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Celebrating an achievement, toasting a special occasion, relaxing after a bad day, bonding with friends, staying warm during a cold night, sharing a moment with someone, trying to escape reality... There are plenty of reasons why people drink. If you are like many Americans, you drink alcohol occasionally. Or, like others, you may drink moderate amounts of alcohol on a more regular basis. With so many reasons to drink, it can be hard to know how much is too much and when the line is crossed between the use and abuse of alcohol. To help people recognize the signs of an alcohol problem, sites across the country will be offering free, anonymous alcohol self-assessment on April 5, 2007, National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD). As part of the program, attendees will have the opportunity to complete a written questionnaire evaluating their alcohol use and talk privately with a health professional about their results and next steps. To find a participating site near you or to take an online self-assessment, visit www.NationalAlcoholScreeningDay.org. "National Alcohol Screening Day helps people assess their own drinking behaviors and identify resources for help. When you ask yourself - 'Is my drinking affecting my job, my relationships or my health?' - you might be surprised by the answer," says Douglas G. Jacobs, MD, President and CEO of Screening for Mental Health, the organization that sponsors NASD. Of those who took the online self-assessment between January 1, 2006 and March 18, 2007, 66% scored positive for symptoms of an alcohol problem. "Many people don't know what constitutes moderate alcohol use. For men, it is no more than two drinks per day and for women and seniors, it is no more than one drink per day. If you are drinking more than that, it could be the sign of a problem," says Jacobs. (One drink equals one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits). Signs that you, a friend, or a loved one may have an alcohol problem: * Drinking to calm nerves, forget worries or boost a sad mood * Guilt about drinking * Unsuccessful attempts to cut down/stop drinking * Lying about or hiding drinking habits * Causing harm to oneself or someone else as a result of drinking * Needing to drink increasingly greater amounts in order to achieve desired effect * Feeling irritable, resentful or unreasonable when not drinking * Medical, social, family, or financial problems caused by drinking Held in April as part of Alcohol Awareness Month, NASD is a program of the nonprofit Screening for Mental Health. For more information about National Alcohol Screening Day, to find a local site offering free, anonymous alcohol screenings, or to take an online screening, visit www.NationalAlcoholScreeningDay.org. www.HealthNewsDigest.com Top of Page 
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