“So you don’t think you have a drinking problem? Prove it.” How many times have we felt like saying this to someone? How many people should have said this to us? During the remainder of the summer, we’d like to issue a challenge: Stop drinking so much.

Too Much Drinking

Our society has glamorized alcohol to the point that many people consider it normal to consume large amounts of alcohol. But our society would be better off if we all drank less. We’d reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents or injuries, reduce the incidence of alcoholism, improve our health, and save a lot of money along the way.

People that abuse alcohol don’t often think about their drinking as a problem. The challenge to stop drinking so much will help determine who has a dependency problem and who doesn’t. If we ask everyone to stop drinking for 90 days and see what happens, we’ll find that those that do not have an alcohol abuse problem will be able to do this; the rest will struggle and fail. Someone that is dependent on alcohol will not be able to go even a day without it, and needs medical help to detox from it. These people should go through therapy and support sessions to learn how to abstain from alcohol altogether. For those that aren’t addicted, let’s just start with drinking less, because alcohol abuse is also a problem. If we cut down on the number of drinks we have each day, or every week, we can gain some control over our behaviors and tendencies.

Tips to Reduce Drinking

To drink less, first keep track of how much you actually drink. You might be surprised at the amount you consume. The healthy normal is 1 drink daily for women and 2 for men. If you are consuming much more than this, seriously consider cutting back.

Set a goal, and spell out your reasons for that goal. You know why you should drink less – maybe it’s to improve the relationship with a family member, or to improve your health, or to take charge of your life. If you do plan to drink, don’t let it be more than one or two drinks per day. And set aside some days to not drink at all. Knowing that you can accomplish this will be empowering.

To keep yourself on track, empty out your alcohol cabinet at home. Keep only a few drinks in the house in order to avoid temptation.

Slow down your drinking. Start with a glass of water, and then take your time with the alcohol.

Replace drinking with positive activities. Get involved with a community group, take up a hobby, or go to the gym. Surround yourself with friends that won’t pressure you to drink.

There is much more to life than alcohol. Too often we forget about what’s really important and focus only on having a good time or relieving stress. This summer, make it a goal to drink less alcohol. Encourage friends to do the same. If you find you are not able to control your drinking, get help.

Sources

Alcohol intake of friends, family impact your drinking habit

Drink too much? How to tell

SAMHSA

With all the heartbreaking stories we’ve heard about lives destroyed by drugs or alcohol abuse, it’s easy to get discouraged. The problem seems too big and difficult to conquer, and it may look like we as individuals couldn’t possibly make a difference. But there are things we can do, and we’ve listed some resources to help you get started.

Volunteer at a Shelter

Many drug addicts and alcoholics find themselves with nowhere to go but to the local shelter. By volunteering your time there, you may be able to give a little encouragement to both the addict and the staff, and may even help some of them connect with treatment centers that are able to help.

Promote the Best Facilities

In the same way, you can help promote successful treatment facilities near you. Maybe they need someone to hand out flyers at homeless shelters or organize a fundraising event. If you’ve got a great facility in mind that is doing positive things, contact them and see if you can donate some time or resources. Maybe a local nonprofit group that is helping with substance abuse prevention could use your help, or there might be some volunteer possibilities with the local chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Help Promote Drug Screenings

Drug screening clinics help create awareness for addiction and helping people get treatment if they do have a drug or alcohol problem. There are more and more of these programs starting across the country at colleges, medical offices, and other locations. Along with these screenings should come treatment options for those that need it. The Office of National Drug Control Policy has resources on their website, as does SAMHSA.

Organize Anti-drug Activities at a Local High School

Schools are in need of effective drug education and prevention techniques. A positive activity may be setting up a pledge signing day where students learn about the dangers of drugs and then commit to staying sober. Or maybe a school that has lost someone to drugs may want to hold an annual day of remembrance in honor of that person, focusing on the dangers of substance abuse. Foundation for a Drug Free World has resources for schools, and theantidrug.com also has information.

Contact Your Local Government

Contact local officials and ask them to pass stricter laws for things like drunk driving. Many states are working on reevaluating these laws, and they need to hear your voice on the matter. For a list of current laws and the latest news, see duidrivinglaws.org.

Help Promote Red Ribbon Week

This week-long celebration is held every year in memory of a murdered DEA agent and has become a unified pledge to end drug abuse in America. This year Red Ribbon Week will take place October 23-31. Anyone can organize an event in their area.

Encourage a Loved One

Offer to get help for a loved one struggling with addiction. Sometimes we don’t have to look any further than our own family to see how we can help.

Sources

AA

The Anti Drug

The Office of National Drug Control Policy

SAMHSA

Drug Free World

Red Ribbon Week

Depression affects millions of people every year. It is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders, yet many people continue living with this disease, without getting the treatment they need for it.

The cause of depression is still being studied, but we do know that it can be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain due to things like hormone changes. Other things can cause depression, such as substance abuse, the circumstances someone finds themselves in, or the events that take place in someone’s life.

Symptoms of depression include lack of energy and motivation, self loathing, oversleeping or insomnia, and weight changes. A person that is clinically depressed will often lose interest in the things and people in their life, and will struggle just to get out of bed in the morning. Someone with depression may also have trouble concentrating, and will find it difficult to do even the simplest, everyday tasks.

Dual Diagnosis

Dual Diagnosis refers to patients that have both depression and an addiction to something. These two diseases often go hand in hand, and increase the symptoms and side effects of each other. A person that has both depression and is addicted to drugs or alcohol will need to be treated for both conditions together for the best chance at recovery. Many facilities now offer dual diagnosis treatment because treating one and leaving the other will cause the patient to continue in an ongoing cycle of recovery and relapse.

We know that drug and alcohol addiction often occurs alongside depression, but it has been unknown which condition typically comes first or causes the other. A study that was reported in last year’s Archives of General Psychiatry suggests that alcohol abuse causes depression more often than a person’s depression causes them to self-medicate with alcohol. The study’s conclusion proposed that alcohol’s depressant characteristics may lead many people to be mentally depressed, and that the stress and circumstances brought on by alcohol abuse may also be the cause of depression in many people. We do know that people with a drug or alcohol problem commonly feel ashamed of their behavior and may suffer legal, financial, and social consequences because of it, all of which could cause depression.

Getting Help for Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Our mental health is not something to take lightly. It can be so difficult to come out of a depression, and the habits and behaviors that are formed during times of mental illness are hard to overcome. Treatment is available and can be very effective. For long term mental health, and to help prevent depression, it may be helpful to join a support group or group therapy. Other things like a healthy diet, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and engaging in some exercise have been found to help prevent and also treat depression.

Sources

Study links excessive Internet use to depression

Alcohol Abuse May Lead To Depression Risk, Rather Than Vice Versa

Relationship between depression and substance abuse

We would save ourselves a lot of trouble and hassle if we could find ways to manage stress and busy days in ways other than drinking alcohol. Our natural reaction to bad news, busy weeks, or hard days is often to have a drink. We seem to think that alcohol soothes the mind, or medicates our nerves, or maybe that it is our reward after enduring something negative. But we forget about how alcohol makes us feel the morning after, and how much time and money we actually waste on this substance that usually causes more harm than good. So maybe the next time we experience hardship, we shouldn’t reach for the alcohol. Maybe we shouldn’t make so many jokes about how a mom is really going to need a drink after that long day with the kids. Maybe we shouldn’t encourage co-workers to come out to the bar to drink their stresses from the day away.

There are many more effective things to do to relieve stress or to make ourselves really feel better. Sometimes just starting one of these activities will be enough to take our mind off of drinking. There really is so much more to life, and rewarding ourselves too quickly with alcohol takes away from these other experiences we could be having. The next time you feel pressured or entitled to drink your troubles away, try one of these activities first:

Go for a long walk

Visit a museum or the zoo

Go for a swim

See a movie

Take a class on languages or art

Get some coffee at your favorite coffee shop

Learn to play an instrument

Attend a play at a local high school

Take in a recital

Walk around the mall

Read a book

Play a game

Plant a flower or tree

Volunteer at a local food bank or shelter

Write a letter to a far away relative

Organize your photos

Call an old friend

Make a meal from scratch

Organize a baseball or volleyball game with friends or co-workers

Clean out a closet at home

Take a bath

Repaint a room in your home

Look through old yearbooks

Start a new hobby

Study the history of your town

Visit the Humane Society

Paint a picture

Go to the library

Ride a bike

Have a picnic

Plan your dream vacation

Sources

10 Steps to Stop Drinking Alcohol

NIH.gov

Things to do instead of drinking alcohol

One thing that we have all learned to do is to cope with our problems, but we don’t all handle them the same way. Some people express their anxiety or get help from others right away. Others bottle up their feelings and continue pushing on until they burst. Many of us, however, do a pretty good job of feeling sorry for ourselves and allow ourselves a little bit of pleasure to make up for the hard times. That’s where substance abuse, especially alcohol abuse, can often start.

Using Alcohol to Cope

For example, a working mom has had a long day at the office; she comes home to wild and disobedient children, a messy house, and no idea of what to have for dinner. Wouldn’t we almost expect one of the first things she does when she has a second to herself is grab a glass of wine or something to help her relax? Or a police officer, after a long shift filled with stress, may crack open a couple of beers the moment he gets home.

We see this all the time, we expect it of each other, and we joke about it, but is this kind of drinking really healthy? The problem is that we as a society often feel entitled to make ourselves happy. True, the pursuit of happiness is one of our rights, but this world is full of difficulties, and some of the ways we compensate for them are not actually going to make us truly happy anyway.

Say a close loved one dies. No one would think twice about the grieving family spending a little extra time out at the bar. We lose our job; again it’s expected that some alcohol will be consumed. Long days at work equal some wine or a drink at home, and don’t we think all stay-at-home moms get to drink in the evenings as a reward for their tough day?

Unhealthy Habits

If we continue in this way of thinking, we risk driving ourselves to alcoholism. Sure, it might still seem ok to reward ourselves for big accomplishments, or to comfort ourselves with alcohol. And sometimes drinking like this doesn’t cause any harm at all. But after a while, we start to use anything as an excuse to drink, and the combination of this self-medicating attitude, as well as the alcohol that our body is beginning to tolerate, can cause us to become addicted. After a while any excuse will do: I just had an argument with my sister, my neighbors are jerks, my cable went out, or even, I’m tired of doing the laundry; I get a drink.

Too many people have started out drinking at times like these and then gotten so caught up in the drinking that they became dependent on it. But the ironic thing is that drinking alcohol doesn’t fix our problems, it adds to them. If we drink too much, we wake up the next morning dragging our feet and unable to take on new challenges effectively. And if we are led to alcoholism because of it, that brings on its own set of troubles.

Sources

LAPD officers questioned in gunshots outside restaurant

Alcohol Alert

Drinking Alcohol To Relieve
Stress…A Dangerous Choice

Schools across the country are approaching summer break, and it is a time when parents should be aware of what their kids will be doing with all their free time. The summer is when many adolescents get into trouble and start experimenting with drugs or alcohol. It is important for even teenagers to be supervised throughout the day, because teens that are bored and have no adult watching out for them will often take risks and try things they wouldn’t normally do. But since many parents still have to work during the summer, for their child’s safety, they should make arrangements for supervision for their child. Below is a list of resources parents can use to make sure someone is helping keep an eye on their child.

Camp: Summer is the time for an assortment of camps; anything from a day camp at the zoo, to a week-long sports camp, to a specialty camp that teaches music or acting or science. Camps are a good way to keep your adolescent busy.

Community Groups: Check with your local recreation department for a variety of activities going on during the summer. Your child could join a volleyball or kickball league, take swimming lessons, or join the YMCA or Boys or Girls Club.

Church Groups: Many churches have youth activities throughout the summer or offer vacation bible school for a week. Other churches have begun to open facilities for teens during the summer for recreation, tutoring, or bible study. These places are often looking for kids to make use of their programs, and it is a good way for your teen to stay active with positive influences.

Schools: Sometimes schools offer educational opportunities during the summer. This is a great way to for adolescents to not only stay out of trouble, but also to keep their minds sharp during the long summer months.

Get a Job: If your child is old enough to have a job, encourage them to get one. They don’t have to work long hours every day, because even a part-time job will help teens use their time constructively. Many places hire even young teens for the summer. The pay is not the important thing here; it’s keeping kids out of trouble. Even a lawn mowing job or cleaning cages at a local animal shelter will help your teen feel a sense of accomplishment and responsibility.

Ask for Help: If there doesn’t seem to be any option for your child to remain supervised during the summer, ask for help. Think of relatives, like grandparents or great aunts or uncles that are retired and might appreciate some company. Or a neighbor that stays home might be willing to stop in and check on your teen occasionally. You could also form a “share care” group with other parents so that each family takes a day during the week to supervise the group and then can work the rest of the week.

Sources

Parents: the Anti-drug

Prescription Drug Abuse Increases During Summer Months

Teens admit they need to keep busy to stay out of trouble

As treatment specialists, counselors, and educators, it is the job of many to keep an eye on substance abuse statistics. It is also important for teachers, law enforcement, government, and parents to follow and be aware of what teens are up to, and how their drug and alcohol use is increasing or decreasing. But we need to be careful that we do not put too much weight behind numbers and statistics. These can easily be manipulated, and can either frighten us or lure us into a false sense of security. A more accurate way to look at adolescent drug abuse would be to study 5 or 10 year trends, which will tell if the increase or decrease is likely to have significant meaning in the long run.

Monitoring the Future (MTF) is a survey that measures drug, alcohol, and tobacco use and the attitudes of teenagers toward these substances. MTF has given us data on our nation’s teens since 1975. The survey is funded by NIDA and is conducted by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research.

Positive Statistics

The results from the MTF survey from 2009 are in general very positive. According to the research, there were drops in tobacco, methamphetamine (from 2.3% to 1.6%), cocaine (from 4.4% to 3.4%), alcohol, and hallucinogen (from 5.9% to 4.7%) use among 8-12^th graders. It seems that adolescents’ attitudes towards substance abuse are also more encouraging. Teens now see certain drugs and alcohol as harmful, and do not believe these drugs are very available to students anymore. These trends have been positive in these areas for the past 5 years, as more and more students become more educated and aware of the risks for drug abuse.

These trends are great; they are exactly what we want to see among our young people. But we have to be careful not to get too relaxed and think we are doing a good enough job with drug prevention. We still need to educate more youth, and there are still plenty of kids that are abusing these substances that need our help.

Negative Statistics

On the other hand, marijuana is still being used just as often by students as five years ago, and teens don’t really even see marijuana as dangerous. Prescription drug abuse has been steadily increasing, as well as inhalant abuse. These two forms of drug abuse are the newest trend, and they are replacing the old ways of getting high. But again, if we focus too much on an increase in numbers of kids getting high with inhalants or prescription painkillers, we can trick ourselves into generalizing that all teens are doing these things, or at least are exposed to them. We need to empower our adolescents and let them know that they are not alone, that there are many other teens that have made the commitment to stay clean also.

With cautious optimism we should prepare our students for the world and its peer pressure. Educate them, teach them the risks, and warn them about statistical trends. But then encourage them and give them confidence because they can indeed be one of the many that do stay clean.

Sources

Teen Drug Abuse Continues Its Three-Year Decline

Statistics on Teen Drug Abuse

Youth Trends

SAMHSA

Maybe after hearing about Alcohol Awareness for a whole month, you’re ready to do something about the alcoholism in our country. To take some action. Sometimes the problems of drug abuse and alcoholism in the world are overwhelming, and we may not feel qualified to do anything about it. But the good news is that there are things we can do that will make a difference.

Help Your Community

First of all, you can participate in Alcohol Awareness activities in our areas. Alcohol Awareness month is recognized nationally, and many state and local governments also observe it through events and activities. Parades, educational campaigns, activities for kids, rallies, and pledges are only some of the ways people choose to celebrate this month. More information can be found through your local chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous, or the state or federal health department. These organizations are usually looking for citizens to help out with their campaigns, or to help plan and host events. You can get involved with an annual program already established, or you can work with authorities, schools, churches, or community groups to plan your own event. It is important to get the word out about the dangers of alcohol abuse and alcoholism, to work on prevention techniques, and to connect individuals with treatment when necessary.

Help Your Loved Ones

Secondly, you can be aware of friends or loved ones that may be struggling with alcohol abuse or alcoholism. You aren’t helping anyone out if you turn the other way and ignore someone’s alcohol abuse. A good friend will take the time to have a positive conversation with someone about their drinking habits. You can lovingly tell your friend or family member that you are concerned about them, and offer to help in any way. Then you can encourage them to get treatment, and stand behind them as they work their way toward sobriety.

Help Yourself

Thirdly, you need to look at yourself and your drinking habits. It’s not normal to need a drink every day, or to binge drink occasionally. It is dangerous to drink and drive, or to get involved with risky trends while drinking. Drinking can impair judgment and it can cause people to do things they normally wouldn’t do. It may cause you to lose your temper with your spouse or children or hurt the people that you love. Alcohol can cause you to feel depressed and can mess with your thoughts and emotions. While drinking in moderation is a fine past time for many, for others, alcohol is a toxin that poisons their behavior and life, causing terrible side effects. If you’ve been abusing alcohol, now is the time to come clean. You may not be able to help every person you encounter that abuses alcohol, but you can help yourself. Get treatment today and start planning for a better future.

 Sources

Activities for Colleges

SAMHSA

Alcoholics Anonymous

As we’ve talked this whole month, there are many people in our country that abuse alcohol. There are an estimated 14 million alcoholics or alcohol abusers in the United States. But let’s not be so blind to our own actions that we see the alcohol problems around us and forget to look at ourselves. This week, let’s take a long, hard look at our alcohol tendencies, and find out if there is something we need to take care of in our own lives. The questions below will help us determine whether or not we have a drinking problem. For more questions like these, see the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test.

1. Do I have a hard time stopping after 1 or 2 drinks? The recommended guidelines are 2 drinks per day for men and 1 per day for women. Someone who binge drinks is abusing alcohol and putting themselves at risk.

2. Can I go one day without a drink? Alcoholics are dependent on alcohol; therefore they cannot go a day without alcohol or they will suffer serious withdrawal symptoms.

3. Do I drink when lonely, upset, or stressed? Self-medicating with alcohol is a sign of instability, and can lead to alcoholism, depression, and other mental health problems.

4. Do I feel the need to hide my drinking habits? When we know we are abusing alcohol, we may want to keep loved ones from finding out. We may tend to withdraw from people that will look down on our behavior.

5. Do I ever lose consciousness or blackout when drinking? Drinking large amounts of alcohol can cause blackouts as the alcohol effects the body.

6. Do I drink at improper times, or sneak alcohol in where not permitted? Someone that cannot go without alcohol will find ways to sneak it and consume it even when inappropriate.

7. Do I ever drink and drive? There were 17,000 traffic fatalities last year caused by people abusing alcohol.

8. Do family members or friends voice concern about my drinking? Sometimes we can’t see things clearly ourselves, but the concern of a loved one may be accurate.

9. Does my drinking interfere with work or family? As alcohol takes over a person’s life, other things don’t seem as important.

10. Do I think I have a drinking problem? Sometimes it is something we feel deep down and don’t acknowledge out loud.

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you may have an alcohol problem. Both alcoholism and alcohol abuse are serious and can lead to a life of addiction, or cause injury or death. If you have found that you are using alcohol in an unhealthy way, you may need help. Professionals are ready to give support, treatment, and counseling. Getting help early is the best way to succeed.

Sources

http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/FAQs/General-English/

Statistics on Alcoholics

http://www.treatmentsolutionsnetwork.com/addiction-assessment/assessment.php?n=3

Supplying alcohol to minors. We probably all know someone who does this – maybe as kids we had that favorite adult that would help us get beer for our parties. Maybe as parents we wonder who that adult is for our kids. Maybe we ourselves are the ones illegally giving or selling alcohol to minors.

The problem of underage drinking is one that has fallen by the wayside in our country. Most people just accept the fact that high school and college kids drink. There is more that we can and should be doing, and one of the first things would be to get adults to stop providing the alcohol for minors.

Parents

Some parents don’t see the harm in giving their kids alcohol, or even letting them throw parties with alcohol, as long as it is under their own roof. In some places, it is ok for parents to give their child alcohol, under supervision. This does not mean it is ok for parents to give other people’s children alcohol. And encouraging this kind of drinking and partying is not healthy for the teens. There are so many dangers to underage drinking, including alcohol poisoning, risky behavior, drunk driving, and tolerance for alcohol.

Store Clerks

Other adults that enable minors are those that sell alcohol without checking identification, or knowingly sell to underagers. Kids know which clerks will sell without checking an ID, and they will repeatedly go back to these adults for all their alcohol needs. If caught, these adults can face fines of $500 or more, along with criminal charges. If the alcohol they sold to a minor results in injury or death, the charges can be more severe. But still, some stores or gas stations experience multiple violations by their employees before they are able to get the situation under control.

Willing Buyers

Then there are those adults that are willing to buy alcohol for minors that ask. Sometimes the adults are known in the town as one who will buy. Other adults, when approached by a minor outside a store, will go in and purchase for the underager. No questions asked.

How can we expect to teach our teens to stay away from alcohol when they are getting mixed messages from the adults around them? Underage drinking is illegal. It’s wrong. Adults have no place enabling or encouraging alcohol consumption by anyone under 21.

In certain areas, authorities are good about keeping an eye on underage alcohol sales. Undercover informants will find who sells alcohol to minors, and the adults are prosecuted. But in too many areas, this problem is not a priority, and the selling continues on and on.  Better education about the dangers of underage drinking will help these adults that just don’t get it, to understand the harm they are doing.

Sources

Vacaville Woman Arrested For Underage Sale

Businesses might have served minors illegally — again

Police checks curb alcohol sales to minors

We Check ID