Alcohol Statistics

Alcohol is a psychoactive substance, with dependence-producing properties, that is widely consumed by people of all ages. Drinking large amounts of alcohol regularly can have adverse short and long-term effects on the drinker. Sadly, alcohol statistics for the US show a shocking prevalence of alcohol misuse.

Avenues Recovery, top-tier addiction specialists, lists all the alcohol statistics you may have ever wondered about, including alcohol-related fatality rates, underage drinking data and the prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome.

Alcohol Statistics: Key Points

• 10.9% of American adults had an AUD (Alcohol Use Disorder) in their lifetime.
• Alcoholism is responsible for an estimated 210,000 years of potential life lost in young people under age 21 every year. 
• More than 40% of bipolar sufferers either abuse or are dependent on alcohol.
• According to NHTSA, about 37 people in the US die daily in drunk-driving traffic incidents. This means one person every 39 minutes. 
• An average of 6 people die of alcohol poisoning each day in the US.

How Many Alcoholics Are in the US?

Alcoholism in the US is more rampant than people realize. The 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that for Americans ages 12 and older, 28.9 million people (10.2%) had AUD in the past year. This includes 28.1 million adults ages 18 and older (10.9%).

Data on alcohol use in adults above the age of 18 reveals that:

• 218.7 million adults (84.9%) drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime
• 172.9 million adults (67.1%) drank in the past year
• 132.9 million adults (51.6%) drank in the past month
• 60.4 million adults (23.5%) reported binge drinking in the past month
• 16.3 million adults (6.3%) reported heavy alcohol use in the past month

Underage Drinking Statistics

The alcohol statistics for underage drinkers are staggering. It is shocking to discover how many teens drink alcohol. 

A report from the CDC disclosed that underage alcoholism is the cause of death in 3,900 people under age 21 every year. Alcoholism is also responsible for an estimated 210,000 years of potential life lost in young people under age 21 every year. 

These underage drinking statistics show a disturbing trend in underage drinking in the US. According to NSDUH 2023 research for youth ages 12 to 17:

• 757,000 youth (10.2%) had AUD in the past year
• 5.6 million (21.6%) claimed that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime.
• 4.4 million (17.8%) reported that they drank in the past year.
• 1.8 million (7.0%) responded that they drank in the past month.
• 1.0 million (0.4%) admitted to binge drinking in the past month.
• 141,000 reported heavy alcohol use on the past month

There are many additional complications that children experience when consuming too much alcohol. Some of the side-effects and problems include:

•       Legal issues - arrest for driving or injuring someone
•       Social problems - lack of participation in social activities
•       Physical illness - hangovers and other long-term physical issues
•       Increased risk of violence, injury and/or suicide
•       Memory problems and other irreversible changes in the brain
•       Misusing other dangerous and illegal substances

Which Country Consumes the Most Alcohol?

Here are the top 10 countries for highest average annual alcohol consumption (in liters per capita):

What Are the Effects of Alcohol?

The specific side effects of alcohol vary according to the age and gender of the person who consumes the alcohol, as well as other factors. Drinking a bit more than the recommended units of alcohol once in a while may not be very bad for your health, but both binge drinking and heavy drinking can cause significant health damage.  Binge drinking is classified as having at least 5 drinks for a man or 4 drinks for a woman in around 2 hours, while heavy drinking for men means consuming 15 or more drinks per week, and for women 8 or more per week.

The consequences of alcoholism are vast and far-reaching.

• On a personal level, consuming more than the recommended amount of alcohol regularly can lead to many health complications, like liver cirrhosis, some cancers, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as other mental and behavioral issues. 
• Many injuries take place because of alcoholism, including vehicle accidents, violence, and suicide.
• The loved ones and friends of an alcoholic also suffer indirectly. 
• Society as a whole is also negatively affected by the prevalent alcoholism in our communities. 

Many studies have been carried out to investigate the prevalence of alcohol and its unpleasant effects. These alcohol statistics are both revealing and disturbing.

Risk Factors for Alcoholism

Many people are at risk of becoming addicted to alcohol. Some factors that contribute to an alcohol addiction include:

Psychological Factors

People struggling with a mental health problem may turn to alcohol to numb their daily emotional pain and struggles, making them more likely to suffer from an alcohol addiction. More than 40% of bipolar sufferers either abuse or are dependent on alcohol, and approximately 20% of people struggling with depression or abuse are dependent on alcohol.

Personality Factors

People who have less inhibitions or are quicker to take risks are usually more in danger of developing an AUD. Personality can play a role in other ways too. For example, a more reserved person may turn to alcohol to remove some of their natural inhibitions in social settings.

History of Drinking

People who have a long history of drinking are a lot more likely to develop an alcohol addiction. Additionally, people who start drinking from a younger age are more likely to suffer from AUD later on. According to a study on 43,000 American adults from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 47% of the respondents who developed alcoholism in their adult lives met the diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence by the age of 21.

Genetic Factors

Data has proven that genetics play the largest role in causing alcohol addiction in people. In fact, at least 51 genes have been discovered to impact alcoholism. It is interesting to note that biological children of alcoholics are more likely to develop AUD than other children, even if they were not brought up by their biological parents.

Environmental Factors

Families with more wealth are at greater risk of having an alcohol addiction. This may be because alcohol is more expensive than other beverages. According to The Lancet, drinking prevalence was highest (49.9%) in lower-middle-income countries. Heavy episode drinking was also highest (63.3%) in lower-middle-income-countries:

Education Factors

Alcohol statistics show that 80% of college graduates in the United States drink alcohol, in comparison to only 52% of individuals who did not attend college. This suggests that young adults who have received a higher level of education are more likely to become addicted to alcohol.

How Society is Affected by Alcoholism

There is a common misconception that alcoholism puts a strain on our economy because of the high taxes levied by the government on alcohol. The reality is that the economy struggles because people dealing with an alcohol abuse addiction are often unable to work due to health complications, hangovers, severe injuries and other alcohol-related absences, impacting the overall economy.

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the cost of alcoholism in the U.S. alone reaches $249 billion annually - 77% of which is attributed to binge drinking. 
• Altogether, an estimated $28 billion is spent each year just on alcohol-related health care. This includes treatment for physical and mental issues caused by excessive drinking like cardiovascular and digestive diseases, cancers, psychiatric conditions, and other issues.

An increase of violence is another common effect of alcoholism on society. Additionally, there is an increase in child neglect and abuse when one or both parents struggle with alcohol addiction, and an increase in FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome), a permanent disease that children are born with when their mothers drink alcohol excessively during pregnancy.

Alcohol Death Statistics

The rate of deaths in the US due to alcohol is climbing every day at an alarming pace.

How Many People Die From Drinking and Driving?

The tragic thing about drinking and driving is that it causes thousands of deaths that were easily preventable. Here are some facts:

• According to NHTSA, about 37 people in the US die daily in drunk-driving traffic incidents. This means one person every 39 minutes. 
• In 2022, 13,524 people died in traffic deaths due to alcohol-impaired driving.
• About 32% of all US traffic accident deaths involve drunk drivers.

Death From Alcohol Overdose

Alcohol consumption is a causal factor in over 200 diseases and injuries, including infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, and many other mental, behavioral, emotional, and physical disorders. Drinking excessive alcohol in a short amount of time can shut down critical areas of the brain that control breathing, heart rate and body temperature leading to death.

The alcohol overdose statistics are unfortunate. According to WHO (World Health Organization), 3 million deaths every year result from harmful use of alcohol worldwide, accounting for 5.3% of all deaths. The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) report that:

•       An average of 6 people die of alcohol poisoning each day in the US.
•       Death by alcohol poisoning is most common among adults ages 35 to 64. This demographic makes up for 76% (3 in 4) of the deaths.
•         Death by alcohol poisoning is most common (76%) among men.

How Many People Are in Alcoholics Anonymous?

In 2021, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) had an estimated 2 million members worldwide. The organization, known for its 12-step program, has seen a steady increase in membership as more individuals seek support for alcohol addiction recovery.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Statistics

Alcohol use during pregnancy can have adverse effects on the baby, causing fetal alcohol syndrome. Although it’s not always easy to diagnose, up to 1 in 20 school-aged children in the US may be affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs).

Alcohol and Domestic Violence Statistics

A worldwide study on alcohol and aggression uncovered some disturbing links between alcohol and domestic violence:

• In Ghana, women whose husbands drank alcohol were 2.5 times more likely to experience domestic violence.
• In Switzerland, alcohol intoxication was involved in 40% of the domestic violence cases investigated.
• In Australia, where alcohol is involved, domestic violence is twice more likely to involve physical assault including life-threatening injuries.

Depression and Alcohol Abuse Statistics

Here are some facts on the alcohol and depression correlation:

• Alcohol is closely linked to depression, with studies showing that 63.8% of people with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) also experience depressive episodes.
• AUD and depressive disorders are the most common psychiatric disorders and often co-occur.
• A National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism study found that people with an AUD were 2.3 times more likely to have experienced depressive episodes within the past year.

What Is the Percentage of Alcoholics Who Recover?

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reported in 2020 that an estimated 15 million people struggle with an alcohol use disorder in the United States, but less than 10% of them receive treatment. Although there are many treatment options for alcohol use disorder, like alcohol rehab, AA (Alcohol Anonymous) support groups, one-on-one talk therapy, among other options, only a very small percentage of people struggling with an alcohol addiction actually seek help.

However, of those who do seek addiction treatment,  the percentage of alcoholics who recover after one year is 36%. 60% of people who stay sober for 2 years following alcohol addiction treatment achieve long-term sobriety.

Stopping Alcohol Addiction in its Tracks

Alcohol use disorder is much more common than people realize. Whereas drugs are often illegal in many states, alcohol is not, causing more people to access it and then to become addicted. It affects millions of people worldwide, regardless of age, gender, race, nationality, and other factors. 

The good news is that you don’t have to continue struggling, risking your mental, emotional, and physical health. There are excellent residential addiction treatment and IOP addiction treatment options out there that can help you stay sober for life, if you are willing to put in the necessary work. Additionally, although alcoholism is a chronic condition with no cure, the longer you stay sober, the lower your chances of relapsing. However hard the recovery process is, it’s worth it!

Reach out to Avenues Recovery to find out about your local options and start your recovery journey today. Contact us via the website, or call us anytime on 603-207-3154. A better, sober life is waiting for you!