A recent article in The New York Times by Roni Caryn Rabin opened with some blunt news about alcohol: “Alcohol is a leading preventable cause of cancer, and alcoholic beverages should carry a warning label as packs of cigarettes do, the U.S. surgeon general said on Friday.”
This news came as a shock to many people—perhaps including you—since for many years it has been suggested that moderate drinking actually has some health benefits. But the NYT article makes it clear that newer studies have suggested that might not be the case. Instead, the article reveals:
Alcohol directly contributes to 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 related deaths each year, the surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, said. And the risks of developing cancer are not limited to those who are heavy drinkers: While most cancer deaths occur at drinking levels that exceed the current recommended dietary guidelines, the risk for cancers of the breast, the mouth, and the throat may rise with consumption of as little as one drink a day, or even less, Dr. Murthy said…Overall, one of every six breast cancer cases is attributable to alcohol consumption, Dr. Murthy said. More recent studies have also linked moderate alcohol consumption to certain forms of heart disease, including atrial fibrillation, a heart arrhythmia.
Too Few People Are Aware of Alcohol’s Cancer Connection
We noted above that this news about alcohol surprised a lot of people. The Times article makes it clear just how many. Many Americans don’t know there is a link between alcohol and cancer. Fewer than half of Americans identified alcohol use as a risk factor for cancer, compared with 89 percent who recognized tobacco as a carcinogen, according to a 2019 survey of U.S. adults aged 18 and older carried out by the American Institute for Cancer Research.
Yet alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer, after tobacco and obesity, according to the surgeon general’s report.
What Does This News Mean for Your Recovery?
If you are a person in recovery from a substance use disorder centered on alcohol, it is fair to wonder what impact this news might have on your day-to-day life.
In one sense, the answer is that it probably will not have much of an impact at all. After all, if you are in recovery, you are not drinking now—and there is nothing you can do about the drinking you did in the past. As long as you maintain your sobriety, you will not be putting yourself at increase cancer risk.
In another sense, however, this news is important for a person in recovery to keep in mind. It serves as one more compelling reason to stay sober—even when it is hard to do so.
Everyone in recovery comes face to face with temptation from time to time. Cravings arise and you have to fight them off. Difficult emotions pop up and it can be tempting to soothe yourself with alcohol. Challenging situations can make it seem like everything would be easier to figure out if you just had a drink or two.
In those moments, it can be extremely helpful to call to mind your reasons for staying sober. You are staying sober for yourself and your family. You are staying sober so that you can pursue your goals and find more joy in life. And maybe you are staying sober because you do not want to put yourself at increased risk for a horrible disease.
That last reason might not seem as poetic as the first two, but it can be just as real—and just as effective at helping you hold the line when you are tempted to drink.
We Are Ready to Help You Regain Your Sobriety
When you are in the grips of a substance use disorder, it can feel like you are struggling all alone. As things start to fall apart—your physical health, your mental well-being, your relationships, your finances, and more—you may feel more and more isolated. And any efforts you make to stop using drugs or alcohol on your own might end in failure as withdrawal symptoms set in. Things can start to feel truly hopeless.
Fortunately, however, there is hope. At French Creek Recovery Center—located in Meadville, Pennsylvania—is committed to helping individuals regain and maintain their sobriety. Our inpatient program includes medically supervised detoxification followed by a rehabilitation program built around individual and group therapy. Rehab also includes treatment for co-occurring mental health disorders that may be entangled with a substance use issue. French Creek is also committed to providing ongoing aftercare so that those we serve can start their recovery journeys with confidence.
When you are ready to make a lasting change for the better, we are ready and able to help you find your way back to lasting sobriety.