April of this year saw the 27th annual observance of Alcohol Awareness Month, an event sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD). The event has a dual purpose in terms of the message that it is intended to convey. Firstly, Alcohol Awareness Month exists to help the general public get a better understanding of the prevalence of alcoholism and alcohol abuse, and to understand the risks of heavy drinking. By making more people aware of the nature and scope of alcohol abuse, the hope is that we can reduce the rates at which people drink heavily and become addicted to alcohol.
Secondly, the event is intended to make it easier for alcoholics to come forward and seek the help that they need to get sober. All too many people with drinking problems hesitate to speak out about what is going on out of shame or concern over the stigma of being labeled an alcoholic or an addict.
The Purpose of Alcohol Awareness
Alcohol Awareness Month has as one of its purposes to soften this stigma and encourage those who need help to get it. It is a worthy cause which deserves support, and it received support this year from two of the leading Narconon drug rehabilitation centers, the Narconon Freedom Center in southern Michigan, and Narconon Arrowhead in Oklahoma.
As one of the leading drug rehab centers in the nation, the team at Narconon Arrowhead has extensive experience in working with men and women who are struggling with addiction to alcohol and other drugs. This experience gives them extensive insight into the problems that alcohol causes in the life of an addict. They know how much ruin and upset are typically associated with alcoholism, both for the alcoholic and for the family and friends of that person.
From this viewpoint, they recognize the importance of supporting the effort behind Alcohol Awareness Month, and in April they did this by publishing information about the dangers of alcohol abuse and about how important it is to get treatment. Too often, an alcoholic or the person’s loved ones will underestimate the severity of the problem, and may not seek help until it is too late. The team at Narconon Arrowhead wants to help families avert a tragedy by providing them with the information they need about alcohol abuse and addiction.
Narconon Michigan Provides Alcohol Awareness Education
The Narconon Freedom Center, located in Albion, Michigan, participated in Alcohol Awareness Month this year by providing substance abuse prevention talks at schools and other venues in the community. The staff of the Freedom Center regularly engage in this type of public outreach activity, looking for ways to make a difference in the local community. As important as it is to try to make an impact on a large scale, it is easy to overlook the power of face-to-face interaction in the fight to prevent substance abuse. The Narconon drug prevention education program is recognized as being one of the most effective in the nation. The talks are informative and engaging, and students who attend them routinely report that they walk away with a determination to stay sober and avoid the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse.
This year’s Alcohol Awareness Month had the theme, “Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow,” and the work performed by the Narconon Freedom Center in reaching out to young people certainly supported this message. The NCADD reports that 8.5% of Americans, approximately 18 million people, suffer from an alcohol abuse disorder, making this one of the greatest public health issues in the United States. Narconon Arrowhead and the Narconon Freedom Center helped to make some progress in reducing these statistics, but given the scope of the problem it is clear that it is one that everyone should be working to fix.
