On, Thursday, April 9, Samaritan will
participate in National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD), an educational
program provided through the national nonprofit, Screening for Mental
Health. The initiative raises awareness about alcohol use disorders and
helps individuals with alcohol problems find opportunities for
assessment and treatment.
Thousands of
community-based organizations, colleges, and military installations
provide the program to the public each year. To help direct members of
the community to appropriate care, Samaritan provides online screenings.
The screening is free and anonymous, and provides a comfortable and
private way for individuals to assess their drinking habits. While the
screening is not diagnostic, it will indicate existing symptoms and if
further assessment by a clinician is advisable.
Alcohol abuse can
often occur with other mental health issues and can exacerbate the
symptoms of illnesses such as depression and posttraumatic stress
disorder (PTSD). Alcohol is often used to "medicate" these disorders
but, being a depressant itself, it can make the problem worse.
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