Baby Boomers Warned About Over-Drinking As Alcohol-Related Deaths Soar

Don't shoot messengers, but baby boomers are striking bottles at an amazing level.

Just this week, the boomers have received a new warning about alcohol as the deaths related to alcohol over the age of 50 have soared. The number of deaths due to alcohol alone has increased by 45% since 2001, according to a report published by the National Statistics Office [ONS] on Tuesday.

This study is based in the UK, but American baby boomers do not work any further. According to a study published in August 2017 in the Journal of the American Medical Association psychiatry, 1 in 8 Americans suffers from alcohol disorders. Research has shown that alcohol disorders are generally increasing in the US population, but some of the most rapid increases were seen among baby boomers. For example, high-risk alcohol use increased by 65.2% and alcohol dependence increased by 106.7% in a crowd of more than 65 people over the past decade.

By 2020, the number of people who are treated for substance abuse problems is expected to double in Europe and triple in the United States among those over the age of 50.

This is bad news for baby boomers because alcohol is related to more than 60 diseases and illnesses such as heart disease, liver disease, cancer, dementia and so on.

Why do baby boomers drink so much?

We were a generation famous for drinking martini and Manhattan after work, as is often seen on the TV program “Mad Men”. But is there more to this growing problem of alcohol misuse? perhaps.

Recent studies have reported that baby boomers, especially baby boomers in their 50s and 60s, are the statistically most unhappy age groups. Many boomers are suffering from stress such as reduced health, increased teenagers, imminent tuition fees at college, return of adult children to home, care for aging parents, menopause, loss of loved ones, social isolation I face many events.

Add to that financial stress. Research shows that baby boomers are more concerned about retirement security than any other age group. Many boomers admitted that they didn't save enough money to retire and realized they were heading for the golden age with mortgage and credit card debt.

All this worry, stress and depression can easily cause misuse of alcohol if not suppressed.

Another factor may return to the disappointment of our generation who was hoping for a better world. “What does alcohol mean for our generation?” Asks Christina Fraser, a baby boomer counselor and herself. “We drink to fill the emptiness. Parents worked, retired and died two years later. They worked hard and had less opportunities. The baby boomers were full of possibilities. I was given the promise of the world. "

What is considered overdose?

Baby boomers who love wine watches may be shocked when they hear what they think they drink too much. Moderate drinking is 1 cup per day for women and 2 cups per day for men. So you may think you don't drink every day, almost only on weekends.

calculate. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, women are considered “heavy drinkers” if they drink more than 8 cups a week. Men can have 14.

By the way, the standard “drink” is not a big wine glass filled with tippy tops, a huge frosty mug, or a huge hurricane glass. According to the CDC, the drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of hard drink. If you pour more than these standard serving sizes, you will count on multiple drinks.

Research has shown that moderate alcohol consumption is part of a healthy lifestyle for many, but those benefits quickly translate into health risks. These risks include an increased risk of cancer, heart, and liver disease.

In fact, immediately after a new study that warns overdose of baby boomers, another statement from the American Society of Clinical Oncology [ASCO] says that even mild drinking increases the risk of cancer. ABC News & # 39; Medical Director Dr. Jennifer Ashton said alcohol has long been known as a human carcinogen or known to cause cancer in the medical community.

Moderate drinkers almost double the risk of mouth and throat cancer and more than double the risk of esophageal cancer compared to non-drinkers. They are also facing an increased risk of voice box cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer.

The risk for heavy drinkers is much higher and really cool [it allows puns]. Drinkers are about 5 times the risk of mouth and pharyngeal cancer and squamous esophageal cancer, about 3 times the risk of voice box cancer, twice the risk of liver cancer, and breast and colon Cancer that faces an increased risk of rectal cancer.

How to switch back

So the baby boomer was informed. How can I reduce my use of alcohol?

Reduce the number of days you drink alcohol. In fact, you can refrain from a week or month to see how you feel physically and emotionally without alcohol.

Reduce the amount of alcohol you drink at one time. If you usually drink two glasses of wine, make one instead.

If you are drinking too much, avoid people, places, objects and certain activities that cause the urge to drink. For example, baby boomers prefer to eat out, but this luxury often encourages more drinking. In this case, consider reducing the frequency of dinner.

Find healthy options to deal with stress, loneliness, or anger. For example, if you want to go for a drink, take a walk, go to the garden, or take a long bubble bath.

Experts say that misuse of alcohol among older adults is not just a matter of natural disappearance. This new data should serve as a wake-up call to examine all baby boomers' drinking habits.