Love Story – August 24, 2018 – The star ended with a message to his late wife, “Deven, I love you bebe. I’ll never love anyone the way I loved you and I’ll never get over losing you. I promise I’ll do everything in my power to raise our precious boys the right way, teach them the good values you wanted them to have so badly and to break the cycle of abuse we both experienced as kids. I’ll do everything I can to make your dreams that you had for the future come true in your memory.” Davis added,…
Author: Leonard Buschel
Letter to the Editor – August 26, 2018 – Week after week we see episodes of the dim-witted neighbor Thirsty not doing work or angering his wife because he needs a drink. Recently, when asked about dinner the previous night with his wife, he replies it was great: Irma stayed at the table and ate and he went to the bar to drink. I’m sure there are many spouses of alcoholics who do not find this to be the least bit amusing. Full Story @ StLToday.com
No BS Here – August 23, 2018 – Danny Trejo has starred in dozens of films like Spy Kids, Heat, Machete, Desperato and television shows like Breaking Bad and many more … He says he dealt with drugs and went to jail at a very young age. “Had an uncle that turned me onto grass when I was 8 years old and the same uncle turned me onto heroin when I was about 12 and people say how could he but you know that’s what happens,” said Trejo. Full Story @ KIMATV.com
The World of Meth Addiction on VIDEO – August 24, 2018 – Newman’s short documentary, Motherhood and Meth, focuses on the drug’s frequently overlooked and arguably most vulnerable victims: children. Although no scientific research has been conducted that directly correlates meth addiction to child abuse or neglect, many experts on the subject report a connection that Newman describes as “staggering.” In her film, Newman interviews Dr. Philip Hyden, a child abuse specialist who has worked across the U.S. for more than 30 years. Since 2010, Dr. Hyden has served as the medical director at the Valley Children’s Hospital in Fresno,…
Admittedly Salacious – August 26, 2018 -She attributed her decision to the creative process behind her new book, which involved her diving into the alleged abuse she faced in her marriage to Stephen Belafonte and other personal issues. “I have recently been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder,” Brown wrote. “The past six months have been incredibly difficult for me. I’ve been working with a writer on my book, Brutally Honest, and it has been unbelievably traumatic reliving an emotionally abusive relationship and confronting so many massive issues in my life. I am being very honest about drinking to numb my…
Enjoy Your Free Vacation – August 25, 2018 – “To ensure that his scheme was a profitable one, Dr. Sanchez required his patients to return to his office each month and undergo physical examinations before receiving prescription refills,” the announcement from Franklin’s office said. “These office visits were unnecessary, as their only purpose was to facilitate Dr. Sanchez giving the patients illegitimate prescriptions. Nevertheless, Dr. Sanchez performed these unnecessary examinations so that he could get money from the patients’ insurance companies. This scheme led to Dr. Sanchez’s health care fraud conviction. Full Story @ AL.com
Help Is Available – August 22, 2018 – If you need help with drug or alcohol abuse and begin your search for treatment on the web like 65% of people do, you need to be very careful. That’s the message from Mark Mishek, the CEO of the Hazelden Betty Ford, in the midst of the opioid crisis. “There’s definitely people out there that are using the crisis to profit. No question about it,” Mishek said. Hazelden just filed a lawsuit against companies running websites called www.drugrehab.org and drug-rehab-headquarters.com, claiming the sites use Hazelden Betty Ford’s name without permission. Screenshots included…
Spontaneous Admission? – August 24, 2018 – Renee Ratliff, the clinical coordinator for Mountain Comprehensive Care Center’s drug rehab facility, Mountain Center for Recover and Hope, said studies prove addiction is a disease. “Years of study has shown there are changes that happen in the brain when addiction comes into the picture. And some of these changes are irreversible,” explained Ratliff. Though she says some changes are irreversible, Ratliff said those changes be managed. “It’s an ongoing treatment. That it’s not curable but it’s treatable when you use the disease concept,” said Ratliff. Treatment is available in a variety of ways,…
MEDIA: Book Rave – August 10, 2018 – Tracing the arc of Mr. Walker’s descent into addiction and crime, “Cherry” is a raw coming-of-age story in reverse — a young man drops out of college, enlists in the Army and goes to war, but rather than maturing in the crucible of combat, he comes home shattered, unable to function. He becomes addicted to opiates and starts robbing banks almost on a whim. “It seemed to me such a fierce book, so direct and so uncurated in giving voice to his experience,” Mr. McGuane said. “The narrative mystery as you read…
Stay Safe Big Guy – August 24, 2018 – More importantly, all the money and support in the world cannot buy a lifetime of guaranteed abstinence. In her statement, both Lovato and Affleck acknowledged this, with Lovato noting that she “will keep fighting” and Affleck writing that his addiction is something he “will continue to confront.” Like Lovato, Affleck and the many others — famous or not, who continue to work towards sobriety — we as a society must constantly remind ourselves that addiction doesn’t end. Addiction — and relapse — are not the result of a lack of effort,…
Heartbreaking: I Dare You to Listen – August 21, 2018 – Beth Macy takes a ground-level look at the crisis in Dopesick, a new book focusing on central Appalachia. Macy has spent three decades reporting on the region, focusing on social and economic trends and how they affect ordinary people — she says this area is the birthplace of the modern opioid epidemic. Dopesick explores the lives of young heroin users and their long-suffering parents, and takes an intimate look at drug dealers and the cops, judges, doctors and health activists struggling to fight the epidemic. Macy also details the…
Use Clean Lenses – August 25, 2018 – “When you have a child struggling with addiction, it’s a fight to the last breath. But when you come through the other side, it’s a fight to help others,” Ochrym said. “I don’t want any parent going through what my husband and I had to go through, or a family. And I want to give people hope.” It premieres at the Flower City Art Center on Monroe Avenue next month. “What I’m looking for is the how and why people enter recovery, and stay in recovery for the long-term.” Ochrym said. Simone…
Courtroom Drama Coming – August 24, 2018 – In the lawsuit filed in Hennepin County District this week, obtained by the Associated Press, the family alleges that Schulenberg “and others had an opportunity and duty during the weeks before Prince’s death to diagnose and treat Prince’s opioid addiction, and to prevent his death. They failed to do so.” … Four months prior, Prince’s family announced they were suing the Illinois hospital that treated the Grammy award winner for an opioid overdose, in which he was revived a week before his death. Full Story @ People.com
Unsafe at Any Bar – August 23, 2018 – Regular alcohol consumption can have negative impacts on the body’s organs and tissues, while binge drinking can lead to injuries or alcohol poisoning. Alcohol dependence can lead to self-harm or violence. “Previous studies have found a protective effect of alcohol on some conditions, but we found that the combined health risks associated with alcohol increase with any amount of alcohol,” lead author Dr. Max Griswold, of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, said in a statement. “In particular, the strong association between alcohol consumption and…
Job Well Done – August 25, 2018 – “They didn’t want nothing from me but to be better,” said Keegan, who still has his certificate after 47 years of sobriety. The retired tugboat operator was with his family to be a part of ceremonies marking Integrity’s half-century milestone. Long time Integrity supporters were there, too, praising the organization for an improbable journey that started in a brownstone-style home, which is among 14 buildings Integrity operates from in Newark’s Lincoln Park. “Integrity understands the importance of assisting those individuals who desire to put their lives back together, providing the tools of…
Not Just a Statistic – August 21, 2018 – A police report showed Jason admitted to staff that he had taken other medications – two pills of the narcotic suboxone from a box of so-called “dead meds,” which is medication leftover by other patients. Instead of getting him assessed at a medical facility, West Coast chose to monitor him. He was dead the next morning. West Coast Detox closed after Jason’s death and after its operator reached a settlement with the ADP that said it failed to provide clients with a safe environment. The medical board closed its case into…
Plume in Love – August 14, 2018 – Vaping can damage vital immune system cells and may be more harmful than previously thought, a study suggests. Researchers found e-cigarette vapour disabled important immune cells in the lung and boosted inflammation. The researchers “caution against the widely held opinion that e-cigarettes are safe”. However, Public Health England advises they are much less harmful than smoking and people should not hesitate to use them as an aid to giving up cigarettes. The small experimental study, led by Prof David Thickett, at the University of Birmingham, is published online in the journal Thorax.…
Painting the Town Clean – August 12, 2018 – With the town blasted by this huge supply, and the sense of community shredded by job loss and more, widespread pain-pill addiction was a fact of life in Portsmouth by the end of the 1990s. But a lot has happened since then. The town, each time I return, seems slightly more energetic, more invigorated, more about positivity and less about dope’s inertia and fatalism. A recovery culture has taken hold there that’s exciting to watch. Not that all the problems are behind Portsmouth, Ohio. But there’s another story now competing with…
Progress and Perfection? – July 10, 2018 – HMP’s third acquisition in 18 months as part of a pivot toward an events-focused strategy under CEO Jeff Hennessy, the deal includes the quarterly magazines Addiction Professional and Behavioral Healthcare Executive, as well as three national conferences—the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit, the National Conference on Alcohol & Addition, and the National Cocaine, Meth & Stimulant Summit—and eight smaller regional summits. “We are in the midst of an alarming public health crisis with devastating consequences,” said Hennessy in a statement, “and we believe this agreement represents a real opportunity for…
A Real Mensch – August 17, 2018 – “I was a stinking, drugged-out dope fiend,” Kline wrote in “Never Lose” (1996), his autobiography. “People who knew me would cross the street to avoid seeing me.” His daughter Sharon said in a telephone interview: “He was in and out of our lives. He would come and go, but my mother would protect us and support him.” Her mother, Dorothy Daniels-Morton, Kline’s first wife, would let him stay in her home long after their divorce. Full Story @ NYTimes.com
MEDIA: Book of the Month – August 2018 – Nearly every American knows someone who has been affected by the opioid crisis. Addiction is a trans-partisan issue that impacts individuals from every walk of life. Millions of Americans, tired of watching their loved ones die while politicians ignore this issue. Where is the solution? Where is the hope? Where’s the outrage? “American Fix is uplifting, hopeful, and motivating. Ryan’s voice and his personal story of recovery will empower millions to change their lives for the better.” – Chris Herren, former NBA professional basketball player, author of Basketball Junkie, and person in…
Even the Good Die Young – August 16, 2018 – But on this day 41 years ago, millions of music lovers wept to the news that Elvis Presley, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, was dead. He was only 42 years old and a bloated, fading version of the once-beautiful man whose rhythmic hip-swaying earned him the nickname “Elvis the Pelvis.” His girlfriend, Ginger Alden, found him unconscious, lying face down in the master suite bathroom on the second floor of his Memphis mansion, Graceland. Elvis was taken by ambulance to the Baptist Memorial Hospital, where the medical staff was…
Who’s Smoking What? – August 16, 2018 – U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a longtime opponent of marijuana legalization, added that “the opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history … Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse.” The proposed quotas for cannabis and other drugs “reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and…
MEDIA: BOOK for Gamblers – 2014 – Drawing on fifteen years of field research in Las Vegas, anthropologist Natasha Dow Schüll shows how the mechanical rhythm of electronic gambling pulls players into a trancelike state they call the “machine zone,” in which daily worries, social demands, and even bodily awareness fade away. Once in the zone, gambling addicts play not to win but simply to keep playing, for as long as possible – even at the cost of physical and economic exhaustion. In continuous machine play, gamblers seek to lose themselves while the gambling industry seeks profit. Schüll describes the strategic…
It’s Garbage – AUGUST 16, 2018 -No deaths were reported, but two people suffered life-threatening symptoms. Synthetic marijuana — also known as “K2,” “spice,” “crazy monkey,” and “Scooby snacks” — is a designer drug. It does not actually contain marijuana but is made of plants sprayed with various psychoactive chemicals, according to Boston police and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. he drug is most commonly smoked — more than 80 percent of people who use the substance smoke it, according to a 2015 CDC study. Full Story @ BostonGlobe.com
Science May One Day… – August 17, 2018 – That’s because once alcohol hooks you in, it becomes extremely difficult to break free. To make matters even worse, even existing therapies are rather ineffective and bear a high rate of noncompliance — thus, an innovative type of treatment could one day go a long way towards dealing with this issue. Writing in the journal Neurosurgical Focus, researchers at Stanford report that deep brain stimulation (DBS) — essentially, driving a mild electrical current through the brain — could treat even the most severe alcoholics. Alcohol stimulates the release of dopamine, the…
Talking Helps – August 14th 2018 – The stress of school and pressures from friends might be factors that could lead them to use and become addicted to drugs and substances. “Typically […] what we’re seeing in terms of statistics is that, usually those that are addicted to drugs have started use before the age of 18,” said Alexandria Ybarra from the Positive Community Impact Coalition. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, eighth graders that were surveyed in 2017 said that 13.5 percent used marijuana. 8.9 percent used some sort of inhalants and 0.8 percent reported using crack…
The Needle and the Damage Done – August 18, 2019 – It was a Sunday afternoon, and in the cozy house at the end of the street, Andrew Foote sat in his usual chair while a movie played on the television. The young man’s hands rested on two pillows, wrists bent and fingers contracted into fists. From time to time, he rocked forward as if to stand but then collapsed backward, into the chair. His few words were slow and slurred. The simple fact that Andrew was living at home is somewhat miraculous. Heroin and fentanyl caused him to stop…
Meet the Hero and the Hypocrite – August 16, 2018 – The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the country’s largest public health funder, has stayed out of the fray even though it led the philanthropic community in addressing substance abuse earlier in its history. The funder blazed the trail for other philanthropists to take on substance abuse, despite the taboo at the time. Over a 20-year period, RWJF invested about $700 million in treatment and recovery programs. The foundation moved away from the field about 10 years ago. Around the same time, it shifted its strategic focus to the upstream social…
Purdue Pharma: Guilty as Charged – August 17, 2018 – A couple hundred protesters gathered outside of the Stamford headquarters of drug maker Purdue Pharma on Friday… Full Story @ WTNH.com