VIDEO – WORTH WATCHING – May 11, 2026 – When was the last time you had a long chunk of time with no events coming up, or anything that felt like a reason to drink? The only time most of us came close to that was during lockdown (and that led people to drink more, not less!)I know it sounds counterintuitive, but it’s true. Once you get through one challenging experience, everything shifts. You get real, lived evidence that you were wrong. (Yes, wrong!) That actually, you could do it. And that it wasn’t as bad as you feared. Your…
Author: Leonard Buschel
VIDEO – GREAT NEWS FOR ADDICTS – May 13, 2026 – About 70,000 Americans died of drug overdoses last year — about 14% fewer than the previous year, according to preliminary government data. It was the third straight annual drop, making it the longest decline in decades…The 2025 total is about the same as the tally in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Declines were seen across a number of drug types, including fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine. Overdose deaths fell in the vast majority of states, although seven saw at least slight increases, including jumps of 10% or more in Arizona,…
THEN AND NOW – Dec. 10, 2025 – US Attorney David Metcalf announced today that Recovery Centers of America (RCA) has agreed to pay $1,000,000 to resolve allegations that it failed to comply with provisions of the Controlled Substances Act that are designed to prevent the diversion of controlled substances for illegal uses, and an additional $1,000,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act. The United States’ allegations under the CSA arise from audits and investigations the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted at RCA facilities in Pennsylvania and Maryland between 2019 and 2024. Based on those audits…
EVENTUALLY – May 13, 2026 – You see, for all the sobering news of alcohol’s effects on your health, there’s a silver lining. Many of the diseases attributed to alcohol can be slowed, stopped and even reversed if action is taken soon enough. Here’s what science has found so far. If you’re not aware of the impact of a drink on your ability to fight off infections such as colds, flu and Covid-19, that’s understandable. While the link between alcohol and pneumonia has been known since 1785, large scale discussion on the impact of liquor on immunity began in the…
DOWNHILL RACER – May 13, 2026 – The drinks we gather around are so often associated with skiing. But alcohol now inhabits a complicated niche in mountain town life. As its often overlooked harms come to light, drinking has evolved from default after-activity fare to something often avoided—its omnipresence in the outdoor culture reexamined and now even criticized. But as a tangible social lubricant in an increasingly isolated world, does alcohol, especially in moderation, still offer us an important, even irreplaceable avenue for connection? It’s not easy to discern if you listen to those who make their living wondering. Just…
AND NEVER ENDING WAR! – May 13, 2026 – Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adolescents experienced depression between 2021 and 2023, and those teens were significantly more likely to use substances such as alcohol, marijuana and opioids, according to a new national study. Andrew Yockey, a University of Mississippi assistant professor of public health, and graduate student Aminul Apu found that adolescents struggling with depression are more likely to use substances. Their study, published in the Journal of Medicine, Surgery and Public Health, underscores the need to treat mental health and substance use together, rather than as separate issues. “Research…
VIDEO – REAL LIVE VILLAINS – May 14, 2026 – Arizona officials are investigating a massive sober living fraud scheme that stole billions in taxpayer dollars and targeted vulnerable Native Americans. Attorney General Kris Mayes reported 140 indictments to date and a 92% decline in fraudulent billing on the American Indian Health Plan since 2023. It is a scheme that FOX 10 investigators have covered for more than four years. Vulnerable people battling addiction were preyed upon by bad actors who promised rehabilitation services but rarely provided any. Many of the victims were Native Americans who were kidnapped from reservations…
ALL WINNERS – May 15, 2026 – Participants enter guilty pleas and their sentencings are postponed for an intensive supervisory program lasting a minimum of sixteen months. Upon graduation, participants are placed on an additional period of supervised probation. Participants pass through phases as they progress, attending substance use treatment, mental health treatment, and self-help meetings, perform community service, engage in work force training, further their education, and seek employment. DTC meets in the courtroom every week where the presiding judge, the Honorable Julia Martz Fisher, along with the DTC staff, including representatives of the State’s Attorney’s Office, the Office…
WHAT A PUTZ – May 14, 2026 – “Keep yourself healthy enough that you can drink all your life. I don’t want to be… sobriety is such a fad, trendy thing right now. The next person I hear say they got sober, I want to hit them in the head. We don’t need that. Just be a normal guy and drink a normal amount. You can do it your whole life. You’re fine.” For many people, Zach Top is right. If you maintain a healthy balance with alcohol in your life, it is harmless, if not beneficial, helping to bring…
UNWANTED 1st PLACE FINISH – May 16, 2026 – Arkansas ranked second overall, with concerns centered around youth exposure to drugs, limited access to support services and a high number of opioid prescriptions. Alaska was third, with the second-highest number of overdose deaths nationwide and the sixth-highest year-over-year increase in those fatalities. he report, released ahead of National Prevention week — which runs from May 10 to May 16 —highlights the regions most affected by drug addictions across the U.S. In order to determine which states have the biggest drug problems, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of…
VIDEO – SONG OF THE WEEK – 1,678,660,329 views – Directed by Daniel Ramos & Bruno Mars. Music video by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. WATCH
STICK WITH THE WINNERS! – May 19, 2026 – Judith Orloff, MD is a psychiatrist, an empath and a champion of highly sensitive people. She is known as the Godmother of the Empath Movement. Dr. Orloff is a New York Times bestselling author, whose books include The Empath’s Survival Guide, The Genius of Empathy, and her children’s book, The Highly Sensitive Rabbit. Dr. Q. What do you love most about yourself?A. Good heart, creative, true friend, sober.Q. Who are your heroes in real life?A. The Dalai Lama. Mahatma Gandhi.Q. What is your favorite city?A. LA! Read More
SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT – May 13, 2026 – I experienced two of the most disorienting experiences in my life when I got sober in 1995 and when I quit social media for the first time in 2022. I use the word disorienting because time slowed to a rhythm that made me feel I was walking through quicksand, slow and sinking. I anticipated that sobriety would transport me from dizzying levels of uncertainty to a stabilizing sense of groundedness, but that wasn’t my experience. In hindsight, I’m pretty sure that I was moving from the illusion of manufactured certainty, from…
KUNDALINI – May 10, 2026 – The pop star, 44, has since spoken candidly about being on a “spiritual journey” in the caption of an Instagram post showing her holding a baby snake. “Went to the pet store with my kids and look at what a beautiful baby snake this is,” Spears wrote. The singer continued by reflecting on having experienced a “blessing in disguise,” while choosing not to mention her recent arrest in the post’s caption. “I’m so damn thankful to my friends and so many new beautiful people I have met through my spiritual journey … all a…
KETAMINE SUPPLIER CHARGED – May 13, 2026 – Erik Fleming, one of five people charged in connection with the overdose death of actor Matthew Perry, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release on Wednesday, May 13. Fleming, a TV director and former acquaintance of Perry’s, pleaded guilty in August 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death, per a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. The Friends actor died at the age of 54 after…
MINE TOO! – May 10, 2026 – “I was living so recklessly, and the day I decided to get sober was the day I decided to put me and put my life and put my future first and trust myself that I could be funny and be interesting. She hopes others now look to her as an example, proving that it’s never too late to make a lifestyle change. “I also just want to be there for the girlies to show them that if they’re in a crazy, wild era of their life, that doesn’t have to be who they…
WINE MOMS – May 14, 2026- It’s a bitter sip. “Wine mom” culture celebrates alcohol as both a requirement and a reward for the maternal workload, with infinite cheeky memes and products boasting, “The most expensive part of having kids is all the wine you have to drink.” But for some, such lighthearted messages and merchandise — think “mommy juice” wine glasses and “mama needs wine” sweatshirts — belie a much darker reality. “What began as me ‘relaxing after a hard day’ turned into a full-blown alcohol addiction,” content creator Taylor Krajewski told The Post. Krajewski, who documents her sobriety…
SUGAR RULES – May 11, 2026 – That “sugar-free” snack in your kitchen may not be as harmless as it looks. Scientists are raising new concerns about sorbitol, a common sweetener used in products marketed as low-calorie or diabetic friendly. New research suggests the sugar alcohol can trigger processes linked to fatty liver disease, especially when gut bacteria fail to break it down properly. The study, published in Science Signaling, found that sorbitol can ultimately behave much like fructose inside the body. Fructose, which is heavily used in soft drinks and processed foods, has already been strongly linked to metabolic…
LIKE LOIS LANE – May 2026 – Lois, who, at age 82, was no more than five feet tall, looked up at me with glistening, grayish-blue eyes and gripped my hand firmly. “It’s wonderful to meet you,” she said in a lively, crackling voice. I stammered out a reply, suddenly feeling very foolish. She was so open, so welcoming…. She told me how pleased she was that I had come, then invited me to go with a friend of hers named Penny on a tour of the house. In moments I was mounting a creaky spiral staircase and entering a…
I NEED THIS – May 11, 2026 – Most of us spend five or more hours a day on our phones, and research suggests that the long hours can affect our mental and physical health. Screen time can cause our breathing to become more shallow, a phenomenon known as “screen apnea.” Using your phone or tablet at bedtime can result in shorter and lower-quality sleep. Walking while using a phone affects how we move. And all this time on our devices — with their fast-moving, constant stimulation — is shrinking our attention spans. Even with all these side effects, we’re…
POWDERS, LIQUID, PILLS & TEAS – May 14, 2026 – It is linked to addiction and mental health issues. This is the first known national study to examine the use patterns of kratom and its association with mental health and addiction. Kratom is a plant from southeast Asia that’s sold online and in some stores in powders, liquid shots, pills and teas. Opponents of kratom argue that it is addictive and widely available to children, while proponents say it is a safe, natural alternative for managing a host of ailments. Given the changing policy landscape involving kratom in the U.S.,…
TRAGEDY – May 13, 2026 – She was arrested and charged with his murder. An autopsy determined he died from a fentanyl overdose, which she caused by spiking his drink. In the 14 months between her husband’s death and her arrest … Prosecutors are asking the court to make Kouri return those funds, which she still posesses despite being convicted of murder in March. READ
VERY WOKE – May 15, 2026 – Nicotine pouches are small sachets placed between the gum and lip that release nicotine through the lining of the mouth. They typically contain nicotine, flavourings, sweeteners and other additives. Retail sales of nicotine pouches reached over 23 billion units in 2024, increasing by more than 50% from previous year. “The use of nicotine pouches is spreading rapidly, while regulation struggles to keep pace,” said Dr Vinayak Prasad, Unit Head of the Tobacco Free Initiative for WHO. “Governments must act now with strong, evidence-based safeguards.” WHO’s first global report on the topic entitled, Exposing…
“Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.” – Joseph Chilton Pearce, 1926–2016
HELP? – May 4, 2026 – This friend deals with a host of overlapping problems: bad sleep apnea, anxiety, paranoia, and, along with his alcohol dependence, he appears to need regular doses of kratom to function. Due to all these factors, he doesn’t have a job and lives at home with his parents. I’ve read a little (but not much) about how to support a friend in this type of situation, so I know to avoid shaming or scolding him. But I’m starting to worry that pretty much everyone in his life—his family, other friends, and me—is using the same…
GOOD TO KNOW – May 8, 2026 – In the summer, the people are out and about, hitting patios, having barbecues, and grabbing drinks after work, so I’ve become a master of the non-alcoholic beverage market (as someone who also loves wine and cocktails). These aren’t just sodas or juices, they are products that make me feel like I’m a part of a group, and drinks that I reach for all year round! Here are some of my go-tos: Read More
00% – May 6, 2026 – I can’t remember exactly when, only what I felt: drained. I hadn’t just hit the proverbial afternoon wall—I was slammed against it, pancaked by a car. Green tea and expensive smoothies didn’t feel up to snuff, and the thought of a third cup of mocha from the break room coffee machine sounded unappetizing. Without giving it any real thought, I wandered to our office bar—a perk of working for a lifestyle magazine—and plundered the minifridge. I assumed I would find a chilled Diet Coke left behind from our many end-of-week happy hours. That’s when…
VIDEO – THE PROMISE LAND – May 5, 2026 – In an Instagram Reel documenting 150 days without alcohol, Franky Bernstein opened up about drinking too much, feeling depressed and realizing he could not keep going the way he was. “The turning point was when I found out my little sister was pregnant with her first child,” Bernstein tells PEOPLE. “At the time, I was in a really dark place, and she truly gave me something to live for when I needed it most.” WATCH
HEART HEALTH – May 7, 2026 – Unlike some diseases and health conditions that present with symptoms early, high blood pressure is not as easy to recognize. That’s why knowing the most common high blood pressure causes—and anticipating a potential diagnosis—are so crucial to maintaining optimal heart health. “High blood pressure, in most cases, is asymptomatic,” said Lawrence Phillips, M.D., a cardiologist and associate professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health. “So people don’t feel that they have it, which is why regular screening is so important.” Often referred to as a “silent killer,” about half of Americans have high…
ADDICT BEHAVIOR – May 6, 2026 – “Little do people know, right before Jersey Shore started, I just got out of rehab, like my first rehab,” Sorrentino told “Summer House” cast member Carl Radke on the “More Life” podcast. “I was just young. It was drinking and it was pills, When I first went to rehab, I didn’t really know much about self. I didn’t have the education about addiction … I just was like, ‘Oh, that’s not me.’” “I had just gotten back from rehab and I sat down with the casting producers and I didn’t say anything about…