Study Finds Higher Temperatures Linked To More Alcohol-Related Hospital Admissions For many people, summertime brings with it more time outdoors, spending time with family and friends, and the occasional alcoholic beverage. However, new research suggests that rising temperatures caused by global climate change may even be affecting alcohol consumption habits. The study, which is the first of its kind, was conducted by Columbia University and found that during higher temperatures, hospitals see a larger number of both drug and alcohol-related admissions. “We saw that during periods of higher te ..read more

What Is Air Rage? If you’ve been in an airport recently and felt like everyone was on edge more than usual, you’re not alone. With summer 2023 air travel numbers surpassing pre-pandemic levels, airports are busier than ever, with travelers accused of forgetting travel etiquette and having poor social skills post-pandemic. This, mixed with a stream of flight cancelations due to staffing issues and worsening weather, makes for a volatile combination of stress and anxiety that’s taking less and less time to erupt. Coined “air rage”, this term refers to the physical and verbal altercations that ar ..read more

The History Of National Alcohol Awareness Month Since 1987, the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence (NCADD) has designated April as Alcohol Awareness Month, a public health initiative to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and promote community action on alcoholism and alcohol-related issues. This yearly observance encourages individuals and organizations to come together, share resources, and engage in meaningful conversations about the impact of alcohol on health and society. The founder of NCADD, Marty Man, was one of the original members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and the first w ..read more

How Dry January Can Kickstart The New Year It’s that time of year again where we rifle through the contents of our minds (and closets, drawers, and cabinets…) in order to take stock, reflect on the previous 12 months, and plan and prepare for the new season to come. Many New Year’s resolutions can be a bit overzealous when we get swept up in the “new year, new me” culture; think: deciding to become a daily gym goer when you’ve never before even worked out from home and other unrealistic, harsh expectations we place on ourselves. Dry January, however, is a straightforward and realistic goal. Wh ..read more

Understanding The Connection Between Alcohol And Gambling Addiction For many people, having an occasional drink or playing a scratch off ticket every now and then doesn’t lead to problematic or compulsive behavior. For others, a dependence on alcohol or an inability to stop gambling may occur. These are known as alcohol addiction and gambling addiction, otherwise known as problematic gambling (PG). While it’s more common for someone to have either one addiction or the other, there does appear to be a connection between alcohol and gambling addiction. When alcoholism and gambling addiction are ..read more

Facing Recovery Alone During The Pandemic According to Johann Hari, best-selling author, journalist, and addiction researcher, the opposite of addiction is not sobriety. It is connection. We have all heard the grim statistics, the fatalities, the unsettling forecasts, and the discouraging personal outcomes of our quarantine that began globally in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic took off like a brushfire spreading around the world. What started as a curious virus to many ultimately took hold of all our lives and disrupted everything we thought we knew about living safely, relationally, and even pea ..read more

Considering Your Options A common question tends to surround alcohol consumption: is it better to practice moderation or complete abstinence? While the question seems simple enough, many factors at play like your medical history, support system, and personal motivation can influence how effective each method is at reducing unwanted behaviors. It can even determine who can participate in them. Before deciding whether you want to embark on an abstinence or moderation-based journey, it’s essential to pinpoint your condition and desire to quit drinking. It’s important to note, too, that not e ..read more

Making Conversation Easy And Fun Thanksgiving is looming; for many, so is the thought of socializing without alcohol. Even if you’re reading this at another time of the year, there’s an event, maybe a wedding, a dinner party, a birthday, or a work function that’s got you worried about how you’ll cope with making new friends, striking up a conversation, and managing social anxiety with no booze. Just that you’re doing your research on how to handle the occasion is a sure sign that you’re already on the track to success. Read on to find simple ways to enter whatever event you’re stressing over w ..read more

Celebrities And Recovery From An Alcohol Addiction Although celebrities lead very different lives from the average person, they are not immune to the chronic and progressive nature of addiction. An alcohol addiction, or a diagnosed Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), is characterized by a lack of control over an individual’s alcohol consumption despite any negative consequences. In 2019, an estimated 14.1 million US adults were struggling with an AUD. Dependencies on alcohol are common because the use of this socially acceptable substance comes with very little stigma. Additionally, alcohol typically ..read more

Can I Get A Whiskey Sour Without The Whiskey? As we are chugging along into the new year, many of us are chipping away at our New Year’s resolutions. Every year comes with a new fad resolution, a new diet, or a new “life-changing” exercise. Still, there is one resolution that will last the test of time: sobriety. However, the explosion of non-alcoholic spirits in recent years has redefined what attaining sobriety or moderation can look like. Or taste like. While I still enjoy the taste of a classic Shirley Temple, some may be looking for a more complex flavor profile while still avoiding the a ..read more