Millions of people throughout the United States suffer from alcoholism. It is estimated that over 17 million adults are classified as alcoholics or problem drinkers. The very poignant and alarming alcohol rehabilitation statistic is that less than 8% of the millions receive treatment.
There are a few theories concerning the origin of alcoholism. Family may play a role in the large number of alcoholics. Alcoholic behaviors may be learned from elders and recent research suggests that genetics is a factor in alcoholism. Over 43% of alcoholics have one or more family members who are alcoholic.
More than 20% of current drinkers have participated in binge drinking at least one time over the past year. Binge drinking is when a person drinks more than five drinks in one sitting. About 7 million Americans that are binge drinkers fall between the ages of 12 and 20.
Health Risks Statistics
Alcohol abuse can contribute to a number of alarming health risks. Almost 20% of alcoholics also have high blood pressure or hypertension.Alcoholics suffer from above-average rates for arthritis, gastrointestinal problems, ulcers and heart disease.
Nearly half of all driving fatalities are related to alcohol. An estimated 20,600 deaths are caused by alcohol in the United States every year. Over 11,000 people in 2006 died from alcohol liver disease and more than twice that amount died from alcohol-provoked deaths. 19% of women drink during their first trimester of pregnancy and 8% took part in binge drinking behavior. Drinking alcohol while pregnant can result in complications with the baby such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
Alcohol Rehabilitation Statistics
The most common excuses for not seeking help with alcoholism are that people aren't ready to stop drinking and treatment is too expensive. Over 40% of people who check into drug rehabilitation facilities are there because of alcohol abuse. Almost 22% percent of those 40% go to treatment purely for alcoholism. A recent report on alcoholism determined that 48% of patients treated for alcoholism are either terminated from the program or discharge themselves before completion. Only 44% of patients receiving alcohol treatment successfully complete the program.
Recovery from alcoholism can be achieved if the alcoholic truly wants to be sober, asks for help, and is willing to do whatever it takes. Seeking treatment along with support groups is one option that has helped many people recover.
