alcohol (editorial)

Drinking Alcohol
When consequences of drinking are brought up in a conversation what do you think about? Do you really know what these consequences are? If not this is the time you learn. Heavy drinking can weaken the heart muscle and contribute to weight gain. It can also cause addiction and life threatening health problems.
The minimum drinking age today is twenty one because it saves an estimated twenty five thousand lives. Studies shows that if the minimum drinking age was 18 or 19 then there would be a ten percent increase in car accidents but if the drinking age is twenty one then it will decease by sixteen percent. Some people believe that drinking alcohol is normal and okay but others are totally against it because of the dangers it has caused. The relative risk of death for drivers in single-vehicle crashes with a high BAC (blood alcohol concentration) is 385 times that of a zero-BAC driver and for male drivers the risk is 707 times that of a sober driver, according to estimates by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Blood alcohol concentration is how much alcohol is in your bloodstream. The legal limit for adults is .08, in most states, with an even lower limit for those under the legal drinking age of 21.










This graph shows the risk that people take while driving drunk. Even with just a little alcohol in your body it can still affect your driving. In 1998, 15,935 people were killed in alcohol-related traffic crashes, an average of one every 33 minutes. These deaths were approximately 38.4% of the total 41,471 total traffic accidents in that year and about 630,000 were injured in alcohol-related crashes, an average of one person injured approximately every minute. In 2008 there were 11,773 drunk driving deaths about 32% of the total amount of United States car accident deaths (37,261). That was 9.7% less than 2007, (approximately 13,041). 216 children died in a car accident due to drunk drivers in 2008. Another 34 children died as pedestrians or bikers who were hit by drunk drivers the same year. 75% of all drunk drivers killed in accidents in 2008 weren't wearing seat belts. In 2008, 6,316 passengers were killed in an alcohol related accident.
These are facts I gathered to help your understanding of alcohol abuse in the United States. However it is hard for an alcoholic to stop drinking so here are some things to help. Things you’ll need to know:
Step 1
Primary care physicians must identify, discuss the diagnosis, initiate treatment and monitor ongoing care. Patients must be provided feedback, advice and goal-setting by their healthcare providers.
Step 2
The diagnosis of alcohol abuse should be firmly yet empathetically presented to the patient. Motivational interviewing may help.
Step 3
Medical treatment for alcohol withdrawal may be necessary in patients with alcohol dependence who are willing to stop drinking. Outpatient therapy is safe for those with mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms; inpatient therapy is indicated for patients with severe withdrawal symptoms, psychiatric illness or lack of social support.
Step 4
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a program for people with drinking problem who are willing to quit. The treatment is based on fellowship and a belief in a spiritual basis for recovery. Abstinence is encouraged on a "one day at a time" basis. Members attend meetings in which experiences related to drinking and recovery are shared. There are 12 Steps to Recovery that are discussed with the members.
Step 5
Three drugs--naltrexone, acamprosate and disulfiram--can be used in consultation with the doctor. Most of the medications work on the principle of blunting the pleasurable effects of alcohol and reducing craving. They work well on people who have stopped drinking and need additional support to maintain abstinence. Other drugs that are under investigation include nalmefene, ondansetron and topiramate.
Step 6
Patients with alcohol abuse should concomitantly be treated for depression, as well. This is based on the fact that alcohol abusers have an increased risk of depression and are at high risk for suicide.
Step 7
People with alcohol abuse should also be evaluated for tobacco smoking, other substance abuse, anxiety and panic attacks.