When it comes to alcohol addiction, there are all sorts of problems that need tackling. Of course, if a member of your family is suffering from alcohol abuse, the main resoution needed is to help them go into recovery for that addiction.
That means the best thing to do is to seek out alcohol rehab and get them on a pathway to a sober and healthier lifestyle. But one of the big things that can not only affect an alcoholic, but those around them, including loved ones, is the financial impact of alcoholism.
Purchasing alcohol isn’t cheap, and then the treatment costs to get off can go well into the thousands of dollars. So what are the financial implications of being an alcoholic.
The Bigger Picture
Looking at the bigger picture, it’s believed that in the USA alone $68billion per year is spent on alcohol, and the industry itself profits hugely from people addicted to the substance. Of course, the spending doesn’t stop there, it strays into work and healthcare too.
As excessive drinking can cause a number of health implications, from as basic as a hangover or accidents due to being drunk, to incredibly severe conditions such as liver disease, it has an impact on healthcare costs too. It’s estimated that alcohol related problems cost the healthcare industry around $28billion per year, while a loss of workplace productivity due to alcohol consumption hits as high as $179 billion per year. A breathtaking amount.
Costs for an Individual
For an individual it can vary on how much is spent, but one thing is for sure, it can certainly deplete your bank account very quickly indeed. The cost of alcohol is getting more and more expensive and you can hit $50 a day very easily for the heaviest of drinkers.
Think of the cost of a beer in your local bar. That may be $5. Two of these per day and you’re looking at $10 per day. If someone is drinking every day, that’s $3,650 over a year, which is a significant amount, particularly for those on wages at the lower end of the payscale.
Of course, many drinks are above the $5 bracket and alcoholics often fail to stop at two. The estimation above is a conservative estimate and it’s likely that the cost will be much, much more, particularly when you throw spirits into the mix.
That can often lead to not being able to afford essentials, pay bills and mortgages which not only has an impact on that person, but others too.
For alcoholics, while the cost of quitting through rehab adds further costs, with rehab costing a couple of thousand dollars to go through, think how much can also be saved from a lifetime of sobriety!