Alcohol addiction, also commonly referred to as alcoholism, is a type of disease which can affect people from varying walks of life. While many experts have tirelessly tried to find a common factor such as sex, race, socioeconomics, or genetics that may cause alcoholism, there are no particular rules for the same. Factors which are psychological, behavioral, and genetic attribute to alcohol addiction.

This is one of the major issues that the American populace is grappling with. Here are some statistics that reveal how deep this problem has penetrated in the nation.

• One out of every eight Americans have a history of alcohol abuse
  As per the Journal of the American Medical Association (AMA), it has been found that one out of eight Americans is trying to deal with a disorder of alcohol abuse. This basically implies that around 30 million people in the country are suffering through this problem. Additionally, what is more shocking is that since the year 2003, there has been an estimated increase of 50 percent in the population of individuals who can be categorized as alcohol addicts.
• Around 7,000 children try a drink before they turn 16
  Adolescence is usually a rocky age and egged on by peer pressure and various other stressors, most children try substances like cigarettes and alcohol for the first time around then. This can be extremely detrimental as their bodies are still in the developmental stage. Statistics also show that children who try out a drink early in their life may develop alcohol addiction in the later years of life.
• Over seven million children in the US are living in a house where at least one of the parents abuse alcohol
  Millions of children in the US are exposed to alcohol-induced rages and behavior early on in their lives.  As per some studies, it has been found that around seven million children are surviving in households where at least one of the parents lack control over their alcohol intake and can be classified as addicts. This leads the little ones to become depressed, develop sleep problems, lack self-confidence, and suffer from anxiety.
• Individuals who are addicted to alcohol have twice the probability of suffering from various other drug addictions
  Alcohol addiction is accompanied by many different health complications including brain damage and even pancreatitis. It also attracts people towards trying more harmful substances since they are not in full control of themselves. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a person addicted to alcohol has twice the risk of being a victim of drug addiction.

In a lot of cases, children who start drinking at a young age of 15 have a higher chance of becoming susceptible to alcohol addiction as compared to adults who don’t drink till a much later stage in life. Unfortunately, a huge number of individuals in the country have a personal family history of alcohol addiction, pushing them more towards their problem. These staggering facts call for immediate action from the close ones to check on their peers and family members and find out if they are displaying any symptoms so that they may help them fight with this problem better.