TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL – Nov. 6, 2025 – Our Place, housed in an apartment building provides free housing to adults and their children as parents go through recovery and receive mental health treatment, employment assistance and other supportive services. It’s the latest expansion of county treatment and housing services to keep families together while parents navigate addiction treatment and recovery. For the program’s open house on Oct. 29, Milah Thompson wore a t-shirt that said “It’s a great day to be clean.” After moving in the night before from Her Place, a women’s treatment program, she said Our Place…
Author: Leonard Buschel
VIDEO – GUIDED TRIPS – Nov. 7, 2025 – More American veterans die by suicide each day than the average daily combat deaths during the Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan wars combined, California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill fast-tracking research into psychedelic treatments for mental health conditions, especially post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For decades, psychedelics like MDMA and psilocybin, better known as ecstasy and magic mushrooms, were off-limits in medicine, labeled as a Schedule I substance. But that’s starting to change. According to the Veterans Health Administration’s Office of Research and Development, mounting evidence now shows that, under clinical…
EVEN A BEER? – Nov. 7, 2025 – Alcohol is a risk factor for liver cancer and cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus in smokers, as well as colon, rectal, and breast cancer for women. Only 37 percent of adults knew that alcohol increases the risk of cancer, with 53 percent claiming they didn’t know whether alcohol increases the risk of cancer. ”The public should know that the risk of cancer increases with the amount of alcohol consumed,” Platz said. ”There are ways to reduce the risk of cancer caused by alcohol drinking. One is never drinking alcohol.” The…
MONEY MONEY MONEY – Nov. 6, 2025 – “Bro,” the text chain says, “you can make so much fucking money off these junkies. Their (sic) going to use anyway.” “What do you mean I can make more,” came the reply. “U can market for pablo. (sic) We all get a kickback for each client we bring in. Basically we send them to detox send them to a house where there’s free house weed and benzo maintenance so we can just keep recycling them through. Some of the house managers make a little extra selling hard on the side if you…
AUDIO – DEAD FOOD? – Nov. 7, 2025 – Premature deaths among 18-to-64-year-olds rose 27 percent. The report revealed stark inequities in who lives long enough to collect the benefits they’ve helped fund, finding disparate outcomes not just by race but also by place. States such as West Virginia, New Mexico and Mississippi had the nation’s highest premature-mortality rates while Massachusetts and Minnesota fared best, the study showed. One study found that preventable and treatable deaths — in which people younger than 75 whose deaths were driven by preventable conditions such as heart disease, substance-related deaths and chronic respiratory illness…
LET THERE BE LIGHT – Nov. 7, 2025 – Researchers believe that wintertime SAD is caused by reduced daylight, which can desynchronize our internal circadian rhythm from the natural light cycles outside. To fight the dark, the answer is to provide more light where it is missing. The standard treatment for SAD is bright-light therapy with a light box that delivers at least 10,000 lux of light. (Run-of-the-mill indoor lights are typically less than 1,000 lux, while direct sunlight can go up to about 100,000 lux.) Research shows that light therapy is effective at improving mood and reducing symptoms of…
VIDEO – USE YOUR HEAD – Nov. 7, 2025 – While the adverse effects of alcohol start from the first drop, excessive drinking can lead to a brain bleed. What’s more striking is that the ‘excessive’ limit is far lower than most people assume. The new study found that alcohol consumption, especially in… See Website
“The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy.” – Elon Musk“The death of human empathy is one of the earliest and most telling signs of a culture about to fall into barbarism.” – Hannah Arendt, 1906-1975
SEARCHING FOR PRAYERS – October 29, 2025 – Rosie shared a much younger photo of her daughter Chelsea, now 28, on her Instagram as she asked her followers for “prayers.” “My child chelsea belle – before addiction took over her life – i loved her then i love her now as she faces a scary future- prayers welcomed- #addiction awareness #love #family,” O’Donnell wrote in her caption. O’Donnell’s plea for support comes after Chelsea had her probation revoked and was sentenced to prison time on Oct. 22, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE. The Marinette County Treatment Drug Court…
HOW SWEET IT ISN’T – Oct. 28, 2025 – Regulators approved sucralose decades ago. Those studies predated modern toxicogenomics, the study of how genes respond to chemical exposure. The new findings suggest the tests used for sucralose may have missed subtle but important genetic changes If confirmed by independent teams, these results could trigger a re-evaluation of the sweetener’s safety status. Agencies often revisit food additive approvals when new molecular evidence points to genotoxicity or metabolic interference. A risk review would compare exposure levels in actual diets with the lab concentrations that caused DNA damage and barrier breakdown. Check labels…
AUDIO – GOOD TRICK – Oct. 30, 2025 – Katie Herzog is a journalist and creator and co-host of the podcast Blocked and Reported, which calls itself a podcast that, quote: “Scours the internet for its craziest, silliest, most sociopathic content. Part of an obsessive and ill-conceived attempt to extract kernels of meaning and humanity from a landscape of endless raging dumpster fires.” So yeah, it’s the perfect vehicle for a sharp, smart, funny woman. But if you ask Katie when she thinks she was the most fun, she might say that period of her life span some 20 years…
VIDEO – ONE NOTE AT A TIME – Oct. 31, 2025 – In 2016, Steve Kidwell was incarcerated in Fayette County, where he went through the worst detox of his life. However, he views that experience differently now. “All those things were happening for me because I didn’t get locked up. I got rescued,” Kidwell said. “A lot of the times we would gather underneath this bridge and when we were younger we would gather and we would play, but as we got older this became a spot to where we would use that and you know we would meet…
WTF – Oct. 29, 2025 – A federal appeals court has given a sober living nonprofit a second chance to press its discrimination claims against a Hudson County town over its right to operate. Oxford House originally sued the township in 2021 after officials refused to issue a Certificate of Continuing Occupancy… The appeals court agreed the complaint didn’t include enough facts to support the discrimination claims — but said Oxford House hadn’t been given a fair chance to fix the problems. Oxford House claimed the township misapplied zoning laws to block its residents from moving in, and pointed to…
REIKI NOW – Oct. 29, 2025 – In 2026 I am launching The Funky Truth Sober Community, a Reiki supported community that is spiritually based for people who are sober and sober curious. It is meant to complement AA for those it serves and to offer a spiritually grounded alternative for those it does not. I will also collaborate with senior centers and other partners to host regular free Reiki clinics… See Website
IF YOU CAN’T STOP – Nov. 1, 2025 – Have you ever heard a word that jolts you to attention? That word, for me, was “workaholism” – and when I heard it through my headphones earlier this year, listening to an audiobook on the tube, I felt a pang of something between recognition and panic. It transported me back to the worst time in my life. In May 2016, when I was nearly five months pregnant, I travelled to rural Norway to make a short documentary for the Guardian. The Norwegian government was making asylum seekers – from mostly Muslim…
HEINEKEN 00! – Nov. 1, 2025 – While some beer purists may scoff at the idea, there are many reasons why one may choose to drink a non-alcoholic beer. Reasons related to morals, religion, health, or addiction recovery, among other factors, could lead to the decision, and it’s a reasonable choice in a social situation where everyone else is drinking regular beer.The drink is created by yeast eating sugar and converting it to alcohol, so the very nature of beer — and its flavor — depends on the presence of alcohol. Removing it (or almost all of it; most non-alcoholic…
SHOULD BE LEGAL AND REGULATED? – August 23, 2025 – Cincinnati emergency crews responded to 30 heroin overdoses in the course of one day Tuesday, August 23. Officials said most of the overdoses were located in the west side of Cincinnati and happened starting at 7 a.m. The Cincinnati Police Department said in a statement Tuesday evening they were not sure of the exact cause of the increase yet. They warned anyone who may be using dangerous drugs to be aware of the increased danger. See Website
THEY SEE IT UP CLOSE – Nov. 1, 2025 – Many people who survive an overdose decline to be taken to the hospital, which leaves EMS personnel as their only point of contact with the health care system. Those interactions can be a critical window: Research shows people who survive an overdose are at heightened risk of subsequent overdoses. Overdose deaths like the one above have led Shukla and others to see EMS as a crucial link that can bring addiction treatment directly — and immediately — to people in crisis. A dose of buprenorphine can reduce the risk of…
VIDEO – BRAVE MAN – Oct. 31, 2025 – Anthony Ysasaga has released his book described as his “raw, unfiltered journey through the depths of abuse, depression, addiction, trauma, and rage.” Ysasaga said the book chronicles his struggles with alcoholism, drug use and untreated mental illness that he hid behind what he called “a carefully curated facade of stability and confidence.” Ysasaga says two major events changed the trajectory of his life. His daughter died in Dallas in 2019, and he nearly died from COVID-19 in 2021, which triggered encephalitis and left him in a coma for three days. “Those…
MELATONIN MELATONIN – Nov. 2, 2025 – ‘The impacts of excessive caffeine include increased restlessness, irritability, anxiety and mental anguish. ‘In addition, [energy drinks] can impact sleep, which creates a perpetual cycle where the person then needs more caffeine to stay alert during the day. It can also have an impact on heart health.’ The Florida-based veteran, who overcame an addiction to alcohol and drugs after leaving the military, said he has seen the number of patients at his clinic with energy drink addictions skyrocket, with some drinking more than five per day. Padlo added: ‘We have definitely seen an…
WHO NEEDS HEALTH CARE – Oct. 30, 2025 – Since January, layoffs and funding cuts at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration have ground much of the agency’s work to a halt. At the Center for Mental Health Services, more than half of its 130 employees have been let go, including all but one of those responsible for youth mental health programs. Overall, of the roughly 900 staff there in January, less than half remain, including just 5 of the agency’s 17 most senior leaders. Perhaps most tellingly, the White House has not nominated an administrator to lead…
VIDEO – MUSICAL INTERLUDE – 96,426,309 views since Oct 5, 2025 – Ophelia is a character in William Shakespeare’s drama Hamlet. She is a young noblewoman of Denmark, the daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes and potential wife of Prince Hamlet. Due to Hamlet’s actions, Ophelia ultimately becomes mad and drowns. See Website
STICK WITH THE WINNERS! – Nov. 4, 2025 – Ryan Whittaker got clean when he was 15 years old in 1997. He started a company called Sober Water in 2024 to “Help people. End plastic.” He donated 40 acres in Southern Colorado for the purpose of building a low-cost or no-cost substance abuse treatment center. He has an amazing company that gives back to society more than it takes, and has plenty of room to grow in the ever increasing water market. Invest in people. Invest in water. Join us and become a shareholder at soberwater.org. Q. If you are…
ONE STRIDE AT A TIME – Nov. 1, 2025 – 8 years ago today I made the choice to confront, to confess and to let go of the self sabotaging parts of my life that I was choosing. Making that decision allowed me to fully live in the pursuit of Gods purpose for my life. Alcohol silenced my intuition, blocked my dreams and chased my circulating fears of complacency. Today I am clear. Today I am driven by faith. The multi-hyphenate, 45, marked the milestone on Saturday, Nov. 1, by sharing a reflective message on Instagram alongside a casual selfie…
COMPLETED PASS – Oct. 27, 2025 – The former All-American running back for the University of Arkansas, spoke Monday about his struggles with alcoholism at an event held at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. Bilal Muhammad said McFadden’s sobriety and ability to inspire others to get help has been better than any of his football accomplishments. McFadden spoke to attendees at Monday’s Barbershop Connect Showcase event, a part of the Barbershop Talk study that is meant to teach men about the dangers of alcohol consumption. Tiffany Haynes, a professor of public health at UAMS and the lead investigator of the Barbershop…
MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS – Oct. 28, 2025 – Denzel Washington recently engaged in a heated verbal fight with a fan, who accused him of lying about being sober. The argument spiraled into a brief tiff about believing in God, ending with a stern warning from the former to the latter. Footage of the incident was shared online, sparking discussions about the fan’s attitude. Autograph seeker GTVReality shared a video on Instagram, detailing his tense verbal fight with Denzel Washington, which concluded with a stern warning from the two-time Oscar winner. The exchange began when the autograph-seeker approached the 70-year-old,…
GROWING UP – Oct. 27, 2025 – The 44-year-old rapper changes his stripes with every album. But his latest record is his first time ever doing it sober, with help from surprising new friends. The wisecracking breakthrough XXX brought his devious cackle to worldwide attention in 201. His new album, Stardust, goes on yet another new sonic journey. While some of Brown’s most well-known songs include “Blunt After Blunt,” “Kush Coma,” and “Smokin & Drinkin,” Danny Brown has changed his tune. In March 2023, Brown worked with MusiCares to find a rehab center, and has been sober since. Where he…
AUDIO – THE MASTER – Oct. 31, 2025 – In today’s episode, “King of Horror” Stephen King reflects on his sobriety, the sequel to The Shining and a novel he co-wrote with his son. The Shining came out in 1980, but King didn’t publish the sequel – Doctor Sleep – until more than 30 years later. In a 2013 interview, the author spoke with NPR’s David Greene about revisiting his iconic characters. Then, King and his son Owen co-wrote Sleeping Beauties after Owen approached his father with an idea for the book’s premise. In today’s episode To listen to Book…
CHOCOLATE THERAPY – October 29, 2025 – With the darker evenings, sitting with a mug of hot cocoa becomes rather inviting. Now scientists have found that drinking cocoa before sitting for hours helps protect the arteries, because it contains flavanols. Flavanols, which are natural compounds found in tea, berries, apples and cocoa, have been linked in studies to better heart health. Researchers at the University of Birmingham looked at 40 healthy young men, half of whom were physically fit, and the other half less so. Each drank either a cocoa drink high in flavanols – of at least 695mg –…
VIDEO – NOW SHE HAS IT ALL – Oct. 28, 2025 – Suzanne Warye’s new book is a modern guide to breaking away from the societal pressures around drinking. See Website