There is a common belief that things can change rather radically even over the course of one generation. This idea was discussed during times when one generation listened to the radio while the next watched television, only to be followed by a generation that lived on the Internet. Unfortunately, not all generational progressions are positive, and it seems that one such trend that’s been discovered is about as troubling as it gets. According to the results of a study published earlier this year, the number of annual deaths associated with alcohol misuse in the United States doubled over the course of fewer than 20 years. That’s something that we should all be mindful of as we move forward, as it’s clearly a trend that needs to be reversed.
The study was published in January of this year in the journal, Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. The research was done by a team at the NIH’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The data was derived from studying death certificates filed across the United States between the years of 1999 and 2017. During that time, nearly 1 million people died across the country from what can be described as “alcohol-related causes.” It is more than the raw number, however, that has prompted an intense and deeply concerned response from people representing several different professions.
The Numbers
As mentioned above, it was the trend in numbers that was more problematic to most who reviewed the information. Of all the death certificates filed between the years noted above for people who were at least 16 years old:
- Approximately 36,000 people died from alcohol-related causes in 1999.
- More than 72,000 people died from alcohol-related causes in 2017.
- Alcohol was a factor in 2.6 percent of all deaths in the United States in 2017.
In addition:
- In 2017, 31 percent of alcohol-related deaths were from liver disease.
- 18 percent of deaths in 2017 were from overdoses on alcohol or alcohol and other drugs.
- The death rate for women increased by a factor of 85 percent over the course of the study.
- The death rate for men increased by a factor of 35 percent during the same timeframe.
Those interested can review a synopsis of the study here.
What It All Means
In recent generations, we’ve taken quite a few steps to curb the use of alcohol in ways that are inherently dangerous or at least in ways that some feel are dangerous. We’ve exponentially increased the penalties for people who are convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol, and the result has been that fewer people are arrested for DUI and fewer people are injured and/or killed in DUI crashes on a per capita basis than 40 years ago. We’ve also increased the drinking age and taken other steps to encourage responsible use of this otherwise-legal substance.
Sadly, that doesn’t mean that people are not still drinking in excess, but rather that they are doing so differently than they did a generation or two ago. If anything, people are drinking more dangerously in too many instances and drinking far in excess of what they used to. The massive increase in alcohol misuse-related deaths among women is particularly troubling for many different reasons, although the bottom line is that alcohol abuse is alcohol abuse, and it inflicts a massive amount of damage on the people who suffer from this disease.
Yes, It Is a Disease
Perhaps the biggest problem with the entire concept of alcohol misuse is that there are still far too many people who assume that everyone who consumes this drug is doing so purely by choice. Nothing could be further from the truth, but that general and false idea inflicts its own type of harm on those who suffer from the disease of alcoholism. And yes, it is a disease that has:
- No known cause
- Relatively similar symptoms between patients
- A progression that inflicts more harm on patients as it continues
- No known, one-size-fits-all cure
- Continues to threaten patients even after recovery
If you replaced “alcoholism” with “cancer” or “Parkinson’s disease” or just about anything else in the medical world, each descriptor above would still be accurate. People who struggle with alcohol abuse are not “making bad choices,” but instead they are suffering from a disease that is not being recognized or treated. The longer this goes on, the worse off the patient will be in terms of not only prognosis but with regards to his or her life in general.
Swift Recovery Solutions Can Help
Swift Recovery Solutions is a team of mental health and addiction professionals who have years of experience when it comes to dealing with alcohol misuse and any other type of addiction or substance-related disease. You won’t ever hear us talk about these situations as “lifestyle choices” or “bad decisions,” but instead you’ll hear us talk about how we have to fight this disease that is alcoholism, keep it pinned to the mat and continue to move forward without giving it an inch of space to return to a person’s life.
If you are suffering from the fallout relating to alcohol abuse, the best time to do something about it was yesterday. The next-best time to do something about it is right now. You need to contact us as soon as possible. Rest assured that you will not be judged, you will not be criticized and you will not be labeled. You’ll only be listened to and helped. If you’re worried about someone you love who’s in this position, you can be certain of the same things. Contact our team today to at least learn more about how we can help you overcome this disease and have you return to a happy and healthy life.
