Alcohol Awareness Improves Health, Communities and Families
Alcohol addiction is a disease. However, alcohol abuse can be prevented and treated, as long as there is more awareness about it. Here are a few of my tips to help assess and treat alcoholism:
- Honestly ask yourself these questions:
- How often do I drink?
- How much do I drink per occasion? If you're not sure, keep notes for a couple of weeks.
- Do I drink more than I planned to when I drink?
- How do I feel the day after drinking? Hung over? Irritable? Unable to go to school or work?
- Has anyone who cares about me ever asked me to cut down or quit?
- Have I ever not been able to remember what I did after a bout of drinking?
- Have I done things while under the influence that I felt bad about afterward?
- Is there a history of addiction in my family?
- Take the following mental experiment: How does it make you feel to think about stopping drinking for the next month? Interested? Scared you can't? Try it in real life. Were you able? Do you feel healthier? Is this feeling worth cutting down on your drinking?
- Consider these guidelines about healthy alcohol use.
- It is recommended that men drink no more than two and women no more than one serving(s) of alcohol in a day, and do not drink every day.
- Drinking more gives you an increased risk for depression, sleep problems, and problems with work and relationships.
- Alcohol abuse increases your risk for diabetes and liver, cardiovascular and brain disease.
How We Can Help
Make an appointment with your medical provider or just walk in today. Don't wait if you are concerned. ACCESS medical and behavioral health providers are ready to help you attain your maximum health. We will provide you with a screening for alcohol use that will assist you in understanding your relationship with drinking and guiding your consultation with your provider.
As of February 24, 2023