APRIL 1 v 32 v 33 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN PROVERB




For simpletons turn away from me—to death.
Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.
But all who listen to me will live in peace,
untroubled by fear of harm.”



STEP 2 - Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.



Choose death or peace ! It is that simple and it comes down to a choice. For a long time I ran the streets and I ran hard acting a fool choosing the choice of premature death you might as well say I was living death , my life was worthless and meant nothing to every one around me I caused pain and sorrow . Step two is the way but you must cry out to the one and only GOD . He is the creator of you , heaven and earth . The Proverb is His simple instruction the step is the key . Peace is what I have because I choose the one and only true GOD creator of heaven earth . I live or at least try to live the way He tells me to live. Today what do you choose His way PEACE or your way DEATH



Exodus 19 v 5 Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure to me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

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"You will never get to real hope without walking through the doorway of hopelessness. True righteousness only comes when we get to the end of ourselves" - Paul Tripp

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CALENDAR LISTING:

“Expanding Your Recovery Toolkit” Workshop April 15 in Doylestown



Free monthly workshop series for individuals and families with a current or past drug/alcohol addiction issue. Next session meets Tuesday, April 15, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc., 252 W. Swamp Rd., Unit 12, Doylestown, Pa. Topics include “I Got a Second Chance,” “Time Management” and a group discussion period focusing on “Problems With Meth.” Refreshments. To register, call 215-345-6644, ext. 3151 or email RPetrolawicz@councilsepa.org.

MARCH 31 v 10 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB
 

Who can find a virtuous and capable wife ? She is more precious than rubies .


STEP 9 - Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

After all the crap you put her through you better do everything you can to make it right. My first wife took off I couldn't blame her I did not like me either. Even after you have sobered up you have to change your entire perspective and attitude. Personally I believe when you have run over someone for so long you lose your respect for them .So now your sober you still put down your wife and take advantage. Men you have to put this in a new perspective she did not stay with you through all the bull because she had no where else to go she stayed because she is the only one in the world that stuck by you when you entire life was coming apart because she loved you . She has more than earned your love and respect , now give it uncodtionally and without limit . Give her steps 5 8 9 and 10 sincerely ! You cant take back all the wrong you did but you can sure as hell make sure you dont ever put her through it again.

Ephesians 5 v 28 - So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

Smartphone App Could Help People in Recovery Cut Down on Drinking
By Join Together Staff | March 27, 2014 | 5 Comments | Filed in Alcohol, Prevention & Treatment

A smartphone app may help people in recovery from alcohol abuse to cut down on “risky drinking”—having more than three or four alcoholic drinks in a two-hour period, a new study finds.

Using the app also increased the chance that people recovering from alcohol abuse would totally abstain from drinking, Reuters reports. The app has guided relaxation techniques. It sends an alert when a person is near a bar or other place that could be risky to their recovery. The app includes a “panic” button that connects with a person’s supporters and other app users, and has games to help distract from cravings.

Only one in four people recovering from alcohol abuse abstains from drinking in the first year of recovery, according to study author David Gustafson of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He reported his findings in JAMA Psychiatry.

The study included 349 adults leaving rehabilitation centers for alcoholism. One group received normal post-rehabilitation treatment, while the other group received normal treatment plus a smartphone with the app, called the Addiction-Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System (A-CHESS). They were able to use the app for eight months.

The researchers asked participants to report how many days within the past month they engaged in risky drinking. After one year, participants who didn’t use the app reported an average of three days of risky drinking in the past month, compared with about one day for those who had the app.

About 52 percent of those who had the app didn’t drink at all one year later, compared with 40 percent of those who didn’t have the app. According to Gustafson, the app is being used by more than a dozen treatment agencies, as well as the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Zohydro Maker Assembles Oversight Board Designed to Spot Misuse of Drug
By Join Together Staff | March 27, 2014 | 2 Comments | Filed in Prescription Drugs & Prevention


The manufacturer of the recently approved pure hydrocodone drug Zohydro ER (extended release) announced it will assemble an oversight board designed to spot misuse of the drug, the Associated Press reports.

The outside group will consist of seven medical, addiction and law enforcement specialists, according to Stephen Farr, President and Director of Zogenix. The panel will look at data from sources including prescribing statistics, law enforcement records and addiction center reports. “We will be monitoring patients, prescribers, pharmacists, supply chains and abusers, so all the populations that would potentially touch our product,” Farr told the AP.

Five out of the seven experts on the panel have previously received consulting payments from Zogenix, the article notes.

Zohydro is designed to be released over time, and can be crushed and snorted by people seeking a strong, quick high. It was approved for patients with pain that requires daily, around-the-clock, long-term treatment that cannot be treated with other drugs. In December 2012, a panel of experts assembled by the Food and Drug Administration (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 Zogenix had met narrow targets for safety and efficacy, the painkiller could be used by people addicted to other opioids, including oxycodone.

The FDA’s decision to approve Zohydro has been criticized by some legislators and public health groups. FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg has received letters protesting the decision from 28 state attorneys general and four senators, among others. Law enforcement agencies and addiction experts predict approval of the drug will lead to an increase in overdose deaths.

MARCH 29 v 23 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

Pride ends in humiliation

while humility brings honor.

STEP 3 - Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we 

understood Him. 

The Proverb is right you know. No what do you mean no its not. Does this response sound familiar .No matter what you try to say to those still out there , you will always hear the same old excuses. Pride leads to denial which in turn lead most to a premature death or a wasted life in a jail cell . Do you really want to get sober and live life to your full potential then steps one through three are the only way. There came a point where I was so broken and desperate death seemed a pure joy but I was too much of a coward to commit the heinous act . Admitting you have made a mess of your life knowing GOD is the only one who can help is where I discovered humility. Once pride loses its grip your once closed ears and shut eyes will begin to open . True humility and recovery begins when you shut your mouth open your ears hold out your hand and accept GODS help and the help offered by everyone around you !

Ecclesiastes 7:8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.

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MARCH 28 v 24 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

Anyone who steals from his father and mother

and says, “What’s wrong with that?”

is no better than a murderer.

STEP 6 - Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character .

Harsh you say well taking something that does not belongs too you is harsh selfish and mean . There are two types of steals the little and the big ! Both are wrong and they are sin and if we don't step six this behavior than our prayers will be hindered . With that said lets look at the two types . Big steal is the obvious one , like back in the day when you went into the store and went shopping and skipped the cashier on the way out . I want to focus on the little steal , come on now you know what I am talking about ! This is the one where its just you and God and your at work ! The boss comes too you and asks you too work late ,you finish your work twenty minutes early . The following day you tell your boss you worked to five thirty when you only worked to five ten. You figured what the hell I need the money. This is certainly a defect of character one I had struggled with for most of my life. Its the little steals that will hinder your prayers and growth in recovery .Their are a million little steals such as a pen from work ,someone drops money on the floor in the store ,the cashier hands you extra money and the list goes on . You are not who you used to be anymore and it can be the little steals that could be holding you back. Next time you are faced with the little steal do the right thing and you will begin to feel good in a way you never felt before.

Ephesians 4:28 - Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with [his] hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

MARCH 27 v 3 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB
 

A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,
but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier.

STEP 4 -Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

Who are you listening too . I have a brother in recovery who has been out there in active addiction thirty plus years . He is in his mid fifties and it saddens me that he cant seem to get free. One of his biggest downfalls is he gets most of his advice from people on the street he just met. Sure he talks to me  a lot and also other brothers with a lot of clean time but he prefers too listen to the advice of people who try to keep him stuck right where he is. Step four is designed too help you reflect and analyze everything and everyone in your life. You have to really think about who is in your life and ask yourself the question do they really care about me or are they trying to keep me trapped. Are they building you up or tearing you down. Quite a few people I was around back in my addictive state tore me down and they made me feel helpless and worthless .I used because they used and I used to feel better but it was just a vicious self destructive LIE . In order to control or be controlled you have to destroy all confidence , self esteem and joy and that is what most people did including myself . Manipulation is a tool used too destroy and control to get what you want . Even after you find sobriety there are going to be people who are not good for you ! Sometimes its best to find someone you don't know to help you sift through your relationships .Such as a counselor , sponsor or someone here on Face book . You can be completely honest and anonymous just personal inbox message someone. Remember there are plenty of people from your life you left behind and you left them behind for a reason , pray for them but never go back because HELL is waiting for you to just do that.
 

Galatians 5:1-26 - Stand fast therefore in the liberty where with Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Four Loko Maker Agrees to Limits on Marketing to Young People
 

By Join Together Staff | March 26, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol, Marketing And Media, Prevention & Youth


The maker of the flavored malt beverage Four Loko agreed this week to sharply limit its marketing to young people, Reuters reports. The company is making changes to its marketing in response to allegations by 19 U.S. state attorneys general and the city of San Francisco that it improperly marketed its product to young people and encouraged them to abuse alcohol.

The company, Phusion Projects LLC, will not promote binge drinking or other misuses of alcohol, and will accept limits on marketing that are designed to prevent people under 21 from purchasing alcoholic products.

Phusion said it will not promote its products on school or college property, except at licensed retailers. The company will not use models or actors under 25, or who appear to be under 21, in its ads. Phusion will also pay $400,000 to the regulators, the article notes.

“This is an important step toward ending the irresponsible marketing of alcohol to young people,” San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera said in a statement. “I’m grateful that we were able to get this industry leader on the same page with consumer protection offices in San Francisco and 19 states. The result will be better informed consumers and a safer, healthier marketplace.”

Last year, Phusion agreed to put an “alcohol facts panel” on the back of cans containing more than two servings of alcohol, to settle the Federal Trade Commission’s charges of deceptive marketing. The panels disclose the alcohol by volume, and the number of servings in the can. Phusion also agreed to redesign cans with more than two-and-a-half servings of alcohol so they can be resealed. This design will encourage drinkers not to consume the entire can in one sitting.

Four Loko originally contained caffeine and alcohol. Following warnings by the Food and Drug Administration, Phusion Projects removed caffeine from the drink.

Role of Alcohol in Traffic Deaths Substantially Underreported: Study
 

By Join Together Staff | March 26, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol & Research

A new study concludes the role of alcohol in traffic deaths in the United States may be significantly underreported on death certificates.

Researchers found that just over 3 percent of the 450,000 death certificates for people who died in traffic accidents between 1999 to 2009 listed alcohol as a contributing cause. Based on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the researchers found 21 percent of those deaths involved people who were legally drunk, according to MedicalXpress.

The findings are published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

It is important to have a clear idea of alcohol’s role in young people’s deaths, according to researcher Ralph Hingson of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Knowing how many people die in alcohol-related crashes will help researchers study the effects of policies designed to reduce alcohol-related deaths, he said. “You want to know how big the problem is, and if we can track it,” Hingson said in a news release. “Is it going up, or going down? And what policy measures are working?”

Some states, including Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire, and New Jersey, rarely listed alcohol on death certificates. Other states, including Delaware, Iowa, Kansas, and Minnesota, listed alcohol more frequently.

Alcohol may be left off death certificates because coroners or medical examiners don’t want to wait to get blood-alcohol test results back before filing a death certificate, the researchers said. While death certificates usually must be filed within three to five days, toxicology results may take longer.

Like us on Facebook                          www.councilsepa.org                 Follow us on Twitter       Due to the importance of the following announcement  The Council and PRO-ACT wish to share it with you Recovery Movement Endorsed by United Nations Posted by Office of National Drug Control Policy Staff on March 25, 2014 at 04:18 PM EDT (click here for official announcement) A resolution on the importance of recovery proposed by the United States at the 57th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) was approved on March 21st in Vienna, Austria. This resolution marks the first time in the more than 50-year history of the global anti-drug regime that the concept of recovery was formally accepted and supported by United Nations Member States. Acting Director of National Drug Control Policy Michael Botticelli said: "This is a historic moment. For too long, the recovery movement has gone without a voice in the global conversation about drug policy. Talking about recovery, exchanging experiences and programs, and sharing successes at international forums like the Commission on Narcotic Drugs is a critical part of a public health approach to preventing and treating substance use disorders and reducing the global drug problem. The resolution codifies the commitment of countries to decrease the stigma associated with substance use disorders and to address them like other chronic health conditions." Mr. Botticelli further noted his appreciation for the support for the resolution provided by many nations, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, and also for the assistance and advice provided by the many American and international non-governmental organizations that were present in Vienna for the CND. The resolution, entitled Supporting Recovery from Substance Use Disorders, recognizes that substance use disorders can result in chronic relapsing conditions and that recovery support initiatives help to prevent relapse, facilitate re-entry into treatment when needed, and promote long-term recovery outcomes. The resolution also calls for an end to stigma, marginalization, and discrimination against those in recovery; promotes international exchanges on best practices related to recovery support initiatives; and encourages the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to disseminate globally information about evidence-based recovery support initiatives. The resolution, which was co-sponsored by a number of countries, was approved at the UNODC meeting on Friday, March 21, 2014.  www.councilsepa.org

MARCH 26 v 27 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

If you set a trap for others,

you will get caught in it yourself.

If you roll a boulder down on others,

it will crush you instead.

STEP 6 - Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. 

Back in the day running wild and evil in my addiction this was my way of life. If you crossed me I would spend countless days plotting and scheming ways to cause your demise. It was so bad it consumed my every waking moment . My plans for revenge always failed and my life situation always seemed to get worse. In the insanity of it all , I continued too blame others for my messed up life and that would reinforce my anger and resentment. The traps I set for others always blew up in my face , some call it karma but God says it different. You reap what you sow and what goes around comes around . It is not your job to make people pay when they piss you off .Steps one through five taught me to let go and let God .This is His world and we are His creation put all of your troubles in His hands and let Him deal with those who burned you.

Romans 12:19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord.

Emergency Departments Prescribing More Opioid Painkillers

By Join Together Staff | March 25, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Healthcare & Prescription Drugs


Emergency departments are prescribing more opioid painkillers than in previous years for problems such as headaches or low back pain, a new study concludes. Many of these patients could be treated with over-the-counter painkillers, experts say.

The study found emergency department doctors in the United States wrote 49 percent more prescriptions for opioids in 2010, compared with 2001, HealthDay reports. During that time, there was only a small increase in the percentage of pain-related visits, the researchers report in Academic Emergency Medicine.

The survey found in 2001, about 21 percent of emergency department visits involved a narcotic painkiller prescription. By 2010, that had increased to 31 percent. Opioids were prescribed for a range of conditions, including pain in the back, stomach, joints or muscles; headaches; and toothaches.

“In many cases, naproxen, Tylenol (acetaminophen) and ibuprofen are the best choices,” Dr. Ryan Stanton, a spokesman for the American College of Emergency Physicians, told HealthDay. He said the findings are “reflective of the growing use of opiates across the board, not just in emergency medicine.” He added that a short-term prescription for opioids is appropriate for conditions such as broken bones or severe pain caused by kidney stones.

The researchers, from George Washington University, say emergency departments may be prescribing more opioids in an attempt to better treat patients’ pain. They also can feel pressure to make patients happy, according to researcher Dr. Jesse Pines.

“Emergency department providers are often caught in a difficult position because some have their pay incentivized based on how patients report their satisfaction with their experience. The intention is always to provide appropriate pain relief, but many patients have come to expect opioids,” Dr. Pines said in a news release. “When patients in pain want opioids, but don’t get them — which is common — they may report a poor experience.”

Liquid Nicotine for E-Cigarettes Can be Poisonous, But Isn’t Regulated

By Join Together Staff | March 25, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Tobacco

Liquid nicotine used in e-cigarettes can be poisonous, but is not regulated by federal authorities, The New York Times reports.

The liquid is extracted from tobacco and mixed with flavorings, colorings and chemicals. Tiny amounts, either ingested or absorbed through the skin, can cause seizures and vomiting. It can even be deadly, the newspaper notes.

These e-liquids are sold legally in stores and online. People keep them in small bottles to refill their e-cigarettes. Children may be attracted by the liquids’ bright colors and flavors such as bubble gum, cherry or chocolate. “It’s not a matter of if a child will be seriously poisoned or killed—It’s a matter of when,” said Lee Cantrell, Director of the San Diego Division of the California Poison Control System. Dr. Cantrell said e-liquids are much more dangerous than tobacco, because the liquid is more quickly absorbed.

The number of calls to poison control centers linked to e-liquids rose to 1,351 last year—a 300 percent jump from the previous year. That number is likely to double this year, according to information from the National Poison Data System.

Many people who use the liquids don’t realize the risks, according to Ashley Webb, director of the Kentucky Regional Poison Control Center at Kosair Children’s Hospital.



Most e-liquids contain between 1.8 percent and 2.4 percent nicotine. These levels can cause sickness in children, but are unlikely to be lethal. E-liquids containing higher nicotine concentrations, from 7.2 to 10 percent, are widely available online. A lethal dose at such levels would take “less than a tablespoon,” Dr. Cantrell said. “Not just a kid. One tablespoon could kill an adult.”

MARCH 25 v 28 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB



A person without self-control
is like a city with broken-down walls.



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





This is a completely different post from what I wanted to originally share. Most of my posts are shared from personal experience and struggles with my recovery. This morning I got up at four thirty and worked on the orginal post for an hour and  wouldn't you know it , I lost it into the internet Abyss. I tried everything to find it ! I clenched my fist and I was gonna give the monitor a beating it would never forget .It gets better I got up so early to do a side job before my day job and the voices in my head were trying to convince that the guy I worked for was a control freak and he was lying to me to get me to do the work faster . All the while I am losing all self control throwing around every curse word too man . My wife comes down from our bedroom sees the way I am behaving and asks whats wrong with you and I tell her I am full of rage and I want to punch the computer it took my post and I cant find it . The car I use for the side job wont start so that's it BOOOOMMMM ! Luckily I managed to crawl back to saneville and pull myself together before there was a body count ! I have not felt like this in forever and I am sure there is a lesson here I will have to examine this through the eyes of step five and keep in mind the warning from the Proverb.




Proverbs 16:32
Better a patient person than a warrior, those with self-control than those who take a city.