FREEDOM & RECOVERY EVENT

UPCOMING 2012 EVENT:


Freedom & Recovery—Integrated Mental Health and Addiction Treatment for
Service Members
Hotel del Coronado
San Diego, CA
April 23-26, 2012
Conference Details | Media Kit | Brochure
Freedom & Recovery: Integrated Mental Health and Addiction Treatment for Service Members will gather the nation's foremost treatment experts to examine the unique needs of returning veterans and their families, with a focus on education and training for professionals who provide care to this special population. Conference participants will learn evidence-based practices for treating trauma and addiction, methods for integrating military families into treatment, and suicide prevention strategies.

Zanzibar Tries to Kick Heroin Habit

ADDICTION TREATMENT

3/06/12 10:11am




Zanzibar's approach is innovative in
East Africa. Photo via


Unknown to the hordes of foreign tourists who flock to its idyllic beaches, the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar has been ravaged by heroin imported from Asia. But now groups of recovering addicts there have joined togetherto help fellow addicts get clean at self-regulated "sober houses." The program was started by Suleiman Mauly, who spent four years living and using on the streets and has been clean for six years. The $100-a-month sober houses provide a cheap alternative to rehab and a safe haven from the drug-addled streets and unforgiving law enforcement. The idea that addiction is a health issue, not a criminal one, is novel in Tanzania, as is the sober house model: “It’s a new phenomenon in East Africa, whereby drug addicts take responsibility to run the system" says Mauly. "Recovering addicts are in charge, from the guard, the kitchen, running sessions, everything." Activities on offer at the houses include yoga, acupuncture and art therapy, empowering addicts to reclaim their lives, and to help themselves and others. "For someone who is doing the 12-step program, and then you give him another responsibility, he feels high self-esteem because he’s not nothing," says Mauly. "You are someone."

America's Recovery Community Is Now 23 Million Strong

America's Recovery Community Is Now 23 Million Strong


Me too! Thinkstock


A new survey suggests that the US recovery community is even bigger than previously believed. An amazing 10% of adults aged 18 and older answered yes to the question, "Did you once have a problem with drugs or alcohol, but no longer do?" That translates to some 23.5 million adults living in the US today who battled addiction at some point and came out on the other side. The study—released today by The Partnership at Drugfree.org and The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS)—could make a valuable contribution to research into America's biggest public health crisis. It reveals some interesting demographic tidbits: more recovering adults fall into the 35-44 age group than any other, while the male/female breakdown has 12% of men reporting that they're in recovery, compared to 7% of women. Meanwhile the Midwest, sometimes dubbed America's "Binge Belt," has a higher proportion of people in recovery (14%) than any other region. Amid frequent pessimism over the scale of addiction-related problems in the US, the news that so many Americans have already found recovery is highly encouraging. "This research marks a vitally important step for those who are struggling with addiction by offering clear evidence to support what many know experientially," says New York State OASAS Commissioner Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez. "Millions of Americans have found a path to recovery."

Josh Hamilton A Living Testimony

In his record-breaking performance at the All-Star Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium, last week, Josh Hamilton was a living testament that people can change their lives and can overcome addiction to alcohol and drugs.


by ChooseHelpEmail Google+ Twitter Facebook


A few years ago, Hamilton hit rock bottom when he was suspended from baseball for three years after it had emerged that he was addicted to alcohol and drugs - primarily crack cocaine.

Josh didn't give up but managed to turn his life around through his love of baseball. It took him eight rehab stints to finally kick his addiction. Although he may not have won the Home Run Derby crown last week, his victory over addiction makes him a winner on a much grander scale.

In a statement on ESPN Josh remembers that it was a humbling experience to be addicted. "Getting the addiction under control was even more humbling - and the reason, I got better," he says "is that he surrendered. Instead of asking to be bailed out, instead of making deals with God by saying, If you get me out of this mess, I'll stop doing what I'm doing, I asked for help."

Read more: Josh Hamilton A Living Testimony

12 STEPPING TO RECOVERY DAILY THOUGHT!! 3-6-12

STEP 1
     When I walk past a cemetery I gaze upon the motionless stones and look upon the names and wonder how many never reached step one.  How many of those folks that lay in the cold earth died, never reaching there full potential.  So many of us never find the courage to truly admit powerlessness!  Even our final moments can be filled with resentment unforgiveness jealously and whatever wall we have built around ourselves a wall that we never seem to be able to get over.  When your time comes will you be able to go in peace or will you leave here with unfinished business and way below your GOD given potential.  Life happens in a flash, don't waste another moment.  Surrender and  realize you were made for so much more.  Tear down the wall of self and rebuild a brand new you and then when your time comes you will truly rest in peace.

PRO - ACT Recovery Walks ! 2012

SAVE THE DATE Saturday, September 22, 2012 www.recoverywalks.org

PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! 2012         The date is now set for PRO-ACT's Recovery Walks! 2012, a major Hub for Faces & Voices Rally for Recovery 2012.         Start organizing your team and give it your own catchy name! Design your team t-shirts! Try to beat Fresh Start's record 263 members from last year! Register for the Honor Guard and let's have more than the 377 in last year's Honor Guard! Sign up now to volunteer for a committee (scroll down)! Or roll up your sleeves and join the 400 volunteers we need on that day! And, if you can sing, tune up your pipes because Recovery Idol will be bigger and better than last year's. The Recovery Idolauditions will begin in early summer and will be an important part of the post-Walk stage program. (If you would like an entry form for Recovery Idol, please send an e-mail to Marita)             We're planning to make Recovery Walks! 2012 the Pennsylvania area's largest National Recovery Month event with a lot of support from New Jersey and other nearby areas. SAMHSA's National Recovery Month is a nationwide movement that celebrates individuals who have sustained long-term recovery and honors people and organizations who make recovery possible. An added benefit of the celebration is that it provides hope to individuals and families who have been affected by the disease of addiction and to those who have just begun their journey of recovery. Support the Walk and show the nation that recovery is not only possible, but a reality!         Once more, we will gather on Philadelphia's beautiful waterfront at Penn's Landing, where everyone will have an excellent view of the stage program and entertainment and there's plenty of room to socialize with friends and visit sponsor booths. During the festivities, teams and walkers from all across the region and nearby states will be walking through the most historic area of downtown Philadelphia. REGISTER ONLINE HERE          Please put Saturday, September 22, on your calendar.  Plan to help Recovery Walks! 2012 exceed the 15,000 people who last year made history by being the largest Walk ever assembled in support of Recovery!                        Become a Sponsor! Show Your Support! You Have Several Choices of Sponsorship Levels and Benefits   Please send an e-mail to Marita at moconnell@councilsepa.org or call her at 215-345-6644, ext. 3160 Walk Committees Need Volunteers          We have already begun planning and forming the committees and we need your help. Nearly all of the committees need members and those listed below need Chairpersons with leadership abilities. The committee chairpersons will attend the monthly planning meetings downtown. If you can spare a little time to help one of the Walk committees, or to Chair one of the committees below, please call Cheryl Poccia at 215-923-1661, or send an e-mail to Cheryl at this address. Cheryl also is creating a list of people willing to help only on the day of the Walk, September 22. Information/Greeters: Greet and direct people as they arrive; distribute programs or handouts; and provide staffing of information tent.  Sign Language and Spanish Interpreters: Contact and coordinate Interpreters for the day of the Walk (may help with translation of documents if they have that ability).  Truck Transportation:  Coordinate with other committees for delivery and removal of supplies to site on day of event.    Walk Route Logistics:  Work with police and ambulance services for crowd control and security of Walk route; ensure that all signage at event as well as Walk route is placed or hung appropriately for day of event; make contact with businesses along Walk route to inform them of Walk. This Is YOUR Walk! We need YOUR help to make it a success!  Call Cheryl Poccia 215-223-7700, or send an e-mail to this address.

www.councilsepa.org