🎧 PODCAST: Author Ryan Hampton on the inside story of the Purdue Pharma settlement 🎧

In the early 2000s, Ryan Hampton was homeless and struggling with an opioid addiction, wondering how he had gone from working as a White House staffer to begging for change on a California street corner. A decade later in recovery, Ryan found himself at the epicenter of Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy settlement, fighting for justice in a case that gripped a nation in the midst of an overdose crisis. In this episode of Heart of the Matter, Elizabeth Vargas sits down with Ryan to discuss his role in Purdue’s bankruptcy proceedings, how it felt to witness the now-infamous depositions of the Sackler family firsthand and why he believes the justice system, as it stands today, could never deliver accountability for Purdue’s victims. Listen Now Heart of the Matter with Elizabeth Vargas is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and drugfree.org. Join us for a bonus episode! Recently, Elizabeth was interviewed by Annie Grace, host of This Naked Mind, a podcast that explores the role alcohol plays in our world and in our lives, with honesty and without judgment. Tune in as Elizabeth shares her story about drinking, working in broadcast television, and now, being a woman in recovery. Related reading: After you listen, explore these resources from Partnership to End Addiction to learn more about the topics and themes discussed in this episode: Your Comprehensive Guide to the Opioid Epidemic — and What You Can Do About It Take Action: Increase Access to Opioid Addiction Treatment I Got My Son Back: A Mother’s Struggle with Her Son’s Addiction

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ADDICTION RESEARCHERS NEED YOUR HELP!

Complete a 1-3 hour telephone interview Provide a saliva sample (as a source of DNA) Receive a $75 gift card (after study completion)

Have you ever taken painkillers in larger amounts than was prescribed?  OR Have you ever used an opioid that wasn’t prescribed for you (such as a prescription painkiller, heroin, opium, or fentanyl)? If you responded “yes” to either question & opioids are not your primary addiction, please CLICK HERE or use the QR code (below) to check your eligibility and provide your contact information.

For more information, go to the study homepage opioidmisusestudy.wustl.edu or email us at omstudy@wustl.edu.

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Webinar Robyn is part of this Wednesday

Robyn is Part of a Webinar this Wednesday Night. Here is More Information About the Webinar And More About BEING - Mental Health Consumers Inc During Mental Health Month, our friends at BEING - Mental Health Consumers in Australia will be making a big impact by connecting with as many mental health consumers as possible, via social media, email, video and a series of online events.   Throughout October, BEING - Mental Health Consumers will be amplifying the voice of lived experience and tackling some important discussions around mental health and human rights.     SECURE YOUR PLACE AT THE FREE WEBINARS  BEING - Mental Health Consumers will be hosting a series of free webinars every week in October featuring an exciting panel of guest speakers. During each webinar they’ll be exploring the theme of “Reclaiming Our Rights”, with panelists discussing the many and varied ways we can advocate for change.   To view the topics and register, visit their dedicated event page  (Please note if you are in North America, adjust your day and time - Thursday in Australia is Wednesday in North America)   There will also be a live Q&A session following each panel discussion.   Week 1: Reclaiming Our Rights – Consumers and Survivors Driving Change Join self-proclaimed “Chief Non-Conformist”, Robyn Priest, as we kick off our series of weekly webinars for Mental Health Month. Internationally renowned as a mental health advocate and one of the premier experts on peer support, Robyn will share her thoughts on human rights in mental health and social services, the importance of peer work as agents of change, and her own journey as a leader of advocating for her own and others human rights.  Date and Time: Robyn is speaking Wednesday October 6th at 7pm CST (Winnipeg), 8pm Eastern   Week 2: Reclaiming Our Rights – Human Rights through Advocacy We all have human rights but are they upheld in the mental health sector? This week’s webinar will explore advocacy in action. We’ll look at why it is so important for consumers to be involved in system reform, and how consumers can be part of changing the system. Our panelists will share some of their own experience in consumer/survivor advocacy, and share with you tips for pathways to become involved in advocacy.    Week 3: Reclaiming Our Rights – Human Rights through Peer Work How can peer workers help support individuals’ human rights when it comes to mental health? This week’s webinar will explore the role of peer workers in advocating for consumer/survivor rights. Our panel of peer workers will discuss how peer work can uphold human rights, their involvement work in this space, and inspire current and future peer workers in how best to work in mental health when you are working from a rights-based perspective.   Week 4: Reclaiming Our Rights – Human Rights through Consumer Research What role can consumer research play when it comes to human rights? Tune in as our panelists discuss some of the current trends in consumer research and how they lead and influence change from a rights-based perspective. They will inspire through their thought-provoking lens how research may create the ‘perfect’ mental health system.     Consulting Services: RPLYT is the leader in peer support implementation in workplaces and organizations. Please reach out if you are interested in what peer support will look like in your world. We specialize in customizing peer support into workplaces and organizations to fit your needs. We are always up for a conversation about what that might look like. Some of our Raving Fans started with a chat. Reach out And please share this email with your friends and family. We are always welcoming new people to join.  ‌  ‌  ‌ Please reach out if you have any questions. We love to chat! Charlotte and Robyn Co-creators at Robyn Priest LIVE YOUR TRUTH 204-295-5077 Robyn Priest LIVE YOUR TRUTH | Website  ‌  ‌  ‌

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Monday Thoughts 10/4/2021

Forward to a Friend “You are not your feelings. You just experience them. Anger, sadness, hate, depression, fear. This is the rain you walk in. But you don’t become the rain. You know the rain will pass. You walk on. And you remember the soft glow of the sun that will come again.” ~~Matt Haig “I gave myself permission to feel and experience all of my emotions. In order to do that, I had to stop being afraid to feel. In order to do that, I taught myself to believe that no matter what I felt or what happened when I felt it, I would be okay.” ~~Iyanla Vanzant “Feelings or emotions are the universal language and are to be honored. They are the authentic expression of who you are at your deepest place.” ~~Judith Wright #2 Negative thoughts destroy only myself. My first conscious sober act is to reduce negativity in my life. A rollercoaster of thoughts and emotions has washed through me the last few weeks; we said goodbye to our cuddly, chocolate chihuahua, Tigger. Yet it is because of sobriety and recovery, and practicing the WFS Statements that I am able to accept, understand and process what I am feeling, no matter how uncomfortable or scary the emotion. Before my New Life, grief frightened me. Somehow, I thought if grief got close to me it would swallow me up. I worked hard at keeping it at bay or not feeling it, whether it be shoving it down deep inside or trying to smother it with alcohol. Of course, grief worked its way to the surface no matter how much I drank or tried to hide it. The WFS New Life Program and especially Statement #2 create a portal for processing difficult thoughts and emotions. My relationship with Tigger felt different because I respond differently. Living in sobriety when he arrived in our home felt special. This dog would know the real me. I felt grateful and cherished this four legger with new perspective, so when he was diagnosed with cancer late last year, we made the best of it. Saying goodbye is never easy but living the Statements has helped me walk into these difficult emotions and begin to move through them. Giving myself permission to experience the depth of my emotions by sharing feelings, journaling and listening to guided grief meditation is a form of self-care and an empowering way to reduce negativity. The emotional pain may still be present, but today I stand in sobriety and strength. Hugzzz Karen Hi 4C Women, Trust = ourselves, our intuition, our feelings that signal when we need healing, support and self-care. I have learned a lot about myself through Statement #2. I realized that my thoughts were constantly negative which projected into my conversations and self-talk. I really wasn’t aware of it until I started practicing this Statement. It took a lot of pausing before spewing my negativity. I eventually created a balance because I didn’t want to deny my feelings of frustration, anger, disappointment, etc. That denial is how I justified my drinking rather than learning how to express myself in a calm, clear manner. If I experienced typical feelings of being unheard/ignored, rather than become completely negative or drinking the thoughts away, I worked on a plan for change. My words became my empowerment. I had a choice to express myself confidently, not in anger, but in my truth. It took a while to feel comfortable doing that and every now and then, it can still be quite challenging. The important lesson is that I am willing to continue learning and practicing. Negative thoughts, especially about who I am as a person, can cause such pain and I knew I had to stop believing old messages that no longer served me. The moment my self-talk becomes self-demeaning, I stop and ask myself, is this who I am right now, this moment, or is it a false description from someone else in my long ago past? It’s a lot to overcome yet I rather work on that then be stuck with unproductive messages that stop my positive, self-affirming progress in its path. Nancy Cross once sent a message that said, “Don’t make your thoughts your prison.” Wow! I had the keys to unlock the prison I was holding onto with my negative thoughts. I still use that phrase when I catch myself in that once in a while moment. In the end, it’s about setting boundaries with your thoughts and your relationships. Whether it’s yourself repeating negative definitions of who you are (false definitions) or relationships that keep you stuck in negative thinking by putting you down, keeping the past in the present, remember you have the keys to unlock those thoughts, the tools and courage to make the necessary boundary changes. Something to think about. Changing your life starts with changing your mind. Who you think you are is who you will become. True transformation begins when you understand that you alone are in charge of your reactions-even in the most difficult circumstances (Author Judy Lief) 1. Your own thoughts can trap and undermine your potential for growth. What unhealthy thought patterns would you like to examine and unravel? 2. When you focus your thoughts, they have more power. What one thought would you like to hold in your mind this month? Bonded in courage, truth, growth, boundary setting and the keys to unlock it all, Dee

Conference Planning Watch Party!   Grab your popcorn & join us for a night of fun as we gear up for the 2022 Conferences.  Do you remember how magical Conference 2021 was?  Wouldn't you like to be part of the behind the scenes effort?  Join us to learn all about Conferences 2022 & get involved!!   Saturday, October 9, 7pm EDT https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89424437953?pwd=N3Y4OHZpblp1OFYzNGFOc25kT0NvQT09 Meeting ID: 894 2443 7953 Passcode: 529849

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