Alcohol-Free Weekend a way to raise awareness of damage it can do

Submitted by Renz Center

In recognition of Alcohol Awareness Month, Renz Addiction Counseling Center is encouraging residents to participate in a communitywide three day Alcohol-Free Weekend, April 6-8, 2011. This weekend is aimed to raise public awareness about the use of alcohol and how it affects individuals, families, and businesses.

“Sometimes people don’t realize just how much they drink until they consciously decide to take a break from it,” said Renz Center’s Executive Director Jerry Skogmo, “and find themselves struggling. If you or someone you know experiences difficulty or discomfort within the 72-hour Alcohol-Free Weekend, then I urge you to take the next step and complete an alcohol assessment.”

According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, “Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States. 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence along with several million more who engage in risky, binge drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems. More than half of all adults have a family history of alcoholism or problem drinking, and more than 7 million children live in a household where at least one parent is dependent on or has abused alcohol.”

Warning signs of alcohol abuse include:

Ÿ Drinking to calm nerves, forget worries or boost a sad mood;

Ÿ Guilt about drinking;

Ÿ Unsuccessful attempts to cut down or stop drinking;

Ÿ Lying about or hiding drinking habits;

Ÿ Causing harm to oneself or someone else as a result of drinking;

Ÿ Needing to drink increasingly greater amounts in order to achieve desired effects;

Ÿ Feeling irritable, resentful or unreasonable when not drinking;

Ÿ Medical, social, family or financial problems caused by drinking.

Renz Center provides a continuum of care dedicated to the prevention, intervention and treatment of addictive behaviors related to alcohol, drugs, and gambling. Services range from prevention programs for youth in the schools to outpatient treatment programs for adolescents and adults. Offices are located in Elgin, St. Charles, and Streamwood.

Renz Addiction Counseling Center is a nonprofit organization funded in part by the federal government, local United Ways, Illinois Department of Human Services, Hanover Township, and St. Charles 708 boards and other local community organizations. To find out more about Renz Center’s programs, call (847) 742-3545 or visit renzcenter.org.