Think Before You Drink: Everything You Need to Know About Alcohol Awareness Month
- Bernadette Valentinetti
- Apr 12, 2022
- 3 min read
There is so much shame that surrounds sobriety when it comes to drinking. Alcohol is the only drug in the United States you are expected to consume and turning it down, for whatever reason, can be an uncomfortable experience.
April is Alcohol Awareness Month founded and sponsored by the National Council for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), whose goal is to spread awareness and decrease some of the stigma and misunderstandings of alcoholism. In honor of this, I thought I would delve into just how intertwined American society and alcohol are.
I found it comical when I went into a restaurant this week and saw a ‘National Beer Day’ promotion. Puzzled, I turned to my phone for a quick google search which confirmed the holiday to be April 7. The Wikipedia article says that National Beer Day was first celebrated in 2009 to commemorate the Cullen-Harrison Act of 1933 which legalized the sale of beer with an alcohol content of 3.2% following prohibition.
National Celebrations are held almost every day of the year for the most obscure niches so it does not surprise me that this National Beer Day was recognized in 2017 by the Virginia Governor and a Congressman. I also would not be surprised if those participating and recognizing National Beer Day even know about Alcohol Awareness Month, which for the record was established in 1987.
Whether it be a gross oversight or complete ignorance, National Beer Day is another reminder to those who struggle with sobriety that society will continue to find new ways to normalize excessive alcohol consumption.
The Alcohol Awareness campaign encourages everyone to Try To Stay Dry for one weekend in April, something I will definitely be participating in. The idea is to spread awareness of how consistent consumption of alcohol can eventually lead your body to dependency. Having a drink or two every night might not seem like a big deal and could even be expected depending on the household you grew up in.
It comes as no surprise that alcohol is the most used and abused drug in the United States, in recent years binge drinking has become an even larger problem. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines binge drinking as when a woman consumes 4 or more drinks in one night or 7 drinks per week. The definition for binge drinking is slightly more forgiving if you are a man, the NIAAA defines binge drinking as when a man consumes 5 or more drinks in one night or 14 drinks per week. In 2019 the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that 25.8% of percent of peoples ages 18 and older reported that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month.
The idea of an alcohol-free weekend causes everyone to feel something different and whether you’re nervous about how your body might react or unsure of what you would do with your time, don’t write this challenge off yet. Self-reflection can often be skewed, it is very difficult to admit to our faults so testing your body to live without alcohol for three days can be a great way to determine whether you have become dependent on the drug or not. If you participate in this alcohol-free experiment and experience difficulty or discomfort in the 72 hour period you are encouraged to seek support and learn more about alcoholism.
The key to conquering this challenge is scheduling. Schedule your time off of work with hobbies and activities that bring you joy and avoid places where drinking might be encouraged like bars, parties, etc…just for the weekend! As the weather gets nicer here in Erie, I will be trying my best to get out into nature and soak up the UV rays, either taking walks through the park or kayaking on the peninsula. When it’s not so nice out I always find enjoyment in a good book or working on a puzzle.
Try an Alcohol-Free weekend this April if not for anything else for yourself!
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