Sunday, October 25, 2015

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Partnership for Drug-free Kids
 
 The Partnership Responds to White House Plan to Address Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin

This week, the White House announced steps to address the country’s prescription drug abuse and heroin crisis. President Obama spoke at a community forum in West Virginia, sharing news that many of the Partnership’s media partners will donate more than $20 million in time and space to drive awareness of teen prescription drug abuse.

Learn more >
 

Uniting to Face Addiction in Washington, D.C.

We were part of the historic UNITE to Face Addiction rally and advocacy day this October in Washington, D.C., collecting signatures at our booth on the National Mall in support of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA).

Read more from our President on how we are working to end the silence around addiction >
 

New Partnership Book Store

Looking for a good read? A portion of the proceeds from books on parenting, mindfulness and substance use will support the Partnership’s programs and services to help kids and families.

Shop your favorites today >
 

Want to go to the GRAMMY’s?

We’ve teamed up with the GRAMMY Foundation® and MusiCares® for the sixth annual Teens Make Music Contest. The contest, part of our Above the Influence campaign, asks young musicians, ages 14 – 18, to compose or create an original song and/or music video that celebrates life above the influence or brings attention to the real-life consequences of substance abuse.

Enter now >
 

The Winter Wish Gala is Fast Approaching

We are proud to announce that our annual Winter Wish Gala will be held in New York City onDecember 8th. The Gala is an important evening for our organization, as all proceeds go to ensuring we can support families in the coming years.

Learn how you can support the event >
 
 
 
Where Families
   
We're here to help.
Call our Parents Toll-Free Helpline
1-855-DRUGFREE (1-855-378-4373)
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http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Unite-To-Fight-Addiction---Become-a-Street-Team-or-Social-Media-Partner.html?soid=1102906894456&aid=n5-gubjdPpU

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Unite-To-Fight-Addiction---Become-a-Street-Team-or-Social-Media-Partner.html?soid=1102906894456&aid=n5-gubjdPpU

Adverse Events from Dietary Supplements Lead to 23,000 ER Visits Annually - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

Adverse Events from Dietary Supplements Lead to 23,000 ER Visits Annually - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

Targeting Dopamine System in Brain Could Treat Alcohol Dependence: Study - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

Targeting Dopamine System in Brain Could Treat Alcohol Dependence: Study - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

Substance Abuse Prevention Advocates Protest Syringe Pens Sold for Halloween - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

Substance Abuse Prevention Advocates Protest Syringe Pens Sold for Halloween - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

Friday, October 16, 2015

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Weekly-Newsletter---Addiction-is-a-chronic-brain-disorder-.html?soid=1102906894456&aid=vlJnmS3wOek

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Weekly-Newsletter---Addiction-is-a-chronic-brain-disorder-.html?soid=1102906894456&aid=vlJnmS3wOek
 Women for Sobriety, Inc.
How to Manage Emotions
Without the aid of Alcohol.

҉    

“Every day we have plenty of opportunities to get angry, stressed or offended.  But what you’re doing when you indulge in these negative emotions is giving something outside of yourself power over your happiness.  You can choose to not let little things upset you.”  -Joel Osteen

“Take advantage of every opportunity to practice your communication skills so that when important occasions arise, you will have the gift, the style, the sharpness, the clarity, and the emotions to affect other people.”  -Jim Rohn

“Imagine the peace symbol.  The peace symbol has three pieces in it.  One piece is emotion, that’s your body.  Another piece has spirit in it, that’s your fuel.  Another piece has intellect in it and that’s your steering wheel.  You can never overdo the fuel that goes into the body, which is the emotions and the steering wheel to drive it.”  -Gary Busey

***************************************************************************
Statement #8, “The fundamental object of life is emotional and spiritual growth.”
Daily I put my life into a proper order, knowing which are the priorities.
***************************************************************************
+++++++++++++++++++
Karen’s Perspective +
+++++++++++++++++++
     Underneath the excitement and achievement of experiencing life sober is the reality of learning how to manage emotions without the aid of alcohol.  This is not an overnight process; it is a gradual process that takes time, sometimes longer than what may feel appropriate.  Growth is what makes life evolve and flourish.
     Statement #8 means different things to me at different times.  In early sobriety, I was focused on the connection to the Universe/God/Nature.  I felt as if I was becoming more spiritual while releasing some old thought patterns.  I began to discover aspects of life that had been concealed and disguised under the influence of alcohol.
     Later on, Statement #8 took on a more intimate role in my life.  I began to understand how and why I reacted to events or situations.  Frequently I was reacting with a given response that I had learned years earlier.  I was simply repeating a pattern.  In order to effectively engage Statement #8, I began to alter my responses.  I was growing, learning and becoming.
     Today I respond to triggers with an open attitude.  I am able to look at myself honestly and consciously say that I need to change something or grow into an even better me.  On occasion I can feel stuck, but it is here where I need to continue moving, emotionally and/or spiritually.  Any way I look at it, I grow inside and out.
     In the past, alcohol ruled my responses and made everything more complicated.  Today I find simplicity with action behind Statement #8.  In heart, mind and soul, I am awakening to a wonderful life!  Hugzzz, Karen

+++++++++++++++
+  Dee’s Insights  +
+++++++++++++++
     Hi 4C Women, I was thinking that my feeling of inadequacy at one time ruled my responses. And when I dug a little deeper, it was my fear of having that inadequacy validated by others that fueled my responses.  If I could be a people pleaser, go along with the status quo, and then I could hide behind my fear of being found out who I really was - a stupid person.  It’s almost unimaginable that I had that opinion of myself for so long.  I finally decided to face my fear of inadequacy and said yes to things that I felt were beyond my capability.  I am not talking about people pleasing, taking my self-worth from the opinion of others, but taking risks to prove to myself that I could accomplish a lot more than I ever dreamed possible.  There were mistakes along the way; yet, slowly I began to experience success and personal growth was taking place.  I learned to respect myself and with that came a new definition, my own definition, of my self-worth.  Drinking only hid my fears.  Drinking never helped me face my fears.  I was no longer paralyzed by my fear of inadequacy or a false definition of me.
     It’s been many years for me of working on emotional and spiritual growth and sometimes I wonder if there is ever an end to facing challenges and problem solving.  The answer is no and that’s because we continue to change and life continues to provide ample opportunities for personal growth.  What’s different for me is that I no longer fear that I will fall apart or can’t handle it.  I have learned and use the wonderful coping tools from WFS and when I feel I need help, I now ask for it.  Before I would have had those inadequate feelings if I couldn’t handle my difficult challenges on my own.
     Today, I am confident enough to ask for help.  Now that’s what I would say is a healthy choice. –Dee
  • Do you know what you fear?
  • Do you ask for help?
  • Do you recognize when you need help?
  • How is your spiritual and emotional growth changing?
_________________________
Thank you, Karen and Dee, for your words of encouragement and inspiration to start off our week! ~Becky Fenner, WFS Director
Email:  contact@womenforsobriety.org   *   Tel215-536-8026   *   Fax:  215-538-9026
http://www.womenforsobriety.org   *   http://www.wfscatalog.org

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Heroin Use by Parents Leads to Growing Number of Children in Foster Care - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

Heroin Use by Parents Leads to Growing Number of Children in Foster Care - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

More Than Half of Americans Say Opioid Painkiller Abuse is Serious Health Issue - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

More Than Half of Americans Say Opioid Painkiller Abuse is Serious Health Issue - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids
Partnership for Drug-free Kids
 
 Thanks to your support, the UNITE to Face Addiction rally in Washington, D.C. on October 4th was a huge success! By signing our petition to pass the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), your voice was heard on Capitol Hill.

More than 700 people walked the halls of Congress last Monday, October 5th, advocating for CARA and joining us to deliver your petition signatures to members of Congress. It was the largest advocacy day EVER for our field!

But our job is not done. We still need your support to help us reach our goal of 10,000 signatures! Our next step in advancing this piece of legislation will be sending your signatures to the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee to schedule a hearing on this bill.

We need your help!! Please send the petition link to 5 of your friends to sign.

Too many families and their loved ones face limited to no insurance coverage for treatment, minimal support from employers, and long waitlists for the few treatment facilities that exist. The time is now to properly treat and define addiction as a public health crisis by passing CARA.



Or share your support on social media with these sample posts:

Help Pass the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act- Sign the Petition Today! http://ow.ly/TeqsH #howmanyfamilies

#Howmanyfamilies will see their child wait to get the #treatment they need? Sign the #CARA petition now! http://ow.ly/TeqsH #parenting
 
 
 
Where Families
   
We're here to help.
Call our Parents Toll-Free Helpline
1-855-DRUGFREE (1-855-378-4373)
Donate NowTwitter  Twitter  Youtube  Instagram
 
 
DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE. Messages sent to this email address are not read. If you have a question or comment, please use our interactive online help system. Subscribe to our RSS feeds. To prevent mailbox filters from deleting mailings from Drugfree.org, add thepartnership@drugfree.org to your address book.

Partnership for Drug-Free Kids | 352 Park Avenue South | Ninth Floor | New York, NY 10010

   


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Daniel Francis Montalbano 10/91 - 3/15 - Honoring Your First Birthday In Heaven on October 24th....your life will not be in vain...forever in my heart ..Mom..
Press Release Announcing the “Lights of Hope” event on October 24, 2015
“The Addict’s Mom” is very pleased to announce our up-coming “Lights of Hope” event, to be held on October 24, at the 8th National Counseling Advances Conference, sponsored by U.S. Journal Training, Inc. and Counselor Magazine. Stephen Cooke, Direct...or of Editorial Communications & Marketing
for Health Communications, Inc., and his co-workers, have graciously given TAM the space and the time to hold our event.
The conference is being held at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort
321 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. (A1A)
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
(954) 467-1111(954) 467-1111 or (800) 937-8461(800) 937-8461 FREE
Conference Dates are Thursday, Oct. 22 through Saturday, October 24.
The “Lights of Hope” ceremony will be by conducted by “The Addict’s Mom” founder, Barbara Theodosiou, on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 8:30 a.m. at the Westin. October 24 is a very bittersweet date for Barbara; it is the birthday of her beloved boy Daniel, but tragically, he lost his battle with addiction in April of this year.
In 2015, “The Addict’s Mom” hosted over 62 “Lights of Hope” ceremonies. The ceremony is an annual tradition of lighting candles to commemorate our loved ones and their families who are trapped in the devastation of addiction. Barbara will light a white candle for those in recovery, a red candle for those in active addiction, and a black candle for those who have died.
Members of the “Addict’s Mom” are invited to attend conference sessions of interest to them, that will be held on Thursday and Friday the 22nd and 23rd, and conference sessions following the TAM ceremony on the 24th.
Follow the link www.usjt.org for more information and to download a registration form. TAM members receive a discounted fee. Contact the conference organizers for details.
We hope to see you in sunny South Florida!

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

October 15 CHP 119 v 50 TWELVE STEPPING WITH STRENGTH FROM THE PSALMS


THE INSTRUCTIONS 

This is my comfort in my affliction (addiction) , For your word has given me life. (GODS BIG BOOK)

THE KEY 

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


THE PROMISE

2 Timothy 4:18 - The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
(GODS BIG BOOK) By Joseph Dickerson

Anti-Stigma Rally In D.C. Shares Stories Of Loss And Redemption | The Fix

Anti-Stigma Rally In D.C. Shares Stories Of Loss And Redemption | The Fix

Monday, October 12, 2015

Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. - Proverbs 19:20 - 21 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs19:20-21&version=NIV

Sunday, October 11, 2015

More Colleges Allowing Alcohol Sales at Football Games - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

More Colleges Allowing Alcohol Sales at Football Games - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

Few Welfare Recipients in Tennessee Test Positive for Drugs - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

Few Welfare Recipients in Tennessee Test Positive for Drugs - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids
Hello all....attached you will find a copy of our Newfound Freedom September newsletter.  Enjoy :)

Best of the week from Choose Help

Suboxone Treatment - How to Improve Your Odds of Success

Suboxone Treatment - How to Improve Your Odds of Success
The 5 secrets to finding success with Suboxone: What you need to know about Suboxone addiction treatment for heroin or pain pills.
Suboxone treatment - how can you make sure it works for you?

Suboxone and the Need for Addiction Treatment

Quitting opioids? Then you’re probably at least considering Suboxone... and why not, after all, Suboxone and methadone increase your odds of long-term recovery while also reducing withdrawal discomfort.1
So if considering Suboxone, you might wonder why you also need to bother with addiction treatment – if a daily pill takes away your cravings and withdrawal symptoms… what’s left to worry about?
But the truth is, by combining medication with psychosocial therapies you greatly increase your odds of lasting success.
Without addressing your addictive tendencies and without learning compensatory strategies to manage the brain changes associated with addiction, you’ll likely relapse once off Suboxone – or if you stay on Suboxone over the long-term, you’ll just get addicted to something else (cocaine, alcohol, etc.)
Read on to learn more about:
  • Why you need counseling as well as medication – and what you can expect to learn from counseling and other behavioral therapies
  • Why you don’t just ‘trade addictions’ when initiating Suboxone therapy
  • The long-term risks associated with cold-turkey opioid detox
  • How to get the most out of your Suboxone therapy
  • Your eligibility for Suboxone
If Suboxone alone could do the job, you wouldn’t likely see the manufacturer (Reckitt Benckiser) recommending Suboxone as only one part of a complete treatment plan that should also include counseling and behavioral therapy.2

6 Essential Benefits of Addiction Treatment

Why medication alone isn't enough...
Medications can reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms to a manageable level. They help you stabilize and focus and they greatly increase your odds of lasting change - but as powerful as medications like Suboxone are, they're not a magic cure; you'll still need to work very hard.
Addiction causes brain changes that lead to compulsion and poor impulse control.3These brain changes are lasting or permanent and they cause functional changes to the way you think and feel. Fortunately, by learning coping strategies, such as those taught in an addiction treatment program, you can learn to manage your impulses and minimize your risks.
Whether you get intensive rehab care or join an intensive outpatient group, most addiction treatment programs are designed to help you make difficult changes and to provide you with certain necessary skills - here's a list of 6 essential benefits of participation:4

1. Sustaining Motivation

It’s normal to feel somewhat ambivalent about major life change and to find that motivation waxes and wanes over time.
  • But when a temporary motivation dip can lead to relapse and lastingconsequences, it’s important to prepare for down-turns and make certain that your long-term goals drive your day-to-day behaviors.
Motivational enhancement therapies help you overcome drug ambivalence, identify personally relevant goals (what’s important to you – not anyone else) - and teach skills that keep you focused on your long-term objectives.

2. Increase Relapse Prevention Skills

Long-term goals are only as useful as your ability to manage immediate impulses and cravings. Therefore, virtually all addiction treatment programs teach relapse preventions skills, such as:
  • Looking back at past relapses - identifying behavior patterns associated with relapse.
  • Identifying the people, places and things that you associate with using/drinking.
  • Learning to identify warning signs of imminent relapse (such as overconfidence, isolation, deception, etc.)
  • Learning relapse prevention coping strategies, such as distraction techniques, mindfulness and scheduling.
  • Writing a recovery plan for high-risk situations.

3. Replacing Negative Activities with Constructive Habits

If you take Suboxone but continue to engage in all the same negative or risky behaviors of active addiction you are likely to fall back to getting high.
  1. Your environment, behaviors and thoughts all influence your ability to maintain recovery.  
  2. You need to identify negative habits and make a plan to replace these with more productive activities.
For example, you are more likely to maintain recovery by getting out of the house and working/volunteering/going to school than you are by hanging around all day with old drug-using friends.

4. Improve Frustration Tolerance and Problem Solving Ability

By letting small problems build into overwhelming obstacles you increase the amount of frustration in your life. In the past you turned to drugs or alcohol as a way to cope with frustration, what will you turn to now?
By learning better problem solving skills and by learning to handle frustration and other negative emotions you increase your chances of lasting recovery.

5. Build and Sustain Healthy and Supportive Relationships

Most people in active addiction behave in ways that diminish the trust and solidity of important relationships. In addiction treatment you may receive couples or family counseling to help repair past damage and to rebuild healthier systems that support recovery.
You’ll also develop new sober friendships to replace the relationships you lose when changing your lifestyle.

6. Improve Your Community Functioning

Through addiction treatment programs you gain access to volunteer, educational and vocational programs that get you out into the community in a positive way.

Suboxone: 5 Secrets to Success

Research shows that opioid substitution therapy (methadone and Suboxone) is superior to all other forms of detoxification on outcomes such as decreasing drug use and sticking with treatment, but still, not everyone finds what they need from Suboxone therapy.1 Here are some steps you can take to improve your odds of success. 
Beyond getting addiction treatment you can also improve your odds of success with Suboxone by:5
  1. Committing to comprehensive treatment (some combination of medication and counseling/behavioral therapies) for an adequate and appropriate length of time. There are no quick fixes to addiction, and though you may choose to skip counseling and taper off Suboxone quickly, this approach increases your risks of relapse.
  2. Getting your family and other supportive loved-ones involved in your treatment process.
  3. Spending some time once stabilized on Suboxone also dealing with other physical or mental health disorders requiring treatment. Unmanaged illness increases your relapse risk. 
  4. Committing to a program that uses drug testing. Drug screening gets you help fast after a slip-up and provides you with extra motivation to remain abstinent.
  5. Avoiding other drugs and alcohol - It’s too easy to simply transfer your addiction.

Aren’t You Just Switching Addictions?

No, though you will remain physically opioid-dependent, most people who initiate Suboxone therapy see a significant decline in behaviors typically associated with addiction, such as:6
  • Reduced or eliminated physical withdrawal symptoms (on short-term opioids, you might experience a daily cycle of intoxication/withdrawal).
  • An end to compulsive or out of control use.
  • An end to drug seeking behaviors (this allows you the time and energy needed to start rebuilding your life).
  • Reduced or eliminate opiate cravings. 

Shouldn't You Feel Some Pain?

  1. Detox pains don’t help people avoid relapse.
  2. Extreme withdrawal symptoms can predispose you to mental declines down the road.
Some people wonder if using Suboxone to avoid/delay and minimize opiate withdrawal symptoms is akin to running from the consequences of your actions – sort of like cheating.
  • Don’t you need to suffer a bit through withdrawal so you won’t fall back into old habits – doesn’t the memory of all that pain help you stay on the straight and narrow?
OK, here the thing about addiction and brain diseases – things that sound good and make sense aren’t necessarily true or effective. While the idea of negative reinforcement makes intuitive sense, there is overwhelming evidence against its effectiveness as a deterrent – and you can see how poorly unassisted detox worked by looking at the relapse rates of those put through cold-turkey detoxes at federal hospitals through the mid part of last century – close to 100% relapse rates.7
So withdrawal discomfort does not help people maintain abstinence. The forces that lead to relapse emerge out of addiction-caused changes to brain structure and to diminished impulse control, memory and planning. Discomfort isn’t teaching, it’s just unpleasant.
So there’s no real benefit to enduring opioid withdrawal discomfort, but according to research presented this month (November 2013) difficult opioid withdrawal symptoms may cause long-term harm.
Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center studied the brains of animals either maintained on morphine or maintained on morphine and then forced into withdrawal.8
The Results
They found that animals forced through opiate withdrawal had higher levels of neurotoxic cytokines and less of neuroprotective proteins, like CCL5. Cytokines cause brain inflammation and impaired thinking and are linked to conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
  • Based on their findings, the researchers conclude that cold-turkey withdrawal may be a causative factor in mental decline.
Take-Home
  1. Cold-turkey withdrawal is unpleasant.
  2. It does not help you maintain abstinence. It is actually associated with significantly higher relapse rates.
  3. Withdrawal may be toxic to the brain and may contribute to mental declines.

Are You Eligible to Take Suboxone?

Suboxone combined with counseling and behavioral therapies offers you an excellent chance at building long-term recovery, but are you eligible to take this medication?
Suboxone might be right for you if:
  • You are opioid dependent
  • You are willing and able to follow dosing directions and other instructions
  • You are able to understand an informed consent document and willing to sign
  • You have no serious psychiatric illness that might compromise your ability to comply with treatment directives
  • You are not allergic to buprenorphine or naloxone
  • You have no serious liver dysfunction, paralytic ileus or acute respiratory distress
  • You are not pregnant (though pregnant women may be able to take other substitution opiates, like methadone or Subutex)
The following factors may affect eligibility:
  • The concurrent abuse of other drugs or alcohol, particularly a severe dependence on sedating drugs like benzodiazepines and alcohol
  • Chronic pain
 
 
 

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All the best to you and yours,


Martin Schoel,
founder of Choose Help
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