Tired of feeling exhausted each morning after a night of heavy drinking? Do you worry if you should cut down your alcohol use? NIAAA mentioned that “SAMHSA defines heavy alcohol use as binge drinking on 5 or more days in the past month”. Drinking alcohol is a significant problem influencing the lives of many. According to National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, “an estimated 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States. The first is tobacco, and the second is poor diet and physical inactivity” (NIAAA, 2018).
There are many health risk factors that can occur when someone drinks alcohol excessively. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2018), “some of the long-term causes are high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems, cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon, learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school performance, mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, social problems, including lost productivity, family problems, and unemployment, and finally alcohol dependence, or alcoholism.” By making a decision to not frequently drink alcohol, you may experience some benefits such as healthier skin, saving money, losing weight, a healthy heart and liver, and improved sleep (Ashwood Recovery, 2018).
April is National Alcohol Awareness Month and this is a good time to reflect on your drinking. If alcohol is causing you some problems in your life, it is important to take the steps to work on this problem. The Center for Behavioral Health is here to help with concerns you may have or wonder about with drinking alcohol. Even when you know it is time to stop drinking, it can feel overwhelming to take that next step towards moderation or sobriety. At Center for Behavioral Health, our caring and empathetic clinicians are here to offer an ear to listen while also providing coping mechanisms for those who want to moderate their alcohol use. If you are having trouble with alcohol, please reach out to us. Call the Center for Behavioral Health (502-792-7011) to start improving your life!
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