Teen Filmmaker: My View of Teen Medicine Abuse

By Cyrus Stowe | October 11, 2013 | 2 Comments | Filed inPrescription Drugs & YouthWith his new documentary, “Out of Reach,” filmmaker Cyrus Stowe, a senior at a Dallas high school, set out to uncover the growing problem of friends sharing and abusing prescription medications in his hometown.If you’re selected to create a film, debut it at a New York City film festival, cast it with friends from your own life and do it within the span of about a month, it’s a pretty daunting undertaking.The subject of my film, “Out of Reach,” was teen abuse of prescription medicine, and drawing on my own, very personal connection to the issue, it took me on a life-changing adventure. Co-produced with a great mentor, Tucker Capps of A&E’s “Intervention,” itpremiered last week in New York City at the Genart Film Festival.From my first treatment to the final cut, I wanted to raise awareness about just how many teens are abusing medicine. However, it wasn’t until I started talking to my friends and making this film that I understood the true scope of the problem, which is pretty scary.I go to school and am friends with kids who have been abusing medicine for years, but I didn’t have the slightest clue they were using. These are good, smart kids, and if I had no idea, I imagine that many of their families don’t either. My friends, those in front of and behind the camera, are a big reason why this film was possible, and I’m so thankful they could be a part of it.One story that I wish we were able to bring to light focused on a friend who is legitimately prescribed ADHD medications. She told us that these stimulants are bought and sold at school, especially among kids who want to pop a pill before a test. Unfortunately, her family pulled her story at the last minute.Still, I’m lucky, because friends and social status are both a pretty big part of high school. In fact, when I’d first learned that I was selected, I was cautious. “What will my social standing be before, during and especially after the film?” And, “do I worry more about what happens to my social life, or do I help people?”I chose the latter, and even a few of my friends who’ve seen the film have given me positive feedback. But this film is for parents, and what I’ve found from these early screenings is that moms and dads are far more surprised at this behavior than their kids. For us, unfortunately, it’s what we already know, and it’s what we already expect.This film isn’t a blueprint of how teens can abuse medicine, but a mirror to what is happening in cities all across America. Pull back on your internet map and you will likely find the same stories in cities and towns everywhere. You can change the names and the reasons why they use, whether it’s boredom or peer pressure or the desire to achieve or overachieve, but it’s there.After watching the film, you’ll find that many stories are still unresolved and many of my friends and classmates are still using. But I hope that it will make the people more aware and realize that this is a real issue.I’m grateful that my film can open eyes and prompt action, and that can start with talking with your kids about medicine abuse, and safeguarding your medicine. It’s as simple as going into your bathroom, opening up your medicine cabinet and understanding the orange bottles in front of you are easy targets for abuse. Keep them safe and out of reach.View the trailer, and email communications@drugfree.org for more information about how you can help #EndMedicineAbuse by sharing the full film and an accompanying “Out of Reach” toolkit with your friends, schools, communities, families and more. 

Ask4Recovery – 9/26/13 – What does it mean to be the best version of myself?

Ask4Recovery – 9/26/13 – What does it mean to be the best version of myself?

by Ask4RecoveryHello friends! Today’s ‘Ask’…What does it mean to be the best version of myself?I lived for many years distant from this version of myself. I cared more about appeasing others and constantly compromised my values and sense of being. I didn’t allow for the best version of myself to thrive. To come to fruition. I was scared. Not aware of my potential or true purpose for being here. My addictions kept up that brick wall and didn’t allow for me to feel the beauty of life.Now, I have learned to accept. To accept myself on entirely new levels and capacities. With this, I can live the life I was put here to live. I can embrace compassion, love, patience, serenity, forgiveness. I can remain humble and at one. At one with the world around me. I spent many years ‘separate’ from and unable to find my place in the world. That is no longer the case. One day at a time.Sending love,LaurenAsk4Recovery | September 26, 2013 at 2:18 pm | Tags:addiction, compassion, hope,love, recovery, strength | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/p3wKKk-bZComment   See all commen

NAADC PRESENTS

Presents

Honoring the Past and Looking into the Future

 

OCTOBER 17th & 18th, 2013

Earn up to 14 CEs!

 

Featured Speakers:

Tracy J. Plouck, Director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services

&

Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, NAADAC Executive Director

Holiday Inn Westlake

1100 Crocker Road

Westlake, Ohio 44145

Hotel Reservations: 1-877-410-6667

Direct: 440-871-6000

 

2 Day Training Tracks Including:

~ Clinical Supervision ~

~ Co-Occurring Disorders~

~Romancing the Brain ~

~Medical Marijuana Myths & Facts~

~Ethics~

 

Hall of Fame

Celebration for Founders of the Addictions Profession

October 17, 2013

Welcoming the Recovery Workforce

Students, Interns & New Professionals

 

Registration Details

By Phone:

1-800-548-0497

By Fax:

703-741-7698

Online

Homemade Flesh-Rotting Drug “Krokodil” Appears in Arizona

Homemade Flesh-Rotting Drug “Krokodil” Appears in Arizona

By Join Together Staff | September 27, 2013 | 2 Comments | Filed in DrugsArizona health officials report two cases of people using a caustic, homemade heroin-like drug called “krokodil” that can rot flesh and bone, according toUSA Today. The drug became popular in Russia about 10 years ago as a cheap replacement for heroin. It costs about three times less than heroin, and produces a similar, but much shorter, high.Krokodil is made from over-the-counter codeine-based headache pills, mixed with gasoline, paint thinner, alcohol or iodine. When a person injects the drug, it destroys tissue, and turns the skin scaly and green, giving it a crocodile-like appearance. The drug can also cause blood poisoning, festering sores and abscesses.Frank LoVecchio, the Co-Medical Director at the Banner Good Samaritan Poison & Drug Information Center, said Arizona health officials reported seeing two cases in the past week. “As far as I know, these are the first cases in the United States that are reported,” he said. “So we’re extremely frightened.”The article notes the average life expectancy among krokodil users in Russia is two to three years. Users have compromised immune systems, and are susceptible to HIV, hepatitis C and other blood-borne diseases.

RECOVERY WALKS! 2013 DRAWS CROWD OF 20,000

RECOVERY WALKS! 2013 DRAWS CROWD OF 20,000Believed to be the largest gathering ever in support of recovery from addiction PHILADELPHIA, Pa.— Sept. 26, 2013 — Once again, PRO-ACT’s annual Recovery Walks! event broke all attendance records. Estimated at more than 20,000 strong, the crowd at Penn’s Landing on Sept. 21 was the largest ever assembled to celebrate and support recovery from addiction to drugs or alcohol. “Each year, more and more people come out to put a face on recovery,” said Beverly Haberle, executive director of The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, whichhosts PRO-ACT. “They show that recovery is possible—and that people in recovery surround us in all walks of life. This event also gets tremendous support, not just from people in recovery, but from family, friends and other allies of the recovery community.” The crowd included 159 honor guards who wore purple sashes, each representing adecade or more of successful recovery. Collectively the honor guard had 2,648 years of recovery. They led the crowd from Penn’s Landing through Old City and back. It was a colorful scene. A rainbow of teams in matching T-shirts walked to celebrate their own recovery, to encourage others and to remember those lost to the disease of addiction. The 12 Step Fighters Team earned the prize for collecting the most donations, with a total of $2,445. Team Captain Christina Reice, of Barto, Pa., will throw out the first pitch at next year’s annual Recovery Works Philadelphia Phillies game. The NJ Buses Team, led by Rob Lightfoot of the New Jersey Prevention Network inLakewood, N.J., was the largest team, with 468 participants. Steve Highsmith, host of NBC10@Issue and news anchor at PHL17 was the master of ceremonies for the stage program following the walk. Speakers included Benjamin B. Tucker, deputy director of State, Local and Tribal Affairs for the Office of National Drug Control Policy; Arthur C. Evans, Ph.D., director of the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS); and Debra M. Browning, training coordinator, and Cheryl Dondero, deputy secretary, of the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. Theprogram also recognized legislators and others whose work has directly or indirectly supported the recovery community through support for Medicaid expansion, restoration of General Assistance and prevention of predatory Pay Day Lending legislation. Among the highlights of the stage program were performances by Mark Dixon and Ronald Davis, the finalists in the Recovery Idol competition organized by DBHIDS. The performers were backed by the DL & the Zone Band, featuring Doug Lyons, Ray Williams, Brett Jolly and Shirley Light. At the end of the program, DerrickFord, host of Recovery Talk 101 on WURD 900 AM and DBHIDS community liaison, presented the Recovery Idol trophy to Mark Dixon for his performance of Luther Vandross’s “Super Star”. Dixon, 47, of Philadelphia, has eight months in recovery. As Recovery Idol winner, he will also receive studio time to record. Recovery Walks! is one of several events that The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania and PRO-ACT held as part of Recovery Month, a national initiative sponsored by SAMHSA, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The event is a fundraiser to support PRO-ACT’s prevention, advocacy and recovery support services. For more information, call215-345-6644, visitwww.recoverywalks.orgor follow on Twitter @recoverywalks. 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, visitwww.councilsepa.org. About PRO-ACTPRO-ACT is the regional nonprofit organization working to mobilize and rally individuals in recovery from addiction, as well as their families, friends and allies in a campaign to end discrimination, broaden social understanding and achieve a just response to addiction as a public health crisis. About Recovery MonthThe observance of Recovery Month, which takes place each September, raises awareness of mental and/or substance use disorders, celebrates individuals in long-term recovery and acknowledges the work of prevention, treatment and recovery service providers. Each September and throughout the year, Recovery Month encourages communities nationwide to spread the message that prevention works, treatment is effective, and people can recover from mental and/or substance use disorders.  # # # NOTE TO EDITORS: Additional photographs available on request. CAPTION FOR IMAGE Recovery Walks 2013 crowd.jpgRecovery Walks! 2013 drew a crowd of more than 20,000 individuals in recovery, family members, friends and allies of the recovery community. The event, which took place at Penn’s Landing on Sept. 21, is believed to be the largest gathering ever assembled in support of recovery from addiction to drugs or alcohol.Credit: Marita O’Connell/The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc./PRO-ACT CAPTION FOR IMAGE Legislative Award Winners.jpgAt Recovery Walks! 2013, PRO-ACT recognized several legislators for their support of Medicaid expansion. Pictured here, left to right, are Pa. Rep. Gene DiGirolama, Dist. 18; AllenMcQuarrie, PRO-ACT; Pa. Sen. Shirley M. Kitchen, Dist. 3; Pa. Sen. Vincent J. Hughes, Dist. 7; and Skip Carroll, PRO-ACT.Credit: Mike Browna/Philadelphia Photo League CAPTION FOR IMAGE Award Winners.jpgAt Recovery Walks! 2013, PRO-ACT presented advocacy awards to Nancy Morrill, chair, Bucks County Women’s Advocacy Coalition; Antoinette Kraus, director, Pennsylvania Health Advocacy Network; Michael Froelich, managing attorney, Community Legal Services; Robin Stelly, community organizer, Keystone Progress, Bucks County Women’s Advocacy Coalition; and Kerry Smith, staff attorney, Community Legal Services. At far right is Allen McQuarrie, PRO-ACT. Not pictured are Athena Ford, director of the Pennsylvania Health Access Network; and Tam St. Claire, chair, Health Care Subcommittee, Bucks County Women’s Advocacy Coalition.Credit: Mike Browna/Philadelphia Photo League 

Challenged by a loved one's dependency?

Challenged by a loved one's dependency? WE HAVE WAYS FOR YOU TO MOVE FORWARD October programs for family members bring you understanding, learning with others and reassurance that life can get better!   When someone with an addiction gets help - or doesn't - a family needs to recover, too.  Livengrin's family services offer you ways to come to terms with the situation, help yourself and the family to change, and experience the many gifts of Recovery.  You deserve it. FREE SEMINAR: BREAKNG DOWN THE STEPSTuesday, October 8    6-8PM The well-known Twelve Steps are often not understood by those outside of recovery.  Yet they're an essential tool for families to support a loved one and themselves.  You do not need to have a family member in Livengrin to attend.  Fact sheet:Free Family Seminar on 12 Steps WEEKEND RETREAT: FAMILIES STAYING STRONGSaturday & Sunday, October 19-20Hear from experts and keynote speakers.  Learn about community support groups in your own backyard.  Relate to other families through their stories and experience (and yours).  Treat yourself to some serenity.  For complete details on activities,rates, accomodations and more, view & print this info page:  Livengrin Family Retreat Facts To learn more about Livengrin's extensive Family Services and program offerings, contact therapist Dana Cohen at:dcohen@livengrin.org -- or call 215-638-5200, ext. 162 We look forward to being of service to you.   There's more on other upcoming Livengrin events at our calendar page. Learn More at:Livengrin Website Support the Foundation  During its 47 years of service, more than 125,000 people have come to Livengrin to learn how to be healthy, sober and a part of their families, work and communities again.  You can play a role in a person's success story - make a contribution, volunteer, and tell someone about the help and hope to be found at Livengrin.  There's information, guidance and much more to learn throughout our website.