In this Oct. 8, 2018, photo, Tim Nolen, left, participates in a relapse prevention group session with counselor Bob Benson, right, at a treatment facility run by Buffalo Valley Inc. in Nashville, Tenn.

In this Oct. 8, 2018, photo, Tim Nolen, left, participates in a relapse prevention group session with counselor Bob Benson, right, at a treatment facility run by Buffalo Valley Inc. in Nashville, Tenn. / Mark Humphrey

The indulgences of the holidays are behind us, and Dry January is trending. But that movement to give up drinking alcohol, in this case for a month, is more than a fad for those who struggle with alcohol abuse or other substance abuse addictions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 88,000 Americans die from excessive alcohol use each year.

By comparison, drug overdoses amid the opioid crisis caused 72,000 deaths. Researchers from the University of Washington found the number of deaths attributable to alcohol rose 35 percent from 2007 to 2017 – and Georgia is the state with the second highest rate of deaths, followed by Alabama at No. 3.

"On Second Thought" host Virginia Prescott speaks with Neil Campbell and Amanda Abraham.

Neil Campbell, executive director of the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse, joined "On Second Thought" to talk about barriers Georgians face when it comes to getting treatment for addiction. University of Georgia assistant professor Amanda Abraham also joined the conversation from WUGA in Athens.

 

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Tags: substance abuse disorders  alcohol addiction  addiction treatment  opioid crisis  Atlanta  Georgia  Macon  Savannah