Wednesday, February 4, 2015



February 3, 2015 Volume 2., No. 24








Breaking News! Will He Pass ... a UA?

Browns QB Johnny Manziel Stumbles... Into Rehab 

Johnny Manziel entered treatment, adviser Brad Beckworth told ESPN.com on Monday. Manziel is expected to be in rehab at least a few weeks, but the amount of time depends largely on what doctors recommend. The quarterback is voluntarily entering treatment as a direct result of his lifestyle away from the field, and he informed people in his circle last week that he wants to "figure out his value system."



It's a Thin Thin Line 
I'm Not Addicted - I'm Dependent 
by Brittany Patterson 

Prescription drug addiction can be characterized by behaviors like:

- Getting high on prescription drugs like OxyContin or Lortab takes 
priority over eating
- If you go too long between getting high you can't sleep or think of anything except how to get the next pill...






Future Mutes Coming To Rehab?

Smartphone Addiction Time-bomb 
'ready to explode' 

A third of internet users now access online content on mobile phones - up from just 10% two years ago - and internet users are expected to surpass PC users by next year. Counsellors now fear internet addiction, fueled by 24/7 access via mobile phones, will be the next wave of compulsive disorders that they will be treating. They are already hearing concerns expressed by parents of young adults and children about excessive use of smartphones to the point where they are no longer speaking or communicating without using technology.



Do The Math - That's What Counts VIDEO 
Addiction Treatment Goes Public: AAC's Recovery-Center Empire VIDEO 

American Addiction Centers is run by Michael Cartwright, a former drug addict and alcoholic who says he's been sober for 23 years. The company's IPO underwriters estimate there are 8,100 substance-abuse treatment enterprises across America, operating 16,700 clinics and centers. These include famous nonprofits such as the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, as well as Narconon International, an addiction treatment organization with ties to Scientology. At the high end, Malibu centers like Promises and Cliffside charge the Lindsay Lohans of the world as much as $112,000 per month for spa-like accommodations and services.






Get well at New Method Wellness





Check out the Waismann Method






There's Always Something

Facebook Activates Same Brain Areas As Drugs; How Social Media Sites Hook You 

As for their actual brain, the brain scans showed that high-scoring participants experienced greater activation of their amygdala and striatum, the two brain regions involved in impulsive behavior. These patterns are on par with those who are addicted to cocaine.



Massachusetts Hope 
Senator Says His Top Priority 
Is Curbing Opiate Addiction 

Viriato M. deMacedo's top priority was to spur the local economy, but, as he said, things change and the number one priority in his new job is to bring an end to the region's heroin epidemic. "It's a tall order, but I'm committed to do anything I can," he said. CONTINUED @ CapeNews.com






Click here for Biosound Therapy







Check out Loma Linda University 






Truly Good Samaritans

Overdose Victims Saved by Workers 
From Nearby Offices 

Several people are being hailed as heroes after police said they pulled two men who had overdosed on heroin out of a burning car in a busy shopping plaza on Thursday afternoon. -"I didn't think about it," said Michalides, 33, of Manchester. "I saw the car on fire, saw someone inside, and had to get them out." "At that point I started administering CPR to him, probably for about seven or eight minutes, with a woman from the Geico office helping, and revived him until Manchester fire could get here with oxygen."



Good Question VIDEO 
Liver Transplant Ethics: 
Should Alcoholics Be Sober First? VIDEO 

"
I believe that if doctors have a patient whose life they can save and they have a donor who's willing to give, that they have an obligation [to save their life]," she said in an interview on CBC Radio's As It Happens. In an interview on CBC Radio's Metro Morning on Wednesday, Levy said last year more than 100 people died while waiting for a transplant.







Twelve Promises: Rewards of Recovery







Brandi's Wish 






ABROAD:

Couple Kills Alcoholic Son, Hacks Body 

An elderly couple, fed up with their 27-year-old alcoholic son, bludgeoned him to death and chopped the body using a stone-cutter. They even dumped the parts in a forest near their home and had their house painted to remove any trace of the crime. Nand Kishore and Asha Devi, who are both in their 60s, have been arrested. 



Investigative Audio Report AUDIO 
'Scars Of Teen Drug Treatment' AUDIO 

While Barker received state and federal funding, as well as judicial praise, teenagers suffered horrific abuses that a Senate report compared to North Korean brainwashing. Barker eventually fell out of favor, and the Seed closed - only to be reborn as Straight Inc. With many of the same staffers and even harsher sessions, it expanded to multiple states. Of course it had the backing of Nancy Reagan.CONTINUED @ HuffingtonPost.com





His House & Her Creation Treatment





Bridges To Recovery 






Now Eat This

FDA Approves Drug For Binge-Eating 


Standard treatment for binge eating and other eating disorders usually involves counseling and psychotherapy. Some doctors also prescribe antidepressants to try and curb eating disorders, though they are not approved for that use. The Food and Drug Administration approved Vyvanse in 2007 as a once-a-day pill for ADHD. Friday the agency cleared the drug for adults who compulsively overeat. Serious adverse events associated with Vyvanse can include psychiatric problems like hallucinations and mania as well as heart complications.



English Debates VIDEO 
Cutting Edge Debates And Talks From The World's Leading Thinkers VIDEO 

Docs in the Dock
Despite the recent bad press, most of us still think doctor knows best. Yet with medical intervention now the third biggest killer after heart disease and cancer, is it time to call a halt to our trust? Should we end the monopoly on prescription? Would this give us ownership over our own health, or risk lives and return us to Victorian quackery? Theme One Can we trust doctors? Theme Two Ending the drugs monopoly. The Pitch Pharmaceutical companies target doctors. 






Consider Milestones Ranch in Malibu





Detox With Dignity Now 






Walking The Walk ... For Over 20 Years

How One Man Helped 10,000 People With Serious Drug Problems Recovery 

Howard Josepher and Exponents, the organization he founded 20 years ago have some answers. Howard and Exponents have helped more than 10,000 people with serious drug problems. Mr. Josepher knows about substance abuse on a personal level. He struggled with heroin addiction and spent some time behind bars. Over the last two decades, Howard built a dynamic organization made up of staff who have also struggled with addiction, incarceration and HIV. 



Eyes On The Prize 
Former Top 100 Recruit Noah Cottrill Kicked Addiction, Thriving in NAIA 

That was rock bottom," Cottrill said. "I was arrested in a vehicle with people I should not have been with. I take full responsibility for that, but that was my rock bottom. I said 'no more' and I called my brother and my family and I told them what was going on." Cottrill left the state and entered the Brighton Center for Recovery in Michigan. He spent 30 days there. He had no computer, no cell phone, no basketball. "I had to work on myself off the court before I could even think about lacing up the shoes again."









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This Would Be A Cool

California May Increase Smoking Age To 21 

Tobacco companies know that people are more likely to become addicted to smoking if they start at a young age. We can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines while Big Tobacco markets to our kids and gets another generation of young people hooked on a product that will ultimately kill them. - Ed Hernandez California Senator and bill sponsor.



Harm Reduction 
What Facebook Addiction Looks Like 
in the Brain 

For many Facebook users, the urge to like a kitten video or snoop on a high-school flame is almost irresistible. As it turns out, this type of "Facebook addiction" may show up in the brain: A new study found that the brains of people who report compulsive urges to use the social networking site show some brain patterns similar to those found in drug addicts.






Fallen Hero Returns Triumphantly

Ex-Fresno State Hoops star Ex-Addict, 
Chris Herren, Returns to Fresno To Teach 

With each interview and every speech, Chris Herren reopens deep wounds. They are dark memories from which most would rather move on and forget. Alcohol and drug experimentation turned into addiction, near-death overdoses and arrests that overshadowed a promising basketball career that had shined brightest while he was at Fresno State Herren, a star at Fresno State from 1996-1999 under future Hall of Fame coach Jerry Tarkanian and who then played a couple of seasons in the NBA, knows some might already know of his story. 



OPINION 
Dartmouth's Semi-Serious 
New Rules on Alcohol 

"Hello. My name is Gene, and I'm an alcoholic." This is the way I have begun countless 12-step meetings. And today, I celebrate nine years of sobriety, without so much as a sip of communion wine. The decision to seek treatment for alcoholism nine years ago was one of the best, most rewarding decisions of my life. Indeed, it saved my life, pure and simple. Alcoholism is a progressive disease that only gets worse, never better.






Finally, The Implant Step VIDEO

Helping Addicts Stay Sober with Implant VIDEO 

The surgeon cut a flap in Mark's abdomen and implanted a dissolvable tablet of naltrexone that blocks the euphoric receptors in the brain that give an addict or alcoholic that high. The naltrexone implant lasts anywhere from six to 12 months depending on a patient's metabolism. Dan Markel is the CEO and founder of the company that makes the implant. He says while the FDA approved the use of naltrexone in pill form. Doctors have had trouble getting patients to comply. 3 months after Mark got the implant he's making progress. CONTINUED @ ABC30.com


They Are The Future - The Future is NOW 







...

Mexican Drug Cartels Profit from Exporting Heroin to United States
February 3rd, 2015/



Mexican drug cartels are increasing their profits by exporting more heroin to the United States, the Associated Press reports. They are refining opium paste into high-grade white heroin, and using distribution routes they built for cocaine and marijuana.

The Mexican opium trade is now worth many billions of dollars, the article notes. Farmers who plant poppies in Mexico told the AP all of their product is exported, most of it by the Sinaloa Cartel.

The Drug Enforcement Administration estimates Mexico produced almost half of the heroin found in the United States in 2014, up from 39 percent in 2008. Afghanistan produces more heroin, but sends most of it to Asia and Europe.

Between 2013 and 2014, opium paste seizures in Mexico grew 500 percent, while poppy field eradications increased 47 percent and seizures of processed heroin rose 42 percent.

Last year, U.S. law enforcement agents seized 2,181 kilograms of heroin coming from Mexico, almost triple the amount confiscated in 2009.

Heroin addiction in the United States is growing as more people who became addicted to prescription painkillers are looking for a cheaper alternative, the AP notes. Heroin overdose deaths increased 39 percent from 2012 to 2013, according to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report found 8,257 Americans died of a heroin overdose in 2013.

The amount of marijuana seized by U.S. officers along the Mexican border has decreased 37 percent since 2011. In the past few years, American marijuana users have been choosing more potent, higher-grade varieties grown in the United States.

White House 2016 Budget Increases Funding for Programs to Fight Prescription Drug Abuse
February 3rd, 2015/


The Obama Administration’s 2016 budget proposal includes increased funding for programs designed to fight prescription drug abuse, according to The Hill.

The budget would increase funds for programs at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other agencies. The budget also would increase funding for states to expand their prescription drug monitoring program.

Under the budget, more funding would go toward expanding use of the opioid overdose antidote naloxone by first responders. “Every day, more than 100 people die as a result of drug overdose, and more than 6,700 are treated in emergency departments,” the budget summary stated. “Abuse of prescription and illicit drugs, such as heroin, is an urgent public health concern.”

Last week the Clinton Foundation announced it has negotiated a lower price for a device that delivers naloxone. The device, called Evzio, will be available at a lower price to institutions that can distribute naloxone more widely, such as police departments and universities.

The high cost of naloxone has prevented its widespread use. In some cases, prices for the drug have increased by 50 percent or more. Naloxone reverses the effects of an overdose of heroin or opioid painkillers.

The antidote has long been used by emergency rooms and paramedics. Recently, the World Health Organization said increasing the availability of naloxone could prevent more than 20,000 deaths in the United States annually. Naloxone works quickly, without side effects. A growing number of states have passed laws increasing access to the antidote.

NY Attorney General Accuses Major Retailers of Selling Fraudulent Herbal Supplements
February 3rd, 2015/


The New York State Attorney General on Monday accused four major retailers of selling adulterated and/or mislabeled dietary supplements. GNC, Target, Walgreens and Walmart were told to stop selling the products in the state, The New York Times reports.

State authorities said they had conducted tests on products including echinacea, ginseng and St. John’s wort. They found many products did not contain any of the herbs listed on the label. In many cases, pills labeled medicinal herbs mostly consisted of powdered rice, houseplants and asparagus, the article notes. Some pills contained substances that could be dangerous for people with allergies. For example, one product sold at Walmart as ginko bilboa contained wheat, even though the label said the product contained no wheat or gluten. Some GNC products had pills that contained powdered legumes, the class of plants that includes peanuts and soybeans.

Dietary supplements are exempt from the strict regulatory oversight required for prescription medications, the article notes. The move by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman was the first time a law enforcement agency had threatened large retail and drugstore chains with legal action for selling what he called deliberately misleading herbal products.

“This investigation makes one thing abundantly clear: the old adage ‘buyer beware’ may be especially true for consumers of herbal supplements,” Schneiderman said in a news release. “The DNA test results seem to confirm long-standing questions about the herbal supplement industry. Mislabeling, contamination, and false advertising are illegal. They also pose unacceptable risks to New York families—especially those with allergies to hidden ingredients.”

Walgreens said it would remove the products from its shelves nationwide, while Walmart said it would “take appropriate action.” GNC said it would cooperate with the Attorney General “in all appropriate ways,” but said it stood behind the quality and purity of its products. Target did not respond to the newspaper’s requests for comment.

      The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc.PRO-ACT
                                                  and
          Pennsylvania Recovery Organization --
     Achieving Community Together (PRO-ACT) 
Recovery in Our Communities
February 3, 2015
 

Information and Recovery Support Line 24/7: 800-221-6333


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Mentoring:  How to Support Recovery

Recovery is influenced by many things, including recovery capital - the sum 
total of the internal and external resources that we can draw on to initiate and maintain recovery.  This includes our own internal strengths and capabilities and the emotional and social support of those around us.  This includes our parents, families, spouses, friends, co-workers and neighbors.   These kinds of assets work best when we are engaged and committed to our communities and are willing to participate in shared activities and responsibilities.  These are the kinds of things that build community.

One way to celebrate the benefits of recovery within our own lives, build community and even save lives, is through volunteering.  The Council and PRO-ACT is excited to launch our new volunteer training process to enhance the skills of our volunteers and to provide them, and those they serve, with capital to help support and maintain recovery. 

Becoming a volunteer begins by meeting one of our Volunteer Coordinators to learn about the mission and purpose of The Council and PRO-ACT and tour one of our Recovery Centers.  The potential volunteer will attend a Volunteer Orientation Training to further learn the roles and tasks available to volunteers.  The orientation is followed by an Interview to help guide the new volunteer towards tasks and goals that fit their gifts, purpose and interests.

One role of our volunteers is to be a guide and mentor to support others in recovery.  Our Peer Mentor Training helps our volunteers develop the skills needed to provide valuable assistance.  Volunteers can continue to grow their leadership and communication skills through our Group Leader/Facilitator Training to become a facilitator of one of our many programs.     

If you are interested in leaning more about becoming a volunteer or wish to attend a training, please contact one of our volunteer coordinators listed below.    

Volunteer for The Council/PRO-ACT !!

Contact one of our Volunteer Coordinators:
Central Bucks:  Email or call Rick at 215-345-6644
Southern Bucks:  Email or call Karen at 215-788-3738 x100
Philadelphia: Email or call She-Ria at 215-233-7700 or Email John or call 215-923-1661 
Chester, Delaware and Montco: Email or call John at 215-923-1661
PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! Committees: Email  or call John at 215-923-1661

Volunteer Training Schedule
Volunteer Orientation Training
Feb. 3, 2015  10 am - 1 pm and 5 pm - 7:30 pm at Philadelphia Recovery Training Center, 444 N 3rd Street, Suite 307, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Feb. 4, 2015  1 pm - 2:30 pm at Southern Bucks Recovery Community Center, 1286 Veterans Highway, D-6, Bristol, PA 19007
Feb. 13, 2015  1 pm - 2:30 pm at Central Bucks Recovery Community Center, 252 W Swamp Road, Doylestown PA 18901

Group Leadership/Facilitation Training
Feb. 11, 2015  1 pm - 3:30 pm at Southern Bucks Recovery Community Center, 1286 Veterans Highway, D-6, Bristol, PA 19007
Feb. 12, 2015  10 am - 1 pm and 5 pm - 8 pm at Philadelphia Recovery Training Center, 444 N 3rd Street, Suite 307, Philadelphia, PA 19123
February 27  1 pm - 3 pm at Central Bucks Recovery Community Center, 252 W Swamp Road, Doylestown, PA 18901

Peer Mentoring Training
Feb. 6, 13, 20 and 27, 2015 11 am - 3 pm at Southern Bucks Recovery Community Center, 1286 Veterans Highway, D-6, Bristol, PA 19007

Please contact the volunteer coordinator for questions or to attend.
Registration Now Open for CRS Training!

The Council offers a convenient 54 credit training package that allows potential candidates for the CRS to obtain their required training credits in one place.  Our next 2-week training will be held:

March 2 - 6, 2015 and March 9 - 13, 2015
Southern Bucks Recovery Community Center
Veterans Highway, D-6
Bristol, PA  19007

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Now there is a convenient way to contribute to The Council just by registering your credit/debit/rewards card! Participating merchants will make contributions to The Council based on purchases made by you, just by using the cards you have registered. It's that easy!  Click here to find out how it works! 
AT OUR CENTERS

Planning to Sustain Recovery - every Tuesday 7 - 8:30 pm and every Thursday 10 - 11:30 am at CBRCC, 252 W Swamp Road, Unit 12, Doylestown.  Educational support group to help individuals in all stages of recovery plan goals and action steps to sustain recovery. To registeremail or call Jeanne at 215-345-6644.  

Gateway to Work every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 11:00 am at SBRCC, 1286, Veterans Highway, Unit D-6, Bristol; Mon. - Fri. the first week of the month at PRCC, 1701 W Lehigh Ave., #6, Philadelphia, PA 19132; 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month at 1:00 pm at CBRCC, 252 W Swamp Road, Doylestown. Get help with resume building, barriers to employment and motivation. Contact Rick at 215-345-6644 or email for more information.

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