Summary: Why would you downplay your alcohol use to the one person you should truly be confiding in when it relates to your health?Numerous media sources have covered a Vital Signs report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing that many Americans are drinking too much alcohol. Even though they may not be alcoholics, many of these individuals have never discussed their alcohol use with their physicians. Why would you downplay your alcohol use to the one person you should truly be confiding in when it relates to your health... your doctor. To make matters worse, your doctor may be contributing to the problem. It turns out that many physicians avoid the subject as well. A recent study found that 82 percent of doctors admit that they avoid addressing alcoholism in their patients. So what's the reasoning behind avoiding the elephant in the "patient room"? Sports cardiologist, Dr. John P. Higgins, MD, discusses the stigma and embarrassment associated with your drinking habits, as well as why it's so important to be open and honest about how much and how often you imbibe.
