Cassandra Sheets

April is Alcohol Awareness Month. This is a national public health awareness campaign to increase education and understanding of the causes and dangers drinking and risks, treatment, and stigma that is associated with addiction. Alcohol is the most used substance by youth and adults in the U.S. and is the third leading cause of preventable death. Roughly 95,000 Americans die from alcohol-related causes each year. Some signs of alcohol abuse may be things like:

• Experiencing temporary blackouts or short-term memory loss
• Exhibiting signs of irritability and extreme mood swings
• Using alcohol to “cope”
• Choosing drinking over other responsibilities and obligations
• Becoming isolated and distant from friends and family members
• Change in hygiene

Alcohol abuse/addiction may impact an individual in many ways such as:

• Difficulty in school or with an employer
• legal problems/impaired driving
• Increased risk of Physical and sexual violence, suicide and homicide.
• Memory problems.
• Misuse of other substances.
• Changes in brain development that may have life-long effects.

The following are some questions to think about if one might think their alcohol consumption is becoming or is a problem:

• Have you continued to drink even though it was making you feel depressed or anxious?
• Are you drinking alcohol with prescribed or over the counter medications?
• Have you lost interest in other activities and hobbies since you started drinking?
• Have you experienced symptoms associated with an alcohol withdrawal?
• Have you felt an urge or craving to consume alcohol?

Parents play a vital role in prevention of addiction by having the tools to understand the signs and symptoms of risky behaviors, knowing the trends that are out there, and knowing how to just have these kinds of conversations. Parents also are role modeling behaviors so ensure they are positive and healthy and that children are learning how to self-regulate and cope with life situations as well as encouraging them to know it is okay to ask for help.

If you need help, have questions, or need resources please call CFLR.  We want you to know you are NOT alone and we are here to support you and your family!

March is Self-Harm Awareness Month.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), people are more likely to hurt themselves on purpose as a teenager or during their young adult years, but “it can also happen later in life. Those at the most risk are people who have experienced trauma, neglect or abuse.” Individuals who do self-harm lack coping skills and need therapy from a doctor, preferably a psychiatrist to properly diagnose if there is an underlying mental illness. Some courses of treatment could be calling their doctor or a trusted friend, wrapping a blanket tightly around self, developing words of affirmation to replace negative thoughts/words from the past, getting out in nature, breathing, naming and using emotions, and many more therapy techniques.

Center for Family Life & Recovery in collaboration with community partners offers a variety of counseling services to youth and adults that can help individuals build their coping skills and fight self-harm.

Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. is proud to be the area’s leading expert for prevention services, mental and behavioral health, and community and family recovery services. Together with our community partners, we continue spreading the message of help and hope to our area and those with whom we work.

Every day, millions of Americans struggle with mental health challenges. Mental health refers to a variety of things including – cognitive, behavioral, and emotional wellbeing. It is about how people think, feel, and behave. Our mental health helps to determine how we effectively handle our own stresses, relate to others, and make life choices. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, as many as 45% of adults and 51% of youths have been diagnosed with a mental illness. Most of us know someone that struggles. It is important to understand these challenges because stigma against those who need assistance is very real and can be a serious barrier to getting the help they need. Being open to talk about mental health can help.

March is the one-year anniversary of when most of us learned the phrase “COVID-19 pandemic.” The long-term health impacts of the pandemic on our mental health may look like: fatigue, insomnia, changes in eating patterns, irritability. Collectively, this may be referred to as ‘pandemic fatigue.’

Center for Family Life and Recovery offers help through the Employee Assistance Program (“EAP”).  EAP services help covered individuals and their families cope with the changes during this uncertain time, including pandemic fatigue. The EAP provides short-term assessment and referral counseling services. EAP and Clinical Services Director Sara Haag shared, “Counseling is an excellent way to address the pandemic fatigue in your life through talking to a caring professional.” Primarily, counseling is provided virtually, but some limited in-person services are available, too. Besides counseling, the EAP team can help employers with training and education for their workforces.

To see if you qualify for EAP counseling, or to learn more, please visit https://www.whenthereshelpthereshope.com/ or call the Utica office at 315-733-1709 for more information.