Our blog is moderated occasionally and posteriorly. Moderators are volunteers. Internet users posting comments on this blog should not be considered as health professionals.
Complementarity
Comments posted on this Blog should be designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her existing physician.
Confidentiality
We remind you that everyone can read and use your comments. You do not have the possibility to erase your own comments.
Comments
Internets users commenting on my blog must behave with respect and honesty at all times.
Internet users may not post any commercial/advertising comment.
Internet users commenting on my blog must post information which are true and correct to their knowledge. We invite you to provide resources (references, links, ...) on health/medical claims when possible and relevant.
Moderators Reserve the right to erase, without notification, any comment they would judge inappropriate.
Steve Miranda is Treatment Solutions Network’s Director of Special Projects, Steve recently retired from the Massachusetts Department of Corrections where he spent 22 years of his life pioneering new programs and saving lives as the Director of their Employee Assistance Program (EAP). That program services 5,200 employees, family members and retirees. As a loyal member of the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union (MCOFU), Steve understands the needs of people who are affected by addiction. Steve is also passionate about helping others. Feel free to contact him anytime if you have any questions or know someone who may need help with an addiction problem. You may contact him at stevem @ tsnemail.com or by phone at (508) 525-5974.
Let me start by saying that I love my line of work, but if I hadn’t lost my own brother to addiction, I’m not positive that I would have been this passionate about not only helping addicts, but also helping their families. I currently work for Treatment Solutions Network, who in my opinion has the absolute best approach to working with addiction in the workplace and addiction period. I feel confident saying this because I’ve worked in this field for many years and seen firsthand how to lead addicts along a better path and unfortunately, I’ve also seen companies lead addicts right out the door without even a chance. Treatment Solutions Network fights for every individual to get well, which is why I wanted to become part of their team.
Now, I wouldn’t talk the talk if I personally hadn’t walked the walk. For the past 22 years I was posted up at the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, where I was fortunate enough to be the Director of their Employee Assistance Program (EAP). While in that position, my team serviced over 5,200 employees, family members and retirees so I learned a thing or two about addiction along the way. In fact, I dealt head-on with virtually every setback scenario you could imagine like drugs, alcohol, financial, post trauma, marital, and so on.
I am proud to say that our team was very successful at what we did and the simple reason our EAP resources were so effective was because we made it as simple as possible for the employee and their families. We did our best to be a one-stop shop, which in essence meant that when you came to us with a situation, we weren’t going to send you out the door with a bunch of homework, we were going to assess your particular situation and find a solution for you and your family. This obviously made the situation a great deal more bearable for the individual and their family, but also, the employer saved time, stress and money. An EAP is generally a peer-elected post for just that reason, you need to be a conduit between the problem and the solution for both the employer and employee. It is a fine line but one that must be done with pride and respect.
It was during this time when I had the good fortune to work with Treatment Solutions Network and see that their organization had the same goal as my EAP team, just on a much grander scale. Treatment Solutions Network is the ultimate one stop shop and has saved countless lives as a result. One of the most difficult situations for an EAP to face is working with Public Safety Officers struggling with addiction. These officers have a career built on public perception and are far less likely to ask for help than your average employee. Treatment Solutions Network is comprised of former officials and Public Safety Officers who have been humbled by personal hurdles in the past and are now in a position to apply their unique wisdom and experience to people in need of help. When I saw how members of the Treatment Solutions team were able to take the one stop shop notion to a level I never imagined and apply multiple services beyond drug and alcohol treatment, but stress, counseling, family therapy, and mental health to name a few, I knew I wanted to be part of their team.
The Treatment Solutions team is built with the finest union and business leadership from the workforce and a network of the absolute best resources available in the addiction and recovery industry. It only takes one call and not only will you have a solution, but also you’ll have the best possible solution for your specific need and equally important, the needs of your family. This is the finest team I’ve had the good fortune to be a part of and while I personally lost a family member to the disease of addiction, along with Treatment Solutions, I have been able to keep countless families alive and together.
Recently, I had an opportunity to sit down with one of the most dynamic and groundbreaking individuals the recovery community has ever known. He is a Lieutenant on the Boston Fire Department and co-ordinates their Employee Assistance Program, his name is Willy Ostiguy and for those who don’t know, he is an E.A.P. pioneer with over 30 years of experience and most recently, Lt. Ostiguy has been the driving force behind a recovery high school movement that is profoundly changing lives as you read this.
While it would take an eternity to describe what makes Lt. Ostiguy such an impressive individual, hopefully the interview below will give you a glimpse into his profound life and his even more powerful life’s work.
JA: How did you find this path Willy – more specifically, you have spent a huge portion of your life helping others, what is your inspiration?
WO: Basically, it was when I first got into recovery forty years ago, then it trickled over to the Boston Fire Department, then it trickled over to the community, then the board of Gavin House, the recovery high school, etc.
JA: You are a legend in Boston in have been the recipient of many awards like the Shamrock/James Kelly Award, the Joe Walsh Community Service Award, the John Hennessey Labor Award, the Distinguished Service Award from the Boston Fire Department, the M.A.A.D.A.C. Service Award for helping create the Recovery High Schools in Massachusetts and now the Fred R. French Award for Excellence. How do you stay so humble?
WO: Well, I have a program that teaches me – I don’t want to get so caught up in all of this. It’s a gift and I should be helping others. I need to stay the right size – I don’t need anything to blow my head up any bigger than it is already. (An unmistakable smile fills Willy’s face)
JA: You always seem so confident – does anything make you nervous… like acceptance speeches?
WO: I get nervous, but usually it’s internal so it doesn’t appear like I am, but anybody in these positions would be nervous accepting an award.
JA: After working as a pioneer in the E.A.P. community for nearly 30 years, would you say that the role of E.A.Ps and their ability to be helpful is constantly improving? Or are there still a significant number of employers out there who don’t recognize their value?
WO: I think there is still a big part of employers out there who need to recognize the value of the Employee Assistance Program. I think there are still too many sick people in the workforce who need help. If they (the employer) doesn’t recognize it and get them (the employee) help, the employee is not going to be productive; you know they are not going to be happy or have a good life. It will just trickle over to their whole life.
JA: Too many places don’t provide an E.A.P. service…
WO: Too many places don’t, they don’t recognize it. You know a lot of people, as far as E.A.Ps, have come a long way, but some people still think it’s very much a moral issue, and that depends on where they are coming from. A lot of employers, they will have a paper E.A.P. program, they do it because the Federal Government tells them they have to do it. There is really no substance to it, you know. If you are not getting hands on with people that work for you, you’re not much of an employer. Hopefully all employers will base their E.A.P. on rehabilitation, not termination. Like any disease, the individual should be allowed to get help/rehabilitation.
JA: Does it frustrate you that even in this day and age some people do not accept alcoholism and drug addiction as a disease?
WO: It does frustrate me. I understand it to a degree, but by the same token, if they look at alcoholism, look at drug addiction and if they look what’s happened over the past 30 years with the drug testing and all of the treatment laws that have been implemented, because of substance abuse… to not recognize it? That’s ridiculous.
JA: You have been a pivotal figure on many boards and a true recovery pioneer – what are your top priorities for the recovery community in the near future?
WO: I am going to continue to try and make a difference in how substance abuse is viewed in the community, the workplace, and try to get people the treatment they need for their substance abuse problems. We have three established recovery high schools in Massachusetts; there are other communities now who want the recovery high schools in their area. My feelings are that we should be giving these kids the opportunity to stay straight and get an education. Without an education, and a substance abuse problem… you are doomed! You know these schools give them a setting where they feel safe, and give them an education. We found that 90% of kids, who relapsed, relapsed in their current high schools. That’s where they got whatever substances they were using, all their friends were using (peer pressure). It would be like putting you in treatment for alcoholism and then locking you in a bar and seeing how long you would last before you picked up a drink.
JA: How does it feel to have a school named after you?
WO: That’s a humbling experience too, because of Senator Steve Tolman and Rep. Brian Wallace the recovery high school in Boston is named the William J. Ostiguy Recovery High School, (Yahoo!) (There’s that smile again) you know the concept finally was adapted. I went with Senator Steve Tolman to Minnesota and we brought back the recovery high school concept. Minnesota has 10 sober high schools with over 600 students. It took us about two years for it to be accepted. Everyone thought it was a great idea, but no one wanted to fund it. This is the fifth year for recovery high school in Massachusetts. So we have kids who have graduated. We just had a young lady who got a full ride to Providence College, who was bouncing in and out of the court system because of her substance abuse problem. She is a bright young lady. 90% of the kids graduated from the recovery high school and 50% go on to higher education. So it is a simple concept, and it is working.
JA: Tell me more about the school with the greatest name ever?
WO: The recovery high schools in Massachusetts are all run a little different., the recovery high schools are run differently state by state, what we did in Massachusetts, again because of Senator Steve Tolman and then Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey is that the state government gave each school 2.5 million as startup for the project and now that the five years are up, they will fund it again. We used Boston Teacher’s Union teachers. The kids that come in are usually referred by the courts, the families, P.Y.S. and a lot of different systems. They are starting in the justice system; they cost the system a lot of money you know. They come to the school and they are evaluated. They have to have a substance abuse problem/diagnosis. They come with their families to be interviewed for the recovery high school. We want family input, we don’t want just the child and we don’t want to be counterproductive. Some kids unfortunately are in settings where the parents have just as many problems as them. We need to see what the family dynamics are.
JA: Any chance of expanding, franchising the schools?
WO: Actually, its funny you should say that. Senator Tolman and I just went down to talk to Senator Steve Tassoni in RI, he took the time out of his busy day and we laid the ground work for a RHS in RI. They want to have a couple of RHS in Rhode Island. We have been working with, believe it or not, New York. New York is one of the few states that do not have a recovery high school. You would think that with just the volume of people they would have it but they do not. You know I would like to see it in every State.
JA: The track record alone of the success speaks for itself.
WO: The people I know in recovery, myself included; I went to school with 2400 boys and you could have taken 400 at any given time who were completely out of control. That doesn’t mean we could not function; it just means we were out of control and I could have used a school like that. Whether I recognized it at that time is a different story, but there are a lot of kids that, I mean most of the people in jail, have substance abuse issues. What we saw was a lot of the young boys were starting out in the penal system and the young girls were becoming single moms – it was the beginning of the end for them. Their lives were over before they could even start… bright, young people. It’s a tragedy. If you look at the bigger picture of the system, someone told me and I can’t remember the stat right now, but untreated alcoholism over a lifetime costs society 1.2 million dollars each. This concept from an economic standpoint is great, it’s simple and that’s why it’s catching on.
JA: Where can people find out more about your organization and the projects you are involved with?
WO: Sure, well you can check out a web page about the high school, as well as get the brochure online.
WO: When we were doing research there were 76,000 kids (age 14-18) in Massachusetts, who had substance abuse issues. Out of them only 16,000 got treatment. That leaves 60,000 who were left untreated and of the ones who did get treatment, 90% relapsed. It’s a very difficult population to treat, but the more options they have, the better their chances of early recovery.
JA: Do you feel that the younger generation, adolescents, teens from a personal and professional perspective, do you believe that it’s a lot harder for them to find the right level of care?
WO: I do. I think we have made progress with adolescent programs, but we need a tremendous amount more. I’m involved with the Gavin Foundation, which has an adolescent program (Cushing House) for girls and boys. We have a six week waiting list. There are probably a half dozen adolescent treatment programs in Massachusetts. With the numbers I gave you before, that is ridiculous. You know so there is a need to make progress.
JA: One would think with such a demand, more people’s eyes would be open to this kind of solution. The numbers don’t lie…
WO: As a parent, if you’re not involved, your child is not involved; if your child is abusing substances now it’s an emergency. You need to have healthy conversations so your interaction does not come between jail cells… It’s a population that a lot of people don’t want to address due to the low success.
JA: Thanks Willy, any final mentions?
WO: Thanks to Treatment Solutions Network – every time one of our people gets services from them, whether it’s a wife, husband, child or adolescent, there is progress. Every time I pick up the phone I get someone who I have a great relationship with, particularly Mike Blackburn, Jim Bevell and Juan Lesende.
Thank you very much Willy, congratulations, and good luck!
As we all sit back and watch the various layers of the U.S. war effort unfold, it is hard enough for us to conceptually grasp the level of loss and violent despair unfolding each minute for our troops in the middle east. Even for family members of soldiers, who risk their lives daily, they may have a different perspective on the madness, but nothing can or will ever compare to the horror each individual soldier experiences.
The reason I bring this up is to shed a little light on a situation we are all facing that is certain to explode like a hidden IED, tripped by an unsuspecting soldier. Four letters we’ve all heard before but you better be ready for since they are about to change the world we live in…PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a bomb being constructed in the middle east as you read this and will be triggered to explode gradually over the next 20 years. Believe me, if you think I’m being dramatic, watch the approaching explosion and think back to this post if you survive it.
Visit http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/fslist-ptsd-overview.asp for a peek at what we will all be faced with but when you’re reading this, remember that only recently has the the U.S. Military’s powers-that-be begun to recognize the the fact that PTSD exists…that is pathetic and unacceptable. While it is wonderful that it is finally being given credibility, the resources set aside for treatment is a pittance compared to what will be needed. Ironically, each returning veteran will have a ticking PTSD IED inside each one of them that can ‘go off’ at any second. Whether an acute PTSD reaction occurs on the street, at work, at school, at church or at home, you can bet your ass that if WE ALL aren’t equipped with a basic understanding of how to deal with it, we will be suffering as a society for generations to come.
Sadly, PTSD cannot be treated like other behavioral disorders and daily we hear reports of treatment facilities failing patients and their families on a daily basis by attempting to treat PTSD along with other behaviorally impaired patients…THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE!!!! These individuals and their families need specialized treatments with professionals specifically trained to deal with PTSD. Do the math, with the numbers of returning veterans, we are in for a shit-storm if we don’t get a handle on this thing and the government has its hands full.
That is why I’ve assembled a team at TSN, who has created a program called HEROES WELCOME. I will share more about the specifics in the next few weeks but in essence, we are assembling the best PTSD experts and centers on the planet and offering treatment for both the victim and their family. As a society and a field, we have a unique opportunity to learn from the past (Viet Nam) and truly help diffuse a generational bomb. This is not a bullshit sticker on a bumper, this is a way for us all to actually support our troops and save our own society.
This is the seed and you are all aware that TSN is growing a solution so don’t pretend you haven’t been informed. If you are interested in learning more or have something to offer, contact Jed Wallace for details since he will be coordinating the effort on my behalf. I encourage you to do some serious research and soul searching – be a part of HEROES WELCOME and do your part to support the veterans that have given their lives, limbs and personalities to protect our freedom…now it is our turn!
Here at Treatment Solutions Network we have very strong ties to those who serve our communities, protecting and serving day in and day out. We are proud of these men and women and have a particular affinity for the Boston Fire Department. We were very happy when one of our friends forwarded us this video detailing the service of Boston Fire. Enjoy!
To learn more about our involvement and commitment to help those who serve us please check out our testimonials page by clicking here.
For the past fourteen years, I have been attending the Labor Assistance Professionals annual conference. This is an opportunity for many internal members and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) staff to get together to share their experience and wisdom, but most importantly, solidarity! Last week, I attended my sixteenth Conference.
For LAP background information (ex. New York City chapter was the foundation/founders of the Labor Assistance Professionals in 1991) and reference, you might want to check out their website (http://www.laborassistanceprofessionals.com)…has some nice historical information as well as a mission statement.
When I was first introduced to the New York (and later) Boston membership, I knew this was an organization I wanted to be part of, not only because their mission statement is right on, but because of the caring, concerning people who will do anything to help one of their members or their family! Recovery is such an important piece of the equation with all the “brothers and sisters” who participate yearly in this conference.
Let me share with you a personal experience and why I am so passionate about this organization. In 2001, I was sent to New York City to assist the FDNY during 9/11. The members of a certain firehouse had taken a terrible blow; losing six of their “brothers” in the attack. I spent a good deal of time discussing the horrible situation with the Fire Captain and the impact it was having on his crew. The Captain of house had already performed a needs assessment and related to me the emotional burden of the grieving families and how important it was, historically, for the firehouse to help the families of a member who were killed in line of duty. That being realized, the Captain explained if I really wanted to help their firehouse, their crew and their families, “get me a bus to bring all families to funerals”. Through my friends in Labor Assistance Professionals, I contacted the NYC Transport Workers Union and explained my challenge to Ted Mapes, the union MAP (Materials Approval Process) coordinator. Realizing that this was a time of desperate need, without any hesitation, Ted provided that firehouse with a City bus and driver to assist all the families of the fallen firefighters. Just like that!
Through our “brothers and sisters” in Labor Assistance Professionals, we have connections in just about every city and town in America. Whatever is needed (getting someone into treatment, providing transportation to and from meetings, detox centers, hospitals, etc.) …they are always there to help.
To all, I say “THANK YOU” for the opportunity to belong and rejuvenate!
Anyone who isn’t familiar with Diane Schuler at this point is either trying to avoid current events or is as oblivious as her husband. To bring everyone up to speed, Diane Schuler is the 36 year-old business executive who at 1:30 PM on July 26th 2009, drove 1.7 miles in the wrong direction on a curvy highway before slamming into an S.U.V., killing its three passengers, as well as herself, her 2-year-old daughter and her three young nieces. She had a blood-alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit and tested overwhelmingly positive for Marijuana. Her husband, Daniel Schuler, is a security guard paid to be a professional observer, however, he is publicly stating that he has never seen his wife drunk.
While this situation is beyond horrific, it has all the elements that makeup a perfect alcoholic tragedy. It has been said on the record that Diane Schuler had over 15 ounces of undigested vodka in her system, a vodka bottle in the car, a head full of marijuana and behavioral issues, and a minivan filled with kids…that alone is a recipe for disaster. Throw in a husband who is either one of the most profound enablers of all time or the denial world champion and early death is no longer a recipe, it is a certainty.
Mr. Schuler is being skewered by the media as practically an accessory to murder – that won’t ever change. He was charged with a DUI in 1995 so the thought that one alcoholic could live with another alcoholic capable of consuming the volume of Vodka Diane Schuler did before she drove with innocent children, is pretty far-fetched. Regardless, if Mr. Schuler was aware of her consumption and let her get behind the wheel of a car that would destroy countless lives, then he is indeed an accomplice. I know there are people who will read this and say: how can you say Mr. Schuler was an alcoholic based on one DUI? Let me explain something to anyone still deluding themselves with the notion that he might not be, if you are an adult who has consumed enough alcohol to impair your judgment to the point where you think driving is ok…you better hit a meeting.
The point of sharing this story with all of you is not what you might think. Sure, it is a cautionary tale about the dangers of alcoholism and the enablers that help it incubate, but this is something far more eye-opening, this is one of the purest examples of how poorly equipped people are with the knowledge necessary to recognize and alter a potentially disastrous situation. This is a story about accountability and I’m afraid that number of people that allowed this tragedy to unfold is pretty far reaching. Is her husband still fostering his own disease and chose to look the other way? Did her employer or coworkers know she had a problem and not intervene? Is there nobody in this woman’s life that who saw what she was and where she was heading? The fact is, people have a responsibility to report and they need to be educated and empowered with the tools to do so properly. This isn’t snitching, this is saving lives and more often than not, they are the lives of the innocent.
If a fraction of the money spent on imprisoning non-violent, drug and alcohol related convicts, we could establish a system of checks and balances that arms citizens with the tools necessary to report questionable behavior and prevent tragedy. Reward them for their insight and save lives. Beyond employer involvement, which is getting better, let’s introduce an anonymous reporting system that is well defined and implemented at the student level. Preemptive measures need to be taken, and quickly. If one person had stepped up and reported Mrs. Schuler’s behavior, there would be 8 fewer caskets in the ground today.
It’s time to stop thinking after the fact. I think the saying goes…”an ounce of prevention is better than fifteen ounces of undigested alcohol in a dead woman’s stomach”.
It will come as no great surprise that we at TSN have a vested interest in Healthcare Reform. Beyond our company-wide involvement in the movement of the Parity Act and successfully leveraging fair and equal treatment from insurance companies for issues of mental health and substance abuse, I personally went to Washington, D.C. to lobby congress for passage of that bill.
Needless to say, I have been watching closely as President Obama has been pushing his health care reform and my thoughts on it and his approach can be derived from his behavior at his most recent press conference. At the end of the press conference he was asked about the incident in Cambridge involving the professor and local police. While the incident itself was unfortunate from any perspective, his ‘off the cuff’ reaction may be a good indication of how he operates. He started off by saying (I am paraphrasing) something to the effect I don’t have all the facts here BUT; he then followed with his now infamous line about the Cambridge Police acting “stupidly”. I hope I speak for everyone when I say that I want anyone with access to “the button”, to stop at I don’t have all the facts and stop right there before firing off some incendiary response or reaction. To add fuel to a smoldering fire, recently in a chat with several liberal bloggers, the President openly admitted to not knowing everything in the bill he is pushing so hard for. I am starting to believe our President may be a “shoot first, ask questions later” kind of guy.
I supported Obama, in large part, based on his campaign stance, when he voiced his concerns with socialized medicine and did not agree with taxing healthcare benefits, which if you remember, was actually John McCain’s platform during the election. The fact is, I haven’t had time to thoroughly review the proposed legislation to say whether I agree or not. The sad part is – neither has our President by his own admission. President Obama says he is pushing for all the uninsured people, who he has heard horror stories from. 5 years ago I was admitted to the hospital through the ER; at the time I had a lapse in insurance coverage and was uninsured. It was determined that I needed emergency open heart surgery to replace two valves. I had the surgery and they saved my life. Maybe I was just lucky, but I believe there are others with similar stories, who we don’t hear about. Our last President slammed through legislation by using fear tactics and intimidation. What we got was the Patriot Act and what we lost were many of our Freedoms, which were provided under the Bill of Rights – put in place by our founding fathers. Now, we are faced with another major change to our country’s basic foundation, and it looks and smells like the same tactics are being used. I feel it is time we all slowed down a bit and took a hard look at what we are doing. I have friends from the UK, friends who grew up in Cuba and have been to Canada many times, I can tell you that from my conversations with them and the people of Canada, these types of socialized medicine schemes don’t end well. You ultimately end up with those who can afford it getting adequate healthcare through private systems and the majority getting substandard care through an overburdened public system.
This brings about the complete annihilation of the middle class and divides the society into haves and have not’s. I am not saying healthcare does not need reform, but I am saying that it is not something we need to rush into until we do indeed have all of the facts. If President Obama would have practiced this principal before making his comments about the Cambridge police, he wouldn’t be eating crow and doing quite as much backpedaling. I am afraid if we pass this legislation, it will not be as easy to correct the miscues as say, going on CNN and saying, “whoops my bad”. I think we all need to stop paying so much attention to Jacko and start paying attention to things that really matter. Maybe if we would have done that 8 years ago a lot of young men who died in Iraq would still be alive today.
It will come as no great surprise that we at TSN have a vested interest in Healthcare Reform. Beyond our company-wide involvement in the movement of the Parity Act and successfully leveraging fair and equal treatment from insurance companies for issues of mental health and substance abuse, I personally went to Washington, D.C. to lobby congress for passage of that bill.
Needless to say, I have been watching closely as President Obama has been pushing his health care reform and my thoughts on it and his approach can be derived from his behavior at his most recent press conference. At the end of the press conference he was asked about the incident in Cambridge involving the professor and local police. While the incident itself was unfortunate from any perspective, his ‘off the cuff’ reaction may be a good indication of how he operates. He started off by saying (I am paraphrasing) something to the effect I don’t have all the facts here BUT; he then followed with his now infamous line about the Cambridge Police acting “stupidly”. I hope I speak for everyone when I say that I want anyone with access to “the button”, to stop at I don’t have all the facts and stop right there before firing off some incendiary response or reaction. To add fuel to a smoldering fire, recently in a chat with several liberal bloggers, the President openly admitted to not knowing everything in the bill he is pushing so hard for. I am starting to believe our President may be a “shoot first, ask questions later” kind of guy.
I supported Obama, in large part, based on his campaign stance, when he voiced his concerns with socialized medicine and did not agree with taxing healthcare benefits, which if you remember, was actually John McCain’s platform during the election. The fact is, I haven’t had time to thoroughly review the proposed legislation to say whether I agree or not. The sad part is – neither has our President by his own admission. President Obama says he is pushing for all the uninsured people, who he has heard horror stories from. 5 years ago I was admitted to the hospital through the ER; at the time I had a lapse in insurance coverage and was uninsured. It was determined that I needed emergency open heart surgery to replace two valves. I had the surgery and they saved my life. Maybe I was just lucky, but I believe there are others with similar stories, who we don’t hear about. Our last President slammed through legislation by using fear tactics and intimidation. What we got was the Patriot Act and what we lost were many of our Freedoms, which were provided under the Bill of Rights – put in place by our founding fathers. Now, we are faced with another major change to our country’s basic foundation, and it looks and smells like the same tactics are being used. I feel it is time we all slowed down a bit and took a hard look at what we are doing. I have friends from the UK, friends who grew up in Cuba and have been to Canada many times, I can tell you that from my conversations with them and the people of Canada, these types of socialized medicine schemes don’t end well. You ultimately end up with those who can afford it getting adequate healthcare through private systems and the majority getting substandard care through an overburdened public system.
This brings about the complete annihilation of the middle class and divides the society into haves and have not’s. I am not saying healthcare does not need reform, but I am saying that it is not something we need to rush into until we do indeed have all of the facts. If President Obama would have practiced this principal before making his comments about the Cambridge police, he wouldn’t be eating crow and doing quite as much backpedaling. I am afraid if we pass this legislation, it will not be as easy to correct the miscues as say, going on CNN and saying, “whoops my bad”. I think we all need to stop paying so much attention to Jacko and start paying attention to things that really matter. Maybe if we would have done that 8 years ago a lot of young men who died in Iraq would still be alive today.
The U.S. army has come under attack lately because of its apparent soft attitude toward substance abusers. In a memo to USA Today by General Peter Chiarelli, the Army vice chief of staff, Chiarelli reported that hundreds of soldiers have tested positive for substance abuse without any consequences or drug rehab help being given to those soldiers.
In a world today where many young Americans are joining the armed forces and serving to protect our country, it is alarming to think of the future that waits for them. Not only do these troops face leaving their families and going into combat for our country, but now they are at an increased risk of substance abuse and also suicide.
Failure to Handle a Problem
According to Chiarelli, many of the soldiers suffering from substance abuse weren’t discharged, possibly because of the desire to keep as many combat troops active as possible. In some of these cases, soldiers have tested positive numerous times without any action being taken. These individuals weren’t even referred to the Army Substance Abuse Program to get help. Many people, after hearing the report, are saddened by the apparent attitude that it is more important to keep a soldier in active duty than to worry about getting them help for substance abuse.
A Rising Problem of Substance Abuse in the Military
The number of substance-abusing soldiers has increased by 25% in recent years. The number of suicides also has greatly increased. In 2008 there were 142 suspected suicides, and already in January of 2009 more soldiers had killed themselves than were killed in combat. These statistics are alarming, and may be due to a number of factors: more soldiers have been deployed after shorter periods in recent years, and the long war may also add to troops’ frustration.
Being a Soldier is A Tough Job
Members of our armed services today have a very difficult task. They face long, grueling drills and training, months of being away from family, and always the possibility of being deployed to combat. It might be a failed relationship back home that pushes them over the edge, or money or legal issues, or the overwhelming thought of jumping back into life when they get back that add to the stress. Another factor that some are beginning to look into is the amount of sleep that many soldiers get. Long hours, stress, uncomfortable conditions, and combat itself all deprive our soldiers of sleep. Sleep has been shown to be vital to both physical and mental health.
Help for Soldiers
The good news is that this issue has come into the public eye, and officials are committed to correcting this problem. There is the Army Substance Abuse Program, which works to provide soldiers with education, prevention, and training programs to help with substance abuse. Others are working to educate and to help soldiers cope with feelings of suicide. It is important for our country to do everything possible to provide our soldiers with the help and resources they need.
April is Alcohol Awareness Month. Every year at this time we take a few weeks to consider the affects of alcohol and alcoholism in our country. Alcohol is one substance that can affect every age group and every demographic of people in some way. There are countless organizations and facilities that work to help people overcome alcoholism, and many support groups that help people deal with their loved ones’ alcoholism.
Risks for Alcohol Abusers
Alcohol abuse is serious anytime it occurs, but there are some individuals that often put themselves or others at risk because of their drinking.
· College students often binge drink when they go out partying, often risking alcohol poisoning or alcohol related crimes on those nights.
· Those that choose to drink and drive put not only themselves at risk, but all the other motorists they get near.
· Pregnant women endanger their own child if they drink, increasing the risk of mental, behavioral, and physical disabilities of the fetus that is exposed to alcohol.
· Senior citizens that are lonely may soothe themselves with alcohol, risking heart problems and complications with medications.
· Middle age men and women may be long-time alcoholics that struggle to keep a job, and may put their kids and spouses at risk because of abuse at home.
Help for Alcoholics
There is help out there, even for the most serious alcoholics. It might not be easy for an alcoholic to admit they have a problem that they can’t handle, and sometimes it takes a loving family member to arrange for an intervention or help. Once the individual struggling with alcoholism is ready to get help, it will take time to rid their body of the dependence on alcohol. Then, counseling is important to help them get ready to return to every day life. It may also take weekly support group meetings to keep some people free from alcohol for life. But it can be done, and many people have done it. It just takes a good treatment facility and a good attitude to overcoming the addiction.
Help for Families
Those that live with alcoholics and alcohol abusers have daily struggles also. It is terrifying to be the child of an alcoholic because these kids never know if they are going to get beat up or screamed at because their parent is drunk. Parents of college students may watch their kids throw their schooling and future away by abusing alcohol. Spouses see their relationship die out as their loved one constantly turns to alcohol. Groups like Al-anon or al-ateen are great resources for these kinds of families of alcoholics.
These loved ones are the people that most often seek help for alcoholism. Many times it takes the love and knowledge of family to encourage their loved one to enter treatment. It is important to get help as soon as a problem has been identified. Asking for help is the first step to recovery.
One problem that occurs when many researchers study one topic in different ways over time is that the results can often be confusing, or contradict each other. It is hard to deny results when a study clearly lays them out. But conflicting points of view leaves the rest of us wondering who to trust and what knowledge is correct. The world of science is constantly growing and changing, and what was once believed to be truth is often disproven through later studies.
The same goes for research about substance abuse and alcoholism. Scientists are eagerly looking for new information that will aid in the treatment of addiction and why addiction happens in the first place. Other researchers spend time determining the effects of things like drugs and alcohol on the human body.
Million Women Study
A new study done in the United Kingdom on 1.2 million women concluded that women that drank at least one alcoholic beverage a day had a higher risk of certain forms of cancer than those that rarely or never drank. The Million Women Study, which lasted 7 years, followed the women’s alcohol intake and also recorded those that were diagnosed with cancer. These researchers concluded that almost 13% of cancer of the liver and rectal and breast cancer may have been caused by alcohol. They also state that the type of alcohol: beer, wine, or mixed drinks, doesn’t change the outcome when cancer is concerned. Researchers are not clear about why there may be a link between alcohol consumption and cancer, but it may have to do with estrogen levels that are raised with alcohol intake.
While this study was very large and thorough with the numbers, there are those people that are left wondering about the results. Some believe that other factors, such as what else the subjects were doing to take care of (or harm) their health should be considered. We aren’t told whether or not the women were overweight, or ate healthy foods, or exercised. What if those women that drink alcohol regularly are less likely to take care of their health in general?
With so many questions, there will likely be more research done on this topic before recommendations are made to the public. In the meantime, we might have to wait and wonder what good or harm alcohol actually does to our bodies. It is still widely thought that a glass of wine a day can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. But possibly the best advice is to do everything in moderation. If a woman can limit her alcohol consumption to a drink or less per day, experts do agree that she will be more likely to see benefits from this than binge drinking.
Print This Page
For the past fourteen years, I have been attending the Labor Assistance Professionals annual conference. This is an opportunity for many internal members and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) staff to get together to share their experience and wisdom, but most importantly, solidarity! Last week, I attended my sixteenth Conference.
Anyone who isn’t familiar with Diane Schuler at this point is either trying to avoid current events or is as oblivious as her husband. To bring everyone up to speed, Diane Schuler is the 36 year-old business executive who at 1:30 PM on July 26th 2009, drove 1.7 miles in the wrong direction on a curvy highway before slamming into an S.U.V., killing its three passengers, as well as herself, her 2-year-old daughter and her three young nieces. She had a blood-alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit and tested overwhelmingly positive for Marijuana. Her husband, Daniel Schuler, is a security guard paid to be a professional observer, however, he is publicly stating that he has never seen his wife drunk.
The U.S. army has come under attack lately because of its apparent soft attitude toward substance abusers. In a memo to USA Today by General Peter Chiarelli, the Army vice chief of staff, Chiarelli reported that hundreds of soldiers have tested positive for substance abuse without any consequences or 
One problem that occurs when many researchers study one topic in different ways over time is that the results can often be confusing, or contradict each other. It is hard to deny results when a study clearly lays them out. But conflicting points of view leaves the rest of us wondering who to trust and what knowledge is correct. The world of science is constantly growing and changing, and what was once believed to be truth is often disproven through later studies.
