Bardos > Addictions > Alcohol and Health

Alcohol and Health: Where Do You Draw the Line?

By Jonathan D. Sherman, LMFT

Some may wonder, 'Why an article on alcohol in a community that seems fairly 'dry?'" Alcohol use and abuse is a problem here in Utah County and over the years I have worked with many religious and non-religious clients and their families around this issue. In addition to the clients I treat for addictions in my private practice I am also the Youth Substance Abuse Coordinator for Valley Mental Health in Summit County. I have also worked as a substance abuse counselor for the Utah Alcoholism Foundation in Provo. The problem is here and it can be treated.

Did you know that alcohol is the most widely used and abused drug? It is easily accessible to both adults and youth. Furthermore, there are many impacts that alcohol has on a person's health besides the obvious problem of alcoholism. Consider the following facts:

l. Medications and alcohol: More than 150 medications interact harmfully with alcohol. These interactions may result in increased risk of illness, injury, and even death. Contact your doctor or myself for a list of these medications.
Source: Alcohol-Medication Interactions, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism No. 27 PH 355 January 1995, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa27.htm

2. Women and alcohol: Women overall drink less than men but are more likely to experience adverse consequences including damage to the heart muscle, liver, and brain, trauma resulting from auto crashes, interpersonal violence, and death. Researchers have identified no safe threshold for drinking during pregnancy.
Source: Are Women More Vulnerable to Alcohol's Effects? National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism No. 46 December 1999, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa46.htm

3. Alcohol and the body: Alcohol can alter blood sugar levels and exacerbate diabetes; impair reproductive functions; and interfere with calcium metabolism and bone structure, increasing the risk of osteoporosis. Heavy drinking raises the risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, certain cancers, car crashes, unintentional injuries, violence, suicide, birth defects and overall mortality.
Source: 5th Annual National Alcohol Screening Day Community Event Manual.

4. Alcohol problems and trauma: People with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are more likely than others with similar backgrounds to have alcohol use disorders both before and after being diagnosed with PTSD, and people with alcohol use disorders often also have PTSD.
Source: http://www.ncptsd.org/facts/specific/fs_alcohol.html and Alcohol and Trauma, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism No. 3 January 1989, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aaO3.htm

5. Alcohol and specific populations: Alcohol abuse and alcoholism cut across gender, race, religion and nationality. In general, though, more men than women are alcohol dependent or have alcohol problems.
Source: Alcohol and Minorities: An Update, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism No. 55 January 2002, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa55.htm, and Are Women More Vulnerable to Alcohol's Effects? National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism No. 46 December 1999, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa46.htm

6. Alcohol and HIV/AIDS: People with alcohol use disorders are more likely than the general population to put themselves at risk for HIV infection. Similarly, people with HIV are more likely to abuse alcohol at some time during their lives.
Source: Alcohol and HIV/AIDS, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism No. 57 September 2002, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa57.htm

7. Alcohol use among college students: According to a National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) study on college drinking released last year (2002):

1,400 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries including motor vehicle crashes.
More than 70,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.
400,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 had unprotected sex and more than 100,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 report having been too intoxicated to know if they consented to having sex.
Nearly 500,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are unintentionally injured while under the influence of alcohol.

Source: Changing the Culture of Campus Drinking, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism No. 58 October 2002, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa58.htm

8. Alcohol and cancer: According to a recent Washington State University study cancer patients who drink excessively may shorten their lives. The reason: drinking too much can double the weight loss that typically occurs with cancer. That weight loss, which includes a depletion of body fat, can cut down on survival time.
Source: http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docID=507164 and Alcohol and Cancer, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism No. 21 PH 345 July 1993, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa21.htm

9. Alcohol problems across the generations: Alcoholism may be inherited. You are at increased risk (four times as much) if a first-degree relative (mother, father, sister or brother) has an alcohol problem.
Source: The Genetics of Alcoholism, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism No. 18 PH 357 July 1992, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aal8.htm and From Genes to Geography: The Cutting Edge of Alcohol Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism No. 48 July 2000, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa48.htm

10. Alcohol and the workplace: According to a May 2002 study by researchers at the University of Buffalo, workers who drink are two times more likely to call in sick the next day. This affects any company's bottom line.
Source: http://www.ahealthyme.com/article/hscoutn/102433279 and Alcohol and the Workplace, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism No. 44 July 1999, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa44.htm

For more information on the research (culled from over 15 separate studies) behind these statistics as well as other resources visit www.bardos.net/addictions.

To help educate and strengthen our community Bardos Relationship Consulting is participating in the 5th Annual National Alcohol Screening Day, held on April 10th. However, for increased convenience I am making the free screenings and information available to the community beyond the one-day event and extending it throughout the whole month of April. Whether you or someone you love is affected by the effects of alcohol use or abuse please call 801.787.8014 to schedule your free screening, obtain free information and/or to ask questions. These screenings are completely confidential with no obligation to participate in further services. Members of the community are invited to find out when drinking becomes unsafe and how alcohol can affect health problems or functioning of medications.

Watch future columns for more strategies for creating greatness in your relationships.

Jonathan Sherman is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Relationship Consultant specializing in creating "greatness in relationships." He is experienced in assisting people learn to improve their marriages, their parenting and themselves through skill development, life coaching, overcoming depression and anxiety, stress and anger management, and addiction recovery. He teaches extensively on a wide range of relationship topics. He is the founder of Bardos Relationship Consulting. He is married to a skillled husband trainer who has truly earned her keep. They live in eternal bliss (okay, fairly peaceably) with their four children in American Fork, UT. You may reach him at 801.787.8014, jonathan@bardos.net or at www.bardos.net.