The Estate News & Blog

April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and this year's theme is "Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow." This month is an opportunity to raise awareness about the serious impact of alcohol on individuals, families, and communities. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, approximately 14.5 million adults in the United States have Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), with men being more likely to struggle with alcohol abuse and addiction compared to women.

Alcohol related deaths are the third-leading preventable cause of death in the U.S. An estimated 95,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually. Included in this outrageous number is about 10,000 deaths that were from alcohol-impaired driving fatalities. The impact of alcohol related deaths is far reaching, not only are lives lost prematurely due to excessive drinking but also families and friends are left behind grieving these losses. Despite these growing concerns, many individuals continue to engage in dangerous levels of drinking. To put this into perspective, one in 10 deaths among working-age adults are due to excessive alcohol consumption.

Alcohol consumption starts for many people as a social activity that occurs without consequence. The acceptable times, amounts, and reasons vary from person to person and are dependent on a number of variables. Many people will remain within their acceptable norms for drinking and never experience an increased desire for more. 

Boredom is an emotion that can lead to a variety of responses, both positive and negative. One of the most common and potentially detrimental responses to boredom is addiction. When people become bored with their current environment or activities, they may turn to addictive behaviors as a way of distracting themselves from the boredom. These behaviors might include substance abuse, gambling, or any other form of escapism. Unfortunately, these behaviors often lead to further distress and even more serious addictions that are harder to break.

Alcoholism is a condition in which a person has a physical and psychological dependence on alcohol. This compulsion and the heavy drinking that accompanies it can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, which is an irreversible damage to the liver that worsens over time and eventually leads to serious complications, including death.

Living a sober life means abstaining from the use of alcohol and drugs. It means making conscious choices to prioritize your physical and mental well-being over substance use.

It was the famed British psychoanalyst and pediatrician, Donald Winnicott MD who coined the term "false self" - a universal phenomenon that we all suffer from in a matter of degrees. To function in society we may have to say "please" when we are not pleased and "thank you" when we are not feeling any gratitude. This need to comply with social norms can go way beyond such niceties and can for instance suppress such basic human emotions as anger and sexual desire so that such expressions coming from the "true"self are unable to be processed, digested and made peace with.

The holiday season can be warm and joyful, it can also be challenging and stressful. If there is any anxiety around holiday events for you or your loved one, here are 12 tips to stay sober and enjoy your season! 

We all know that alcoholism and addiction are serious diseases, affecting many people without discrimination, but the conditions that go along with these diseases are just as serious.