{"id":13300,"date":"2026-04-22T16:17:28","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T21:17:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/?p=13300"},"modified":"2026-04-22T16:17:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T21:17:28","slug":"the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/","title":{"rendered":"The important role alcohol plays in physical and mental health from Spira Care\u2019s Harley Hawkins"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>When it comes to the impact alcohol can have on someone\u2019s health, Spira Care Behavioral Health Consultant Harley Hawkins loves to share the story of one of his patients who he first saw during an annual wellness visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHe was overweight, drinking excessively and we had to put him on blood pressure medication,\u201d Hawkins recalls. \u201cDuring this time, his anxiety turned into anger, and he was about to lose his job. He said, \u2018What do I do?\u2019 We developed a plan to eat healthier, reduce stress, sleep better, and reduce alcohol intake.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The plan involved helping the patient reduce his alcohol usage by following a 2-2-2 system (no more than 2 drinks, every 2 days, followed by 2 days off).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAfter developing that strategy, he started sleeping better!\u201d Hawkins said \u201cThat positive result motivated him. He watches what he eats, has lost over 100 pounds, improved his job performance, and eliminated alcohol!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/hawkins_harley-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13301\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/hawkins_harley-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/hawkins_harley-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/hawkins_harley-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/hawkins_harley-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/hawkins_harley-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Harley Hawkins, MSW, LCSW, Behavioral Health Consultant, Spira Care Liberty<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Alcohol impacts your physical health<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hawkins said some of the health issues he sees tied to alcohol, include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High blood pressure<\/strong> <strong>\u2013<\/strong> Once we get to where alcohol is managed, a lot of times, we see blood pressure go down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Poor sleep quality<\/strong> <strong>\u2013<\/strong> Although alcohol may help someone go to sleep quicker, it negatively affects the quality of sleep. That includes not being able to experience rapid eye movement (REM) and deep sleep. It\u2019s like when IT tells us to shut our computers down to help them work better. That\u2019s what happens when we go into REM and deep sleep. The brain regulates blood sugar and strengthens our immune system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Link to cancer<\/strong> <strong>\u2013<\/strong> Alcohol is linked to cancer according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hhs.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/oash-alcohol-cancer-risk.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">January 2025 report<\/a> from former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S. Consuming alcohol increases the risk of developing at least seven types of cance<\/span>r.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer more than any other cancer in women.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Alcohol affects your mental health<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Hawkins, alcohol usage impacts mental health in the following ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Initially, when we use alcohol, there\u2019s a dopamine release, and we feel good. But when our blood alcohol content reaches .05% or higher, alcohol becomes more of a depressant that can slow brain activity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Then, you get to the next stage of anxiety when you are craving more. That\u2019s part of the dependency that keeps alcohol&#8217;s hold over us. You get anxious, and that\u2019s when you drink again.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Depression is a major mental health disorder tied to alcohol consumption.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Spira Care can help<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAt Spira Care, our patients can get to us quickly, usually the same day<sup>1<\/sup>,\u201d Hawkins said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) plan<sup>2<\/sup> with exclusive access to nine Kansas City area <a href=\"https:\/\/spiracare.com\/patient-services\/patient-resources-center\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Spira Care Centers<\/a>, Hawkins and his fellow behavioral health consultants partner with your primary care provider to support you through life\u2019s challenges, health concerns or new diagnoses, and transitions at every age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Behavioral health consultants can help when alcohol causes stress and anxiety, and they can assist patients with treatment options and resources.<sup>3<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA lot of people, because of their business, might have to take clients out to drink,\u201d he said. \u201cThey may fall in that excessive drinking category and come to us for help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are strategies Hawkins passes along to his patients to help them drink responsibly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Request more tonic water. A lot of bartenders recognize this, and they&#8217;ll serve tonic water in a bourbon glass with cubed ice. You can indulge in tonic water with lemon, and no one is going to know whether you are drinking an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage. Feeling like you are a part of the group can help trick your brain.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have a good excuse to exit, like saying you have to tell your kids good night, or you have a work project. Preplanning is key.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Another strategy Hawkins finds helpful is sharing the patient success story mentioned at the beginning of this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat patient still sees me every three months to tell me he\u2019s doing all right and wants me to use his story to help other patients,\u201d Hawkins said. \u201cWhen I told him his story helped a 27-year-old patient of mine, he loved that! We\u2019re on the front row at Spira Care seeing all of that. It\u2019s great to truly realize the impact we are making.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have a Blue KC plan with exclusive access to Spira Care, talk to a Spira Care primary care provider about connecting with an on-site behavioral health consultant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. In case of a mental health emergency, call or text 988.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><sup>1<\/sup> Appointment availability varies based on demand and capacity at each Care Center location on any given day.<br><sup>2<\/sup> Health plans with exclusive access to Spira Care are available through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.<br><sup>3<\/sup> Spira Care does not provide psychiatric care, ongoing psychotherapy, or intensive mental or behavioral healthcare. If you and your Care Team determine that you would benefit from more intensive or ongoing support, we\u2019ll connect you with an in-network provider outside Spira Care. Costs outside Spira Care Centers are subject to your plan&#8217;s deductible or applicable copay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"daexthefu-container\"\r\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"daexthefu-container daexthefu-layout-side-by-side daexthefu-alignment-left\"\r\n\t\t\t\tdata-post-id=\"13300\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-feedback\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-text\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"daexthefu-title\">Was this helpful?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-buttons-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-buttons\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-yes daexthefu-button daexthefu-button-type-icon\" data-value=\"1\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                <svg>\r\n                    <defs>\r\n                        <style>.thumb-up-cls-1{fill:#c9c9c9;}.thumb-up-cls-2{fill:#e1e1e1;}.thumb-up-cls-3{fill:#676767;}<\/style>\r\n                    <\/defs>\r\n                    <g id=\"thumb_up\">\r\n                        <path class=\"thumb-up-cls-2 daexthefu-icon-circle\" d=\"m24,3c11.58,0,21,9.42,21,21s-9.42,21-21,21S3,35.58,3,24,12.42,3,24,3m0-1C11.85,2,2,11.85,2,24s9.85,22,22,22,22-9.85,22-22S36.15,2,24,2h0Z\" \/>\r\n                        <g>\r\n                            <rect class=\"thumb-up-cls-3 daexthefu-icon-secondary-color\" x=\"10\" y=\"20\" width=\"6\" height=\"15\" rx=\"1.5\" ry=\"1.5\" \/>\r\n                            <path class=\"thumb-up-cls-1 daexthefu-icon-primary-color\" d=\"m30.57,9.06l-.49-.1c-.81-.17-1.61.35-1.78,1.16l-5.3,11.74c-.17.81,3.16,1.61,3.97,1.78l1.96.41c.81.17,1.61-.35,1.78-1.16l2.18-10.27c.34-1.61-.7-3.21-2.31-3.56Z\" \/>\r\n                            <path class=\"thumb-up-cls-1 daexthefu-icon-primary-color\" d=\"m38.17,20h-18.67c-.83,0-1.5.67-1.5,1.5v12c0,.83.67,1.5,1.5,1.5h16.27c.71,0,1.33-.5,1.47-1.21l2.4-12c.19-.93-.53-1.8-1.47-1.8Z\" \/>\r\n                        <\/g>\r\n                    <\/g>\r\n                <\/svg>\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-no daexthefu-button daexthefu-button-type-icon\" data-value=\"0\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                <svg>\r\n                    <defs>\r\n                        <style>.thumb-down-cls-1{fill:#c9c9c9;}.thumb-down-cls-2{fill:#e1e1e1;}.thumb-down-cls-3{fill:#676767;}<\/style>\r\n                    <\/defs>\r\n                    <g id=\"thumb_down\">\r\n                        <path class=\"thumb-down-cls-2 daexthefu-icon-circle\" d=\"m24,3c11.58,0,21,9.42,21,21s-9.42,21-21,21S3,35.58,3,24,12.42,3,24,3m0-1C11.85,2,2,11.85,2,24s9.85,22,22,22,22-9.85,22-22S36.15,2,24,2h0Z\" \/>\r\n                        <g>\r\n                            <rect class=\"thumb-down-cls-3 daexthefu-icon-secondary-color\" x=\"10\" y=\"13\" width=\"6\" height=\"15\" rx=\"1.5\" ry=\"1.5\" \/>\r\n                            <path class=\"thumb-down-cls-1 daexthefu-icon-primary-color\" d=\"m30.57,38.94l-.49.1c-.81.17-1.61-.35-1.78-1.16l-5.3-11.74c-.17-.81,3.16-1.61,3.97-1.78l1.96-.41c.81-.17,1.61.35,1.78,1.16l2.18,10.27c.34,1.61-.7,3.21-2.31,3.56Z\" \/>\r\n                            <path class=\"thumb-down-cls-1 daexthefu-icon-primary-color\" d=\"m38.17,28h-18.67c-.83,0-1.5-.67-1.5-1.5v-12c0-.83.67-1.5,1.5-1.5h16.27c.71,0,1.33.5,1.47,1.21l2.4,12c.19.93-.53,1.8-1.47,1.8Z\" \/>\r\n                        <\/g>\r\n                    <\/g>\r\n                <\/svg>\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-comment\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-comment-top-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<label id=\"daexthefu-comment-label\" class=\"daexthefu-comment-label\"><\/label>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-comment-character-counter-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"daexthefu-comment-character-counter-number\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"daexthefu-comment-character-counter-number\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-comment-character-counter-text\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<textarea id=\"daexthefu-comment-textarea\" class=\"daexthefu-comment-textarea\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tplaceholder=\"Type your message\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tmaxlength=\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t400\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"><\/textarea>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-comment-buttons-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"daexthefu-comment-submit daexthefu-button\">Submit<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"daexthefu-comment-cancel daexthefu-button\">Cancel<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-successful-submission-text\">Thanks for your feedback!<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When it comes to the impact alcohol can have on someone\u2019s health, Spira Care Behavioral Health Consultant Harley Hawkins loves to share the story of one of his patients who he first saw during an annual wellness visit. \u201cHe was&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":13308,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_helpful_status":1,"_analytify_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,15],"tags":[61,62],"post-on-community-impact":[],"class_list":["post-13300","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-behavioral-health","category-healthier-living","tag-members-employer-group","tag-members-ifp-aca"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The important role alcohol plays in physical and mental health from Spira Care\u2019s Harley Hawkins - The Blueprint<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The important role alcohol plays in physical and mental health from Spira Care\u2019s Harley Hawkins - The Blueprint\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When it comes to the impact alcohol can have on someone\u2019s health, Spira Care Behavioral Health Consultant Harley Hawkins loves to share the story of one of his patients who he first saw during an annual wellness visit. \u201cHe was...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Blueprint\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BlueCrossBlueShieldKC\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-22T21:17:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/Group-setting-embrace-GettyImages-1672441470.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2120\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1414\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"msteinacker\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@bluekc\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@bluekc\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"msteinacker\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"msteinacker\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/person\/6f9e27778dadf30a2fbdc4a5064a9dc3\"},\"headline\":\"The important role alcohol plays in physical and mental health from Spira Care\u2019s Harley Hawkins\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-22T21:17:28+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/\"},\"wordCount\":922,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/Group-setting-embrace-GettyImages-1672441470.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Members: General\/Employer\",\"Members: IFP\/ACA\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Behavioral Health\",\"Healthier Living\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/\",\"name\":\"The important role alcohol plays in physical and mental health from Spira Care\u2019s Harley Hawkins - The Blueprint\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/Group-setting-embrace-GettyImages-1672441470.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-22T21:17:28+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/Group-setting-embrace-GettyImages-1672441470.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/Group-setting-embrace-GettyImages-1672441470.jpg\",\"width\":2120,\"height\":1414,\"caption\":\"Mature couple embraced after talking in a group therapy at mental health center\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The important role alcohol plays in physical and mental health from Spira Care\u2019s Harley Hawkins\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/\",\"name\":\"The Blueprint\",\"description\":\"Welcome to The Blueprint \u2013 your home to view informative articles created to inspire and boost your healthcare knowledge.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#organization\"},\"alternateName\":\"The Blueprint\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#organization\",\"name\":\"The Blueprint\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/10\/BKC_VERT_DARK.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/10\/BKC_VERT_DARK.jpg\",\"width\":675,\"height\":675,\"caption\":\"The Blueprint\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BlueCrossBlueShieldKC\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/bluekc\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/thebluekcchannel\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bluecrossblueshieldkc\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/person\/6f9e27778dadf30a2fbdc4a5064a9dc3\",\"name\":\"msteinacker\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9ff1d17fcaf251e111c15a80e2c99ad47f95223c83ef24232ad14dd5416debb8?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9ff1d17fcaf251e111c15a80e2c99ad47f95223c83ef24232ad14dd5416debb8?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"msteinacker\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/author\/msteinacker\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The important role alcohol plays in physical and mental health from Spira Care\u2019s Harley Hawkins - The Blueprint","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The important role alcohol plays in physical and mental health from Spira Care\u2019s Harley Hawkins - The Blueprint","og_description":"When it comes to the impact alcohol can have on someone\u2019s health, Spira Care Behavioral Health Consultant Harley Hawkins loves to share the story of one of his patients who he first saw during an annual wellness visit. \u201cHe was...","og_url":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/","og_site_name":"The Blueprint","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BlueCrossBlueShieldKC","article_published_time":"2026-04-22T21:17:28+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2120,"height":1414,"url":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/Group-setting-embrace-GettyImages-1672441470.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"msteinacker","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@bluekc","twitter_site":"@bluekc","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"msteinacker","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/"},"author":{"name":"msteinacker","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/person\/6f9e27778dadf30a2fbdc4a5064a9dc3"},"headline":"The important role alcohol plays in physical and mental health from Spira Care\u2019s Harley Hawkins","datePublished":"2026-04-22T21:17:28+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/"},"wordCount":922,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/Group-setting-embrace-GettyImages-1672441470.jpg","keywords":["Members: General\/Employer","Members: IFP\/ACA"],"articleSection":["Behavioral Health","Healthier Living"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/","url":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/","name":"The important role alcohol plays in physical and mental health from Spira Care\u2019s Harley Hawkins - The Blueprint","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/Group-setting-embrace-GettyImages-1672441470.jpg","datePublished":"2026-04-22T21:17:28+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/Group-setting-embrace-GettyImages-1672441470.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/Group-setting-embrace-GettyImages-1672441470.jpg","width":2120,"height":1414,"caption":"Mature couple embraced after talking in a group therapy at mental health center"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/the-important-role-alcohol-plays-in-physical-and-mental-health-from-spira-cares-harley-hawkins\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The important role alcohol plays in physical and mental health from Spira Care\u2019s Harley Hawkins"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/","name":"The Blueprint","description":"Welcome to The Blueprint \u2013 your home to view informative articles created to inspire and boost your healthcare knowledge.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#organization"},"alternateName":"The Blueprint","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#organization","name":"The Blueprint","url":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/10\/BKC_VERT_DARK.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/10\/BKC_VERT_DARK.jpg","width":675,"height":675,"caption":"The Blueprint"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BlueCrossBlueShieldKC","https:\/\/x.com\/bluekc","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/thebluekcchannel","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bluecrossblueshieldkc\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/person\/6f9e27778dadf30a2fbdc4a5064a9dc3","name":"msteinacker","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9ff1d17fcaf251e111c15a80e2c99ad47f95223c83ef24232ad14dd5416debb8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9ff1d17fcaf251e111c15a80e2c99ad47f95223c83ef24232ad14dd5416debb8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"msteinacker"},"url":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/author\/msteinacker\/"}]}},"categories_names":["Behavioral Health","Healthier Living"],"formatted_date":"April 22, 2026","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13300","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13300"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13300\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13310,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13300\/revisions\/13310"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13308"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13300"},{"taxonomy":"post-on-community-impact","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-on-community-impact?post=13300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}