Substance Abuse: What if...

Even if you do not personally know of a person struggling with a substance abuse problem, we are all affected by it. We tend to focus on just the user when talking about substance abuse and addiction. But let’s stop for a minute and look at the other aspects of abuse.

When it comes to substance abuse, we tend to hold a negative view, blaming the user for their so called “moral downfalls.” What if we stopped and asked ourselves why a person started using drugs in the first place? Substance abuse and addiction are multifaceted; there is no single factor in addiction. While not all abusers become addicts, drug abuse does lead to addiction.

There are many paths that lead to addiction. While most people originally start substance use recreationally and for fun, it can quickly get out of hand. Some pathways to addiction include social and familial interactions, genetic predisposition, age at first use, method of use (injection, smoking, etc), and environmental factors. We must not forget that because a person initially chose to use a substance, doesn't mean they choose to continually use.

Of special note, one aspect of substance use is an undiagnosed mental health condition. Some individuals with a mental health disease use illicit substances to self-medicate. This can be for a variety of reasons; one example is that they do not have access to mental health services.

Addiction is a disease that, depending on the drug, can permanently change the brain’s structure and processes. It can also affect speech, memory, anxiety, and cause other mental health problems. The reasons a person started using drugs is an important factor when developing a treatment action plan for the individual. It is important to focus on the individual as a whole person and not “some junkie” addicted to a certain drug.

Now let’s look at how it is all connected. A person who is addicted to drugs, drives impaired (drugged driving) and is in a traffic accident. Whether or not a person is injured or killed, the resources and outcomes of that event resonate to different agencies. The paramedics and police become involved. Traffic is stopped and backed up; the emergency personnel are put in danger responding to the car wreck. Depending on whether or not a person is killed or extremely injured depends on the care they receive. Hospital personnel and possibly the coroner’s office become involved.

After the immediate emergency is over, law enforcement reconstructs the scene and makes arrests. The impaired driver now enters the judicial system. They can stay there for years depending on the severity of the wreck. This costs tax payers money.  If the individuals do not have auto or health insurance, your premiums will go up. If this wreck caused loss of life or limb, what of the victim’s family? How are they doing? What if a rescue worker was hit?

This is only one example of how everything is connected. We are all in the midst of addiction and most of us have no clue. Addiction affects all aspects of society. Addiction is indiscriminate. By addressing the many avenues of abuse and creating a safe place for honest dialog, we can help those who need it most.

What if...


*If you would like to become involved in addressing substance abuse in Winnebago County, we have the Substance Abuse Committee and the Winnebago Co. Heroin Task Force. We also be holding the Inaugural Rethink Addiction Run 5k September 13, 2014. For more information go to our webpage.

Sexual Health Education

Then end of each semester marks an exciting time for sexual health education in some Winnebago County high schools!  Over the last few years, we have been grateful to partner with Oshkosh and Omro 9th grade health teachers in sharing a more comprehensive sexual health education during the health classes' human growth and development units, specifically about the prevention, testing and treatment of STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections) among the age group of 15-19 year olds.  Why do we place such an important emphasis on this young age group you ask?  By law, certain diagnosed diseases have to be reported to the health department for follow up.  Chlamydia and Gonorrhea are among these.  As you can see by the graph below, we had nearly 200 reported cases of Chlamydia in 2013 in the age group of 15-19 in Winnebago County.  These are again, just the cases that were reported, which means a person would have had to actually gone in to get tested. Since STIs often have no symptoms, there are surly many more cases floating around in Winnebago County that have not been diagnosed or reported.

While in the high school classes, we discuss the importance of delaying sexual initiation of any kind, including anal, oral and vaginal sex, all of which we know can spread STIs.  We also focus on the importance of using protection if engaging in these behaviors such as male condoms, female condoms, and dental dams to aid in the prevention of STIs.  Lastly, we provide information to students on where they can get free or low cost prevention, testing and treatment services and answer any questions they may have.  We look forward to possible expansion into more high schools in Winnebago County!  Remember:

Know your status!  Get yourself tested!  Happy Summer!

Caregiver Burnout

If you are helping a family member or friend over age 50 with things such as dressing, bathing, housework, or taking medicine on a regular basis, then you are a caregiver. You are not alone—there are close to 50 million Americans involved in caregiving. Caregivers spend an average of 20 hours each week caring for one (or more) older adults. About one in four of caregivers have been giving care for more than five years. About three in four caregivers work a paying job and spend up to $5000 out of pocket each year to help with caregiving costs.

Caregivers are at higher risk for symptoms of anxiety and depression because of the burden of these many roles. Their physical health may also suffer. It is normal for caregivers to feel alone and overwhelmed. Caregivers may also feel unable to communicate well with the person receiving care and/or other family members. They also report needing information on how to keep their loved ones safe at home and to find activities to do with them. And caregivers also need resources to help them manage their own stress and make time for themselves.

The following agencies and people can help you find the help you need:

• Eldercare Locator Visit www.eldercare.gov to search for community services by zip code, city or topic. Or call 800-677-1116 to speak with an Information Specialist.
  You can find your local Area Agency on Aging through the Eldercare Locator. Among other things, an Area Agency on Aging caseworker can visit you and your loved one and give you information about different sources for the help you need, how much this help might cost, and how you can get financial assistance.
• Other community Resources Your local United Way and faith-based organizations can also help you find assistance.

• Social workers Social workers at hospitals, clinics, or home health agencies, and specially trained s “geriatric care managers,” can help, too. The National Association of Professional Geriatrics Care Managers can provide more information. (Note: Insurance usually doesn’t cover the cost of geriatric care manager assistance.)

Among other things, these groups and individuals can help you find the following kinds of help:

• Financial – assistance and advice on paying for the services your loved one needs; including assistance completing paper work.
• Transportation – to take your loved one shopping or to and from medical appointments.
• Meals – including help preparing meals or having meals delivered.
• Home nursing services – including visits from Registered Nurses, private duty nurses, nurses aides and hospice.
• Respite care services – which send trained helpers to your loved one’s home so you can take a break.
• Reliable “home helpers” – who can visit your loved one for an hour or two at a time to help with bathing, light housekeeping, cooking, and errands.
• Adult day care – centers where older adults can go for several hours during the day for care supervised by healthcare staff. This care usually includes social programs, recreation and meals. Special adult day care programs are available for people with dementia, depression and social problems

Adapted from " Caregiving for an Older Adult: Stressing and a Blessing  & "Tips for Avoiding Caregiver Burnout"

http://www.healthinaging.org/blog/caregiving-for-an-older-adult-stressing-and-a-blessing-2/

Seed Sewing and Planting?... School gardens are popping up all over Winnebago County!

          Spring is FINALLY here and summer is fast approaching. Not too long ago the ground was frozen and now it is teeming with dandelions. As the school year winds down, we are spending as much time as possible getting students involved with school gardens. Winnebago County Farm2School is partnering with Growing Oshkosh to coordinate gardens at four Oshkosh elementary schools. Two schools, Emmeline Cook and Webster Stanley, had raised beds installed last year. The other two sites, Merrill and Washington Elementary, are this year. A couple of weeks ago students sewed seeds (meaning they planted seeds in small trays) which they are currently tending to in their classroom. They are watching their seeds turn into delicate little plants and in a week or two they will be transplanting their “class pets” into the ground outside. Over the summer Growing Oshkosh will be hosting volunteer garden days at each of the schools so that community members can learn how to garden and harvest the rewards.

Below are pictures from our most recent seed sewing events at Washington and Emmeline Cook:

Why are school gardens important? 

Besides the fact that school gardens are a beneficial use of school lawns; they also cultivate strong social relationships among students and serve as an outdoor learning classroom. Core curriculum subjects like math, science and social studies can be used to measure plant heights, learn about plant parts, and talk about where foods originated from. Students are able to taste fresh food, make healthier choices, and get a little physical activity during the day. Children are more likely to eat food that they plant and harvest. This is significant because 88.4% of Wisconsin adolescents surveyed eat less than the recommended amounts of vegetables (CDC, 2010). We hope that these school gardens will promote the knowledge, attitude, and consumption of fruits and vegetables for our youth.


Are you interested in getting more involved with existing Winnebago County School Gardens? Do you know a school that would be interested in developing one? If so, please contact Sabina Bastias at sbastias@co.winnebago.wi.us.

Another great resource to get plugged in on a statewide level is the Wisconsin School Garden Initiative.

Children's Mental Health

7 Myths About Child Mental Health: 

MYTH 1: A child with a psychiatric disorder is damaged for life. 
A psychiatric disorder is by no means an indication of a child’s potential for future happiness and fulfillment. The most important thing to remember here is that early intervention can be very effective at preventing chronic, debilitating conditions.

MYTH 2: Psychiatric problems result from personal weakness. 
It can be difficult to separate the symptoms of a child’s psychiatric disorder—impulsive behavior, aggressiveness, or extreme shyness, for example—from a child’s character. But a psychiatric disorder is an illness, just like diabetes or leukemia is not a personality type. 

MYTH 3: Psychiatric disorders result from bad parenting. 
While a child’s home environment and relationships with his parents can exacerbate a psychiatric disorder, these things don’t cause the disorder. Parenting isn’t to blame. But parents play a central role in a child’s recovery. They provide support and care that is crucial to their child’s treatment plan and future development.

MYTH 4: A child can manage a psychiatric disorder through willpower.
The key word here is disorder. A disorder is not mild anxiety or a dip in mood. It is severe distress and dysfunction that can affect all areas of a child’s life. A heartbreaking number of parents resist mental health services for their children because they fear the stigma attached to diagnoses or see psychiatrists as pill pushers. This is incredibly sad because kids don’t have the skills and life experience to manage conditions as overwhelming as depression, anxiety, or ADHD. They can benefit profoundly from the right treatment plan, which usually includes a type of behavioral therapy, and have their health and happiness restored.

MYTH 5: Therapy for kids is a waste of time.
Today’s best evidence-based treatment programs for children and teens use a cognitive-behavioral therapy model that focuses on changing the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are causing them serious problems. This is solution-driven therapy, and it’s a key component of some of the most exciting and innovative new treatment plans for kids. 

MYTH 6: Children are overmedicated.
Medication is not the norm. Approximately 20 percent of children and teens in America have psychiatric issues at any one time; only 5 percent of them take medication. We never doubt whether a child with diabetes or a seizure disorder should get medication; we should take psychiatric illness just as seriously. The larger problem is that millions of children who suffer from serious psychiatric problems never receive any help.

MYTH 7: Children grow out of mental health problems.
Most mental health problems left untreated in childhood become more difficult to treat in adulthood. Since we know that most psychiatric disorders emerge before a child’s 14th birthday, we should have huge incentive to screen young people for emotional and behavioral problems. We can then coordinate interventions while a child’s brain is most responsive to change and treatment is more likely to be successful. Left untreated, disorders often lead to substance abuse, difficulties with relationships and work, and brushes with the law.

Adapted from: http://www.childmind.org/en/posts/articles/2010-11-8-7-myths-about-child-mental-health

To learn more,  join the conversation at childmind.org/speakup.