Alcohol Awareness

Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States. More than 7 million children live in a household where at least one parent is dependent on or has abused alcohol. Each April since 1987, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) sponsors Alcohol Awareness Month to increase public awareness and understanding, reduce stigma and encourage local communities to focus on alcoholism and alcohol-related issues.

This April, NCADD highlights the important public health issue of underage drinking, a problem with devastating individual, family and community consequences.

If you are experiencing health issues or not feeling as energetic and as well as you should, and you are consuming more than two alcoholic drinks per day (one per day for women) it could be taking a toll on your body. Drinking excessively can lead to many adverse health effects, such as:

  • Inflammation of the liver or cirrhosis (scarring of the liver)
  • Damage to the pancreas (which regulates metabolism and produces enzymes to help digest fats, proteins and carbohydrates)
  • Memory loss
  • Fatigue
  • Inflammation of the stomach lining
  • High blood pressure, which can increase the risk of a heart attack
  • Increase the risk of low blood sugar
  • Interfere with bone growth and increase risk of fractures
  • Neurological complications
  • Increased risk of esophageal, liver and colon cancer

for more information, visit the NCADD website or join the #AlcoholAwarenessMonth conversation on Twitter.

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