AUDIO – MUNKY SEE MUNKY DON’T DO (DRUGS) – May 20, 2022 – Korn’s James “Munky” Shaffer answered TMZ’s questions at Los Angeles International Airport this week, commenting on his journey with sobriety and the death of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. The Korn guitarist has been sober for over a decade. Walking into LAX on Wednesday (May 18), he was asked about Monday’s Rolling Stone story that suggested Hawkins wanted to lessen his touring with Foo Fighters in his final days. The story was subsequently denounced by two of the musicians and Hawkins associates interviewed for it, Pearl…
Author: Leonard Buschel
AI Knows Everything – May 19, 2022 – “What people write on social media and online offers a window into psychological mechanisms that are difficult to capture in research or medicine otherwise,” says Schwartz, commenting on the unique aspect of the study. “Our findings imply that drinking is not only an individually motivated behavior but a contextual one; with social activities and group membership helping set the tone when it comes to encouraging or discouraging drinking,” summarizes Jose. Investigators used data from more than 3,600 adults recruited online — average age 43, mostly White — who consented to sharing their…
VIDEO – FUNNY MAN Live at the Laemmle – May 19, 2022 – You may know him as the funny caveman on the Geico commercials but what you may not know is that actor and comedian John Lehr also says he struggled with drugs and alcohol. Now, more than twenty years sober. John Lehr will perform at the 14th REEL Recovery Film Festival & Symposium, Oct. 21-27. more@YouTube
DON’T METH WITH METH – May 20, 2022 – When 50-year-old meth addict Brian Groh was sentenced to jail last month, he went through a severe withdrawal. “When I first got here, I was really bad,” he said, describing how he was put in solitary confinement and strapped to a chair to keep under control. “I mostly don’t remember my first week.” Although initially quite intense, Groh said his symptoms were slowly subsiding as his body adjusted to functioning drug-free. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive central nervous system stimulant where use is associated with a range of health harms,…
12th STEPPING AT WORK – May 20, 2022 – Abbey spoke cаndidly аbout how she overcаme her аddiction in аn exclusive interview with the Dаily Stаr. “I tried sobriety for yeаrs but never succeeded,” she explаined. My аddiction hаd thrown my life into disаrrаy. “In high school, I stаrted drinking аnd smoking with аll of my friends. My friends, on the other hаnd, would leаve when the pаrty wаs over. I’d lie аwаke аll night thinking аbout the sensаtion the substаnce gаve me. “I mаintаined а normаl life аt this point.” Abbey wаs diаgnosed with postpаrtum depression when she…
DEBATING THE DSM – MAY 19, 2022 – It was the reason for my distressing thoughts, overwhelming emotions, and undesirable behaviors. All other aspects of my life were secondary. If a mental disorder was me and the reason for my thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, it must hold the key to my mental health. But none did. In some ways, each diagnosis was a self-fulfilling prophecy. I identified so strongly with it that I came to embody it. (It didn’t help that I was told I was anorexic and bipolar, not that I had them.) With the depression diagnosis, I…
A BROTHER’S LAMENT – May 18, 2022 – He was addicted to opioids and many other drugs at the time, so living with him was a scary time. We had no idea when he might snap or if he could overdose. This is the reason drug addiction among teens is so important to me. Drugs are sweeping through our teens in Spokane and surrounding areas. When one speaks about addiction, one must know the drugs that teens are taking: nicotine, marijuana, and opioids/painkillers. The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics identified that 11.11% of teens in Washington state use drugs,…
VIDEO – SHE’S A CRUMB BUM – May 19, 2022 – Riverside police say their investigation started on Tuesday afternoon after they were called to the school to deal with an incorrigible student. “This is the type of school that has kids with special needs and cognitive and behavioral struggles, so it’s not necessarily uncommon for us to respond like that,” said Riverside Police Officer Ryan Railsback. But upon arriving on campus their investigation took a different direction. “While they were there, some staff members approached the officers to let them know of their suspicions of another employee possibly furnishing…
WHAT TOOK THEM SO LONG? – May 20, 2022 – Last year, fentanyl — a synthetic opioid — caused more overdose deaths than any other drug has in a single year. The second-deadliest drug was meth, which is also produced in labs (the kind you might have seen in “Breaking Bad”). Together, fentanyl and meth helped make 2021 the worst year for drug overdoses in U.S. history: The full-year death toll topped 100,000 for the first time, the C.D.C. reported last week. Both drugs have proliferated so quickly because they are synthetic. Traffickers prefer synthetics because they can make…
REFLECTING ON THE LOSS – May 13, 2022 – “It really should be a moment for us all to reflect on what sort of society we want to have,” she added. Experts say deaths were all but inevitable from a new virus of such severity and transmissibility. Yet, one million dead is a stunning toll, even for a country the size of the United States, and the true number is almost certainly higher because of undercounting. It is the result of many factors, including elected officials who played down the threat posed by the coronavirus and resisted safety measures; a…
GAME CHANGER? – May 22, 2022 – A team of researchers headed by Claus Juul Loland has just published a study in the esteemed journal Nature Communications. The study sheds new light on the mechanism transporting dopamine to the nerve cells. “The mechanism we have been researching is the so-called dopamine transporter (DAT). DAT controls dopamine signalling in the brain by removing the released dopamine and thus turning off the signal. DAT can be described as a molecular vacuum cleaner. Dopamine is key to our ability to control the communication between nerves in the part of the brain known as…
THE DANGERS OF ISOLATION – May 18, 2022 – Addicts are great at reasoning away problems. This sad state of affairs is no surprise.The pandemic for many people in every walk of life created stress, anxiety and isolation, a lethal combination that leads to loneliness and depression – the things that drive people to substance abuse. It is a trend we have seen clearly at Crossroads at our drug and alcohol recovery centers here in the Valley. The recent deaths of two high-profile individuals – former Maricopa County attorney Allister Adel and country singer Naomi Judd – were at…
YOU THINK LIKE YOU EAT – May 18, 2022 – Australian researchers at the University of Technology Sydney performed a randomized control trial for 12 weeks to assess how the Mediterranean diet would impact depression symptoms in young men. A Mediterranean diet focuses on fruits and vegetables, oily fish, lean meats, healthy fats, and whole grains. Processed food, alcohol, red meat, and sugar are kept very low, if present at all. Throughout the course of the trial, many of the young men were willing (even eager) to change their diet. Those who were assigned a Mediterranean diet worked with a…
AUDIO – NO MORE LITTLE FIRESTARTER – May 17, 2022 – “I like trying to tell myself to please react with grace. Be on the high road. Don’t flip out about everything. Find calm, find peace,” she said, noting today’s priorities are miles away from those of yesteryear. “I would’ve never thought those things were possible, nor did I really want them at that time. Now I want them.” The “Drew Barrymore Show” host in December appeared on “CBS This Morning,” during which she reflected on sobriety and said she had previously come to a point wherein she “realized”…
TAKING A TRIP, NOT TAKING A TRIP – May 19, 2022 – But now, I was cozied up for a k-hole in Field Trip, a cutely-named startup where ketamine therapy costs $750 for a medical evaluation, an intake session, one therapy session, a ketamine day, plus a debriefing appointment. (Annoying disclosure: I had free access to these treatments while writing this story.) With its abundance of ferns and spherical furniture and braided rugs in every room, the Field Trip office sort of resembled the apartment of one of my exes, who made his living renting his space out to Urban…
VIDEO – SWEET SOUL MUSIC – May 18, 2022 – There’s a similar vibe at his (home) concert, actually recorded at his house, with a live audience of neighbors and friends and a palpable feeling of genuine hospitality and gratitude. Look at the deep blue paint on the walls IDK carefully selected, along with other adornments in his lovely Los Angeles home. Visually, the room is vivid yet calm, and sonically, his music has that same kind of feeling. He starts with a lovely, slow version of “Puerto Rico,” from his 2021 album USEE4YOURSELF. Its lush harmonies and dynamic swells…
PHARMA PROLONGS SUFFERING – March 12, 2022 – “People overuse the term ‘paradigm shift’, but this is absolutely a paradigm shift,” Buchheit said. “There is this unspoken rule: If it hurts, take an anti-inflammatory, and if it still hurts, put a steroid on it.” But, he said, the study shows that “we have to think of healing and not suppression of inflammation.” Guidelines from professional medical societies already say that people with back pain should start with nondrug treatments like exercise, physical therapy, heat or massage. Those measures turn out to be as effective as pain-suppressing drugs, without the…
GOD BLESS SUGAR – May 12, 2022 – Artificial sweeteners such as saccharin, sucralose, and aspartame can interact with healthy bacteria in the gut. This can lead to increased adhesion of intestinal bacteria. Adhesions form a hard bacterial layer covering the mucous membrane of the intestine and have a negative effect on the intestinal microflora. According to the study, only two doses of known soft drinks can be enough to increase the pathogenicity of E. coli and E. faecalis. Pathogenicity is understood to mean the basic ability of infectious substances to cause diseases in particular organisms. more@BioPrepWatch
LUNGS ARE ALIVE – 2019 – Before taking the course, many residents noted other obstacles that prevent psychiatrists from addressing patients’ tobacco use. For example, patients with severe mental health issues have more immediate problems to address; many patients are not motivated to quit; and it is difficult for psychiatrists to find training in this area. After taking the course, however, the residents demonstrated a high level of knowledge about tobacco use disorder and ways they can help patients to quit smoking. The residents also reported feeling more motivated and prepared to address patients’ tobacco use. more@NJBMagazine
AND SOBRIETY HAS HUGGED HIM BACK – May 15, 2022 – Bradley Cooper isn’t shy about discussing his past struggles with addiction. In fact, he continues to openly discuss those negative experiences, in part as a reminder for his own sake but also in using his platform to inspire others. Cooper’s life has transformed in big ways, and he contributes his success to his decision to get sober. Just a couple of years back, during an interview with Leaf discussing the success of A Star Is Born, Cooper reminisced about how his addiction helped him fuel his on-screen character.…
“Men often ask me, ‘Why are your female characters so paranoid?’ It’s not paranoia. It’s recognition of their situation.” – Margaret Atwood
SOBRIETY NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD – May 12, 2022 – The 35-year-old shared a health update with his fans on Wednesday to mark three years of sobriety, revealing that despite a “particularly tough” year, he is proud of himself for not turning back to his old bad habits. “The best advice I’ve gotten is to just take it one day at a time so that’s what I do…on this day I’m just gonna be grateful for the ride. We all have a story to tell, this is just part of mine.”He concluded: “If you feel like you need to make…
AUDIO – ALCOHOL NO MORE – May 11, 2022 – Selma Blair is not afraid to go there when it comes to sharing the ups and downs of her personal life — particularly in the wake of her 2018 Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis — but never before has she shared such shocking details from her past. In her new memoir Mean Baby, and in an interview with PEOPLE, the Cruel Intentions star details her decades-long alcohol addiction, which began at age 7, as well as other horrifying personal trauma (suicide attempts, sexual assaults). “I don’t know if I would’ve survived childhood…
OUT OF DIFFICULTY COMES GROWTH – May 14, 2022 – When school went online, Ruby, then a freshman, was self-conscious about showing her house on camera. She also had a hard time finding a quiet place to concentrate as her two siblings also switched to remote learning – she would often lose focus during Zoom class. During remote school, she says, “I didn’t learn anything.” Things changed for the better during Ruby’s sophomore year, when her school transitioned to hybrid learning and she decided to leave that friendship. She started to nurture relationships with the three people who are…
YOU SHOULD CARE – May 10, 2022 – The $2 million grant program included in the state budget late last year specifies that the funds can be used to provide only one of the three FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder. Some addiction experts argue that the favored medication — naltrexone, also known by the brand name Vivitrol — is the least effective of the three. At a time when drug overdose deaths have reached record numbers, medical experts argue that people with opioid addiction need access to all three medications. Having the option to use the medication that works…
DOGS AND DRUGS – May 3, 2022 – He explained five keys to his journey to recovery and at the top of that list is relationships. That includes a good friend who cared for his two large dogs when Trolley was in the Routt County Jail and Detention Center for 90 days. “For me, my family and friends were everything in my recovery,” said Trolley, 44. “Because in my addiction, it was quite the opposite. I completely isolated and didn’t care about anything else except my self-seeking habit, so just getting my family and friends back and rebuilding those…
BRING THE MOUNTAIN TO MOHAMED – May 11, 2022 – “The hardest part is to get there,” Elias said. “Soma — she has so much to do and she goes out of her way to help so many people. But she is only one person.” Skid row has long been the downtown zone where Los Angeles has shunted services for its most destitute. Yet when people like Elias want to try to wrench free from opioid addiction, the closest options for getting daily doses of methadone may be miles away in Boyle Heights, Westlake and South Park, according to federal…
NO HOCUS POCUS HERE – May 12, 2022 – Such a strange mixture really, because there are so many moments of tragedy, moments of brutality and raw confessions from Sigute and that can be very tricky to balance with our understanding and acceptance. And of course those are the things we must have as an audience in order to truly embrace her work. But, somehow she does achieve this. Maybe that’s the ‘magic’ of it. Perhaps it’s her kind face, or complete authenticity, her willingness to share her feelings of ‘shame,’ her struggle to forgive herself, and her story. Whatever…
VIDEO – MOURN THE MOURNING – May 11, 2022 – She remembered the night she received the worst news of her life. “It’s a doorbell ring you never want to get,” Miniard said. “Two Jacksonville detectives were standing there at the door to tell us we had lost our child.” An autopsy revealed that her son had died from a fentanyl overdose. She said Evan thought he was taking heroin, but it turned out to be heroin laced with fentanyl. According to Miniard, Evan battled drug addiction for 15 years — an addiction that started with pain pills following…
IT TAKES COURAGE – May 9, 2022 – “She develops leadership skills that help young women find their voice and encourages them to make a difference in their communities and among their peer,” stated Busler. Galloway took the time to form specific youth advisory boards made of young people who have a say in programming and services. She is one of the founding members of the Ohio Youth Led Prevention Network’s Adult Advisory Council. This council helped to establish a statewide youth prevention network and implement the annual “We Are the Majority” rally. High school students from across the…