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By Published On: 02/27/2019Categories: AlcoholismComments Off on Alcohol: Young Adults’ Drug of ChoiceTags: , , , , ,

Why Don’t Young People Reach Out For Help With Alcoholism?

Alcohol isn’t really a drug…” “Alcohol is legal!” “It’s not as deadly as heroin- you know what you’re getting!” Many young adults who meet the diagnosis for alcohol use disorder aren’t seeking treatment, because they don’t think they have a problem. In a recent study of 351 young adults who met the criteria for alcohol use disorder, 96% believed they didn’t need help and 29% thought the problem would go away on its own as they got older. So why don’t young people think excessive alcohol consumption is a real problem? According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol is the drug of choice among adolescents. After reading this article, maybe you’ll think entering an alcohol addiction treatment program is the right move for you.

Three common reasons why people are hesitant to seek treatment for alcohol use disorder

It’s legal

So, you can buy alcohol at a store, you can use it public, how can it be that bad- the question then becomes, if you had to buy alcohol from the sketchy part of town, from a dealer, would that make it a “bad” drug, would you then stop, or would you continue to drink? Many people don’t even consider alcohol to be a drug, and if they do, they justify it by saying its legal or “not that bad.” Alcohol is a legal drug, but that doesn’t mean it is a safe drug. Alcohol poisoning kills six people per day. That doesn’t even include the number of people who die in fatal car crashes due to impaired driving or cirrhosis of the liver, which is caused by heavy drinking over long periods of time. Legal does not mean safe. Smoking cigarettes is also legal, however proven to be deadly and cancerous. Eating McDonalds everyday is legal, but we know it is bad for our health and can cause health problems. Not wearing a seatbelt is legal, but we know that increases our chances of being injured if we got in a crash. Just because alcohol is legal, doesn’t mean you should ask for help if your drinking has begun affecting you negatively in any way.

It could be worse

Many people feel that if they aren’t drinking alcohol every day or getting the “shakes” from drinking, then it isn’t really a problem. Many alcoholics minimize their drinking to avoid feelings of guilt or shame, some even believe that their drinking isn’t that bad regardless of one or two negative consequences. The excuses may be “I don’t have any DUI’s” or “I don’t black out every night, it’s just a drink or two!” While these excuses may be accurate, maybe they are experiencing family problems or increased depression and anxiety- which are two symptoms of alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

Everyone else is doing it

The statistics are shocking, and to the dismay of parents of addicted young adults, the excuse “everyone else is doing it” isn’t too far off. Over seventy percent of American’s ages 18 and older reported binge drinking in the past year. Does that make it okay? No. Does that make it seem like binge drinking is normal? Possibly. Many people who engage in dangerous drinking don’t see it as a problem simply because they are out drinking with friends who drink just as much if not more, or because it’s not an everyday occurrence. Binge drinking is actually just as dangerous as drinking every day, it can cause health problems, such as liver, digestive, and alcohol poisoning, as well as legal problems such as DUIs. If “everyone is doing it” is your best excuse as to why you continue to binge drink, ask yourself- if everyone was doing a “harder” drug would you do it?

Enter alcohol detox in Georgia, Start a treatment plan

88,000 people die from alcohol related causes per year. Alcohol is a hard drug. Just because it is legal, doesn’t mean it is any safer. If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction to alcohol and don’t know where to turn for help, let go and let’s chat. Atlanta Detox Center is a premier residential treatment center and alcohol detox near Atlanta that helps lay the groundwork for long term addiction recovery by focusing not only on withdrawal symptoms, but also co-occurring mental health disorders. I addition to alcohol detox, we offered prescription drug detox, heroin detox, opioid detox, crystal meth detox and more.

You won’t leave our detox facility without being connected to an outpatient treatment program in Georgia. Finding the right long term rehabilitation program is the next big step in your liberation from substance abuse. You don’t have to be like “everyone” else, you can decide to change your life today.

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