Best of the Week: April 25–May 1 COMING UP IN THE FIX// Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck * Street Drugs and Suicide * Interview with Comedian Craig Gass * Not Mary Poppins: The Addict as Parent * Eric Clapton Profile * Adult Children of Alcoholics * Are Drug Therapies for Addiction Dangerous? * Brian Stogstill: from Incarceration to Higher Education *PLUS: Other incisive articles WAR ON LAW// Rotten to the Core: The DEA Under Michele Leonhart Michele Leonhart, the disgraced former head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, didn't fall from grace—she jumped. By Neville Elder PROBLEM ENLARGEMENT// Should Pregnant Women Who Use Drugs Be Punished? A growing list of states have criminalized pregnant women who use drugs if they don't seek treatment. These laws are doing more harm than good. By Tessie Castillo POLITICS// The Drug Policies of 2016's Presidential Candidates Three Republicans, one Democrat and what to look forward to in drug policy debates. By Keri Blakinger EATING DISORDERS// Love Notes from Hell: Roy Nelson on Addiction, Eating Disorders, and Freedom from Obsession "We're in competition with no one," he says. He is known as people's "last resort." By Amy Dresner ASK AN EXPERT// Should I Go Off Suboxone? If So, How? For our relaunch of "Ask an Expert," The Fix asks some of the best minds in addiction medicine one of its most difficult questions. By Dr. Richard Juman   BEST OF THE QUICK FIX Ecuador May Decriminalize All Illegal Drug Use Cocaine Traces Found In Hospital Wing Near Where Kate Middleton Is Set To Give Birth Oregon Brewers to Make Beer Out of Sewer Water Congressional Hearing Examines Opioid Abuse Epidemic Wal-Mart Is Suing Texas to Sell Liquor in Stores Bud Light Apologizes For Label That ‘Missed the Mark’ COMMENT OF THE WEEK Help Unwanted This week, Dr. Richard Juman relauched The Fix's Ask an Expert section to answer this question: Should you get off Suboxone? If so, how? Readers appreciated the experts weighing in on such a difficult question: This is a really interesting and challenging article. I think it shows just how confused addiction medicine is. I would tend to trust Dr Willenbring's advice - what he is saying makes a good point from the pharmacology point of view. However, I think that the studies that show a 90% relapse rate require further analysis. Dr Junig and Dr Paul make very good points around perception of OST - this is an area of my current research. Also, Dr Junig has a huge amount of experience in this area. I do think that the influence of the belief that abstinence is king is seen in these comments and I am concerned about the suggestions around naltrexone for a number of reasons. I also think that dependence and "addiction" are being conflated in some of these arguments. Personally I think that people can fully recover from heroin use disorders, and many do so without substitution. Many do down- titrate once finding stability on OST, but I think that there needs to be a resolution of other life issues first before it is worth risking. And what is "infusion detox" is it just another term for the snake-oil "cure" called rapid detox? If so, run a mile. -Shaun Shelly MORE »

Women for Sobriety, Inc. Reflections Hello WFS Friends! I thought you would like to read one of the day passages from the WFS booklet, "Reflections for Growth" that WFS's Founder, Jean Kirkpatrick, wrote.  All women using our program in their recovery are encouraged and welcomed to submit their comments on this reflection for possible publication in the June 2015 issue of Sobering Thoughts newsletter...please send them to contact@womenforsobriety.org by May 11th.  Thanks! INVOLVEMENT: There are endings and there are beginnings.  Each of these is at one or the other end of an involvement, whether it be with a person or an event. Perhaps involvements are difficult because they have a beginning and an end - no matter what. Today I will practice not being upset by either the beginning or the ending of any involvement. (This was an excerpt from "Reflections for Growth" booklet and may be purchased through the WFS Catalog at http://www.wfscatalog.org/Reflections-For-Growth-Bundle-BT174.htm - there are 12 booklets - one for each month of the year.  Copyright WFS Inc.) Warm regards, Becky Fenner, WFS Director Email:  contact@womenforsobriety.org   *   Tel: 215-536-8026   *   Fax:  215-538-9026

http://www.womenforsobriety.org   *   http://www.wfscatalog.org

HOPE FEST  NEW JERSEY Memorial Day Weekend May 22-24, 2015 Thank You To The RIR Main Sponsors  Revive Detox Center - You can reach Beth Iris Lugo-Hernandez or Marisa at:772-203-8550 or click kere > http://goo.gl/9uEpt6    The Shores Treatment and Recovery - Get To Know Lyle Fried Click Link >http://goo.gl/gR6qbB or by calling 772-332-8711    All About Recovery Inc. - Get To Know Stephanie Baughman Humphries Click Link > http://goo.gl/vCTCPN or by calling 561-502-7874    Just Believe Radio - Get to know Brenda Swift click link http://goo.gl/6Rc1pB  Just Believe Recovery Center - Get to know Frank Marino click link http://goo.gl/NuYq9o or by calling 561-729-4318 The weekend event will take place at the The Hope All Day Recover Foundation located at 600 S. Odessa Avenue, Galloway Township, NJ 08205. Learn More @ http://goo.gl/x6oaEg A U.S. military veteran commits suicide every 65 minutes  Dear Colleagues: Rockers in Recovery & SAMHSA has partnered with the Department of Veterans Affairs so that their National Suicide Prevention Lifeline could act as the single point of entry to help meet the special needs of veterans and service members in crisis. Callers to SAMHSA's Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) can press "1" to be connected to the VA's Veterans Crisis Line in Canandaigua, NY. Visit Here For Help http://goo.gl/cseHpj  As part of this new project and prevention week, RIR will be holding a 3 day music & prevention concert in New Jersey on Memorial Day Weekend. :    Please Join Us @ 2015 HopeFest See Event  Prevention of Suicide - Friday, May 22 Promotion of Mental Health & Wellness - Saturday, May 23 Prevention & Awareness Through Rock-N-Roll - Sunday, May 24    National Prevention Week 2015: The Voice of One, the Power of All STAY CONNECTED           Rockers In Recovery Network 954.826.5968 What We Can't Do Alone, We Can Do Together.  Addiction Awareness & Prevention Through Rock-N-Roll

Best of the week from Choose Help Relapse Prevention: How to Relax with Imagery Learn to relax with imagery in 7 easy steps; it’s a great skill that protects you from relapse. No matter who you are or what your situation, improving stress management skills can improve your quality of life. But if you’re in recovery and fighting to avoid relapse, knowing a few effective de-stressing techniques can make the difference between continuing sobriety and an emotion-driven return to drinking or drugs. Not to get melodramatic here – but for those in recovery, relaxation exercises can be literal lifesavers. Because they’re so important and because stress levels tend to go up in early recovery, you should learn and practice a few techniques that work for you. Some examples of common stress-busting exercises include deep breathing for relapse prevention, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, and the topic of this article – imagery exercises. So take a few minutes now to read through the steps and experiment with imagery for yourself. It doesn’t take long to learn but you will get better with practice – in fact with enough practice, some people can escape to serene relaxation just by thinking of a certain word or image. A Step-by-Step Guide to Relaxing with Imagery1 Start off by finding a place where you feel relaxed, safe and comfortable – someplace where no one will come in and disturb you for a few minutes. Sit comfortably in a chair and close your eyes. Concentrate on taking slow and deep breaths. When you feel ready, scan your body from your feet to the top of your head looking for any kind of tension. When you feel tension, try to relax it completely, imagining that you expel the tension with each slow exhalation. Now, imagine a place where you feel great – safe, comfortable and at ease. It can be a place that you know well or a place from your imagination. Examples could be a secluded tropical beach, a place from your childhood or even a place you’ve only seen on TV or in a book. Picture yourself in this environment. If you imagine a tropical beach, imagine yourself laying on the sand or in the lapping surf. Try to bring all of your senses into the experience. What does the sand feel like? Imagine the warmth on your skin. What does the air smell like? Try to smell the tropical plants and the smell of the sea. What do you hear? Try to imagine the sound of the waves and birds. What are the colors like? Try to picture the blue of the sky and the turquoise of the water. Enjoy some time in this peaceful place. What do you call it? By giving it a name, you’ll find it easier to return to this relaxation simply by recalling the name and the images you associate with this name. Stay within the scene you’ve created until you feel calm. When ready to leave, take a moment to transition slowly back to the ‘real world’ – keeping your eyes closed for another moment and continuing to breathe slowly and deeply. Though imagery exercises don’t always come naturally, with a little practice and persistence, you’ll find they offer a pretty immediate antidote to the stresses of early recovery – and of life in general. Read in browser »   Recent featured articles: Planning a Teen Intervention: Teenagers Do Recover Adult Children of Alcoholics and Addicts: Haven’s Story Opioids Increase Depression & Depression Increases Opioid Misuse Discover the Value in Adding Spiritual Practices to Recovery When Someone You Love Uses Heroin - 6 Ways to Support Positive Change And, as always, thank you for reading! All the best to you and yours, Martin Schoel, founder of Choose Help P.S. If you’d like to dive into the conversation, make sure to follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook (40K+ people do). FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO A LOVED ONE Do you or someone you know need rehab? Click or 'Tap' to speak with us now: (877) 333-5266 Facebook Twitter Google Plus Pinterest

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May 1 CHP 3  v 30 TWELVE STEPPING WITH STRENGTH FROM THE PSALM

Do not strive with a man without cause ,If he has done you no harm.

(GODS BIG BOOK)

Strive-struggle or fight vigorously.

STEP 6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

GUILTY ! GUILTY ! GUILTY !  Someday s are just not gonna be your day ! I would argue with the Pope if I am caught on a bad day . You can tell me the sky is blue and I will argue that its grey and then torture you until you see that sky from eyes. It took many years to realize everyone is entitled too their opinion whether they are wrong or not . It was not my job to make sure they were wrong and needed too be corrected. Kenny Rogers had it right when he said You gotta know when too hold em and know when too fold em ,know when to walk away , know when to run . Their is a lot of great wisdom in those two verses. The problem , I discovered was pride and arrogance . Instead of always fighting with others be humble , state your thoughts if asked and let stuff figure itself out. Life is already hard enough without you trying too change it to suit you all the time. Whenever you enter a room and it seems to empty out fairly quickly then that should be a sign there might be a problem with you .Give your pride arrogance and I'm always right attitude a step six and leave it at the curb.

Proverbs 29:23 - A man's pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.   (GODS BIG BOOK)

By Joseph Dickerson