NewsBreak Original

I quit drinking six years ago after decades of alcohol abuse that left me sick, emotionally distraught, and seriously depressed. As a former nurse, I also have a professional understanding of addiction. So when I quit, it lit a fire in me to research more about alcohol addiction and how it affects people physically, mentally, and spiritually.

TEXARKANA. Texas – Haven Homes of Texarkana received a generous donation Saturday night from across the ArkLaTex community. Clay’s Golf & Guitars presented Haven Homes with a check totaling $190,000 at the grand finale of the fundraiser featuring Sail On: The Beach Boys Tribute Band at the Northridge Country Club.

*This is a work of nonfiction based on actual events I experienced firsthand; used with permission. In six months, my daughter will turn fourteen years old, and I will have officially kept a child alive through her tweenage years.

Many alcoholic families let their young people drink and place it under the mask of “well they’re going to drink anyway, may as well do it at home where we can monitor it.” Unfortunately my drinking was never monitored by anyone, and as I got older, I started using it in increasingly dangerous and addictive ways.

Abstaining from alcohol has health benefits.(Alena Butor/iStock) Yes! The body is capable of repairing itself once it is completely clear of alcohol in its systems, but it depends entirely on how much a person drinks, how often they drink, and other health conditions a person may have.

It’s true that alcohol initially seems to bring a calm state to our otherwise chaotic world, both inside ourselves and outside. If it didn’t bring a sense of calm, few people would want to drink it. However, we are kidding ourselves to think that alcohol can continue to make us calm because it absolutely won’t.

I have been sober from alcohol for 6 years and I also have a mental health and addictions nursing background. Alcohol addiction runs in my family in a very serious way. I’d say I know a few things about alcohol addiction and how it affects our physical and mental health. I not only lived it, but I helped other people live through it as well.

Since my father died in 2016 from alcoholic liver disease (ALD), I have researched and written articles to help others become more aware of this dangerous condition. As a former nurse and recovering alcoholic myself, I know I can make a difference by providing the education that seems fairly unknown in the general population.

Most adults drink alcoholic beverages. According to 2019 research, 85.6% of Americans aged 18 and older drank alcohol at least once. 69.5% report they had a drink in 2018. On a global scale, 107 million people have an alcohol use disorder. Broken down by gender, that figure translates to 70 million men and 32 million women. Thus, alcohol abuse is more prevalent among men than women.

I’m a former nurse, recovering alcoholic, and I lost my father to alcoholic liver disease (ALD) several years ago. These experiences have given me a unique perspective on the world of alcoholism. I have also developed a strong desire to educate others about ALD. This disease is a quiet killer that slowly sneaks up and takes people down before they know what’s happening.

As a former nurse and recovering alcoholic, I want to educate people about the dangers and health issues of alcoholism. I know that education would have helped me understand some confusing issues. Unfortunately, current education around alcoholism and health issues is not widely available or common knowledge.

Since the pandemic started, alcohol consumption has increased dramatically. According to a study in September of 2020, alcohol consumption rose by 14% amongst adults over 30 years old. Also, heavy alcohol use rose by 41% amongst adult women. Lastly, the study uncovered many people who had quit drinking but then relapsed during the pandemic.