November 19 v 3 POWER IN THE PROVERB

The foolishness of a man twists his way,

And his heart frets against the Lord.

STEP 3 :Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God.

The proverb states tht we fret against GOD ,in other words we want no parts of HIS ways.Kndness , love ,generosity ,peace ,and the list goes on.By nature we are evil ,our self (flesh) wants it now and it better make me feel good or else.The sad part is living in the here I want it now and I can do what I ever want part of us ,can never be satisfied.Chasing the next new drug or drink ,getting involved in another risky relationship will always leave us feeling empty and alone.What I am trying to say is you can chase drugs booze sex money or whatever it is you use as your fix.It will never fill that void you have in your life. Step 3 is right on and it will bring peace and sitisfaction to your life heart and soul.

Three “N-Bomb” Compounds Banned by DEA

By Join Together Staff | November 18, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed inDrugs, Government & Prevention

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has made three synthetic drugs, known as NBOMe compounds, illegal for the next two years. The compounds, also known as “N-Bomb,” have been responsible for the deaths of at least 19 people in the United States in the past year.

The compounds can be harmful to kidneys, and can trigger mental health issues.

The DEA made the synthetic compounds 25I-NBOMe, 25C-NBOMe, and 25B-NBOMe Schedule I, illegal drugs under the Controlled Substances Act for the next two years, UPI reports. These drugs are marketed online and through illegal channels as illicit hallucinogens such as LSD, according to a DEA news release. They are sold as powders, liquid solutions, soaked onto blotter paper, and laced on edible items.

“There is no approved medical use for these particular synthetic drugs, nor has the Food and Drug Administration approved them for human consumption,” the DEA notes, adding “data suggest that extremely small amounts of these drugs can cause seizures, cardiac and respiratory arrest, and death.”

The DEA warns synthetic drugs such as the NBOMe compounds have no consistent manufacturing and packaging processes and may contain drastically differing dosage amounts, a mix of several drugs, and unknown adulterants. “Users are playing Russian roulette when they abuse them,” the agency states.

During the next two years, the DEA will work with the Department of Health and Human Services to determine if these compounds should be made permanently illegal.

PCP-Related Visits to the Emergency Room Jumped 400% Between 2005 and 2011

By Join Together Staff | November 18, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs

PCP-related emergency room visits jumped 400 percent between 2005 and 2011, according to a new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). PCP (phencyclidine), also known as “angel dust,” can cause hallucinations when taken at high doses.

The number of PCP-related visits to hospital emergency rooms jumped from 14,825 in 2005, to 75,538 in 2011, Medical News Todayreports. The largest increase was seen among patients ages 25 to 34. In 2011, about two-thirds of PCP-related visits were made by males, and almost half were made by people ages 25 to 34. Other illegal drugs, including marijuana, cocaine and heroin, were involved in about half of PCP-related emergency room visits in 2011.

PCP can be snorted, smoked, injected, or swallowed and is most commonly sold as a powder or liquid and applied to a leafy material such as mint, parsley, oregano, tobacco, or marijuana. Many people who use PCP may do it unknowingly because it is often used as an additive and can be found in marijuana, LSD, or methamphetamine. In a hospital or detention setting, a person on PCP may become violent or suicidal, and can become very dangerous to themselves and to others.

“This report is a wake-up call that this dangerous drug may be making a comeback in communities throughout the nation,” Dr. Peter Delany, Director of SAMHSA’s Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, said in a news release. “PCP is a potentially deadly drug and can have devastating consequences not only for individuals, but also for families, friends and communities. We must take steps at every level to combat the spread of this public health threat.”

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November 18v14 POWER IN THE PROVERB

The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?

STEP 1 : I admit that I am powerless over my chemical dependicies and the effects of my separation or lack of fellowship with God, and that my life has become unmanageable.

Coming to this point in life is not something I would wish on anybody . Important to get here and grateful it happened yes..At this point in my life , it was the most desperate and painful time and I even despaired of life itself . My mind was in a whirlwind of , ego and self and the me of right then and there was a hideous monster at least so I thought.The proverb cannot make it any clearer , that Step one was vital for my survival.When you reach the end your last straw step one will be your only option .

FLAPJACK FUNDRAISER TO SUPPORT RECOVERY FROM ADDICTION

Proceeds from Dec. 29 event to benefit PRO-ACT and the Southern Bucks Recovery Community Center

BRISTOL, PA. — Nov. 11, 2013 —PRO-ACT invites the community to an Applebee’s® Flapjack Fundraiser on Sunday, Dec. 29, from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. at Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, 3219 Street Road, Bensalem. Proceeds benefit PRO-ACT and the Southern Bucks Recovery Community Center (SBRCC) in Bristol to promote recovery from addiction to alcohol or other drugs through advocacy, support, education and service.

“This event gives families an opportunity to support a good cause while enjoying a delicious breakfast together without having to cook or clean up. That’s a nice break during the holiday season,” said Rick Petrolawicz, certified recovery specialist and volunteer coordinator at the SBRCC

PRO-ACT volunteers will serve guests during the event. Applebee’s staff will prepare the food.
Tickets are $10 per person; $6 for children under 12; and $3 for children under 2. Tickets include pancakes, bacon or sausage, eggs, juice and/or coffee.

Tickets must be purchased in advance by Dec. 24. For tickets, call Rick Petrolawicz at 215-788-3738, ext. 107, or email RPetrolawicz@councilsepa.org.or help with an addiction problem, call the 24-hour information line at 800-221-6333.

About PRO-ACT

PRO-ACT (Pennsylvania Recovery Organization-Achieving Community Together) is the regional nonprofit organization working to mobilize and rally individuals in recovery from addiction, as well as their families, friends and allies in acampaign to end discrimination, broaden social understanding and achieve a just response to addiction as a public health crisis.

About The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc.

The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc. is a private nonprofit prevention, education, advocacy, and intervention organization, providing a wide range of services to families, schools, businesses, individuals, and the community. Founded in 1975, The Council serves the Southeast region of Pennsylvania and is a member of a nationwide network of National Council on Alcoholism and DrugDependence Affiliates. The Council has offices and Recovery Community Centers in Doylestown, New Britain, Bristol, and Philadelphia. For help with alcohol, tobacco or other substances, or for information on the disease of alcoholism and addiction, call 800-221-6333, toll-free, 24-hours a day. For more information, visit www.councilsepa.org.

Novenber 17 v 9 POWER IN THE PROVERB 

Love prospers when a fault is forgiven,

but dwelling on it separates close friends. 

STEP 5. Admitted to God, to our selves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. 

Not only does it seperate close friends and family , fault, guilt, anger, pride, and unforgiveness make us physicaly mentally and spiritually sick.You cant get better if you carry around all the junk ! That could be a number one reason for us using at least it was one of the main ingridients in my life of using. Holding on to all of the pain, caused me to be angry resentful and ashamed. Getting to step 4 and making the list was very difficult but it was one of the most liberating experiences of my life.One thing I discovered was unforgiveness is a poision we drink expecting the others in our lives to die.My unforgiveness was not killing them it was killing me thru addiction.

How Fictional Characters Can Help Real-Life Clients
By Adam C. Brooks, PhD | November 15, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed inAlcohol, Drugs, Healthcare & Treatment

Two patients wait in the reception area of a busy urban medical clinic. They don’t know each other, but they are about to embark on very similar journeys. In the exam room, Bill receives the diagnosis that he is pre-diabetic and is encouraged to make some lifestyle changes, including reducing his alcohol intake, as his provider has determined that his drinking is at a risky level. Maria meets with her provider and is asked to break a tough habit. Maria is struggling with continuous asthma complications and although she quit smoking cigarettes, she still smokes marijuana every day to cope with stress. Maria’s provider challenges her to quit smoking marijuana for one month to see if it helps improve her condition. Both patients are uncertain if they can break these habits or if they even want to try.

While these patients will sound familiar to medical providers across the spectrum of health care, they are actually the fictional starring characters of a new health education graphic novel being tested by the Treatment Research Institute (TRI). In Keep it Moving: A Guide to Breaking Habits, both Bill and Maria have to resolve their own ambivalence about whether to make an effort to reduce or quit their alcohol and drug use. They model how to deal with stressors, temptations, obstacles and personal triggers that influence their habits.

These relatable characters are part of a greater goal to integrating models of behavioral health care directly into primary care; and to help individuals combat their own personal habits and make the decision to seek further alcohol or substance use treatment. Our clinical research team received a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health to conduct a clinical trial of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for the reduction of illicit drug use in three federally qualified health care centers (FQHCs) in Philadelphia. We wanted to be able to provide patients with an educational resource akin to Rethinking Drinking, the excellent patient resource developed and distributed by NIAAA. However, we wanted to be able to address both habitual alcohol and drug use, and we also felt that including more interactive activities and models that were within the grasp of populations with various literacy rates was important. A community advisory board consisting of medical patients in recovery from substance use issues reviewed numerous health education strategies for alcohol and nicotine cessation, and concluded that our team might best reach our target population by developing our material in a graphic novel format.

The use of graphic novels for health education is not new. SAMHSA’sPeople Recover about a young couple who enter treatment for addiction is an excellent example. We wanted to equip the behavioral health consultants at the participating FQHCs with a resource that that would help patients begin the process of self-change. Our consultants reminded us that they typically had limited time to meet with patients in a primary care setting, so finding strategies that could help patients remember advice on why and how to make habit change was critical.

The characters model self change using time-tested, habit-breaking strategies. Throughout the narrative, as Bill and Maria exemplify effectively putting change strategies into place, the narrative halts and the reader is invited to complete interactive journaling exercises that allow them to parallel the change process the characters are engaging in.

Our team is currently piloting Keep It Moving in the context of a clinical trial; and while we do not have effectiveness data to share, the early reviews from patients are very positive. Behavioral health consultants have shared with us anecdotal stories of patients returning for second intervention sessions who have completed every exercise in the book, and who have shared content with other family members. So far, more than 70 patients have participated in this the pilot launch of the novel. Our team will monitor results from the pilot through 2014.

Keep it Moving is an example of TRI’s work in counseling tool development, an effort largely intended to encourage counselors to use evidence-based practices. If counselors have the tools necessary to deliver productive and effective interventions that are centered on evidence-based content, they will be more likely to adhere to evidence-based strategies and insist on being properly equipped to do so. Additionally, motivated patients who have been provided with the tools to jump-start self change can surprise providers by moving the change process forward on their own.

Adam C. Brooks, PhD is a Senior Research Scientist working on continuous care and adaptive treatment protocols, along with performance-based contracting strategies at Treatment Research Institute. Dr. Brooks has a PhD in clinical psychology with a specialization in marital and family therapy from St. John’s University.

REALITIES IN RECOVERY
NAADAC & New Jersey Development Committee are proud to introduce:
Dr. Carlo DiClemente & Cynthia Moreno Tuoh
to Morris Plains, NJ on December 6th, 2013!
Dr. Carlo DiClemente is conducing his training titled “Client Collaboration and Integrated Care” which discusses the reality of complicating problems, provide a client centered, process of change perspective, and offer ideas about how to create collaborative, ntegrated care.

Cynthia Moreno Tuohy is conducting her training titled “Conflict Resolution in Recovery” which is skilled-based and focused on the brain; how the brain works in conflict and strategies to affect the quality of recovery in relationships.
Join us in December and continue to serve all in recovery!
Register Here for: Realities in Recovery!
When:
December 6th
9 am—4 pm
Where:
Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital
59 Koch Ave
Morris Plains, NJ 07950

PARKING:Attendees to use parking lots across from the hospital and check-in at the Front Desk in the Main Lobby.
COST:
Member—$15.00
Non-Member—$100.00
Lunch (optional) —Free
Register Here for: Realities in Recovery!
Not a Member? Attend the Conference & Receive FREE Membership to NAADAC
Membership includes:
Over 75 CEs
Staples Office Supply Discount
Reduced Rates on:
Malpractice / Comprehensive/Professional liability insurance
NAADAC products
SAVE $100 on National Certification & Recertification of NCAC I, NACA II, MAC, and more!


CHECK OUT THE NEW JERSEY WEBSITE: NAADACNJ







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RECOVERY CONNECTIONS

Hello , My name is Joseph and I would like to tell you about my Blog . It is my vision to develop a 50 state resource site .My Blog (joseph-recoveryconnections.blogspot.com) is the vechicle in which I will use to accomplish this task.My work has been two years in developing and my pupose is to make treatment easy too find , to educate and help others develop a solid recovery support system . No I am not a refferal service , I am just a guy in recovery trying too give back too those still out there. I also can be found on facebook www.facebook.com/PArecoveryconnections .We have connected here and I would love too have you in the group ,based on your Professional skills and experience you might be able to help one of our many frequent visitors. If you have any upcoming events e-mail us at recoveryfriends@gmail.com we will spread the word.  It is folks like you that make this world a better place.Sincerely Joseph God Bless

November 16 POWER IN THE PROVERB

Those who listen to instruction will prosper;

those who trust the Lord will be joyful.

Step 12 : Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this 

message to others , and to practice these principles in all our affairs. 

(12Steps.org) 

In the middle of my addictive state ,living my life as it was I hated . Guilt, anger, regret ,selfishness , fear , and pride were the ones that ruled my life.There were many who tried to show me the way I should live to get clean and sober . Time after time , I would just run away ! My thought I know you care but I am drowning here and your describing the water ! One day it happened my spirit was awakened ,and that only happened at my bottom after a sincere step one ! The Proverb says it all and the 12 th step is a duty because of other 12 steppers and GOD , I have freedom ! .

Long-Term Heroin Use Changes Gene Activation in the Brain, Study Suggests
By Join Together Staff | November 12, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Drugs &Research


Long-term use of heroin appears to change how genes are activated in the brain, a new study suggests. This leads to changes in brain function, HealthDay reports.

The findings come from a study of the brains of deceased heroin users. Researchers examined an area of the brain called the striatum, which plays an important role in drug abuse. They discovered major changes in how DNA was being used in the brain. The more years a person had been addicted to heroin, the greater the changes in the brain.

The researchers also found changes that suggest behaviors that lead to overdose have a different basis in the brain than those leading to long-term abuse, the article notes. The findings were presented at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting on Sunday.

“Our study addresses a critical gap in our knowledge about heroin addiction because we cannot often directly study the brains of addicted humans,” said senior author Yasmin Hurd of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in New York City. “Our results provide important insights into how human brains change in response to long-term heroin use, and give us the knowledge to help treat this dangerous disease.”

November 15 v 11 POWER IN THE PROVERB 
Death and Destruction[a] lie open before the Lord—
how much more do human hearts!
STEP  3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God .
Why shouldnt you HE created us for a purpose and that was not to get plasterd and reak havoc on the world.Your story was already written from beginning to end so stop trying to  re-write it .Put the crap down and pick up a life recovery manaual (bible) . God knows my heart HE created it and yours also . My heart was full of pain fear and misery so I drank and used to make it feel better but it only made everything worse . LET GO LET GOD !

November 14 v 29 POWER IN THE PROVERB
People with understanding control their anger;
a hot temper shows great foolishness.
Step 6 :We are entirely ready to have GOD remove all these defects of character. One very important step ,when you made me mad you made me drink used too be one of my favorite lines.Looking back it was a great excuse that allowed me to remain in my addictive state. Anger was a great trigger using the Proverb can bring too light that when we get angry and lose control we act like fools and only hurt ourselves in the long run. Take anger and give it the Step 6.

Molly – What You Need to KnowBy Susan Weiss and Eric Wargo | November 12, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed inDrugs


What’s in a (drug) name? The now-popular party drug named “Molly” sounds friendly and safe, and young people know that the name is supposed to refer to the pure crystalline powder form of 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine or MDMA—what used to be taken in pill form as Ecstasy. But many are learning the hard way that, despite appearances, Molly is often not what it seems, and this version of MDMA is no more pure, safe, or innocent than its previous incarnation.

Whether called Molly or Ecstasy, MDMA produces a combination of energy and sociability that has made it popular at events like raves and concerts since it first burst on the recreational drug scene in the late 1980s. The euphoric effects of MDMA, like those of stimulants such as cocaine or amphetamines, come mainly from raising the level of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain’s reward pathways. Unlike those drugs, however, MDMA also raises serotonin, the brain chemical boosted by many antidepressants. Serotonin affects mood, sleep, memory, and appetite, and also triggers the release of oxytocin and vasopressin, hormones that promote social behavior and bonding, which are likely responsible for the empathic closeness to others that MDMA users also experience.

Like stimulants, MDMA can be hazardous for those with heart problems, because it raises heart rate and blood pressure. At high doses it can also interfere with the body’s ability to regulate temperature; this, especially in the high-energy context of a dance party, can cause the body to overheat, leading to liver, kidney, or heart failure. MDMA metabolites interfere with the body’s ability to further metabolize the drug, so unexpectedly high blood levels can accumulate in the body when users take additional doses, as they commonly do. MDMA can also seriously deplete serotonin levels in the brain, causing confusion, depression, and sleep problems after it is taken. There is some evidence that frequent users may permanently damage serotonin-containing neurons, causing lasting mood and memory impairments.

MDMA in its previous life as Ecstasy typically came in the form of a pill, and as happens with other drugs, doubts about adulterants or substitutes came to haunt it. Ecstasy tablets have been known to contain caffeine, methamphetamine, cocaine, ephedrine, and other harmful substances. MDMA’s recent reincarnation as a “pure” powder called Molly, short for “molecular,” follows a typical pattern in the marketplace: rebranding and repackaging a staid old product for a new generation, as well as giving it an aura of being “new and improved.” The word molecular suggests chemical purity. So does its powder form. But powders are readily mixed and substituted, and in the world of drugs purchased at concerts, names mean absolutely nothing.

Molly has simmered in the news the past few years because of pop stars singing its praises, but this summer Molly made the headlines when it was blamed for the deaths of two young adults who collapsed after overheating at a music festival in New York City. The New York City medical examiner later confirmed that pure MDMA was to blame for one of the deaths; the other person had taken Molly that actually consisted of a mixture of MDMA and methylone, one of a family of dangerous and unpredictable stimulant drugs called synthetic cathinones and often sold as “bath salts.”

NIDA’s Community Epidemiology Work Group reported that hundreds of Molly capsules tested in two South Florida crime labs in 2012 also contained methylone. And indeed, many people ending up in emergency rooms after taking what they think is Molly are testing positive for synthetic cathinones instead. Synthetic cathinones can be more energizing than MDMA, and have earned a reputation for inducing wild mood swings and hallucinations in users, as well as dangerous overstimulation of the heart.

Unfortunately, the new world of synthetic designer drugs is very hard to regulate. Labs are continuously churning out new molecules that evade legal restrictions and/or existing drug tests. The situation is so perilous that inexpensive drug purity testers are reportedly being sold at music festivals to help concertgoers tell whether the Molly they have purchased is actually MDMA.

Besides doing whatever we can to steer youth away from drug use altogether, it is crucial to impress on them the folly of purchasing or taking a drug that is so notoriously and frequently not what it seems that it needs to be periodically rebranded. Molly is not bright and shiny and new; it is an old drug being sold in a different form that is now even more subject to contamination and substitution. Young people should listen to their common sense, and stay well away.

Susan Weiss and Eric Wargo

National Institute on Drug Abuse

POWER IN THE PROVERB

November13 v 2 v 3  POWER IN THE PROVERB

A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth,
But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.
He who guards his mouth preserves his life,
But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.

Changes by Makers of Cold and Cough Medicines Reduced Children’s ER Visits

By Join Together Staff | November 11, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Parenting & Youth

Changes made by makers of cold and cough medicines in 2007 have resulted in a significant decrease in visits by infants and toddlers to hospital emergency rooms due to these medicines, according to a new study.

Drug makers voluntarily withdrew infant cold and cough medicines intended for children under age 2 from the market in 2007, and made changes in labeling on other products warning parents they should not be given to children under 4, The New York Times reports.

The study, conducted by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, included data from 63 hospitals. The study estimated the number of visits to emergency rooms from 2004 to 2011 by young children who had taken cold and cough medicine. Before the 2007 changes, children under 2 accounted for 4.1 percent of emergency room visits for suspected drug-related effects. After the change, they accounted for 2.4 percent of the visits.

Among children ages 2 to 3, ER visits related to cold and cough medicines dropped from 9.5 percent before the changes took effect, to 6.5 percent afterwards. There was no significant reduction in ER visits among children 4 to 11. Among children ages 4 and 5, visits related to cold and cough medicines increased from 5.6 percent to 6.5 percent.

“We’re making great progress in under-2s, and we’re making relatively good progress in 2 to 3s,” said Dr. Don Shifrin, a spokesman for the American Academy of Pediatrics. “But we’d like better news for kids over 4.”

Most infants and toddlers who end up in the ER for problems related to cold and cough medicines got hold of the medicines when a parent’s back was turned, the article notes. “Of adverse events still occurring, 90 percent in 2- to 3-year-olds were unsupervised ingestions,” said study senior author Dr. Daniel S. Budnitz.

The findings are published in Pediatrics.

POWER IN THE PROVERB

November 12 v19 POWER IN THE PROVERB

Truthful words stand the test of time,

    but lies are soon exposed.

My advice tell the truth even if it hurts !

Veterans Face Dangerous Combination of Painkillers and PTSD

By Join Together Staff | November 11, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Addiction,Mental Health, Military & Prescription Drugs


Many of the more than two million veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan suffer from both pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Often they are treated with opioid painkillers, which can be a dangerous mix with mental illness because of the risk of addiction,The Wall Street Journal reports.

Veterans with PTSD are nearly twice as likely to be prescribed opioids as those without mental health problems, according to a study by a Veterans Affairs researcher. They are more likely to get more than one opioid, and to receive the highest dose. The study found veterans with PTSD were more than twice as likely to suffer injuries, overdoses and other bad outcomes if they were given opioids.

According to VA records, about 30 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans under VA care have PTSD. More than half of them suffer chronic pain.

More than 50,000 veterans were treated by the VA last year for serious problems associated with opioid use—almost double the number compared with 10 years earlier. During that time, the total number of VA patients grew 30 percent. The newspaper found the number of opioid prescriptions written by the VA increased by 287 percent between 1999 and 2012.

Another study led by a VA doctor found the rate of accidental drug overdoses among veterans receiving VA care is almost double that of the U.S. population as a whole.

Dr. Andrew Kowal, who helped develop clinical guidelines for pain management used by the VA, said the number of troops “retiring out of the Army on narcotics chronically is just absolutely unbelievable.”
In 2010, the VA revised opioid prescribing guidelines to emphasize the risks. The VA says it will make additional revisions.

Todays Online Meetings at myRecovery November 12

                                                    Daily Quote    
"If you are waiting for anything in order to live and love without holding back, then you suffer. Every moment is the most important moment of your life. No future time is better than now to let down your guard and love. " - David Deida


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