“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

I want to take a moment to share some fantastic corporate news with everyone. Treatment Solutions Network has been blessed to acquire Lisa Clark onto our team as our new Vice President of Business Development. From day one we have sought to have the right people on the bus and have been fortunate to add some world-class talent as well as just downright solid people and Lisa is no exception. Lisa Clark, RN, MSN and now Vice President of Business Development, comes to Treatment Solutions Network with progressive leadership experience in Addictions Treatment, Mental Health, Government Relations and Market Development in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.

Lisa was educated at Boston University where she received her BS in Nursing and MS in Community Mental Health Nursing. She was credentialed as a Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor and a certified Critical Incident Stress Debriefer. She was trained in individual, group and family therapy at the Human Resource Institute in Brookline, MA (Red Sox Nation). She has decades of health care experience as a psychotherapist and in program design, direction, and management. Her areas of specialization are psychiatry and substance abuse treatment.

Her past positions have been local to national in scope. She has expertise with diverse populations, institutions and market segments. Calling New York City her second home town (Fenway & Yankee Stadium – two shrines!), Lisa was credentialed as an alcoholism counselor in New York State in 1985 and served as a Senior Examiner for New York State Division of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse. She served as the Metro Area Wellness Chairperson for the NY Federation of Alcohol Counselors. As a former Board Member of the Massachusetts Organization of Addiction Recovery, she sat as a non-voting member of the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership’s Consumer Advisory Council. Lisa has extensive clinical and management experience with in-patient, outpatient and home health care settings.

Transitioning into addiction-related pharmaceuticals, Lisa has been an outstanding producer in sales, managed care and government relations as a registered lobbyist. Lisa served as the Senior Market Development Director for the addictions treatment business unit of one of the nation’s largest biotech companies. Lisa has been a top performer with track record of successful introduction of novel addiction treatment technologies and an orphan addiction treatment drug to the US market. She is a currently a consultant to the Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment (NIATx), Skip To Aims a partnership between The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Paths to Recovery program, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment’s Strengthening Treatment Access and Retention (STAR) program, and a number of independent treatment organizations.

Lisa directed and managed a treatment program characterized as “The wave of the future” by The New York Times Sunday Magazine. She brings to the Treatment Solutions Network team a proven ability to meet goals, solve complex problems, and facilitate change. Her personal passion and commitment to recovery keep her motivated to succeed in order to best serve others…She likes long walks on the beach, moonlight, and… just kidding! (Rule 62 “Don’t take yourself too seriously”). Above all, Lisa brings vision to Treatment Solutions Network and that is what we all have in common.

?Jim Bevell??
CEO Treatment Solutions Network??
561 577-3174?
?jimb@tsnemail.com??

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

We’ve talked a lot about Alcohol Awareness this month. We’ve challenged you to drink less, or to go a day without drinking. Whether the previous challenges or advice have been followed or not, there are times when we simply should not drink. This may be because of ethical or moral issues, or because of health or safety reasons, or because of the potential risk of alcoholism.

Moral Reasons

When prohibited. This one is just common sense. If you are not supposed to be drinking because you are too young, or because you are sitting in the nondrinking section of the baseball park, don’t. Don’t drink when you are at work and are on company time. Courtesy and common sense should tell us that we should wait until a more appropriate time for alcohol.

Around alcoholics. Some people question this one and may say we can do whatever we want, but wisdom helps us see the struggle we may cause by drinking around a recovering alcoholic. A supportive friend should be able to control themselves and not flaunt drinking in front of someone who has quit.

Health and Safety Reasons

When on medication. Many medications interact poorly with alcohol. You are asking for trouble in the form of mental or physical side effects if you combine the two.

When pregnant. Every year 40,000 babies are born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Alcohol and pregnancy just don’t mix. Be responsible. Protect your baby. Don’t drink.

When responsible for others. Parents, babysitters, or caretakers should be responsible enough to not drink when they are caring for others. Too much alcohol means skewed judgment, and too many children have been injured because an impaired adult abused them or allowed them to do something unsafe.

When driving. The most common devastating effect of drinking is drunk driving. If you are going out to drink, don’t drive. Get a designated driver, take the bus, or walk. It’s not worth the risk to get behind the wheel, eve if you think you are ok.

Risk of Alcoholism

Family history. Someone with a family history of alcoholism may choose to never drink. These people should at least be very careful about what and how much they drink, to decrease the already high risk of alcoholism.

Addictive personality. Even if your father wasn’t an alcoholic, if you have an addictive personality, you will be more likely to develop alcoholism. Don’t even give it a chance; curb your drinking now.

Stressed out. Many addicts start out by drinking alcohol to relieve stress. This is dangerous behavior, because it can quickly become a crutch that the person keeps going back to, until finally, they are dependent on the alcohol.

Sources 

Energy Drink, Alcohol Not an Invigorating Mix

When not to drink

Why Shouldn’t I Drink?

Drinking Alcohol During Pregnancy

This prom season, many people are concerned about the numbers of teens that will be drinking. Not only is underage drinking illegal, but it is also dangerous. 10.8 million underagers drank alcohol last year, and of those, 5,000 died as a result of drinking and driving. Many of the others faced things like alcohol intoxication, unsafe sex, and injury because of risky behaviors. Underage drinkers often binge when they do drink, consuming large amounts of alcohol and putting their bodies at risk. Others lose their good judgment and fail to see the harm in unsafe sex or other risky behavior. Usually the most evident consequence of underage drinking is drunk driving, and this alone should be incentive enough to campaign against young people drinking. 

YouTube Video Contest

One group that has created strategic efforts to curb underage drinking, especially during this prom season, is SoBe Sober. This alcohol prevention organization has partnered with schools in Florida to educate students about the dangers of underage drinking. 

SoBe Sober got kids excited this year by holding a video contest with cash prizes. The videos had to be entertaining or catchy, but also needed to give facts about the illicit use of alcohol among young people. Five finalists have been chosen, and the public can now vote on their favorites until April 27^th. Go to www.youtube.com/dfyitclub to see videos or to vote. 

Sober Proms

SoBe Sober, like other organizations, has campaigned to many youth and their parents during this season of proms, graduations, and alcohol awareness month. Included in the information handed out or mailed to students are tips for staying safe, and how to avoid alcohol during prom and graduation parties. Students are asked to sign a promise saying they will stay away from drugs and alcohol their entire prom night. This group will also send representatives to attend proms and hand out breathalyzer key chains to students. 

There is definitely strength in numbers. Students that are pressured to try alcohol or drugs will have a hard time saying no if they feel all alone in the fight. But kids that are educated ahead of time and realize that they are just experiencing what many have already experienced and overcome, are more likely to stand up for what they believe in. A group of students is more powerful in taking a stand than one. Programs like SoBe Sober understand this and work to gather groups of students even at events like prom where others will see them and be positively influenced. 

SourcesYouTube Contest Challenges Teens to Take a Closer Look at Binge Drinkinghttp://www.youtube.com/dfyitclub#p/a/457032DFE5D5C0EE/0/eKMn1SALPl4 

YouTube SoBe Sober 

SoBe Sober 

Does anyone really want to have to participate in an intervention with a family member? It’s usually a very hard thing for people to do, because we feel like we will upset the person, or make them feel bad, or drive a deeper wedge between us. Or maybe we are so frustrated and resentful of the person that we don’t even want to take the time to tell them that we do care about them. Many people think interventions are full of confrontation and accusations, with everyone in the family ganged up against the one. We’ve all envisioned them in our heads before – the time to let loose and tell the person how we really feel about them, how angry they make us, and what they need to do to make it better. It doesn’t really sound like fun.

But well-planned interventions are designed to be a benefit to both the alcoholic and their family. With the help of a professional, interventions can be organized, controlled, and enlightening.

Goal

The goal of an intervention is to help the alcoholic see the effects their drinking has on others, that they have a problems with alcohol, and that treatment is necessary. It should never be done to attack the person, or get them back. Blaming a person or making them feel bad is not a way to make ourselves feel better. Family therapy is designed to help family members that feel cheated or wronged by the alcoholism – it should not be handled at the intervention.

Getting it out in the Open

An intervention should bring together the close family and friends of the person that have been impacted by the person’s drinking, or that firmly believe it is in the person’s best interest to seek treatment. The professional that is coordinating the intervention may ask everyone to write down their feelings in a letter to the person, laying out concrete examples of why they feel the way they do. These letters may be read at the intervention, or they may help prepare the family members for speaking out at the intervention.

At the intervention, family members will have the chance to say what they’ve prepared and let the person know that they care about them and are concerned. The professional will be there to moderate and make sure things continue to move along without getting too caught up in finger pointing.

The result of the intervention will hopefully be that the alcoholic agrees to get help for their disease. The family should have treatment options lined up already, so once the person agrees to it, they can quickly be admitted to a facility that will give them the help and support they need to regain sobriety.

Sources

Intervention

Alcohol-Related Problems: Recognition and Intervention

How To Do an Intervention for an Alcoholic

Some people still think they can’t have any fun without alcohol. During Alcohol Awareness month, it is a good time to offer fun, fulfilling activities that don’t involve alcohol. Many groups have been working on new and interesting outings and events to let people know that alcohol doesn’t necessarily mean more fun. Alcohol Awareness month helps educate people about the risks of alcohol abuse, gives motivation to drink less, and gives people tools to improve their lifestyles.

Young people especially use alcohol to have fun. Go to a majority of college parties, and you’ll probably see drinking games. April and May also make up prom season. Everyone knows that prom goes hand in hand with drinking, and often with drunk driving. One-third of all alcohol-related traffic fatalities involving teens occur during prom season.

Alcohol Awareness Activities

But this month is all about finding other ways to have a good time, without the alcohol. Some high schools are organizing events to keep kids safe this year. A “sober contract” is being drawn up at many schools for students to sign, pledging to not drink alcohol during the prom season. Other schools actually test students with a breathalyzer before letting them into the prom.

Colleges are also amping up their awareness of alcohol abuse among students. Giving college students other options for having fun may help curb underage or binge drinking.  Some colleges will promote alcohol free parties or events throughout campus.

Other groups are creating awareness through attention grabbers. Displaying a smashed up car that was in a fatal alcohol-related accident can really make someone stop and think. So can listening to a lecture by a mom who lost her daughter and granddaughter because a four time offending drunk driver hit their car and killed them. Or maybe hearing the personal story of a recovering alcoholic’s journey will make others think about their own drinking.

Not all drinking is wrong or harmful. But we need to be careful about how much we drink, when we do it, and why we do it. Too much, too often can quickly lead to negative consequences or addiction.

As we continue to learn about the use and misuse of alcohol this month, we should take the time to experience the completeness of life without alcohol. Many organizations are out there that promote “dry fun”. Check out community bulletin boards like http://nondrinker.meetup.com/ to find social activities that don’t involve alcohol. Coffee groups, beach walks, sporting events, dances, picnics, and plenty more can be enjoyed with old or new friends without the negatives that come with alcohol.

Sources 

What Every Alcohol Education Program Should Teach Students

Alcohol Awareness: Keeping Prom Night Safe

Nondrinker Meetup