This is shown in the charts as the share of adults who had not drunk in the prior year and those who have never drunk alcohol. Heavy episodic drinking is defined as the proportion of adult drinkers who have had at least 60 grams or more of pure alcohol on at least one occasion in the past 30 days. An intake of 60 grams of pure alcohol is approximately equal to 6 standard alcoholic drinks. Alcohol has historically, and continues to, hold an important role in social engagement and bonding for many.
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While alcohol plays an important social role in many cultures, and the occasional drink is considered harmless, excessive consumption has adverse effects. Alcohol is classified as a depressant because it can slow down motor function, speech, and reaction times. When consumed Sobriety in low amounts, alcohol can help people “loosen up” socially or relax; however, the more alcohol consumed, the more the depressant effects set in. These include loss of balance, double vision, “spins” or dizziness, slurred speech, and more. Binge drinking is the act of drinking large quantities of alcohol in one sitting. Some national organizations define binge drinking as having 4 or 5 alcoholic drinks within 2 hours.
Alcohol Overdose and College Students
In the chart, we see data across some countries on the share of people with an alcohol use disorder who received treatment. This data is based on estimates of prevalence and treatment published by the World Health Organization (WHO). The scatter plot compares the prevalence of alcohol use disorders in males versus that of females. The prevalence of alcohol dependence in men Alcoholism Statistics is typically higher than in women across all countries. The charts show global consumption of spirits, which are distilled alcoholic drinks, including gin, rum, whisky, tequila, and vodka. Global trends on alcohol abstinence show a mirror image of drinking prevalence data.
- It is intended for general informational purposes and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
- Therapy, support groups, outpatient programs, and medication-assisted treatment are available without needing a crisis first.
- Healthcare disparities remain stark, with only 7.2% of individuals with alcohol use disorder accessing treatment services, particularly affecting developing regions with limited infrastructure.
- As a result, the men+ category includes men (and/or boys), as well as some non-binary persons, and the women+ category includes women (and/or girls), as well as some non-binary persons.
How is alcohol addiction treated?
Wine contains around 12% pure alcohol per volume1 so that one liter of wine contains 0.12 liters of pure alcohol. So, a value of 6 liters of pure alcohol per person per year is equivalent to 50 liters of wine. Drug use disorders are often classified within the same category as mental health disorders — research and data on mental health can be found on our topic page here. Flags are symbolic representations of states, countries, territories, or organizations.
