I found out recently that the CDC has extensive records not only of the numbers and types of deaths across the country, but also of the potential life we’re losing each year.
Did you think this was going to be an exclusively upbeat how-to guide? The fun stuff comes later.
A quick visit to the CDC website will turn up their page on Years of Potential Life Lost, or YPLL. This statistic is a valuable tool for keeping track of – and there’s no delicate way to put it – how early we’re dying. There’s data about nearly every major cause of death, but the one that we’re most interested in here, and – as I’ll explain in detail further on – the one most appropriate for this time of year, is deaths attributable to drugs and alcohol.
To get a better idea of what YPLL is, and what the numbers look like, you can reference this infographic video from 12 Keys Rehab. They’ve singled out deaths from just drug and alcohol abuse and found that we collectively lose 2 million years of potential life each calendar year. That’s an almost unthinkable number.
It’s also a reminder to us all that drugs and alcohol make poor substitutes for wholesome entertainment – a reminder that’s particularly helpful to have as the colder months set in and we find ourselves spending more and more time indoors.
The last few weeks of summer are, in many ways, a time of renewal for many of us. Maybe we’re using, while the weather is still amenable, the last of the vacation time we’ve been saving. We’re starting to switch to flannel sheets, we’re getting our jackets out of the back of our closets, and we’re looking forward to early evening walks among fallen leaves.
Soon enough we’ll be looking for ways to pass the time indoors rather than outside in the sunshine. Maybe you don’t need one, but this is a reminder that not all methods of recreation are created equal. Drugs and alcohol are a poor substitute for time spent with friends, family, significant others, or simply in pursuit of personal goals.
If you’re looking for ways to have some good, clean fun this fall, here’s a quick list of some of your best bets.
1. Rediscover your love of reading
There are few things in life more satisfying in life than curling up with a good book – whether you prefer the physical or electronic variety. The sad thing is, most of us get our love of reading stomped out of us in school by dry and tiresome assignments. Still, rediscovering your love of reading as an adult is a great way to get back in touch with your imagination, not to mention leave the stresses of your work life behind for a little while.
2. See some local performances
The thought of venturing out during fall’s gradual slide into the colder months of winter may not always feel like an enjoyable prospect, but you’ll be missing out on some great opportunities to see quality acts in your area. Check your local paper for music performances or stage plays. Live entertainment is a great way to not only discover some great new music, but also to spend what otherwise could be an uneventful Fall evening.
3. Learn to cook
Cooking is a skill that rather few people are legitimately good at, and even fewer actually enjoy. Far beyond being a basic necessity for survival, however, cooking is also a wonderfully therapeutic endeavor that can teach independence, improvisation, and, yes, a measure of patience as well.
4. Go for a hike
You can go hiking nearly any time of year (just make sure you bring your snowshoes if you venture forth in the winter), but nothing beats hiking in the fall. As the leaves begin to change color and the temperature dips from “stiflingly humid” to “warm” and eventually to “comfortably cool,” your surroundings in the months of fall will not only be more beautiful to behold, but also quite a bit more comfortable to move around in.
5. Take up a hobby
Finally, let’s round out the list with another opportunity for self-improvement. We’ve already covered reading (which I consider less a hobby and more a moral imperative) and cooking (a necessity for both survival and social niceties), so here’s a more general suggestion: take up a hobby. Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to draw, paint, or build model ships. So why don’t you? There won’t be anybody standing over your shoulder critiquing your work, and nobody assigning you a lettered grade. Just find something that interests you… and do it. It really is that simple.
