Talk to Your Child About Alcohol -
Make April 3, 2010 the date you talk with your child about alcohol use and abuse. It is National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD),1 funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The day is part of Alcohol Awareness Month, sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence since 1987.
There’s no better time to put this subject on your family’s list of important things to talk about with your child. There are many resources around that focus on this theme, including community planning kits, booklets about alcohol use, studies with facts, and frequently asked questions that can help you get ready to talk to your child about alcohol.
Alert: Teens and Underage Drinking:
Teens are “trying,” “drinking,” and “binging.” Almost 20 percent of teens have taken part in binge drinking in the past month.
Binge drinking is defined as drinking alcohol that raises your blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 percent or more in 2 hours or less.3 A 0.08 level is equal to about five or more drinks for an adult male and four or more drinks for an adult female.
Helping your child make healthy decisions about alcohol is a year-round job. When teens drink alcohol, they risk their chances for a bright future. Teens who drink alcohol more often report bad grades than those who do not drink and are much more likely to drop out of high school.
Even more, alcohol can contribute to problems like:
Memory loss
Depression
Behavior problems
Teen pregnancy
Sexually transmitted diseases
Physical violence or abuse—either self-inflicted, among other peers, or with someone a teen is dating.
Know the signs and symptoms of Alcohol Poisioning:
Signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:
Confusion, stupor
Vomiting
Seizures
Slow or irregular breathing
Blue-tinged skin or pale skin
Low body temperature (hypothermia)
Unconsciousness ("passing out")
It's not necessary for all of these symptoms to be present before seeking help. A person who has become unconscious, or cannot be roused, is at risk of dying.
Alcohol and Youth
Young persons reporting first use of alcohol before age 15 were more than 5 times as likely to have past alcohol dependence or abuse compared with persons who first used alcohol at age 21 or older (16 % vs. 3%)
Approximately 20% of 8 th graders, 35% of 10 th graders, and 48% of 12th graders report having consumed alcohol during the past month
About 12% of 8 th, 22% of 10 th, and 28% of 12th graders report binge drinking (five or more drinks on a single occasion during the past two weeks).
Almost 40% of high school seniors perceive no great risk in consuming four to five drinks nearly every day
Alcohol and College Students
In 2002, 64% of full-time college students (aged 18-22) reported consuming at least one alcoholic drink in the past 30 days.
Over 44% of full-time college students reported consuming five or more drinks on the same occasion at least once in the past 30 days.
1400 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes
More than 600,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted each year by another student who has been drinking
Options for Alcohol Abuse Treatment
Millions of Americans struggle with alcohol abuse, which takes its toll not only on these individuals in terms of health problems, automobile accidents, and lost work productivity, but also on their families, friends, and the community at large. The good news is that alcohol abuse disorders are treatable, and effective treatment services are available by qualified and dedicated professionals.
The range of treatment and recovery programs in Connecticut is considerable, and many are available within a short distance from the Cheshire area. Cheshire Youth & Social Services has therefore set out below but a few of the local alcohol and substance abuse treatment facilities and community-support groups which are available to those seeking help. For more information, please contact Cheshire Youth & Social Services, or call 211 Infoline:
For Adults:
Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary, worldwide fellowship of men and women (and teens) from all walks of life, aiming to recover from alcoholism , by sharing their experiences, strength and hope, following a twelve step program. AA meetings are held at various locations throughout Cheshire, 7 days per week. For the times and locations of the meetings nearest you, please contact AA at 1-800-530-9511.
Connecticut Valley Hospital Addiction Services Division of Middletown (#860-262-6320 or 6321) provides hospital inpatient care for persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders, detox, and methadone maintenance.
Institute of Living Hartford Hospital (860-545-7200) provides a full range of outpatient alcohol and substance abuse treatment services (in Hartford).
New Britain General Hospital (860-224-9985) provides a full range of outpatient alcohol and substance abuse treatment services.
Rushford Center in Middletown and Glastonbury (860-346-0300, ext. 107) provides inpatient and outpatient alcohol and substance abuse treatment and detox services.
St. Mary’s Hospital Behavioral Healthcare Services in Waterbury (#203-709-3293) offers alcohol and substance abuse treatment, and detox services on an outpatient or partial hospitalization/day treatment basis.
Wheeler Clinic in Plainville (800-793-3588) provides a full range of outpatient alcohol and substance abuse treatment services.
For Adolescents:
Connecticut Junior Republic in Waterbury (# 203-757-9939) offers outpatient alcohol and substance abuse treatment for adolescents and/or adolescents with co-occurring mental and substance abuse problems.
Institute of Living Hartford Hospital (860-545-7200) provides a full range of outpatient alcohol and substance abuse treatment services (in Bloomfield).
Rushford Center in Meriden, Middletown, and Glastonbury (860-346-0300, ext. 159) provides a full range of outpatient alcohol and substance abuse treatment services.
Wakeman Hall at the Children’s Center of Hamden (#203-248-2116, ext 341) provides alcohol and substance abuse treatment services for adolescents and adolescents with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders.
Support for Family and Friends:
Family and friends of people with alcohol abuse problems also need support and services to help them cope with their loved ones’ illness, understand and deal with the recovery process, and have a place to share concerns and gain strength. That is one of the many reasons why the AlAnon and AlAteen 12-step support programs were created.
AlAnon is a support group which helps friends and families of alcoholics recover from the effects of living with the problem drinking of a friend or relative. AlAnon meetings are held in Cheshire on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. For schedules and locations, please contact AlAnon at 1-888-825-2666.
AlAteen is a support group which helps teens aged 12-20 recover from the effects of living with the problem drinking of a friend or relative. AlAteen meetings are available in Wallingford on Sundays at 7:30pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (65 North Main Street). For more information on AlAteen or the location of other meetings and times, please contact AlAteen at 1-888-825-2666.
If you have any questions on Alcohol Awareness Month or would like more information please contact Cheshire Youth and Social Services at 271-6690 or by e-mail at cheshireyouthservices@cheshirect.org
