MAY 23 v 29 v 30 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

Who has anguish? Who has sorrow?

Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining?

Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns,

trying out new drinks.

STEP 1 - We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.

Do I need to add to the Proverb certainly not .The Bible clearly tells us that alcohol does wreck lives . Alcohol does not control you and yes you can stop drinking but it will be the toughest fight of your life and Detoxification from Alcohol will require medical assistance . There are millions who have overcome Alcohol and so will you . Never quit trying to quit !

Matthew 16 : 24 : 27 - Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

By Joseph Dickerson

Cassy Pink ‘s Creation
“I’m gonna die if I don’t start to live again.” Once rang like lightning through my heart. I came to recognize, the life I was living, was not the one I would have chosen for myself. Bon Jovi Lyrics tapped on my senses a second time with, “It’s my life, it’s now or never.”

My life, what did I want it to be? I looked to people who seem to be living the life I desired. What did I desire? I didn’t know but I did know the basics and that was a life where I was free to be myself and one where I could stand tall with how I lived and the decisions I made. I later realized the rest would unfold as I found strength and friendship in myself. Friendship may sound like a funny term to use when referring to oneself. Grace me, with a moment to clarify. When you have a true friendship/love for someone, you show them understanding and embrace all of what makes them who they are. How often do we grant ourselves this kindness and consideration? Truly no one is harder on us, than ourselves. Learning to accept ourselves as we actually are and not as we would like to believe we are is rough on the ego.
The more I pondered the more I realized the profoundness of recognizing the break between, who I would like to believe I am and the actions I actually take. I believe I am a person with a high moral code, but my actions have not always support my beliefs. It is most difficult to recover from letting yourself down let alone others. I actualized that there would continuously be a difference between who I would like to be and who I will be. My goal became to narrow the variation.
All emotions exist because we experience them. Think about that for a moment. It is because we are built to experience all ranges of emotion that we are incapable of pure innate altruism. Motive and experience will always play a role in our actions, conscience or not. For me out of this acknowledgement I began writing under Cassy Pink. I myself am faulted because I am human. Cassy Pink is the ultimate person I strive to become.
The concept of Cassy Pink is not simply about nobility but all of whom I desire to be the dancer, the artist as well as the fisher the philosopher, the nurturer and so on. Above all I seek peace in my heart, my mind and the actions I will take tomorrow. Cassy Pink is my Idyllic self. Who is yours?
Hearts, minds and muscles will forever take their share of bangs and bruises that is inevitable. The question is what will you take from your pushes and trips? Will you learn that they are needed steps on a ladder and grow from them or will you continue to keep restarting at the bottom of the ladder? It’s easier to keep our chins up and keep climbing the ladder when there is an abundance of support and positive guidance both when we struggle and when we are doing just fine. Religions and support groups have impact on the souls that seek them out because of their regular influence and consistency in what, as well as, the positivity they have to offer.
I believe that through simply making the choice to make noble choices; we can learn how to walk with our heads held high. Life is a wheel of fortune and circumstances always play their role and there are always unknown factors. The key is to make choices that you know you can live with. When circumstances fade your clarity, ask yourself, what is best choice for the greater good? It is easy to hold your head high when your conscience is free.
Walk Tall my friends! Cheryl

MAY 23 v 29 v 30 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

Who has anguish? Who has sorrow?

Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining?

Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

 It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns,

trying out new drinks.

STEP 1 - We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.

Do I need to add to the Proverb certainly not .The Bible clearly tells us that alcohol does wreck lives . Alcohol does not control you and yes you can stop drinking but it will be the toughest fight of your life and Detoxification from Alcohol will require medical assistance . There are millions who have overcome Alcohol and so will you . Never quit trying to quit !

Matthew 16 : 24 : 27 - Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

BY : Joseph Dickerson

Xanax Misuse Sent 123,000 People to Emergency Room in 2011: Report

/BY JOIN TOGETHER STAFF

May 22nd, 2014/

More than 123,000 people ended up in hospital emergency rooms in 2011 after misusing the sedative alprazolam, sold under brand names including Xanax. The findings come from a new government report.

The number of ER visits associated with Xanax in 2011 was slightly less than the previous year, but more than double the number in 2005, USA Today reports. The drug is also sold as Xanax XR and Niravam. Alprazolam was the most commonly prescribed psychiatric drug in 2011, the article notes. It is prescribed to treat anxiety, insomnia and depression.

In total, more than 1.2 million people went to the emergency room for prescription drug abuse in 2011, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Misuse of alprazolam can lead to physical dependence, causing withdrawal symptoms such as tremors and seizures, according to a SAMHSA news release. The effects of alprazolam can be dangerously enhanced if it is combined with alcohol or other drugs that depress the central nervous system, such as narcotic pain relievers.

The report found in 81 percent of cases, patients used alprazolam together with other prescription drugs or alcohol. Almost two-thirds used the drug with another prescription drug. More than one-third used the drug with a prescription painkiller such as oxycodone.

“When used as directed, alprazolam is safe and effective, but misuse can result in serious health consequences,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. “This report highlights the need to educate people about the dangers of misusing or sharing prescription medications and the importance of properly disposing of unused medication.”

California Counties Sue Five Drug Manufacturers Over Prescription Drug Abuse

/BY JOIN TOGETHER STAFF

May 22nd, 2014/

Two California counties have sued five drug manufacturers, accusing them of causing the country’s prescription drug abuse epidemic. The suit alleges the companies waged a “campaign of deception” in order to increase painkiller sales.

The Los Angeles Times reports Orange and Santa Clara counties filed the suit Wednesday. Both counties have seen an increase in overdose deaths, emergency room visits and increased medical costs linked to prescription drug abuse. According to the suit, the drug companies violated California laws against false advertising, unfair business practices and creating a public nuisance.

The lawsuit alleges the companies profited by making doctors believe the benefits of narcotic painkillers outweighed the risks, despite “a wealth of scientific evidence to the contrary.” The lawsuit contends the companies’ efforts “opened the floodgates” for these drugs and “the result has been catastrophic.”

According to the suit, the companies ran a marketing campaign to encourage patients, including the elderly and well-insured veterans, to ask their doctors for painkillers for conditions ranging from headaches to back pain and arthritis. The suit says the widespread prescribing of narcotic painkillers has created “a population of addicts,” and led to a resurgence of heroin use.

Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said the goal of the suit is “to stop the lies about what these drugs do.” It seeks compensation for damages allegedly caused by the painkillers. It also seeks a court order to force the drug manufacturers to forfeit revenue based on the marketing campaign.

The companies named in the suit are Actavis, Endo Health Solutions Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Purdue Pharma, and Cephalon Inc.

“We’re committed to responsible promotion, prescribing and use of all our medications,” said Robyn Reed Frenze, a spokeswoman for Janssen Pharmaceuticals. She said her company was reviewing the case. Representatives for the other companies either declined to comment or were not immediately available.

Colorado Steps Up Education and Enforcement of Drugged Driving

/BY JOIN TOGETHER STAFF

May 22nd, 2014/

Now that recreational marijuana is legal in Colorado, the state has increased education about the dangers of drugged driving and stepped up enforcement, according to NPR. The problem, experts say, is that there is no widespread agreement about how much marijuana impairs a person’s ability to drive.

Colorado’s new state limit for marijuana use while driving is 5 nanograms per milliliter of blood of THC, the drug’s psychoactive chemical.

John Lacey, a traffic safety expert, says marijuana doesn’t metabolize predictably like alcohol. “It makes setting an absolute level where everyone is impaired, like we have for alcohol, much more difficult for marijuana and for other drugs,” he told NPR. “They just behave differently than alcohol does.”

He noted drivers who use marijuana tend to drive more slowly, have trouble staying in their lane, and don’t respond as quickly as drivers who don’t use the drug. He advises people to stay off the road after they’ve used marijuana.

Colorado has added dozens of drug recognition experts to its ranks of law enforcement. While the state has started to keep track of marijuana DUI citations, most local police departments do not.

A study published earlier this year concluded that fatal car crashes that involved marijuana tripled in the past decade. One in nine drivers involved in a fatal crash tests positive for marijuana, according to the Columbia University researchers.