1) Alcohol dependence is a serious problem in the United States, with 15 million Americans dependent on alcohol and 500,000 children aged 9-12 dependent as well. Americans spend over $90 billion on alcohol annually. 2) Growing up with alcoholic parents greatly impacts children, with 1 in 4 American children exposed to family alcoholism. This can cause emotional and behavioral issues in children. 3) Alcoholism is linked to depression and suicide, with alcoholics 7% more likely to die by suicide due to alcohol being a depressant.

1. Alcohol dependence∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ A wolf in sheep’s clothing Rebecca N. Crosswhite Instructor – Amanda Shinn Patterson Mitchell Community College PSY 281 – Abnormal Psychology

3. 15,000,000 Americans are dependent on alcohol.

4. 500,000 children age 9 to 12 are dependent on alcohol.

5. Americans spend over $90,000,000,000 on alcohol a year. (Statistics are according to http://www.drug-rehabs.org/alcohol-statistics.php)

7. 6.6 million American children under the age of 18 live in a household with at least one alcoholic parent.

8. National Association for Children of Alcoholics, (NACA), states that 79.6% of welfare professionals cites that alcoholism contributes to half of all reported child maltreatment cases.

9. Children experience guilt, anxiety, anger, embarrassment, confusion, helplessness and withdraw from relationships.(According to http://child-abuse.suite101.com/article.cfm/children_of_alcoholics)

11. 7 percent of those with alcohol dependency will die by suicide.( Statistics from http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewpage&page_id=050fea9f-b064-4092-b1135c3a70de1fda)

13. Loss of Jobs

14. DUIs and legal issues

15. Financial Problems

16. Severed relationships

17. Loneliness

18. Hopelessness

19. Depression

20. SuicidePicture from http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/12_04/alcoholicCORBIS_228x331.jpg

22. Alcohol is legal, affordable and readily available.

23. Alcohol advertising is seen in magazines, television commercials and movies.

24. Alcohol makes the mere acquaintance the best of friends; a very alluring quality to those who are lonely and lacking self-esteem.Photo taken from http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_skQSpSg0aqA/SaovQOOT5WI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/59g_6eOisms/s400/sometimes-drunk-people-scare-me.jpg

26. Feeling a strong need or compulsion to drink.

27. Drinking alone or hiding your drinking.

28. Continuing to drink despite problems such as legal, marital, family, employment or money.

29. Developing a tolerance and needing more alcohol to experience the same effect.

30. Arranging your schedule to allow for your drinking.

31. When you don’t drink, you experience nausea, sweating, shaking or irritability. (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alcoholism/DS00340/DSECTION=symptoms)

32. The Top 5 Myths About Alcoholism 1. I can stop drinking anytime I want to. Maybe you can and maybe you can’t, but either way it is an excuse to keep drinking. 2. I don’t drink everyday OR I only drink wine or beer, so I can’t be an alcoholic. Alcoholism isn’t defined by what you drink but by continued drinking even after it has caused problems in your life. 3. My drinking is my problem, it only hurts me.Alcoholism hurts everyone around you and is a family disease. *********

33. 4. I can’t be an alcoholic because I have a job and I am doing okay. Many alcoholics hold down jobs, get through school and raise a family. You may be a functioning alcoholic, but if the path continues, it will catch up to you. 5. My drinking is not a “real” addiction like drug abuse. Alcohol is a real drug and alcohol addiction is just as damaging as drug addiction. (Information obtained from http://helpguide.org/mental/alcohol_abuse_alcoholism_signs_effects_treatment.htm )

35. Stop arguing with them. This only adds fuel to the fire and usually the alcoholic is in denial.

37. Overcoming denial and realizing that your alcohol use has directly caused problems in your life means that your are ready to take the next step!What do I do next?

39. Celebrate Recovery – A 12-step Christ centered recovery program. http://www.celebraterecovery.com

40. There are also many outpatient and residential inpatient alcohol abuse treatment centers for more intense rehabilitation. http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/