VIDEO MESSAGE – STILL GRATEFUL – Dec. 30, 2023 – “Hello there, Happy New Year to you all!” he says. “All of you revellers and drinkers all having fun. Wonderful!” … “Happy New Year, have a great time. If you get a hangover, remember me. “I don’t get them anymore because 48 years ago today, I stopped. I got help for it and my life changed.” He continues: “I don’t envy you having fun out there, but if you need help, there’s a time. Life is in session. Go for it.” Hopkins, who can next be seen in the…
Author: Leonard Buschel
OR SICK AND TIRED? – Dec. 28, 2023 – “I was pre-diabetic, and I was just like, ‘I gotta stop.” Pardi also acknowledged that getting sober may not be a lifelong commitment. “I’m retired, OK? Doesn’t mean I can’t come out of retirement,” he said. “But for right now, it’s been great.” The singer-songwriter also discussed touring, his new holiday album (“Merry Christmas From Jon Pardi”), celebrating his 10-month-old daughter Presley’s first Christmas with wife Summer Pardi, and other changes he’s made going into the New Year. Pardi will join Morgan Wallen’s extended One Day at a Time tour in…
AUDIO – DUH! – Dec. 28, 2023 – Below, we’ll delve into the latest findings and expert advice to unmask the culprits and guide you toward healthier choices in the dining world. After all, the journey to a new and improved you starts with the choices you make on your plate. Want to lead a healthier life in the new year? You probably already know that a major part of that is prioritizing a balanced diet. In the ever-evolving landscape of nutrition and wellness, staying informed about the foods we consume on a regular basis is crucial. As we…
DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL – Dec. 21, 2023 – Paul explained: “[My mental health] was awful. I was … I’ve never spoken about this before … I was deeply depressed and I was drinking … I go from lean basketball [player] body to someone who looked like he ate Dan Scott. I am literally waddling my way into the wardrobe … Because I was drinking a couple bottles of wine a night by myself … At my house … For about six or seven years, it was really tough.” He went on to suggest that playing a bad guy…
“And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.” – Rainer Maria Rilke, Dec. 4, 1875 – Dec. 29, 1926
DIRTY MONEY FROM GETTING CLEAN – Dec. 17, 2023 – Last month, Aetna filed a lawsuit against a slew of rehabs and their operators in Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside counties, claiming fraud, negligent misrepresentation, economic interference, conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and unjust enrichment. “The various schemes perpetrated by Defendants here are particularly disturbing,” the Aetna suit says. “Since at least 2021, Defendants have targeted vulnerable Aetna members who suffer from alcohol and/or substance dependency issues as part of a concerted effort to profit at their expense. Defendants used the patients for health benefit…
STOP DISCRIMINATING – Dec. 15, 2023 – Overall, stigma research has focused primarily on mental health problems, the authors wrote. But studies indicate that SUD is typically more stigmatized than mental illness, in part because substance use is viewed as more controllable. Studies of public stigma indicate that Americans express concerns about interacting with substance users, although that resistance ebbs toward individuals described as being in active recovery. Studies also show variability in stigma among different types of substance dependence. For example, individuals who abuse illegal drugs such as heroin are perceived as more dangerous than those who abuse…
VIDEO – QUIT WHILE YOU’RE AHEAD – Dec. 11, 2023 – Tory Whanau has promised “it’s different this time” after previously saying she would keep certain socialising to her home, but then admitting an alcohol problem after being seen drunk in public again. Whanau said the bar manager knew what happened and he had said publicly that it was just a typical Saturday night. “The fact that it became a public issue was enough to indicate that perhaps there’s a problem I need to work on,” Whanau said. “During that week and the week after, I had a talk…
VIDEO – NEW BOOK TO LOVE LIFE – Dec. 14, 2023 – She is a woman from West Michigan who has had her journey with addiction and recovery. She joined the Fox 17 Morning Mix to share her story, and how she’s using it to help others through a new book, “Decide to Survive: How I Beat My Addiction (& How You Can Too.) Studies show 38% of people experience increased stress during the holiday season, and nearly 1 in 3 drink more alcohol during this time. This leads some to substance abuse and addiction, which is a dark…
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MAN – Dec. 14, 2023 – Hayden used his life experiences to shape his commitment to helping his community fight the battle against addiction. “The gratifying thing for me was to know that I could help others,” said Hayden. Hayden witnessed and experienced the impact drugs and alcohol had on service members, including himself, during his tours in Vietnam. “When I came out I was just a full-blown alcoholic and I couldn’t find my way,” said Hayden. He eventually tired of using and made his way to Hazleden to dry out. READ@CBSNews
INSURANCE COMPANY GREED – Dec. 13, 2023 – Besides the premature termination of rehab care, Humana is also accused of using artificial intelligence (AI) to deny elderly patients the care they were owed under their Medicare Advantage Plans. The AI was allegedly used to override doctors’ recommendations, resulting in a lack of necessary care for elderly patients. Despite claims that the AI model used by Humana renders highly inaccurate predictions, the insurer has continued to use it to deny claims. Humana’s Legal Battles and Medicare Overcharges The current lawsuit isn’t the first legal battle involving Humana and Medicare Advantage. In…
AUDIO – DIET COKE? – Dec. 12, 2023 – Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf recently took to X to mourn the “catastrophic” decline in U.S. life expectancy. Annual deaths for all causes should be back to pre-pandemic levels — or even lower! Instead, the death toll remains “alarming,” “disturbing,” and deserving of “urgent attention,” according to insurance industry articles. Actuarial reports — used by insurers to inform decisions — show deaths occurring disproportionately among young working-age people. Nonetheless, America’s chief health manager, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opted in September to archive its excess deaths…
TO EACH HIS OWN – Dec. 14, 2023 – After I quit drinking, I set off to find a new community. I’m still looking. The notion of an addiction recovery support group is virtually synonymous with AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and its various offshoots (Narcotics Anonymous, Al-Anon, etc.), and for good reason—membership is estimated at over two million. As a free and widely available service, it’s undoubtedly valuable: people come together, share their stories, and help each other feel less alone. Many people owe their sobriety to the community and structure they’ve found there. However, AA has a kind of monopoly.…
JOYOUS AND FREE – Dec. 14, 2023 – Sources close to Charlie Sheen’s ex told us that Mueller is currently in a program, and, “she really likes it.” “It seems to be working for her,” a source said. These days, the star has been leaning on family while co-parenting her 14-year-old twin boys, Max and Bob, with Sheen. She made a rare appearance in New York earlier this year, where she attended her sister Sidney’s wedding at Cipriani Wall St. She looked healthier and was “all good and happy” while hanging out with family friend skincare guru Peter Thomas Roth…
STAY AWAKE – Dec. 13, 2023 – The holiday season can add extra stress to our lives, and for those struggling with addiction this time of year can easily lead to a relapse. Numerous addiction triggers can spark temptation, from the celebrations to the stress around this time of year. News5 spoke with Nate Denning who celebrates three years of sobriety … He’s an Admissions Representative at AspenRidge Recovery in Colorado Springs. It’s his way of giving back to the place that helped him find sobriety in September of 2020. Nate says around the holidays the struggle to stay…
THE GUIDING STAR – Dec. 15, 2023 – Niko Moon carried the bundle of firewood across the backyard where his wife and child huddled, their backs turned against the crisp November day. It has been a challenging year for the couple balancing parenthood, making music and fighting their own battles with physical and mental health. But they still exuded an unwavering positive warmth. “As long as I can remember, anxiety and depression have always just kind of been a low-level thing in my life that I’ve had,” said Niko Moon. Meanwhile, Anna Moon struggles with a rare genetic…
AMEN – Dec. 14, 2023 – He looked at the joint in his ashtray and thought about taking a few hits to calm down. As he went to light the joint, all he could see were the faces of his two young daughters. “I hate myself,” Charlie said he recalled thinking. “You sob. You keep doing what you’re doing and you’re committing suicide on the installment plan. Just get it over with.” He had a shotgun in the back of his truck. And Charlie remembered thinking: ”just drive out in the middle of the woods somewhere and pull the…
LIFE GOES ON – Dec. 14, 2023 – More than a week after an officer involved in the 2020 death of Manuel Ellis claimed that he wouldn’t do anything differently when attempting to arrest the Black man, the legal representation for all the officers said that their clients aren’t even responsible for his death, instead blaming the actions of Ellis. He further claimed that Ellis’ behavior forced the three Washington state police officers “ to use force against him because he created a situation that required them to act.” As you can see, this case relates to the death of…
ALWAYS – Dec. 15, 2023 – Getting sober is a huge, huge accomplishment, and you should feel really proud of yourself. It can be really easy to fall into a life of partying as a queer person, and a lot harder to crawl out of it. Drinking and drugs are entrenched in gay culture, and temptations are everywhere. Add to that our trauma of growing up feeling marginalized or taught to be ashamed about who we are and it’s no wonder we seek escape. When we fall too far down that rabbit hole, it can definitely wreak havoc on…
ALWAYS A CONTRADICTION – Dec. 16, 2023 – Friends star Matthew Perry, who died in October from the “acute effects of ketamine,” wrote in his 2022 memoir that the drug made him feel like he was “dying” and that it “was not for me.” Weeks after the 54-year-old actor was found floating face down in his jacuzzi, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office released an autopsy report on Friday that found that his use of ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic that’s also used in the treatment of depression, was the primary factor in his death. Shortly after the autopsy was…
LEARN MORE – Dec. 15, 2023 – So many words get thrown around these days—words which define extreme states, or try to, in a way that diminishes the human beings who live through them. Such words don’t factor in the impact of traumatic experiences and the new, internal realities they create for people, sometimes for decades. I’ve repeatedly seen this with my wife. More than that, I’ve lived through it, doing my best to help her navigate such states and move beyond them. It hasn’t been easy, but I’ve learned a few lessons along the way that I’d like…
HISTORY LESSON – Dec. 15, 2023 – The deconsecrated church was converted to a drug rehab facility in the early ’70s. However, most people remember it as the hot-spot on Sixth Avenue and West 20th Street for techno, goth, and industrial music in the ’90s following its 1983 opening. New York Magazine columnist Michael Musto called the space “a place where people who were freaks in school could come and reinvent themselves or dress up in their sisters’ clothes or just be what they wanted to be.” However, the nightclub shut down in 2007 following several police raids and drug…
VIDEO – IT CAN BE DONE – Dec. 12, 2023 – 35-year-old James Gotte said he’s looking forward to celebrating one year of being sober this month. He said his drug addiction started at a young age, but now he wants a brighter future. “I started using heroin and fentanyl probably for about six or seven years before this point,” he said. Gotte said his addiction started with one drug and escalated. “I was on pills real bad, and then they said, ‘Hey, you can get more of a high for a cheaper cost with heroin, so I said I’m…
A BEAUTIFUL VISION – Dec. 13, 2023 – The Mötley Crüe bassist, who turned 65 on Monday, has been sober for 22 years. The husband and father of five, who rose to fame in the 1980s with the legendary rock band. Sixx says he is just as focused on “ramp[ing] up the charitable side as much as the creative side.” Describing his current mindset, Sixx says he is just as focused on “ramp[ing] up the charitable side as much as the creative side,” noting that he’s “lucky to still be here.” “And being sober probably helps with all that…
EAT CHOCOLATE? – Dec. 14, 2023 – When I was in college and proudly showed my mother my new Volkswagen, she tearfully said, “How could you? The Germans murdered 33 of our relatives.” I wanted to say, “Mom, the people who built my car weren’t born then; they aren’t responsible for the sins of their fathers.” But her anger was so immediate and intense that I knew nothing would reduce her hostility toward anything German, from riding in a Volkswagen to eating schnitzel. I didn’t realize the neurological effects of her anger. Anger is the brain’s reaction to events, ranging…
VIDEO – SAD FINAL SCENE – Dec. 17, 2023 – Matthew Perry, who died last month aged 54 following a ketamine overdose, was ‘never’ clean. ‘He could be quite a manipulative person when it came to his struggles with using, but it was such a struggle, such a battle, and he battled every day to the end.’ An autopsy published Friday revealed that the star died from the ‘acute effects of ketamine’ and drowning, with Perry having similar quantities of ketamine in his system as a hospital patient under general anesthetic. ‘The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical…
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS – Dec. 13, 2023 – At the 13th Annual Experience, Strength & Hope Award gathering at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles, the entertainment industry and the recovery community came together to celebrate the creative gifts of sobriety. Every year, the ESH Award honors a noted figure who has written a memoir that includes the person’s journey into recovery from substance use disorders and mental health challenges. In 2023, the honor went to noted character actor Ed Begley, Jr. for his engaging memoir, To The Temple of Tranquility… And Step On It!. Funny and informative, Ed…
MOVE IT – Dec. 9, 2023 – Exercise is the best medicine. It can aid in preventing and reducing obesity, boost overall mood, increase happy hormones, decrease cardiovascular disease and improve the overall quality of life. More than 50% of chronic health issues stem from physical inactivity. The Healthy People 2030 guidelines for physical activity are pretty straightforward: Adults need 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity. That equals about 21 minutes per day of physical activity — and, again, only 24% of adults are meeting that. There are over seven different types of cancers that are…
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE – Dec. 14, 2023 – The FDA says it currently believes the adulteration is “economically motivated.” U.S. children under the age of 6 have tested positive for lead poisoning after consuming the pouches — some at levels more than 500 times the acceptable threshold for lead. Tainted cinnamon applesauce pouches that have sickened scores of children in the U.S. may have been purposefully contaminated with lead, according to FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Jim Jones. “We’re still in the midst of our investigation. But so far all of the signals we’re getting lead to an…
MANY PATHS TO HEALING – Dec. 14, 2023 – He still felt like there was something missing because I have this beautiful house, a beautiful family, everything anyone could ask for,’ Poyer revealed about his struggles. ‘I still felt a sense of unhappiness, a sense of not understanding who I was, and why I was the way I was. A part of me felt guilty just because I was living this way,’ he continued. Poyer’s drinking would include a ‘six-pack of IPAs in 20 to 30 minutes for a quick buzz,’ according to his wife, Rachel Bush. With the help…