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Monday, April 27, 2015
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“That’s been one of my mantras--focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” –Steve Jobs
“Positive thinking is more than just a tagline. It changes the way we behave. And I firmly believe that when I am positive it not only makes me better, but is also makes those around me better.” -Harvey Mackay
“Belief that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.” -William James
“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
-Maya Angelou
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Statement #5, “I am what I think.”
I am a capable, competent, caring, compassionate woman.
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+ Karen’s Perspective +
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Statement #5, the center of the WFS New Life Acceptance Program continues to assist so many women with one simple strategy, manage our thoughts. It is quite simple in concept but much more difficult to maintain. I recall the first time I became aware of my thinking; I felt extremely agitated and mad since I had no idea how to shut off the many thoughts that seemed to bombard my mind. I felt like I had walked into another world. In fact, I did. A beautiful New Life.
Sobriety and Statement #5 in action provide a pathway for growth and healing to take place. Being able to manage thoughts that relate to drinking or cravings, I am free to manage any thought or any repetitive sentence and alter my self-talk.
In the past, it was easy for me to dump on me. I did this while alone and with others. “Gosh, that was sooo stupid!!” or “I’ll never believe I can do this/that,” are now reworded with encouragement and some 4C affection. “I’ll learn from this moment” sounds and feels much better as well as “Of course I can, and if I cannot, I will try again!”
Unlike Steve Jobs, I don’t wish to move mountains. I don’t need to leave a dent in the Universe as he had mentioned. No Apple, no iPhone discoveries, nothing but simple simplicity. I do, however, wish to continue to lead a life of relationships, connections, growth and love.
It all starts with a thought. Hugzzz, Karen
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+ Dee’s Insights +
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Hi 4C Women, I remember in the beginning how difficult it was to think positive about my life or myself. Believe me, if you wanted to know what I thought about myself, I had plenty of negative adjectives to last a lifetime, or at least a day, if you had the time or energy to listen to it. As Dr. Phil says, “How much fun are you to be around?”
I must admit that it took a while to say “I am a competent woman” at the beginning of each meeting and really mean it. The more I practiced the statements and truly changed my thinking, the easier it became and one day I realized, I believed it! I also began to notice that how I thought about myself dictated how I behaved to the world. I don’t know why anyone would have wanted to stick around negative Dee because I didn’t even like me. The more I started putting positive adjectives into my definition of me, I felt good about myself. I finally believed I was a 4C woman and I could feel happiness building inside - authentic happiness. It takes a lot of concentrated effort to change thought patterns and sometimes that inner critic pays a visit and you have to knock him/her off your shoulder.
A while back, we did work on the inner critic in our group. Thanks to a workshop Nina and I did a few years ago at the WFS conference, I had a lot of material to work with. Several of us named our inner critic and so when old messages, old behavior and negative thoughts about ourselves that no longer was our truth started creeping in, we decided we would shout the name and tell them to be quiet (or perhaps a bit stronger message).
The past is gone forever and, as long as we are open and willing to change our thoughts, our definition of who we are NOW is what counts. That is positive self-talk. How would you define yourself today? This week, catch yourself when you start thinking negatively about yourself and especially if you say it to someone else. Is it your truth or someone else’s old definition of who you were or who you thought you were? Awareness is the key to change. –Dee
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Thank you, Karen and Dee, for your words of encouragement and inspiration to change those negative thoughts into positive self-talk! ~Becky Fenner, WFS Director
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| Email: newlife@nni.com * Tel: 215-536-8026 * Fax: 215-538-9026 | ||||
| http://www.womenforsobriety. | ||||
Thursday, April 23, 2015
OxyContin Overdoses Dropped 19% After Introduction of Abuse-Deterrent Version
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April 21st, 2015/
The rate of OxyContin overdoses dropped 19 percent in the two years after the company that makes the drug introduced an abuse-deterrent formulation in 2010, a new study finds. Prescriptions of the drug decreased 19 percent after the new version was released.
During the same period, the rate of heroin overdoses increased 23 percent, HealthDayreports. The findings are published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
“This is the first time in the last two decades that narcotic prescribing had dropped, rather than continued to increase,” said lead researcher Dr. Marc Larochelle of Boston University School of Medicine. “Some were skeptical that simply decreasing supply would lead to a decrease in overdoses, but we did find that,” he added.
“Reducing supply may have led some people who are abusing these drugs to substitute an illicit narcotic like heroin, and it may partially explain why we have seen an explosion in heroin use across the country,” Larochelle said.
The drop in OxyContin prescriptions could be due to fewer people abusing the drug or selling it on the street, he noted.
The original version of OxyContin contained highly concentrated levels of the opioid oxycodone, which was designed so small amounts of the drug were released over a long period. A person who wanted to abuse the drug could crush and then snort it, or dissolve it in liquid and inject it.
The Food and Drug Administration approved an abuse-deterrent version of OxyContin, which is more difficult to crush. It turns into a gooey gel if it is crushed, making it almost impossible to snort or inject.
A study published last month found up to one-fourth of people entering drug rehabilitation programs say they have abused the abuse-deterrent version of OxyContin.
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Please join us “In The Rooms” on Thursday April 23 , 2015, at 7 PM Eastern Standard Time
Thursdays Guest Expert: Sara Sencer McArdle, criminal attorney
Topic: How to handle DYFS and drug charges.
After graduating from law school in 1979, Sara Sencer McArdle worked for the Essex County prosecutor’s office. She worked there for more than 20 years, 10 as head of the child abuse division. In 2002, Sara Sencer McArdle moved into private practice. On June 1, 2005, she established her own family law and criminal defense practice.
She has been continuously certified as a criminal trial attorney by the New Jersey Supreme Court since 1983 and provides a full line of family and criminal law services in matters such as child support, child custody, modification of existing court orders, felony defense and representation in Superior Court.
Attorney Sara Sencer McArdle graduated from law school in 1979. Ms. McArdle worked as an Assistant Prosecutor for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office for 22 years. While there, she spent a decade working as the head of the child abuse division. In 2002, after over twenty-two years of dedicated service, she moved into private practice and opened her own firm in 2005. Sara is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Criminal Trial Attorney. Sara McArdle has handled over one hundred jury trials and fifty bench trials in her career. That experience enables Sara to help her clients to feel at ease with the challenges of the courtroom, if you must go to trial.
Sara’s family law practice includes cases involving divorce, child custody, child support and domestic violence. Her criminal practice includes dwi/dui, traffic violations, municipal court issues, and juvenile crime issues. She also handles real estate transactions and wills.
Sara McArdle’s priority is with her clients. Sara works closely with each client to allow you to make a well informed decision and have realistic expectations of the potential outcomes of your legal issues.
At the Law Firm of Sara Sencer McArdle, we represent clients in municipal and criminal courts throughout the state of New Jersey.
In The Rooms Meeting Thursday 7pm ET. Meetings cannot be accessed via phone or tablet. Must use Firefox or Google Chrome as your browser. Please join us!
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