July 17, 2008
It was early afternoon and Eric, 45, was circling his drug dealer's block in his car, waiting for a fix. He'd just cracked open the last beer in the case that sat on the passenger seat when he hit a telegraph pole.
More than two million Australians drink at risky levels, and the number of people misusing alcohol increased by more than 5 per cent between 1995 and 2005, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
But while alcohol abuse increases, so do the treatment options. Today, alcoholics like Eric can check into rehab like a Hollywood star, attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, or pop a pill to kill the cravings. They can even get counselling sessions sent by post.
. . . . . . .
____________________________________________________________________
