Crossroads is open and admitting clients into all levels of care while implementing universal safety precautions in response to COVID-19. Learn More.
Many substance use disorders increase a person’s chance of developing a dangerous debilitating illness. Alcohol is no exception. In fact, alcohol contributes to a greater risk of some cancers in women. Scientific research shows that alcohol breaks down in the body into a chemical called acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde attacks DNA and stops your body from repairing…
Alcoholism affects more than 15 million adults in the United States. It takes a toll not only on the body and mind, but also on families, finances, careers, safety, and much more. However, not everyone who drinks has a drinking problem. There are many people who can have a beer or glass of wine with…
April 5th is National Alcohol Screening Day in the US. The day aims to raise awareness about alcohol misuse and refer individuals with alcohol problems for further treatment. But who has an alcohol problem? Here are a few stats: Between 2001 and 2002, 8.5% of adult Americans (17.6 million) met DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for either…
The following is a press release from the Maine Association of Substance Abuse Programs (MASAP). Each week during April, we will feature a different theme in recognition of Alcohol Awareness Month. The first theme is Alcohol Screening. Augusta, ME – April is Alcohol Awareness Month and one important step in awareness is to screen for…
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) just launched an outreach program that includes an online screening tool and other resources for physicians. Called NIDAMED, the program aims to educate doctors around screening patients for drug use in order to identify problems before they turn into full-blown addiction. Doctors often cite lack of time with…
A recent study showed that brief interventions in the doctor’s office can reduce alcohol use in postpartum women. In the study, 8,706 women were screened at their 6-week postpartum doctor visit. The women were given either “usual care,” defined as “receipt of a booklet on general health issues but no specific counseling,” or brief intervention.…
A recent study coming out of John Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore found women who binge drink are more likely to have unsafe sex and contract sexually transmitted diseases. Binge drinking is defined as having more than 5 alcoholic drinks at one sitting. Researchers found that women who binge drink are at increased…
Screening for a drug or alcohol problem in the doctor’s office seems like a logical and appropriate thing to do. However, only 8.7% of problem drinkers report receiving such screening or advice from their doctors. Physicians now have an incentive to do Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI) because this service is now billable: American Medical…
Researchers from the University of Michigan and Ohio State University have come up with some simple steps to help doctor’s offices reduce the abuse of Oxycontin and other painkillers and help those that that may need substance abuse treatment. The study was conducted in a busy multi-physician clinic at Ohio State University that was resident-staffed…
Teresa Valliere, Crossroads for Women’s director of inpatient services, recently did a presentation on treating women with addictions. The audience was largely made up of nurses, physicians and other medical staff. For her presentation, women in recovery were asked to share their wisdom about how medical staff might interact with them in medical encounters –…