Trial-and-Error: Finding the best medication to treat someone with depression has often required a trial-and-error approach. Ten people can respond in completely different ways to the same medication; just because Paxil worked miracles for your best friend doesn’t mean it will do the same for you. Some people test four or five different medications before they know which one really helps with their depressive symptoms. This can also be an expensive process, because any unused medication has to be thrown away – the cost cannot be refunded. When you are suffering from clinical depression and possibly experiencing suicidal thoughts, spending months testing different medications is not something you want to do, especially if the side effects just worsen your depression.

Stick Out Your Tongue: Now Science Daily has published research findings that just might change the picture for people in need of anti-depressant medication. A simple taste test might be able to tell if someone is depressed and which medication would be the most helpful. Studies show that the neurotransmitters, serotonin and noradrenaline (both of which are related to depression), and people’s moods can affect their ability to recognize different tastes. Changes in the levels of these chemicals impact how well people can identify the tastes of bitter, sweet, and sour. If a simple taste test can pinpoint which chemical levels may need adjusting, doctors would be able to pick the best anti-depressant medication right away, instead of having to guess and cross their fingers.

Deaf Teens and Alcohol: What Every Parent Needs to Know!

TONIGHT Wednesday, December 6, 2006

Maryland School for the Deaf
Frederick Campus Ely Building – Seminar room
7 – 9 pm

Presenters: Laura Dreany, DASAM and Corporal Tom Johann, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office

Contact: Cheri Dowling or Pat Timm for registration and more information cad800@aol.com

What’s a Parent to Do?: So, you’ve seen the newspaper headlines, the anti-drug ads on TV, the Myspace confessions of hungover teens…you’re not in the dark. You’ve even been a teen yourself. You know alcohol is a very real fact of life for many teens. You probably know that teens who drink are at frighteningly high risk for being in car crashes, for having unprotected sex, for being victims of violent crimes such as rape or assault, and for developing alcohol dependence later in life. You’re a parent of a Deaf teen and you know all these facts, but you still might be unsure of how to handle The Alcohol Issue with your teen.

Deaf Teens: Deaf teens may or may not be at greater risk for alcohol use than their hearing peers. Factors that decrease likelihood of teen alcohol problems include: strong, supportive relationships with parents and family, friendships with peers who don’t drink or pressure others to drink, involvement in after-school activities and sports, and parental discouragement of teen alcohol use. Deaf teens who may be isolated in hearing schools can be at greater risk for alcohol use, especially if they decide to drink in order to “fit in” with their hearing classmates.

Clearly, communication is an important factor here. A Deaf teen whose parents are able to communicate their values, expectations, and concerns about alcohol, is in a much better position than a Deaf teen whose parents don’t – or cannot – discuss these things. Simply having parents who sign is not enough. It’s what the parents communicate that is important. See this link for tips on how to do this. Having regular family dinners and chatting with your teen’s friends is another good way to keep tabs on what your teen might be up to.

But I Want to be a Cool Parent: When it comes to teen drinking, there are parents who lay down the law and expressly forbid their teen from going within 100 yards of an open beer bottle. There are parents who acknowledge that teen drinking is a reality, but encourage their teen to avoid it and try to find ways to make it easier for their teen to do so. Then there are parents who want to be cool, who may believe there is no way their teen is going to stay away from alcohol. These are the parents who may look the other way when their teen comes home at 3:00 am, reeking of alcohol. Some of these parents even host parties in their homes for their teens, providing alcohol and confiscating car keys to make sure no one drives home drunk. They may believe that this is the safest way to get their teen through adolescence; they may think they are upping their own – and their teen’s – cool factor. What they may be forgetting or minimizing, however, is that this is not only illegal, but also potentially dangerous and grounds for a lawsuit bigger than they might imagine.

Tell Us What You Think: If you’re the parent of a Deaf teen or someone who is interested in this topic, we’d love to know your thoughts, suggestions, and experiences with teens and alcohol. Is throwing an alcohol-themed party for your teen in your home a good idea? Have you or your teen experienced the consequences of teen alcohol use? How would you advise parents to deal with teens and alcohol?

Resource: Drug and alcohol addiction are serious problems among many teens.  If you know someone who may need drug rehabilitation information, check out this drug and alcohol resource site today to get all the alcohol and substance abuse treatment information you need.

A Cause for Concern: Did you know that for women who experience domestic violence, the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are the most dangerous time of the year? Not only do reports of domestic violence increase during the holidays, but the very nature of the violence itself tends to be especially vicious and harsh this time of year. Holiday-related stress, including expectations involving celebration and gift-giving, as well as additional financial demands, seem to bring out the worst in some people. Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between 15 and 44 years of age, more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined. We should all be concerned about the safety of Deaf women – and children – in our community who are victims of domestic violence.

If You are being Hurt by Domestic Violence:

1) Tell someone about the abuse. If family or authorities know about it, they can help defuse the situation or take you out of harm’s way.

2) Stay out of kitchens or bathrooms during arguments. Knives are in kitchens and bathrooms have tight quarters.

3) If you’re going to party, avoid alcohol and drugs and stay in a big group. That increases the number of witnesses and reduces the likelihood of violence.

If You Know Someone Who is in an Abusive Relationship:

1) If an assault is occurring, call 911.

2) Take the time to listen, and believe what your friend says. Don’t judge or criticize your friend’s choices. Give emotional support.

3) Don’t downplay the danger – express concern for your friend’s safety. Let your friend know about agencies that can help.

If You Think a Person is being Abusive:

1) Tell them you feel uncomfortable when they insult or putdown their partner.

2) Tell them that their behavior disturbs you.

3) Tell them you care about them and urge them to contact a batterer treatment agency. Don’t agree with any statements that suggest their partner brought on the abuse. Remember, there’s no excuse for domestic violence.

DAWN’S FUNDRAISING NIGHT: Show Your Support

Fuddruckers
12111 Darnestown Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20878

Wednesday, December 6, 2006

5-8 PM

20% of all proceeds will go toward the survivor support program, which includes supporting staff members, emergency client costs and pager costs for the volunteer advocates who are currently working with survivors.

You may contact Amy Crumrine, Fundraising Chair, at racrumrine@aol.com for further assistance.

Print out this flyer to bring to Fuddruckers to ensure that your proceeds will go to DAWN.