Alcohol can reduce stress and make people feel more relaxed. Drinking is an activity that’s associated with holidays, celebrations, events and just about any time people are getting together. But drinking too much alcohol increases people’s risk of injuries, violence, drowning, liver disease, and some types of cancer. In Wisconsin alone, there are an average of 116,301 drunk-driving accidents annually. Alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States. The first is tobacco, and the second is poor diet and physical inactivity.
This April, during Alcohol Awareness Month, we encourage you to educate yourself and your loved ones about the dangers of overdoing it. To spread the word and prevent alcohol abuse, Hudson Physicians is joining other organizations across the country to bring attention to this important community health issue.
Strategies to help cut back
If you are drinking too much, you can improve your health by cutting back or quitting. Here are some strategies to help you monitor and manage your alcohol use:
- Limit your drinking to no more than 1 drink a day for women or 2 drinks a day for men.
- Keep track of how much you drink.
- Choose a day each week when you will not drink.
- Don’t drink when you are upset.
- Limit the amount of alcohol you keep at home.
- Avoid places where people drink a lot.
- Make a list of reasons not to drink.
The 72-hour experiment
An integral part of Alcohol Awareness Month is an Alcohol-Free Weekend, April 5-7, 2019, which takes place on the first weekend of April, to raise public awareness about the use of alcohol and how it may be affecting individuals, families, businesses and our communities. People or families who have a difficult time during this 72-hour substance free period are urged to get help.
Where can you seek help?
Hudson Hospital Programs for Change Hudson, WI
Burkwood Treatment Center Hudson, WI
Kinnic Falls Alcohol & Drug Abuse Services River Falls, WI
AA Hudson Alano Hudson, WI
To schedule an appointment to discuss your alcohol use, or have any other health-related questions that you’d like to address, please call us today at 715-531-6800. Hudson Physicians is here to help!
