The Link Between Alcohol and Depression

Which comes first? Does depression lead to addiction or is it the other way around?

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By A.J. Dugger III

09/03/14

In the history of drug and alcohol abuse and depression, one can't help but ask the age-old question: Which comes first? Is it generally the depression that leads to addiction, or does the addiction lead to the depression?

According to a study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, depression usually precedes substance abuse. The study revealed that depression is often rooted in childhood. Frequently, traumatic childhood situations such as divorcing or abusive parents, molestation, or similar events trigger depression, and when the child reaches adolescence or adulthood, he can easily find an escape from his feelings by using drugs or alcohol. Children who were not depressed during childhood are less likely to start abusing alcohol or drugs, although this is not always the case. Actor and Comedian Jim Carrey used different medications to cope with a traumatic childhood. As an adult his depression worsened due to failed marriages and relationships and it continues to threaten his peace of mind, according to a source on tribune.com. "Jim has suffered from severe depression in the past, and you have to worry those fearful days are coming back again,” revealed the source. “When you talk to him, he’s not as animated as he used to be. He seems [to be] at a low point — like a ship without a rudder.”

Even as adults, depression can lead to alcoholism or addiction. Paul Williams, an original member of the legendary Motown group The Temptations, committed suicide in August 1973. Things began to go downhill for him when The Temptations began to have creative and financial problems with the Motown label during the late 1960s. According to founding member Otis Williams (no relation), the stress and frustration of the situation weighed heavily on Paul, who went from drinking milk every day to drowning his sorrows in booze. In just a few short years, Williams went from being the most wholesome member of the Temptations to one of the most addicted. When the alcohol hurt Williams' ability to perform on stage, he was removed from the group, and that's when he began to rely on the bottle even more. When Williams committed suicide he was $80,000 in dept.

There are other famous examples of depression leading to alcoholism. Former professional wrestler and actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson went into detail about how depression and alcohol affected his father, legendary wrestler Rocky Johnson. In Johnson's autobiography, The Rock Says.., Johnson explained how his father turned to the bottle as his wrestling career began to fade. “For a long time I never knew that he struggled with the demons of a strange world in which he lived, just like all professional wrestlers. It's a world in which aching joints are anesthetized by the roar of a crowd, and the loneliness of life on the road is soothed by the sweetness of alcohol and drugs and the touch of strange flesh.” Johnson further explained that his father had always been a casual drinker, but post-retirement was not a good period for him. “By the summer of 1991, it was clear that he was losing his battle with the bottle. Dad was basically out of the business by then, and he was having a terrible time coping with the tremendous void in his life. His pride was battered. His way of coping was to drink. For a long time, like most alcoholics, my father denied that he had a problem. But as the drinking escalated and he spent more time in bed recovering from hangovers... as the half-empty bottles piled up around the house..it became increasingly obvious that he needed help. Or he would die.”

Depression may have led to Rocky Johnson's addiction, but for other people it was the other way around. The late Whitney Houston had it all before using drugs and hitting rock bottom.However, the rumor of her ex-husband Bobby Brown introducing her to drugs is far from the truth. It was actually her older brother Michael who introduced her to drugs, something he regrets to this very day. "Every day...every day. That's something I've got to live with for the rest of my life," a guilty Michael Houston said in an L.A. Times article last year. “But you gotta understand, at the time, the '80s, it was acceptable.... In the entertainment industry it was just like, available. It wasn't like a bad word like it is now. You know what I'm saying? We didn't know. We just didn't know." Michael noted that when he and his sister first tried drugs, the singer was in her late 20s, already famous, selling hit records, and was still years away from marrying the controversial Brown. According to many who knew her, Houston was in denial about her addiction during her last decade of life. However, the more depressed she got about her sagging career, the more drugs she took. When Houston was found dead, Benadryl, Xanax, marijuana and Flexeril were found in her system.

According to several studies, alcohol abuse increases the risk for depression because of theneurotoxic effects of alcohol exposure to one's brain. According to some researchers, heavy alcohol consumption may lead to prolonged periods of depression.

Depression was once considered a “woman's disease.” But men can suffer from depression too, though they may exhibit different symptoms. While women are expected to cry or show their despair, men can be hesitant to do so and instead withdraw into themselves or become aggressive. Also, some men won't even realize they're depressed because they're unaware of the symptoms. According to a study in the Psychology of Men and Masculinity journal, men who are not afraid to show their emotions have higher self-esteem than those who do not openly express themselves. The journal cited the case of football players unafraid to cry after losing a game as an example of self-esteem being correlated with emotional self-expression. "They felt secure enough to shed tears in front of their teammates and seemed less concerned about peer pressure," wrote Derek Whitney of psychcentral.com. Of course, many men will sublimate depression and unpleasant feelings by turning to drugs and alcohol.

According to a post on webmd.com, men may deny problems because they're expected to be strong. “American culture suggests that expressing emotion is largely a feminine trait. As a result, men who are depressed are more likely to talk about the physical symptoms of their depression - such as feeling tired - rather than symptoms related to emotions." Furthermore, "The CDC reports that men in the U.S. are about four times more likely than women to commit suicide. A staggering 75% to 80% of all people who commit suicide in the U.S. are men. Though more women attempt suicide, more men complete the act of actually ending their lives. This may be due to the fact that men tend to use more lethal and violent methods of committing suicide, for example using a gun rather than taking an overdose of pills.”

John and Roberta Powell are a married couple living in Millington, Tennessee, a town outside of Memphis. After the sudden loss of their first child, the depressed couple fell into the trap of drugs and alcohol, which threatened to destroy their marriage. “Our baby Lena died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome seven years ago,” said Roberta. “She was six months. John was always a casual drinker but just couldn't cope with it. He felt so helpless and became an alcoholic. It was his only way (to cope). I started getting high all the time using lortabs and marijuana. We were both a mess but the addictions were the only way to escape from the nightmare. Lena was our first child...our baby. And she was suddenly gone without warning. I'll never forget finding her dead in her crib.” Powell's husband says that it was the absolute worst period of their lives but with counseling and rehab they made it through. “The depression is absolutely what led to the addictions. Roberta and I are not addictive people but we were on the verge of insanity. Just seeing Roberta cry and cry...I didn't know what the hell to do. But things are much better now. We'll never forget our angel Lena, but we do have three beautiful children now.”

Sometimes a person may be depressed and use drugs and alcohol to escape their troubles, which was the case with the Powells. Other times, a person can become addicted and then lose grasp of everything and fall into a deep depression. The link between depression and addiction will always be strong. Treatment for either condition should always take into account the likelihood of co-occurring disorders.

A. J. Dugger lll is a journalist based in Clarksville, Tennessee. He recently published his first book, The Dealers: Then and Now. Recent stories were on the prescription drug epidemic in his home state and the meth lab next door to you.

PRO-ACT Family Addiction Education Program helps families address drug and alcohol addiction

Next free sessions start Oct. 1, 2 or 7 at various locations in five counties

When someone is addicted to drugs or alcohol, the disease affects the entire family. Each month PRO-ACT (Pennsylvania Recovery Organization–Achieving Community Together) hosts a free Family Addiction Education Program to help individuals and families recognize and address an addiction problem in a spouse, parent, child or other loved one. Led by trained volunteers who have been in the same situation, these information and support programs begin the first week of each month and run one evening a week for three consecutive weeks. Each session lasts two hours.

Programs are offered at several locations throughout the five-county southeast Pennsylvania region:

· Tuesdays—From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Media and Northeast Philadelphia.

· Wednesdays—From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Pottstown; from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in North Philadelphia; and from 7p.m.to 9 p.m. in West Chester.

· Thursdays—From 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Northern Liberties; 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Bristol and Colmar.

Sessions are free and confidential—first names only. Pre-registration is required. To register, call 800-221-6333, weekdays 9 a.m. through 5 p.m., or visit http://councilsepa.org/programs/pro-act/family-education-program/

Can You Still Buy Illegal Drugs Online? You Bet!

In the wake of Silk Road's demise, online drug marketplaces have become smarter and are offering a wider variety of illegal products.

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By Paul Gaita

09/11/14

From 2011 to 2013, Silk Road was widely considered the“Amazon.com” of online black marketplaces,selling an incredible variety of drugs and drug-related paraphernalia, including heroin, LSD and marijuana to users around the globe. By the summer of 2013, the site had reportedly earned $1 billion in sales,all paid through the bitcoin cryptocurrency. But within a few months, Silk Road was in tatters, its alleged owner Ross William Ulbricht arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking and soliciting murder, among other charges; most recently, bitcoin company ownerCharlie Shrem pled guilty to charges of aiding and abetting Silk Road, and faces up to five years in federal prison. The site mounted a brief comeback in a “2.0” mode in late 2013 but was again shuttered by February 2014 by hacker attacks. But as Silk Road sunk into oblivion, a new array of online drug markets rose to take its place, each offering a unique challenge to U.S. and international drug enforcement agencies.

The World Drug Report 2014 issued by the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC), notes that the online marketplace for illegal drugs has grown not only larger but more willing to risk arrest by selling a wider and more dangerous array of substances. While Silk Road 2.0 was under siege in early 2014, a new site, DarkList, stepped into the void to connect buyers and dealers in a Yelp-style arrangement, but was soon surpassed by Agora which, as of September 2014, offered more product listings, including weapons, than any other online black market. Both were followed by such pirate vendors as Deepbay, Sheep Marketplace and Black Market Reloaded, which dubbed itself “Silk Road without morals” (for making available weapons and child pornography to buyers), all of which took pages from Silk Road by only accepting bitcoins for payment and protecting its users with the anonymity software Tor. Sales figures are impossible to determine, given the levels of encryption utilized by these sites, but they are estimated to be a small fraction of the global drug trade, which brings in an estimated hundred billion dollars. A portion of that amount would still result in staggering levels of income.

Not all of the sites have struck gold on the black market – Atlantis Market, once touted as the heir to Silk Road, closed up shop and made off with its customers’ payments shortly after Silk Road’s first shutdown. But as online drug sale figures clearly show – according to the UNODC, seizures of marijuana sales delivered through the postal service have escalated 300% in the last decade – web sites will continue to use the darker areas of the Internet regardless of the potential danger. For law enforcement, this new environment nullifies much of the traditional methods of tracking down and arresting drug traffickers.

Key to the challenge in corralling the online black market is the method of payment – bitcoin – and the means of accessing dealers through the Tor network. The virtual currency is very difficult to trace, while the Tor network – short for The Onion Router Network – connects users and website owners through a two-fold means of security. Users who wish to conceal their online footprints log onto Tor and have their data dispersed throughout the Internet, concealing the origin of their search. Website owners use Tor’s “hidden services,” which open up a “dark net” that makes traffic untraceable, even to Google’s spiders. Also posing a problem for law enforcement: the geographic spread of dealers selling on sites. At the height of its power, Silk Road offered 13,000 listings that originated from 10 different countries. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has admitted that no concrete data exists on the exact location of dealers selling on black market sites.

Online sellers and marketplaces aren’t completely untouchable – Ulbricht, who operated under the moniker “Dread Pirate Roberts,” led the FBI to his door by connecting the Silk Road service to a Virtual Private Network and not Tor, though some suggest that the agency used malware to hobble his servers. But the sites that followed Silk Road’s rise and fall are learning from its mistake, and improving their own levels of encryption to prevent such vulnerabilities from compromising their business. Though online drug sales are only a small part of the worldwide narcotics industry, the UNODC predicts that it may be the shape of things to come. “If the past trend continues,” it noted in its World Drug Report, “[online black markets] have the potential to become a popular mode of trafficking in controlled substances in years to come.” 

Paul Gaita is a Los Angeles-based writer. He has contributed to The Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, Amazon and The Los Angeles Beat, among other publications and sites.

13 Valuable Alternative Treatments for Addiction

The Fix lists some outside-the-box modalities that are playing increasingly important roles in substance abuse treatment.

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By Jeanene Swanson

09/08/14

It’s safe to say that alternative treatments for addiction are no longer, actually, alternative in the “outside of the mainstream” sense. These days, many treatment facilities and therapists offer an array of these types of "supplemental" therapies, including acupuncture, equine (horse) therapy, neurofeedback, biochemical restoration, hypnotherapy, yoga, watsu (water therapy), meditation, ropes courses, sound therapy, and many more. Additionally, researchers are proving that experimental treatment with psychedelic drugs—though still illegal in the U.S.—can have profound effects on reducing cravings and preventing relapse. 

There still remains controversy among many recovery professionals as to whether "alternative" treatments can hold their own. The dominant view in the profession is that such treatment modes can be highly effective complements to traditional treatment, helping recovering addicts and alcoholics to muscle through early sobriety. But these techniques can’t do the recovery job alone; a “holistic” therapy such as meditation, for example, should be used in conjunction with traditional treatment-as-usual approaches. “I am not aware of any research supporting the sole use of holistic treatments for chemical dependency,” says rehab center program director Leslie Sanders. 

Even so, advocates of many of the treatment modes argue they can have a profound if not crucial influence on recovery. What follows is a guide to some of the dominant and most promising alternative treatment modes and the evidence of their effectiveness, either as stand-alone or supplementary treatment strategies. 

NAD

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a coenzyme derivative of vitamin B3 - otherwise known as niacin—found in all living cells. NAD is a key agent in metabolism, as well as many other basic cellular processes. Because it is essential to the production of energy in our bodies, it has become a valuable resource for helping addicts, especially when used in mega-doses, for rapid detox. In many cases of substance abuse, the body’s reserves of protein and vitamins—precursors to NAD—are low, resulting generally in low energy.

The mega-dose treatment is in IV form. It is thought to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms in patients without using replacement therapies. According to reports, it has been used successfully to treat addictions to prescription drugs including opiates, benzodiazepines, and stimulants, alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, suboxone, and methadone. Results may include improved mental clarity, increase in cognitive function, returned focus and concentration, more energy, better mood, and more positive outlook. Advocates claim it opens addicts up to participate in effective therapy. Bill Wilson, the founder of AA, became an advocate of large doses of vitamin B and once claimed that it was the most effective help he had ever received. The AA board refused his appeal that AA should promote the concept to its members.

Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback is a process by which electroencephalography (EEG) sensors are attached to one’s head which allows the brain’s activity to be fed back into a computer that displays brain waves in real time. The subject can then interact with her brain waves in order to alter them, directly impacting their frequency.

The procedure is a form of biofeedback, and it has been used for treating a variety of conditions, namely PTSD. Over the past five years, neurofeedback has been gaining traction as a form of alternative treatment at leading recovery and rehab centers. Some addicts claim that it helps with everything from anger to insomnia—key triggers for relapse. The limited science on it is positive but funding for a range of credible controlled studies has been hard to come by. 

In essence, neurofeedback can increase or decrease states of arousal—a level of neural activity linked to brain wave frequency. An anxious person would obviously aim for a calmer state (a lower frequency) in a neurofeedback session; someone depressed would seek to create higher frequency and more neural arousal. “It can help keep [addicts] from leaving treatment early,” says Matt Morgan, a neurofeedback treatment specialist. While neurofeedback has a 40-year history, it is still in its infancy as a treatment form for substance disorders. Morgan says there is “no medication out there with such a wide [therapeutic] use.”

Ibogaine

Ibogaine is an alternative treatment for opiate addiction. The product of the root bark of an African rainforest shrub, Tabernanthe iboga, ibogaine is used ceremonially by the Bwiti tribe of Western and Central Africa to induce visions and shamanic experience. While it has been categorized as a psychedelic, it is more intense and longer lasting than LSD or mushrooms. It can have dissociative effects as well as sometimes serious effects on motor control, similar to those of the anesthetic ketamine. In the brain, it affects multiple neurotransmitter pathways, making it difficult to discern which effects are most significant.

While animal and human research data show that ibogaine undoubtedly does relieve opioid withdrawal—and the drug is now being used in dozens of clinics around the world, often illegally—it is important to know that ibogaine is apparently not as safe as was once believed. It mixes poorly with many pharmaceuticals as well as narcotic drugs and alcohol. It is illegal in the U.S., although Canada, St. Kitts and Mexico have government-regulated facilities that offer it legally. In Mexico it is considered an “experimental” drug and the most advanced medical clinics only use it with patients who have passed a battery of medical tests. 

Outside the U.S. it is used to treat addiction to methadone, heroin, alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamine, anabolic steroids, and other drugs. Ibogaine is also used to treat depression and PTSD. Derivatives of ibogaine that lack the substance’s psychedelic properties are under development.

Meditation/Mindfulness Practices

Meditation is the art of practicing mindfulness, and 12-step programs and counselors alike recommend it as a method to prevent relapse. Gaining mindfulness helps substance abusers become aware of their thoughts and feelings, good and bad, but not react to the negative ones—a key step forward in preventing relapse.

Mindfulness meditation is also a good way to help regulate mood. It can lower the levels of stress hormone cortisol, increase immune system compound interleukin, and assist in the body’s ability to detoxify itself of harmful chemicals, which can affect neurotransmitter receptors and alter mood.

Different types of mindfulness meditation exist. Vipassana meditation teaches the mind not to react to the emotions and thoughts that result in harmful behavior. Some adherents claim that with enough practice, it’s possible to become permanently free of all negative behaviors—addiction included. The Transcendental Meditation organization claims that controlled studies demonstrate that TM “compared to other forms of meditation and relaxation significantly reverses physiological and psychological factors which lead to substance abuse. Compared to control conditions, TM significantly reduced the use of alcohol, cigarettes and illicit drugs in general population as well as among heavy users. Over time abstinence was maintained or increased.”

In fact, an increasing number of studies indicate that mindfulness-based relapse prevention techniques do reduce cravings and prevent relapse as well as, if not better than, traditional treatment. The journal Substance Use & Misuse published an entire special issue in April, 2014, focused on mindfulness-based interventions for substance use disorders. Katie Witkiewitz, an associate professor of psychology at the University of New Mexico, published two studies this year that found that mindfulness-based relapse prevention was more effective than a traditional relapse prevention program in decreasing substance use and heavy drinking up to one year later. “There have been several randomized clinical trials, as well as smaller controlled studies, that have found meditation to be as effective or more effective than existing treatments for addiction,” she says.

Biochemical Restoration and Nutrition 

A new type of treatment, biochemical restoration, aims to repair the biochemical imbalances that cause cravings, depression, anxiety, and the unstable moods that lead to—and perpetuate—addiction.

There are certain biochemical imbalances that make a person more prone to addiction and which this treatment—a form of chemical nutrient therapy—strives to improve. These include imbalances of neurotransmitters in the brain, nutrient deficiencies, amino acid imbalances, hypoglycemia, inflammatory and oxidative stress, and adrenal fatigue.

Once biochemical imbalances are assessed, an individualized biochemical restoration plan can be established. This can include a personal nutrition plan, a micronutrient supplement including amino acids (sometimes with a futuristic approach of micronutrient injections), and prescribed physical activity and relaxation. Once balance is restored, other addiction treatment modalities such as counseling and relapse prevention can be tackled more effectively. 

David Wiss, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who operates a consulting company, Nutrition in Recovery, in Los Angeles, believes the single most ignored aspect to treating addiction is treating nutritional deficiencies. Many other nutritionists second this. Recovering addicts tend toward highly palatable foods that can provide a temporary reprieve from negative feelings. These are almost invariably processed foods with added sugar, salt, and vegetable oil fats; refined carbohydrates, and caffeine—rather than high-nutrient foods. Unfortunately, these foods destabilize blood sugar, spur inflammation, and deplete the brain of essential neurotransmitters that play a large role in stabilizing moods.

Wiss believes that “nutritional interventions [should be] based on real food rather than supplementation.” He recommends a “never hungry, never full” approach of eating six small meals a day, or every two to four hours. Addicts should strive for more protein, fiber, and healthy fats like those found in fatty fish, nuts, and flax seeds. Certainly, learning about nutrition, how to cook healthful meals, and making good food choices are accessible options for the majority of people in recovery.

From a nutritional perspective, an individual in early recovery can improve mood and fight off depression, anxiety, and stress by incorporating foods that contain an ample amount of omega-3 essential fatty acids, complete proteins, and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory vitamins and minerals. These foods will also help the recovering addict’s mind—provide essential building blocks for depleted neurotransmitters, for example—as well as the body, promoting healing of all systems and tissues damaged by malnutrition.

For a superb, science-based chart of eating do’s and don’ts click to see nutrition investigator David Asprey’s "Bulletproof Diet Roadmap." 

Yoga

Yoga, which means “union” in Sanskrit, combines three aspects: physical postures, breath work, and meditation. The philosophy of yoga is to bring the mind, body, and spirit together in a united alignment. This can promote a state of inner peace that might assist recovering addicts in preventing relapse. Many studies indicate yoga can relieve anxiety, stress and depression.

The physical aspect teaches bodily awareness and how to release pent-up emotions and stuck energy. For many in recovery, there has been a disassociation from the body through the use of drugs, alcohol, food, or other substances. Through practicing the physical “asanas,” recovering addicts can become aware of their outdated behavioral patterns and make the conscious decision to change. 

Breath work can be a key aspect of healing and recovery from addiction. The lungs are the link between the circulatory and nervous systems, and they provide detoxification, energy, and a built-in relaxation response.

Meditation is important because it allows recovering addicts a deeper sense of self-awareness. By becoming less influenced by the world around them, addicts can learn to shrug off cravings and embrace their inner strength without the need for external validation through substances.

A network of yogis called Yoga of Recovery offers courses and retreats for recovering addicts at leading yoga centers all over the country, including Sivananda and Yogaville. 

Exercise

Daily exercise, even in small doses, can boost mood—what most recovering addicts need in the absence of their substances of abuse. Starting an exercise regimen can help fill the void of using,lending a sense of purpose and offering a substitute, but natural, high.

Generally speaking exercise, whether aerobic or otherwise, has well-known health benefits, including improvements in the function of the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and endocrine systems. Physical exercise has many cognitive benefits that can specifically help recovering addicts. For one, it leads to increased neurotransmitter levels, improved oxygen and nutrient delivery, and increased neurogenesis in the hippocampus. It can have a positive effect on learning and memory. Executive control processes—working memory, multitasking, and planning—are more positively affected in comparison to other regions of the brain.

Byron Katie's Solution to Your Turmoil—Work It!

In the words of the renowned Katie, “I didn’t quit drinking; I did "The Work," and drinking, drugs, compulsive eating, smoking, anger, depression, sorrow, fear, all quit me.”

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By Cathy Cassata

09/12/14

In 1986, Byron Katie found herself at the bottom of a ten-year spiral into depression, rage, and self-loathing, until one day she woke up to a state of constant joy that has stayed with her ever since. She realized that when she believed her stressful thoughts, she suffered, but that when she questioned them, she didn’t suffer. The simple yet powerful process of inquiry that was born from this experience is what Katie calls The Work.

The Work consists of four questions and turnarounds, which are a way of experiencing the opposite of what you believe. When you question a troublesome thought, you see around it to the choices beyond suffering. 

For more than 25 years, Katie has been bringing The Work to millions of people worldwide through public events, weekend workshops, five-day intensives, nine-day workshops at her School for The Work, and 28-day residential stays at the Turnaround House.

Katie’s six books include the bestselling Loving What Is, I Need Your Love—Is That True?, and A Thousand Names for Joy.

Katie shared some insights into The Work with The Fix.

Did you experience any alcoholism or addiction among your family and friends before developing The Work?

Yes. Two close family members. As for me, I was suffering so much that I would do almost anything to stop it, though I could never stop it. I drank a lot of alcohol. I smoked cigarettes almost nonstop. My husband at the time brought me codeine pills throughout the day, and I ate them like candy. I began overeating, and I spent more time in my bedroom, watching television, sleeping for twelve hours a day or more. Every night my husband brought me codeine and ice cream. In the end, I was obese and starving. Day after day, I would lie in bed with such self-hatred, so hopeless and suicidal, that I was beyond despair. But suicide wasn’t an option; I thought my children would blame themselves for my death, and I just couldn’t do that to them.

How do you view addiction overall?

In my experience, the ultimate addiction is the mind’s addiction to what it is believing—the unquestioned thoughts that create and safeguard its system of denial. To question the mind is to bring the mind to sanity and alignment with a power greater and kinder than I could give a name to. 

You can experience the power of mind’s denial in a very simple way. Imagine biting into a big, ripe, juicy lemon. Did you picture a yellow lemon? I didn’t mention its color, but you probably imagined a yellow lemon anyway. And notice what happened in you physically. Did you salivate? Did you taste the lemon? Did you feel other physical effects? This is denial of reality and the power of mind that you are up against, as an addict: the power of your own thinking. So the stories we’re believing about the pictures of past and future that arise in our mind’s eye, pictures with meanings attached to them that aren’t even true, leave us as victims who may as well drink (we think). These mind alterations away from reality are happening so quickly that we aren’t even aware that they’re happening, and they lead us to believe in harsh realities of past and future that don’t even exist. If you consider your experience with the lemon and switch the symbol to alcohol, here’s how it happens: When we’re fearful, confused, angry, sad, etc., we’re compelled to drink (or drug, eat junk food, etc). Why? We believe that our stressful thoughts about ourselves, others, and life are true. We believe that that is the way things really are, rather than seeing the difference between beliefs and reality. So just as the mouth watered when we thought of a lemon, there’s an effect when we believe our stressful thoughts and then the image of alcohol shows up in our heads. The moment we see the image and feel the emotions, we have just had our first drink (remember the lemon?), and we begin to seek alcohol. We see the alcohol in our mind’s eye, we see where it is and how to get it, and that becomes the higher power we seek. And we can’t stop after one drink; many of us continue to binge. We lose ourselves and go even deeper into the seemingly hopeless pit of addiction.

But as drug addicts or alcoholics (or any stressed-out person) begin to question their thoughts, they begin to see clearly rather than blindly believing what their mind tells them; they begin to find answers that meet their true longing. When we discover those answers, inquiry becomes our addiction to the world of sane choices; we become addicted to discovering the truth—in other words, to sanity. And sanity doesn’t suffer, ever.

All twelve steps of recovery are included within inquiry, in the most meticulous way. Clarity is freedom, and when clarity becomes our path, we discover self-forgiveness on our own, from within, and we discover forgiveness for others and for the world. It happens without any conscious effort, as the thoughts we clung to so firmly, the thoughts that created our whole identity as victims, fall away by themselves. That leaves us with no cause to drink or use, and it leaves us as kinder, more awake human beings. The world seen through a clear mind is the greatest high; it has no low in it that can’t be questioned and dispelled. I didn’t quit drinking; I did The Work, and drinking, drugs, compulsive eating, smoking, anger, depression, sorrow, fear, all quit me.

More Private Pilots Using Potentially Impairing Medications and Illicit Drugs: Study

/BY JOIN TOGETHER STAFF

September 10th, 2014/

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A new study by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) finds more pilots are using both potentially impairing medications and illicit drugs. The study looked at pilots who died in crashes. Most of them were private pilots.

Pilots who died in airplane crashes in 2012 tested positive for drugs four times as often as those who died in crashes in 1990, The New York Times reports.

“I think that the key take-away from this study for every pilot is to think twice about the medications you’re taking and how they might affect your flying,” NTSB Acting Chairman Christopher A. Hart said in a news release.

The study found sedating antihistamines were present in 9.9 percent of pilots who died from 2008 to 2012, compared with 5.6 percent from 1990 to 1997. Pilots who died in crashes were also more likely to have the ingredients in Vicodin and Valium in their system in 2008 to 2012, compared with the earlier period.

Overall, both legal and illegal drugs are a factor in about 3 percent of plane crashes, the board said. Pilots killed in crashes tested positive for one drug 39 percent of the time in 2012, compared with 9.6 percent in 1990, the article notes.

Illicit drug use was relatively uncommon among the pilots, increasing from 2.4 percent of those who died in accidents in the 1990s to about 4 percent in 2012. Most of the increase was due to marijuana use. The NTSB noted it was difficult to determine whether pilots who tested positive were actually impaired at the time of the accident. “However, the study did say that increasing numbers of accident pilots chose to fly after taking potentially impairing drugs, suggesting that some pilots are either unaware of the risks that such drugs present or consider such risks acceptable,” the board concluded.

Women Who Drink Alcohol May Have Increased Risk of Persistent HPV Infection

/BY JOIN TOGETHER STAFF

September 10th, 2014/

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Women who drink alcohol may have an increased risk of persistent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), according to researchers in Korea. Some varieties of the virus have the potential to cause cervical abnormalities that can lead to cancer.

Most cases of HPV disappear on their own, but in some cases the infection persists, Yahoo Health reports. The virus is sexually transmitted.

The Korean researchers tested 9,230 women for HPV and asked them about their alcohol intake. They found women who drank alcohol were almost three times more likely than non-drinkers to test positive for HPV at the beginning of the study, and again after two years.

Women who had been drinking for five or more years were 2.3 times more likely to have persistent HPV, compared with those who started drinking less than five years before. The more women drank, the greater the odds of their having persistent HPV. Women who drank three or more glasses of beer in one sitting were three times as likely to test positive for HPV, compared with non-drinkers.

The findings are published in Epidemiology & Infection.

While it is not known why drinkers might face a higher risk of persistent HPV infection, the researchers said alcohol may lead to folate deficiency. This could alter a person’s DNA, which in turn could lead to cancer, they wrote.

Binge Drinking in Pregnancy Can Increase Children’s Risk of Problems in School: Study

/BY JOIN TOGETHER STAFF

September 11th, 2014/

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A study that followed the children of women who admitted to binge drinking in pregnancy found the children had an increased risk of hyperactivity and inattention when they reached age 11. These children also were more likely to get lower marks on school exams.

The study included more than 4,000 participants in England and Australia. The researchers took into account many lifestyle and social factors, such as the mother’s age, education and mental health, whether she smoked tobacco, or used marijuana or other drugs during pregnancy. The study is published in European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

Binge drinking was defined as having four or more alcoholic drinks in a day on at least one occasion during pregnancy, Medical Daily reports. The mothers were questioned about their drinking habits twice during their pregnancy, and again when their child was 5. One-fourth of the mothers said they engaged in binge drinking at least once during their pregnancy. At age 11, parents and teachers completed questionnaires about the children’s mental health. The researchers also examined information about the children’s academic performance. The effects of a mother’s binge drinking were more pronounced in girls, the study found.

Previous studies have found a link between a mother’s binge drinking in pregnancy and their children’s mental health at ages 4 and 7.

“Women who are pregnant or who are planning to become pregnant should be aware of the possible risks associated with episodes of heavier drinking during pregnancy, even if this only occurs on an occasional basis,” lead researcher Professor Kapil Sayal from the University of Nottingham said in a news release. “The consumption of four or more drinks in a day may increase the risk for hyperactivity and inattention problems and lower academic attainment even if daily average levels of alcohol consumption during pregnancy are low.”

Join The Addict's Mom Live Online Video Meeting with Judy Bummler and Dr. Andrew Kolodny of the Fed Up Rally! Right from the comfort of your own home.

The Addict's Mom has Partnered with the Fed Up Rally....Join us this Thursday September 11th, 2014 at 7:00pm for our Online Live Video Meeting on In the Rooms www.intherooms.com.

Judy Rummler is the founder and President of the Steve Rummler Hope Foundation, working to provide hope for those with chronic pain and the disease of addiction. She lost her son Steve to an opioid overdose in 2011 ... after he became addicted to the painkillers that were prescribed to him for his chronic pain.

In 2013 Judy helped to form the FED UP! Coalition and became its first Chair. She has served as Chair of the Steering Committee for the first two FED UP! Rallies. The mission of the FED UP! Coalition is to create one voice calling for an end to the epidemic of addiction and overdose deaths attributed to opioids (including heroin) and other prescription drugs.

Dr. Andrew Kolodny M.D. who is Phoenix Houses Chief Medical Officer. Dr Koloday started his career with a keen interest in public health and a passion for helping those who are suffering from addiction.

Dr. Kolodny is a featured speaker at the Fed Up Rally.

DON'T MISS: Walk with the Angels on Sept. 14..... Latest news: coming to Walk with the Angels this coming Sunday, September 14th will be Wayfaring Wellness, who will be giving free massages to walkers & runners. Massage can help loosen the muscles, induce relaxation, and promote healing. It also just feels really good! To learn more about Hamilton-based Wayfaring Wellness, click here. Also at Walk with the Angels will be Riss Conforti, a Third Level Reiki practitioner and recoveree who will be offering complimentary Reiki energy therapy sessions. Reiki is an ancient Japanese practice that works on the energy body to stimulate mental, emotional and physical healing.  Many thanks to these very generous and talented people!  They will be joining Cornerstone Health & Fitness, COA Recovery Radio, food vendors, recovery community vendors, and many others to make COA's first ever recovery walk a very, very special day. If you haven't already registered for the Walk, don't delay!  So far, more than 200 walkers & runners are registered. https://www.crowdrise.com/WalkWiththeAngels    Walk With the Angels will be held onSeptember 14, 2014 in Mercer County Park to will support continued scholarships for recovery. It will feature live music from Dana Isles & Facedown as well as Dirty Jerzee (formerly Soulfire), testimonials from recoverees, great food, vendors & more.... The goal is to raise $50,000 that will be used to send people to treatment for addiction and/or get them into sober living or medical care. So far, over 500 people have donated and almost $40,000 has been raised! Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has helped make this event a success!     *COA is a service organization: all COA services are completely free of charge and everyone who works for COA is a volunteer. That means we can be completely objective and impartial, recommending the best options for our clients, based upon their individual situations. For help with a drug problem, call COA at 609-910-4942 or visit us online atwww.cityofangelsnj.org. Merchandise Donations Wanted! Would you like to donate to a worthy cause but not able to give cash? City of Angels NJ, Inc. now accepts donations of merchandise! We are looking for high-value items we can re-sell to fund our operations and provide treatment scholarships to individuals without other resources.  So far, we've successfully sold exercise and sporting equipment, electronics, watches and more..... If you have an item you would like to donate, please contactCityofAngelsNJ@hotmail.com.  Recovery Coach Training   Just in: dates for the final 2014 Recovery Coach training class. So far, COA has trained more than 70 recovery coaches, who are using their skills in their professional careers, service work (like at COA!), and personal lives. For details about COA's Recovery Coaches, click here. This will be COA's 4th class, and will be held Sept. 27 to Oct. 3.  For details about this class, or to register, click here.  If you are interested in this training, PLEASE REGISTER ASAP. There has been a lot of interest in this class, and we expect it to fill soon, especially since COA offers the class at a substantial discount to identical trainings from other organizations. On COARR  Let's Talk About Recovery! With 10 original shows, COARR plays Recovery Talk 24/7/365....past shows are available online atwww.coaradio.com/pastshows.html and in each show's online archive.  Tune in thru the smartphone app (free in the iphone/droid stores) or on www.coaradio.com to hear what's playing now..... COARR will be broadcasting LIVE from Walk with the Angels on September 14! Stop in to listen or go on air!   NEW ON COARR! Coming this Saturday....a show dedicated to healing from childhood sexual abuse. Lynn W. shares her powerful story, speaks with others who have been abused and have been affected by abuse, and begins the healing process.  Tune in at www.coaradio.com. To learn more about SFTP, click the image at right to watch a short video clip. CJ Non Profit Stop Feeding the Predators     Listen to past COARR shows any time: For "Women & Addiction" with Terri Thomas, click here. For "Hope Fiend" with Minister Rich Mollica, click here. For "Emotional Sobriety" with Andy Finley MFT, click here. For "Journey Thru the 12 Steps with the Life Recovery Bible," click here. For "Share Your Scars" with Vicki, click here. For "Wings Over Water: Creativity in Recovery" with recovery musician Kathy Moser,  click here. For "Laughter & Recovery" with stand up comic Wil B. Kleen, click here. For "Relationships in Recovery" with Alexa, click here. For "Saving Lives" with COA Director of Interventions Tom Redneck Clark, click here. For "Nar-Anon Families of Addiction Information Line" click here.