S.A.D.

Closure to Start Healing from Loved One’s Death

Shevonne Polastre — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:53:10 +0000

Closure is a way of closing the chapter on a part of your life. It can be the ending of a relationship, the grieving of a loved one who has passed away, or an end to a career. Many people need this to happen in order to move on with their lives. If they don’t have some sense of closure, they are never fully ever to move on. Yesterday was a huge step in accepting my sister’s death. My parents, older sister, and I finally got almost all the answers to the why, where, when, who, what, and how of Kristine’s passing. Why she was binge drinking to the point that she passed away from acute alcohol poisoning. Where it happened. When she was found. Who helped cause her to get to that point. What were the events leading to her passing. How it happened.

It seemed it was something that maybe Kristine wanted to happen as it fell on when it would have been her 30th birthday. All of us cried together, and then we smiled thinking of some of the memories we shared of our Kristine. I sometimes feel as though she is still with me. I look at her pictures, and a feeling passes through me that I could pick up the phone, text, or IM, and she will be there to answer. I do believe that she is somewhere in peace and no longer having to endure any more pain. I want to celebrate her life, and not relive her death. At least, we were able to have her in our lives and had the privilege to have known her.

Binge Drinking in the United States

Shevonne Polastre — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 23:31:01 +0000

Storify on binge drinking in the United States

New CDC Report Shows More Than 38 Million American Binge Drink 4 or More Times a Month

Shevonne Polastre — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:22:27 +0000

The Centers of Disease and Prevention Control (CDC) have released a new fact sheet today showing that more than 38 million Americans binge drink four or times a month, consuming an average of eight drinks at a time. Binge drinking is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States. It is estimated that about 80,000 deaths in the US can be associated to binge drinking. People tend to think that people who binge drink are alcoholics. In actuality, they usually are not.

Some of the statistics in the fact sheet:

16.2 percent of adults in the US who binge drink make less than $25,000 year. However, 20.2 percent make over $75,000
The average number of monthly binge drinking episodes is slightly higher for adults who make less than $25,000 a year than the ones making more than $75,000
Binge drinking is most common in the Midwest, New England, DC, Alaska, and Hawaii

Some of the ways that binge drinking can be prevented is by the government collaborating with states and communities to promote binge drinking prevention strategies.

I have already written to the CDC to find out how we can be part of the solution in this socially-accepted problem. This needs to stop.

Image by Mark Turner via Flickr

Woman Goes to Jail for Poisoning Baby With Alcohol While Breastfeeding

Shevonne Polastre — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:43:09 +0000

Alcohol poisoning is something that can result in brain damage and/or death. It also affects the people around you because they are the ones who are left trying to pick up the pieces. However, a story coming out of Russia shows another devastating way that binge drinking and alcohol poisoning doesn’t affect just you. Thanks to one of our readers who forwarded us this story.

A mother has been sentenced to three and a half year in jail for killing her baby. How did she do this? By breastfeeding him. According to RiaNovosti, Maria Shnip was binge drinking on a liter of port, and that her blood alcohol content (BAC) level was between 2-2.5 percent. The baby’s level was .4. To understand how much this woman had drank, eight Gin and Tonics for a 140-pound person is equivalent to .26 BAC.

Think of the consequences of your actions. You don’t want this to ever be you.

Source: Uploaded by user via Julie on Pinterest

Happy New Year! Drunk Driving and Walking Can Be Dangerous

Shevonne Polastre — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 23:29:43 +0000

This evening is the last day of 2011. There are many of us who are starting to put on our party outfits, fix our hair, and get everything else ready for the New Year’s Eve parties that are going on all around us. You want to have a great time, and this might cause you to drink too much. Before you do so, think. Is it really worth it? Can you have fun without having that 4th, 5th, etc. drink? No, it’s not worth it, and yes, you can have fun without drinking too much.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism show that during Christmas and New Year’s, two to three times more people die in alcohol-related crashes. If you are heading to another area, plan ahead. Think about getting a hotel there. You are probably thinking that is too much money, but think about your life and others’ that are worth more than a one night stay in a hotel. It doesn’t compare. They also showed that 60% of fatal burns and homicides and 50% of sexual assaults are alcohol related. Do not venture off alone. Stay with other people you trust, and do not accept a drink from a stranger.

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene indicates that alcohol-related emergency visits more than double during the holidays. Even if you stop drinking, alcohol remains in your system. This can cause your judgment and coordination to be impaired. The site also indicates that “Each year, alcohol kills an estimated 1,500 New Yorkers and in 2008 nearly half – 712 – of the deaths were due to alcohol-related injury or violence. Alcohol is associated with approximately 46% of homicides, 26% of deaths from accidents and poisoning, and 28% of motor vehicle-related deaths in New York City each year.”

Even if you aren’t driving, you should also be careful if you are walking instead. This is especially true in big cities, and/or the next day when you are still hungover and heading home. Loyola University Health System in Chicago came out with statistics that showed that “nearly a third of the people who agreed to have their blood-alcohol content checked after being hit by a car while they were walking had alcohol in their systems.” Dr. Thomas Esposito stated that “Alcohol is a socially acceptable agent which impairs our ability to think and to make rational judgments,” he said. “And also physically, it impairs our ability to react or to walk or to drive or do anything that requires cycle motor skills and coordination.”

If you really want to go home, then get a free cab rides. In many cities, this service is being offered, so take a cab.

Binge drinking is four or more drinks for women, and five more drinks for me. Centers of Disease Control of Prevention shows that the majority of people binge drinking are not alcoholics.

So please be safe this New Year’s.

Do not drink and drive
Don’t drink more than four drinks in one sitting
If you see a friend who is not responding after binge drinking, take him/her to the ER. Do not hesitate.

Here is an infographic about drunk driving to make you think twice about jumping in that car:

Source: coolinfographics.com via Kristin on Pinterest

VIDEO: People We Lost in 2011 Due to Alcohol Poisoning

Shevonne Polastre — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:24:32 +0000

2011 is ending, and a new year is beginning. This year was one of many losses due to alcohol-related deaths. There were many college students who lost their lives cause of school hazings, binge drinking, and drunk driving. We also lost famous faces cause of alcohol poisoning like Amy Winehouse and Jani Lane. Many adults around the world did as well. Binge drinking and alcohol poisoning are two topics that are not discussed, and they should be. In order to prevent more deaths in 2012, we have to teach youth and adolescents about alcohol, what is thought of to be excessive drinking, and how to know when someone is suffering from alcohol poisoning.

In 2012, we will be working harder than ever to work with middle schools and high schools to bring the awareness that is needed to prevent alcohol-related deaths and start changing the drinking culture.

Here is a video of some of the people we lost in 2011 due to alcohol poisoning. Please share it with others, so we can be the change that is needed.

Source: tumblr.com via Claire on Pinterest

Parents Are Important in Preventing Underage Drinking and Binge Drinking

Shevonne Polastre — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:06:39 +0000

I participated in a web session that Cigna was hosting that was discussing how to get your kids to avoid getting into drugs and alcohol. The guest presenter was Ameila Arria, Ph.D., Director, Center on Young Adult Health and Development, University of Maryland.

She discussed how important it is for parents to have a warm and open relationship with their children and start talking about drugs and alcohol as early as middle school. She indicated that this doesn’t mean that this will be 100 percent effective because of how important friends are to youth and adolescents. In order to really protect them, you have to set boundaries and monitor what they are doing. You can’t just be their friend. One of the questions was how do parents who work full-time monitor their children after school? She recommended that you tell them the importance of keeping in touch with them. Thanks to technology, you can now text and email them. They are accessible majority of the time.

You want to have conversations with your kids. Even if they know you do not condone something that they are doing, they should know that they can still come to you. You want your children to not be afraid of you.

Another great tip is to meet the friends. You want to know who your children are hanging out with. You are their parents, and you are one of the most important people in their lives even during the times where they are focused on their friends. If you can meet their friends’ parents, then do it! If something happens in their social network, you can contact the other parents. Don’t be afraid to be involved in your children’s lives.

What about when they go to college? Research indicates that if they didn’t drink in high school, they will usually not be a heavy drinker in college. You should also continue talking to your college kids. The conversations will get more adult and might make you queasy, but you need to. College kids don’t usually recognize that they have a drinking problem. It will take someone else to realize that they do.

It was a great session, and I want to thank Cigna for putting it together. For handouts and recordings, check out the Cigna site.

Source: carianthony.blogspot.com via Tara on Pinterest

Happy Holiday Card from Stop Alcohol Deaths (S.A.D.)

Shevonne Polastre — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:38:03 +0000

Customize an ecard

We want to wish all of you a happy holidays. Thank you so much for supporting us throughout the year. We hope that you have a great end to 2011 and start to 2012. Holiday parties are wonderful, but people can also get carried away and drink too much. Please drink responsibly, take care of one another, and don’t drink and drive.

Source: printpattern.blogspot.com via Sanne on Pinterest

December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month: Sobering Infographic

Shevonne Polastre — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:49:15 +0000

The holidays are a time for good times with friends and families. These good times also bring an increase in drunk driving. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed December as National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. It is a time to pledge to not drink under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Certification Map has created an infographic that will make realize that it’s not worth getting on the roads unless you are completely fine to drive.

Here are some of the stats from the infographic:

Almost 30 Americans are killed each day by alcohol-impaired driving
One in three Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lifetime
38 percent of motor vehicle deaths involve alcohol
50 to 75 percent of convicted drunk drivers continue to drive with a suspended license
35 percent of drunk drivers killed in crashes during 2009 were between the ages of 21 and 24
Alcohol-related crashes dropped by 13 percent as a result of mass media campaigns addressing drunk driving

Via Certification Map – Teacher Certification & MAT@USC: Masters in Teaching

Today is Int’l Volunteer Day and the End of the Prohibition Era

Shevonne Polastre — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:02:18 +0000

Today is International Volunteer Day and also the anniversary of the end of Prohibition Era.

International Volunteer Day

International Volunteer Day is a way for organizations and volunteers to make their contributions known. We would like to ask you to show your support to binge drinking and alcohol poisoning by creating a Razoo page or checking out our Get Involved page and volunteering.

End of Prohibition Era

The Prohibition Era was a time where alcohol was found illegal in the United States. There were no rules and regulations to control how alcohol was made in the United States. During this time, there were many alcohol-related deaths due to people finding dangerous alternatives to alcohol. On December 5, 1933, the prohibition amendment was repealed.

Drinking responsibly is the only way to prevent alcohol-related deaths. Show your support in changing the present time’s drinking culture by volunteering.

Source: google.ca via Chloe on Pinterest