Attend Testimonials

"I run a medical clinic. Last April, I met "John." John is 79 years old and lives in a retirement community. He had a heart attack five years ago. However, he continued having a glass of wine with dinner and was afraid to talk to his doctor about it, since he’d been told to give up alcohol when he had his heart attack. John had read in the newspaper that a little wine was good for the heart.

John was understandably confused and decided to come to my clinic on National Alcohol Screening Day to get the answers he needed. I assured John that his doctor would be able to assess the medications he was taking and advise him if drinking an occasional glass of wine poses a concern. He agreed to make an appointment. Visiting the clinic provided him with the reassurance he needed.

Many people think alcohol problems only concern someone who cannot control his or her drinking. The truth is, even people without alcohol problems need to pay attention to how much they drink. It is simply a matter of good health. National Alcohol Screening Day allows anyone to find out about the risks and possible benefits of alcohol. They’ll get honest answers, for free, with complete confidentiality."

Peggy Dator, Executive Director
The Free Clinic, Doylestown, PA

" A man in his 50’s attended a screening after he tried to stop drinking several times but to no avail. His drinking had been going on for years, causing him to eventually lose his home, job, friends, and even leading to divorce from his wife. He met with a professional, who was also able to pinpoint signs of depression and anxiety. This story has a happy ending. Today, with treatment from a therapist and a psychiatrist, this gentleman is not drinking and is feeling much better. The screening day was the beginning of a new life for him."

"A teenage girl contacted a screening site in Northern Kentucky because she was worried about her stepfather. She didn’t know the signs of alcoholism but suspected something was very wrong, and needed guidance. The staff at the screening site asked her some questions and helped her think through her stepfather’s habits and behaviors. She was given educational information about alcohol problems, informed about treatment services in the area that could help her stepfather and, importantly, referred to counseling and support services for family members of alcoholics. She was very grateful that National Alcohol Screening Day was there for her."

Above stories submitted by: Jill Kartisek, Director of Education
Mental Health Association, Northern Kentucky

" My brother had been suffering from alcohol abuse for 20 years before I ever realized how much a problem it was for him. One day I got a phone call from someone who told me that my brother was out of control and needed someone to help him. I went to his apartment to find him in the office, hallucinating that someone was going to get him. I was able to get him in my car and took him to an emergency room. They sobered him up and released him. He stayed with me but didn’t last long. He lost his job of 15+ years, lost his beachfront condo of 8 years and just about all his belongings. He lived in motel after motel until his credit cards just about maxed out.

Then one day I saw an ad in the newspaper about National Alcohol Screening Day. I asked my brother to go to a screening and he reluctantly agreed to just go talk and see what it was about. We went to San Pedro where there were tables set up with two chairs per table, lots of literature on alcohol addiction and an opportunity to speak to someone who knew what they were talking about.

He filled out a questionnaire and scored positive for alcohol dependence. The staff at the screening site explained the treatment options and for the first time he saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Step by step, he followed the instructions. Detox first..then in-house recovery, and then, a sober life with some incredible friends. All through this, each step, I was getting my brother back. It has been almost two years now and my brother is sober and alive. He is working towards a college degree and more importantly, getting his life back on track. Please, anyone out there who is afraid, don’t be. Attend a screening."

Submitted by Didi in California