ONE OF 180 NATIONS! –
June 12, 2021 – Heavy drinking also contributes to illness in each of the top three causes of death: heart disease, cancer, strokes. Almost half of all South African traffic fatalities are also alcohol-related, and around 170 people die every day of alcohol-related illnesses in the country.
The negative impact of an alcoholic in the family is no less troubling. According to AA, for every one alcoholic, 16 people’s lives are adversely affected. Nearly 20% of children under 18 live with a parent (or responsible adult) who drinks heavily or has an alcohol problem. Many children of alcoholics behave in socially unacceptable ways and more than 50% of juvenile delinquents come from alcoholic homes. “In AA we know all about the problems, because we were once part of the problem,” said chair of the Board of Alcoholics Anonymous, known as Irene F.
“We prefer to focus on the solution. One alcoholic working with another, showing her or him how to stay sober one day at a time,” she told News24 in an exclusive interview.
