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Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Overdose Prevention and Treatment Program Can Save Lives, Study Suggests
A program that teaches people to recognize and respond to
overdoses of opioids can significantly decrease the number of overdose
deaths, researchers at Boston Medical Center have found.
Massachusetts instituted the program to combat the problem of
opioid-related overdose deaths. The program trains people who use
opioids, as well as their families and friends, to prevent, recognize
and respond to drug overdoses. Participants learn to recognize the signs
of overdose, to seek help, to stay with the victims, and to use the
opioid overdose antidote naloxone.
The new study included 19 communities with high opioid overdose
levels. Those communities that implemented the Overdose Education and
Nasal Naloxone Distribution (OEND) program had a larger reduction in
overdose deaths, compared with those without such programs, HealthDay reports. The more people enrolled in the program, the greater the decrease in death rates.
In the British Medical Journal, the researchers conclude that OEND is an effective intervention to reduce opioid overdose deaths.
In February 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that naloxone has successfully reversed more than 10,000 opioid overdoses since 1996.
Conquering
Grounds Café
This Saturday Night
February 9, 2013
At Christian Life
Center, 3100 Galloway Rd Bensalem, Pa 19020
In The Edge Building
Doors open at 6:30
Event starts at 7pm
Appearing: Jazz, Blues, Gospel Band
“Seventh time Around”
Plus Special Guests Kris and Ed Vincent
This is a FREE event
and open to everyone. There will be hot and cold beverages and goodies to eat,
all free of charge. Come out and join us for a great night of music and
fellowship.
We Will Be Collecting Old Working Cell Phones.
Bob Sofronski, Chairman/Director
Christian Life Prison and Recovery Ministries, Inc.
PO BOX 1624
Southampton, PA 18966
Fax # 267-988-4629
Monday, February 4, 2013
Commentary: Addressing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in Addiction Treatment
Addiction treatment professionals can play a vital role in
preventing the leading known cause of intellectual disabilities, birth
defects and neurobehavioral disorders in the world, Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorders (FASD).
Each year 125,000 American newborns are prenatally exposed to heavy
or binge alcohol consumption, 20 times the number exposed to
methamphetamine and inhalants. Alcohol is a teratogen—a substance known
to be toxic to developing babies. Of the most common substances of
abuse, including marijuana, cocaine and heroin, alcohol produces by far
the most serious neurobehavioral effects in the offspring of
substance-using women.
FASD is not typically included in addiction treatment curriculum. One
problem is that there is not a code for it in the DSM manual of mental
health disorders, and as a result, psychiatrists and psychologists are
not informed about FASD.
FASD may also be an unexamined cause for high recidivism in addiction treatment. There are several reasons why this may be:
• Women may have used alcohol and drugs while pregnant and be afraid to discuss in group;
• Women may have children with undiagnosed FASD, and may not be educated on appropriate parenting techniques; and
• Clients themselves may have been prenatally exposed to alcohol and have unidentified learning and behavioral disorders as a result.
• Women may have used alcohol and drugs while pregnant and be afraid to discuss in group;
• Women may have children with undiagnosed FASD, and may not be educated on appropriate parenting techniques; and
• Clients themselves may have been prenatally exposed to alcohol and have unidentified learning and behavioral disorders as a result.
Preventing FASD in Addiction Treatment
If a woman drinks while she is pregnant, there is a risk for having a child with FASD regardless of ethnicity, education or socio-economic status. A woman does not have to be an alcoholic to have a child with effects; however, women that suffer with alcoholism are at the highest risk. Women who use other drugs are also at high risk for having a child with FASD, since many use alcohol as well. Women who drink should be counseled about using effective contraception to avoid pregnancy.
If a woman drinks while she is pregnant, there is a risk for having a child with FASD regardless of ethnicity, education or socio-economic status. A woman does not have to be an alcoholic to have a child with effects; however, women that suffer with alcoholism are at the highest risk. Women who use other drugs are also at high risk for having a child with FASD, since many use alcohol as well. Women who drink should be counseled about using effective contraception to avoid pregnancy.
Since FASD is preventable, all clients and their families receiving
addiction treatment should be educated on the hazards of drinking while
pregnant. Men may not cause FASD directly, but they have a very
important role in prevention. They can encourage and support women not
to drink while pregnant, or at risk for pregnancy.
Treatment is an appropriate time to learn about FASD. If clients
realize that some of their children may have effects from prenatal
alcohol exposure, a counselor is there to provide them with support and
resources. Treatment professionals should provide opportunities for
women to discuss many of the difficult issues around mothering and
parenting. They can provide women with language to talk to their
pediatricians and other health care providers about possible exposures
to ensure that the children are receiving assessments and appropriate
services.
Recognizing FASD in Clients
People with FASD often go unnoticed as having a brain disorder because the majority of individuals have borderline intelligence or above. This is a lifelong disability and the cognitive, behavioral, emotional and social difficulties can each appear across a continuum of severity, from mild to profound. They may experience a daily fluctuation of attention and focus. Many will struggle with understanding cause and effect relationships or the ability to predict future behaviors. Individuals are typically naĂŻve and are easily led into situations. They may have problems in judgment, memory and social skills, but because they have strong expressive language skills they appear higher functioning than they are. It is not uncommon for a client with FASD to be unsuccessful and sometimes terminated from treatment. These individuals need structure, support and understanding. If counselors better understood the typical behavioral profile of a client with FASD, and how to modify treatment, treatment outcomes could improve.
People with FASD often go unnoticed as having a brain disorder because the majority of individuals have borderline intelligence or above. This is a lifelong disability and the cognitive, behavioral, emotional and social difficulties can each appear across a continuum of severity, from mild to profound. They may experience a daily fluctuation of attention and focus. Many will struggle with understanding cause and effect relationships or the ability to predict future behaviors. Individuals are typically naĂŻve and are easily led into situations. They may have problems in judgment, memory and social skills, but because they have strong expressive language skills they appear higher functioning than they are. It is not uncommon for a client with FASD to be unsuccessful and sometimes terminated from treatment. These individuals need structure, support and understanding. If counselors better understood the typical behavioral profile of a client with FASD, and how to modify treatment, treatment outcomes could improve.
Recognizing that a person “can’t” perform, rather than “won’t”
perform, immediately changes the dynamic in a service relationship. By
recognizing the disability of FASD and modifying systems of care, we can
improve outcomes for clients. Adults often need lifelong transitional
and behavioral support.
Below are suggestions for improving treatment for individuals with FASD:
• Train staff to modify treatment plans and treatment;
• Plan for long-term treatment and aftercare options;
• Include the entire family in treatment;
• Assist clients with housing, vocational, educational, day-care, respite, recreational and other services;
• Assist clients with Supplemental Security Income, public assistance, food stamps, Medicaid/Medicare and other disability programs;
• Counselors should consider the possibility of past victimization in these clients;
• Counselors should know best treatment practices and recommendations for clients with FASD; and
• Addiction treatment agencies should pursue assessments and diagnosis for clients (and/or children of clients) when they suspect a person has FASD.
• Train staff to modify treatment plans and treatment;
• Plan for long-term treatment and aftercare options;
• Include the entire family in treatment;
• Assist clients with housing, vocational, educational, day-care, respite, recreational and other services;
• Assist clients with Supplemental Security Income, public assistance, food stamps, Medicaid/Medicare and other disability programs;
• Counselors should consider the possibility of past victimization in these clients;
• Counselors should know best treatment practices and recommendations for clients with FASD; and
• Addiction treatment agencies should pursue assessments and diagnosis for clients (and/or children of clients) when they suspect a person has FASD.
There is much that can be done to address FASD in addiction
treatment. The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS),
founded in 1990 as a voice for individuals, families and caregivers
living with FASD, disseminates information and resources, provides
referrals to specialists, and offers a 22-unit certification program for
addiction professionals (www.nofas.org).
Kathleen Tavenner Mitchell, MHS, LCADC
Kathleen T. Mitchell is currently the Vice President and
International Spokesperson for the National Organization on Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome and a noted speaker/author on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorders (FASD) and Women and Addictions. She founded the Circle of Hope (COH), an international peer mentoring network for women who have used substances while pregnant.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Injection Drug Users With Hepatitis C Are “Super-Spreaders” of the Virus
People who inject drugs and have hepatitis C are
“super-spreaders” of the virus, who are likely to infect 20 other
people, a new study finds. Half of hepatitis C virus transmissions take
place in the first two years after a person is initially infected.
Researchers from the University of Oxford in England say early
diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C in people who inject drugs could
help prevent the spread of the virus, HealthDay reports.
Hepatitis C, which can be spread through contact with infected blood,
may lead to scarring of the liver, or liver cancer. There is no vaccine
for the disease, the article notes. Many people with hepatitis C are
unaware they have the disease, and go undiagnosed for more than a
decade.
“For the first time we show that super-spreading in hepatitis C is
led by intravenous drug users early in their infection,” study author
Gkikas Magiorkinis said in a university news release.
“Using this information, we can hopefully soon make a solid argument to
support the scaling-up of early diagnosis and antiviral treatment in
drug users. Helping these people and stopping the spread of hepatitis C
is our ultimate target.”
The study appears in the journal PLoS Computational Biology.
Thieves Steal Prescription Drugs From Medicine Cabinets in Open Houses
Prescription drug thieves are stealing from medicine cabinets during open houses, ABC News reports.
Home sellers usually lock up valuables such as jewelry, electronics
and personal information, but often don’t think of securing their
medicine cabinets. A San Diego realtors’ group is warning homeowners
about these thefts. “The take away here is common sense,” Anthony
Manolatos of the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors told ABC
News. “When an agent is showing your home and you’re not there, take
your valuables with you or lock them in a safe.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has observed this trend.
“Stealing drugs from open houses is indeed a technique drug thieves use
to obtain controlled substance prescription drugs,” said the DEA’s
Barbara Carreno. She said drugs stolen during open houses include opioid
painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs, ADHD drugs, Xanax and Valium.
DEA enforcement groups, called tactical diversion squads, have found
drugs on the black market that have been stolen during open houses,
Carreno added.
Friday, February 1, 2013
The Hope Share: A Live Storytelling Event
85 million people in the U.S. have been affected by addiction and
over 20 million are in long-term recovery. Imagine if each of them came
forward to share a story of recovery or a message of support.
The Hope Share, a new
story-sharing portal created by The Partnership at Drugfree.org, is
designed to elevate stories of recovery and inspire others to speak out
and help break the stigma and discrimination surrounding addiction.
We’ve teamed up with proud partners of this project, InTheRooms.com and Faces & Voices of Recovery, to host a unique upcoming virtual experience – The Hope Share: A Live Storytelling Event.
Taking place on Wednesday, February 6th at 9 p.m. EST, participants
are encouraged to share their video stories of hope using their webcam
during this 90-minute LIVE event to help inspire others and spark
meaningful conversation around alcohol and other drug problems and
addiction.
To participate in this event, visit Meeting Room 1 here at 9:00 p.m. EST on February 6th.
The event will be moderated by InTheRooms.com and will feature Pat
Taylor, Executive Director, Faces and Voices of Recovery, and Jerry Otero, a Parent Support Specialist and clinical social worker from The Partnership at Drugfee.org.
Share your powerful story and help encourage families who are
struggling with a young person’s addiction, and let them know that there
is hope, and that recovery is possible.
To participate in this event, visit Meeting Room 1 here at 9:00 p.m. EST on February 6th.
Gene Mutations Linked With Increased Risk of Dying From Cocaine Abuse
New research suggests people with common genetic mutations
have an almost eightfold increased risk of dying from cocaine abuse. The
mutations affect the chemical messenger dopamine in the brain.
Dopamine is vital to the functioning of the central nervous system.
Cocaine blocks transporters in the brain from absorbing dopamine, HealthDay reports.
The mutations are found on two genes. The Ohio State University
researchers found about one in three white people who died of cocaine
abuse had these genetic mutations. A different combination of mutations
affects the risk of dying from cocaine abuse in black people, the
researchers noted in a news release.
The study appears in the journal Translational Psychiatry.
Prepaid Card Designed to Help Those in Recovery From Addiction Manage Money
Three men who met while in recovery have developed a
prepaid card designed to help others who are recovering from addiction
manage their money, the New York Daily News reports.
They have launched the Next Step
Prepaid MasterCard, a reloadable card designed for people in recovery,
and for those who are financially supporting them. The card gives family
members and guardians control over funds, while teaching people in
recovery how to manage their money, the article notes.
“When I left treatment, I spent hundreds of dollars on stupid things
like Starbucks, just to fill a void,” said company co-founder Eric
Dresdale, who started drinking in high school.
The primary account holder of the Next Step card is the parent or
caregiver. The person in recovery receives a companion card, which can
be used to make purchases. The card cannot be used at an ATM machine, or
to get cash back at a store. It is not accepted at bars, casinos or
liquor stores. “The truth is, if someone wants to buy drugs they will
find a way,” Dresdale told the newspaper. “But we act as a hurdle from
achieving that goal.”
Addiction specialist Dr. Paul Hokemeyer thinks the card can be a
useful tool in recovery. “I think it’s a great tool to teach patients
boundaries and limits,” he said.
The card’s activation fee is $9.95, and has a monthly maintenance fee
of $14.95, compared with $3 to $5 for many other prepaid cards.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Commentary: Rx for Understanding: Free Online Tool to Teach Students
Medicine—whether over-the-counter or prescription—is an
important part of a modern health care system. Who would want a world
without penicillin or acetaminophen? But medicine is only effective when
it is used properly, and for young people moving to adulthood, learning
how to use medicine properly is a critical life skill.
Research shows that one in four teenagers report that they have taken
a prescription drug not prescribed to them by a doctor at least once in
their lives. Middle school is often when students start to make the
wrong choice.
Recognizing the scope of the problem, the NEA Health Information Network (NEA
HIN) set out to determine what we could do to help teachers and
families help students. After looking at what was available, NEA HIN
created Rx for Understanding
which includes 10 cross-curricular lessons for middle school students.
Aligned with the National Health Education Standards and Common Core State Standards,
the lessons aim to equip students with the understanding and
decision-making skills they need to recognize and avoid the dangers of
misusing and abusing prescription drugs.
By focusing on the three basic concepts of proper use, misuse and
abuse, the lessons help to build knowledge and skills that young people
need. These involve not only learning the facts about drugs, but include
activities that build skills such as information gathering, advocacy
for good health choices and making responsible health decisions.
Rx for Understanding was developed and pilot-tested with input from
educators around the country. Users report that the lessons are
“easy-to-use” and “accessible.” Because lessons are aligned to various
content areas, they can be included in various parts of the middle
school curriculum.
Nora L. Howley
Manager of Programs
NEA Health Information Network
Heroin Use Increasing in Minneapolis/St. Paul, While Opiate Painkiller Use Declines
Heroin use is growing in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area,
while abuse of opiate painkillers, such as methadone and oxycodone, may
be decreasing, according to a new report.
Treatment centers in the area reported a small decrease in the number
of people admitted for opiate abuse in the first half of 2012,
according to Minnesota Public Radio.
“Heroin and other opiates are second only to the number of people
coming into treatment for alcohol,” said Carol Falkowski, who wrote the
new report. “That is a relatively new phenomena in the Twin Cities and
something that we should all be concerned about.”
The report follows national trends in heroin and opiate painkiller use, the article notes. A study published last summer in the New England Journal of Medicine
found that as OxyContin abuse has decreased now that the painkiller has
been reformulated to make it more difficult to misuse, many people have
switched to heroin.
Dr. Gavin Bart, who directs the Division of Addiction Medicine at
Hennepin County Medical Center, said Minneapolis/St. Paul is seeing an
influx of the cheapest, purest heroin in the United States. “What is
probably happening is there’s a marketing battle between the dealers and
the people who peddle prescription opiates and the heroin traffickers,”
he said. “In order to get good customers you increase the quality and
decrease the price, which is what’s happened with heroin and it’s just
pulling market share from the prescription opiate addicts.”
Opiate painkillers are becoming more difficult to obtain, because the
state’s prescription monitoring program allows doctors to see if other
physicians have written opiate prescriptions for the same patient, Bart
noted. While doctors in the state are not required to use the database,
more health systems are incorporating it, he added.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
HELP RECOVERY CONNECTIONS REACH THE CHURCHES
Good Morning Recovery friends and Brother and sisters in CHRIST
Recovery Connections was birthed a year ago with one purpose in mind and that is to set the captives free in other words help those struggling with addiction find there way and empower them to maintain sanity and sobriety. A year or two ago the Council of Drug Alcohol of Pennsylvania put together a training designed just for Clergy and the response was overwhelming. Most families and individuals who struggle with addiction go to local churches for help and most churches have no idea on how they can help or where they can send these folks to get help .I have done some research and there are an estimated fourteen thousand churches in Pennsylvania. That is a lot of churches and it is my personal mission to equip and educate these churches and this is where I will need your help. I cannot afford fourteen thousand stamps fourteen thousand envelopes fourteen thousand sheets of paper and a couple dozen ink cartridges. I have been in contact with two great organizations who have sent me brochures with the info the churches are going to need. I could do one letter and make copies but I feel it needs to be more personal so I did more research and I have pastors names and addresses. My intro letter with the information will be made personal and hard to disregard or ignore.We have added a Donate button on the blog and we will send a receipt for your tax purposes. A church is only as good as the the tools it has in the LORDS tool box. PLEASE GIVE TO HELP SPREAD THE MESSAGE OF RECOVERY AND HOPE.
Address joseph-recoveryconnections.blogspot.com
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Communities Start to Organize Against Heroin
Communities across the country are beginning to organize
town hall meetings, support groups and campaigns to discourage the
growing use of heroin, The Christian Science Monitor reports.
Heroin, once mainly seen in poor urban areas, is now increasingly
used by young people in wealthy suburbs, small cities and rural towns,
according to the newspaper. “You would have to go pretty remote to find a
place that didn’t have this,” Kathleen Kane-Willis of Roosevelt
University in Chicago, who has tracked heroin use since 2004, told the
newspaper. “It’s just everywhere.”
A study published last summer in the New England Journal of Medicine
found that as OxyContin abuse has decreased now that the painkiller has
been reformulated to make it more difficult to misuse, many people have
switched to heroin.
Parents say they are having a difficult time finding treatment for
their children’s heroin addiction. They are forming support groups to
help one another. Some are turning to the Internet to find support from
other parents.
Advocacy groups are trying to address heroin overdoses by pushing for
state laws that give people limited immunity on drug possession charges
if they seek medical help for someone suffering from an overdose. Most
of these Good Samaritan laws
protect people from prosecution if they have small quantities of drugs
and seek medical aid after an overdose. These laws are designed to limit
immunity to drug possession, so that large supplies of narcotics would
remain illegal. Advocates are also supporting rules that allow doctors
to prescribe the overdose antidote naloxone to families of people
addicted to opioids.
Many Parents Not Concerned About Children’s Misuse of Narcotic Pain Medicines
A survey of parents finds just one-third are very concerned
about the misuse of prescribed narcotic pain medicine by children and
teens in their community, according to HealthDay. Only one-fifth are very concerned about the misuse of these drugs in their own families.
The national survey
of more than 1,300 parents with children ages 15 to 17 was conducted by
the University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital. According to the
findings, 38 percent of black parents, 26 percent of Hispanic parents,
and 13 percent of white parents are very concerned about the misuse of
narcotic painkillers in their own families. Misuse of these medicines
has been shown to be three times higher among white teens than black or
Hispanic teens, according to the researchers.
They found 41 percent of parents favor a policy that would require a
doctor’s visit to obtain refills on these medications. About half said
they do not support a requirement that unused pain medicines be returned
to a doctor or pharmacy.
According to the survey, 66 percent of respondents strongly support
requiring parents to show identification when they pick up narcotic
painkillers for their children, and 57 percent strongly support policies
that would ban obtaining prescriptions for the medicines from more than
one doctor.
“Recent estimates are that one in four high school seniors have ever
used a narcotic pain medicine. However, parents may downplay the risks
of narcotic pain medicine because they are prescribed by a doctor,”
Sarah Clark, Associate Director of the Child Health Evaluation and
Research Unit at the University of Michigan, said in a news release.
“However, people who misuse narcotic pain medicine are often using
drugs prescribed to themselves, a friend or a relative. That ‘safe’
prescription may serve as a readily accessible supply of potentially
lethal drugs for children or teens.”
FDA Panel Votes to Toughen Restrictions on Hydrocodone Combination Drugs
A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel voted
Friday to strengthen restrictions on hydrocodone combination drugs, such
as Vicodin. The panel recommended that the FDA make the drugs more
difficult to prescribe.
Supporters of the panel’s recommendation say it could help reduce addiction to painkillers, The New York Times reports. The agency is likely to adopt the panel’s proposal, the article notes.
The panel made the recommendation in a 19-to-10 vote. Opponents were
skeptical the proposal would be effective against prescription drug
abuse. They also were concerned the changes would make it more difficult
for patients in chronic pain to obtain relief. At the two-day FDA hearing
about the proposal, opponents noted it would require frail nursing home
residents to make a trip to the doctor’s office to obtain pain
prescriptions.
The proposal forbids refills without a new prescription, as well as
faxed prescriptions and those called in by phone. Distributors of the
drugs would have to store the drugs in special vaults. Nurse
practitioners and physician assistants would be banned from prescribing
the drugs.
Some panelists said the proposal could have the unintended effect of increasing abuse of other drugs, such as heroin.
“Many of us are concerned that the more stringent controls will
eventually lead to different problems, which may be worse,” said Dr.
John Mendelson, a senior scientist at the Addiction and Pharmacology
Research Laboratory at the California Pacific Medical Center Research
Institute in San Francisco.
The FDA convened the panel at the request of the Drug Enforcement
Administration. If the FDA accepts the panel’s recommendation, it will
be sent to the Department of Health and Human Services, which will make
the final decision.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Ruled by Rage
Today's Scripture
"Discipline your son while there is hope, but do not [indulge your angry resentments by undue chastisements and] set yourself to his ruin." - Proverbs 19:18
Thoughts for Today
This week we are looking at five types of dysfunctional families (described in The Thin Disguise by Pam Vredevelt) that can lead to the development of eating disorders. Perhaps you or someone you know has a loved one struggling with an eating disorder. Or perhaps you will identify some potentially harmful characteristic that needs to be addressed in your family.
In the "Rageaholic Family" only the parents (one or both) are allowed to express feelings. The predominant feeling is rage or anger. Unfortunately, the children are taught to believe that they are responsible for that anger. Mothers in rageaholic families may have anger and rage from their family of origin, and in some cases the daughter becomes an "emotional receptacle" for that rage. Although the mother is in actuality angry with herself and her parents, she pushes that anger onto her daughter.
Children in rageaholic families learn to repress their anger completely. This repressed anger can cause stress, bitterness and depression, leading to many types of inappropriate behavior.
(Note: We are grateful to Pam Vredevelt for her keen insights.)
Consider this …
Although there are appropriate times to discipline our children—always in love—we are not to be controlled by anger. And sometimes anger vented on children does not even relate to their behavior—it comes from a parent struggling with rage or bitterness caused by something else altogether. Today's scripture makes it clear that angry resentments and undue chastisements can lead to our child's ruin.
Prayer
Father, forgive me for sometimes taking out my anger on my children. Help me to admit when I've been wrong and allow my children to see that they are not at fault for my unfair words and actions. Help me to be sensitive to my children's honest feelings and to allow them to feel safe in expressing them. In Jesus' name …
These thoughts were drawn from …
Seeing Yourself in God's Image: Overcoming Anorexia and Bulimia by Martha Homme, MA, LPC. Written by a counselor with experience helping those with eating disorders, this study is born from her own struggles in adolescence. The group challenges members to find their identity in Christ as they overcome this difficult struggle. This guide offers understanding of distorted body image, denial, and the family systems influence. It also explains how to break free of social pressures and how to restore the temple and tie the recovery process together. A companion booklet Seeing Your Loved One in God's Image, can be used as a quick reference guide dealing with issues associated with eating disorders. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.
Would you like to have these devotions appear daily on your church or ministry website? Learn More
"Discipline your son while there is hope, but do not [indulge your angry resentments by undue chastisements and] set yourself to his ruin." - Proverbs 19:18
Thoughts for Today
This week we are looking at five types of dysfunctional families (described in The Thin Disguise by Pam Vredevelt) that can lead to the development of eating disorders. Perhaps you or someone you know has a loved one struggling with an eating disorder. Or perhaps you will identify some potentially harmful characteristic that needs to be addressed in your family.
In the "Rageaholic Family" only the parents (one or both) are allowed to express feelings. The predominant feeling is rage or anger. Unfortunately, the children are taught to believe that they are responsible for that anger. Mothers in rageaholic families may have anger and rage from their family of origin, and in some cases the daughter becomes an "emotional receptacle" for that rage. Although the mother is in actuality angry with herself and her parents, she pushes that anger onto her daughter.
Children in rageaholic families learn to repress their anger completely. This repressed anger can cause stress, bitterness and depression, leading to many types of inappropriate behavior.
(Note: We are grateful to Pam Vredevelt for her keen insights.)
Consider this …
Although there are appropriate times to discipline our children—always in love—we are not to be controlled by anger. And sometimes anger vented on children does not even relate to their behavior—it comes from a parent struggling with rage or bitterness caused by something else altogether. Today's scripture makes it clear that angry resentments and undue chastisements can lead to our child's ruin.
Prayer
Father, forgive me for sometimes taking out my anger on my children. Help me to admit when I've been wrong and allow my children to see that they are not at fault for my unfair words and actions. Help me to be sensitive to my children's honest feelings and to allow them to feel safe in expressing them. In Jesus' name …
These thoughts were drawn from …
Seeing Yourself in God's Image: Overcoming Anorexia and Bulimia by Martha Homme, MA, LPC. Written by a counselor with experience helping those with eating disorders, this study is born from her own struggles in adolescence. The group challenges members to find their identity in Christ as they overcome this difficult struggle. This guide offers understanding of distorted body image, denial, and the family systems influence. It also explains how to break free of social pressures and how to restore the temple and tie the recovery process together. A companion booklet Seeing Your Loved One in God's Image, can be used as a quick reference guide dealing with issues associated with eating disorders. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.
Would you like to have these devotions appear daily on your church or ministry website? Learn More
PO Box 22127 ~ Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421 ~ 423-899-4770
© Living Free 2007. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending e-mail to info@LivingFree.org.
© Living Free 2007. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending e-mail to info@LivingFree.org.
Ivy League Universities Unveil New Programs to Combat Drinking
This fall, seven of the eight Ivy League universities
introduced new alcohol policies in an effort to combat high-risk
drinking, the Yale Daily News reports.
The new policies at Yale, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Princeton,
University of Pennsylvania and Harvard emphasize educational programming
over direct disciplinary approaches, the article notes.
“We are in a wave where many universities are trying to curb
high-risk drinking,” Yale Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Affairs
Melanie Boyd told the newspaper. “There is a lot of research that
high-risk drinking has risen in recent years.”
Close to 40 percent of college students in the United States engage in binge drinking,
and that number has remained virtually unchanged for decades. Almost
2,000 college students in the U.S. die each year from alcohol-related
injuries. An estimated 600,000 students are injured while under the
influence, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism.
Administrators from Dartmouth launched the National College Health
Improvement Project in 2010. This project includes 32 colleges and
universities that are collecting data on the effectiveness of alcohol
regulation policies on campus.
At Yale, all off-campus parties must now be registered with the
Dean’s Office. Two new committees have been formed to address alcohol
and drug use among students. Students at several Ivy League institutions
said a number of new alcohol-related policies are aimed at fraternities
and sororities. Dartmouth has instituted a ban on punch at parties held
by fraternity and sorority houses, and conducts random walkthroughs at
the houses by safety and security officers.
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