Strong Roots, Stronger Futures: Healing Alcohol’s Impact in Native Communities

April is Alcohol Awareness Month, a time dedicated to increasing public understanding of the dangers of alcohol misuse and supporting those on the path to recovery. For Native American communities, this month carries profound significance — not only because of the higher rates of alcohol-related harm, but also because it presents an opportunity to center healing, strength, and cultural reconnection.

Alcohol Use in Native Communities

Alcohol-related harm affects many across the United States, but Native American and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities face a disproportionate burden. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Native Americans experience the highest alcohol-related death rates of any racial or ethnic group in the U.S.

• Approximately 1 in 10 Native adults report heavy alcohol use in the past year.

• Native youth are more likely to begin drinking at a younger age, increasing their risk of long-term addiction.

• Between 2015–2019, nearly 1 in 5 deaths among AI/AN individuals aged 20–49 was due to alcohol.

In New York State, Indigenous individuals face persistent disparities in access to care, addiction treatment, and culturally competent services — challenges that only deepen the impact of substance use disorders within our communities.

Understanding the Roots: Alcohol and Historical Trauma

To truly understand alcohol misuse in Native communities, we must recognize the long shadow of historical trauma — the collective and cumulative emotional wounding caused by centuries of colonization, forced relocation, broken treaties, boarding schools, and the suppression of Native languages, cultures, and spiritual practices.

These traumas haven’t just left psychological scars — they’ve disrupted traditional social structures and spiritual connections that once protected Indigenous peoples from substance misuse.

Alcohol misuse is not a moral failure — it is often a symptom of deeper, unresolved pain.

Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction

Early recognition of alcohol use disorder (AUD) can save lives. Here are key signs and symptoms to watch for in yourself or loved ones:

• Drinking more or longer than intended

• Inability to cut down or stop drinking

• Spending a lot of time drinking or recovering from drinking

• Strong cravings or urges to drink

• Neglecting responsibilities at home, work, or school

• Continuing to drink despite it causing problems in relationships

• Giving up important activities or hobbies to drink

• Drinking in risky situations (e.g., while driving)

• Developing a tolerance (needing more alcohol to feel the same effect)

• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not drinking (e.g., shaking, sweating, nausea, anxiety)

If you or someone you care about is experiencing two or more of these symptoms, it may indicate alcohol use disorder, and support is available.

Pathways to Healing: Culture Is Medicine

Despite the pain caused by alcohol misuse, Native communities are full of strength, resilience, and culturally rooted healing practices.

Many tribal communities are reclaiming their health through a combination of modern treatment and traditional practices, including:

• Talking circles, sweat lodges, smudging, and ceremonies to reconnect with community and spirit

• Tribal wellness courts that focus on rehabilitation and cultural reintegration rather than punishment

• Indigenous peer recovery specialists who understand the cultural and spiritual dimensions of healing

• Programs that blend Western behavioral health models with Native teachings and stories

At the New York Indian Council (NYIC), we are committed to supporting Native individuals and families through peer support, advocacy, and culturally respectful programs that center identity, belonging, and wellness.

What You Can Do

Whether you're a community member, healthcare provider, educator, or advocate, you can help promote healing:

• Educate yourself and others about the impact of alcohol use and its root causes in Native communities.

• Listen without judgment — reducing stigma opens the door to healing.

• Encourage cultural reconnection — healing doesn’t just happen in clinics; it happens in ceremony, song, language, and community.

• Support Native-led programs that uplift traditional ways of wellness and resilience.

Resources for Support and Healing

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol use, you are not alone. Here are some culturally relevant resources:

• New York Indian Council (NYIC)
  Provides support services for Native individuals in New York.
  www.newyorkindiancouncil.org

• SAMHSA’s Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Center
  Offers culturally appropriate resources for mental health and substance use.
  National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
  www.samhsa.gov/tribal-ttac

• We R Native
  A health resource for Native youth by Native youth.
  www.wernative.org

• National Indian Health Board
  Offers substance use prevention tools and tribal program funding updates.
  www.nihb.org

Closing Message

This Alcohol Awareness Month, let us remember alcohol use is not just a medical issue — it is a community and cultural issue, one that requires compassion, courage, and cultural healing. Native communities have always held the tools of resilience — in our stories, ceremonies, songs, and ways of being. Healing is not just possible — it is already happening.

Together, we can rise. Together, we can heal. Together, we reclaim our power.