Clean Cup – New Job – July 27, 2018 – It’s hard enough for employers to find workers to fill open jobs these days, but on top of it, many prospective hires are failing drug tests. The Belden electric wire factory in Richmond, Ind., is taking a novel approach to both problems: It now offers drug treatment, paid for by the company, to job applicants who fail the drug screen. Those who complete treatment are also promised a job. The pilot program, launched in February, is believed to be the first of its kind, and is an acknowledgement of both…
Author: Leonard Buschel
Special-K Hope – July 24, 2018 – A North Texas woman said a popular club drug and animal tranquilizer saved her from a life of depression and suicidal thoughts. You may have heard of the drug before, as Special K on the street. it was designed as a horse tranquilizer, but Ketamine is gaining popularity as a treatment for depression. Some doctors believe the controversial drug will become a game-changer in slowing the nation’s suicide epidemic. Tiffany McCombie, a 40-year-old mother of one, knows what depression feels like in its darkest moments. Full Story @ NBCDFW.com
Knighted and Sober – July 27, 2018 – Speaking to about 500 students at the University of California, he said: “I believe that we are capable of so much. “From my own life, I still cannot believe that my life is what it is because I should have died in Wales, drunk or something like that.” The actor, who was knighted in 1993 for services to the arts, said he got into acting “because he had nothing better to do”, adding he was “not at all bright” in school and was often bullied. Hollywood career He now lives in Malibu…
Brave New World NOW – July 27, 2018 – Under a new pilot program, some Virginia probationers and inmates nearing release who have a history of opioid addiction are receiving an injection of naltrexone, a drug that blocks the effects of the narcotic. The Virginia Department of Corrections said its Medication Assisted Treatment Reentry Initiative is intended to provide pre-release treatment and post-release referral, treatment and support for opioid-addicted offenders. Harold Clarke, director of the department, said in a statement Friday, “When offenders come into the system addicted to opioids, it is our responsibility to do all we can to…
New York Times Essay – July 28, 2018 – I was seeing a guy from London, and he told me Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald were his favorite couple. He was charming, exciting and “got” me. His choice sounded so romantic, so like him. Obviously I knew who they were, but I wasn’t familiar with the details of their relationship. I lay in bed and Googled eagerly. Was this the kind of great love he envisioned for us? Zelda Fitzgerald was intensely glamorous and hauntingly beautiful. Scott called her the original flapper. Oh, and they had a turbulent relationship wracked with…
Real Maple Syrup & Love – July 23, 2018 – As they ate breakfast after a long night shift, a group of EMTs was brought to tears by a heartwarming surprise: Their meal had been paid for. The six volunteers were dining at an IHOP in Toms River, New Jersey, on Friday when an anonymous woman paid their bill, leaving a moving message on the receipt. “Paid, thank you for all you do! Have a great day!” the note said. It was simply signed: “Recovering Addict.” … Alyssa Golembeski, captain of the Toms River First Aid Squad, said the general…
Gentleman and a Scholar – July 31, 2018 – Full Audio @ TheHappyPod
Thanks Narcan – July 26, 2018 – Just months into her recovery, Demi Lovato stumbled onto a hard truth. Initially, after exiting rehab in early 2011, she felt she held all the answers. Her three months in treatment had led her to believe it was her previously undiagnosed eating and bipolar disorders that were causing her problems. Sure, she had started drinking as a teen, buoyed by her sudden entrée into the cool kids’ club, and after trying cocaine at age 17 she had reached a point where she could barely go an hour without a hit of the drug.…
Russell Rinpoche VIDEO – July 19, 2018 – Some more simple spiritual tips… Full Video at Twitter.com
Dying Under the Influence – July 18, 2018 – Dr. Elliot Tapper has treated a lot of patients, but this one stood out. “His whole body was yellow,” Tapper remembers. “He could hardly move. It was difficult for him to breathe, and he wasn’t eating anything.” The patient was suffering from chronic liver disease. After years of alcohol use, his liver had stopped filtering his blood. Bilirubin, a yellowish waste compound, was building up in his body and changing his skin color. Disturbing to Tapper, the man was only in his mid-30s – much younger than most liver disease patients.…
From Last Year – March 6, 2017 – Boston Globe Last week, NPQ covered a research study that showed that eight out of ten patient advocacy groups were funded by pharmaceutical companies, raising questions of conflict of interest in that those advocacy groups both lobby (purportedly on behalf of the patients) and recommend treatments. Now, the Boston Globe has revealed that Advocates for Opioid Recovery, a new advocacy group which includes as paid spokespeople former congressmen Newt Gingrich and Patrick Kennedy, is being secretly backed by a drug company that is pushing for more government funding and insurance coverage of…
Stick with the Winners – Brandon Welsh was born in 1987 in Redwood City, CA, the halfway point between Silicon Valley and the City of San Francisco. Brandon offers a vast skill-set applicable in business, however he is much more than just his professional capability. He is a humble, inspiring, driven and admirable individual as his personal background dealing with substance abuse, chemical dependency, addiction and professional services for substance abuse treatment is what led him to start Recovhub. He noticed how difficult it was for individuals to find and obtain professional services for substance abuse treatment and how outdate the…
Sure Hope So – July 17, 2018 – Perth researchers are trialling a pill which could help those addicted to methamphetamine. The world-first trial of N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) being taken by drug addicts aims to reduce the cravings and mood swings. Researchers believe it could also be used for a range of illegal drugs, including cocaine and cannabis … Lead researcher and NDRI Associate Professor Rebecca McKetin says it works by restoring the balance of chemicals in the brain. “When someone first takes ice they experience the desirable effects of intoxication. But if they continue to use, and become dependent,…
Bloody Sad News – July 18, 2018 – A drug and rehabilitation charity that treated comedian Russell Brand for substance abuse is to close after 21 years because of financial issues. Focus12, based in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, revealed last year it had a £250,000 debt and it sold its three-storey town house to help clear it. The charity now blames rehab changes and lower funding for the decision. The business, with celebrities Davina McCall and Boy George as patrons, had become very difficult to sustain. The charity said it also faced increased costs to meet legal and clinical requirements…
Vico-doomed – July 18, 2018 – Cory Monteith’s mother revealed the “Glee” actor was taking pain medications for “massive” dental work before he died of a heroin overdose in 2013. Ann McGregor told People she believes the pain medication derailed Monteith’s struggle with sobriety. McGregor told People that Monteith checked into a rehab center in April 2013. Between the months of May and July, he had “massive’ dental work done, for which he was prescribed painkillers. Full Story @ WSBTV.com
To Find Out What, Drugs are Addictive? – July 18, 2018 – The opioid crisis has brought heightened attention to the effects of addiction on individuals, families and communities. As health practitioners, politicians and families grapple with solutions, the University of Kansas is establishing a new resource to understand and treat addiction in its many forms. KU alumnus Daniel Logan and his wife, Gladys Cofrin donated $2 million to launch the Cofrin-Logan Center for Addiction Research & Treatment. Full Story @ KWCH.com
Informational – July 23, 2018 – What is PTSD? Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can develop after being involved in, or witnessing, traumatic events. A wide range of experiences can cause it, from being in a car crash, a traumatic childbirth, losing someone close to you in upsetting circumstances, being raped or assaulted, to surviving a terrorist attack or being in a war. Rachel Boyd, of the mental health charity Mind, says: “If you experience trauma, it’s natural that it has an impact on your life.” But not everyone will develop PTSD. However, she says, if…
That’s a Crime – July 21, 2018 – MANILA — When six plainclothes policemen, hands gripping their holstered guns, charged down the winding alleys of the slum where Edwin Panis lives, he didn’t imagine they could be coming for him. Mr. Panis, 45, was drinking beer with friends near his shack on an embankment overlooking Manila Bay. A stevedore and neighborhood security officer, he hardly fit the profile of the drug addicts and dealers who have been targeted by the police since President Rodrigo Duterte took office — a bloody crackdown that Mr. Panis, like many Filipinos, supported. But in…
Marijuana Assisted Treatment – July 17, 2018 – The New Jersey Department of Health wants to expand its medical marijuana program to include opioid addiction treatment. “Right now the consideration is adding it as an addition to what’s called medication-assisted treatment, that is the evidence-based treatment people get for addiction,” Department of Health Commissioner Shereef Elnahal told WLNY-TV. “When they’re addicted, it actually helps them get off and get into recovery.” … In 2016, more than 2,000 people died from drug overdoses in the state of New Jersey, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Nationwide, opioids contributed to more…
Mea Culpa – July 23, 2018 – Rising temperatures linked to human-caused climate change could lead to increasing suicide rates in the U.S. and Mexico, a study released Monday suggests. By comparing historical temperature and suicide data going back decades, researchers found a strong correlation between warm weather and increased suicides, according to new research published in Nature Climate Change, a peer-reviewed British journal. Researchers have known for centuries that conflict and violence tend to peak during warmer months. “Now we see that in addition to hurting others, some individuals hurt themselves,” said Solomon Hsiang, study co-author from the University…
Maybe It’s the Mustard – July 18, 2018 – A chemical used to cure meat has been linked to a symptom of mental illness, according to a study. Nitrates, which are used to cure products such as hot dogs, beef jerky, salami and other processed meats could contribute to mania, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine found. Mania is defined as a state of heightened mood, energy and arousal that can last from a few weeks to several months. It is most common in those who have bipolar disorder, but it can also affect individuals with schizoaffective disorder: a condition that…
Please Ask for Help – July 18, 2018 – The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline saw calls double from 2014 to 2017, an increase that coincides with rising suicide rates in the USA. The lifeline answered more than 2 million calls in 2017, up from 1 million calls in 2014, according to its latest figures. More than 1.5 million calls reached the prevention network in 2015 and again in 2016. The nationwide group includes more than 150 crisis centers, plus national backup centers to assist local lines. The recent high-profile suicides of celebrities Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain have led to…
Anything is Possible – July 19, 2018 – LESLIE AGANS WAS desperate. Her teenage son, Michael, had once been a good student and terrific ice hockey player in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. But he’d become a deceitful, unmotivated, unpredictable and sometimes violent adolescent whose life was imploding thanks to his daily marijuana use. (U.S. News is identifying Agans by her maiden name and her son by his middle name to protect the family’s privacy.) In 2016, when Michael was 15, Agans coaxed him into an outpatient drug rehabilitation program. He went to one session and refused to return. Agans lined up…
Cleaning Up One Way or Another – July 10, 2018 – Five years ago, Rob and Diane Perez found a spoon and a ramekin in the trash at a branch of their Saul Good Restaurant & Pub, and realized that their top server was doing heroin in the bathroom. They had already lost the first manager to join their staff; she died in jail after trying to obtain prescription pills illegally. But they didn’t put the pieces together until last year, when they got a call that a cook would not be coming into work because he had overdosed on…
Slowly but Surely – July 19, 2018 – The Great Recession continues to take a grim toll: Since 2009, a growing number of Americans have died from liver disease and liver cancer. The increase among 25- to 34-year-olds is especially troubling because the deaths are due to cirrhosis, a disease caused by excessive drinking, the authors of a new study said. The researchers suspect the economic downturn in 2008 prompted people to comfort themselves with alcohol. “These are deaths of despair,” said lead researcher Dr. Elliot Tapper, an assistant professor of gastroenterology at the University of Michigan. It’s similar to…
Giants Gone Too Soon – July 17, 2018 – Before his death by suicide in 2014, Robin Williams had a well-documented history of alcohol and cocaine dependence — a habit he kicked in 1982 after friend John Belushi’s overdose. That’s just one of the revelations to come out of the new documentary Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind, which airs on HBO on Tuesday night. Directed by Marina Zenovich, the 2-hour, emotional film offers an intimate look at the the highs and lows of the star’s legendary career using never-before-seen footage of the comedian in addition to intimate conservations with…
You’re Kidding – July 17, 2018 – Teens who spend a lot of time using digital media show an uptick in symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a new study reports. That doesn’t mean parents should panic about teens texting at the dinner table; it just means that if your kid is a heavy media user, maybe you should have a conversation about why they like it so much. Today’s study monitored ADHD symptoms in a group of nearly 2,600 high school teenagers. Students who used multiple types of digital media multiple times a day were roughly twice as likely to…
Naltrexone? MAT That Kills People? – July 19, 2018 – A CBS News investigation has uncovered an industry of recruiters taking advantage of struggling addicts. The scheme lures addicts into getting a non-FDA approved Naltrexone implant, which releases medication to block opiate receptors in the brain, which makes it difficult for drug users to feel the effects of opioids. But as “CBS Evening News” anchor Jeff Glor reports, some patients are getting under-the-table cash payments from recruiters to get the surgery. Doctors can earn up to $30,000 from each procedure from insurance companies. Industry insiders revealed to CBS News that…
Wall Street Celebrates – July 18, 2018 – Clonazepam (traded as Klonopin), diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax) are among the most sold drugs in a class of widely prescribed anti-anxiety medications known as benzodiazepines. Public health officials warn the pills should be used only in the short term and should never be mixed with opioids or alcohol. The Pew Charitable Trusts The growing use of anti-anxiety pills reminds some doctors of the early days of the opioid crisis. Considered relatively safe and non-addictive by the general public and many doctors, Xanax, Valium, Ativan and Klonopin have been prescribed to millions…
New York Times – July 22, 2018 – Last year, on the day after Christmas, I picked up my phone to hear the mother on the other end of the line sobbing. “It’s the phone call I never wanted to make to you,” she said. “I’m so sorry to have to make this call.” For more than two years, I had followed Patricia Mehrmann and her daughter, Tess Henry, as they endured Tess’s struggle to get off, and stay off, heroin. I wrote about Tess in these pages, using the pseudonym Erica to protect her privacy, back when her privacy…