DEAR EDITOR:

For two years, people have turned to alcohol to combat the drastic effects COVID-19 has left on us, such as increased homelessness, unemployment and lack of resources like food. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports, “Alcohol-related deaths jumped more than 25 percent between 2019 and 2020.” While numbers of alcohol-related deaths are growing nationwide, there has been a significant rise in alcoholism in our community alone. According to Mercy Health in Youngstown, there has been an “uptick” in local alcoholism.

Alcohol consumption in moderation is safe for most. When overused, it can cross the line into a disease or disorder when it begins to cause impairment to physical or mental health. People now use alcohol to function in everyday lives.

They need to seek help when they begin to use alcohol to operate daily.

The CDC recommends no more than seven drinks per week for women and 14 drinks per week for men. With heavy drinking comes long-term effects on the body. Examples of such physical health impairment include sleep difficulties, liver impairment and increased risk of certain cancers.

Alcoholism is a huge issue affecting our area. Our community’s health care system needs to stress importance of awareness and resource opportunities. There are few resources for youth and young adults to learn alcohol’s effects on our bodies. If we can address the issue early on in a person’s life, we have a better chance of preventing a problem.

A National Institution on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism study states people who began drinking before age 15 were four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who started drinking at 21. Local schools need to begin implementing substance-abuse prevention.

Another way to combat the problem of alcoholism is to enhance enforcement of laws prohibiting sales to minors. Locally, there are many areas where a minor can purchase alcohol illegally.

If a person has been exposed to chronic alcohol abuse for extended periods, there is hope for recovery. Rehabilitation is a tool for alcoholics. There must be more funding to create these places. They use methods such as educational gatherings, group settings, medication treatments and support groups for people struggling with addiction.

If our community came together and started to utilize funding to provide resources to spread awareness, we would be more equipped to combat the issue of alcoholism. The community also must learn how to tackle the issue in any age group, from learning how to prevent the issue from taking place to helping people who have been affected get better.

AMBER ROSE

Canfiel