November 12 v19 POWER IN THE PROVERB
Truthful words stand the test of time,
but lies are soon exposed.
My advice tell the truth even if it hurts !
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Veterans Face Dangerous Combination of Painkillers and PTSD
By Join Together Staff | November 11, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Addiction,Mental Health, Military & Prescription Drugs
Many of the more than two million veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan suffer from both pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Often they are treated with opioid painkillers, which can be a dangerous mix with mental illness because of the risk of addiction,The Wall Street Journal reports.
Veterans with PTSD are nearly twice as likely to be prescribed opioids as those without mental health problems, according to a study by a Veterans Affairs researcher. They are more likely to get more than one opioid, and to receive the highest dose. The study found veterans with PTSD were more than twice as likely to suffer injuries, overdoses and other bad outcomes if they were given opioids.
According to VA records, about 30 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans under VA care have PTSD. More than half of them suffer chronic pain.
More than 50,000 veterans were treated by the VA last year for serious problems associated with opioid use—almost double the number compared with 10 years earlier. During that time, the total number of VA patients grew 30 percent. The newspaper found the number of opioid prescriptions written by the VA increased by 287 percent between 1999 and 2012.
Another study led by a VA doctor found the rate of accidental drug overdoses among veterans receiving VA care is almost double that of the U.S. population as a whole.
Dr. Andrew Kowal, who helped develop clinical guidelines for pain management used by the VA, said the number of troops “retiring out of the Army on narcotics chronically is just absolutely unbelievable.”
In 2010, the VA revised opioid prescribing guidelines to emphasize the risks. The VA says it will make additional revisions.
Todays Online Meetings at myRecovery November 12
Daily Quote
"If you are waiting for anything in order to live and love without holding back, then you suffer. Every moment is the most important moment of your life. No future time is better than now to let down your guard and love. " - David Deida
Today's Online Meetings
AA Meeting - 9:00 pm CST: "Tuesday night AA "
Monday, November 11, 2013
POWER IN THE PROVERB
November 11 v 30 POWER IN THE PROVERB
The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life;
a wise person wins friends.
Boycott Kitson and Share Your Outrage
By Cassie Goldberg | October 10, 2013 | 0 Comments | Filed in Our Blog
Despite thousands of calls and messages from families who have lost loved ones to prescription drug abuse, the Los Angeles-based boutique, Kitson, has refused to remove apparel that glamorizes prescription drug abuse. Jerseys with “Xanax,” “Adderall” and “Vicodin” in traditional sports team lettering continue to sell for close to $100 each on Kitson’s website and in its stores.
The store, with a clientele that includes celebrities like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, is now offering the actress Kristen Johnston’s autobiography, Guts, as a “free book with purchase of a jersey.” Johnston, who has struggled with and overcome addiction, brought attention to the company’s irresponsible selling of the sweatshirts this August and, along with The Partnership at Drugfree.org, has publicly pleaded for them to pull the shirts from their stores.
Instead, Kitson has chosen to mock recovery and bully Ms. Johnston and her brave work to help break the stigma and misunderstanding that surround addiction. Response to Kitson’s latest questionable promotion has been called “tasteless,” “immature” and “offensive.” What are your views on Kitson’s actions?
We encourage you to:
• Boycott Kitson and please do not support their irresponsible behavior by purchasing their products.
• Share your views on Kitson’s Facebook page.
• Send Kitson a tweet at @KitsonLA and express your concerns.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
POWER IN THE PROVERB
November 10 v 6
POWER IN THE PROVERB
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.My advice ,whatever it is your thinking about doing that is not right ,don't you wil get caught eventually,everyone does.
POWER IN THE PROVERB
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.My advice ,whatever it is your thinking about doing that is not right ,don't you wil get caught eventually,everyone does.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Greater Philadelphia Region of Narcotics Anonymous
Greater Philadelphia Region of Narcotics Anonymous
God, Self, Society Service!
God, Self, Society Service!
Narcotics Anonymous offers only one promise... Freedom from active addiction.
We Must Do Better in Helping Veterans with Alcohol and Drug Problems
We Must Do Better in Helping Veterans with Alcohol and Drug Problems
By Dr. David Rosenbloom | November 8, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Addiction, Military & TreatmentThe United States did a dreadful job in recognizing and addressing the alcohol and drug problems of Vietnam era veterans. In shameful fact, a significant percent of the nation’s homeless men are Vietnam—and now Gulf War—veterans who never got the help they needed when they got home. Research has shown that the start of heavy alcohol and drug use in Vietnam veterans was associated with exposure to violence in Vietnam. For many, drinking and drug use escalated rapidly as they self-medicated with alcohol and drugs to calm Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)-related arousal, increased rapidly when they came home and became a chronic and unremitting addiction.As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down, we cannot allow this to happen again. The warning signals are loud and clear. Homelessness in recently discharged veterans is starting to rise. Some communities have established special Veterans Courts to deal with sharp increases in drug, alcohol and violence-related charges involving new veterans. More than 2.5 million men and women were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 400,000 were deployed three or more times. About 25 percent of the men and women returning from combat in these areas have reported unhealthy use of alcohol, including regular heavy drinking after they got home. Soldiers, especially those in the Reserves and National Guard, have reported significant increases in drinking after they returned compared to their drinking patterns before they were deployed. Misuse of prescription pain medication has more than tripled among active duty military in recent years. As was true in Vietnam, the onset of heavy drinking and drug use has been closely associated with direct exposure to violence.We can do better this time for a number of reasons. New evidence-based behavioral and medication-assisted treatments and recovery approaches for addiction and PTSD can help many returnees—if we get them into help, stable housing and jobs. The Veterans’ Health System is significantly better equipped to provide effective addiction, PTSD and mental health treatment and is expanding rapidly. However, many returnees live far from Veterans Administration (VA) facilities so the VA cannot do the entire job. Finally and perhaps most important, the Internet, mobile and social networking revolution has made it possible to reach returnees and engage them wherever they are, whenever they are ready to receive help. We no longer have to wait for the veterans to come to us for help. We can go to them.I have been privileged to be working with a team at Boston University and the Boston VA that recently completed a successful randomized clinical trial of a web-based, self-administered intervention to help returnees from combat reduce unhealthy drinking and PTSD symptoms. Individuals, recruited through Facebook ads, reduced daily and heavy drinking and experienced a decline in PTSD symptoms compared to the control group. Now, with support from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation and the VA, we are moving as fast as we can to make the program freely available to all returnees.Much more needs to be done. Active duty personnel who develop alcohol or drug problems need to be able to get treatment and recovery support without risking their careers. Addiction is a disease, not a chain of command disciplinary matter. Military treatment programs need to use the full range of evidence-based treatments including medicated-assisted treatment when appropriate. Reserve and National Guard members were heavily deployed in the Iraq and Afghanistan war zones. Their rates of unhealthy drinking with negative consequences have gone up even more than career military. However, they face special hurdles in getting help. Many are still in Reserve or Guard units and thus unable to get help in the VA. But they can’t get help from military treatment programs either because they are not on active duty or live far from military medical facilities. Community-based treatment may also be unavailable or inaccessible. This is clearly not fair. Barriers to treatment and recovery for Reserve and Guard members must be removed.Access to VA services also needs to be dramatically expanded. In my opinion, the evidence of an association between exposure to violence and subsequent alcohol and drug problems is so strong there should be immediate access to treatment and recovery, rather than an elongated process to determine if and how much of a service-related disability the returnee has or financial screening that may require a veteran to pay substantial co-payments to get VA care. These delays and co-pays are unfair to the veteran, and costly to the government, because the research from the Vietnam era shows that long delays in getting treatment contributed to lifetime disability.David Rosenbloom, PhD, is founder of Join Together and Professor at Boston University School of Public Health.
POWER IN THE PROVERB
November 9v12v13 POWER IN THE PROVERB
If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.My advice wisdom can be gained by living and learning the hard way,life would be alot easier if we went to the instruction manual.(Bible)
Friday, November 8, 2013
My Recocovery On Line meetings
Daily Quote
“Present-moment living, getting in touch with your now, is at the heart of effective living. When you think about it, there really is no other moment you can live. Now is all there is, and the future is just another present moment to live when it arrives.” - Wayne W. Dyer
Today's Online Meetings
Guest Speaker - 8:00 pm CST: "The Spiritual Steps with dj"
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POWER IN THE PROVERB
November 8 v 35v36 POWER IN THE PROVERB
For whoever finds GOD finds life,
And obtains favor from the Lord;
But he who sins against GOD wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate GOD love death.”
For whoever finds GOD finds life,
And obtains favor from the Lord;
But he who sins against GOD wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate GOD love death.”
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Sereniti-Tea
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Today's Online Meetings November 7 2013
Daily Quote
"Don't be afraid to take a big step. You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps" - David Lloyd George
Today's Online Meetings
AA Meeting - 9:00 pm CST: "Thursday Night AA "
Copyright 2011 Community of Recovering People LLC
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Drug Used to Treat Epilepsy Can Help People with Alcoholism: Study
By Join Together Staff | November 5, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed inAlcohol, Research & Treatment
The drug gabapentin, used to treat epilepsy and some types of pain, can help people with alcoholism quit drinking, a new study concludes.
The 12-week study of 150 alcohol-dependent participants found gabapentin decreased the number of days people drank heavily, and at least tripled the percentage of people who were able to stop drinking altogether, compared with those receiving a placebo. The drug also reduced alcohol craving and improved mood and sleep quality, Forbes reports.
After 12 weeks, 4 percent of those receiving a placebo were completely abstinent, compared with 11 percent of those receiving 900 milligrams of gabapentin, and 17 percent of those receiving 1,800 milligrams of gabapentin. Among those receiving a placebo, 22 percent reported no heavy drinking days (more than four drinks a day for women, and five for men), compared with 30 percent taking 800 milligrams of gabapentin, and 45 percent taking 1,800 milligrams.
The study appears in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Gabapentin is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating epilepsy and neuropathic pain, a complex, chronic pain state that is usually accompanied by tissue injury.
“Gabapentin’s effect on drinking outcomes is at least as large or greater than those of existing FDA-approved treatments,” lead researcher Barbara J. Mason of The Scripps Research Institute said in a news release. “Plus it’s the only medication shown to improve sleep and mood in people who are quitting or reducing their drinking, and it’s already widely used in primary care—that’s an appealing combination.”
There are currently several drugs treatments available for alcohol dependence, but they have limitations, the researchers said. Disulfiram (Antabuse) and naltrexone (ReVia, Vivitrol), are relatively ineffective against anxiety, depression, sleeplessness and other withdrawal symptoms. “They are also, by design, somewhat unpleasant—which often discourages patients from using them,” the release notes.
Acamprosate (Campral), a newer drug approved for alcoholism treatment, has not been shown to improve mood or sleep, the researchers said.
POWER IN THE PROVERB
November 7 v4 v 5 POWER IN THE PROVERB
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and to insight, “You are my relative.”
They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words.
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and to insight, “You are my relative.”
They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Latest Synthetic Drug to Hit St. Louis: “N-Bomb”
By Join Together Staff | November 5, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed inCommunity Related & Drugs
The synthetic drug known as “N-Bomb” is being seen on the streets of St. Louis, KMOX reports. The drug is also known as “Smiles,” according to Dan Duncan, with the local office of the National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.
The drug is often called N-Bomb because its chemical name is 25I-NBOMe. It is made from mescaline, and is similar to LSD. It is ingested as a liquid, powder, or on a blotter, the article notes. The drug can be harmful to kidneys, and can trigger mental health issues.
Last month, WHTM reported N-Bomb was believed to be responsible for the death of a high school student in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In May, police in Scottsdale, Arizona said they were investigating whether the deaths of two 18-year-olds were linked to N-Bomb.
POWER IN THE PROVERB
November 6 v 20 v 21 v 22 v 23 POWER IN THE PROVERB
My son, keep your father’s [God-given] commandment and forsake not the law of [God]
Bind them continually upon your heart and tie them about your neck.
When you go, they [ God] shall lead you; why you sleep, they shall keep you; and when you waken, they shall talk with you.
For the commandment is a lamp, and the whole teaching [of the law] is light, and reproofs of discipline are the way of life,.
My advice read the instruction manaual (BIBLE) !
My son, keep your father’s [God-given] commandment and forsake not the law of [God]
Bind them continually upon your heart and tie them about your neck.
When you go, they [ God] shall lead you; why you sleep, they shall keep you; and when you waken, they shall talk with you.
For the commandment is a lamp, and the whole teaching [of the law] is light, and reproofs of discipline are the way of life,.
My advice read the instruction manaual (BIBLE) !
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Experts Voice Concern Over FDA Approval of New Hydrocodone Drug
The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of the first pure hydrocodone drug in the United States concerns law enforcement agencies and addiction experts, who predict overdose deaths will increase, Newsday reports.
The drug, Zohydro ER (extended release), was approved for patients with pain that requires daily, around-the-clock, long-term treatment that cannot be treated with other drugs. Drugs such as Vicodin contain a combination of hydrocodone and other painkillers such as acetaminophen. Zohydro is expected to reach the market in early 2014.
In December 2012, a panel of experts assembled by the FDA voted against recommending approval of Zohydro ER. The panel cited concerns over the potential for addiction. In the 11-2 vote against approval, the panel said that while the drug’s maker, Zogenix, had met narrow targets for safety and efficacy, the painkiller could be used by people addicted to other opioids, including oxycodone.
Zohydro is potentially 10 times stronger when abused than hydrocodone combination products, according to the article. Zohydro is designed to be released over time, and can be crushed and snorted by people seeking a strong, quick high. The opioid drug OxyContin has been reformulated to make it harder to crush or dissolve, but Zohydro does not include similar tamper-resistant features, the newspaper notes.
Zogenix has started the development of an abuse deterrent formulation of Zohydro , according to a company statement.
“That the FDA has approved another incredibly powerful painkiller without [tamper-proof features] is both disconcerting and dangerous,” said Jeffrey Reynolds, Executive Director of the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, who told the FDA expert panel he opposed Zohydro’s approval without safety features. “While this drug might be a godsend for people with acute pain, it’s a potential nightmare for those struggling with or at risk for addiction.”
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