April is Alcohol Awareness Month: Resources for Social Workers

Practice Alert | April 2022

folks sitting around and chatting

April is Alcohol Awareness Month. It highlights the dangers of unsafe alcohol consumption and promote awareness in reducing alcohol use disorder. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 14.5 million people ages 12 and older had an alcohol use disorder (AUD) in 2019.During the COVID-19 pandemic alcohol use along with mental health challenges have been exacerbated by pre-existing and new stressors. According to a journal article written in Toxicology Reports a recent study showed that Americans drank an increase of 14% more alcohol in 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic compared to 2019.

Social workers provide counseling services and mental health treatment to individuals who may also have an alcohol use disorder and help them address barriers to treatment. They also provide education around potential harm due to misuse and use treatment modalities that are flexible and work for both harm reduction and abstinence.

When alcohol is consumed drinking in moderation is considered 2 drinks or less per day for men and 1 drink per day for women. Having conversations around consumption and alcohol use during early screenings can be used as an opportunity to discuss frequency of use, volume of use and possible need for treatment. Stigmas around treatment and seeking help are prevalent. Education and screening may be beneficial in informing individuals of treatment options and resources available to them.

Facts regarding alcohol use include the following:

  • A standard drink contains 0.6 fluid ounces or 14 grams of pure alcohol.
  • Underage drinking is common and early use can lead to an alcohol use disorder later in life.
  • Men are almost two times more likely to binge drink more than women.
  • Women face higher risk for alcohol related consequences due to having less water in their bodies than men.
  • Before a person knows they are pregnant, alcohol can cause developmental problems for their developing baby. There is no safe time or amount of alcohol use in pregnancy.
  • Alcohol levels are usually highest in breast milk 30-60 minutes after an alcoholic beverage is consumed, and can be generally detected in breast milk for about 2-3 hours per drink after it is consumed.

In honor of Alcohol Awareness Month, NASW has compiled the following list of resources.

Prepared By

Makeba Royall, LMSW
Senior Practice Associate, Behavioral Health