If you have a problem with alcohol, help is just a phone call away.
Fort Belvoir recognizes Alcohol Awareness Month
Alcohol abuse exposes you to a wide range of risks, including injuries, violence, drowning, liver disease, heart disease, and even some types of cancer. April is National Alcohol Awareness Month; Fort Belvoir Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) encourages you to educate yourself and your family about the dangers of excessive drinking. National Alcohol Awareness Month is our opportunity to raise awareness about alcohol abuse and encourage people to make healthy, safe choices. The importance of this campaign is to challenge the stigma that continues to surround alcoholism and substance abuse in general.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA), more than 140,000 people die annually in the U.S. from alcohol misuse. That makes it one of the leading causes of preventable deaths.
In Virginia last year, there were 428 drunk driving accidents that caused six deaths. This was a decrease from the previous year, so let’s continue to spread the word and prevent alcohol misuse and abuse.
If you are a regular drinker, you can improve your health by quitting or even reducing your frequency of drinking. Here are some strategies to help you cut back or stop drinking:
· Limit your drinking to 1 standard drink a day for women, or 2 standard drinks a day for men.
· Don’t drink if you are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired (HALT).
· Avoid places where people drink a lot and don’t give in to social pressure.
· Please join Fort Belvoir ASAP and other organizations across the country that honor National Alcohol Awareness Month, and help spread the word.
Today is the day you can begin to make healthy and safe choices. Someone is waiting to help you. Call the ASAP Prevention Coordinator at (520)-672-6477.
James Peters, Fort Belvoir Alcohol and Drug Prevention Coordinator