Medical Conditions ExplainedMedical Conditions Explained, Reviewed, and Debated

The seriousness and severity of alcoholism and drug addiction are massively underestimated – because do enough people understand their dangers and the damage that they can cause?

So let me provide you with a few addiction and alcoholism facts and statistics – so you can really begin to appreciate the potential for damage and devastation that alcohol and drugs have.

1) Of all fatal road accidents – more than 50% involve alcohol.

2) The use and abuse of drugs and alcohol is a major cause of injury and death in teenagers and young adults.

3) Violent behaviour attributed to the use of alcohol accounts for around 50% of murders and rapes.

4) Approximately 92% of household theft and street muggings are made by drug addicts to get the money they need to fund their addiction.

5) You have in the US roughly 20 million people who are over the age of 13 that use drugs – and more than 21,000 people die every year because of their drug addiction.

I’ve just briefly mentioned a few drug and alcohol related facts and statistics – but the message is hopefully loud and clear. So I just don’t get how we still live in a binge drinking culture where alcohol abuse is glamorised and regarded as cool/socially acceptable. You could half understand it if it were just teenagers going on about their drinking exploits – but adults are even worse. I just don’t think the message of the dangers and damage that alcohol can cause gets through to enough people.

I get mad that more isn’t being done to target the dealers supplying drugs, especially the young kids living in our communities. How cowardly is that – getting kids who don’t know any better and are the most vulnerable – addicted to heroin and amphetamines etc?

My fear is – I just don’t see how things are going to get better – because there is a limit to what we can do. Prevention is the only cure, but that is never realistically going to happen in large enough numbers, so mindsets need to change and become aware of the damage and pain alcohol can cause – and a way urgently has to be found to get more drugs off our streets.

These facts and statistics with regards alcoholism and drug addiction are only a drop in the ocean because we’re dealing with problems that are simply out of control. Ultimately though it’s up to us to take responsibility for our own lives, lead by example and hope others follow. With time we can only hope that mindsets change and progress is made.