Blog

For Lynda, the enticement of gambling began with the introduction of pokies in Melbourne in 1992. What started as a casual pastime quickly spiraled into an addiction, consuming her nights and straining her relationships. The financial toll became evident as she resorted to misappropriating funds from her workplace to fuel her habit.

It all started innocently at the age of seventeen when Bayu accompanied a friend to a bar, only to discover a TAB inside. What began as a casual outing soon spiraled into a consuming habit. Bayu found himself gambling more than he could afford, oblivious to the mounting financial strain until he couldn't even afford food.

Halloween candy stockpiles, cookies, and sweet treats power the end-of-the-year holiday season, but there is always the question of how can we enjoy our favorite sugar-filled food and drinks while still being conscious of our health.

March is problem gambling awareness month. Approximately 6 million Americans experience problems due to their gambling behavior each year. Gambling disorder is a mental health condition that can be helped with professional treatment. Your awareness may help a loved one with a gambling problem seek the necessary help.

Several effective medications are available to help people living with an opioid use disorder. Unfortunately, they carry the stigma of ‘trading one drug for another.’ Researchers from Chestnut Health Systems and from the University of Illinois Chicago are studying ways to get more patients into Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). It starts with simple information and education about treatment options.

Chestnut Health Systems partners with Bi-State Metro and St. Clair County Transit District to place peer specialists on commuter trains and on transit system property in Illinois and Missouri. Read about one rider our specialists were able to connect to resources in the community.

The theme for Black History Month this year is “Black Resistance: A Journey to Equality.” The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) explains that the theme recognizes the ways that “Black people have had to consistently push the United States to live up to its ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice for all.” 

From the time you’re born, your relationships help you learn to navigate the world. You learn how to interact with others, express yourself, conduct everyday health habits, and be a part of different communities from those around you. Positive social habits can help you build support systems and stay healthier mentally and physically. 

Children respond to trauma in many different ways. Some may have reactions very soon after the event; others may do fine for weeks or months, and then begin to show troubling behavior. Knowing the signs that are common at different ages can help parents and teachers recognize problems and respond appropriately.

A few weeks ago, the American Girl catalog landed in our mailbox. My nine-year-old was excited to see it (as always), and she grew even more excited as she flipped through and found a two-page spread with the heading “Tradition Keepers.” Here were six American Girl Dolls dressed in their holiday finest. Only one of them was wearing a Christmas dress. The other dolls wore fancy outfits to celebrate the Lunar New Year, Eid al-Fitr, Diwali, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. For my daughter, who struggles this time of year as the only Jewish child in her school, that photo spread was meaningful. She saw herself alongside these other “American Girls.” She is unique perhaps in her community, but these images tell her she belongs. More...