BEATING THE BOTTLE – Nov. 13, 2024 – AEW star Big Bill appeared on Talk Is Jericho to discuss a number of topics, including his struggles with alcoholism and hitting rock bottom after he was let go by WWE. Bill said, “So I got fired, had money in the bank, and a roof over my head. Nothing fiscally to really worry about, and nothing but free time. I was a full-blown alcoholic at that time…I was drinking sun up to sun down every day. Then I had that seizure and then I was like, I need to get myself together.”…
Author: Leonard Buschel
VIDEO – BUY STOCK – NOV. 14, 2024 – Only three medications are currently approved for the treatment of AUD, and expert opinion maintains these options are not suitable for all patients, and relapse is commonplace. “I see so many patients who do not have good outcomes on the medications we have and who are desperate for help with their addiction,” said study leader Dr. Markku Lähteenvuo said. “We really do need more tools in the toolbox.” But the study found that semaglutide (which is sold under brand names like Ozempic and Wegovy) and liraglutide (which is sold under the…
THE LEGACY LIVES – Nov 13, 2024 – As family and friends recently paid tribute to Matthew Perry on the one-year anniversary of his untimely passing, I considered honoring his memory with a throw-back post about one of my favorite Friends episodes. But the beloved sitcom star repeatedly made clear that he wanted to be remembered for far more than his work in Hollywood. In the years after we came to first know him as Chandler Bing, Perry opened up about his own difficulties with alcohol and opioid addiction in hopes of helping others find their own path to recovery…
WHY NOT? – Nov. 14, 2024 – Officer Keith Graves said he’s watched addicts on the streets of San Francisco use a spoon to melt down Suboxone, “stick a syringe into that orange, goopy mess, and then inject it into their body.” In fact, that kind of abuse is something Graves encountered frequently, beginning in the late 2000s when an informant told him she snorted her Suboxone pills to get high. Technically, that’s not supposed to be possible with medications like Suboxone. The substance is chemically engineered with naloxone, a drug that blocks the euphoria-like effects of opioids on the…
IS THAT FAIR? – Nov. 15, 2024 – Justine Huang, 26, ran the New York City Marathon drunk — and she has no regrets. Huang said she likes to push herself, but drinking to the point of being unable to break any records reminded her that running can be fun — especially when roughly seven alcoholic drinks are involved. “As a competitive person, I have the mindset that I want to run as fast as I can,” Huang said. “But forcing myself to slow down this time — spending time with spectators and friends who came out to support me…
YOU CAN’T ZOOM THIS – Nov. 15, 2024 – Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation said as per The Mirror: “While many types of cancer are declining, mouth cancer continues to surge. Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption remain significant risk factors, but we are seeing a growing number of cases linked to the human papillomavirus (HPV) and other emerging causes.” Dr Carter said: “Mouth cancer can affect anyone, and the impact on a person’s life can be devastating. We need to raise awareness of the symptoms, the risk factors, and most importantly, the importance of early detection. Too many…
STICK WITH THE WINNERS! – Nov. 19, 2024 – Joe Considine is a father of three healthy adult children who are all living their best lives. He is a practicing attorney specializing in helping families get loved into treatment using Florida’s Marchman Act. Joe has been clean and sober for 36 years. He loves swimming, biking and painting and is a lifelong resident of West Palm Beach where he has been in long term loving life partnership with Dr. Alicia Haywood. Joe is a thirty-year member of The Board of Directors of Fern House, men’s recovery place. Q. If you…
VIDEO – PROBLEM SOLVED – Nov. 15, 2024 – Model Elle Macpherson joins TODAY to talk about her new book, “Elle,” where she opens up about her battle with alcohol addiction. She also talks about how she made the decision to not undergo chemotherapy after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Macpherson also shares her thoughts on turning 60 and says, “it feels like a new beginning… CONTINUE@Today
STARS ALIGN SOBERLY? – Nov. 16, 2024 – “Find another bar. Blood on the face. Blood in the hair … More alcohol … Another fight. I fall in the Seine. I’m cold. I can’t remember where I live. I have a child.” Brolin was 23 Nov. 16, 2024 – I jump onto a group of people, young men, friendly, preppy boys drinking wine spritzers. They kick me. I swing wildly. “Find another bar. Blood on the face. Blood in the hair … More alcohol … Another fight. I fall in the Seine. I’m cold. I can’t remember where I live.…
FED UP – Nov. 8, 2024 – ‘I’m not gonna judge anybody. Listen, it’s unlike any other addiction or dependence. You can live without alcohol, you can live without cigarettes, whatever that drug of choice is… but you’ve got to eat, and so for some people, it’s just difficult,’ Roker said. When asked what advice he would give to anyone who is struggling with their own relationship with food, Roker replied: ‘I am very loath to give people advice about that because it’s like anything – you have good days and not so good days, you still have emotions, things…
AIR SICKNESS BAGS ON THE RIDES – Nov. 12, 2024 – That cocktail is part of the growing list of alcoholic drinks at Disneyland, the Anaheim park where Walt Disney initially ruled out anything stronger than a virgin mint julep. You can now get that with bourbon. This week, Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo, in the park’s Star Wars: Galaxy Edge land, became Disneyland’s first quick-service restaurant to serve beer, wine, and hard seltzer to guests 21 and older with ID. Elsewhere, you can get an Old Fashioned at Carnation Cafe in Main Street, U.S.A., as the trend for…
WEREN’T WE ALL? – Nov. 15, 2024 – You can get coke quicker than a takeaway in some cities, says Hannah Viney. Is it any wonder so many are struggling? It took me almost a decade of using before coke brought me to my knees at the age of 30, but what started out as a bit of fun, ended up morphing into something beyond my control. It stripped me of my entire personality, my life was a mess. I know I’m not the only one who’s been lost like that either; since sharing my story on social media, it…
VIDEO – SMASH THE STIGMA – Nov. 13, 2024 – The Partnership to End Addiction (PTEA) honored NewsNation’s Elizabeth Vargas Tuesday at its New York City gala. “I wrote a book, and I’m grateful that I still hear from people who tell me it saved their lives … the more we can talk to people and get them to talk openly, and the more people can hear their stories and hear, ‘Oh, she’s just like me. He’s just like me. They’re just like my dad, or my mom, or my sister,’” Vargas said. “It is really something we need to…
HIGH MODERN FAMILY – Nov. 13, – 2024 – As many as 1 in 5 pregnant women in the U.S. are now using the drug to help with morning sickness, lower back pain or anxiety. Evidence has been growing, however, to suggest that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, poses risks to the developing fetus by impacting brain development. “Doctors are contending with an explosion of cannabis use, and the THC content has quadrupled from what it was a generation ago,” said study corresponding author Joseph Cheer, PhD, a Professor of Neurobiology and Psychiatry at the University of…
VIDEO – LIVING THE GOOD LIFE – Nov. 13, 2024 – The cause of death for legendary Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, who died last month at the age of 63, has been released. Valenzuela died of septic shock, which was listed as the immediate cause of death, according to his death certificate. The document also noted that Valenzuela was cremated. The late Dodger great was honored at a public funeral Mass last week at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angeles in downtown Los Angeles. CONTINUE@ABC7
VIDEO – CITY AS INTERVENTIONIST – NOV. 14, 2024 – The fentanyl crisis has redefined drug overdoses in a way never before seen with other opioids. And, San Francisco has thrown money, resources, time and energy to –not so much solve the problem–but get a handle on the number of deaths caused by fentanyl. San Francisco’s health department, at times criticized for not doing enough to encourage people to go into drug treatment programs, is focusing on a different kind of recovery campaign. The NEW campaign features nine people in recovery who have found success in treatment. The “Living Proof”…
VIDEO – FAST FOOD FASTER – Nov. 14, 2024 – The new forecast would mean hundreds of millions of people in the US could be facing health complications associated with a high body mass index or BMI, including diabetes, cancer, heart problems, breathing issues and mental health challenges. The health costs of obesity in this country are substantial, the study notes. In 2016, health care costs attributed to obesity alone were between $261 billion and $481 billion. Obesity and overweight – defined as a BMI over 30 or between 25 and 29.9, respectively – are among the fastest-growing risk factors…
ONE STEP WONDER – Nov. 13, 2024 – Weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy are enormously popular for people with diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular risk. So, health professionals wondered: Could these drugs also be the key to curbing excess drinking? In fact, glucagon-like peptide 1 drugs such as semaglutide and liraglutide can be effective at curbing alcohol abuse, a study published Wednesday in JAMA Psychiatry suggests. Researchers in Sweden examined more than a quarter million people with alcohol-use disorder and found those who had taken GLP-1 drugs cut their risk for hospitalization. Researchers not involved in the study…
“I learned real early why God gave us two ears and one mouth, because you’re supposed to listen twice as much as you talk.” – Quincy Jones, Mar. 14, 1933–Nov. 3, 2024
ALWAYS WITH YOU – Nov. 2, 2024 – Archaeologists have uncovered a previously unknown effect of tobacco on the human body, shedding new light on the long-term consequences of smoking. This surprising ancient discovery has far-reaching implications for our understanding of historical tobacco use and its impact on human health. By examining the cortical bone tissue, which forms the dense outer layer of bones, scientists identified significant differences between the skeletons of individuals who had no access to tobacco and those who likely consumed it after its introduction. This groundbreaking research provides archaeologists with a powerful new tool for identifying…
TURN OFF CNN – Nov. 7, 2024 – At Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s book signings, it’s not uncommon for fans to burst into tears. His quirky fantasy series — set in a magical cafe in Tokyo where customers can travel back in time while their coffee cools — centers on ordinary people struggling with loss and regret who wish they could change the past. Readers often tell Kawaguchi that the stories helped them work through their grief, or led them to reconcile with an estranged relative or friend, he said. “A comment I get a lot is, the books helped me heal,”…
86ed AGAIN? – NOV. 4, 2024 – Two previous rounds of employee cuts in September and October bring to 323 the number of workers let go — nearly a quarter of its former workforce of 1,350 statewide. The cutbacks come as ARC, founded by CEO Tim Robinson, remains the focus of an FBI probe into possible health care fraud. ARC has said it stands by its services and is cooperating with the investigation. “This reduction in force and staff realignment is a direct result of multiple layers of significant reimbursement cuts for addiction and mental health service providers like ARC,”…
BY A NOSE – Nov. 5, 2024 – Thoroughbred owner and recovering alcoholic Gino Roncelli has led the Santa Anita-based program for more than 30 years. “I can tell you that Winners Foundation really makes a big difference in people’s lives.” It all began in 1984, when the late Lou Rowan, a California owner and breeder and a recovering alcoholic, convinced the Oak Tree Racing Association board to put a trailer in the stable area where 12-step meetings could be held to help alcoholics and addicts begin the process of recovery. He enlisted several other prominent horsemen, including Roncelli, to…
VIDEO – NO VALUE AT ALL – Nov. 4, 2024 – It all started innocently enough for the warehouse manager, who would allow himself a single can of pop here and there. “It started with one [drink] with lunch and then me and my work colleagues started buying each other drinks throughout the day,” Bowey explained. “They’d bring them over from the cafe near work. There was also a vending machine so I could just pop in and get them whenever I wanted.” Bowey continued: “Before I knew it, that’s all I was drinking and then I stopped drinking water…
WHAT WOULD? – Nov. 4, 2024 – Stephan Lindner, Ph.D., is lead author on a new study from OHSU that found a state Medicaid waiver resulted in no overall benefit in terms of increased treatment or decrease in nonfatal overdoses. Lindner notes that much more needs to be done to bring the nation’s overdose epidemic under control. For generations, the federal government has largely refrained from paying for mental health and substance use treatment in large residential facilities. That changed in 2015 when, in response to increasing overdose deaths nationwide from illicit drugs, the federal government allowed states to waive…
WE’LL TRY ANYTHING – Nov. 4, 2024 – That’s according to new research of a $1 million helmet-like device that beams these high frequency waves at a key part of the brain that’s responsible for reward, motivation and addiction. John Hilton’s brain was zapped for about 30 minutes while he observed images of heroin being cooked on a spoon and injected into an arm. Once the process was done, Hilton said the need to use ‘just wasn’t there.’ The new method is an FDA-approved medical procedure that involves inserting tiny electrodes into two small holes drilled in the skull and…
KEEPS COMING BACK? – Nov. 3, 2024 – Our culture produces influencers for every imaginable product and lifestyle, and recovery from addiction to drugs and alcohol is no different. Some sober influencers satirize their addiction, relating sordid tales of the lengths they’d go to score their next hit. Others appeal to their fanbase with abstract motivation—inspirational quotes against a pretty background—while still others are more earnest and practical, providing tips for resisting cravings and recipes for mocktails. Some, distancing themselves from wellness culture, reveal the messy sides of sobriety. You can date the advent of contemporary sobriety culture to the…
VIDEO – WOMEN NEED CARE – Nov. 3, 2024 – In Minnesota, around 290-thousand people are in need of treatment for addiction. Some happen to be women who are pregnant. Project Child is helping save those babies and their moms. CONTINUE@YouTube
BECAUSE ALCOHOL IS A DRUG – Nov. 7, 2024 – A women’s health issue! In all age groups, the percentage of women who drink is approaching or has surpassed the percent of men who drink, Powell said. Adolescent girls are more motivated to drink to cope with negative emotions than boys, while males are more motivated to drink as a result of impulsivity and sensation seeking. Reporting on alcohol use and alcohol use disorder: Data, disparities, and responsible journalism Moderator: Naseem Miller, senior health editor, The Journalist’s Resource Jordan Gass-Pooré, podcast producer and investigative journalist Nasim Maleki, Ph.D., assistant professor…
WAKE UP – Nov. 8, 2024 – The study found that people with excessive daytime sleepiness and a lack of enthusiasm to get things done were more likely to develop the syndrome than people without those sleep-related issues. The syndrome is a pre-dementia syndrome, which can cause really troubling issues later in life. People with the syndrome have a slow walking speed and say they have some memory issues. Called motoric cognitive risk syndrome, the condition can occur before dementia develops. The study found that people with excessive daytime sleepiness and a lack of enthusiasm to get things done were…