Addiction
February 8, 2021
Last year, President Donald Trump donated $100,000 - his salary fromthe third quarter of 2018 - to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse andAlcoholism, a government agency that supports and conducts research on theimpact alcohol has on human health and well-being.
President Trump, who has never drunk alcohol, has warned of thedangers of using drugs, largely due to being faced with the loss of his brotherFred to alcoholism in 1981. Fred battled this addiction from his early 20s on,while frequently advising his brother: “don’t drink” and “don’t smoke.”
“To this day I’ve never had a drink, and I have no longing for it,”Trump said in 2017. “I have no interest in it. To this day, I’ve never had acigarette.”
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) fallsunderneath the U.S. National Institutes of Health and is the lead agencyresponsible for biomedical and behavioral research on alcohol abuse,alcoholism, and other health effects of alcohol. Part of the U.S. Department ofHealth and Human Services, NIAAA’s work focuses on leading the national effortto study the causes, consequences, treatment, and prevention of alcoholism andreduce alcohol-related problems through coordination and collaboration.
The laboratories and researchers housed within NIAAA work to develop newstrategies to prevent and treat alcohol-related disorders while translatingscientific discoveries for the benefit of the public, thus filling a void inthe realm of evidence-based information on alcohol and health. NIAAA works withother research institutions, agencies, and programs on the local, state,national, and international levels in translating and disseminating findings onthe biological basis of alcohol use disorders to providers, policymakers, andthe public. The clinical research done includes programs such as prevention,intramural research, and neo-prohibitionism.
Alcoholism is an epidemic in America. In 2016, the number of alcoholicliver disease deaths was 21,815, while up to 88,000 people die annuallyfrom alcohol-related causes. 1 in 10 deaths amongst adults aged20-64 have been reported to be caused by excessive drinking, while nearly a quarter of alladults reported that they had engaged in binge drinking over the past month.
Alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of death in the UnitedStates, just behind tobacco (first) and poor diet/physical inactivity (second).
While there is no one single cause of alcoholism, there are in factdozens of risk factors that play a role and can lead to the development of anaddiction to alcohol. Some of these internal factors include genetics,psychological conditions, personal choices, and drinking history, whileexternal factors include family, environment, cultural norms, and socialpressures.
Certain groups of people seem to be more susceptible to alcohol abusefor a varying degree of reasons. Men are nearly two times as likelyto binge drink than women, and groups of individuals like collegestudents are more likely to fall into peer pressure and cultural norms andengage in risky behaviors that can persist later on in life. A family historyof physical or psychological abuse also can lead to a greater chance of alcoholabuse, and those who have experienced some form of trauma can abuse it as a copingmechanism. Poverty, seclusion, mental illness, and ostracized communities arealso more susceptible to develop alcohol-related health issues.
With President Trump financially contributing to the research and at thevery least attempting to start a national dialogue on the issue of alcoholismand it’s deadly effects, it’s important that we both educate the public aboutthis public health crisis and empathize with those fighting for a healthier,more fulfilling life.
“We understand why it is difficult,” said Trump in 2017. “The fact is,if we can teach young people, and people generally, not to start. It’s really,really easy not to take [drugs]. And I think that’s going to end up being ourmost important thing.”
If you or someone you love is going through the pains of alcoholism,there are many pathways to living a sober life. Ethos StructuredSober Living is an all-male community whose mission is to foster long-termsobriety through creating a supportive environment and cultivating strength andunderstanding as our brother’s keeper.
Contact us today for more information at (323)942-9996.