When studying the history of alcohol, it has been discovered that people have known about alcohol and have been drinking alcoholic beverages for at least 10,000 years.

Fact. Alcohol has been used in a number of different ways throughout history that can be called “positive.”

In spite if this, it was recognized thousands of years ago that excessive drinking results in harmful alcohol side effects, negative consequences and alcohol problems including social and personal difficulties.

Question. If this basic alcohol info has been known for centuries, why is it that so many people worldwide experience the devastating, unhealthy, and at times the fatal consequences of chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism?

From a different perspective, why do so many people in the developed nations suffer from the negative outcomes of abusive and excessive drinking?

The Abuse of Alcohol

While alcohol in the past was used in a variety of ways that can be called “positive,” it was, however, recognized thousands of years ago that excessive drinking and misuse led to numerous alcohol problems and negative alcohol side effects.

Some Alcohol Statistics and Facts

Regrettably, many of the dangers and adverse alcohol side effects of alcohol abuse and alcoholism do not really make an impact on people until someone becomes aware of statistics and facts about alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

For instance, according to a study undertaken by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University in 2005, the following statistics about alcohol abuse and alcoholism were discovered:

• The 9.6% of adult alcoholics drink 25% of the alcohol that is consumed by all adult drinkers.
• The 25.9% of underage drinkers who are alcohol abusers and alcohol dependent drink 47.3% of the alcohol that is consumed by all underage drinkers.
• Every year in the U.S. more than 150,000 college students develop health problems that are alcohol-related.
• American youth who drink before the of age of 15 are four times more likely to become alcoholics than young people who do not drink before the age of 21.
• Every year, 1,400 American college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related inadvertent injuries, including motor vehicle accidents.
• In the United States during 2004, 16,694 deaths occurred as a result of alcohol-related motor-vehicle crashes. This amount was approximately 39% of all traffic fatalities. This amounts to one alcohol-related death every 31 minutes.
• Every day in the U.S. more than 13,000 children and teens take their first drink.
• Alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse cost the United States an estimated $220 billion in 2005. This dollar amount was more than the cost associated with cancer ($196 billion) and obesity ($133 billion).

Final Thoughts About Alcohol Info

Ironically, despite the fact that basic “alcohol information” such as the negative effects of abusing alcohol and other alcohol problems have been known for centuries, alcohol abuse and alcoholism continue to destroy human lives in our “aware” and “enlightened” society.

These facts point to the importance of studying relevant alcohol information via the history of alcohol and discovering that serious alcohol problems and alcohol side effects, not unlike today’s situation, were observed and were determined to be the result of alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

In short, as sophisticated and as knowledgeable as our society is, negative alcohol effects such as binge drinking, alcohol abuse, and alcoholism are experienced by millions of our citizens.

Moreover, various alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics and facts have been listed above that give a more realistic picture of the destructive and devastating nature of excessive and abusive drinking.

The important point to keep in mind regarding this article is the following: The more alcohol is consumed in an abusive manner, the more likely it is that the drinker will become an alcoholic.

If this describes you, then you need to be honest with yourself and admit that you have a drinking problem.

Once you have taken this step, consider making it a priority to talk with an alcohol abuse and alcoholism professional about getting alcohol rehabilitation or counseling as soon as possible.