Alcohol: It’s cost effective, accessible, legal, socially acceptable, and addictive.

Of all the substances that people abuse, only one fits into ALL the following criteria:  socially acceptable, over-the-counter accessible, the cost is not prohibitive, legal for adults to purchase in all 50 states, and often viewed as harmless or a normal rite of passage into adulthood.  This magic elixir is alcohol.

Alcohol is a common part of celebrations as people make toasts to the New Year, a newly married couple, the birth of a child, a job promotion or any other cause for celebration.  People plan happy hours after work to wind down, relax and enjoy being with friends.  After a tough day, many people unwind with a before-dinner drink letting the alcohol do its magic to help them change gears from workday madness to peacefulness at home.

For those who don’t care for the taste of alcohol, especially youth who are making their first decisions to consume alcohol, many options are available with bottled or canned beverages often mixed with other ingredients to make them more palatable. Marketed specifically toward the younger consumers, alcopops come in a variety of flavors and are sweet and easier on the palate than beer or other alcoholic beverages. Alcopops are widely available and often have a high alcohol content, some as high as 14%.

More mature drinkers often choose beer, ciders or wines. Cocktails concocted from a variety of alcohol and fruit juices and other flavorings are popular, as is sipping alcohol on the rocks or doing shots. Despite all the different ways alcohol is offered and consumed, it is done for a reason.

The end result, however, is not the same.

Some people can live their entire life having a drink or two from time to time and never developing a problem.

Other people cannot.

Because of the overall public acceptance of alcohol, people who are addicted to alcohol can often hide their addiction for a very long time. With an “everybody enjoys alcohol” mentality, they can even hide it from themselves for a while and from others for an even longer time. Eventually, alcohol addiction shows itself for “everyone” to see, often leaving the person suffering with the addiction as the last one to fully recognize it.

A surprisingly small amount of alcohol use can become problematic. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends that men should not have more than two drinks a day and that women have only one.

When drinking becomes a coping mechanism, a way of avoiding situations or a way to try to feel better, it is often a problem. The easiest test according to HelpGuide (a division of Harvard University) is, “If your drinking is causing problems in your life, then you have a drinking problem”.

Alcohol addiction starts off innocently and happens to many. The good news is, recovery is possible.

If you or someone you care about, has an ongoing history of substance use and relapse, we can help. Contact us at Gulf Breeze Recovery or call: 833.551.2356 to speak to an addiction expert to learn more about our program that has helped so many people overcome their addiction, rediscover their dreams and embrace life.