Take Back Day Was a Success!

Thank you for everyone who participated in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Connecticut collected 8,003 pounds of medication from 47 collection sites across the state. Our region collected more than 1,633 pounds!
Take Care of Your Mental Health This Holiday Season

6 Ways to Cope With Holiday Stress
The holiday season is supposed to be a joyous time of year, however it brings a great deal of stress for many people for various reasons. This year, the COVID pandemic is further complicating things.

As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, we are faced with tough decisions for how to celebrate and also stay safe as COVID cases spike across the country. Many people are choosing to avoid large gatherings this year. While that decision may help avoid the virus, it can cause some turmoil with family members and bring on feelings of depression and isolation, so plan ahead to cope.
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6 Ways to Cope This Year

1. Be Honest and Communicate
If you decide it's best for you and your family to avoid traditional festivities this year, honest communication is key. While your family may be disappointed or even angry, emphasize your choice is based on keeping everyone safe. If emotions are running high and the conversation gets heated, it's best to let everyone cool off and not argue.

2. Change Your Attitude
Instead of looking at what is being taken away from you this year, remind yourself that this isn't forever (even though it feels like it!). Your sacrifice this year is an effort to keep you and your family safe and avoid having empty chairs at the table next year.
Events at a Glance
Drop-In Mindfulness Meditation Class
Fridays from 12 - 12:30 PM
Call 203-227-7644 or email to register & get zoom link.

Fathers Forum:
Fathering in a Pandemic
November 14th, 9 AM

LGBTQIA: What Does it
All Mean for You and
Your Teen?
November 16th, 7 - 8 PM

Virtual Public Forum
on Hartford HealthCare Acquisition of
St. Vincent’s
November 17th, 5:30 PM

Helping Others Cope in a Time When the World is Upside Down
November 18th, 12 - 1 PM

Vaping 101: What you need to know about the products and impact on community.
November 18th, 12 PM

Open House: Norwalk Community Health Center New Location
November 18th, 2 - 5 pm

The Benefit of Good Enough Parenting
Nov. 18th, 5:30 - 6:30 PM

Pathway Session on Behavioral Health Insurance Advocacy
November 18th, 7 - 8 PM
Weekly Support Groups

FREE Teacher
Support Groups
Every Wednesday, 7 - 8 pm

Peer-Led Support
Groups from Ripple
Tuesdays & Thursdays
10 PM - 12 AM

SMART Recovery Family & Friends Support Group
Mondays, 5 - 6PM
What You Need to Know About Benzodiazepines
Anxiety levels are on the rise across the country and prescriptions for benzodiazepines, or benzos for short, are skyrocketing. This group of anti-anxiety medications include drugs such as Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin and Valium. A study conducted by Express Scripts of more than 3 million people found that prescriptions for benzos increased by 34% from mid-February to mid-March, which is when the pandemic began worsening in the U.S. In 2019, a "normal" year, the FDA estimated that there were already 92 million benzo prescriptions dispensed in our country.

A October health tracking poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation showed two-thirds of Americans are worried they or their family will get sick from the coronavirus, which is up 13% since April. It's not surprising that people are seeking relief from the anxiety. These medications are very helpful when taken as prescribed for a short period of time, however long-term use is harmful.

Did you know? ... It's easy to accidentally overdose even if you're taking them properly.

Visit The Hub website for treatment resources.

Resources

MADD Youth Programming
MADD CT has a NEW menu of programs to choose from to meet all your needs as teachers, community members and parents. If you’d like to inquire more fill out our Youth Programming Request.

Need Durable Medical Equipment? Got Equipment to Donate?
Wheel it Forward is a new kind of library! Visit their website to learn how you can borrow or donate durable medical equipment.

Now Available in Spanish
The "CT Public Health Alert and Call to Action for Youth Suicide" is now available in Spanish.
In the News
Teens and young adults enrolled in the quit vaping program from Truth Initiative said they were driven to quit because of concerns about health (50.9%), cost (21.7%), the desire to be free from addiction (16%) and social factors such as others’ impressions of them (10.1%), according to a Truth Initiative® study published in Addictive Behaviors.

While health topped the list of reasons that drove young people to quit vaping, with some reporting concerns such as “I can’t breathe. My lungs are weak” and “I want my lungs back,” the study highlights the diverse experiences that motivated young e-cigarette users to quit in their own words and finds that health concerns were just one motivation to put their vapes down for good. Read full article.
COVID-19 already has been linked to an assortment of alarming long-term physical health effects, and now a new study illuminates what the virus can also do to a person’s brain.

A report in the medical journal The Lancet found that those diagnosed with COVID-19 are at a greater risk for developing mental health disorders. The data suggests that 1 in 5 patients who survived the illness will receive a mental health diagnosis within roughly three months of getting the infection.

The most common conditions experts have seen include post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, insomnia and dementia. Read full article.
The Hub: Behavioral Health Action Organization for Southwestern CT
A division of the Regional Youth Adult Social Action Partnership (RYASAP) 
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