Meth Awareness Week Kicks Off November 30
By Candice Besson | November 14, 2013 | 4 Comments | Filed in News Releases



New York, NY- November 14, 2013– The first national Meth Awareness Week will be observed Saturday, November 30 through Saturday, December 7 in an effort to combat the abuse and use of methamphetamine. Coordinated by the Meth Project, a large-scale, teen-targeted prevention program of The Partnership at Drugfree.org which aims to significantly reduce meth use through public service messaging, public policy and community outreach, the week will kick off with provocative creative and social content dramatizing the dangerous and devastating effects of meth.

With participation from state partners including Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, the awareness campaign will launch with various local events and enhanced digital media support.

“Meth production, use and resulting addiction have wreaked havoc among individuals, families and communities across our nation,” explained The Partnership at Drugfree.org President and CEO, Steve Pasierb. “The launch of Meth Awareness Week is a prime opportunity to engage all sectors of our society to take action to prevent teens and young adults from ever experimenting with meth. While intervention and treatment are vital components to reduce use, prevention is the most effective and efficient step in eliminating the damage done by this destructive drug.”

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, methamphetamine is one of the greatest drug threats to the nation. The agency recently reported that the drug is at its highest levels of availability and purity; and lowest cost since 2005 because of increased levels of meth imported from Mexico, and growing rates of small-scale domestic production. RAND estimates methamphetamine costs the country between $16.2 and $48.3 billion per year in treatment, healthcare and foster care services, as well as the costs of crime and lost productivity associated with the drug.

The research-based program has had a profound effect, first in Montana, where teen meth use has dropped 63 percent and meth-related crime has declined by 62 percent. The success of the Montana Meth Project led to its adoption by five additional states that have seen similar results.

To learn more about Meth Awareness Week, visit The Meth Project on Facebook at facebook.com/MethProject, and follow the conversation online at #MethAwarenessWeek.

#### Tagged with: meth, meth awareness week, meth project, montana meth project

November 25 v 4 POWER IN THE PROVERB

Remove the impurities from silver, and the sterling will be ready for the silversmith.

STEP 5. Admitted to God, to our selves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

Silver is not nice when it first comes out of the ground , a silversmith with fire has to purify the precious metal in order to create the shiny utensils we eat with at Grandmas house during the holidays. Silver is put through many steps before it becomes what we want it to be.It is dug out of the ground cleaned put in an oven cooled off heated up and pounded on and shaped in to a beautiful finished product. Our lives are to be treated the same way ! Whatever it is ,chemical substances ,promiscuity ,gambling,greed ,pride anger ,hate, jealously, and the list can go on and on.these are the impurities which keep us living way below our potential and our God given destiny for greatness.The Proverb and the Step are essential for free sober living.We must work these two in order to become what we are destined to be. 

For more Power in the Proverb visit:

joseph-recoveryconnections.blogspot.com

More Than Half of Teens With Mental Health Disorders Do Not Receive Treatment: Study

By Join Together Staff | November 22, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Mental Health, Treatment & Youth


More than half of teens in the United States who have mental health disorders do not receive treatment, according to a new study. The findings come from an analysis of more than 10,000 teens.

Of those teens who do receive help, most are not treated by a mental health professional, HealthDay reports. They are treated by pediatricians, school counselors or probation officers.

“It’s still the case in this country that people don’t take psychiatric conditions as seriously as they should,” lead researcher E. Jane Costello of Duke University said in a news release. “This, despite the fact that these conditions are linked to a whole host of other problems.”

Overall, in the past year, 45 percent of teens with psychiatric disorders received some form of service. The most likely to receive help were those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (74 percent), conduct disorder (73 percent) or oppositional defiant disorder (71 percent). Those least likely to receive services were those with phobias (41 percent) and any anxiety disorder (41 percent). Black teens were much less likely than white teens to receive mental health treatment.

There are not enough qualified pediatric mental health professionals in the United States, Costello said. “We need to train more child psychiatrists in this country,” she noted. “And those individuals need to be used strategically, as consultants to the school counselors and others who do the lion’s share of the work.”

The findings appear in the journal Psychiatric Services.

Eminem - Beautiful

November 23 v5 v6 POWER IN THE PROVERB

A wise man is strong,

Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;

For by wise counsel you will wage your own war,

And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.

Step 11 - Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry that out.

Does the Proverb or the step need to say more! Its amazing to me how many folks in recovery when asked, Have you worked the twelve steps the response is no. Following that they state they have gotten ninety days relapse forty days relapse and it goes on and on. I cannot emphasize enough how important working the steps is. Knowledge and strength is gained by reading and working the steps daily. Another important point in the Proverb is in a multitude of counselors is safety. Surrounding myself with others in recovery folks who have rock solid clean time are my counselors. Believe it or not Facebook has a multitude of great recovery groups filled with folks who will shoot you a comment or a post full of great wisdom and encouragement. The Proverb and the twelve steps are the key too permanent sobriety. Recovery is possible as long as your willing to do the work daily, trusting GOD to carry you through and over every obstacle until you find who HE designed you to be.

CHECK OUT THE THIRTEENTH STEP: ZOMBIE RECOVERY

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THE THIRTEENTH STEP: ZOMBIE RECOVERY

Eight people escape decimated New York. They have only one thing in common: the alcoholic gene. The same genetic quirk that makes alcoholics and addicts susceptible to booze and drugs gives them a mysterious ability to evade detection by the undead.



But one gene in common isn’t enough to unite them. They’re a motley crew: A Botoxed Upper Eastsider; a drug dealer rescued from lockup; a resentful daughter of addicts; an insecure AA guy; a Japanese ex-dope fiend; an addicted Ivy Leaguer; and a Mexican immigrant. Dodging natural and unnatural disasters, drugged lunatics, and the living dead, they struggle to face their personal demons, accept one another, and find a new life. They think they’ve reached the end of their trek when they encounter a settlement that takes A.A. to fundamentalist extremes. They have to make a choice…one they may not survive.

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Warm regards, Michele

November 23 v 12 POWER IN THE PROVERB
Apply your heart to instruction
and your ears to words of knowledge.
STEP 6 Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
The metamorphosis of change begins at step one !When I reached step six ,in order to maintain my sobriety willingness for change had to grow.I was one way for so long ,it was difficult and Pride has away of getting in the way. When reaching step six according to the Proverb we must listen to others and put it into action. The old saying rings true , it works if you work it !

Nasal Ranger” Helps Smell Investigator Sniff Out Marijuana in Denver
 

By Join Together Staff | November 15, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Community Related & Drugs

A licensed smell investigator in Denver is using a device called a “Nasal Ranger” to sniff out marijuana. Ben Siller is using the device to help enforce an ordinance designed to protect the purity of the city’s air.

Although recreational marijuana use is now legal in Colorado, the Denver ordinance allows for possible fines when marijuana odors are very strong—exceeding a level of detection when one volume of scented air is combined with seven volumes of clean air, according to NPR. It has been almost 20 years since anyone has broken that threshold, Siller said. A violation of the ordinance could result in a fine of up to $2,000.

Siller, a member of Denver’s Department of Environmental Health, is receiving a growing number of complaints as the number of facilities used to cultivate marijuana increase. The Nasal Ranger is a cone-shaped device that looks like a megaphone. It samples the air to detect the presence and strength of odors

November 22 v 4 POWER IN THE PROVERB
Humility is the fear of the Lord;
its wages are riches and honor and life.
STEP 10 : Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
Humility can be found at rock bottom.That is where I found it . I spent my life thinking everything was under my control. Racing through life blindly destroying myself and those around me. My pride , selfishness and my lack of humility cost me everything , I was left with nothing but despair and disgust. Committing step one is when humility is born ,and through out the steps it becomes developed ,when reaching the tenth step, Humility must remain and promptly admitting wrongs , though difficult will make humility a natural instinct.God once again through the Proverb and the tenth step rewards us for humility not only with sobriety but riches , honor , and life.

Alcohol Has Bigger Effect on People in Middle Age Due to Physical, Lifestyle Changes

By Join Together Staff | November 19, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Alcohol

Alcohol affects people more in middle age due to physical and lifestyle changes, according to The Wall Street Journal. As people start to take more medication in their 40s and 50s, the risk of alcohol and drug interactions also increases.

As people reach middle age, they experience changes in body composition, brain sensitivity and liver functioning, the article notes. “All of the effects of alcohol are sort of amplified with age,” David W. Oslin, a professor of psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, told the newspaper. “Withdrawal is a little bit more complicated. Hangovers are a little bit more complicated.”

Changes in body composition during middle age result in more alcohol circulating in the bloodstream. In addition, the liver, which metabolizes alcohol, gets less efficient as people age. The level of certain enzymes that break down alcohol decreases. Hormonal changes that women experience during menopause can increase their sensitivity to alcohol.

In middle age, people tend to drink less than they did when they were younger, notes Robert Pandina, director of the Center of Alcohol Studies at Rutgers University. So when you do drink “you might have a more sensitive response to alcohol because you’ve lowered your exposure to alcohol over all,” he said.

Drugs that can interact with alcohol include heartburn drugs such as Zantac, acetaminophen, and blood thinners like Coumadin. Mixing blood thinners with alcohol can cause bleeding. “People on Coumadin shouldn’t really drink at all,” Dr. Oslin noted. Combining alcohol with some pain medications and benzodiazepines can make a person “more prone to sedation, more prone to cardiovascular risk and more prone to overdose,” he added.

According to the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, about 52 percent of people ages 45 to 64 had at least 12 drinks in the previous year.

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Recovery from the disease of addiction is possible! Save the Date--December 18 But in the event you cannot attend, order your ornament now and we will place it on the tree for you

ORNAMENTS AND DEDICATIONS Think about those you know whose lives have been affected by alcohol, tobacco or other drugs. To honor them with an ornament and personal dedication message click HERE, then click Events, then Tree of Hope and select from several options. Or call 215-345-6644           Note that one option is to  underwrite stars so those unable to afford them can dedicate an ornament on the tree. We will arrange that. Your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.  MUSIC MUSIC will be provided by Cordus Mundi   Cordus Mundi is an a cappella group that performs throughout the Bucks County region. Their widely varied and entertaining repertoire spans several centuries and musical styles. Click here for Cordus Mundi 23rd Annual Dedication Ceremony Wednesday, December 18 6:30 pm  Bucks County Courthouse Lobby 55 East Court Street, Doylestown (Park in the VIP Parking Lot at Court & Broad Streets  or use street parking)   Join us for an evening of hope and dignity. Enjoy fellowship, music, personal testimonials and light refreshments. The Tree of Hope   CELEBRATES freedom from addiction, honoring persons successfully achieving recovery; DEDICATES rays of hope to those still struggling in the illness and those working in the field; and COMMEMORATES lives lost to this tragic and misunderstood disease.       Join us and members of the public to decorate the Tree of Hope with personalized ornaments bearing the names of people we wish to honor. Whether in commemoration and remembrance for a life lost, or in celebration and recognition for a life gained in recovery, each ornament placed on the 18-foot evergreen tree is a representation of the hope of recovery and a symbolic reminder that recovery benefits the entire community. Attendees will have special opportunities to place their dedicated ornaments on the tree during the ceremony and enjoy refreshments afterward.        If you are unable to attend, you may order an ornament and dedication and choose to have us place your ornament on the tree for you.   TO ORDER YOUR ORNAMENTS AND DEDICATION MESSAGES, PLEASE CLICK HERE, then click Events, then Tree of Hope  or call 215-345-6644  HOW WE USE PROCEEDS              Proceeds from the Tree of Hope will go toward providing Recovery Support Services to individuals and families and to supporting programs in our PRO-ACT Recovery Community Centers to help people access and sustain long-term recovery.         To make a cash donation to the Tree of Hope, please click HERE, then click Events, then Tree of Hope Your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.  CONTACT     www.councilsepa.org

November 21 v 21 POWER IN THE PROVERB

Whoever pursues righteousness and love

finds life, prosperity[c] and honor.

STEP :12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others , and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Righteousness means living life the way GOD designed us to live it .The proverb along with the step are two simple instructions for us on how to live , and by living right we recieve life,prosperity , and honor . Every morning for me it is up at five , so I can do just that carry the message.God gave me my freedom from addiction , how could I not tell the world after living in such a nightmare.There is not a drug or drink in the world that can match the feeling you get when you know you have helped someone find soberity.The twelveth step is not only an instruction it is a principle we must live by every single day ,because our brothers and sisters are still out there lost , hurt , and confused.

Monty Dale Meyer
Discussion - Yesterday 2:52 AM
Three Types of Drinkers

Three Types of Drinkers
Monty Dale Meyer
Discussion - 12:25 AM
#Sobriety

Listen Now: RADIO REHAB'S The Road to Redemption with BRYAN DUNCAN

Topic: Sobriety & Sanity http://take12radio.com/thursday.htmld a comment...

November 20 v 11 POWER IN THE PROVERB

Even a young man is known by his actions

whether his activity is pure and whether it is right.

STEP : 4 We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves .

This was the toughest step fo me ,and it is one , I have to work on a daily basis . When I close my eyes at night to sleep , after my small talk with the Lord ,the movie projector begins to replay all the stuff I had to face during the day in my head. The way we behave is going to tell others everything they need to know about us. 

This a great time as you are watching the daily scenes ,to not let negative feelings , like regret take hold . Share the negative with the Lord ,and if you hurt anybody during the day you need to make it right . Someone told me a long time ago ,you are only as sick as your secrets. Step 4 is designed for us to get it out in the open , deal with it and get rid of it.

Prescription Drug Abuse is Nation’s Fastest Growing Drug Problem: DEA Report

By Join Together Staff | November 19, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs& Prescription Drugs

Prescription drug abuse continues to be the nation’s fastest growing drug problem, according to a new report by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Americans are abusing prescription drugs at a higher prevalence rate than any illicit drug except marijuana.

Pain relievers are the most commonly abused prescription drugs, and are most likely to be involved in overdose incidents, the article notes. Last year, 28 percent of law enforcement officials said prescription drugs are their biggest drug problem, up from 9 percent in 2009.

Heroin was easier to obtain in the United States last year, likely due to high levels of heroin production in Mexico, and Mexican traffickers expanding into white powder heroin markets in the eastern and Midwestern United States, the DEA said. Many prescription opioid users have turned to heroin because it is cheaper and/or easier to obtain, law enforcement and treatment officials around the country report.

Cocaine was less available in some parts of the country, the Miami Herald reports. Several major cities, including Chicago, Houston, St. Louis, Phoenix and Baltimore, reported sporadic interruptions in cocaine availability in the spring of 2012. These interruptions may have been due to counterdrug efforts, conflict within and between drug cartels in Mexico, and continued reductions in cocaine production rates in Colombia.is also concerned with the abuse of synthetic drugs, such as K2, Spice and bath salts.

The availability of methamphetamine and marijuana is likely on the rise because of increased production in Mexico, and ongoing domestic production, the DEA noted. The agency

Attorneys General Urge FDA to Ban Sale of Menthol Cigarettes

By Join Together Staff | November 19, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed inAdvocacy, Prevention, Tobacco, Young Adults & Youth

The attorneys general of 24 states are urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the sale of menthol cigarettes,CSPnet.com reports.

In a letter to the FDA, the attorneys general said “there are numerous law enforcement tools that can be used to combat production or importation of unlawful tobacco products. Moreover, the quantity of menthol cigarettes that could be made available on the black market would be far less than the quantity that will be available if menthol remains legal. Therefore, a ban on menthol would dramatically decrease public access to menthol cigarettes.”

“Menthol cigarettes are attractive to youth and have been marketed in ways that promote youth smoking. We hope the FDA will ban them completely,” Vermont Attorney General Sorrell said in a news release. Menthol cigarettes are the only flavored cigarettes currently legal for sale in the United States. The FDA is seeking public comment before it makes a decision about what action to take regarding menthol cigarettes.

The attorneys general represent the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

In July, the FDA issued a report that stated menthol-flavored cigarettes raise critical public health questions, and likely pose a greater risk to the health of smokers than non-menthol cigarettes. The agency said it is considering taking action that would result in restricted sales of menthol cigarettes. While the FDA said current research does not indicate menthol cigarettes increase the risk of smoking-related disease compared with regular cigarettes, it noted “adequate data suggest that menthol use is likely associated with increased smoking initiation by youth and young adults. Further, the data indicate that menthol in cigarettes is likely associated with greater addiction. Menthol smokers show greater signs of nicotine dependence and are less likely to successfully quit smoking.”

Livengrin Foundation

JOIN US!!! Gratitude Day – Thanksgiving Morning Join us in Hansell Hall from 10AM-11AM on November 22. Gratitude Day, revered as the most poignant day of the year at Livengrin, provides alumni and supporting friends, families and staff the opportunity to share experiences and expressions of appreciation. No cost, no RSVP, but come early, it's always crowded

November 19 v 3 POWER IN THE PROVERB

The foolishness of a man twists his way,

And his heart frets against the Lord.

STEP 3 :Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God.

The proverb states tht we fret against GOD ,in other words we want no parts of HIS ways.Kndness , love ,generosity ,peace ,and the list goes on.By nature we are evil ,our self (flesh) wants it now and it better make me feel good or else.The sad part is living in the here I want it now and I can do what I ever want part of us ,can never be satisfied.Chasing the next new drug or drink ,getting involved in another risky relationship will always leave us feeling empty and alone.What I am trying to say is you can chase drugs booze sex money or whatever it is you use as your fix.It will never fill that void you have in your life. Step 3 is right on and it will bring peace and sitisfaction to your life heart and soul.

Three “N-Bomb” Compounds Banned by DEA

By Join Together Staff | November 18, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed inDrugs, Government & Prevention

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has made three synthetic drugs, known as NBOMe compounds, illegal for the next two years. The compounds, also known as “N-Bomb,” have been responsible for the deaths of at least 19 people in the United States in the past year.

The compounds can be harmful to kidneys, and can trigger mental health issues.

The DEA made the synthetic compounds 25I-NBOMe, 25C-NBOMe, and 25B-NBOMe Schedule I, illegal drugs under the Controlled Substances Act for the next two years, UPI reports. These drugs are marketed online and through illegal channels as illicit hallucinogens such as LSD, according to a DEA news release. They are sold as powders, liquid solutions, soaked onto blotter paper, and laced on edible items.

“There is no approved medical use for these particular synthetic drugs, nor has the Food and Drug Administration approved them for human consumption,” the DEA notes, adding “data suggest that extremely small amounts of these drugs can cause seizures, cardiac and respiratory arrest, and death.”

The DEA warns synthetic drugs such as the NBOMe compounds have no consistent manufacturing and packaging processes and may contain drastically differing dosage amounts, a mix of several drugs, and unknown adulterants. “Users are playing Russian roulette when they abuse them,” the agency states.

During the next two years, the DEA will work with the Department of Health and Human Services to determine if these compounds should be made permanently illegal.

PCP-Related Visits to the Emergency Room Jumped 400% Between 2005 and 2011

By Join Together Staff | November 18, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs

PCP-related emergency room visits jumped 400 percent between 2005 and 2011, according to a new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). PCP (phencyclidine), also known as “angel dust,” can cause hallucinations when taken at high doses.

The number of PCP-related visits to hospital emergency rooms jumped from 14,825 in 2005, to 75,538 in 2011, Medical News Todayreports. The largest increase was seen among patients ages 25 to 34. In 2011, about two-thirds of PCP-related visits were made by males, and almost half were made by people ages 25 to 34. Other illegal drugs, including marijuana, cocaine and heroin, were involved in about half of PCP-related emergency room visits in 2011.

PCP can be snorted, smoked, injected, or swallowed and is most commonly sold as a powder or liquid and applied to a leafy material such as mint, parsley, oregano, tobacco, or marijuana. Many people who use PCP may do it unknowingly because it is often used as an additive and can be found in marijuana, LSD, or methamphetamine. In a hospital or detention setting, a person on PCP may become violent or suicidal, and can become very dangerous to themselves and to others.

“This report is a wake-up call that this dangerous drug may be making a comeback in communities throughout the nation,” Dr. Peter Delany, Director of SAMHSA’s Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, said in a news release. “PCP is a potentially deadly drug and can have devastating consequences not only for individuals, but also for families, friends and communities. We must take steps at every level to combat the spread of this public health threat.”

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November 18v14 POWER IN THE PROVERB

The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?

STEP 1 : I admit that I am powerless over my chemical dependicies and the effects of my separation or lack of fellowship with God, and that my life has become unmanageable.

Coming to this point in life is not something I would wish on anybody . Important to get here and grateful it happened yes..At this point in my life , it was the most desperate and painful time and I even despaired of life itself . My mind was in a whirlwind of , ego and self and the me of right then and there was a hideous monster at least so I thought.The proverb cannot make it any clearer , that Step one was vital for my survival.When you reach the end your last straw step one will be your only option .

FLAPJACK FUNDRAISER TO SUPPORT RECOVERY FROM ADDICTION

Proceeds from Dec. 29 event to benefit PRO-ACT and the Southern Bucks Recovery Community Center

BRISTOL, PA. — Nov. 11, 2013 —PRO-ACT invites the community to an Applebee’s® Flapjack Fundraiser on Sunday, Dec. 29, from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. at Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, 3219 Street Road, Bensalem. Proceeds benefit PRO-ACT and the Southern Bucks Recovery Community Center (SBRCC) in Bristol to promote recovery from addiction to alcohol or other drugs through advocacy, support, education and service.

“This event gives families an opportunity to support a good cause while enjoying a delicious breakfast together without having to cook or clean up. That’s a nice break during the holiday season,” said Rick Petrolawicz, certified recovery specialist and volunteer coordinator at the SBRCC

PRO-ACT volunteers will serve guests during the event. Applebee’s staff will prepare the food.
Tickets are $10 per person; $6 for children under 12; and $3 for children under 2. Tickets include pancakes, bacon or sausage, eggs, juice and/or coffee.

Tickets must be purchased in advance by Dec. 24. For tickets, call Rick Petrolawicz at 215-788-3738, ext. 107, or email RPetrolawicz@councilsepa.org.or help with an addiction problem, call the 24-hour information line at 800-221-6333.

About PRO-ACT

PRO-ACT (Pennsylvania Recovery Organization-Achieving Community Together) is the regional nonprofit organization working to mobilize and rally individuals in recovery from addiction, as well as their families, friends and allies in acampaign to end discrimination, broaden social understanding and achieve a just response to addiction as a public health crisis.

About The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc.

The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc. is a private nonprofit prevention, education, advocacy, and intervention organization, providing a wide range of services to families, schools, businesses, individuals, and the community. Founded in 1975, The Council serves the Southeast region of Pennsylvania and is a member of a nationwide network of National Council on Alcoholism and DrugDependence Affiliates. The Council has offices and Recovery Community Centers in Doylestown, New Britain, Bristol, and Philadelphia. For help with alcohol, tobacco or other substances, or for information on the disease of alcoholism and addiction, call 800-221-6333, toll-free, 24-hours a day. For more information, visit www.councilsepa.org.

Novenber 17 v 9 POWER IN THE PROVERB 

Love prospers when a fault is forgiven,

but dwelling on it separates close friends. 

STEP 5. Admitted to God, to our selves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. 

Not only does it seperate close friends and family , fault, guilt, anger, pride, and unforgiveness make us physicaly mentally and spiritually sick.You cant get better if you carry around all the junk ! That could be a number one reason for us using at least it was one of the main ingridients in my life of using. Holding on to all of the pain, caused me to be angry resentful and ashamed. Getting to step 4 and making the list was very difficult but it was one of the most liberating experiences of my life.One thing I discovered was unforgiveness is a poision we drink expecting the others in our lives to die.My unforgiveness was not killing them it was killing me thru addiction.

How Fictional Characters Can Help Real-Life Clients
By Adam C. Brooks, PhD | November 15, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed inAlcohol, Drugs, Healthcare & Treatment

Two patients wait in the reception area of a busy urban medical clinic. They don’t know each other, but they are about to embark on very similar journeys. In the exam room, Bill receives the diagnosis that he is pre-diabetic and is encouraged to make some lifestyle changes, including reducing his alcohol intake, as his provider has determined that his drinking is at a risky level. Maria meets with her provider and is asked to break a tough habit. Maria is struggling with continuous asthma complications and although she quit smoking cigarettes, she still smokes marijuana every day to cope with stress. Maria’s provider challenges her to quit smoking marijuana for one month to see if it helps improve her condition. Both patients are uncertain if they can break these habits or if they even want to try.

While these patients will sound familiar to medical providers across the spectrum of health care, they are actually the fictional starring characters of a new health education graphic novel being tested by the Treatment Research Institute (TRI). In Keep it Moving: A Guide to Breaking Habits, both Bill and Maria have to resolve their own ambivalence about whether to make an effort to reduce or quit their alcohol and drug use. They model how to deal with stressors, temptations, obstacles and personal triggers that influence their habits.

These relatable characters are part of a greater goal to integrating models of behavioral health care directly into primary care; and to help individuals combat their own personal habits and make the decision to seek further alcohol or substance use treatment. Our clinical research team received a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health to conduct a clinical trial of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for the reduction of illicit drug use in three federally qualified health care centers (FQHCs) in Philadelphia. We wanted to be able to provide patients with an educational resource akin to Rethinking Drinking, the excellent patient resource developed and distributed by NIAAA. However, we wanted to be able to address both habitual alcohol and drug use, and we also felt that including more interactive activities and models that were within the grasp of populations with various literacy rates was important. A community advisory board consisting of medical patients in recovery from substance use issues reviewed numerous health education strategies for alcohol and nicotine cessation, and concluded that our team might best reach our target population by developing our material in a graphic novel format.

The use of graphic novels for health education is not new. SAMHSA’sPeople Recover about a young couple who enter treatment for addiction is an excellent example. We wanted to equip the behavioral health consultants at the participating FQHCs with a resource that that would help patients begin the process of self-change. Our consultants reminded us that they typically had limited time to meet with patients in a primary care setting, so finding strategies that could help patients remember advice on why and how to make habit change was critical.

The characters model self change using time-tested, habit-breaking strategies. Throughout the narrative, as Bill and Maria exemplify effectively putting change strategies into place, the narrative halts and the reader is invited to complete interactive journaling exercises that allow them to parallel the change process the characters are engaging in.

Our team is currently piloting Keep It Moving in the context of a clinical trial; and while we do not have effectiveness data to share, the early reviews from patients are very positive. Behavioral health consultants have shared with us anecdotal stories of patients returning for second intervention sessions who have completed every exercise in the book, and who have shared content with other family members. So far, more than 70 patients have participated in this the pilot launch of the novel. Our team will monitor results from the pilot through 2014.

Keep it Moving is an example of TRI’s work in counseling tool development, an effort largely intended to encourage counselors to use evidence-based practices. If counselors have the tools necessary to deliver productive and effective interventions that are centered on evidence-based content, they will be more likely to adhere to evidence-based strategies and insist on being properly equipped to do so. Additionally, motivated patients who have been provided with the tools to jump-start self change can surprise providers by moving the change process forward on their own.

Adam C. Brooks, PhD is a Senior Research Scientist working on continuous care and adaptive treatment protocols, along with performance-based contracting strategies at Treatment Research Institute. Dr. Brooks has a PhD in clinical psychology with a specialization in marital and family therapy from St. John’s University.

REALITIES IN RECOVERY
NAADAC & New Jersey Development Committee are proud to introduce:
Dr. Carlo DiClemente & Cynthia Moreno Tuoh
to Morris Plains, NJ on December 6th, 2013!
Dr. Carlo DiClemente is conducing his training titled “Client Collaboration and Integrated Care” which discusses the reality of complicating problems, provide a client centered, process of change perspective, and offer ideas about how to create collaborative, ntegrated care.

Cynthia Moreno Tuohy is conducting her training titled “Conflict Resolution in Recovery” which is skilled-based and focused on the brain; how the brain works in conflict and strategies to affect the quality of recovery in relationships.
Join us in December and continue to serve all in recovery!
Register Here for: Realities in Recovery!
When:
December 6th
9 am—4 pm
Where:
Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital
59 Koch Ave
Morris Plains, NJ 07950

PARKING:Attendees to use parking lots across from the hospital and check-in at the Front Desk in the Main Lobby.
COST:
Member—$15.00
Non-Member—$100.00
Lunch (optional) —Free
Register Here for: Realities in Recovery!
Not a Member? Attend the Conference & Receive FREE Membership to NAADAC
Membership includes:
Over 75 CEs
Staples Office Supply Discount
Reduced Rates on:
Malpractice / Comprehensive/Professional liability insurance
NAADAC products
SAVE $100 on National Certification & Recertification of NCAC I, NACA II, MAC, and more!


CHECK OUT THE NEW JERSEY WEBSITE: NAADACNJ







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RECOVERY CONNECTIONS

Hello , My name is Joseph and I would like to tell you about my Blog . It is my vision to develop a 50 state resource site .My Blog (joseph-recoveryconnections.blogspot.com) is the vechicle in which I will use to accomplish this task.My work has been two years in developing and my pupose is to make treatment easy too find , to educate and help others develop a solid recovery support system . No I am not a refferal service , I am just a guy in recovery trying too give back too those still out there. I also can be found on facebook www.facebook.com/PArecoveryconnections .We have connected here and I would love too have you in the group ,based on your Professional skills and experience you might be able to help one of our many frequent visitors. If you have any upcoming events e-mail us at recoveryfriends@gmail.com we will spread the word.  It is folks like you that make this world a better place.Sincerely Joseph God Bless

November 16 POWER IN THE PROVERB

Those who listen to instruction will prosper;

those who trust the Lord will be joyful.

Step 12 : Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this 

message to others , and to practice these principles in all our affairs. 

(12Steps.org) 

In the middle of my addictive state ,living my life as it was I hated . Guilt, anger, regret ,selfishness , fear , and pride were the ones that ruled my life.There were many who tried to show me the way I should live to get clean and sober . Time after time , I would just run away ! My thought I know you care but I am drowning here and your describing the water ! One day it happened my spirit was awakened ,and that only happened at my bottom after a sincere step one ! The Proverb says it all and the 12 th step is a duty because of other 12 steppers and GOD , I have freedom ! .

Long-Term Heroin Use Changes Gene Activation in the Brain, Study Suggests
By Join Together Staff | November 12, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Drugs &Research


Long-term use of heroin appears to change how genes are activated in the brain, a new study suggests. This leads to changes in brain function, HealthDay reports.

The findings come from a study of the brains of deceased heroin users. Researchers examined an area of the brain called the striatum, which plays an important role in drug abuse. They discovered major changes in how DNA was being used in the brain. The more years a person had been addicted to heroin, the greater the changes in the brain.

The researchers also found changes that suggest behaviors that lead to overdose have a different basis in the brain than those leading to long-term abuse, the article notes. The findings were presented at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting on Sunday.

“Our study addresses a critical gap in our knowledge about heroin addiction because we cannot often directly study the brains of addicted humans,” said senior author Yasmin Hurd of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in New York City. “Our results provide important insights into how human brains change in response to long-term heroin use, and give us the knowledge to help treat this dangerous disease.”

November 15 v 11 POWER IN THE PROVERB 
Death and Destruction[a] lie open before the Lord—
how much more do human hearts!
STEP  3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God .
Why shouldnt you HE created us for a purpose and that was not to get plasterd and reak havoc on the world.Your story was already written from beginning to end so stop trying to  re-write it .Put the crap down and pick up a life recovery manaual (bible) . God knows my heart HE created it and yours also . My heart was full of pain fear and misery so I drank and used to make it feel better but it only made everything worse . LET GO LET GOD !

November 14 v 29 POWER IN THE PROVERB
People with understanding control their anger;
a hot temper shows great foolishness.
Step 6 :We are entirely ready to have GOD remove all these defects of character. One very important step ,when you made me mad you made me drink used too be one of my favorite lines.Looking back it was a great excuse that allowed me to remain in my addictive state. Anger was a great trigger using the Proverb can bring too light that when we get angry and lose control we act like fools and only hurt ourselves in the long run. Take anger and give it the Step 6.

Molly – What You Need to KnowBy Susan Weiss and Eric Wargo | November 12, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed inDrugs


What’s in a (drug) name? The now-popular party drug named “Molly” sounds friendly and safe, and young people know that the name is supposed to refer to the pure crystalline powder form of 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine or MDMA—what used to be taken in pill form as Ecstasy. But many are learning the hard way that, despite appearances, Molly is often not what it seems, and this version of MDMA is no more pure, safe, or innocent than its previous incarnation.

Whether called Molly or Ecstasy, MDMA produces a combination of energy and sociability that has made it popular at events like raves and concerts since it first burst on the recreational drug scene in the late 1980s. The euphoric effects of MDMA, like those of stimulants such as cocaine or amphetamines, come mainly from raising the level of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain’s reward pathways. Unlike those drugs, however, MDMA also raises serotonin, the brain chemical boosted by many antidepressants. Serotonin affects mood, sleep, memory, and appetite, and also triggers the release of oxytocin and vasopressin, hormones that promote social behavior and bonding, which are likely responsible for the empathic closeness to others that MDMA users also experience.

Like stimulants, MDMA can be hazardous for those with heart problems, because it raises heart rate and blood pressure. At high doses it can also interfere with the body’s ability to regulate temperature; this, especially in the high-energy context of a dance party, can cause the body to overheat, leading to liver, kidney, or heart failure. MDMA metabolites interfere with the body’s ability to further metabolize the drug, so unexpectedly high blood levels can accumulate in the body when users take additional doses, as they commonly do. MDMA can also seriously deplete serotonin levels in the brain, causing confusion, depression, and sleep problems after it is taken. There is some evidence that frequent users may permanently damage serotonin-containing neurons, causing lasting mood and memory impairments.

MDMA in its previous life as Ecstasy typically came in the form of a pill, and as happens with other drugs, doubts about adulterants or substitutes came to haunt it. Ecstasy tablets have been known to contain caffeine, methamphetamine, cocaine, ephedrine, and other harmful substances. MDMA’s recent reincarnation as a “pure” powder called Molly, short for “molecular,” follows a typical pattern in the marketplace: rebranding and repackaging a staid old product for a new generation, as well as giving it an aura of being “new and improved.” The word molecular suggests chemical purity. So does its powder form. But powders are readily mixed and substituted, and in the world of drugs purchased at concerts, names mean absolutely nothing.

Molly has simmered in the news the past few years because of pop stars singing its praises, but this summer Molly made the headlines when it was blamed for the deaths of two young adults who collapsed after overheating at a music festival in New York City. The New York City medical examiner later confirmed that pure MDMA was to blame for one of the deaths; the other person had taken Molly that actually consisted of a mixture of MDMA and methylone, one of a family of dangerous and unpredictable stimulant drugs called synthetic cathinones and often sold as “bath salts.”

NIDA’s Community Epidemiology Work Group reported that hundreds of Molly capsules tested in two South Florida crime labs in 2012 also contained methylone. And indeed, many people ending up in emergency rooms after taking what they think is Molly are testing positive for synthetic cathinones instead. Synthetic cathinones can be more energizing than MDMA, and have earned a reputation for inducing wild mood swings and hallucinations in users, as well as dangerous overstimulation of the heart.

Unfortunately, the new world of synthetic designer drugs is very hard to regulate. Labs are continuously churning out new molecules that evade legal restrictions and/or existing drug tests. The situation is so perilous that inexpensive drug purity testers are reportedly being sold at music festivals to help concertgoers tell whether the Molly they have purchased is actually MDMA.

Besides doing whatever we can to steer youth away from drug use altogether, it is crucial to impress on them the folly of purchasing or taking a drug that is so notoriously and frequently not what it seems that it needs to be periodically rebranded. Molly is not bright and shiny and new; it is an old drug being sold in a different form that is now even more subject to contamination and substitution. Young people should listen to their common sense, and stay well away.

Susan Weiss and Eric Wargo

National Institute on Drug Abuse

POWER IN THE PROVERB

November13 v 2 v 3  POWER IN THE PROVERB

A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth,
But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.
He who guards his mouth preserves his life,
But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.

Changes by Makers of Cold and Cough Medicines Reduced Children’s ER Visits

By Join Together Staff | November 11, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Parenting & Youth

Changes made by makers of cold and cough medicines in 2007 have resulted in a significant decrease in visits by infants and toddlers to hospital emergency rooms due to these medicines, according to a new study.

Drug makers voluntarily withdrew infant cold and cough medicines intended for children under age 2 from the market in 2007, and made changes in labeling on other products warning parents they should not be given to children under 4, The New York Times reports.

The study, conducted by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, included data from 63 hospitals. The study estimated the number of visits to emergency rooms from 2004 to 2011 by young children who had taken cold and cough medicine. Before the 2007 changes, children under 2 accounted for 4.1 percent of emergency room visits for suspected drug-related effects. After the change, they accounted for 2.4 percent of the visits.

Among children ages 2 to 3, ER visits related to cold and cough medicines dropped from 9.5 percent before the changes took effect, to 6.5 percent afterwards. There was no significant reduction in ER visits among children 4 to 11. Among children ages 4 and 5, visits related to cold and cough medicines increased from 5.6 percent to 6.5 percent.

“We’re making great progress in under-2s, and we’re making relatively good progress in 2 to 3s,” said Dr. Don Shifrin, a spokesman for the American Academy of Pediatrics. “But we’d like better news for kids over 4.”

Most infants and toddlers who end up in the ER for problems related to cold and cough medicines got hold of the medicines when a parent’s back was turned, the article notes. “Of adverse events still occurring, 90 percent in 2- to 3-year-olds were unsupervised ingestions,” said study senior author Dr. Daniel S. Budnitz.

The findings are published in Pediatrics.

POWER IN THE PROVERB

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 !