| September is National Recovery Month. We need you more than ever. | September 18, 2014 | |
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Friday, September 19, 2014
Thursday, September 18, 2014
September 18 v 12 v 13 TWELVE STEPPING WITH STRENGTH FROM THE PSALMS
Restore to me the joy of your salvation ,and make me willing to obey you .
Then I will teach your ways to rebels ,and they will return to you .
STEP 11 - Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry that out.
Six weeks clean time and I am ready to sponsor . I have seen many fall due to this misguided thinking .Six weeks clean time is a lot but enough too help others . If you have the slightest doubt about reaching out then you need to wait . Believe me and beware they are plenty of people in the rooms who are not there for sobriety .They are very much still in the game and looking for another victim .Give yourself one year with a good sponsor ! Pray everyday for what the Psalm states a willingness to obey God . Work the steps , I cant tell you enough how important the steps are. This is why I write what I write ,I am trying to stress the importance of the steps. I know you feel awesome and I am glad and I know you wanna give back and that's great but you gotta take it slow . Just because you can say the word recovery does not mean you have been recovered .
Galations 6:1 - Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
This week on the Addict's Mom Live Video Online Meetings on In the Rooms, W Have Extra Some Extra Special Guests!! Our very own Addict's Mom members reading letters, poems, songs, blog entries they wrote about addiction. Grab a box of tissues and jo...in us!!
All loved ones react to and deal with the addicts in their lives in different ways. Some of us express our thoughts and feelings in creative ways to help ourselves and sometimes to help others who are feeling the same way. During this week's online video meeting (Thursday night7Pm EST) on intherooms.com, some of the members on the Addict's Mom will share their letters, poems, songs, blog entries, with the Addict's Mom audience.
We hope you will participate in the discussion during the second half of the meeting and share with our group your feelings about these "creations", your reactions, and maybe about something you've created to help you with your situation.
Remember you can remain anonymous also while you on in the rooms join the Addict's Mom group here is the linkhttp://www.intherooms.com/group/view?gid=1806 See More
Remember when you sign into In the Rooms use Google Chrome of Firefox they are best to access the live online video meetings.
Visit The Addict's Mom at: http://addictsmom.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network
Deaths Due to Prescription Painkiller Overdoses Slowing Down: Report
September 16th, 2014/
Deaths from prescription painkillers are rising at a slower pace than in years past, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports. Prescription painkiller overdose deaths rose by 3 percent from 2007 to 2011, compared with 18 percent each year from 1999 through 2006, according to USA Today.
The CDC, in a report released this week, said opioids including hydrocodone, morphine and oxycodone were involved in 11,693 drug-poisoning deaths in 2011, up from 2,749 deaths in 1999.
The report noted benzodiazepines are involved in a growing number of opioid-related deaths. Benzodiazepines were involved in 31 percent of opioid-related deaths in 2011, up from 13 percent in 1999. The number of drug-poisoning deaths involving methadone, used to treat opioid dependency and pain, increased from 784 deaths in 1999 to 5,518 deaths in 2007 and then declined to 4,418 deaths in 2011.
In 2006,the Food and Drug Administration urged doctors to use caution when prescribing methadone to patients who are not used to the drug, and that patients take the drug exactly as directed. Two years later, methadone manufacturers agreed to limit distribution of large volumes of the drug, the article notes.
In the past decade, adults ages 55 to 64 and non-Hispanic whites experienced the greatest increase in the rates of prescription painkiller poisoning deaths.
In an effort to reduce prescription drug abuse, the Drug Enforcement Administration recently announced it will reclassify hydrocodone combination products such as Vicodin. Under the new rules, patients will be able to receive the drugs for only up to 90 days without receiving a new prescription.
Hydrocodone combination products will be classified as Schedule II drugs. Currently these products are Schedule III drugs, meaning they can be refilled up to five times, and prescriptions can cover a 180-day period.
Accidental Ingestion of Buprenorphine a Danger to Young Children: Study
September 16th, 2014/
Buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid addiction, is the prescription drug most commonly implicated in emergency hospitalizations of young children, according to a new study. The drug poses a danger to children who find and accidentally swallow relatives’ prescriptions, the Associated Press reports.
The study, published in Pediatrics, found for every 100,000 patients prescribed buprenorphine, 200 children ages 6 and younger were hospitalized for ingesting it. That rate is four times higher than the rate for the next most commonly ingested drug, a blood pressure medication. In total, almost 800 young children are hospitalized annually after swallowing buprenorphine.
Lead researcher Dr. Daniel Budnitz of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told the AP that recent drug-packaging changes may help reduce the risks of accidental buprenorphine ingestion by children.
In 2013, the company that makes Suboxone (a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone), said the drug would no longer be available in tablet form because of the risk of children becoming poisoned after swallowing the drug. The company switched to making a film version of the medication, which is put under the tongue. According to the AP, generic Suboxone tablets are still available.
Buprenorphine can help reduce drug cravings and withdrawal symptoms without producing a narcotic “high,” the AP reports. In children, the drug can cause sedation, dangerously slowed breathing and vomiting.
New Portable Method to
Detect “Bath Salts” Being Developed
September 16th, 2014/
British researchers are developing a new method to detect synthetic drugs known as “bath salts,” PBS NewsHour reports. The researchers say the method is low-cost, disposable and quick. It could someday be used in a handheld sensor to detect bath salts, the researchers explain in the journal Analytical Chemistry.
Although bath salts have been banned in the United States, they are still sold in some retail shops and online disguised as household products including stain remover, toilet bowl cleaner or plant food, the article notes.
Bath salts can be taken by mouth, inhaled or injected. Adverse effects of bath salts include heart and blood vessel problems, depression, suicidal thoughts, psychosis and death.
The suggested technique to test for bath salts uses mercury, which is toxic, the article notes. The new method uses a mercury-free electrode. It could be the basis for the first portable, onsite testing device for bath salts. The researchers tested their method on bath salts bought online. They reported the accuracy of their results matched that of established methods for identifying bath salts.
Tens of thousands of emergency room visits and several deaths have been attributed to bath salts, the researchers noted in a press release.
Percentage of Positive Drug Tests in Workers Increased For First Time in a Decade
September 16th, 2014/
For the first time in more than 10 years, the percentage of positive drug tests among American workers has increased, according to a company that conducts the tests. The increase is fueled by a rise in use of marijuana and amphetamines, Quest Diagnosticsfound.
The findings come from an analysis of 8.5 million drug test results. The positive drug test result rate increased to 3.7 percent in 2013, compared with 3.5 percent in 2012. It is the first time the positive rate for national workplace urine drug tests has increased since 2003, the company reported.
In Colorado, marijuana was detected in 20 percent more employment-related drug tests performed by Quest during the first year recreational use of the drug was legal, The Coloradoan reports. “While it’s interesting, and it could be a harbinger for things to come, I think it’s a little too early to draw conclusions at this point,” Dr. Barry Sample, Director of Science and Technology at Quest Diagnostics Employer Solutions, told the newspaper. Sample said he did not see evidence that employers are changing their drug-screening patterns to reflect Colorado’s legalization law.
In Washington state, where recreational use of marijuana has also been legalized, Quest found a 23 percent increase in drug tests that were positive for marijuana. In contrast, the company found an increase of 6.2 percent nationally.
Employers in Colorado are getting mixed messages about how to deal with employees who use marijuana. While recreational use of marijuana is legal for adults in the state, it remains illegal under federal law. Under Colorado state law, employers can ban use of marijuana at work. Another state law prohibits employers from dismissing workers for engaging in lawful activities off the premises of the business during nonworking hours.
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| Hello , Because you’ve registered to receive PACT360 community education materials, I want to let you know about a new informative toolkit from the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. The Partnership is teaming up with Major League Baseball Charities for a special “Play Healthy” program designed to help coaches, parents, teachers and all concerned adults help young people make healthy decisions and prevent them from abusing performance-enhancing substances and prescription drugs. The Play Healthy Toolkit contains a DVD, a discussion guide and handouts that anyone can use to educate themselves and others about the risks of abusing performance-enhancing substances and other drugs. The Toolkit is free of charge and available in English and Spanish. It also contains nomination forms for the Commissioner’s Play Healthy Award, which celebrates and recognizes one youth sports coach and one student athlete who embody the spirit of teamwork, dedication, leadership and a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.  To receive your free Play Healthy Toolkits, e-mail Kevin Collins at kevin_collins@drugfree.org. Please specify the number of English and Spanish kits you would like to receive and your contact information, including e-mail and phone number. I hope you and your community will make use of this important resource. Kevin Collins Deputy Director, Community Education The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Use of Drugs and
Alcohol Among Teens Declines Again
September 17th, 2014/
The rate of drug and alcohol use among American teens continues to decline, a new government study indicates. Teens’ use of tobacco also dropped, The Washington Postreports.
The rate of current illicit drug use among teens ages 12 to 17 was 8.8 percent in 2013, compared with 9.5 percent in 2012, and 11.6 percent in 2002. The 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) also found between 2002 and 2013, the level of teens with substance dependence or abuse problems decreased from 8.9 percent to 5.2 percent.
Between 2002 and 2013, teens’ rate of regular alcohol use declined from 17.6 percent to 11.6 percent. During that period, marijuana use among teens ages 12 to 17 also declined. Teens’ recreational use of prescription painkillers decreased as well.
The NSDUH is an annual survey of a nationally representative sample of about 70,000 Americans ages 12 and older. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released the report as part of its 25th annual observance of National Recovery Month.
Many Americans who need treatment for a substance use disorder are not receiving specialty treatment, the report indicates. While 22.7 million Americans 12 and older needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol use problem last year, only 2.5 million received it in a facility designed to treat substance use disorders.
“This report shows that we have made important progress in some key areas, but that we need to rejuvenate our efforts to promote prevention, treatment and recovery, to reach all aspects of our community,” SAMHSA Administrator Pamela Hyde said in an agency news release.
Online Initiative Aims to Reduce Prescription Drug Abuse
September 17th, 2014/
An online initiative designed to reduce prescription drug abuse is beginning to gain steam after launching in 2010, according to The Washington Post.
The initiative, called Electronic Prescribing for Controlled Substances (EPCS), is a rule by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that allows pharmacies and care providers to handle prescriptions for controlled substances that are designated Schedule II-V entirely online. The program is voluntary.
Schedule II drugs include oxycodone and fentanyl. The DEA recently announced it willreclassify hydrocodone combination products such as Vicodin from Schedule III to Schedule II.
The system reduces reliance on paper prescriptions, which decreases the risk of forged prescriptions, the article notes. The system also generates information that allows doctors and pharmacies to identify potential cases of drug misuse. New York launched a new online prescribing system last summer, which helped identify 200 incidents of “doctor shopping” in the first three days, according to the newspaper.
The launch of EPCS has been slow for several reasons. States have had to change their laws to align with the DEA rule, and had to ensure the prescribing networks were secure. In the past year, electronic prescriptions for controlled substances have started to increase, according to data from DrFirst, a vendor of EPCS technology. The number of EPCS transactions increased from about 11,000 in January 2013 to 60,000 in July 2014.
Surescripts, the company that operates the largest e-prescribing network, found as of August, 50 percent of pharmacies were able to electronically prescribe controlled substances, up from around 40 percent at the end of 2013. Implementation of the program has been uneven, ranging from 74 percent of pharmacies in Delaware to 15 percent in North Dakota.
Starting in March, New York will be the first state to require controlled substances to be prescribed electronically.
College Tries New Ways to Reduce Binge Drinking
September 17th, 2014/
Colleges are looking for new ways to reduce binge drinking, as part of initiatives to reduce campus sexual assaults, NPR reports.
Frostburg State University in Maryland and city police agreed in 2012 to joint jurisdiction. This allows campus police to patrol off campus, looking for house parties. The university helps to pay overtime costs for state, county, city and campus police near the school. “We know there’s going to be underage drinking,” said Frostburg State University police officer Derrick Pirolozzi. “We can’t card everybody. But we want to make sure everybody does it the right way and safe way.” The aim is to prevent bad behavior before it starts.
“The thing that’s so striking to me is that many universities perceive [binge drinking] as an intractable problem and that there’s nothing they can do,” Jonathan Gibralter, president of Frostburg State University, told NPR. When he became president in 2006, the party scene was “out of control,” he said.
In addition to the joint patrols, the school has instituted more Friday morning classes to discourage students from drinking on Thursday nights. Gibralter was instrumental in passing Maryland’s ban on the sale of grain alcohol. The school has received a state grant to form a coalition with police, city officials, parents and business leaders to reduce underage drinking.
Gilbralter has been surprised by the parents and alumni who say they drank in college and don’t see it as a big problem. “When I tell parents that 1,800-plus college students drink themselves to death every year, they are stunned,” he said. “They have no idea.”
The changes seem to be having an effect. Since 2006 the share of Frostburg students who binge drink at least once every two weeks has decreased from 57 to 41 percent, the university says. The average number of drinks students have weekly has dropped from eight to four.
Medication Misuse a Rising Problem in Seniors: Experts
September 17th, 2014/
Medication misuse is an increasing problem in seniors as Baby Boomers age, according to experts. Many older patients develop addictions to prescription drugs, says David Oslin, professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.
Older patients often misuse drugs because they continue to take them long after the medications stop being effective, Dr. Oslin told The Wall Street Journal. “Unfortunately, it’s much easier to take a pill than to exercise or routinely train health-care workers to properly treat the pain, anxiety, and insomnia often experienced by older adults,” he said.
Doctors may not recognize the potential for addiction in their older patients, according to James Huysman, a psychologist and a senior clinical consultant at the Hanley Center, a drug-treatment center in West Palm Beach, Florida. “Physicians who work in a fee-for-service system and are traditionally paid by procedure are pressed for time, and too often write prescriptions in the interest of time management without knowing the necessary behavioral health background of a patient,” he says. Doctors may end up prescribing potentially addictive drugs to people with a history of addiction, or who have a high risk for addiction.
When seniors take opioids or anti-anxiety medications for too long, they are at risk of cognitive decline and depression, as well as addiction, the article notes. Older patients who take a variety of drugs for their many medical conditions are at risk for potentially dangerous drug interactions. A dosage that is appropriate for a younger person may be too much for an elderly person.
The University of Pennsylvania has joined with a state pharmacy-assistance program to improve results for older patients prescribed anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants and antipsychotics prescribed by non-psychiatrists. Preliminary results suggest patients in the program show improvement in depression symptoms, and have better overall emotional well-being.
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Dear Joseph,
September is National Recovery Month, a time when we celebrate individuals who have bravely navigated the difficult and often devastating path of addiction.
   At the Partnership, we provide a place for those in recovery – like Ricky, Trena and Joshua – to share their stories and a chance to connect with our community who supports them. Every day, we take calls from people across the country looking for help for a loved one, giving them the tools they need to find and maintain sobriety. We need your support this month to keep these efforts going. We want to reach even more individuals who are struggling with addiction, giving them a place to come together, get help and share hope.  We hope you’ll join us in celebrating those overcoming their addiction, and help us continue our commitment to recovery by making a donation today. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Tuesday, September 16, 2014
September 16 Chp 143 v 3 TWELVE STEPPING WITH STRENGTH FROM THE PSALM
My enemy (addiction) has chased me . He has knocked me to the ground and forces me to live in darkness like those in the grave .
STEP 2 - Came to believe that God could restore us to sanity.
That explains addiction ! Once caught you will be imprisoned .If you try to get away you will be chased relentlessly . Like a corpse in a grave your addiction will allow no choices freedoms or light.You are under its spell and your mind and body begin to rot . Alone isolated and trapped is where you will be . Only God can dig you out once your buried in addiction.
When they cry out to the LORD because of their oppressors (addictions) He will send them a savior and defender (Jesus ), and He will rescue them. (Isaiah 19:20)
Are you up for a challenge? Please join In The Rooms for f.ree and send me a friend request (Barbara Theodosiou)
addictsmom on in the rooms. Also make sure to join the Addict's Mom group here is the link http://www.intherooms.com/
This Thursday 7:00pm EST on the Addict's Mom Live Video Chat Meetings on in the Rooms; We will be "Sharing Without Shame." Members will be reading poems, essays, letters, blogs written by those whose lives have been touched by addiction. We need 10 brave members to SHARE!!
Do you have a favorite story, letter, poem etc you wrote to your addict? yourself? your younger self? Or to anybody at all that you would like to share we would love your participation. To participate please join in the rooms, and the addicts mom group on in the rooms. Let me know you would like to share on Thursday September 18th by emailing me atbarbara@theaddictsmom.com. Please include your phone number and name on in the rooms.
Remember you can remain anonymous or not.
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Visit The Addict's Mom at: http://addictsmom.com/?xg_
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