Alcohol Detox Rare for Americans with Alcohol Problems

A new report from the National Institute on Alcohol30s, if at all. Think of the damage caused by that lost
Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) found that more thandecade - lost families, lost jobs, lost lives - all for the
30 percent of Americans, at some time in their lives,lack of a few weeks or months of alcohol detox and
have met the criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence.rehab. The survey had no answer for why so few
Most of these people never received any treatment,people received treatment, or why it took so long for
and those who did often didn't get treatment for 10many of them to get it. However, other studies indicate
years or more - 10 years of alcoholism that could havethat both those who provide treatment and those who
been avoided with early and effective alcohol detoxreceive it may have low expectations when it comes
and rehab. This report refers to data from the Nationalto results. Bridget Grant, Ph.D., the principal investigator
Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Relatedin the NESARC, said statistics prove that treatment
Conditions (NESARC), which surveyed 43,000 U.S.can significantly and substantially increase the likelihood
adults. The researchers found that only 24 percent ofof recovery, and that both professionals and the
those who met the criteria for alcohol dependencegeneral public need to be educated on the signs of
received any type of treatment, and just 7 percent ofalcohol abuse and dependence. If you or someone you
those who met the criteria for alcohol abuse receivedcare about has a problem with alcohol, don't wait for
treatment. That's a very disheartening statistic. And10 years to get help. A successful alcohol detox
just as bad or even worse is the fact that most ofprogram followed by alcohol rehab if needed could
those people surveyed developed alcohol problems inprevent a lot of damage.
their early 20s but didn't get treatment until their early