May
15

May Awareness: Mental Health, Women’s Health and More

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May is a busy month as far as awareness campaigns go. The month hosts Mental Health Month, National Women’s Health Week, Arthritis Awareness Month, National Bike Month, National Physical Fitness & Sports Month, among other celebrations.

Here in Maine, the month of May also brings warmer weather and beautiful flowers, a welcome sight after our typical cold, drab winters.

Bottom line, May is a great time to get back to being active and start focusing more on health. And when we’re healthy, we’re happy.

Along with these awareness campaigns comes some great tips for living well. Following are a few tips to consider as we head toward the summer months.

10 Proven Tools to help you feel stronger and more hopeful from the Live Your Life Well website (and who doesn’t need to feel stronger and more hopeful every now and then?):

  1. Connect with others
  2. Stay positive
  3. Get physically active
  4. Help others
  5. Get enough sleep
  6. Create joy and satisfaction
  7. Eat well
  8. Take care of your spirit
  9. Deal better with hard times
  10. Get professional help if you need it

Some physical activity facts from The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports:

  • Adults 18 and older need 30 minutes of physical activity on five or more days a week to be healthy; children and teens need 60 minutes of activity a day for their health.
  • Significant health benefits can be obtained by including a moderate amount of physical activity (e.g., 30 minutes of brisk walking or raking leaves, 15 minutes of running, 45 minutes of playing volleyball). Additional health benefits can be gained through greater amounts of physical activity.
  • Thirty to sixty minutes of activity broken into smaller segments of 10 or 15 minutes throughout the day has significant health benefits.
  • Moderate daily physical activity can reduce substantially the risk of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, such as colon cancer. Daily physical activity helps to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, helps prevent or retard osteoporosis, and helps reduce obesity, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and symptoms of arthritis.

Some tips to help you get moving from WomensHealth.org:

Fit it into a busy schedule

  • If you can’t set aside one block of time, do short activities throughout the day, such as three 10-minute walks.
  • Walk or bike to work or to the store.
  • Use stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
  • Walk while you talk, if you’re using a cellphone or cordless phone.
  • Doing yard work or household chores counts as physical activity. Turn on some upbeat music to help you do chores faster and speed up your heart rate.

Make it fun

  • Choose activities that you enjoy.
  • Vary your activities, so you don’t get bored. For instance, use different jogging, walking, or biking paths. Or bike one day, and jog the next.
  • If you have children, make time to play with them outside. Set a good example!

Make it social

  • Join a hiking or running club.
  • Go dancing with your partner or friends.

Overcome challenges

  • Don’t let cold weather keep you on the couch. You can find activities to do in the winter, such as indoor fitness classes or exercising to a workout video.

There are some really great tips, information and resources in the websites mentioned above. Please do check them out.

Stay well.

Photo Source: © Photographer Aaron Kohr | Agency: Dreamstime.com

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Apr
24

Video: Crossroads (Maine) Residential Treatment Programs for Women

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Crossroads’ residential programs for substance abuse and co-occurring mental health issues provide the structure and stability many women need at the beginning of their recoveries from drug and/or alcohol addiction. Our residential services include a short-term residential rehabilitation and children and mothers program (CAMP), as well as a long-term halfway house. While our residential facilities are in Portland and Windham, we serve women from around the entire state of Maine due to our unique and specialized services.

The thought of going to a residential rehab or halfway house for treatment can be scary. To get a better idea of who Crossroads is and what kind of environment we offer to our clients, please take a moment to watch this video. And if you need help, give us a call: 207.894.5733.

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Apr
24

Video: Crossroads (Maine) Outpatient Program for Women and Men

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Crossroads offers a number of outpatient options for men and women, including pregnant women, of all ages and backgrounds seeking evaluation and/or treatment for addiction and behavioral health. Our gender-focused outpatient services are offered at Greater Portland Counseling Center in Scarborough and Kennebunk Counseling Center in Kennebunk, both in Maine.

Crossroads’ outpatient services include comprehensive mental health and substance abuse assessments; individual, couples, family and group counseling; an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for substance abuse; medication management, including medication assisted therapy; DEEP evaluation and treatment; and individual and family counseling for friends and family members of women and men who struggle with addiction. Therapy groups for men and women are separate and are held in a comfortable, discreet environment.

The above descriptions are great and all, but to get a better idea of who Crossroads is and what kind of environment we offer to our clients, please take a moment to watch this video. And if you need a little help sorting things out, give us a call: in Scarborough – 207.773.9931 or Kennebunk - 207.467.3369.

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Apr
18

Crossroads Hosts Open House Event at its New Headquarters and Counseling Center

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Photo by: Teresa Bendokas-Heinfeld. Tuesday, April 10, 2012 Crossroads Open House event in Scarborough: L-R Kristy Greco, Crossroads Board President; Tim Sample, Maine Humorist; Barbara Dacri, Crossroads Executive Director; Shannon Trainor, Crossroads Clinical Director; Dr. Michael Albaum, M.D., Executive Vice President of Physician Services for SMMC PrimeCare Internal Medicine

Crossroads hosted an open house event at its Greater Portland Counseling Center facility in Scarborough on April 10, 2012. The event celebrated the nonprofit behavioral healthcare agency’s new headquarters and counseling center in Scarborough, expansion in Kennebunk, and recently added outpatient services for men.

Supporters, partners and other colleagues filled the Crossroads facility for an evening of celebration. Crossroads senior managers, board of directors and counselors gave tours of the new Scarborough facility, while guests enjoyed food from Chef Harding Lee Smith of “The Rooms” Restaurants and violinist Michael Albert performed. Maine Humorist Tim Sample was the evening’s Master of Ceremonies for a short program that focused on the future of Crossroads. The program featured Crossroads’ board president, Kristy Greco; executive director, Barbara Dacri; clinical director, Shannon Trainor; and Dr. Michael Albaum from Southern Maine Medical Center PrimeCare Physicians.

“Crossroads’ move from much smaller premises in Portland and our expanding outpatient centers are the direct result of the work our management team and board have put in to identify, implement and support programming that addresses the needed services in the area,” says executive director Barbara Dacri. “In addition, we have worked closely with the medical community to ensure the most comprehensive treatment for men, women and families in Maine.”

The open house event was generously sponsored by Anderson-Watkins Insurance, The Corner Room, Gorham Savings Bank, Southern Maine Medical Center PrimeCare Physicians and Time4Printing.

View photos from the event

Crossroads™ provides gender-responsive addiction and behavioral health treatment services in a safe and respectful environment so individuals and families can lead healthy lives. For more information, visit crossroadsme.org.

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Apr
05

Alcohol Facts and an Online Screening for National Alcohol Screening Day

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wineApril 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 alcohol dependence or alcohol abuse.
  • Between 2001 and 2002, the prevalence of alcohol abuse was highest among Native Americans (5.75%) followed by Whites (5.10%), Blacks (3.29%), Hispanics (3.9%), and Asians (2.13%).
  • Alcohol abuse and dependence is more common among males than females and decreases with aging.
  • 25% of U.S. children are exposed to alcohol abuse or dependence in the family.

And while we’ve talked about the different effect that alcohol has on women on this blog, it’s worth repeating:

  • The progression of alcoholism appears to be faster in women than in men.
  • Women are more vulnerable than men to many of the medical consequences of alcohol use. Alcoholic women develop cirrhosis, damage of the heart muscle (i.e., cardiomyopathy), and nerves (i.e., peripheral neuropathy) after fewer years of heavy drinking than alcoholic men.
  • Women develop organ damage faster, and at lower levels of alcohol consumption then men. This is because a woman’s body generally has less water than a man’s causing their blood alcohol content to reach higher level, faster.
  • Alcohol use may affect female reproductive health. Adolescent girls who consume even moderate amounts of alcohol may experience disrupted growth and puberty. Heavy drinking in adult women can disrupt normal menstrual cycling and reproductive functions. Alcohol abuse and alcoholism can cause women to suffer from infertility, increased risk for spontaneous abortion, and impaired fetal growth and development
  • Women overall drink less than men but are more likely to experience adverse consequences including damage to the heart muscle, liver, and brain, trauma resulting from auto crashes, interpersonal violence, and death.

Source: Screening for Mental Health, Inc.

Do you have concerns about your drinking? Take an anonymous online screening now. Help is out there, if you need it. If you are in Maine, call Crossroads at 207.773.9931. We can help you sort things out.

Image Source: © Daniel Gilbey | Dreamstime

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Mar
23

An Updated Definition of Recovery From SAMHSA

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Last December, SAMHSA announced it’s working definition of recovery, along with a set of guiding principles. The definition was the result of a lengthy process that involved service providers, recovery advocates, and other stakeholders.

For reference, the original definition looked like this:

Recovery from Mental Disorders and Substance Use Disorders:  A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.

Through the Recovery Support Strategic Initiative, SAMHSA has delineated four major dimensions that support a life in recovery:

  • Health: overcoming or managing one’s disease(s) as well as living in a physically and emotionally healthy way;
  • Home: a stable and safe place to live;
  • Purpose: meaningful daily activities, such as a job, school, volunteerism, family caretaking, or creative endeavors, and the independence, income and resources to participate in society; and
  • Community: relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship, love, and hope.

According to their blog, SAMHSA has received enough public input that they have decided to release a new version of the definition. The slightly revised working definition of recovery and principles now place more emphasis on abstinence and note that an individual may be in recovery from a substance use disorder, mental disorder, or both.

Here is the slightly updated version:

Recovery from Mental Disorders and/or Substance Use Disorders:  A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.

Through the Recovery Support Strategic Initiative, SAMHSA has delineated four major dimensions that support a life in recovery:

  • Health:  overcoming or managing one’s disease(s) or symptoms—for example, abstaining from use of alcohol, illicit drugs, and non-prescribed medications if one has an addiction problem—and for everyone in recovery, making informed, healthy choices that support physical and emotional wellbeing.
  • Home:  a stable and safe place to live;
  • Purpose:  meaningful daily activities, such as a job, school, volunteerism, family caretaking, or creative endeavors, and the independence, income and resources to participate in society; and
  • Community:  relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship, love, and hope.

The above are just parts of the working definition. You can read the full document, including the Guiding Principles of Recovery, on SAMSHA’s blog.

Creating a solid definition for recovery is certainly a big task. So many people have had so many different experiences in finding, achieving and maintaining recovery.

What do you think of SAMHSA’s updated definition of recovery?

Read more about the updated definition and guiding principles

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Mar
13

Social Worker Month: What Exactly is a Social Worker?

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social work matters logoMarch is social worker month. This year’s celebration, hosted by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), is “Social Work Matters,” which seeks to showcase the impact of more than 642,000 professional social workers in America.

But, what exactly is a social worker? Many people hear the term, but they might not know what the job of a social worker entails.

In a nutshell, social workers help people of all ages and backgrounds overcome some of life’s most difficult challenges.

Social workers actually provide most of the country’s mental health services. Clinically trained social workers make up 60% of mental health professionals, while psychologists (23%), psychiatrists (10%) and psychiatric nurses (5%) encompass a smaller percentage.

Typically, a social worker’s mental health work includes a combination of psychological, social and practical elements. Social workers have special skills in assessing, treating, and preventing psychological, behavioral, emotional, social and environmental problems affecting individuals in a negative way. You can find them in a number of settings, including:

  • Community mental health programs
  • Disaster relief programs
  • Employee assistance programs (EAP)
  • Military and veteran services;
  • Private practice
  • Hospitals and skilled nursing facilities
  • Schools
  • Rehabilitation programs

Social workers are highly trained and experienced professionals. Only those who have earned social work degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral levels, and completed a minimum number of hours in supervised fieldwork, are considered “professional social workers.”

Crossroads’ clinical team includes a talented group of professional social workers and psychologists who bring broad experience and different points of views to its clients. Meet Crossroads’ Outpatient Counselors

Want to learn more about the profession of a social worker? Visit SocialWorkMonth.org

Source: SocialWorkers.org

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Feb
17

Children of Alcoholics Week: More Than 10% of US Children Live With a Parent with an Alcohol Use Disorder

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COA Week 2012At the end of Children of Alcoholics Week, a new government report was released that showed 10.5%, or 7.5 million, children under the age of 18 live with a parent who has experienced an alcohol use disorder (i.e., alcohol dependence or abuse) in the past year.

The report looked at data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2005-2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).

6.1 of the 7.5 million children live with two parents, where either one or both has experienced problems with alcohol in the past year. The remaining 1.4 million are in a single-parent household where that parent has experienced an alcohol disorder in the past year.

It’s no surprise that children who live with an alcoholic parent are at a greater risk of parental abuse or neglect as well as developing mental health problems like anxiety disorders and depression. In addition, these kids are at greater risk for developing their own alcoholic problems later in life.

Alcohol affects more than just the person doing the drinking. It’s important for these kids, and anyone who is affected by another person’s drinking, to know they are not alone. For resources on helping children of alcoholics, visit the National Association for Children of Alcoholics.

If you are in Maine, Crossroads provides outpatient mental health counseling to adults and families who are affected by a loved one’s addiction. Read some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Family Members

Source: Medical News Today

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Feb
01

Vote for Crossroads to Win a Community Matters More Grant

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In March, the Bangor Savings Bank Foundation will give a total of $100,000 to 68 local non-profit organizations in Maine. Right now, they are looking for input from the community to help them distribute the money.

That means, with just a few clicks of a mouse, you could help Crossroads win up to $5,000 in grant money!

The organization in each region that earns the most votes, listed or write-in, will be awarded a $5,000 grant, and the top 20 write-in winners will each be awarded a $1,000 grant (at least 2 write-ins per region).

Please Vote Here Now

All you have to do is:

  1. Fill out your name, email and zip code,
  2. Write in Crossroads for Greater Portland/Lewiston/Auburn and
  3. Hit the “Submit Your Votes” button

That’s it! (Voting ends March 5, 2012 at 11:59 pm.)

Crossroads provides gender-responsive addiction and behavioral health treatment services in a safe and respectful environment so individuals and families can lead healthy lives. Any additional grant money we earn will help support our direct, gender-focused work with women, men and families.

Thank you, as always, for your support. And please share this post to help us spread the word!

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Jan
18

Binge Drinking May Be A Bigger Problem Than We Think

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percent of adults who binge drink

Maine is at the high end for adults who binge drink.

New research shows us that the act of binge drinking is more prevalent than initially thought.

First, let’s define binge drinking for men and women. For men, binge drinking means drinking 5 or more alcoholic drinks within a short period of time. For women, binge drinking means 4 or more drinks within a short period of time.

Binge drinking can be extremely dangerous and increase one’s chances of getting hurt or hurting others through violence, car crashes and even suicide. 80,000 deaths are caused each year from drinking too much. In 2006, the cost of drinking too much -  including health care expenses, crime and lost productivity – was estimated at $746 per person in the US, or $223.5 billion.

But, it’s just the young, less affluent crowd that binge drink, right? Think again. While the age group with the most binge drinkers is the 18-34 year old crowd, the age group that binge drinks most often is 65+. Those who earn more than $75,000 per year make up the income group with the most binge drinkers. And while most people who binge drink are not considered alcoholics, the act of binge drinking can lead to alcohol dependence.

Geographically, New England, the Midwest, the District of Columbia, Alaska and Hawaii are the states with the most binge drinking. Maine is at the highest percentage, with an estimated 18.7% – 25.6% of adults who binge drink. Maine is also listed with the the highest “average largest number of drinks consumed by binge drinkers on an occasion” at 7.8 – 9.0 drinks.

So, what can we do about it? Some suggestions from the CDC include state and community efforts to prevent binge drinking, tracking and reporting how many people binge drink, developing community coalitions to help reduce binge drinking, screening patients for binge drinking and advising on how to reduce their alcohol use.

What are your thoughts? Is binge drinking a problem we’re not paying enough attention to? What can we do here in Maine to prevent the high prevalence of binge drinking?

Source: CDC Vitalsigns

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