READ A BOOK – PAPERBACK – October 29, 2024 – Are you struggling to stay resilient in your alcohol recovery? Do you need guidance to strengthen your emotional and mental well-being on your sober journey? Do you want a daily guide to help you overcome any obstacle you face? In Sober On A Drunk Planet: Stoic Sobriety, you’ll discover practical tools and daily meditations designed to help you build resilience, cultivate emotional sobriety, and navigate life’s challenges through the power of Stoicism. Written by international best-selling author, counselor, and strength coach Sean Alexander, this book draws from his personal journey…
Author: Leonard Buschel
CHEW ON THAT – Nov. 27, 2025 – Experts said the findings suggest that ‘sugar free’ alternatives could be just as harmful, if not more so, to liver health than once thought, and urged officials to reconsider their role in a healthy diet. A study has found that a build up of sorbitol can cause a worrying amount of fat to build up in the liver, leading metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. The study, published in the journal Science Signalling, looked at the gut microbiome of zebrafish, and how their bodies reacted if it was somehow compromised. The gut microbiome…
NO DRUNK SCROLLING – Nov. 28, 2025 – Technology has impacted every area of our lives, and its influence on families is undeniable. The modern parenting conversation around technology focuses on concerns like excessive screen time and overexposure through social media. However, there’s a hidden crisis within the modern family that we risk overlooking in our discussions about technology: parental and caregiver substance use disorder (SUD). New tools like breathalyzers and alcohol monitoring devices, in conjunction with support systems, are now offering parents and caregivers with SUD a path forward. What if breathalyzer technology could be used to help address…
VIDEO – MUSICAL INTERLUDE – 5,493,398 views SINCE Aug. 2025 – Justin Bieber hasn’t shied away from detailing the ups and downs he and Hailey face in his six-year marriage on his album Swag. In “Daisies,” he explores how he handles the time they spend apart—especially during conflict. In the first verse and chorus, he sings, “You leave me on read, babe, but I still get the message / Instead of a line, it’s three dots, but I can connect them / And if it ain’t right, babe, you know I respect it / But if you need time, just…
STICK WITH THE WINNERS! – Dec. 2, 2025 – Sean Hemeon is an actor, artist, and writer based in Los Angeles. He’s appeared on 9-1-1, Criminal Minds, Rake, True Blood, and CW’s Husbands. An international abstract artist, his work has exhibited in Los Angeles and Berlin. His memoir, The Good Little Drug Lord, is forthcoming. Q. If you are in recovery, what was your drug(s) of choice and when is your sobriety date?All the party drugs but for sure Tina (meth), but alcohol before she took over.Q. Is there anything special in your sobriety toolkit that helps keep you sober?My intimate…
FOUL LINES – Nov. 21, 2025 – The world of professional athletes is populated by hyper-competitive people who love sports, many with plenty of disposable income. Charles Barkley, former NBA star, has openly admitted losing millions gambling; in 2007, he said he lost $10 million, at one point losing $2.5 million in six hours of blackjack. However, many were shocked In October 2025 by news of a federal probe resulting in 31 individuals arrested in two interrelated schemes involving the NBA and underground poker games. Among those charged were Chauncey Billups (head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers), Terry Rozier…
AUDIO – AUTHOR INTERVIEW – Nov. 28, 2025 – Woody Giessmann is an addiction specialist and interventionist. He’s also a musician, artist and the author. He’s been working on a new musical called “Rock Bottom.” It’s a love story about two people as they fight addiction through music and laughter … Giessmann: I was also in the culture of the entertainment business, on the road, doing what I needed to do, and music and art are the two things that I thrive on. Right Turn was an amazing experience. It was a nonprofit that I established in 2003. And Dr.…
VIDEO – LOVES CONQUERS ALL – Nov. 20, 2025 – In a society that rarely talks about the quiet devastation addiction brings to a marriage, Katie and Chris Bowick offer something rare: a brave, two-voice memoir that reveals the hidden truths, the painful regrets, and the unexpected redemption born from choosing to heal. Coloring Outside the Lines: A Love Story in the Gray of Addiction, Recovery, and Redemption is a gripping, dual-perspective account… of the Bowicks’ journey through addiction, codependency, trauma, and, ultimately, healing. Told in two raw and unforgettable voices, their story weaves together pain and perseverance, heartbreak and…
VIDEO – SLOW DOWN – Nov. 26, 2025 – A Russian fitness trainer died in his sleep after forcing himself to binge on fast food in a risky bid to prove the effectiveness of his weight-loss programme. The 30-year-old-who reportedly consumed up to 10,000 kilocalories a day-planned to gain at least 25kg before demonstrating how quickly he could slim back down. But the trainer’s heart failed as he slept, He had cancelled training sessions a day earlier, telling friends he felt unwell and intended to see a doctor. Three days later, he was laid to rest in Orenburg. Nuyanzin documented…
EASY ACCESS – Nov. 26, 2025 – As physicians, we pride ourselves on diagnostic acuity, precision in judgment, and emotional endurance. But there’s a blind spot many of us share—one that doesn’t respond to intellect, training, or discipline. It’s addiction.Not infrequently, fellow physicians arrive in my psychiatry practice bewildered. Some of them won’t come right out and say, “I’m an addict.” Instead, they’ll say things like, “I’ve been working a lot . . . and I’ve also been drinking a lot.” It would be convenient if addiction respected IQ or postgraduate degrees. But data—and clinical experience—tell us otherwise. Physicians are…
DEFEND YOURSELF! – Nov. 26, 2025 – Protecting immigrants’ rights, representing corporate clients, fighting against ICE detention and advocating for social justice are just a few high-pressure reasons why an attorney’s job is rarely nine-to-five. These stressors can disproportionately lead to substance use, mental illness and burnout among legal minds. As an addiction medicine physician who has worked in homeless shelters, Rikers Island jail and advocacy spaces, I have crossed paths with many attorneys, judges and other legal professionals. I have observed first-hand just how diverse and demanding this field can be. The hours are long and the stakes are…
VIDEO – LET’S KEEP LEARNING – Nov. 26, 2025 – Four hundred people struggling with drug addiction will be paid to share their stories as part of a groundbreaking federal study aimed at breaking down barriers to health care. The goal is to find out what barriers exist for people with substance use disorder when it comes to accessing health care. Vermont drug users who inject, inhale and snort will take surveys about drug use trends and what services they access. “What are the factors that impede on their ability to access addiction services and treatment programs?” said Devika Singh…
SLIPPERY TIMES – Nov. 26, 2025 – With so many parties this time of year, the temptation to drink can be especially difficult for those in recovery and trying to stay sober. Counselors with the Youngstown Urban Minority Alcohol and Drug Abuse Outreach Program said those hosting holiday parties where alcohol is being served might also want to offer alcohol-free beverages for their sober guests. “If you’re hosting, offer those,” said Takiyah Anderson, outreach program counselor. “If you’re having folks come to your house, have that available. If you’re going to have alcohol, have an alcohol-free option as well. That…
GENIUS! – Nov. 23, 2025 – In the unusually expansive exchange, Bowie – then 55 – looked back on the creation of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, his cocaine-ravaged Diamond Dogs era and the dizzying identity shifts that defined his 1970s work. Historians say the resurfacing has struck a nerve among fans. One noted: “People are rediscovering just how fearless David was in talking about the chaos behind the art, and about taboo subjects.” Another added: “These comments show a man completely aware of his demons, even at the height of his legend.”…
WATCH – VIDEO GAME FOR GOOD – Nov. 20, 2025 – Jarrod Reisweber has created a new world to address a harsh reality of addiction. “It strikes at the most inconvenient times,” said Reisweber, Psy.D., an affiliate assistant professor of psychology in the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University as well as a clinical psychologist. A therapy session might happen at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday, but a craving or trigger pays no attention to the clock or calendar. Reisweber, who works closely with the Veterans Health Administration, saw how patients who are being treated for trauma,…
SHE’S 43 NOW! – Nov. 22, 2025 – Jodie Sweetin instantly captured the hearts of Americans as 5-year ‘Stephanie Tanner’ on the hit show Full House in 1987. The show went on for 8 successful seasons, during which Primetime TV viewers had a front row seat to watch Sweetin and her on-screen sisters Candace Cameron Bure, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen grow up. But when the cameras stopped rolling, most weren’t aware of the difficulties that the actress faced in her late teens and early adult years. The Skinny Confidential Podcast, Jodie Sweetin opened up about her previous addiction. “I…
“What does the money machine eat? It eats youth, spontaneity, life, beauty, and, above all, it eats creativity. It eats quality and shit’s quantity.” – William Burroughs, b. 1914 Missouri – d. 1997 Kansas
FOUND MONEY LOST – Nov. 2025 – In March 2022, companies involved in the opioid crisis reached a settlement with New Jersey that would provide the state $1 billion over 18 years. These funds were generally understood to be used for evidence-based treatments for opioid addiction. But earlier this year, with Governor Phil Murphy’s approval, the New Jersey Legislature passed a budget diverting $45 million of these funds to four large hospital systems with no strings attached. In response, the Attorney General of New Jersey released a public statement warning that if the hospital systems do not spend the “blood…
VERY FLEXIBLE – Nov. 18, 2025 – Nico is opening up about his sobriety journey. The Younger actor, 37, explained to Us Weekly how becoming sober allowed him to create a family with wife Bethany C. Meyers, with whom he shares daughter Kilmer Dove, 2, and son Pesce Pearl, 13 months. “Bethany and I have known each other for, I mean, we’re coming up on 20 years,” Tortorella said while discussing his kratom-infused brewski, DER. “We’ve always talked about having a family. I had to get sober to realize that dream. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I…
HE DID WHAT? – Nov. 14, 2025 – The Jersey Shore star, 43, opened his first outpost of the Archangel Centers treatment facility in Tinton Falls. “I have made all the mistakes that most would make,” Sorrentino told New Jersey Monthly at the opening. “I have acquired all of the knowledge and education and experience needed to now teach others how to be successfully recovered like I am.” Sorrentino founded Archangel with his wife of seven years, Lauren Sorrentino, who has stood by his side during his darkest days and into recovery. The center offers a partial hospitalization program, an…
AUDIO – WHAT’S YOUR SIGN? – Nov. 15, 2025 – Be aware: the temptation toward escapism will be high, whether through old addictions like drugs, alcohol, and food, or behaviors like doomscrolling, overeating, or toxic relationships. Double Down on Recovery: It’s time to double down on asking for help and proactively activating your support systems. The Antidote to Self-Serving: Learn how being of service to others is the antidote to feeling selfish and stuck—a powerful way to get out of your own head. Facing the Mental Health Storm: We address why voices of depression, anxiety, and worthlessness may get louder…
SAY WHAT? – Nov. 17, 2025 – The leading theories of memory describe it as being stored in the brain – similarly, some argue, to the way a computer stores memory. But this assumption relies on materialist assumptions and problematically bypasses the hard problem of consciousness. Memory is not stored in space, but in time, argues philosopher Victoria Trumbull. From ancient times, philosophers have used the “storage” metaphor to describe the phenomenon of remembering. Memory is often pictured as a vast warehouse or library of experiences. In the past century, this “storage” metaphor has come to be taken literally: neuroscientists…
CHOW DOWN – Nov. 18. 2025 – Did you know that making a few simple changes to the way you eat may add years to your life? It’s true! Research has found that switching from a typical Western diet to an eating pattern rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and yogurt can lead to a longer lifespan. And the Mediterranean diet just happens to be filled with these healthy foods. While there are lots of options to choose from, some are especially powerful. So, if you’re looking for the best Mediterranean diet foods for a longer, healthier life,…
YES – Nov. 14, 2025 – For Jennifer Robbins of Troy, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, intermittent fasting has been life-changing. “My blood sugar started to stabilize, and I started seeing much more weight loss more quickly,” Robbins said. She also lost 74 pounds, and she’s kept it off for nearly four years. “I feel better when I intermittent fast. I feel like I have more energy. I feel more awake. But, the benefits mentally are a little more complicated, according to Dr. Brittany Hammond, child and adolescent psychiatrist at Henry Ford Health. “It’s not a huge difference.…
VIDEO – LIFE SAVING MOVE – Nov. 18, 2025 – The star, 35, then revealed he had to seek help for his substance and alcohol abuse at just 17, but he has never relapsed again. ‘You know when you give a kid, a 16-year-old a*****e a ton of money and not a lot of rules, in LA, you’re kind of just like “let’s go play”. ‘And yeah I got sober when I was 17.’ Ruby asked: ‘What were you doing?’ as he added: ‘A lot of pills, lot of alcohol, a lot of weed.’ Jack then explained he went to…
BETTER GRUFF THAN GRIEIVING – June 16, 2025 – My law practice is dedicated to helping families utilize the court system as a form of intervention in matters of Substance Use Disorder (drug addiction). My firm gets calls seven days a week. Not long ago, one of those calls concerned the matter of cannabis-induced psychosis derailing the life of a young college athlete, as well as the lives of those who love him. His family was successful in getting this young man into treatment multiple times. But he would not stay in treatment. It wasn’t until family members connected with…
HOME IS WHERE THE HEROIN IS – Nov. 22, 2025 – This is a moment where a life can tip one way or the other. And we now have a practical, economical, and proven way to help people stay on the path to recovery.” Susan Calcaterra, MD, MPH …nearly half of patients discharged with take-home methadone successfully connected to follow-up treatment within 72 hours. That window can be the difference between relapse and recovery or even life and death. he study examined 519 hospital visits across Connecticut, Maryland and Colorado, focusing on patients discharged with take-home methadone for opioid use…
VIDEO – SUCCESSES MATTER – Nov. 21, 2025 – According the Office of Substance Use Services, around 450,000 South Carolinians suffer from substance related problems. See Website
HE’S BEEN AROUND – Nov. 21, 2025 – “I’m glad I quit when I did. Because I was this skinny little long-haired hippie, working as a roadie, and I looked in the mirror on an airstream trailer one day and said, ‘You’re gonna die. You have to stop.’” Thornton revealed he had to quit cold turkey. “Back then they didn’t have programs and support groups and things like that,” he said. “I quit on my own. I sweated it out for about four days.” While Thornton is happy he quit all drugs, he does believe there are lingering positive effects…
SAD PASSING – Nov. 24, 2025 – Star of The Harder They Come had hits including You Can Get It If You Really Want and I Can See Clearly Now. A message from his wife Latifa Chambers reads: “It’s with profound sadness that I share that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia. I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists and coworkers who have shared his journey with him. To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career … Jimmy, my darling, may you rest in peace. I…