Saturday, February 4, 2012

HARBOR COUNSELING OF WELLSBORO



Harbor Counseling of Wellsboro, offers most D&A treatment services and now has added a Certified Recovery Specialist to their staff. The Recovery Specialist is there for you from the time you walk in the door until well after your treatment has ended.  Being in recovery myself, I know how difficult it can be trying to put your life back together again, that's where the Recovery Specialist steps in!  As you know, I am a Recovery Specialist and have had the awesome opportunity to assist many on there road to recovery.  This is a wonderful addition to the staff at Harbor, you can call Harbor at 570-724-5272 or 607-242-4830 and ask for the Recovery Specialist and they will assist you!  Harbor is located at 7095 Route 287 Wellsboro Pa. 16901

MAPLE MANOR PORT ALLEGANY PA.


Struggling with addiction!Maple manor can help,call 814-642-9522 and speak to one of our caring staff who will assist you in getting the treatment you need.They are located at 118 Chestnut St.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Study of Siblings’ Brains Provides Clues to Addiction


A new study of siblings’ brain structure and function may provide clues to addiction. Time reports that the study suggests at least some brain changes seen in addiction are a cause of excessive drug use, not the result.
The study looked at the brain structure and cognitive function of 47 people with addiction, 49 of their siblings who were not addicted, and 50 healthy people who were drug-free and not related to the others in the study. The people who were addicted had been using stimulants such as cocaine or amphetamines for an average of 16 years. A little more than half also were addicted to heroin or prescription painkillers, and one-fourth also had alcoholism. Their siblings had minimal exposure to illicit drugs.
All study participants were tested on their ability to control their impulses, which is a predictor of addiction. They were given a stop-signal task, in which they are told to respond quickly and repeatedly in a specific way, such as pushing a button, and then must suddenly stop the behavior.
The researchers report in Science that both people who were addicted and their siblings demonstrated significantly reduced performance on the task compared with the drug-free, unrelated group. The results suggest that poor impulse control is not a result of drug use, but is something people are born with.
The brain scans found the siblings had similar abnormalities in an area of the brain involved with self-control, and in regions that are involved in inhibiting impulses, the article notes.
In a commentary accompanying the study, Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, noted the brain abnormalities seen in the siblings are similar to those seen in the brains of teenagers, who are well known for their impulsive behavior.
Study author Karen Ersche of the University of Cambridge said siblings of drug-addicted people may have inherited a type of protective resilience, such as an easier temperament. “The siblings may have tried drugs, but they never developed the habit,” she said.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY!

Adversity reveals character!  Every challenge we face in life can lift us or sink us what are you gonna do when life hits the fan?  Myself personally would find the nearest drug or bottle of booze and medicate myself into oblivion the only problem was when I came back to my senses life was worse.  So what are you gonna do today when life hits the fan! When it happens to me I like to go some place quiet and pray for peace and wisdom. Taking a time out and changing your surroundings is a great way to put a challenge in a new perspective.  We cannot continue to let adversity rule and determine how we live, but we can take rule over adversity and use it to develop a strong moral character! REMEMBER JESUS LOVES YOU!

GATEWAY TO WORK PRESENTED BY PRO-ACT



LEARN THE TOOLS AND TRAINING FOR THAT
  JOB AND HOW TO KEEP IT
                   REGISTER EARLY –LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE
                   A WORKSHOP TO IMPROVE YOUR JOB, FAMILY AND LIFE
MANAGEMENT SKILLS
“POSITIONING FOR A BETTER TOMORROW”
:
IN ONLY 42 HOURS.... IN 7 CLASSES....YOU WILL HAVE LEARNED THE FOLLOWING
AND MUCH MORE:
* RESUME WRITING                                    * INTERNET LITERACY
*COMPOSING COVER LETTERS                       * COMPUTER SKILLS
* INTERVIEW PREPARATION                     * UNDERGO MOCK INTERVIEW
* PRACTICAL LlFE SKILLS                             * JOB APPLICATION SKILLS
*PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR                            * GOVERNMENTAL INCENTIVES
FOR WORKPLACE SUCCESS                           FOR EMPLOYERS TO HIRE YOU
                             
                                                               
GAIN THE SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES TO GET AND KEEP THE JOB YOU WANT.
Classes will be on the following dates:
Tuesday, February 14, Thursday, February16, Friday, February 17,
Tuesday, February 21, Thursday, February 23, Friday, February 24,
Tuesday, February 28
                      CLASS HOURS EACH DAY FROM 9:00 A.M.-3:00 P.M.
CLASS WILL BE HELD AT PRO-ACT
444 North 3rd

Street, Suite #307 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19123
To register: Call 215-923-1661 ask for SEAN or 215-680-3466 ask for Jack

Drugs and Prisons


While differences in politics or philosophy can lead to debate about the best course of action for bettering our national drug problem, no one who looks at the statistics that illustrate the consequences of drug abuse and addiction can deny the enormous monetary and human costs of drugs.
Any conversation on the social costs of drug use must surely contain at least a mention of the enormous numbers of Americans who are or have been incarcerated due to either the use or sale of illegal drugs.
Some of the facts:
  • In 2008, according to the Department of Corrections, there were 7,308,200 Americans in the corrections system. On a per capita basis, America has far more of its citizens in jails than any other country in the world. Following America are Russia, Rwanda, St Kitts & Nevis and Cuba.
  • In 2007, it cost a state prison an average of $67.55 per day to jail a drug offender. In 2007, state prisons held 253,300 men women and minors, which totals up to a daily cost of $17,110,415 and an annual cost of $6,245,301,475.
  • In 2008, states spent $52 billion in jailing people, which is more than twice the amount that was spent on public assistance of all kinds ($25.1 billion)
  • In 2006, of those held in state prisons on drug offences, Of the estimated 265,800 prisoners under state jurisdiction sentenced for drug offenses in 2006, 27.1 % were white (27.1%), 44.2% were black and 21% were Hispanic. Blacks account for just over 12% of the total American population.
  • In 2000, the average drug felony offender in federal prisons had been sentenced to 75.6 months, which is just slightly less than the average sentence of 86.6 months given to federal offenders who had committed felony violent crimes. 1
  • Since 1992, more than 5 million Americans have been arrested for marijuana. In 1999 - 60 000 Americans were serving time for marijuana offenses.
  • Every extra dollar that is spent by local, state or federal governments on substance abuse treatment yields an eventual social costs savings of $7.462


Read more: Drugs and Prisons