drugs

Dec 2011 10

Substance Abuse During the Holidays & Beyond

2011 Articles, Mental Health

by Emily Durbin
& Sherry Walling

In low doses, these substances can elicit positive effects like euphoria, mild stimulation, relaxation, and a lowered sense of inhibition and anxiety. However, prolonged use can garner an array of negative consequences. In the wake of continued worldwide financial woes, use and abuse rates of drugs and alcohol are up in the United States.

A Troubled Teen and a Mother’s Anguish – A Story of Hope

2011 Articles, Helping Hands, Mental Health

by Liz Stoeckel

On October 3, 2004, seventy-five people gathered in Fresno, California to hold a prayer vigil for a missing 16-year old girl. I’d seen these vigils on the news—pictures of a smiling teenager, Mom begging for information, candles lighting up the night, and volunteers handing out flyers. I wasn’t watching this scene unfold on the 6:00 news, however. The face on the flyer belonged to my daughter.