An analysis of U.S. death certificate data by researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has found that nearly 1 million people died from alcohol-related causes between 1999 and 2017. The number of death certificates mentioning alcohol more than doubled from 35,914 in… Continue reading Alcohol-Related Deaths on The Rise
Tag: alcoholism
The Pros and Cons of Using Online Support Groups for Addiction, Grief, PTSD or Eating Disorders
As we enter 2019, the Internet has ushered in a new trend of online support groups. These online communities have been a game changer for some people who struggle with addictions such as alcohol, drugs, eating disorders, PTSD, anxiety, and grief. Can people reap the same benefits from online groups as they can in ‘real… Continue reading The Pros and Cons of Using Online Support Groups for Addiction, Grief, PTSD or Eating Disorders
How to Navigate the Holiday Season if You Have These Common Addictions or Disorders
Holidays are a stressful time for almost everyone. We battle traffic to see family and friends, stretch our budgets on gifts and tips, deal with difficult family relations, face loneliness, fear of missing out, and in general, take stock of where we are in life. For those who battle addictions or disorders such as alcoholism,… Continue reading How to Navigate the Holiday Season if You Have These Common Addictions or Disorders
The Five Types of Problem Drinking Are More Common at Different Ages
Alcohol abuse is more complicated than simply drinking too much. There may be five separate types of problem drinkers, according to a 2018 study by Penn State researchers. Also, each one may be more common at different stages of life. In the study, Penn State researchers discovered five distinct classes or “profiles” among people with… Continue reading The Five Types of Problem Drinking Are More Common at Different Ages
Colder, Darker Climates Increase Alcohol Consumption and Liver Disease
Where you live could influence how much you drink. According to 2018 research from the University of Pittsburgh Division of Gastroenterology, people living in colder regions with less sunlight drink more alcohol than their warm-weather counterparts. The study, published online in Hepatology, found that as temperature and sunlight hours dropped, alcohol consumption increased. Climate factors… Continue reading Colder, Darker Climates Increase Alcohol Consumption and Liver Disease
Are You Really a Social Drinker, or Could You Be An Alcoholic?
Increasingly, women are going head to head with men when it comes to binge drinking. It’s not surprising: Society normalizes, encourages, and promotes drinking so heavily that it can be nearly impossible, at times, to know what’s ordinary or not. A 2015 report by the National Institutes of Health says an expanding number of Americans… Continue reading Are You Really a Social Drinker, or Could You Be An Alcoholic?
What You Need to Know About Alcohol Poisoning
Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day can include drinking—even drinking to excess. And the results can be deadly. Although many people enjoy moderate drinking, defined as 1 drink per day for women or 2 for men, drinking too much can lead to an overdose. An overdose of alcohol occurs when a person has a blood alcohol content… Continue reading What You Need to Know About Alcohol Poisoning
Alcohol-Related Emergency-Room Visits Rise Sharply
The rate of alcohol-related visits to U.S. emergency departments (ED) increased by nearly 50 percent between 2006 and 2014, especially among women and drinkers who are middle-aged or older, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health. Such… Continue reading Alcohol-Related Emergency-Room Visits Rise Sharply
Common Mental Health Issues: When To Go It Alone and When to Seek Help
Life gets stressful. We’re all guilty of habits and behaviors that aren’t exactly awesome for our mental health. Obsessing over something minor for no apparent reason, being too hard on ourselves because we can’t fit into those tiny jeans, having too many drinks at dinner… we’ve all been there. But how do you know if… Continue reading Common Mental Health Issues: When To Go It Alone and When to Seek Help
A Frightening Epidemic among Middle-Class Americans
There’s a new epidemic among white, middle-aged Americans, according to a recent study from Princeton University. The number of deaths from drugs and alcohol; suicide; chronic liver disease; and cirrhosis have increased to the point where the number of deaths are comparable to the number of Americans who have died of AIDS, according to the… Continue reading A Frightening Epidemic among Middle-Class Americans
A Better Understanding of Alcoholism
A cure for alcoholism and other addiction could be closer to realization thanks to researchers’ discovery of a neuron that determines whether one drink leads to two. A study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience by researchers at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, finds that alcohol consumption alters the structure and… Continue reading A Better Understanding of Alcoholism
Alcohol Awareness Month: How Much Are You Drinking?
Editor’s Note: April is Alcohol Awareness Month, a good time to increase awareness of the public-health issue that is alcohol misuse. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), in 2006 alcohol misuse problems cost the U.S. the staggering amount of $224 billion, primarily from los productivity but also from health care… Continue reading Alcohol Awareness Month: How Much Are You Drinking?
Retirees Need Help in Addressing Substance-Abuse Issues
Researchers say that older Americans suffering from substance abuse often do so not because of retirement alone but because of many circumstances, such as the death of loved ones, that occur at that stage of life. Currently, close to three million Americans aged 55 and older suffer from alcohol abuse — and that is expected… Continue reading Retirees Need Help in Addressing Substance-Abuse Issues
Should You Rethink How You Drink?
Developing alcoholism isn’t something that happens overnight. According to the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAA), which has a program called “Rethinking Your Drinking,” there are deceptively mild symptoms that can indicate the start of a drinking problem. If you’re aware of the signs, you can recognize them early enough to make a… Continue reading Should You Rethink How You Drink?