EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Fall
2000
A Newsletter to Promote
Employee Health in the Workplace
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:
Ÿ
Relationship difficulties
Ÿ
Alcohol or drug abuse
Ÿ
Family or marital conflicts
Ÿ
Financial problems
Ÿ
Job stress
Ÿ
Grief & loss issues
Ÿ
Depression or anxiety
Ÿ
Parenting issues
Ÿ
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
The magnitude
of differences between the sexes has been debated all throughout history. It is
only recently that research on gender
differences and alcoholism has been conducted. This research seems to suggest
that women drink for different reasons than men, are more vulnerable to negative
physical effects of alcohol use, and need different types of treatment than men.
Women of all ages and ethnicity can become alcoholics. This disease does not
discriminate according to age or ethnic background.
Women
may drink for different reasons than men. Recent studies show that 70% of women
in treatment for alcohol use had been sexually abused as children, as opposed to
only 12% of men. Many times women who abuse alcohol are currently in situations
where they are physically, mentally, or sexually abused.
Women
alcoholics are less obvious than men. Women’s symptoms of alcoholism may be
less apparent than men’s, so doctors and family members often do not recognize
the problem. Men can become involved in increased traffic accidents and violence
associated with alcohol use. Women’s alcoholism is shown in more subtle ways
such as depression.
Women may be more vulnerable to the negative consequences of alcohol use.
— Because women’s bodies
have less water volume than men, women experience the effects of alcohol after
fewer drinks than men of the same size.
— Women can develop liver
damage in a shorter period of time and after consuming less alcohol than men,
because of differences in metabolism.
— A recent study showed that
women alcoholics had greater brain damage than men alcoholics and non-alcoholic
women.
— Studies also show that
women who are heavy drinkers are at an increased risk for developing heart
disease and breast cancer.
— Recent surveys show that
there is a direct relationship between alcohol use and the incidence of violent
victimization such as date rape or physical
abuse.
Women do not respond well to traditional forms of treatment that consist of first breaking the addict down mentally. Many times, female alcoholics suffer from depression, abuse, or self-esteem problems. They need to identify and cope with these issues, as well as the alcohol addiction itself.
Contact
Allen EAP if you believe you or a loved one suffer from alcoholism.
Source:
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, December 1999, and
Professional Counselor, August 2000
This Free Test could
Save Your Life . . . . .
Between
17 and 20 million Americans each year develop some form of depression.
If you think you may have depression, attend National Depression
Screening Day on October 5, 2000. People with depression often feel alone, not
realizing that depression affects many people.
One out of every five adults may experience a depression at some point in
their lives.
Þ
Twice as many women as men
suffer from depression, but risks for bipolar disorder (manic-depression) are
similar in men and women.
Þ
Recent studies have shown that
heart attack survivors with major depression have a three to four times greater
risk of dying within six months than those who do not suffer from depression.
Þ
Teen suicide rates have
increased more than 300% since the 1950’s.
Common symptoms of
depression include:
§
feelings
of sadness
§
loss
of pleasure in usual activities
§
feelings
of hopelessness, helplessness, or worthlessness
§
changes
in sleep and appetite
§
loss
of energy
§
restlessness
and thoughts of death or suicide
Unfortunately,
fewer than half of those suffering from the disorders actually receive
treatment; however, depression is one of the most treatable of illnesses, with
the vast majority of sufferers showing improvement in as little as eight weeks.
New this Year . . .
Depression Screenings by Appointment
Includes
—
Video on Depression
—
Brief Consult with a Mental
Health Professional
—
Questionnaire
— Educational Materials and Referral Information
Call 319-235-3550 to schedule a FREE Screening Appointment for Thursday, October 5, 2000
No
two people will experience a loss of a loved one in exactly the same way. Here
are guidelines written by people who have worked their way through their grief.
Accept
your Grief. Time alone does
not heal grief. To work through it you must accept and deal with it. Remember it
is a natural healing process. Roll with its tides.
Find
Models. You may need evidence
that survival and growth are possible. Look for someone who can give you this
hope. Books and support groups may be good places to begin.
Learn
About Grief. Many a person
who has learned about grief has declared . . . “I found out I’m not crazy .
. . I’m grieving.” Understanding grief can make it safer and more
predictable.
Accept
Your Feelings. Grief has many
feelings . . . some very intense. Accept them and they will help you learn about
yourself and the meaning of your loss. Lock them up inside you, and you will
lock away parts of yourself.
Pace
Yourself. Grief takes energy.
You may tire easily. A slower pace alternated with periods of diversion and mild
exercise will maximize healing. So will good nutrition.
Involve
Yourself in Work or Meaningful Activity.
It can help you maintain direction, control, and purpose, and occupy your mind.
Don’t
be Afraid to have Fun.
Laughter IS good medicine.
Allow yourself opportunities for diversion and freshness. Children and
pets
are great providers of healing.
Hitch
Your Wagon to a Star. You've
got to have hope. Faith is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to go on
when fear is present. Healing will come eventually.
—
Source: Healing
& Growing through Grief
Allen
Memorial Hospital will facilitate a grief support group, A
Time for Healing Tuesdays,
September
19 - October 17, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p .m., with a Memorial Service September 10.
Call Pastoral Care at 235-3694 to register.
There is no charge.
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.