Addiction Treatment Center Marks Alcohol Awareness Month
April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center joins in the national campaign to raise awareness about alcoholism and its impact on young people, families and communities in Connecticut. The theme for this year is “Help For Today, Hope For Tomorrow.”
“Alcohol is so prevalent in our society – present at some of the most celebratory moments of our lives and a comfort when we’re in distress. It’s easy for people to fall into the trap of alcoholism,” said a Mountainside spokesperson. “Here at Mountainside, we provide a path to recovery tailored for every individual.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, excessive alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States with an estimated 80,000 attributable deaths each year. A survey conducted by the U.S. National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of more than 40,000 adults indicated that among those who began drinking before age 14, nearly half had become alcohol dependent by the age of 21. However, only 9 percent of people who began drinking after the age of 21 developed alcoholism.
NCADD Alcohol Awareness Month, sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. since 1987, encourages local communities to take action to help individuals, families and children affected by alcoholism.
“Families are the cornerstone of any community, and alcoholism is devastating to families. Our Family Wellness program plays a critical part in the success of our drug and alcohol treatment program,” said the mountainside spokesperson.
People with a family history of alcoholism are also more likely to begin drinking before the age of 20 and to become alcoholic, reports the U.S. National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. As part of Mountainside’s drug and alcohol addiction treatment, the Family Wellness program is personalized to help families heal and unite as a source of support to fight addiction.
The following statistics from the National Alcoholism Center provides a snapshot of alcoholism in Connecticut:
Connecticut ranks among the top ten states for alcohol use.
Roughly 50,000 residents are admitted for addiction treatment each year in Connecticut, and roughly half of these admissions are a result of alcohol abuse.
Connecticut individuals aged 18-25 have a greater “unmet need” for alcoholism treatment than their peers nationwide.