New Years Celebrations: Choose Your Ride Wisely

The picture says it....Drink, Drive...............Go To Jail! We all know this is true, so why do you still do it?
With the popularity of Uber, Lyft and other ride sharing services, plus the fact that nearly everyone has a smart phone now with social media access.............Get a ride home!! Driving buzzed, drunk or even high on prescription medications is not the right answer! Save a life this New Years, it might be your own!

Don't let me see you in the ER this weekend, I am working and you will get a lecture......just sayin! 

Thank you!

The United States Of Addicts

With the November elections looming over us right now most of us are focused on the issues that are presented by each candidate. Meanwhile as I am working weekly in the Emergency Department, we are treating a constant influx of patients who are addicted to prescription and illicit drugs. I read that more than one half of all Americans 12 and older drink some form of alcohol............say what. The abuse of recreational drugs (who the heck named them recreational!!) and prescription medications has climbed to a mind staggering 30 million people. We can't blame those numbers on Hilary Clinton or Donald Trump, although listening to all these ads on TV one after the other has me thinking daily about drinking myself.
I do hope that whomever wins this election can make some strides in healthcare for all, addiction treatment for anyone that needs it and getting control of pharmaceutical companies that are focused on making billions of dollars instead of truly helping people.
Please get out and vote on November 8th, let your voice be heard. 

The infographic below provides some great information about drug types, addiction, legal and illegal drugs, teenage drug addiction and the rising Emergency Department visits due to drug addiction. Something has got to change! We are living in The United States of drug addition!

Drug Rehab Stats -- 20.4 million people #drugabuse #infographic

Are you surprised? Alcohol is still at the top of the list, yes alcohol is a drug! Ages 12 and over are involved in the use of illegal drugs or the nonmedical use of prescription drugs, 8.3 percent that is. Interesting infographic on some hard hitting numbers.

Source: infographicsposters.com via Next Gen Counseling & Coaching on Pinterest