Some very worrying statistics have revealed a lot of Americans have a drinking problem. Two large surveys carried out in 2001-02 and 2012-13 of approximately 79,000 Americans 18 years and older discovered that alcoholism and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) have risen 49.4% from 2002 until 2013. Alcoholism was at 8.5% in 2001/2002 and was up to 12.7% about a decade later according to these national surveys. That means that more than 1 in 8 Americans are suffering from alcoholism according to the analysis published in JAMA Psychiatry.
The number of people who said they had consumed alcohol in the past 12 months went up 11.2% in the 11 years between surveys. High-risk drinking went up by almost 30%. These high-risk drinking situations are defined by those who consume five drinks per occasion for men and four for women and do this on a weekly basis. The survey states 29.6 million Americans are putting their health at risk due to their drinking habits. The greatest rise in alcoholism in Americans came from women, older people, and ethnic minorities.
If you or someone you know is suffering from alcoholism, visit Alcoholics Anonymous to find out how to take back your life.
[IBTimes]