This message of #WeeklyWisdom is brought to you by Alcohol & Drug Council of Tompkins County, a proud partner of the Community Coalition for Healthy Youth.
April 1st marks the start of Alcohol Awareness Month. Alcohol Awareness Month is a public health awareness campaign organized by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, intended to increase outreach and education on alcohol abuse and addiction. The program began in April 1987, with the intention of targeting college-aged students; it has since become a national movement to bring attention to the causes and effects of alcohol abuse and help families and communities deal with this concern.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 14.4 million Americans ages 18 and older had an alcohol use disorder in 2018. Nationally, 26.45% individuals 18 and older reported that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month (typically defined as 4 drinks for women and 5 drinks for men in about 2 hours) while 6.6% engaged in heavy alcohol use (typically defined as binge drinking on 5 or more days in the past 30 days) in the past month.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated alcohol and substance abuse concerns. According to the Blue Cross Blue Shield COVID-19 National Pulse Survey, overall alcohol consumption has risen 23% since the pandemic began. A recent survey by The Recovery Village found that 55% of respondents reported an increase in past-month alcohol consumption, with about 18% reporting a significant increase.
If you are concerned about your own alcohol or substance use, or that of a loved one, the Council is here to help. We are just a call away at 607-274-6288.
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