The holiday season can be a fantastic, festive time. It can be a time for us to slow down, reconnect with the people we care about, and reflect on the year gone by.
The holidays can also be overwhelming. Stress caused by work, school, strained relationships, or finances can certainly take a toll.
Some might turn toward drugs or alcohol to cope, or some might already be quietly struggling with a substance addiction. More than 22 million Americans over the age of 12 are dealing with substance dependence, according to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
What follows are some tips we can all use during the holidays to alleviate the collective stress, decrease substance use, and support those coping with an addiction.
The holiday season can be a fantastic, festive time. It can be a time for us to slow down, reconnect with the people we care about, and reflect on the year gone by. The holidays can also be overwhelming. Stress caused by work, school, strained relationships, or finances can...
Southeast Vermont Building Bright Futures expresses a full-bellied thank you to all those who participated, volunteered, performed, donated to, and inspired the “Building Bright Futures: Vermont's Vision For Early Childhood” community forum on Dec. 8. The forum was an opportunity to learn more about Vermont's vision for our children...
All children deserve a safe, nurturing, and stimulating start to life. From high-quality prenatal care to rich early-learning experiences, the children we raise today will become tomorrow's parents, leaders, and innovators. The Southeast Vermont Building Bright Futures (BBF) is one of 12 from across the state dedicated to improving the quality of life for all young (birth to age 8) children and their families. Our mission is to support and improve all aspects of the early-childhood system based upon Vermont's...
The Aug. 26 Vermont primary election is quickly approaching. Windham County is fortunate to have four Democratic State Senate candidates vying for the two open seats, offering an opportunity to explore in greater depth the issues facing our state. Over the next two years, our legislature will need to grapple with complex policy issues including: constructing and paying for single-payer health care, advancing rapid clean-energy development, improving our early-childhood system, increasing access to affordable food and housing, and fostering economic...
Aug. 27 was a bittersweet day for me, as I was visiting family and was not with my people in Vermont to hear the news that Entergy would close Vermont Yankee. I predominately shared over Facebook, but I would much rather have been there in person to share laughs, tears, hugs, to breathe deeply, then scheme about the next steps. As much as there was elation, confusion, anger last week from all sides of the VY issue, this is far,
The Greater Falls Prevention Coalition and its parent and youth organizers share a jubilant thank you to the many people, businesses, and organizations that contributed to the Park-A-Polooza Neighborhood Block Party on June 29 in Bellows Falls. Now in its second year, Park-A-Polooza is a community-driven, old school, crazy-fun block party. Through creative play using the games our parents and grandparents taught us, it is another example of community-driven change in action. Community-led activities such as this one build trust...
The holiday season can be a fantastic, festive time. It can be a time for us to slow down, reconnect with the people we care about, and reflect on the year gone by. The holidays can also be overwhelming. Stress caused by work, school, strained relationships, or finances can certainly take a toll. Some might turn toward drugs or alcohol to cope, or some might already be quietly struggling with a substance addiction. More than 22 million Americans over the...