when you feel angry or sad?
• Does your drinking ever make you late for work?
• Does your drinking worry your family?
• Do you ever drink after telling yourself you won't?
• Do you ever forget what you did while drinking?
• Do you get headaches or have a hangover after drinking?

Source: How to Cut Down on Your Drinking

• College students who binge drink at local bars.
• Pregnant women who drink and put their babies at risk for fetal alcohol syndrome.
• Professionals who drink after a long day of work.
• Senior citizens who drink out of loneliness.

In 2007, more than one fifth (23.3 percent) of persons aged 12 or older participated in binge drinking at least once in the 30 days prior to taking SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). This translates to about 57.8 million people. The rate in 2007 is similar to the rate in 2006 (23.0 percent).
To recognize the serious problem of alcohol abuse, April is designated “Alcohol Awareness Month.”
If you suspect that you might have a drinking problem, or you know someone who abuses alcohol, please contact SAMHSA’s Health Information Network at 1-877-SAMHSA-7.
The following free publications also will provide you with additional information about the hazards of drinking alcohol:

• Surgeon General’s Call To Action To Prevent And Reduce Underage Drinking A Guide to Action for Families
• Surgeon General’s Call To Action To Prevent And Reduce Underage Drinking A Guide to Action for Communities
• Surgeon General’s Call To Action To Prevent And Reduce Underage Drinking A Guide to Action for Educators
• Underage Drinking: Myths vs Facts
• Get Connected! Toolkit (Linking Older Adults With Medication, Alcohol, and Mental Health Resources)
• Alcohol Treatment and Adolescents
• The Role of Parents in Preventing and Addressing Underage Drinking
• Tips for Teens: The Truth About Alcohol