month for alcohol awarenessThe National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence has officially appointed April as Alcohol Awareness Month. Therefore, the dawn of a new month sheds much-needed light on the importance of receiving help while highlighting the struggles of addiction. This month is intended to provide everyone with a broader understanding of the true nature of the disease of alcohol addiction.

Coming to terms with the fact that alcoholism is a disease means understanding that, as with any other disease, it requires medical assistance to accomplish full recovery. That said, the ultimate goal of alcohol awareness month is to guide people in receiving the help they need.

At 449 Recovery in Mission Viejo, California, we believe in the power of knowledge and access to high-quality healthcare. Here is everything you need to know about alcoholism and the importance of getting the help you need.

What is Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)?

Alcohol Use Disorder, or AUD, is a serious mental disease characterized by an uncontrollable impulse to drink. Once developed, the sufferer has little to no control over their alcoholic indulgences or rate of consumption.

This impulse occurs once neurons have developed a dependency and craving that requires alcohol as a primary means to function. Once AUD is developed, attempting to quit without medical assistance will cause permanent health consequences that can turn fatal.

How Do People Become Addicted To Alcohol?

There are a variety of factors that contribute to an individual becoming dependent upon alcohol. Every person is different. Therefore, these underlying addiction causes vary depending on the individual’s background and personal struggles. The causes below are some of the many reasons a person becomes addicted to alcohol.

Traumatic life events or past traumas can lead many to turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism. This is often an attempt to escape their current reality with mind-altering substances. These coping methods are often a cry for help and should not be ignored. Reach out to a caring receptionist today to learn more about trauma-based therapy and how it can be a life-changing factor in recovery.

Any individual exhibiting signs of depression should never be disregarded, especially in coordination with potential co-occurring alcohol use disorders. The truth is, depression drives many to drinking problems. More dangerously, substance and alcohol abuse are known exacerbators of various mental conditions such as depression disorders.

Let this alcohol awareness month motivate you to get the help you need to pull yourself out of the depths of depression. You may find the key to overcoming your depression begins with first treating your exacerbating alcohol addiction.

Sometimes, alcohol addiction stems from external sources, such as friends, family members, or other social environments. It can all begin with our friends or family members encouraging us to indulge in alcohol. That can commence a debilitating cycle of self-indulging harm that cannot be stopped without medically-guided recovery. Thankfully, 449 Recovery has all the individualized and attentive treatment options you need to achieve a happier sober life.

Everybody deals with stress in their way. Unfortunately for some, that means dealing with it by using alcohol to temporarily fend off stressful life circumstances. However, this method of coping is a mirage that never removes the stress from your life. It only distracts for a fleeting amount of time until the intoxicating effects wear off. When an individual with stress-based alcohol addiction sobers up, they will repetitively intoxicate. This dangerous cycle has rapidly deteriorating effects on the body’s vital organ functions, making them a danger to themselves.

What is The Purpose of Alcohol Awareness Month?

Alcohol awareness month serves numerous purposes and benefits to people who battle alcohol addiction. First, it enables us to help sufferers understand they are not alone in their struggle. Raising awareness of alcohol’s harmful effects and depressive impacts allows us to become the support and encouragement people need to overcome their strongholds. Most importantly, alcohol withdrawal awareness month encourages alcohol-dependent individuals to come to terms with the fact that they need help. In turn, this can result in many receiving the attention they deserve and need.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction?

Alcohol addiction symptoms manifest themselves in numerous ways both mentally and physically. Identifying the tell-tale indicators of alcohol dependency can help you come to terms with the fact there is a problem. Most importantly, it helps doctors chart the most effective recovery path to help you achieve sustainable sobriety.

Alcohol consumption is an activity generally reserved for later in the day. Therefore, early morning drinking is a sign you could be suffering from alcohol dependency. This is especially the case for individuals who suffer from its’ difficult withdrawal symptoms. If you find yourself drinking early in the morning to fend off alcohol withdrawal symptoms, get the help you need today.

If you’ve made repeated attempts to stop drinking to no avail, it’s a sure indication you suffer from alcohol addiction. This persistent inability to stop drinking only further discourages the user, usually exacerbating alcohol abuse. Though it may feel impossible, rest assured sobriety is attainable with the right help.

An understanding recovery specialist can help open your eyes to see that sobriety is more achievable than you ever realized. You just need the right support group and the right medically-aided administration to guide you on your recovery journey. Thankfully, 449 Recovery has all the tools you need to thrive in recovery and self-sustainable sobriety.

If your job performance suffers or you struggle to complete simple daily tasks, you may suffer from alcohol use disorder. This is because alcohol often has mentally and physically debilitating consequences even after the effects wear off. These performance struggles are especially worsened if the user experiences withdrawal symptoms due to alcohol dependency.

If you become uncharacteristically withdrawn from family or social interactions to indulge your drinking habit, seek professional help immediately. This behavior often alienates you from the ones you love most when you need them most during these difficult times.

When your body consumes high amounts of alcohol over a prolonged period, you develop a tolerance. This increased tolerance is a tell-tale indicator that you’ve consumed enough alcohol to acquire some form of alcohol dependency.

With increased tolerance, comes the need for a higher intake. The higher the tolerance, the more toll it takes on your body. This has trickle-down effects on your vital functions, taking a toll on your organs, and resulting in permanent health consequences.

When alcohol becomes the focus of your life, drinking sessions become a priority above more important obligations. This means drinking sessions can begin to deplete your finances at the expense of your family and well-being. You can regain control of your priorities, your finances, and your life by reaching out to one of our caring representatives today.

How To Help Raise Alcohol Addiction Awareness

There are many ways you can contribute to raising awareness during and beyond alcohol awareness month. You can take action to help somebody in need today. It all starts with doing your part in your area through the few outreach methods listed below.

One of the greatest ways to raise alcohol addiction awareness is to go door-to-door in your area to form local support groups. This starts by getting names and numbers together to form a group meeting to help hold one another accountable. This means allowing yourself to be a point of contact for anybody who may be struggling with alcohol addiction. This allows the struggling party to reach out to you when they are experiencing withdrawals or feel the urge to drink.

Volunteering at local Alcoholics Anonymous meetings or other community organizations is a great way to do your part. This outlet enables you to give your story, experiences, or other information regarding the harms of alcohol use and how to combat associated urges.

There’s no better way to raise awareness than to take action yourself. This means being observant and reacting proactively to the signs of addiction you may see in a loved one. This could be lending a helping hand or reaching out to a recovery center on behalf of another. You can also help by offering up financial support for another’s recovery that they otherwise couldn’t afford. Let this alcohol awareness month be your opportunity to observe and take action to the best of your ability from this point forward.

Alcohol Abuse Facts and Statistics

month of alcohol awarenessA staggering ten percent of individuals ages 12 and up have some form of alcohol use disorder in the United States alone. Bear in mind, this is only among those diagnosed. According to a report from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), an average of 19,335 people died per year due to excessive alcohol use in California from 2020-2021.

This alarming number of deaths makes the need for alcohol awareness and alcohol abuse treatment evident. Fortunately, there is hope for those who are struggling with alcohol use disorders. Individuals suffering from this substance use disorder don’t need to become a part of this statistic. 449 Recovery is here to help.

449 Recovery is Your Key to Sobriety

Reaching out to our loving team of recovery specialists is the most important first step you could take in your recovery. There is no limit to what you can achieve with our highly trained support group in your corner. You deserve the greatest care and support to make your sobriety dreams a reality. Find out just how achievable that reality is by contacting us today.