By Adrian Zupp
Now in its 14th year, National Alcohol Screening Day® (NASD) has grown to involve almost a thousand organizations, including military installations, community-based organizations, and colleges.
Founded in 1999 by Massachusetts-based nonprofit Screening For Mental Health, Inc., the centerpiece of NASD is the free, anonymous screenings available at www.DrinkingIQ.org. The screening for alcohol, which was developed by the World Health Organization, only takes a few minutes to complete.
One of the key points made today is that there are many rungs on the ladder from sobriety to alcoholism, and that many alcohol-related problems often go unrecognized by the individual and unseen by those around them. And yet the consequences can be devastating.
NASD, which is always held on the Thursday of the first full week in April, has grown steadily over the years helping thousands of members of the military and their families.
If you or someone you know may have a problem with alcohol, the first step to getting a handle on it is a screening at www.DrinkingIQ.org. The same site also offers screenings for depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While the screenings don’t constitute a formal diagnosis, they do give individuals a good indication of whether they should seek further help.
Be sure to spread the word about NASD!
Adrian Zupp is the marekting and communications writer for Screening for Mental Health.
