Page 5 - AprilNewsletter
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ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH

                                          Physical and Mental Health Committee

           Alcohol is the most commonly used addic-            The Treatment depends on the needs of the
           tive substance in the United States.  17.6          individual.  Some will need residential
           million people or one in every 12 adults,           treatment and others can be treated on an
           suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence             outpatient basis.  Treatment has four phas-
           along with several million more who engage  es:
           in risky, binge drinking patterns that can            Getting started (assessment and evalua-
           lead to alcohol problems.  Long term alco-              tion of disease symptoms and accompa-
           hol use can cause serious health complica-              nying life problems, making treatment
           tions, damage emotional stability, financial            choices and developing a plan).
           problems, and have a negative impact on               Detoxification (stop using)
           family, friends, and community.  88,000               Active treatment
           deaths every year are attributed to exces-            Maintaining sobriety and relapse pre-
           sive alcohol use.  Alcoholism is the 3  lead-           vention
                                                      rd
           ing lifestyle-related cause of death in the             Types of treatments include: Behavioral
           nation.  Alcoholism is a person’s uncontrol-                treatments, medications, mutual
           lable need for alcohol.  Most people are not                support groups, and advice for
           able to recover without help and most need                  friends and family members
           support and treatment from outside
           sources.  This will help them to reclaim
           their lives.                                        ALCOHOL AWARENESS PUZZLE
                                                               S A T U R Y R E L D G R O U P
                                                               U P E S Q I G E E F R F N K G
           Symptoms include:                                   O P T N S N S P S F Z O J S M
             Temporary blackouts or memory loss               I E Z K I X E K B O I K U J O
             Recurrent arguments or fights with family        R A Y B E N D L Y T U P A T D
              members or friends as well as irritability,      E R K T D E H U C V P R L H E
              depression, or mood swings.                      S A T E E M S I L O H O C L A
                                                               B N N I U I D G R B Z G O E T
             Use of alcohol to relax, to cheer up, to sleep,   W C E J S D R T L H F C H S H
              to deal with problems, or to feel “normal.”      E E M K A T C E L G E N O K B
             Headache, anxiety, insomnia, nausea, or          L S T B O P H M B B C C L K P
              other unpleasant symptoms when the per-          V K A M B L A C K O U T S O M
              son stops drinking.                              S X E R F O L Z Y A S P G G A
             Drinking alone, early morning drinking, or       B S R N F K Y H A D W R S R H
              drinking in secret.                              I F T C M M Q Q D G H P J I F

             Flushed skin and broken capillaries on the
              face; a husky voice; trembling hands.            ADDICTION
                                                               ALCOHOL
                                                               ALCOHOLISM
           Signs of Addiction:                                 APPEARANCE
                                                               BINGE
             Loss of Control                                  BLACKOUTS
             Neglecting Other Activities                      DEATH
                                                               DEPENDENCE
             Risk Taking                                      GROUP
             Relationship Issues                              NEGLECT
                                                               RESOURCE
             Secrecy                                          RISKY
             Changing Appearance                              SERIOUS
                                                               SOBERIETY
             Family History                                   SUPPORT
             Tolerance                                        TREATMENT
             Withdrawal
             Continued Use Despite Negative Conse-
              quences


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