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April 2024: National Alcohol Awareness Month

Many people who use alcohol in a way that puts their health or safety at risk, or otherwise creates challenges in their lives, do not recognize the behavior as problematic. National Alcohol Awareness Month is an opportunity to evaluate your relationship to alcohol, and to determine a path forward. 

Although each person is different, and this list is not exhaustive; any combination of the following warning signs and symptoms may indicate problem drinking:

• Physical response: Withdrawal from alcohol (such as shakiness, sweating, and palpitations) as well as increased tolerance to alcohol (needing more to achieve the same effect). 
• Urgency: The compulsion to begin drinking, as well as difficulty stopping (especially in the face of consequences or intentions to stop). 
• Preoccupation: Having trouble focusing on things other than drinking. 
• Neglect: Neglecting duties and responsibilities as the result of drinking. 
• Harmful/risky behavior: Engaging in behaviors that are threatening to self and/or others as the result of drinking. 

BAC MAP also encourages members who may be concerned about alcohol misuse to complete an online screening by clicking here.

When a pattern of alcohol misuse or problematic drinking is established, or a diagnosis of Alcohol Use Disorder has been given by a licensed professional, intervention is often needed to help bring about change. While millions of North Americans, including those working in the construction industry, are negatively impacted by problematic alcohol use each year; life-saving resources are available. BAC MAP stands in support of members who may need care for challenges related to alcohol use and misuse. If you are a loved one are in need, please contact BAC MAP at 1-833-MAP-TALK for confidential help. 

For additional resources related to Alcohol Awareness Month, please visit:

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

If you or someone you know is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911. You may also obtain immediate 24/7 help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. 

April 2024: National Counseling Awareness Month

Counseling, in its many forms and settings, is a psychological specialty that has provided life-enhancing and life-saving help for millions of people across North America and the world. No matter the motive for seeking help - whether it's mere curiosity, mandated treatment, or severe challenges that limit functioning/negatively impact quality of life, or anything in between - psychological counseling is an invaluable, research-based engine for growth and wellbeing. 

BAC MAP welcomes National Counseling Awareness Month and recognizes the many ways in which BAC members and their families have been and will continue to be helped through counseling services. BAC MAP also aims to overcome stigma related to help-seeking behaviors (such as counseling), through recognition of these pathways as ones of strength and success, rather than weakness or failure. 

If you or a loved one may be seeking counseling or want to learn more, please contact BAC MAP at 1-833-MAP-TALK for confidential help. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911. You may also obtain immediate 24/7 help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. 

April 2024: National Month of Hope

Who couldn't use a little more hope in their lives?

In earnest, there have been several recent cascading global and national crises that have had a significant impact on our collective sense of hope and optimism about the future. Research shows that reported levels of hope and happiness have declined in recent years, and suicide rates have risen to their highest point in almost a century. There is a clear need to address what some have called a 'hopelessness epidemic.'

Hope is a powerful force that not only serves as a buffer against depression and suicidality, but adds richness, meaning and purpose to one's life. It is a force that allows individuals and communities to overcome personal and societal challenges; and it warrants recognition as something worth intentionally addressing and cultivating. 

During National Month of Hope, BAC MAP seeks to be a resource for members in need of hope, as well as to promote the spread of messages of hope amongst our community more broadly. If you or a loved one are experiencing hopelessness or would like to further discuss the topic of hope, please contact BAC MAP at 1-833-MAP-TALK for caring, confidential support.  

If you or someone you know is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911. You may also obtain immediate 24/7 help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. 

March 10-16, 2024: National Sleep Awareness Week

Construction workers experience high rates of poor sleep quality, with major risk factors of irregular sleep patterns including chronic diseases, depression, and accumulated physical fatigue. Poor sleep quality is linked with reduced self-care capacity, which in turn predicts increasingly poorer sleep (amongst a slew of other physical and emotional health concerns that can result from neglecting one's own care). 

Disordered sleep is linked with several mental health concerns; including depression, anxiety, poor concentration, and insomnia (all of which are tied to safety hazards for workers, such as accidents related to impaired motor skills and slow response time). Disordered sleep is also correlated with many physical health concerns, including cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Because of the strong likelihood that sustained poor sleep quality will negatively impact overall wellbeing; the Bricklayers' Member Assistance Program (BAC MAP) recognizes National Sleep Awareness Week, and encourages all members to proactively address their sleep health and hygiene. 

If medical help is warranted, speak to your doctor about occupation-specific factors (such as shift work), in order for sleep management interventions to be tailored to your needs. To address mental health concerns that may be contributing to or caused by poor sleep quality, or any other related wellbeing concerns, please call BAC MAP at 1-833-MAP-TALK. 

For additional information about National Sleep Awareness Week, or to learn more about becoming your "best slept self," please visit the National Sleep Foundation's website. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911. You may also obtain immediate 24/7 help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. 

February 2024: International Boost Self-Esteem Month

Having healthy or high self-esteem is often confused with having an inflated ego or self-pride; however, they are not the same. Self-esteem is the ability to consistently retain and embody a sense of worthiness, even in the face of hardship, failure, or other slights. It is not the belief that one is perfect or can do no wrong, but rather, the ability to maintain a strong sense of value or "good enough-ness" when mistakes are made, or weaknesses/shortcomings are revealed. In fact, often an overly inflated ego can be a mask or defense mechanism for low or poor self-esteem. 

Healthy self-esteem acts as a protective factor against life's inherent difficulties; it provides individuals some "immunity" against sharp emotional or behavioral declines when challenges are faced. As such, the Bricklayers' Member Assistance Program (MAP) recognizes the important role of healthy self-esteem for the wellbeing of members in our community, and in turn observes International Boost Self-Esteem Month. 

Are you sensitive to criticism? Do you have a hard time forgiving yourself after a mistake? Are you hesitant to ask for help when needed (or deny needing help altogether)? Do you struggle to express yourself? Answering yes to one or more of these questions may indicate that your self-esteem could use a boost. To further discuss self-esteem or other mental health and wellbeing related matters, please call BAC MAP at 1-833-MAP-TALK. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911. You may also obtain immediate 24/7 help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. 

February 1, 2024: Time to Talk Day

The Bricklayers' Member Assistance Program (MAP) recognizes Time to Talk Day - February 1, 2024 - as an important event calling for increased communication and conversation around challenging topics, especially related to mental health. 

It is believed that higher rates of mental illness and substance use disorders amongst the construction workforce may be correlated with having a culture of stigma and shame. In other words, in communities where individuals may feel pressure to internalize, repress, or minimize personal struggles, they may be more likely to suffer and experience worsened symptoms, not less. 

Therefore, Time to Talk Day is an opportunity to push past unhelpful or even harmful beliefs that lead to avoidance. Time to Talk Day is an opportunity to reach out to a safe and trusted friend, loved one, or professional (such as a MAP representative). If you have been bottling something up for quite a while, we encourage you to contact MAP at 1-833-MAP-TALK for confidential support and assistance.

Whether it's during Time to Talk Day, or at any other point; there is never a bad time to seek care. Help is always available. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911. You may also obtain immediate 24/7 help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988.