In this section of these resources, we outline a number of facts relating to alcohol use disorder and alcoholism. We’ve chosen the below facts to highlight a number of diverse issues arising from alcohol abuse and alcoholism. By the time you’ve completed this section, you will better understand alcohol abuse and alcoholism from a logical standpoint. And you may reevaluate your own drinking habits, if this happens, contact us at Ocean Recovery.
Fact #1: Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are recognised disorders
Both alcoholism and alcohol abuse are recognised illnesses under the category of ‘alcohol use disorder’ in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). This disorder causes the sufferer to drink excessive amounts of alcohol despite a number of negative consequences for doing so. For instance, alcohol abuse and alcoholism inflict negative consequences on the user’s health, career, relationships and social life.
And alcoholism can coexist with, contribute to, or result from several different psychiatric syndromes. This is why at Ocean Recovery we offer dual-diagnosis to help you achieve a full recovery.
Fact #2: Tolerance
One key symptom of alcohol use disorder is tolerance. This means more and more alcohol must be consumed in order to experience the desired effects of feeling drunk.
So, it is important to keep an eye on how much you are drinking because often you won’t notice your tolerance is increasing.
Fact #3: Alcohol abuse affects millions of people
In England alone, around nine million people are thought to drink more than the recommended daily limit: a maximum of 1 drink for women and 2 drinks for men daily.
There are around 9,000 deaths in the UK each year linked to alcohol an around 7,500 alcohol-specific deaths in 2018. In 2018/19, 358,000 hospital admissions were alcohol-related.
Around 9% of men and 4% of women in the UK show signs of being alcohol dependent. This is according to official figures published by the NHS.
Fact #4: Alcoholism treatment costs the taxpayer billions of pounds
It’s thought that alcohol-related illnesses contribute to around 10% of all UK diseases and deaths. A study by the National Social Marketing Centre examined the external and private cost associated with alcohol. They concluded:
- £22.6 billion was spent by households as a result of private healthcare, crime, violence, informal healthcare costs, unemployment and money spent on alcohol in the first place.
- £21.9 billion was spent on grief and pain linked to disability, long term illness and death.
- £3.2 billion was spent on public healthcare services.
- £5 billion for other public services, police, fire brigade and social care.
- £7.3 billion was spent by employers to cover sick days, productivity issues and accidents in the workplace.
Fact #5: Alcohol abuse is the third biggest lifestyle risk
Alcohol abuse is the third biggest lifestyle risk after obesity and smoking. Alcohol is responsible for 5.3% of all deaths worldwide. And it has been acknowledged there is a causal relationship between alcoholism and infectious diseases.
Fact #6: Minimum unit pricing
By far the most effective way of tackling alcohol abuse would be to enforce minimum unit pricing. This would force up the price of drinks containing lots of alcohol. This would also reverse the decades-old trend where alcohol continues to be more and more affordable. For instance, alcohol is 61% more affordable than it was back in 1980.
And since May 1st, 2018, there has been a minimum unit price of 50p. The government believes this will reduce alcohol-related hospital admissions and ultimately save lives.
Fact #7: It’s rare to seek out help for alcohol dependency
It’s estimated that a mere 1% of people seek out help for alcohol dependency. This means most people with the disease continue to inflict untold amounts of damage to their health, relationships, and career.
Fact #8: The NHS spends billions on medications to help treat alcoholism
In 2019, it was believed that 1 in 10 people admitted to hospital are alcohol dependant and half of those are admitted because of their drinking, costing the NHS £3.5 billion in treatments every year. And year on year the budget allocated for these treatments and services have been cut. Resulting in many people going without treatment and ultimately falling further into their dependency.
Fact #9: Alcoholism treatment profits society
It’s estimated, by quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), that £1 invested in alcoholism treatment translates to £3 being saved on crime, health or welfare costs. And this number only increases to £1 invested translating to a £26 over 10 years.
Fact #10: Alcoholism treatment is fairly successful
The NHS says 59% of people seeking alcohol treatment in 2012-13 were now in recovery. And a study by Rudolf H. Moos and Bernice S. Moos found people that accepted treatment were less likely to relapse and at the 3-year remission mark had less reliance on avoidance coping mechanisms.
Fact #11: Alcohol causes crime
Alcohol causes crime at multiple levels, from minor to major crimes. Alcohol famously lower inhibitions, impairing the drinker’s judgement often making them feel ‘invincible’. This then leads to public-order offences, driving offences all the way to more major crimes like assault and even homicide.
A huge 30% of violent crimes in 2013-14 were committed in or around a public house. Where most of the violent crimes are stranger violence (42%), with 68% of these crimes occurred at night or in the evening.
Fact #12: Drink driving costs lives and injures many others
In 2017, 250 people lost their lives due to drink driving. 8,270 people were injured due to drink driving. 1,100 people suffered a serious injury during this period.
A survey conducted by Drink Driving Insurance specialists in June 2020 asked 1000 people their opinions on drink driving limits in the UK:
- 37.9% believe the drink driving limits should stay how they are.
- 30.4% believe the drink driving limits should be lowered to zero.
- 22.5% believe the drink driving limits should be lowered, but not to zero.
- 9.2% believe the drink driving limits should be increased.
These results compile to mean 52.9% of the people surveyed want the drink driving limits to be lowered to some compacity.
Sources
www.pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh26-2/90-98.htm
www.blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9780890425558?gC=5a105e8b&gclid=CjwKCAiAo5qABhBdEiwAOtGmbhIP0SsC7sOxJgGLJlaj_dRyB-DIz18xx64ydqB152SkGZPJtjsqBhoCupsQAvD_BwE
www. alcoholchange.org.uk/alcohol-facts/fact-sheets/alcohol-statistics
www.digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/statistics-on-alcohol/2020
www.ias.org.uk/Alcohol-knowledge-centre/Economic-impacts/Factsheets/Estimates-of-the-cost-of-alcohol.aspx
www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/alcohol
www.commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn05021/#:~:text=A%20minimum%20unit%20price%20of,place%20since%201%20May%202018.&text=A%20ban%20on%20selling%20alcohol,(Mandatory%20Conditions)%20Order%202014.
www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jul/04/staggering-cost-nhs-alcohol-abuse-report
www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-and-drug-prevention-treatment-and-recovery-why-invest/alcohol-and-drug-prevention-treatment-and-recovery-why-invest
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1976118/
www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/compendium/focusonviolentcrimeandsexualoffences/2015-02-12/chapter5violentcrimeandsexualoffencesalcoholrelatedviolence
www.insurancerevolution.co.uk/blog/drink-driving-statistics-2020/
