Statistics show that about 34% of Americans abuse alcohol at a rate which they can be termed as alcohol dependent. The statistics also show that alcohol dependence causes about 100,000 deaths every year in the U.S. It is estimated that over $184 billion is spent every year in the United States for abuse of alcohol and treatment of the injuries and diseases which result from such abuse.
For the people who abuse alcohol but are not yet dependent, primary care interventions and screening tools reduce the problem of abusive drinking. In most alcohol dependence treatment centers, the 12-step programs and counseling are generally accepted as the standard forms of alcohol dependence treatment. The pharmacological treatments are mostly used as adjunctive therapies.
