For all the news about Americas war against drugs, the fact remains
that alcohol is still the most widely abused substance in the U.S. and
the most damaging.
On April 11, the Center for Holistic Development, in partnership with
the American Red Cross North Branch and the Heartland Counseling and Consulting
Center, will sponsor a workshop in North Omaha honoring National Alcohol
Screening Day (NASD). The program is open to the public and will
be held at the Red Cross office, 5032 Ames Ave., from noon to 7:30 p.m.
At 12:30 p.m. and again at 6:30 p.m., there will be short information presentations
that will address a range of drinking behaviors.
A diagnosis of an alcohol problem can only be determined after a full
examination by a health professional. The examination may include a behavioral
and/or a medical evaluation. The NASD screening form available on April
11 is a simple means by which people quickly can see if alcohol use is
putting them or a loved one at risk. With the growing alcohol consumption
in North Omaha, the NASD offers an excellent opportunity to reacquaint
the community with just how much alcohol is too much and where to draw
the line.
This years focus will include more medical information about at-risk
drinking and alcohols effect on general health and mental health issues
involved with abuse and dependency behaviors, diagnosis and therapy. Doris
Moore, director of the Center for Holistic Development, will be the moderator.
Moore holds a masters degree in community counseling and is a licensed
mental health practitioner.
Guest speakers will include medical and mental health professionals.
They include: Jeffrey Baldwin, Pharm.D, is associate professor at the University
of Nebraska Medical Center department of pharmacy practice. He is the College
of Pharmacys primary instructor and course coordinator for substance abuse
and recovering from addictions courses. Dr. Baldwins research has been
primarily in the area of characterization of substance abuse attitudes
and behaviors in health
professionals. Additional scholarly activities include development
of standards of addiction assistance for pharmacy colleges and professionals,
development of guidelines for addiction education in pharmacy, and promotion
of professional and public education about addiction.
Betty Nelum is a national board certified counselor, a certified drug
and alcohol therapist and a licensed mental health practitioner.
She holds a masters degree in guidance counseling and has designed a Bi-racial
Chemical Dependency Therapy workshop that was approved and accredited for
six hours of continuing education by the State of Nebraska. Nelum
was a contracted consultant for Region VI and Greater Omaha Community Action
(GOCA) to assist in continuous development of the North Omaha Alcohol Counseling
program. She also was a consultant for the South Omaha Alcohol Program.
Approximately 14 million Americans 7.4 percent of the population
meet the diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or alcoholism. More than
18 percent of Americans experience alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence
at some time in their lives. Approximately 43 percent of U.S. adults (76
million people) have been exposed to alcoholism in the family they grew
up with, married an alcoholic or problem drinker, or had a blood relative
who was an alcoholic or problem drinker.
Heavy drinking raises the risk the high blood pressure, heart disease,
certain cancers, accidents, violence, suicides, birth defects and overall
mortality and now costs society about $185 billion each year, according
to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
In addition to the speakers, there will be testimonials from former
alcohol abusers, video presentations, educational handouts, and most importantly,
the NASD screening form and a friend and family questionnaire available
for those concerned with the alcohol usage of somebody else. It is
hoped that all participants will fill out one of the confidential surveys.
Moore said that there are eight indications that alcohol usage may be
a problem:
· Drinking to calm nerves, forget worries or to boost a sad
mood;
· Guilt about drinking
· Unsuccessful attempts to cut down/stop drinking
· Lying about or hiding drinking habits
· Causing harm to oneself or someone else as a result of drinking
· Needing to drink increasingly greater amounts in order to
achieve desired effect
· Feeling irritable, resentful or unreasonable when not drinking
· Medical, social, family or financial problems caused by drinking.
For more information about the National Alcohol Screening Day program
in North Omaha, contact Moore at 502-9788.