New Alcohol Abuse Study Finds People Rarely Seek Treatment

A new study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry found startling results in the area of alcohol abuse. Specifically, it found that almost one-third of all American adults engage in problem drinking, otherwise known as alcohol use disorder, at some point in their lives.

More startling is the fact that only 19.8 percent of those people actually receive alcohol abuse treatment.

But why? What could be the reason so many Americans put off treatment for something as life-altering as alcohol abuse? One myth is that you don’t need to seek treatment until you’ve hit “rock bottom.” This is not true. There is no “turning point” for which you have to wait in order to seek recovery. You know your situation best, and if you choose to get help before the problem gets worse – good for you!

The study results were generated from in-person interviews with 36,000 people who were part of the 2012-2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions III. The participants were asked by researchers to discuss their alcohol use, drug use and psychiatric conditions. All answers were assessed against the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Answers were analyzed to determine if they would qualify for either alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence.

The study clearly demonstrates the huge societal problem of alcohol abuse. Any long-term alcohol abuse can have serious health implications that affect almost every organ of the body including the brain. It can also affect emotional stability, financial well-being, careers and the ability to build and sustain healthy relationships.

“These findings underscore that alcohol problems are deeply entrenched and significantly under-treated in our society,” said George F. Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, in a Yahoo! Health article about the study.

There is no question that alcoholism affects a high number of Americans and many of those individuals are not seeking proper alcoholism treatment. If you or a loved one exhibits any of the common warning signs of alcoholism, contact Talbott Recovery for help. Don’t ignore the signs that treatment is needed.