Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Grants Pass gets grant for a sobering center ... Rogue Valley programs persevere in extreme heat ... Flip-flopped dam-removal plans on Evans Creek could start next week ... Grants Pass gets grant for a sobering center ... Rogue Valley programs persevere in extreme heat ... Flip-flopped dam-removal plans on Evans Creek could start next week ... Bottoms up: Excessive drinkers are not always alcoholics Drinking excessively can cause serious health risks and is responsible for an average of 88,000 U.S. deaths every year. But the vast majority of excessive drinkers are not alcoholics, according to new government data. Comment By Washington Post MailTribune.com By Washington Post Posted Nov. 27, 2014 at 1:00 PM By Washington Post Posted Nov. 27, 2014 at 1:00 PM » Social News Drinking excessively can cause serious health risks and is responsible for an average of 88,000 U.S. deaths every year. But the vast majority of excessive drinkers are not alcoholics, according to new government data. Nine out of 10 excessive drinkers are not dependent on alcohol, revealed a study released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The study is one of the first national, multi-year looks at alcoholism among excessive drinkers, and it debunks the assumption that most excessive drinkers are dependent on alcohol. About 10 percent of people who drank excessively also met the clinical definition for alcohol dependence. The vast majority of excessive drinking is binge drinking, a pattern of behavior in which men consume roughly five or more drinks and women consume four or more within a short period of time. But the big takeaway here isn't that people who drink too much don't need to worry about their habits, said study author Bob Brewer of the CDC. Rather, the study shows that combating excessive drinking as a public health problem needs to go beyond focusing only on alcoholism, a chronic medical condition. "Knowing that nine out of 10 people who drink too much are not alcohol-dependent in no way diminishes the impact of alcohol dependence as a problem. It just says the problem we're dealing with is bigger than that," Brewer said. "We need to look at this problem with a wider-angle lens and consider not just treatment for those who need it." Alcohol dependence is a "medical problem" and "based on the consequences and the science and symptoms of someone's drinking behavior," Brewer said. People with alcohol dependence report symptoms such as withdrawal, unsuccessful attempts to cut down on or stop drinking and continuing despite problems arising from drinking. While about one in three adults drinks excessively, only one in 30 meets the clinical definition for alcohol dependence. The study also found that excessive and binge drinking, as well as alcoholism, was most common among 18-to-24-year-old men, with binge drinking most prevalent among people coming from households with an annual income of $75,000 or more. But alcoholism was most common among people who had family incomes of less than $25,000 and people who reported binge drinking 10 or more times in the past 30 days. The data comes from three years of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in which 138,100 people from around the country answered questions about their drinking habits. Because all of the information was self-reported, rates of binge drinking and alcoholism are likely to have been underestimated, the study authors noted. Brewer said certain strategies can help reduce excessive drinking, such as increasing the price of alcohol and considering the geographic concentration of liquor licenses. The study "really gives us some further insight about what we need to be doing about dealing with this critical public health problem," he said. By Washington Post MailTribune.com By Washington Post Posted Nov. 27, 2014 at 1:00 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501