LIVING THE LIFE! – Sept. 18, 2025 – Owen shared an Instagram post commemorating his personal achievement. Set to a black background, Owen weaved together some heavily thought-out words that sound much like a song or a poem when read aloud, as each sentence rhymes with the previous one. He wrote, “I woke up this morning on West Coast time. Compared to most of my friends and family, I’m 3 hours behind. Until I saw a text from a very thoughtful friend. Reminded me of something, and brought a real big grin.” “4 years ago today, I knew that it…
Author: Leonard Buschel
“Not taking a risk is a risk. That’s how I see it.” – Robert Redford, 1936–2025
MOTHER’S DAY EVERY DAY – Sept. 10, 2025 – Since then, she has amassed over 400,000 followers on TikTok, sharing her sobriety journey from the early days of recovery to now. “I quit 10 days before my son turned five,” said Garner. “I had been consciously thinking about it for a while, and I kept thinking to myself that my earliest childhood memories are at five.” “I don’t want him to remember me like this. I don’t want to keep putting him through this. I want him to have a mom that’s there.” Garner says the transition from addiction to…
REALITY BITES – Sept. 5, 2025 – Brown Woolley added, “It gave me the best high I ever felt. I was on top of the world, and I could accomplish everything!” She soon began counting down the minutes until she could take her next pill, and heavily relied on the drug for about a month before realizing she was addicted. Getting clean was the real challenge. “It was very difficult, and even though I was on it for a month, the effects of it lasted at least six. I didn’t feel normal,” she wrote in the book, per People. “I…
VIDEO – NEVER TOO LATE – Sept. 10, 2025 – Fox Business star and former Trump adviser Larry Kudlow has detailed his battle with cocaine and alcohol addiction in a new interview. Speaking on Miranda Devine’s Pod Force One podcast, Kudlow recalled becoming “caught up in the zeitgeist” of 1980s and 1990s Wall Street, when he was the chief economist at Bear Stearns. “Some people just got hooked on alcohol and or cocaine or other drugs or whatever, other people didn’t,” he said. “I knew lots of people at Bear Stearns and Goldman Sachs and others, who had the same…
CLEAN MACHINE – Sept. 6, 2025 – From friends and acquaintances to siblings and children of friends, the disease of addiction is powerful and can be heartbreaking. According to Dr. Gabor Maté, who spent years helping residents of Vancouver’s East Hastings St., people can be addicted to anything, even the good doctor himself. In his book, “In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts,” Maté discusses his own vice: spending thousands of dollars a month on music. From old vinyl box sets to CDs, he can’t help himself. (It’s been a while since I read his book, and he worded that explanation…
ALL CHOKED UP – Sept. 12, 2025 – Mr. Zeldin said that ending the program would save American businesses up to $2.4 billion in compliance costs. Critics said the proposal could hobble federal efforts to fight climate change, since the government cannot reduce emissions if it cannot measure how much is generated and where it is produced. “With this move, they’re taking away the practical and material capacity of the federal government to do the basic elements of climate policymaking,” said Joseph Goffman, who led the E.P.A.’s air office during the Biden administration. For the past 15 years, the Greenhouse…
TROUBLE IN PARADISE – September 3, 2025 – Ryan Lochte is pushing back against explosive claims made by his estranged wife, Kayla Lochte, who alleged she once caught him “inhaling nitrous oxide” in front of their three children. She also claimed to have found “mostly empty baggies of cocaine around the marital home,” and asked the court to grant her sole custody of their kids. Ryan is denying the allegations, saying he never used drugs in “front of or around” their children. The swimmer admitted he struggled with substance abuse in recent years but but insisted he never put his…
PEOPLE ARE DYING – Sept. 12, 2025 – Donna Mitchell shared her story about her families struggle with drug addiction. Sometimes when she looks at her daughter, Donna Mitchell says she’s not really looking at her. “Because addiction has stolen her from me, but I know she’s still in there,” Mitchell said on Thursday, Sept. 11, before speaking at a rally for a call to action on drugs, addiction and crime in Corner Brook. “I know, and hopefully, one day she will be the one to make it out of this and stay out.” The rally held in the civic…
WHY? – Sept. 3, 2025 – Opioid use is a growing health problem for older adults in the U.S. Drug overdose deaths for people age 65 and older increased 11.4% between 2022 and 2023, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data — the largest increase of any age group that year. Fewer than 40% of Medicare beneficiaries with diagnosed opioid use disorder in 2020 received treatment that met the eight nationally recognized quality standards for the care. The findings show that Medicare needs to routinely monitor the quality of opioid use treatment it covers for seniors, researchers said. The…
VIDEO – BACK AGAIN – Sept. 4, 2025 – Once a symbol of 1960s counterculture, LSD, is emerging from research labs as a possible treatment for anxiety. Preliminary trial results published in the medical journal suggest that a single dose of MM120, an oral pharmaceutical formulation of LSD, can significantly reduce symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. However, experts caution that these are early results, and many treatments that show promise in preliminary trials don’t always succeed in later studies. Dr. Maurizio Fava, chair of the department of psychiatry at Mass General Brigham and Slater Family professor of psychiatry at Harvard…
NOW WHAT? – Sept. 4, 2025 – Imagine walking through a convenience store and seeing a bright red package filled with small, strawberry cream-filled waffle cones. Next to it are single-serve fruit-flavored drink mixes that appear to be hydration packets. While these might sound appealing, they actually contain a compound that can be 13 times more potent than morphine. I’m talking about 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), which is a byproduct of kratom, a tropical tree native to the wetlands of Southeast Asia. Commonly referred to as “gas station heroin,” it’s frequently sold as a tablet, capsule, extract or even an herbal tea.…
ALWAYS A STAR – Sept. 5, 2025 – It has been decades since Too Close for Comfort first aired, but Lydia Cornell remains as radiant as ever. The 72-year-old actress, best remembered for her role as Sara Rush on the beloved ’80s sitcom, recently shared a new photo that showed off her timeless beauty. With her bright blue eyes and trademark smile, Cornell reminded fans why she became one of television’s favorite faces. Lydia Cornell has been outspoken about her personal struggles and triumphs. She has been sober for three decades, a milestone she often calls a miracle. Her journey…
HIGH HOPES – Sept. 5, 2025 – Texas officially became the 40th state in the country to allow medical marijuana sales. “Even in some of the reddest of red states, there is a growing acceptance of medical cannabis and that some of the most restrictive policies over time evolve in a way where they become far more expansive, they don’t become more restrictive over time.” “They begin as very restrictive, and become less and less restrictive as politicians and others become comfortable with the reality that cannabis is a medicine that can benefit patients and the state can regulate it…
VIDEO – ROCK STARS – Sept. 10, 2025 – Alice Cooper talks to Sammy Hagar about why he decided to give up drinking and the affect it has had on his life. CONTINUE@YouTube
HOT and COLD – Sept. 10, 2025 – A health expert and nutritionist has issued a warning about the potential side effects of drinking matcha – especially if you’re taking certain medications. For those who are unfamiliar with the popular drink, matcha is a green, fine powder made from ground, shade-grown green tea leaves. Once made into tea, it can be consumed hot or iced and combined with a whole slew of different Instagrammable flavours including blueberry, cinnamon, and banana, to name just a few. It’s become increasingly popular among Gen Z and Millennials, who are citing the drink’s health…
VIDEO – MUSICAL INTERLUDE – 77,500,413 views since Jun 6, 2025 – Makeup: Prada Beauty using Banana Balm. You said your phone was broken. Just forgot to charge it. Whole outfit you’re wearing. God I hope it’s ironic. Did you just say you’re finished? Didn’t know we started. It’s all just so familiar Baby, what do you call it? Stupid. CONTINUE@YouTube
VIDEO – MUSICAL INTERLUDE – 34,341,566 views since 2 weeks ago – I get wet at the thought of you Being a responsible guy. Treating me like you’re supposed to do. Tears run down my thighs. A little initiative can go a very long long way. Baby just do the dishes. I’ll give you what you (what you), what you want. A little communication yes that’s my ideal foreplay. Assemble a chair from IKEA. CONTINUE@YouTube
PASS IT ON – Sept. 12, 2025 – John Bartholomew, recovery pastor at Splitlog Baptist Church in Goodman, Mo., and head pastor of In Christ Alone Church in Fairview, Missouri, is following Jesus’ example of helping heal others. He is the head of Come As You Are Christian Recovery at Splitlog, In the nine years it’s been operating, the ministry has grown from four people to 120 people being brought from darkness to light. Bartholomew is able to help this many people because he himself knows what it’s like to be trapped in a life of addiction. He grew up…
EMERGENCE IS THIS WEEK – Sept. 3, 2025 – TJ Woodward, bestselling author and creator of the Conscious Recovery Method, is leading the way in transforming addiction recovery and spiritual awakening. As a thought leader and expert, he empowers individuals and professionals to heal at the root cause of addiction. REGISTER FOR EMERGENCE TODAY! CONTINUE@USANews
By Burl Barer – Sept. 16, 2025 – Bill W., co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, died in active addiction. Ignoring his doctor’s warnings, Bill continued consistent use of an addictive drug known, because of its delivery system, to cause the exact condition that claimed his life in 1971. Bill W. died of emphysema and pneumonia, a direct result of his years chain smoking cigarettes loaded with nicotine, a highly addictive substance. It wasn’t the nicotine that killed him., but the delivery method: combustible tobacco smoke. Considering all we know about the health dangers of smoking, why did Bill W. continue…
STICK WITH THE WINNERS! – Sept. 16, 2025 – Gary K serves as CEO of Gary K Recovery providing recovery education and addiction solutions through the arts, media and live events. Gary recently launched Recovery Getaways and partnered with Norwegian Cruise Lines and Sober Not Boring to produce an affordable recovery cruise – “Sail to Serenity – A Gratitude and Wellness Retreat at Sea” aboard the luxurious Norwegian Jewel November 26-26, 2026. Q. If you are in recovery, what was your drug(s) of choice and when is your sobriety date?A. Alcohol, Marijuana, Opium, Hash, Morphine, Ketamine, Percocet, Percodan, Vicodin, Restoril,…
VIDEO – ALL OVER THE COUNTRY – Sept. 5, 2025 – “At Isaiah House, we have 24 hours a day, seven days a week ability to answer the phone and come and get you,” said Kara Ball, chief development officer of Isaiah House. “Matter of fact, we have transportation that we will come get you no matter where you are. Whether eastern Kentucky, western Kentucky, northern Kentucky, southern Kentucky, if you want help, we’re going to come get you.” Isaiah House, with multiple treatment centers throughout Kentucky, including in Louisville, is instrumental in tackling the drug epidemic. CONTINUE@WLKY
VIDEO – IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR – Sept. 6, 2025 – Bell, 45, praised her husband’s commitment to recovery, writing that “This is what 21 years of sobriety looks like,” and that for Shepard it has meant “Lots of hugging. Hugging everyone and everything. Hugging life.” She concluded by writing, “I am eternally grateful to have you. Shepard, 50, responded in the comments with his signature humor: “Well this is a low blow. Even for you. Makin’ a guy cry when he can’t turn to booze?!?!” The post drew quick reactions from celebrity friends and fans alike. Nina Dobrev offered…
VIDEO – TAKE HEART – Sept. 3, 2025 – More than 1,400 Virginians died from drug overdoses last year — a sobering statistic of an epidemic plaguing countless Virginia families. Some government agencies and area resources in greater Richmond will work to change that narrative on the night of Wednesday, Sept. 3 with the second annual Regional Recovery Day. One person working to make a difference is TJ Hagan from Richmond. On Wednesday night at the Henrico Sports & Events Center, he says he’ll let others know the road to recovery does not have to be walked alone. “It did…
VIDEO – STAR QUALITY – Sept. 6, 2025 – Lulu opened up about how she hid her alcoholism from the world after admitting this week she was a ‘secret drinker’ for years and believes she inherited the gene. The singer, 76, who is now in recovery and attended rehab, made the admission in an interview with The Times ahead of the release of her memoir, If Only You Knew, which she said she needed therapy after writing. During the bombshell interview, Lulu told the publication: ‘I was a secret drinker. I think I always wanted to be Miss Perfect, the…
RULE 62 “Don’t take yourself too damn seriously” – Sept. 10, 2025 – In 1960 Bill Wilson, the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous and author of its famous 12 Steps, did something that would be unthinkable in today’s attention economy: He declined an invitation to be on the cover of Time magazine. The editors offered a compromise: What if Wilson were pictured with his back to the camera, making him unidentifiable? Again, he refused. Such publicity was out of the question for any AA member, not just its architect. Enshrined in the program he’d co-founded in 1935 was the mandate outlined…
HARM REDUCTION WORKS – Sept. 12, 2025 – County jail inmates who receive medication to treat their opioid addiction have a lower risk of overdose after their release. “These findings demonstrate the importance of providing medications to treat opioid use disorder in correctional settings,” Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said. “Offering effective opioid treatment to people in jail is a critical step toward addressing the opioid crisis, promoting recovery, saving lives and reducing reincarceration,” added Volkow, whose agency funded the research. “It’s a win-win for public health.” The opioid epidemic contributed to more than…
VIDEO – REAL KILLER ELITES – August 2025 – As President Trump threatens to use U.S. special forces against drug cartels abroad, a new book, The Fort Bragg Cartel: Drug Trafficking and Murder in the Special Forces, reveals some of the most secretive and elite special forces in the Army are heavily involved in narcotrafficking themselves. “There’s at least 14 cases that I’m tracking of Fort Bragg-trained soldiers who have been either arrested, apprehended or killed in the course of trafficking drugs in the last five years or so,” says author Seth Harp. The book also looks at “how U.S.…
GAMEBOY LIVES – Sept. 4, 2025 – From Pong and Pac-Man to Minecraft and Fortnight, video games have always been a lot of fun. Sometimes, however, gamers become fixated, compulsive or — worse — spiral into a full-blown gaming disorders. A new study by brain scientists Kylie Falcione and René Weber at UC Santa Barbara’s Media Neuroscience Lab helps answer that question, and their findings may have profound impacts on treatment options for gaming addicts. Their research, “Psychopathology and Gaming Disorder in Adolescents,” was recently published in JAMA Network Open, an open-access, peer-reviewed international medical journal of the American Medical…