Virtual treatment for substance abuse can help take away the stigma typically associated with getting help.
Posted at 9:13 AM, Apr 23, 2021
and last updated 2021-04-23 11:13:52-04
20 million Americans struggle with substance abuse, and experts say during the pandemic the situation has only gotten worse. But there are new treatment options that can help take away the stigma often associated with getting help.
Dr. Hossam Maumoud, Behavioral Health Medical Director for Regence BlueCross BlueShield says, What has happened with the COVID-19 pandemic is that the crisis has worsened.
Mahmoud says opioid and alcohol abuse is only compounded by our current situation. It is becoming harder and harder to detect the signs and symptoms of substance use because of our physical distancing.
Healthy Living: National Blood Donor Month
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Q13 s Ali Bradley reports.
SEATTLE - January is National Blood Donor Month and while it is important to donate blood year-round, it is especially important during this pandemic.
One might expect a shortage in blood donations during a pandemic, however, Vicki Finson, the Executive Vice President for blood services at Bloodworks Northwest says, We are collecting more blood and using more blood than we did in 2019.
Finson says it is an easy way to give back during this tough time, People are looking for something really good to do and something that feels really good to do in a time where it’s maybe hard to find some of those things.
Healthy Living: Alcohol disrupting sleep
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Q13 s Ali Bradley reports.
SEATTLE - It is no secret that we are dealing with more stress and anxiety than ever and one way people are coping with those unsettling emotions is by drinking alcohol.
Dr. Jim Polo is the Behavioral Health Medical Director with Regence BlueShield and he says people are drinking more frequently and more heavily, Alcohol consumption in the United States has increased by 15% this year over last.
Dr. Polo says one reason is that alcohol is really easy to get and it is affordable. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not costing you. Many people are paying the price of sleep disruption, A recent study by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine showed that 68% of American adults had disrupted sleep due to alcohol use.
Healthy Living: Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder during the pandemic
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Q13 s Ali Bradley reports.
SEATTLE - We are in the thick of both the holiday season and the pandemic. For many, emotions are running high, and for others, Seasonal Affective Disorder is in full force.
Dr. Jim Polo is the Behavioral Health Medical Director with Regence and he says, Sometimes referred to as the winter blues. The symptoms are very similar to major depression which include a sad mood, lack of energy, increased sleep, and social withdrawal.
In states that see more sunshine, Dr. Polo says, on average, 1% of the population experience Seasonal Affective Disorder, or S.A.D during the fall and winter months. In Washington, the prevalence is much higher, at 10%. However, the reason we experience S.A.D is still a little murky, The exact cause of seasonal affective disorder is not known but it is suspected that it is related to the decreased number of hours of natural light and