Posted by Healthbridges Editor in Addictions | No Comments

Are you an alcoholic? A drug addict. Are you frustrated, struggling or having problems due to the alcohol and/or rugs in your life? Are alcohol, cocaine, pot or pills messing up your family, your work, your everyday life?

Do you wonder what you can do or where you can go to find help? One place you can go to is the resource directory on this website. Because once you find help you will improve your life

You should know that you can get clean and sober. You need to focus on your sobriety first, try to avoid things that distract you from getting sober because when you do focus on your sobriety, other things in your life will straighten out.

Getting sober is not easy. It takes time but if you have patience and take it “one day at a time” – you can succeed and become sober.

So take the first step in getting sober, use the resource guide on this site to get help. Look for Alcoholics Anonymous known as AA, or Narcotics Anonymous known as NA or Chemical Dependence Anonymous known as CDA. Any of these meetings can help you as you try to get sober. You can even set up meetings specific for your need, All Deaf or All Deaf-Blind or All Hard of Hearing, to help you learn and prevent you from using again and so that you improve your life by becoming sober.

Posted by Healthbridges Editor in Addictions, Topic of Interest | No Comments

For centuries, alcohol has been a part of holiday parties, and traditions. Alcohol is present at most community and family gatherings in fact.

Alcohol is used by many people for different reasons more often at the holidays. For some people who are mildly anxious, alcohol may be used to help feel less nervous.

For those of us with hearing families, we may feel very alone at family gathering. Our family members may not be good at communicating with us or at including us in conversations. We may have a drink to “fit in” because we do not feel a part of the family perhaps. Alcohol is often a part of Deaf community events too.

We have to remember to set limits when we drink. We should know how many drinks suits us, have a designated driver when you are at a party or bar, and keep safe!!

Set a drinking limit for the holidays and stick to it!! Write it down if you need to. Keep track of your drinking. Make some of your holiday events be alcohol free. Exercise and try to keep stress low. Remember who you are with when you are most tempted to drink and where you tend to be. Try to limit these occasions this holiday. Also, don’t drink when you are angry or upset.

If you or a friend needs help in cutting down or drinking you can find help this holiday season.

We hope that you have a happy a safe holiday!

Season Greetings,
Western Pennsylvania Health Information Team for People who are Deaf, Deafblind and Hard-of-Hearing

Read more next page: Recovery from Addictions

 

 

For a list of resources, You can contact your insurance provider as well to get assistance in finding accessible services. Your insurance company can help to advocate for you to get appropriate services.

Center for Hearing and Deaf Services – Outpatient individual counseling and periodic groups. Ask where to find interpreted AA meetings with the interpreting department

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism – Learn facts and figures about alcohol

SAMSHA – Find drug and alcohol treatment options in your area

Deaf Off Drugs – A grant funded project that offers meetings for folks who are Deaf via webcam based in Ohio

Alcoholics Anonymous – Find a group of men and women in your area who share their experiences , struggles and hopes as they recover from alcohol

PA Al-Anon – Find a group meeting for friends and loved ones of alcoholics