Alcohol Named America’s Deadliest Drug

Overdose waves caused by a new synthetic drug make the headlines. Club drugs cause overdoses at concerts across the country. Rates of opiate overdose continue to climb. Even as all these drugs more and more frequently make the news, one drug continues to outdo them all when it comes to the overall harm caused: alcohol. Alcohol doesn’t cause overdoses the way that heroin and prescription painkillers do, and it doesn’t trigger emergency room visits in the same way as bath salts or Molly. Alcohol is far deadlier because of all the other deadly incidents its use so often precedes: cancer deaths, homicide, suicide, accident, and more. According to The Fix:

• Alcohol is a part of more homicides than all other substances combined.
• About 40 percent of inmates were drinking when they committed the crimes that got them arrested.
• Alcohol increases the likelihood that violence will occur. Both predators and victims are negatively impacted by alcohol.
• In Illinois, 40 percent of homicide victims had been drinking at the time of their deaths.

With all the discussion about the safety of legalizing marijuana or the drama of trying to stay ahead of the black market chemists creating technically legal but deadly synthetic substances, the original legal drug that is the most easily attainable is taking the largest toll on our population.

Alcohol Abuse: Risks and Dangers

There are a range of problems that can occur when someone drinks too much and too often. These will vary according to the frequency of drinking sessions and the amount of alcohol ingested during each session as well as a number of other factors including:

• Age, gender, and weight of the drinker
• Co-occurring mental health conditions
• Underlying medical disorders
• Others drugs used, including prescription medications

Not everyone who has an alcohol use disorder (AUD) will experience all of the following issues or to the same degree of severity if they do, but risks of allowing an ongoing binge drinking, alcohol abuse, or alcohol addiction problem to go untreated include:

• Chronic health problems including liver failure, cancer, heart disease, and more
• Increased acute health problems caused by a lowered immune system
• Problems at work, either maintaining a job or securing a new one
• Difficulties in personal relationships at home and in the community
• Legal problems, including DUI, assault charges, drunk in public, and more

Choosing Change

Continued drinking brings continued exposure to risk when an alcohol use disorder is in effect. Get the help you need to create positive change in your life today. Call us at The Recovery Village now.