A National Directory of Drug Treatment Centers and Alcohol Treatment Centers, Therapists and Specialists. A free, simple directory providing assistance and guidance for those seeking help regarding alcohol addiction, drug addiction, dependency and many other conditions that affect the mind, body and soul.
Call 888-647-0579 to speak with an alcohol or drug abuse counselor.

Who Answers?

Alcohol Check-In Sees Record Crowd

Drawn by the promise of free water bottles, more than 1,330 students flocked to the Malkin Athletic Center last Friday for National Alcohol Screening Day, marking a record level of participation that rose by almost 40 percent from last year.

The annual event, which takes place at hospitals, community centers, and universities around the country, requires individuals to fill out a brief survey about their alcohol use and consult privately with a health professional about their responses.

Ryan M. Travia, the director of Harvard’s Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Services (AODS), said that the turnout was especially high this year because students have learned to anticipate the event and encourage their friends to come.

“This is our fifth year of doing this, and the event is institutionalized now,” Travia said. “We had a full court press with advertising, but in my mind, word of mouth is what really works.”

He added that the data from the screening, along with student responses to University Health Services’ recent health assessment survey, will hopefully provide UHS with valuable insight into student drinking patterns.

Travia said that the information will be especially important this year because AODS has projected that alcohol-related hospital admissions at Harvard will rise again after jumping by 35 percent last year.

“We continue to remain curious about the uptick,” he said. “We’ll see if the numbers bear out much differently than in previous years.”

According to C. Chloe Orlando ’11, events chair for the Drug and Alcohol Peer Advisor (DAPA) program, the screenings also give students a valuable opportunity to reflect on the role that alcohol plays in their lives.

“Some students come here with serious drinking problems,” Orlando said. “Some of them realize it and some don’t.”

Gregory Rudolph, a freshman proctor who served as a screener for the event, said he found the variation in self-reported experiences to be the most striking aspect of his conversations with students.

“There are some people who never drink in their four years here, and others are drinking heavily every weekend,” Rudolph said.

AODS coordinated the day-long event with help from around 40 students who work as DAPAs as well as nearly 50 screeners drawn from across UHS and the local community.

source: The Harvard Crimson

More Treatment & Detox Articles

Sober second thoughts on problem drinking

I had a friend once who had a promising future in the advertising profession. He was a terrific salesman and creative thinker. He loved booze. Friday afternoons when we’d get paid we go to a popular watering hole and have a few cool ones with co-workers. I noticed often when we had enough and ready….

Continue reading

What to Expect at Eating Disorder Treatment Centers

eating disorder recovery

About Eating Disorders and Treatment Most eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia revolve around a person’s distorted body image of their self. People who have eating disorders commonly feel as though they are not attractive or need to lose weight, even if they are extremely below weight. Eating disorders can cause numerous health complications….

Continue reading

Is denial always part of the deal?

denial problem

Maybe denial really IS just a river in Egypt. Lorraine T. Midanik, dean of the School of Social Welfare at the University of California in Berkeley, is convinced that the contemporary concept of denial as applied to alcoholism represents a weak link in the disease model of addiction. Neither the founding fathers of Alcoholics Anonymous,….

Continue reading

Alcohol Abuse, Addiction Affect Suicide Rates

Factors that affect suicide rates include drug addiction and alcohol abuse. Studies also shows that being male, or part of a minority group, affects the incidence of suicide. New data from the CDC’s Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report shows that interventional programs should focus on alcohol treatment and rehabilitation to reduce the risk of suicide….

Continue reading

That Tricky Third Step

A new documentary looks at how people of different religions deal with the faith-based elements of Alcoholics Anonymous. Having been born in Akron, OH, the birthplace of Alcoholics Anonymous, filmmaker Josh Gippin was well acquainted with the organization. But it was only more recently, as he jumped into a documentary about AA entitled God As….

Continue reading

Calls to the general helpline will be answered by a paid advertiser. By calling the helpline you agree to our terms of use.

I NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE NOWI NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE NOW 888-647-0579Response time about 1 min | Response rate 100%
Who Answers?