Fort Lauderdale, FL -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/24/2017 -- In 1987, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) founded Alcohol Awareness Month, an opportunity to increase awareness and understanding of alcohol abuse and alcoholism. These are often misunderstood disorders that affect tens of millions of Americans each year. Unfortunately, many Americans who suffer from alcohol use problems face social stigma, a fear of getting treatment, and a lack of education about the true dangers of alcoholism.

Fortunately, however, Alcohol Awareness Month is growing in size and scope every year, as schools, churches, government agencies, and other organizations contribute more resources and develop more educational programs. These efforts will help ensure that Americans of all ages and demographics better understand the scope and danger of alcohol abuse is the U.S., and positive steps they can take against it, at home, at school, at work, and in their communities at large.

In light of the powerful, educational, and important nature of Alcohol Awareness Month 2017, here are 5 essential facts about the dangerous role that alcohol abuse and addiction plays in our society– and how we can take steps fix it.

Alcohol Use Disorders Affect Nearly 20 Million Americans

2012 statistics from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) show that estimated 17 million adult Americans currently suffer from an alcohol use disorder (AUD). That's more than 7% of the adult population of the U.S. Nearly twice as many men (11.2 million) suffer from AUDs than women (5.7 million.)

More than 5% of Americans With an Alcohol Use Disorder Are Under The Age of 18

Adults aren't the only ones who suffer from alcohol use disorders. Data from the NIAAA indicates that nearly 900,000 Americans between 12-17 also suffer from AUDs. For children and teens, alcohol use and abuse can harm their developing bodies and brains– damaging their ability to think clearly, learn and grow their intelligence, and develop coping skills that will allow them to live as healthy, responsible adults.

Alcoholism Affects Senior Citizens Too

While it's true that young people are at particular risk for developing an addiction to alcohol, older adults, especially retirees, are also at serious risk. An increase in free time due to retirement, as well as loneliness caused by the absence of children, friends, or spouses can often lead to newfound anxiety and depression in many recently retired seniors.

Because of their age, doctors, friends, and family members may be less likely to notice the signs of alcoholism in these individuals or simply confuse some of the disease's side effects with age-related disorders, such as dementia, alzheimer's, or other conditions. In addition, doctors may be more likely to liberally prescribe older people medications such as opiates or benzodiazepines, which can have extremely serious effects when combined with alcohol.

More Than 20 Million Americans are Estimated to be in Recovery from Alcoholism

While recovering from alcohol abuse issues can be a serious challenge, millions of Americans have overcome alcohol and addiction and dependence to live healthy, satisfying, and fulfilling lives. Every large city has hundreds, if not thousands of support groups for alcoholism and alcohol addiction (and that's not even considering online communities.) So, if you're in recovery and need someone to talk to, wherever you go, there are sure to be many other individuals in recovery nearby.

Less Than 9% of Americans with an AUD Seek Professional Treatment

Sadly, our society often stigmatizes those who need alcohol abuse treatment the most. Getting treatment for alcohol abuse can be scary– and if you have a problem and are thinking of getting help, you shouldn't also be afraid of what others think. Even for those who genuinely want treatment, finding a high-quality, professionally-accredited program can be a serious challenge.

Get Treatment Can Help You Find a Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse Treatment Program

Alcoholism is a disease that does not discriminate by age, race, ethnicity, gender, income, or sexuality. Anyone, no matter how happy, healthy, wealthy, or powerful can become a victim if they are not careful.

If you're suffering from an AUD, you shouldn't be intimidated by the idea of getting treatment. A high-quality alcoholism treatment program won't simply help you get sober, it will help improve your physical, mental, and emotional health in order to give you the best shot at sustainable, long-term sobriety.

About Get Treatment
At Get Treatment, we've committed ourselves to helping alcoholics across the United States get better access to caring, state-of-the-art alcohol abuse treatment centers. Each of our centers' provide alcohol treatment plans that combine traditional, evidence-based treatments with holistic therapies to give patients a broad spectrum of effective therapeutic options. If you or someone you love is suffering from an alcoholism, now is the time to take action.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/alcohol-awareness-month-facts-798799.htm

Fort Lauderdale, FL -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/24/2017 -- According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), nearly one quarter of Americans over the age of 18 reported binge drinking in the last month. That's more than 60 million people. However, only 2.5 million Americans get treatment each year for alcohol abuse. And, while it's true that a monthly episode of binge drinking doesn't equate with alcohol addiction or alcoholism, these statistics indicate that there are likely tens of millions of alcoholics in the U.S. each year that never get the treatment they so desperately need.

It's one thing to discuss the importance of alcohol awareness and to participate in related educational activities, but it's another to take strong, decisive, and personal action against alcoholism. NCADD has given people a chance to action by promoting this year's Alcohol Free Weekend, a 48 hour period in which Americans of all ages can set an example by abstaining from alcoholic beverages.

One of the main reasons that so many Americans go without alcohol addiction treatment may be fact that alcohol is legal. Covering up alcohol abuse is relatively easy as long as the individual continues to meet major social, professional, and educational obligations. However, just because an they can meet major life responsibilities, doesn't mean they aren't causing suffering for themselves and those around them. They could also be causing potentially permanent damage to their mental, physical, and emotional health.

Alcohol Awareness Month Advocates for Greater Visibility and Treatment Options

The incredibly large gap between the amount of people who get alcoholism treatment and the amount of people that need it seems to only be growing, but that doesn't mean we can't take steps to try and change this. One of those steps involves participating in Alcohol Awareness Month, a month where organizations including schools, corporations, government agencies and religious organizations come together to raise money and increase awareness to help bring better treatment options to alcoholics throughout the U.S.

Avoid Alcohol's Side Effects This Alcohol Free Weekend

Even if you just have a few drinks every other weekend, consuming alcohol can have some seriously negative side effects. Giving your body a break can help you be more productive while improving your mental, physical, and emotional health.

Cutting out alcohol for 48+ hours may be able to prevent alcohol side effects including:

Fatigue and lack of energy
Insomnia, poor quality of sleep
Hangovers
Dehydration
Difficulty concentrating and focusing
Reduced performance at work
Increased symptoms of concurrent disorders like anxiety and depression

Are You Having Trouble Abstaining from Alcohol for 48 Hours?

If the thought of not being able to drink for 48 hours already gives you anxiety or you know that you won't feel good if you go that long without drinking, you may be addicted to alcohol and should seek help immediately. The same goes for family, friends, and others who you think may have a problem with drinking. For example, if a friend agrees to try Alcohol Free Weekend and later realizes they can't go 2 days without drinking, you should speak with them to voice your concerns and to help them get the treatment they need to heal from their addiction.

Finding Help from an Alcohol Addiction Treatment Center

For many people, Alcohol Free Weekend might be a powerful wake up call. Even if an individual does not experience the brutal physical affects of alcohol withdrawal, such as tremors, headaches, and nausea, they still may have a drinking problem. In many cases, a strong psychological addiction directly precedes a physical addiction to alcohol in certain patients. So, if a patient experiences anxiety, depression, and mood swings without alcohol, they still likely need professional help.

The challenges posed by alcohol addiction and alcoholism are incredible, and that's why getting high-quality, individualized treatment is the best way to ensure a successful recovery. If you or someone you love is suffering from the disease of alcoholism, Get Treatment's network of top-rated and accredited alcohol treatment centers can help. Each treatment plan combines a variety of traditional and holistic therapies to help patients through every stage of the recovery process. If you are in need of an alcohol detox, and inpatient or intensive outpatient alcohol rehab programs, we can help.

Don't wait any longer!

To find a drug and alcohol treatment center that will help you get your life back from addiction, call Get Treatment today at 855-638-9268.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/get-treatment-spreads-awareness-for-alcohol-free-weekend-786450.htm

Fort Lauderdale, FL -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/16/2017 -- Smoking costs Americans $170 billion a year in direct medical costs, another $156 billion in lost productivity, and takes nearly half a million lives per year. Take a moment and imagine just how many lives, and just how much money Americans could save if smoking became history.

One group has spent a long time imagining a smoke-free future, and in recent years, they've been doing a more than just imagining. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has been organizing American youth for more than 20 years, and a substantial part of that organizing involves Kick Butts Day – a day each year in March in which young people all over America are encouraged to stand up against smoking.

To do this, kids and teens can engage in educational activities and awareness events to help the public understand more about the dangers of smoking. These often include meetings, speaking events, rallies, art and writing projects, and other creative events that can help teach kids and adults how to live a smart, safe, healthy, and tobacco-free life.

Since 1996, Kick Butts Day Has Encouraged People to Quit Smoking

The around 480,000 people who die in the U.S. every year from smoking-related diseases are cutting into tobacco company profits– and, according to The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, tobacco firms may be trying to find a new market in America's youth. Though they aren't allowed to directly market to kids and teens, the Campaign feels that a variety of the tobacco industry's marketing and advertising materials reach– and negatively influence millions of children.

In particular, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free kids says that children and young people should be aware of:

Flashy, trendy advertisements in kid, teen, and youth oriented magazines, like ESPN, Rolling Stone, or GQKick Butts Day Get Treatment

Fruit-flavored and sweet flavored cigarettes and miniature cigars (and any advertising associated with them)

Vaporizers, e-cigarettes, also commonly advertised using sweet or fruity flavors

It's only when kids understand the deceptive nature of much of this advertising that they can truly break free from the influence of tobacco. With a newfound understanding of these deceptive marketing practices, they can help influence both their peers and other adults to avoid and/or quit smoking and other harmful forms of tobacco and nicotine abuse.

Kids Across the Country are Participating in Kick Butts Day Events

From schools and libraries to community and religious centers, young people across the country are participating in a variety of educational events for Kick Butts Day. Some schools are holding rallies and marches, while others are holding field trips and hosting memorial events for the Americans each year that are lost to smoking and smoking-related diseases. In some schools, organizations focusing on preventing drunk driving are also getting in on the Kick Butts Day celebrations, while in others, musical and theatrical performances and creative, artistic events are being held to allow students to express themselves while creating art that inspires people to get, be, and stay tobacco-free.

Find the Right Treatment for You or Your Loved Ones!

Addiction is unlike any other disease; it's rooted in both the mind and the body, and it has the power to ruin countless lives. While there is no cure, getting the right treatment at the right time can be extremely effective, and helping people get the care they need is exactly what we focus on. If you or someone you love has a problem with substance abuse, GetTreatment.com can help. Let us help you find an accredited drug and alcohol addiction treatment center.

To learn more about how to find the right drug and alcohol treatment facility for you or someone you love, call GetTreatment.com today at 855-638-9268.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/get-treatment-works-to-raise-awareness-for-kick-butts-day-782643.htm

Fort Lauderdale, FL -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/17/2017 -- GetTreatment.com, one of the leading drug and alcohol addiction treatment directories in the nation, is helping bring awareness to Children of Alcoholics (COA) week, a campaign led by NACOA (The National Association for Children of Alcoholics) to bring attention to the millions of children worldwide who are seriously affected their parents' alcohol problems.

When is Children Of Alcoholics Week?

COA Week is between February 12th and 18th, 2017.

When was it founded? Why?

After realizing the grave extent of parental alcohol abuse in the UK and worldwide, in 2009, NACOA started the first annual Children of Alcoholics Week in order to raise national and international attention to the issue.

What is NACOA? What is their mission?

NACOA, a British non-profit founded in 1990, provides a variety of help and support services to children of all ages who suffer because of parental alcoholism. In addition to providing support, NACOA promotes research that can help both the public and the scientific community better understand the specific problems caused by parental alcohol abuse. The organization also advocates for research into ways to help the children of alcoholics avoid alcoholism in their own right.

What else does NACOA do?

Additionally, NACOA sponsors a variety of educational initiatives to help spread awareness about parental alcohol abuse, including publishing articles and guides online, sponsoring a variety of athletic events, and arranging for speakers to visit schools and other educational institutions to spread more light on this pressing issue.

If I or someone I know needs help, what should I do?

Visiting gettreatment.com is a great way to start. Not only can you find safe, accredited and caring rehab facilities across the U.S., but you can find lots of great information about addiction treatment, the importance of detoxing under professional medical supervision, healthy psychological coping mechanisms and much, much more. Whether you need treatment, or someone you care about does, today is the best time to start looking for help.

To learn more, call 855-638-9268 or visit gettreatment.com today.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/gettreatmentcom-brings-awareness-to-children-of-alcoholics-week-772475.htm