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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (June 2, 2005)
Page 8 The INDEPENDENT, June 2, 2005 Alcohol and driving do not mix Memorial Day weekend tra ditionally kicks off Oregon’s summer driving season. When the automobile is combined with warm-weather drinking parties, it’s often a recipe for drunken driving arrests or trag ic accidents, says the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. “Alcohol and driving ab solutely do not mix,” said Tere sa Kaiser, OLCC executive di rector. “The numbers tell the story. Proms, graduations and family summer vacations are too often marred by traffic colli sions and deaths involving driv ers who are intoxicated.” About 36 percent (184) of Oregon’s 512 traffic crash fatal ities in 2003 were alcohol-relat ed, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation, Transportation Safety Division. And 163 (37 percent) of the state’s 436 traffic crash fatali ties in 2002 involved alcohol. Thousands more were injured in these wrecks. Oregon traffic deaths de clined 13 percent to 445 in 2004, ODOT reported, but more than a third of the fatali ties involved an impaired driver. Too many young people are part of this tragic tally, said Kaiser. In 2003, 34 Oregonians under age 21 were killed in al cohol-related traffic crashes; 10 were 15- to 20-year-old drink ing drivers. Across the nation, 2,834 persons under 21 were killed in alcohol-related traffic incidents - 1,146 aged 15-20, according to the National High way Traffic Safety Administra tion (NHTSA). Research paints a frighten ing picture of the havoc wreaked by impaired drivers, said Kaiser. According to ODOT and the NHTSA, for every 140 miles driven in Ore gon in 2000, somebody with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 was at the wheel of a vehicle. Police reported that 838 crashes involved a driver or pedestrian with a BAC of .01 or more. (.08 is the legal limit for driving in Oregon) Drivers with BACs of .10 or above were involved in an esti mated 5,700 crashes that killed 132 persons and injured 1,600; those with BACs of .08 -.09 were in about 100 crashes that See page 17 The V ern on ia H igh S ch o o l cla ss o f 1Q85 20 year reunion on Friday, August 5, at the Scout Cabin in Hawkins Park. If you attended school with the class of 1985 at any time from K-12, you are invited to attend. Deadline for registration/payment is June 24, 2005. Contact Jamie (Gallaty) W hitmore at 503-359-9726or tealeeves@msn.com or Elizabeth (Fletcher) Marxerat 503-861-1766 or coasteez5@hotmail.com or go to vernoniaclassmates.com for registration and prices. SlMp¿ c u s t ° m Sevv/Tj. A lte r a ti^ « . Wed - Sat 10am -6pm Mon -1 ByAppoin Pick & Delivery Service Available Hoaltb Notas ByAudeen Wagner PARKING LOT SALE sat may i4< . A lt RSOCEEBS 4» Co Torne HEART „ 68Q Sal,TBacS I 1 HEART WALK.The walk ing team from Providence 1 1 Vernonia did very well, with t ■ 4 the yard sale (which ■fit. raised about $1200 for the Heart Association) and the Heart Walk in downtown & * Portland. Thanks to all who donated to the walk and to the success of the sale. The picture is of the Vernonia “Cardiac Queens,” from left, Cathy Rozinek, Sandy Alsbury, Brittany Fox, Sandy Fox, Sue Blair, Marla Rethwill, and Judy Hargis. Great job, ladies! K5 ti ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS (Continued) As we said before, there is much information available about the various kinds of mental illness es, so we’re continuing the subject, with some more mental health issues. Panic Disorder. “Panic attacks” can be overwhelming experiences, and can happen to anyone. The cause of panic disorder is not known, but research shows that a chemical or hormonal imbal ances are often the underlying cause. Drugs or stress, or other situational events can also be the trigger for panic disorder. An example of a panic attack: Imagine that you’ve just stepped into an elevator and suddenly your heart races, your chest aches, you break out in a cold sweat and feel as if the elevator is about to fall. What’s happening here is a panic attack, an uncontrollable panic response to ordinary non threatening situations. Doctors diagnose panic disorder if a person has four of the following symp toms during such an attack: sweating; hot or cold flashes; choking or smothering sensations; racing heart; labored breathing; trembling; pains; feeling faint; numbness; nausea; disorientation; or feel ings of dying or losing one’s mind. A attack lasts typically about 10 minutes, but may be shorter or longer. A person may feel nervous and jittery for many hours after experiencing a panic attack. It is estimated that two to five percent of Americans have panic disorder, so you are not alone if you have these symptoms. Severe stress, such as the death of a loved one, can bring on attacks; or, a stimulant such as caffeine can also trigger the disorder. Panic disorder can be treated either by taking medication or by behavioral therapy that is specif ic for this disease. The two methods of treatment seem to be equally effective, and the decision about which to take depends largely on the preference of the individual. A combination of medica tion and therapy offers some improved benefits in some patients. Clearly, it is a matter to be dis cussed at length with a healthcare professional before making decisions about treatment. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that occurs after a person expe riences a traumatic event that caused intense fear, helplessness, or horror. Such things as rape, war, natural disasters, serious accidents, or even witnessing a violent event, can be the cause. While it is normal to experience a brief period of anxiety or depression after any of these events, people with PTSD have a tendency to re-experience the event, to have symptoms of excessive emo tions, irritability or outbursts of anger, nervousness, sleeplessness, and nightmares. These symp toms commonly appear within three months of the experience, although sometimes they occur many months or even years later. We associate this disorder with war veterans who have experienced combat situations; what we used to refer to as “shell shock” or “battle fatigue” is most likely PTSD. It is estimated that 15 to 30 percent of the 3.5 million men and women who served in Vietnam have suffered from PTSD. There are many different treatments for PTSD, and individuals respond to treatment differently. It can be treated effectively with psychotherapy or medication, or both. There are many more kinds of mental illnesses, and the important thing to know is that they are now treatable, most with a high degree of success. Any health care provider can give detailed infor mation to patients, and can provide referrals to specialists and agencies for help. M AMMO VAN: The next visit to Vernonia is on Wednesday, June 22. The mobile van comes out from Tuality, and sets up in the clinic parking lot. A nice convenience for our community. Call the clin ic (503-429-9191) to schedule your mammogram.
