Alcohol Awareness Month 2025: Mindful Drinking, Healthier Living

April is Alcohol Awareness Month. Its purpose is to raise awareness of alcohol use and misuse. It offers communities a chance to gain more understanding of how individuals struggle with alcohol use and offers resources and support.

Alcohol Awareness Month was established in 1987 by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, to bring about awareness about the challenges faced by those struggling with alcohol abuse and the importance of community support in seeking and sustaining recovery. The observance of Alcohol Awareness Month aims to draw attention to the health and public safety issues caused by the misuse of alcohol.

The Hidden Face of Alcohol

Most people drink to relieve stress and anxiety. Some people consider it a reward after a busy or overwhelming workday to unwind and relax. It’s an escape from day-to-day problems and worries. Alcohol consumption on its own is not necessarily problematic—but it does become a problem, however, if one cannot tell the difference between enough and too much.

Essentially, alcohol is an addictive substance, and habitual drinking all too often leads to dependency. While it is totally normal to go to a pub, have a beer, or drink at a party, nobody is really thinking about getting addicted as a consequence. And therein lies the problem.

According to the 2023 United States National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an estimated 28.9 million Americans aged 12 and older battled an alcohol use disorder, or 10.2% of this population. And what’s more:

• Over half of all American adults have a family history of problem drinking or alcohol addiction.

• Around 10.5% of U.S. children (75 million) live with a parent with alcohol use disorder, based on a 2017 report by SAMHSA.

• According to statistics from the Cleveland Clinic, nearly 1 in 3 high school kids drink alcohol.

• An estimated 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually.

• Alcohol is the 5th-leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

Why is Raising Awareness Needed

Society looks at alcohol addiction with a distorted perception because the use of alcohol is legal. Contrary to crack or opioid addiction, a majority of people do not quite understand alcohol addiction as the serious problem that it is.

For example, it’s not necessarily the amount of alcohol one consumes in a day or week that creates an addiction. Instead, it has everything to do with how dependent a person becomes on its use and the effect alcohol has on their lives, work, and family.

Some people dive into a deep depression due to alcohol abuse; others get violent and abusive, which directly impacts their environment. For teens, binge drinking has become a normal routine on Saturday night. In other words, alcohol addiction has many faces.

The Road to Rehabilitation

Getting back to a life without alcohol is not an easy road. In fact, apart from the physical consequences of withdrawal, the mental path is even harder. Moreover, unlike drugs, alcohol is freely available everywhere and addicts are surrounded by alcohol consumption in life and on TV.

Rehabilitation needs constant work and avoidance of triggers to drink again. This is one of the foundations of peer-led mutual-aid programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous, and why they seem to work. However, the road to full recovery also consists of facing and conquering the “demons” that made someone turn to drink. In other words, alcohol addicts will need actual treatment to overcome the physical and mental consequences of their addiction.

Offering Solutions

Solutions are needed to curb the devastating fallout of alcohol addiction. This is why initiatives such as Alcohol Awareness Month are necessary, to open society’s eyes to the fact that alcohol addiction is now more prevalent than ever, and that support programs to identify and remedy this problem are desperately needed.

Successful programs such as at Narconon Suncoast include drug-free withdrawal and precise, step-by-step regimens that address all aspects of alcohol addiction. We assist individuals in overcoming the terrible effects of alcohol on themselves and those around them. In fact, Narconon’s comprehensive, holistic program has helped thousands to break free and live fulfilling lives without alcohol.

Call us for a free consultation, more information about our team, or to learn about our program today.