Founded and sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD), Alcohol Awareness Month was established in 1987 to help reduce the stigma so often associated with alcoholism by reaching out every April to the public with information about alcohol, alcoholism, and recovery.

With this year’s theme — “Changing Attitudes: It’s not a ‘rite of passage.’ ” — the month of April will be filled with local, state, and national events aimed at educating people about the treatment and prevention of alcoholism, particularly among our youth, and the important role that parents can play in giving kids a better understanding of the impact alcohol can have on their lives. Local NCADD Affiliates as well as schools, colleges, churches, and countless other community organizations will be sponsors or hosts of many events this month providing valuable information to the public regarding addiction and what needs to be done about it.

Florida Center for Recovery efforts in promoting alcoholism prevention, as well as highlighting the importance of alcoholism treatment without stigma comprises of information about detox and treatment in the form of sharing alcohol fact sheets with the general public.

If you or a loved one is experiencing problems in your relationships at work or at home, or perhaps financial or legal problems that are attributed to alcohol consumption, then these could be a sign of “out of control drinking issue” and the time may be now to get help. For more information about alcoholism and recovery in Port Saint Lucie County, call Florida Center for Recovery at 800-851-3291. Help is available right now.