Allen Memorial Hospital

An Iowa Health System Affiliate

Employee Assistance Program

EAPWorks

Summer 2000

A Newsletter to Promote Employee Health in the Workplace

Content:

1.      What Allen EAP Offers

2.       Marijuana & Sexuality

3.       Warning Signs of Eating Disorders

4.       Child Eating Disorders

What does Allen EAP offer?

Allen Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services are a free benefit provided by your employer to help you and your family deal with life’s problems and the stress caused by these problems.

You can talk to an EAP counselor about:

·        Relationship difficulties

·        Alcohol or drug abuse

·        Family or marital conflicts

·        Financial problems

·        Job stress

·        Grief and loss issues

·        Depression or anxiety

·        Parenting issues

·        Gambling concerns

When should I call Allen EAP?

Does a problem occupy a lot of your time?  Does it interfere with your normal activities at work or at home?  Have symptoms persisted for more than two weeks?  If the answer to any of these questions is yes, it’s time to get help.

How do I make an appointment with Allen EAP?

To schedule a confidential appointment, call (319) 235-3550 or toll-free at 1-800-303-9996, Monday-Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Identify yourself as part of your company’s Employee Assistance Program.  We’ll schedule an appointment to meet your needs, and evening appointments are available.

What if it’s an Emergency?

If a personal crisis occurs when our office is closed, call (319) 235-HELP or toll-free at 1-800-303-9996.  An EAP counselor will contact you within one hour of your call to help you stabilize the situation.  

Marijuana & Sexuality

...Studies Show that mirijuana use can have a major impact on both male and female sexuality.

On Male Sexuality

Decreased Masculinity

The cells of the reproductive system are very high in fat, and thus absorb and hold more THC (the psychoactive agent in marijuana) than do most other cells in the body.  Marijuana use results in lowered levels of the male hormone testosterone, which is essential for the development and sustenance of hair and beard growth, muscle mass, and sexual organs.  Male marijuana smokers may also experience enlargement of their breasts because of localized fatty deposits.

Impotency

As with abusers of other drugs, including alcohol, the marijuana smoker may experience an inability to function sexually.  While marijuana may stir up desire, it also takes away from performance, leading to embarrassment, lowered self-esteem, and sexual problems.

Infertility

Moderate to heavy marijuana use, especially between the ages of 12 and 17, can result in the production of no sperm, too few sperm, or abnormal sperm.  In addition, studies suggest there may be changes in sperm transmission of genetic codes.  Thus, if a defective sperm should fertilize a female egg, birth defects may result.

On Female Sexuality

Decreased Femininity

In contrast to effects of THC in males, testosterone levels in females are increased as a result of marijuana use.  Female marijuana smokers may take on such male sexual characteristics as hair on the chest, face and arms, and flattening of the buttocks and breasts.  Acne may also be increased.  

Infertility

Marijuana has been shown to interrupt the normal menstrual cycle and to interfere with reproductive health and fertility.  THC can irreversibly damage the entire supply of the ovaries’ eggs.

Pregnancy Complications

THC has a disrupting effect on the passage of nutrients from the placenta to the fetus.  Infant mortality rates are increased with marijuana use, and a number of studies indicate an increase in birth defects in the children of users.  In addition, nursing mothers transfer toxic THC to their babies through their breast milk.

Source: “Marijuana: How Much of a Gamble?” by W.R. Spence, M.D.

When Food Becomes a Problem....Warning Signs of Eating Disorders

Could you have an eating disorder?  Maybe, over 30 million Americans do.

Each problem is unique, but eating disorders have warning signals.   And while many of us occasionally experience unusual behavior, feelings or thoughts about food, having too many of these symptoms too often may signal an eating disorder.  You should be aware of these warning signs:

ü      Fear of being unable to stop eating once you start

ü      Abusing drugs or alcohol before “binge eating”

ü      Intentional vomiting after meals

ü      Constant low-calorie or crash dieting

ü      Compulsive exercise with strict “exercise rules”

ü      Using body weight and being thin to measure self-worth

ü      Thinking or talking constantly about food

ü      Refusing to discuss food at all

ü      Using food to hide anger, loneliness, or feelings of rejection

If you are concerned about eating behaviors or attitudes, whether your own or a friend’s or family member’s, consider professional help.  Allen EAP can help you get information about eating disorders and treatment options.

Source:  Parlay International

Actions may help prevent your child’s eating disorder

What can parents do to help prevent a child, usually a daughter, from developing an eating disorder?  Here are some guidelines:

1.      Encourage her to take control, not of food and her body, but of issues of real importance such as her classes at school, activities, and family life.  Confidence and a sense of control develop through making decisions and carrying them out.  Armed with real power and control over her life, she is less likely to turn to food as an answer.

2.      Teach her as early as preschool that she is exceptional, regardless of her accomplishments.  Emphasize that what makes her so special is not her grades or performance, but her uniqueness as an individual.

3.      Emphasize the enjoyment of activities rather than performance.  Studies suggest teenagers may turn to anorexia as a way to out-perform others in weight management, eating less, and exercising more than anyone they know.  By emphasizing the value of activities for enhancing friendship and learning new skills, you can teach your child that there’s more to life than winning.

4.      Model healthy eating.  Many girls who develop eating disorders have mothers or fathers who diet rigorously.  One clear fact about eating disorders: Dieting is a risk factor.

5.      Respect your child’s hunger and satiety.  From birth, the infant cries when hungry and averts its head from breast or bottle when full.  As children grow older, many lose touch with internal, physical indicators of hunger, and satiety and learn to eat in response to external cues, such as the appearance or quality of food on the plate, pressures from others to eat, or mood.  Eliminate the “Clean the Plate Club.”  Permit your children to take as much or as little of the foods you serve and to leave portions on their plates if they don’t like or can’t finish them.

6.      Foster a healthy body image.  From an early age, encourage your child to view her appearance in a positive light, focusing on aspects she likes rather than those she’d like to change.  Too many parents often ridicule their own bodies, yet are surprised when their children begin disparaging theirs.

7.      Know the risk factors for eating disorders and stay alert.  If your child appears to be dieting, talk to her about the dangers.  Keep the lines of communication open so that she feels comfortable turning to you.  Talk to your children about the pressures they face in today’s world to be attractive and successful; explain the subtle ways our culture perpetuates myths about how women and men should look and act.  

Source: Allen EAP

EAPWorks is published quarterly by Allen Memorial Hospital for Allen EAP clients to provide reliable information on health-related topics.  It is not intended to provide medical advice on personal health matters, which should be obtained directly from a physician.