Betty Ford Center sharing tips on identifying alcohol abuse and disorders

Americans are drinking as much alcohol now as in the civil war days.

This observation is made by looking at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism surveillance report that shows the average American consumed 2.51 gallons of ethanol — the alcohol found in wine, beer, and spirits, compared with 2.53 gallons in 1860, the brink of the Civil War.

This claim is alarming to a local rehabilitation center in the valley.

"We do know that we're just coming still coming out of the pandemic and that people were really stressed because of the pandemic, and they're still coming out of it," Addiction Program Manager of the Hazelden Betty Ford Center, Margo McHattie. "A lot of them haven't, like, reduced their use behavior, even if they've gone back to work. And so it's still a big concern, you know, but there's help out there.

The institute defines a "Standard drink" as 0.6 fluid ounces of ethanol. They say Americans 14 and older consume about 535.5 standard drinks on average in a year.

"Anything can be a coping skill, like talking to a friend, talking to a trusted other, finding trusted others to talk to, maybe having a therapist even so, if you're willing to talk about it, you're more likely to be able to work on it," says McHattie. "So sharing about what's going on with you. Having a circle of friends, there were so many people during COVID That didn't have regular contact. So make getting back out into the community and making connections and getting reconnected into your community."

Ways to identify if you may have an alcohol use disorder

If you are struggling with drug addiction, alcoholism, and or your mental health, contact the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California.

39407 Vista Del Sol Rancho Mirage, CA 92270

Call 24 Hours: 1-855-402-1640