AmericanAddictionCenters.org surveyed more than 3,000 people to find out how the North Dakota population drinks. Here's what they found:

Drumroll, please...

36 percent of North Dakotan's are considered 'gray area drinkers.'

So what does that mean?

Similar to how a person emotionally eats, you can also emotionally drink, and that's what we do. The study found that 150,000 people in the state drink excessively or because they're emotionally triggered.

It was even broken down by age groups.

  • Ages 25 - 34 had the highest percentage of 'gray area drinkers' (32 percent)
  • Ages 35 - 44 had the second-highest (25 percent)
  • Ages 18 - 24 came in third-highest (24 percent)

Should you be concerned?

AmericanAddictionCenters.org states that 16 percent of Americans do have feelings of guilt about their drinking habits. They also explain that being a 'gray area drinker' doesn't mean you have a drinking problem, but it can lead to one if you're not careful.

What are the warning signs for 'gray area drinking' according to the CDC?

  1. Drinking more than you intended
  2. Questioning your relationship with alcohol
  3. You're unable to quit drinking and cut down when you try
  4. You justify your habits
  5. You drink every day

So, how much is too much?

Women:

CDC guidelines state that having more than 8 drinks a week makes you an excessive drinker.

Men:

For men, anything over 15 drinks a week would be considered excessive.

Even with guidelines in place, the CDC explains it's not always about the number of drinks a person has, so they say you should constantly monitor your drinking habits. This will help prevent developing a more serious problem.

Help is there if you need it.

If you want to monitor your drinking habits or would like to get on a path to recovery, AmericanAddictionCenters.org says it's easier than you think. There are several apps out there that you can use!

 


 

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