VIDEO – SAVE MORE LIVES – March 29, 2024 – Fentanyl will kill you. It’s heartless. You never underestimate that drug right there because it’s unpredictable,” said Frank, homeless in Southwest Portland. “Every time I save someone’s life, I tell them, ‘You really want that to be your last breath, man?’” Portland Fire and Rescue paramedics saved Jacob’s life not too long ago after he smoked powdered fentanyl for the first time. “People told me it’s really strong; be careful. I said, ‘No, I’ll be fine.’ I smoked two big hits of it and woke up with paramedics around…
Author: Leonard Buschel
“Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.” – Oscar Wilde, b.Dublin 1854 – d.Paris 1900
AUDIO – STILL IN LOVE, WHAT, NO ALANON? – March 28, 2024 – March 28, 2024 – The 45-year-old “American Pie” star opened up about his substance abuse struggles on the debut episode of Jenny Mollen’s show. “I’ was going to therapy and ‘working on things’ but meanwhile I’m leaving therapy, having just had a good session, and going to the liquor store, buying a fifth of vodka, drinking it and then driving home.” Biggs, has been sober since 2017. “I knew how to get wasted enough to where I took myself out of the life equation, took myself…
CLEAN & SOBER – March 26, 2024 – Assemblywomen Margie Donlon and Luanne Peterpaul (D-Monmouth) have announced legislation in response to the State Commission of Investigations (SCI) report of fraud, ethical misconduct and corruption in the addiction rehabilitation industry. The results of The report, “THE DIRTY BUSINESS BEHIND GETTING CLEAN,” … THIS is cause for dismay for residents with substance abuse disorder, as well as taxpayers. The SCI’s in depth investigation revealed unchecked abuses by certain so-called professionals, owners and operators of addiction-related businesses. As members of the Assembly Health Committee (Assemblywoman Donlon) and the Assembly Aging & Human Services…
AUDIO – ON THE PATH – March 29, 2024 – SiR joins us to talk about the new record, growing up in Inglewood, and his musical family. Plus, he gets vulnerable and frank about his path to sobriety. His father played with Prince. His mother sang backup for Michael Jackson. Before he started pursuing music SiR got fired from his job at a gym. He was writing songs for some bigger names – Stevie Wonder, Ginuwine, Tyrese, and Jill Scott. Eventually he realized the only person he trusted to lay down the songs he’d written was himself. LISTEN@NPR
VIDEO – A WORK IN PROGRESS – March 25, 2024 – Ms. Seyfried appeared ready ‘to serve and to protect’ while working on her latest project. The Mama Mia! actress looked official wearing a patrol uniform of a black shirt and slacks with a heavy jacket embroidered with police seal. She’s starring as a Philadelphia police officer in Long Bright River based on 2020 novel by the same name. The natural beauty was made up to appear barefaced and her long, blonde hair was styled in a low bun. The actress was pictured behind the wheel of a police…
IT’S THE FIRE FROM THE MATCH – March 25, 2024 – One clear difference between men and women is their production of estrogen. Therefore, the researchers trawled through a large library of genes known to be activated by this hormone, specifically those expressed in our brains. We can confirm that estrogen drives nicotine seeking and consumption through olfactomedins … The researchers then performed a series of studies with human uterine cells and rats to better understand the interactions between olfactomedins, estrogen and nicotine. Through their experiments, an interesting feedback loop emerged: estrogen activates olfactomedins, which, in turn, are suppressed in…
WALLS AROUND THE WORLD – March 26, 2024 – Serra’s sculptures defined a generation of art-making. Working on an unusually large scale, Serra crafted gigantic artworks that enlisted spirals, cubes, and cones of steel. These works loom over viewers, threatening to squash them. His works have not been without controversy. Tilted Arc (1981), a 120-foot-long bar of Cor-Ten steel that was once set in a plaza in New York’s Financial District, is today remembered as one of the most reviled works of public art in the city’s history. It was ultimately taken away because people hated it so much.…
MISTAKES HAPPEN – March 23, 2024 – Amid bouts of sobriety and relapse, Moffitt had recently left rehab before he received news that his best friend died. After the funeral, Moffitt went on a bender that ended in tragedy. That night at St. Anthony’s Summit Hospital, he was admitted with a blood alcohol content of 0.392 before he eventually pulled out his IV and wandered outside. That’s when a Summit County Sheriff’s Office deputy arrested him and transported him to the county jail without receiving medical clearance, according to court documents. Over the next three days, deputies and a…
AUDIO – GREEDY MURDERER IN PRISON FOR LIFE – March 29, 2024 – This Week on True Crime Daily The Podcast: A doctor convicted after operating an opioid “pill mill” that left multiple patients dead. YouTube: Doctor sentenced to life for overdose of patients in opioid ‘pill mill’ scheme. LISTEN@TrueCrimeDaily
INTERVENTIONS MATTER – March 24, 2024 – Jennifer Gimenez, formerly of “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” fame and her husband, Tim Ryan from A&E’s “Dope Man” tell TMZ … they teamed up with actor Corey Feldman and his manager, Dave Altman to help get Daisy into a mental health treatment center. Jennifer and Tim tell us Daisy’s seeing a therapist daily and is going through the 12-step program. This, of course, comes after Daisy was accused of stalking “90 Day Fiancé” stars Mariah Fineman and Tom Brooks … which she denies. Jennifer and Tim say Daisy is journaling a…
SHARING THE SOLUTION – March 26, 2024 – Renowned architect Hugh Wallace has opened up … Known for his appearances on television, Mr Wallace revealed the hidden struggles he faced as an alcoholic in a country where alcoholism is “spoken about with bravado” rather than acknowledgment of a serious health issue. The architect recounted the moment of revelation when a doctor finally diagnosed him as an alcoholic at the age of 55. Despite feeling “stupid”, he realised immense relief at finally understanding his condition and having the opportunity to seek treatment. “I can’t describe how stupid I felt, he…
AMERICAN BAD DREAM – March 26, 2024 – ZURICH — The lobby of this addiction clinic is unremarkable, except for the network of metal chutes and tubes that hug the walls as they snake downward from a pharmacy on the upper floors. Every few minutes, a new prescription comes clattering down, delivering a bottle full of powerful and effective pills used to treat opioid addiction … But at Arud Centre for Addiction Medicine, a leading Swiss clinic, all patients in need of addiction care are given instant access to weeks’ worth of medication. They are not required to participate…
FOOL’S FAD? – March 25, 2024 – CBD presents consumers with a big problem,” said Professor Chris Eccleston, who led the research from the Centre for Pain Research at Bath. “It’s touted as a cure for all pain, but there’s a complete lack of quality evidence that it has any positive effects.” CBD products sold directly to consumers may contain chemicals other than CBD, some of which may be harmful and some illegal in some jurisdictions. Such chemicals include THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the main psychoactive component of the cannabis plant. Of the 16 randomized controlled trials that have explored the link…
WHY? – March 24, 2024 – Matthew Torres, 39, “suffered a violent seizure with convulsions and foaming at the mouth,” according to a lawsuit filed by his family. His girlfriend performed CPR on Torres until first responders arrived and continued the lifesaving attempts, but he was declared dead. The Clackamas County Medical Examiner’s Office determined Torres’ cause of death as “toxic effects of mitragynine,” according to the complaint, which calls this a “kratom overdose.” Kratom is a tree, also called mitragyna speciosa, that grows naturally in Southeast Asia. Mitragynine is one of its main psychoactive components, a December 2021…
VIDEO – CAN YOU MAKE THEM QUIT? – March 25, 2024 – “Administration of Naloxone is indicative that the individual experiencing fentanyl or other opioid overdose has an addiction to opioids and, therefore, should require treatment for their addiction,” “This straightforward addition would help those who have ceded their agency to a substance.” SPOKANE, Wash. — An amendment addressing overdoses in Spokane, specifically relating to fentanyl and the opiate crisis, was introduced during Monday’s city council meeting. The original resolution was drafted by Council Member Paul Dillon and cosponsored by Council Member Bingle. Council Member Bingle introduced the amendment, calling…
GOD MOVES IN A MYSTERIOUS WAYS… – March 26, 2024 – (photo Ashly Stone and father) Six months later, I graduated from The Salvation Army program. Although I still couldn’t picture myself committing to a life of sobriety, I still felt like there was something missing, and I had previously used drugs and alcohol to fill that void. I decided that I was going to try an experiment… March 26, 2024 – I spent my teenage years drinking, using drugs, and partying despite growing up in a home where I was taught the gospel. By the age of 18,…
WHO’S TO JUDGE? – March 26, 2024 – A decade ago, while working in a women’s prison, I met a young woman whose story would leave an indelible mark on me. She had endured severe abuse at the hands of men, and I was initially concerned that, as a male social worker, my presence might rekindle her trauma. Jenny* confided in me that heroin had become her refuge … But her dependency had brought dire consequences: the removal of her children and her subsequent imprisonment for possession with intent to supply. Even so, Jenny told me that before she…
BEING UNINSURABLE? – March 25, 2024 – This high-stress environment can take a serious toll on mental health. People working in the entertainment industry are more likely to experience depression compared to the general population. Studies and sources indicate higher rates of depression among people in the entertainment industry. Anxiety, bipolar disorder and eating disorders are common. They face incredible stressors and are actually more susceptible,” said intervention specialist Dr. Louise Stanger. Part of the stigma comes from the persistent myth that addiction and mental illness are the result of weak character and poor choices rather than complex biopsychosocial disorders.…
WHAT’S GOING ON – April 1, 2024 – Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On LP is a stone cold masterpiece. If it’s not in your top five albums of all-time, then I seriously think you need to reevaluate your list. Not many albums give you a snapshot of the world at the time of its release and still remain very relevant decades later. THIS LP DOES. READ@ALBUMISM
VIDEO – NOT ACTING? – March 26, 2024- I saw Spacey’s new film, Peter Five Eight, a punishingly awkward misfire that splits the difference between a religious allegory and an anti-alcoholism PSA, on Sunday night at the only theater in Los Angeles screening it — and I was the entire audience. Even with a full house, it would have been a stretch to call this a comeback. In fact, Spacey is a bit rusty when it comes to commanding the frame, sluggish in his attempts at intimidation. Also a bit jowlier these days, and still speaking with a hint of…
ART EXPLAINS LIFE – March 29, 2024 – The 39-year-old singer – best known as part of the The Wombats alongside Tord Øverland Knudsen, and Dan Haggis, in recent years has embarked on a solo career under the name of Love Fame and Tragedy – decided to give up alcohol for good. He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: “I wasn’t sober when I was writing it but I was definitely writing from the aspect of a person who isn’t sober and I … it was a pretty kind of funky two years I’d say and I’m glad that I kind of…
A GENTLEMAN AND A SCHOLAR – March 29, 2024 – The pressures and disappointments became so great he sank into depression and became addicted to cocaine and alcohol. He said police handcuffed him to a tree for three hours because he looked suspicious driving a luxury sports car and blasting Sam Cooke on the radio.Mr. Gossett led an anti-racism foundation called Eracism. He won an Oscar playing a Marine drill instructor in ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’ and an Emmy as a wise old enslaved person in the groundbreaking miniseries ‘Roots’ Louis Gossett Jr., an actor who brought authority…
THE DOORS OF PERCEPTION – March 26, 2024 – LSD is still illegal, but recent studies show that this powerful compound is not usually dangerous if taken under controlled circumstances and that it has the potential to help some people with serious mental conditions. The FDA recently designated a form of LSD as a breakthrough therapy to treat generalized anxiety disorder. This decision was based partly on a rigorously designed drug trial in which about half of the patients on the drug got significant relief from the condition. The FDA’s breakthrough therapy designation speeds up the development and review…
VIDEOS – SWEET 16 FOR SURE – March 29, 2024 – Having risen to fame through his work as an entertainer and his iconic performances on Jackass, millions of people across the globe became fans of Steve-O and were keen to follow his life and work. The star has gone through a 12-step programme, and celebrated the incredible milestone of 16 years sober. On the right a snap taken this month, showing the entertainer with a huge grin on his face, looking genuinely happy and much healthier than he did 16 years ago. Alongside the image, Steve-O wrote: “It’s…
WORTH THE EFFORT! – March 2024 – The “Dancing with the Stars” pro recently said on her podcast, “Burke in the Game,” that drinking has “definitely been on my mind a lot more than normal.” She opened up to “Good Morning America” about finding it difficult to maintain her four years of sobriety. “With the sobriety, it’s hard for me to be around people who may have had a few drinks,” she told “GMA.” “I tried going out a few weeks ago with a couple of girlfriends and I just know that I know my limit. If I’m not conscious,…
VIDEO – SURVIVOR – March 25, 2024 – He’s one of life’s great survivors, and depending on your age, either a bat-biting hell-raiser or a doddering indictment of the rock and roll lifestyle. Ozzy has taken so many drugs and drunk so much alcohol, it’s a miracle he’s still with us – although a greater miracle is that his wife, Sharon, is still with him. Tara Brown spent some time with the Osbournes at their mansion just outside Los Angeles, and while Ozzy has finally cleaned up his act, he’s lost none of his ability to shock… WATCH@YouTube
SAVE THYSELF – March 29, 2024 – Women who said they drink eight or more alcoholic drinks per week were anywhere from 33 to 51% more likely to develop coronary heart disease. The study also found that women who drank more than three alcoholic drinks in a day were 68% more likely to get heart disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, coronary heart disease is a common heart condition that occurs when a person’s coronary arteries become filled with cholesterol deposits and plaque. Blood, oxygen and nutrients then can’t flow as freely to the heart, and this reduced blood flow…
WHY BOTHER? – Feb. 27, 2024 – Shrier’s new book Bad Therapy, an astute and impassioned analysis of the mental-health crisis now afflicting adolescents, may cause a similar emotional meltdown in some corners of American culture. Shrier’s target is more expansive than it was in Irreversible Damage; she aims her fire at the therapeutic mindset that pervades not just the offices of psychologists and counsellors, but elementary, middle, and high school classrooms, best-seller lists, middle-class homes, and government agencies. It’s a pernicious development because a therapeutic mindset easily paralyzes kids’ natural defenses and resilience, hence the crisis we confront today.…
YOU MEAN GLORIA FROM MODERN FAMILY ISN’T AVAILABLE? – March 28, 2024 – Erotomania manifests as a persistent, delusional belief that an individual, typically of higher social status, is in love with the person experiencing the delusion, despite little to no interaction between the two. This syndrome has fascinated clinicians and scholars alike, with its roots traced back to the musings of Hippocrates and the detailed studies of French psychiatrist Gaëtan de Clérambault in the early 20th century. The subject of this case study is a 70-year-old married woman from Hungary who fell victim to an online romance scam, leading…