Per the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), over 17 million people in the United States—one in every 12 adults—either abuse alcohol or are alcohol dependent. In 2006, over 22,000 Americans died from alcohol-related conditions, and that does not include those who died through drunken driving and other accidents caused by drinking. That is a lot of people lost to a treatable condition.

Alcohol abuse treatment programs exist in many forms, from private nonprofit clinics to public programs to private for-profit clinics. Each offers choices to people trying to beat the bottle, and hope for what often seems like an insurmountable problem. Most involve some sort of detoxification to rid the body of alcohol toxins. Some use drugs like disulfiram (Antabuse®), acamprosate (Campral®) or naltrexone (Depade®, ReVia®) to help reduce alcohol dependence and avoid relapse. Many times, recovery involves residential care to “dry out” and learn to live without alcohol in an environment free of the stresses that often triggered the drinking to begin with.

NIAAA studies show that “people who start drinking at an early age--for example, at age 14 or younger--are at much higher risk of developing alcohol problems at some point in their lives compared to someone who starts drinking at age 21 or after.” Rates of alcohol dependence are highest among young adults ages 18-29, though in some states the age ratio is higher. Nevertheless, the charts below provide ample evidence that alcohol is the drug of choice for teenagers and young adults in America, and that treatment for alcohol abuse is not the exclusive realm of middle-aged winos. The sooner treatment for an alcohol problem begins, the sooner the alcoholic can get on with the rest of his or her life.

2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Many people may not consider themselves to have an alcohol problem because they don’t experience constant cravings. Nevertheless, binge drinking constitutes alcohol abuse, and may require an alcohol abuse treatment program to get it under control. Binge drinking can lead to impaired judgment that impacts driving, work performance, and relationships and be as destructive as full-blown alcoholism. A DUI arrest can negatively impact the abuser’s life for years after the incident, or land him in an alcohol treatment program that might just save his life. The patterns for drinking and driving in the United States are clear and thought-provoking:

2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Parents who thinking drinking is a safer way for their children to unwind than drugs should consider the chart above. Adults who think that getting drunk occasionally, or having a few drinks a day, is not harmful, might consider that death from alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver peaks around age 50. The damage is cumulative and irreversible. Abusing alcohol robs abusers of years and time they should have had. Treatment for alcohol abuse should not be left until real dependency or actual physical damage occurs.  As shown below, there are many excuses for not getting help, but there is no excuse for killing yourself or someone else by not seeking help.

2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

There are thousands of alcohol abuse treatment programs located throughout the United States, and hundreds of alcohol recovery centers. Don’t settle for detoxification alone. Don’t join AA and ignore the physical problems caused by drinking. Find a comprehensive program of detox and counseling to get healthy and stay sober—for life.