New York Times – Real (Bad) News – Sep. 28, 2020 – In the six months since Covid-19 brought the nation to a standstill, the opioid epidemic has taken a sharp turn for the worse. More than 40 states have recorded increases in opioid-related deaths since the pandemic began, according to the American Medical Association. In Arkansas, the use of Narcan, an overdose-reversing drug, has tripled. Jacksonville, Fla., has seen a 40 percent increasein overdose-related calls. In March alone, York County in Pennsylvania recorded three times more overdose deaths than normal. For Mr. Cameron, the shutdown of daily life in…
Author: Leonard Buschel
Depends who you ask – Sep. 29, 2020 – It used to be against the law to treat narcotic addicts with narcotics (The Harrison Act). In 2000, the Drug Addiction Treatment Act (DATA) changed that. DATA gave physicians the ability to treat opioid dependency with narcotic medications, mainly buprenorphine (the main ingredient in Suboxone), which is considered a schedule III drug. Physicians were also allowed to use schedule IV drugs, schedule V drugs, or any combination thereof. To put this in perspective, schedule IV drugs include benzodiazepines, one of the most addictive substances known to man. “In the US,…
WATCH – I see America – Oct. 1, 2020 – He was dishonorably discharged” — which he was not. “For cocaine use,” Trump added. My father is a one-time Republican and now a staunch Biden supporter, but you can never assume to know how someone else experiences a moment like that or exactly what my father saw in Joe Biden that night. I know what I saw: a reflection of my dad. Biden is a father whose unwavering love has been essential in his child’s struggle and recovery from addiction. And my father’s love has been essential in mine. Tuesday…
Arrested envelopment – Read List – Oct. 3, 2020 – The massive federal crackdown charges defendants with submitting more than $6 billion in fraudulent claims to federal health care programs and private insurers. That includes some $4.5 billion connected to telemedicine schemes; $845 million connected to substance abuse treatment or “sober home” schemes; and another $806 million in other health care fraud and illegal opioid distribution schemes. “These ‘sober homes’ cases are particularly egregious, not just because of the substantial amounts of financial loss they cause, but also because of the significant harm they cause to patients who are used…
“Language … has created the word ‘loneliness’ to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word ‘solitude’ to express the glory of being alone.”—Paul Tillich
President of U.S. Demeans S.U.D. sufferers – Oct. 1, 2020 – Even the Real Housewives know that kids are always off-limits. Around 20 million Americans ages 12 and older have a substance abuse disorder, according to a 2019 report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. When Trump took a shot at Biden’s son on this prime-time stage, he was also firing off at them and at the tens of thousands of family members who have an addict in their lives. With roughly 70,000 people dying per year from accidental overdoses and with alcohol use skyrocketing during the…
He did it all – Sep. 30, 2020 – Mac Davis, a singer-songwriter who parlayed a string of hits for Elvis Presley into a varied career as an actor and recording artist, blending country and pop in chart-topping songs such as “Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me” and playing a quarterback in the football movie “North Dallas Forty,” died Sept. 29 in Nashville. He was 78. His manager, Jim Morey, announced the death in a statement, after a tweetin which Mr. Davis’s family revealed that he was “critically ill following heart surgery.” With a Texas drawl and country charm, Mr.…
WATCH – Family Values – Sep. 22, 2020 – Gaga thanked her mother for her honesty and gave her own advice, noting that not everyone has parents who are receptive to conversations about mental health. “I think that it’s actually interesting to subvert that question a little bit,” she said, adding that “some people can’t tell their parents.” “I feel the need to say this, because it’s real, and it’s true, and some people don’t have parents that can hear what you’re saying,” she continued. “They don’t have parents that are willing to listen, and some people don’t have…
No meth heads on the staff? – Sep. 21, 2020 – Thus began a quest to find a molecule that would maintain lobeline’s ability to inhibit the target VMAT2, but would be safe and effective for human use. Also, the researchers sought a compound that could be taken orally. Over the years, however, the team’s path was littered with frustrating results for their potential candidate molecules. One molecule showed poor bioavailability; another one was chemically unstable. Still others showed only weak interactions with VMAT2 or caused adverse effects such as cardiotoxicity or liver toxicity. There was particular disappointment with a…
WATCH – Listen to the Lions – Sep. 10, 2020 – Introducing Dr. Louis Stanger Topic: Courage, Creativity, Communication & Celebration Host: Dr. James Flowers, PhD, LPC-S, Founder, J. Flowers Health Institute Facilitator: Robin French, VP of Concierge Relations, J. Flowers Health Institute, About Dr. Louise Stanger, LCSW, CSAT-1, CDWF, CIP Dr. Louise Stanger focuses on strength-based solutions and invitational change. Dr. Stanger is an Ivy League Award winner (2019 Interventionist of the Year from DB Resources in London and McLean Hospital – an affiliate of Harvard), educated social worker, popular author, internationally renowned clinician, interventionist and speaker and an…
But if drugs were legal…? – Sep. 22, 2020 – Mexico’s militarised crackdown on organised crime has left nearly 39,000 unidentified bodies in the country’s morgues, which are often unable to handle the volume of corpses brought in for autopsies. A new investigation by the investigative NGO Quinto Elemento Labs found that an alarming number of people were simply buried in common graves without proper postmortems. Some were left in funeral homes and more than 2,500 bodies were given to medical schools. “It’s possible that [medical] students are learning with bodies of persons being searched for by their families,”…
Rising sober star – Sep. 23, 2020 – After finding her rhythm during lockdown with her mum and girlfriend – “I took up dancing, not very well, but I realised how happy it made me” – 22-year-old Delilah returns with new single ‘Loud,’ about turning up the volume on your inner and outer confidence. In a catch-up with Attitude, the London-based artist opens up about the confessional quality of her music, addressing her issues with addiction and writing about her relationship, the good, the bad and the ugly. Delilah assures us that her girlfriend is totally fine with it,…
What a downer – Sep. 24, 2020 – “Although benzodiazepines are very helpful for short term treatment, providers need to consider the risks and benefits of prescribing longer courses of these medications,” she said. Stopping these drugs abruptly or reducing the dosage too quickly after a long period of time can result in withdrawal reactions such as seizures, which the FDA says can be life-threatening. Patients should speak with their health care provider to develop a plan for slowly tapering medication before stopping, the agency said. In addition to the warning label, the FDA is also requiring changes to…
WATCH – I hear ya – Sep.24, 2020 – Lou finds him a sober living home for the deaf, where he begins to grapple with his new reality and what it means for the life of music he’s always known. Sound of Metal marks the directorial debut of Darius Marder, who also co-wrote the script with his brother, Abraham. Marder is best known as the co-writer of the 2012 Ryan Gosling vehicle The Place Behind the Pines, but from the looks of this new preview, he’s about to have a breakout. The movie looks utterly powerful, and with the promise…
Advice Column – Sep. 24, 2020 – Dear Barry, If your wife dies first, your $100,000 insurance policy will pass to the alternate beneficiaries that you named on the insurance company beneficiary form. If you did not do so, the policy will pay to your probate estate, passing to whoever your will name as beneficiaries or your son if you don’t have a will. If your wife survives you and gets the money, she’s under no legal obligation to spend it on your son’s behalf. But you know her better than we do. more@NapaValleyRegister
Painting the town mellow – Sep. 24, 2020 – In a nutshell, art therapy helps patients express their emotions, improve self-esteem, manage addictions, relieve stress, improve symptoms of anxiety and depression and cope with recovery. In addition, art allows a person to convey ideas and emotions and explore issues in a way that allows that person to communicate in a non-verbal way. Many patients initially feel hesitant about exploring and addressing those issues in group therapy or in conversation. “Everyone gets art therapy if they are in treatment here. What makes us so different from other facilities is that we…
Open Spaces – Sep. 24, 2020 – The Shadow Mountain Recovery facility in Santa Fe will be joining the organization’s other locations in Taos and Albuquerque to form a full continuum of care — ranging from detox programs to outpatient treatments. Shadow Mountain Recovery has enjoyed a great deal of success with patients at these other locations, and their experience may offer new patients insight on what they may expect at the new facility. David Splawski writes in his review of the Taos location, “If you want to change yourself and your life, then Shadow Mountain Recovery in Taos,…
Papa’s got a brand new bindle – Sept. 24, 2020 – Atlantic City Police say a man was arrested with 500 bags of heroin after being caught making a drug deal while his 2-year-old daughter was in his car. The incident happened Wednesday on the 3900 block of Crossan Avenue, shortly after noon. According to police, detectives observed 36-year-old Robert Hart, of Pleasantville, driving a vehicle. However, one of the detectives knew Hart was driving with a suspended license. When the detectives turned their vehicle around to conduct a motor vehicle stop they saw Hart pull to the curb and…
WATCH – Songs that heal – Sept. 2020 – This story is raw but it’s real,” writes Loretta. “I’m so proud of her sobriety.” Loretta has seen many friends and family members struggle with addiction over the years, including her own husband, Oliver “Doolittle” Lynn, whom Loretta called Doo. “I’ve had a front-row seat to addiction a lot in my life. My Doo was my greatest fan and the mind behind all my success but he battled the bottle and it haunted us,” Loretta explains, going on to say that she’s addressed that subject matter in her recent songwriting. …
With Feeling – Sep. 25, 2020 – Kinney, who currently writes for the Richmond Standard, is among a growing number of people taking part in walks in Richmond to North Dakota to Montana to help indigenous people struggling with alcoholism. “Culture is prevention,” he says. “Many native people have turned to alcohol because of the inability to grieve and address the historical trauma of losing their culture, language and spirituality. Becoming a sober native person is an act of decolonizing.” more@RichmondConfidential
NBC picks THIS photo for RECOVERY month – Sep. 25, 2020 – “Or maybe they have tried outpatient treatment in the past and it hasn’t worked for them, and so, they need a more intensive level of care. That is where residential treatment would come into those individuals,” Chavez said. Residential treatment is for people who have a more severe case. It is for those who have a chronic alcohol or drug use history. Joel said drug treatment can be effective. “The individual has to be ready and willing to change their lifestyle,” Joel said. He said a…
Dial Up? – Sep. 25, 2020 – With the pandemic putting programs like these on hiatus, patients like Megan, who has been with Moms in Recovery, was relieved when the program started up again virtually. (She declined to give her full name for privacy reasons.) “When groups did start going virtual, I started to feel like myself again and getting back on track,” Megan said. “I am worried about the people I was close with in the program who cannot attend anymore, because it is not a question of ‘if,’ it’s a question of ‘when.’” Secondary repercussions in health as…
…and not in Network – Sep. 27, 2020 – ‘They haven’t gone away, you know,” says John Duignan, a former Scientologist, who left the controversial religion in 2006 and hasn’t looked back since, metaphorically at least. The night John fled the Church of Scientology, he was chased through a train station in Birmingham by scientologists tracking him. He evaded them and got a flight back to Ireland, to begin his life anew, having spent the previous 21 years dedicated to the church. For some time, though, he felt as though he was looking over his shoulder. Scientologists visited various…
School days are over… – Sep. 21, 2020 – In lieu of COVID-19, Vertava Health now offers virtual care programs that allow patients to receive treatment online. Vertava Health offers personalized virtual treatment services with the goal of achieving effective, long-term recovery. Virtual care is on-demand at varying levels that suits each patient’s needs. It is accessible, confidential and convenient. Virtual care patients still have access to expert health professionals, proven treatments and evidence-based care. Patients who have undergone treatment at Vertava Health speak positively of their experience. Kaityln D. says in a testimonial proudly featured on the Vertava…
Stick with the Winners! – September 24, 2020 – Grateful for all his musical achievements, Ricky is fond of saying that one of the greatest gifts he’s been given happened on Sept. 25, 1987 when he started his journey in recovery. Simply put, “it was time.” He’s been clean and sober ever since, doing whatever he can to help others recover. It’s his passion and what he’s most proud of. “There’s this dark hallway filled with people caught between denial and surrender,” he says. “I’ve been blessed to have this next life and because of that gift, I feel I’m…
Rule 62 – Sep. 23, 2020 – These memes often pull from the language of 12-step-based programs, incorporating experiences and vocabulary known only to members of that community. “In AA we talk about finding a fellowship,” Mr. Kavanagh said. “That’s a big part of being a healthy person in general, having people around you that just get you. When I stumbled into the recovery meme community it was like, ‘These are my people.’” Amy, 25 (who is being identified by her first name only to protect her anonymity), posted on the @dankrecovery Facebook page three years ago asking for help. …
Music don’t ever die – Sep 25, 2020 – Whether a solo album by a former member of one of Canada’s great rock bands, a spoken-word album by a lizard king with a backing track by the band he left behind, or a live album by a band that defined an era of confused flannel-wearing kids, they have all become an important part of music history. Some albums were released within days or months of the artist’s passing, and others came years or decades later. Not all the stories are pretty, nor all the albums perfect, but they have each…
She Knows – Sep. 12, 2020 – Prior to becoming sober in May 2018, Erin Laraia struggled with alcohol and drug abuse for years, since age 21 through 25. “In a weird way, I felt like I had control over something,” Laraia explained, telling POPSUGAR that, when she got sober, she proceeded to feel many things in her life were out of her control, which was a “real hardship” for her. Her weight-loss journey that started that fall, though, grounded her in a different sense of control and gave her a specific goal to continue bettering herself as a person…
WATCH – NEW FILM! – Sept. 21, 2020 – Additionally, the film’s soundtrack was released on September 4th and features some of today’s biggest rock artists, including Slash, Mötley Crüe and SIXX: A.M.’s Nikki Sixx, Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott, Slipknot’s Corey Taylor and more. All artist royalties from the soundtrack are being donated to The Global Recovery Initiatives Foundation (GRI), with matching contributions by Better Noise Music. [Read More at themusicuniverse.com © The Music Universe. All Rights Reserved.] September is Recovery Month, and the soundtrack and film will raise funds to support recovery for Global Recovery Initiatives Foundation, as well…
Sid Vicious as Judas Priest – Sept. 25, 2020 – In promotion of the novel, Halford recently took part in a lengthy interview with GQ, where he discussed everything from his sobriety, fronting a heavy metal band as a gay man, turning 70, the future, and the music he is most excited about. In January, Halford celebrated his 34th anniversary of sobriety. When asked about how that has affected him, Halford mused: “I have a clarity now on everything, especially when it comes to my work. “I’m able to perceive my music more clearly, with a lot less clutter…