First Step’s First – June 25, 2020 – When asked how she feels and if she thinks she has a drug addiction, June says, “I feel like I have spent a lot of money … I do have an addictive personality, but when I think about a drug addict, I guess I don’t think about myself.” The therapist continues by noting that the first step in getting better is accepting that “you are an addict.” “I was managing every day, but I knew to manage and get up and do what I needed to do, that dope had to be…
Author: Leonard Buschel
Strange story for sure – June 25, 2020 – Meanwhile, the center owes money. According to fire protection company Brewer and Company, they have been waiting for months on a payment of $125,000 for installing a sprinkler system in the building. They’ve had to cut their Christmas bonuses as a result. “Our community has had a lot of hits here with a lot of economic challenges, as we all have in the Appalachia area. This is a challenge we don’t need,” Hatfield said. There is also a concern for the men and women still staying in the center. “It’s unfair…
Why not a police car? – June 24, 2020 – “Over the course of a year and a half, we tore apart this car and used those parts to fix several other cars in the community,” said Paszkiet. “Now it’s time to smash and we can raise a little bit more money for the local non-profit and then we’ll actually sell it to the junkyard — make a little bit more money there too.” The money they raised on Tuesday is going towards a program they started called the Lindsey House, a sober-living house for women. “It’s going to be…
Just when we need it most – June 24, 2020 – If services and staff are cut the effect on clients could be catastrophic, especially in a time of psychological distress and lack of support, says drug and alcohol counselor Nicole Schoch. “That in turn will exacerbate their current substance use or lead to a relapse in their recovery,” she said. However Lehigh County says referrals are picking up and federal funds may be available by fall, stabilizing programs. However, for those like Mills, that may be too late. “While I may be strong enough mentally and physically, the addiction…
Pourquoi? – JUNE 25, 2020 – Among the issues they cited was the ANSM decision to approve baclofen before the second study was publicly available. Even before publication, the academics noted the trial sponsor — the Public Assistance Hospital in Paris — touted results in a press release. The hospital also sold study data to Ethypharm, a small company that sought regulatory approval to market the drug, although this was not disclosed in the paper. Curiously, Ethypharm also performed the analysis that was the basis for the ANSM decision. When the Bacloville study was finally published last December, the group…
Is there a heaven or not? – June 24, 2020 – The group’s calls for action include expanding the access to prescription narcotics in the province, providing a safe supply of cocaine and injectable heroin, covering injectable hydromorphone under B.C.’s prescription drugs plan, decriminalizing simple possession of drugs, and defunding Vancouver police while reallocating funds to community organizations. VICE News has reached out to B.C.’s Ministry of Health for comment and will update this story if we hear back. more@Vice
Or just cons? – June 25, 2020 – “It has made treatment available to some people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to get it because they’re in rural areas or far away, but it is lacking some of that in person interaction, accountability,” Doctor Christian Hopfer, an addiction psychiatrist, said. He is with the UCHealth Center for Dependency, Addiction and Rehabilitation in Colorado. “A lot of the treatment is connecting with other people in person.” Quarantinis, virtual happy hours, physical isolation. Market research firm Nielsen found that in-store alcohol sales growth for the week of March 31 spiked 54 percent…
Try not to slip – June 26, 2020 – Perhaps, it’s for this reason drug rehabs incorporates sporting activities in their programs, so consider it when you serch “rehab near me” AddictionResource in Google. Drug rehabilitation centers are facilities that help people overcome drug addiction. When a rehab focuses on the entire family, it means that every family member plays a role in the recovery process of an addict. As such, family members can visit a recovering addict that is in an inpatient program and engage in sporting activities. That means they can have time to play together and have…
Gang of 12? – Jun 26, 2020 – “It’s kind of a grassroots thing for people in recovery,” Hubenette said. “I was up there for nine months, and I had one of the best summers of my life with those people. It’s about having sober fun in recovery because that’s a hard thing to find when you get out of recovery.” Hubenette relapsed and moved back to Alexandria after his time in Grand Rapids. When he got clean again, he decided to take the initiative in his hometown and start a new Sober Squad group with his friends. “They took…
Compassion and Civic Duty – June 16, 2020 – There was also a weekly support group, for both “social interaction” and “accountability to other group members,” Brown said. A hot lunch was yet another draw, with leftovers usually available to take home. Across the state, many of these familiar routines have been cut off. Clinics, drug counselors and patients, practiced at facing an overdose epidemic, are now figuring out what confronting that means in the face of a global pandemic. At the center of this shift is how to maintain a sense of community, which Brown says is key to…
Only 10%?!?!?!?!? – June 24, 2020 – Americans continue to look to the medicine cabinet for pain relief, with 1 in 10 using some type of prescription painkiller, a new U.S. government report says. But use of prescription opioid painkillers leveled off from 2015 to 2018, while prescriptions for nonopioid pain meds rose, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This survey and other research is showing that pain management is becoming safer, said Dr. Ajay Wasan, president of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. “It is becoming less reliant on opioids, and physicians…
Waving Goodbye to Weed – Jun 23, 2020 – Do you ever look back at some of the things you’ve done and say, “What was I thinking?” One of my favorite interviews is when I say, “Anyone that smokes weed is a dummy.” That one I love to send to my parents, who are big stoners, every now and then. It’s been really important for me over the last year living a sober lifestyle, because I really wanted to polish up my craft. I had really big vocal surgery in November. I had freaking four weeks where I wasn’t allowed…
More difficult through a mask! – June 25, 2020 – The study is the world’s first comparison of the effects of the three forms of smoking and vaping on human health and the function of cells that line blood vessels (the endothelium). It provides an overview of the available evidence about the harmful chemicals produced and the mechanisms by which smoking and vaping affect the body. The researchers also looked at the effects of each on medical conditions ranging from stroke to heart attacks and lung cancer. The researchers found there were multiple good studies showing that, overall, tobacco cigarettes…
Mad in America – June 23, 2020 – During group therapy, we often filled out questionnaires, but there was rarely any discussion of our responses. Often, the questions focused on how to avoid the pitfalls that could lead to a relapse into addiction, which served little purpose for patients suffering from depression or suicide attempts. Art therapy was also offered. Again, there was never any discussion of what we were doing, why we were doing it, or what our artwork might reveal about us. The “therapy” usually involved coloring on worksheets. “Music therapy” consisted of listening to CDs while sitting…
What is this? Confusing or complicated? – June 23, 2020 – The company currently has a remote tobacco-cessation program. Now, with the updated FDA regulatory requirements during COVID-19, it is expanding to include programs for multiple addictions. “It’s the same concept as the Quit Genius tobacco cessation platform,” Dr. Maroof Ahmed, the COO of Quit Genius, told MobiHealthNews. “They’re still getting 100% digital, 100% remote treatment in the comfort of their own home.” The model that Quit Genius created for smoking cessation will be applied to the new platform. It includes one-on-one counseling with a board-certified counselor, physician-led pharmaceutical therapy…
Our foreign warriors defeated at home – June 26, 2020 – The taxpayer-funded government agency is legally required to be transparent and accountable to the public. But during the past two years of inewsource’s coverage of the institution, its spokespeople have declined to respond to questions about dangerous and unethical human research at its facility, whistleblower retaliation, a COVID-19 outbreak at a counseling center and now the situation involving suicidal veterans. They will not address how VA records contradict their public statements. Meanwhile, more veterans who have been removed from the ketamine treatments are coming forward out of anger and…
Little Big Man – June 23, 2020 – “I’m really divided whether I would go on Instagram or anything about it,” he said. “But when you have 4.7 million followers, I mean, you can’t just sit silent. I’m a gay man who went through a lot of the early gay rights movement.” He chose instead to turn his Instagram over for one day to Deesha Dyer, a former Obama Administration Social Secretary, who now is a creative event strategy consultant. “Look, I think it’s time for me just to listen, just to listen,” he said. Here, Mr. Jordan answers some…
Final-Hole Birdie – June 25, 2020 – “I hate that it did but taking that break and getting some help gave me some perspective that maybe this isn’t as important as we make it out to be. Yes, it’s my career and my passion and what I love to do, but there are bigger things in life. I can’t wait to get home [Saturday night] and give my wife and three boys a hug and that’s what I care more about now, it’s amazing seeing the complete shift in my mentality as far as that’s concerned.” Kirk quickly erased a…
It’s Complicted – June 25, 2020 – While I was not diagnosed with depression and anxiety until I was 17, I had been struggling with them for much longer. I had already begun to abuse alcohol as a way to cope with my overwhelming emotions, and starting medication for them was an important step towards recovery. So why did it take me 15 years to truly find sobriety? I “tried: to get sober almost every year. I might last a month, but inevitably I returned to alcohol, even when my mental health was stable on medication. Some of it was…
Open minds making music – June 26, 2020 – The Nordic rock five-piece act continues to explore dynamic punk-spirited echoes with this latest release. The track dives into the unending struggle of sobriety and the journey to some sort of recovery. “Sober” thematically leans on this despairing, vacant feeling after the party has come to an aching end. Through the band’s raw vocals, busting guitars, and snappish drums, Lazy Queen digs a bit deeper here with a poignant yet melancholic examination of striving to find stability and normalcy in everyday life. “Growing up, I wish I’d been presented with a…
“In a fight between you and the world, back the world.” — Franz Kafka
Listen and Learn! Free Fun – JUNE 30 – JULY 30, 2020 – Meet Teresa Porter: mother of three and owner of Sirrine Studio and Sirrine Yoga. In 2008 when the recession hit, she and her husband were expecting their third daughter … and they suddenly lost everything. She knew she had to take drastic measures to maintain her identity while preserving what she loved most. That time in her life was so emotionally impactful that it has taken years for her to be able to talk about it without tearing up. Teresa has been blessed to work with clients…
Wall Street, bribery and an opioid epidemic – June 18, 2020 – Seven of the Insys executives and employees on trial were found guilty of masterminding and participating in a scheme to bribe doctors to prescribe the drug. Kapoor was sentenced to five and a half years on charges that included racketeering conspiracy. Michael Babich, Insys’ former chief executive, and Alec Burlakoff, former vice-president of sales, co-operated with prosecutors and received two and a half, and 26 months, respectively. Insys was a flagrant flouter of the rules. Founded in 2002, it started clinical trials for its under-the-tongue fentanyl spray in…
Where did I put my weekend? – June 21, 2020 – Dr. Sarah Johnson, medical director of Landmark Recovery, an addiction treatment program based in Louisville, Ky., with locations in the Midwest says that, virtual events aside, the lockdowns nearly put an end to social drinking. “It’s not as much going out and incorporating alcohol into a dinner or time spent with family or friends,” Johnson says. “Lots of people are sitting home drinking alone now, and historically, that’s been viewed as more of a high-risk drinking behavior.” There are some objective measures of problematic drinking. The Centers for Disease…
Drug abuse money in the millions – JUNE 22, 2020 – “No layoffs or facility closures are expected as a result of the recapitalization plan,” the company said. Treatment operations will remain unaffected and the centers will continue to provide patient care, the company said. All employees will continue to receive normal wages and benefits. AAC operates rehab facilities in California, Florida, Texas, Nevada, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, according to its website. more@Bloomberg
With a song in his heart – June 16, 2020 – “I’m ready #rainonme – today is my 3 year sober birthday!” Frankie wrote. “I honestly can not believe it. The gratitude that I am feeling right now for this life beyond my wildest dreams is overwhelming. Thank you to all of my amazing friends and family for supporting me on this challenging yet unbelievably rewarding journey.” “I remember where I was 3 years ago before finally turning my will and my life over to the program of recovery,” Frankie continued. “The lyrics ‘I’d rather be dry, but at least…
Progress! – June 16, 2020 – Along with Evan, a full team of Peer Recovery Coaches work with addicts who are curious about, interested in, or are ready to commit to treatment. What’s different about USARA though, is the people who are there to help according to Evan. “We are all people in recovery who get to support other people who are struggling with substance use disorder and the family members,” Evan described. “[We] get to meet on the same level as other people that are looking for support.” And for Evan, being able to communicate with a struggling addict…
It’s all in your head – June 16, 2020 – Researchers of the national Turku PET Centre have shown that the opioid system in the brain is connected to mood changes associated with depression and anxiety. Depression and anxiety are typically associated with lowered mood and decreased experience of pleasure. Opioids regulate the feelings of pain and pleasure in the brain. The new study conducted in Turku shows that the symptoms associated with depression and anxiety are connected to changes in the brain’s opioid system already in healthy individuals. – We found that the more depressive and anxious symptoms the…
The underserved and undertakers – June 16, 2020 – We first met her as she and her boyfriend were facing eviction from the COVID-19 crisis. He’d lost his job, and his mother days later, who paid for the house while Melissa focused on recovery. “I feel like the harder I try the worse things get,” Barnes said. How long has she been addicted to opioids? “20 years,” she said. She’d just finished inpatient rehab before the shutdown, and she’s been sober for about 100 days. What’s it like being an addict during a pandemic? “It’s rough. I’ve had points when…
Volunteers are getting in line – June 15, 2020 – Researchers at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) hope to soon change that, thanks to a new $1.77M grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) that will allow them to explore whether a drug called clavulanic acid can help patients recover from cocaine use disorder. Clavulanic acid is part of an existing therapy known as Augmentin. Augmentin combines clavulanic acid with the penicillin-related antibiotic amoxicillin and is used for the treatment of bacterial infections. The idea that clavulanic acid could serve as a therapy…