Alcohol awareness month
Bev Cress, MS
Originally published 12:32 p.m., April 1, 2008
Updated 12:32 p.m., April 1, 2008
When you think of alcohol abuse, what pops into your head? A teenager sneaking a drink at a surreptitious party? A bum on skid row? A “town drunk”? It may surprise you to know that, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2003 approximately 21.6 million American adults abused alcohol or were dependent upon alcohol.
And those who abuse alcohol are not neatly confined to our stereotypical ideas of who they may be. People who abuse alcohol can come from any socio-economic, racial, age, or gender group. S/he could be a college student who binge drinks at the local bar. S/he could be an elderly neighbor who drinks to dull the pain of loneliness. S/he could be a professional who drinks after a long day of work.
Each individual makes the personal choice whether or not to use alcohol. This choice may be made as a middle-school student, as a high-school student, or as a young adult. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse estimates that over 80% of high school students have already tried alcohol. As a result, it is vital that accurate information is provided to individuals before that choice is made. Our community has several organizations that can provide different resources for information and assistance regarding substance abuse and prevention that you can use to start communicating with young people in your life.
The Flint Hills Regional Prevention Center will be holding Town Hall Meetings to provide information to area citizens regarding substance abuse prevention at the following locations and times:
• Cottonwood Falls Community Building, March 31st at 6 p.m.
• Emporia High School Library, April 8th at 6:30 p.m.
• Eureka Public Library, April 23rd at 6 p.m.
The month of April has been set aside to highlight the problem of alcohol abuse. While drinking in itself is not alcohol abuse, SAMHSA gives the following as warning signs of a possible problem with alcohol:
• Drinking alone when you are sad or angry
• Drinking interfering with your work or causing you to be late to work
• Drinking causing worry for your family
• Drinking after telling yourself that you won’t drink
• Forgetting what you did after drinking
• Getting headaches or having a hangover after drinking.
If you suspect you may have a problem or know someone who may have a problem, the SAMHSA National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information can help you find a confidential screening site located near you. They can be contacted by phone at 800-729-6686 or on the Web site www.samhsa.gov .
To do a confidential screening on-line, you can access a self-screening tool at www.alcoholscreening.org Or, if you prefer to speak with someone locally, there are many resources available in our community. Assistance can be found in the yellow pages under the heading of Alcoholism.
But wherever you turn for help, please seek assistance if you or someone you love is struggling with alcoholism. Help is available. Reach out and get some.
• This column is provided by the Mental Health Center of East Central Kansas. For more information, brochures, or to request a speaker for your organization, contact Bev Cress at (620) 343-2211.