Before discussing the alcohol statistics in Utah, it will be helpful to understand the definitions of the terms used. Alcohol addiction, also referred to as alcoholism or alcohol dependence (the latter being the official diagnostic term), refers to an individual who regularly uses alcohol to the point that it creates problems in the individual’s life.
The true alcohol dependent will continue to use despite negative social, occupational, and even health consequences. He or she may express a desire to control the amount of alcohol drunk, or even to stop altogether, but never seems to be able to keep these promises.
An alcohol abuser is someone who may go for lengths of time without drinking, but then consumes a large quantity. While these individuals don’t feel the need to drink to get through each day, they may be “weekend alcoholics,” drinking heavily over a day or two and then getting back to life as usual. Again, these individuals feel compelled to do so, seemingly struggling to control their drinking.
Binge drinking is when an individual consumes a large quantity of alcohol in one day or night. Individuals who binge drink do not necessarily feel the intense craving or urge to drink, but will engage in risky binge drinking behaviors at parties or social gatherings, from time to time.
Now, for the statistics in Utah: Over a one year period, in Utah, an estimated 1,320,000 individuals struggle with alcohol dependence or alcohol abuse problems. Of these, 118,000 are teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17.
Another 422,000 of the individuals struggling with alcohol dependence or abuse are young adults, between the ages of 18 and 25. The largest category consisted of the remaining 780,000 individuals ages 26 and older.
All of these numbers came from a recent 2002 through 2003 national study, designed to evaluate individual state levels of alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse. The same study revealed additional truths about binge drinkers in the state of Utah.
The estimated number of binge drinkers in Utah is 288,000 over a one-month period, meaning that in a given month, 288,000 individuals in Utah will binge drink. 18,000 binge drinkers are 12-17 years old. 90,000 are young adults ages 18-25. And 180,000 are 26 or older.
For more information contact at 1-877-593-6777 for answers to questions and helping those who might be struggling with alcoholism.