Alcoholism

al·co·hol·ism
noun: /ˈalkəhôˌlizəm

1. Persistent excessive consumption of alcohol resulting in impairment of health, often including physiological or psychological addictions; alcohol dependency.

The term ‘alcoholic’ has long been used both clinically and in the mainstream, often with negative connotation. In recent years it began to be viewed as an unhelpful label. The term has been replaced and is now referred to as ‘Alcohol Use Disorder” (AUD) by mental and behavioral health professionals. Labels aside, AUD is a condition that cares as little about terminology as it does about age, race, sex, religion, educational background, socio-economic standing or how many Instagram followers you have. If alcohol abuse afflicts one life, it affects many and is sure to have a ripple effect that impacts the lives of families, colleagues, friends, and loved ones. Whether you are the alcohol-stricken, the witnesses to or victim of someone who is in need of intervention and/or treatment, the ramifications of AUD have roots that reach far and run deep. The forest of this issue and its long branches of social acceptance is filled with many trees. However, the numbers don’t lie.

Millions of people in the United States are struggling with a disorder that if diagnosed and treated properly, could, should, and can be eliminated. For more sobering facts and statistics about alcoholism, visit the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (NIAAA).