Alec Baldwin opens up about past battle with alcoholism, drug addiction VIDEO
Actor Alec Baldwin opened up about his past battle with alcoholism and drug addiction in an interview with “Good Morning America” anchor George Stephanopoulos, admitting that it was a “tough time” full of “a lot of pain.” … “I got sober when I was just about to turn 27,” Baldwin said. “And those two years that I lived in that white, hot period, as a daily drug abuser, as a daily drinker … to my misery, boy, that was a tough time.” He added, “there was really, really a lot of pain in there, a lot of pain.”
Yara Ghazal becomes New Director of Operations for Addiction/Recovery eBulletin & REEL Recovery Film Festivals
MARCH 30, 2017 – “We are indeed fortunate to have Ms. Ghazal,” said Leonard Buschel, CEO of Writers In Treatment, publisher of the Addiction/Recovery eBulletin. “We are in a period of extensive growth and increased national and international recognition. “We anticipate great things from Ms. Ghazal and celebrate the talents and expertise she brings to our diverse projects.” Ms. Ghazal earned her BA from San José State University. Her previous experience related to addiction/recovery includes work as a Substance Abuse Counselor and Caseload Manager at an outpatient facility in Modesto, California. Ms. Ghazal is fluent in English, Arabic, and Spanish.
Scott Walker to ask Trump to let him drug test poor people…
April 3, 2017 – First he sent a letter to then President-elect Donald Trump asking to let him drug test state residents who apply for food assistance. Now Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) is gearing up to persuade the Trump administration to let him drug test those who need help affording health insurance … He’s already pushed hard to drug test the hungry … Walker is proposing to allow Medicaid to cover residential drug abuse treatment for these applicants. His regime would deny coverage to anyone who couldn’t or didn’t want to take a test to get benefits.
READ MORE @ Think Progress.org
Bottom Line Success…with Death VIDEO
Senator to investigate opioid makers’ role in drug crisis VIDEO
The city of Chicago and several U.S. counties have sued opioid manufacturers, demanding reimbursement for the expense of grappling with the drug crisis. The lawsuits contend that aggressive marketing by the companies has fueled the crisis. Last year, Mylan was accused of price-gouging after it sharply raised the price of its lifesaving EpiPen injection medication for allergic reactions. The company released a lower-cost generic version of the device in response.
March 27, 2017 – People recovering from illicit drug abuse are more likely to be successful if they don’t smoke cigarettes, a new study finds. Most illicit drug users also smoke cigarettes, but many substance abuse programs do not include treatment for nicotine dependence, the study authors said…” But our study shows that giving up cigarettes may be even more important for adults in recovery from illicit substance use disorders, since it may help them stay sober,” …
Rules changes for sober-living homes aim to prevent ex-residents from becoming homeless
Operators of group homes and sober-living facilities in Costa Mesa would be required to provide transportation and information on homelessness resources to occupants who are evicted or otherwise involuntarily discharged under a series of proposed rules changes the city Planning Commission recommended Monday night. Much of the commission’s discussion centered on the long-stewing controversy over sober-living homes, which generally house recovering drug and alcohol addicts who are considered disabled under state and federal law.
March 29, 2017 – More older American women than ever are drinking – and drinking hard, a new study shows. Most troubling was the finding that the prevalence of binge drinking among older women is increasing dramatically, far faster than it is among older men, the researchers noted. The difference was striking: Among men, the average prevalence of binge drinking remained stable from 1997 to 2014, while it increased an average of nearly 4 percent per year among women, the researchers found. Increased drinking and binge drinking can be a serious health problem for women…
Two doctors, nurse among 10 accused of prescription fraud
March 24, 2017 – “This roundup in the Lehigh Valley, including the arrest of doctors and medical staff, shows no one is above the law in our fight against the heroin epidemic,” Shapiro said. “Today’s arrests prove what I’ve said all along: I’ll go after drug dealers on the street corner, in boardrooms and doctor’s offices and hospitals.” No heroin was involved in the arrests, but most of the cases allege the suspects abused the prescription process to improperly divert other opioids, which are addictive, painkilling drugs, investigators said.
April 1, 2017 – “Five years ago today I went to my rock bottom, PRISON! Today I’m 5 years sober and have the life of my dreams.” Leaf was quarterback for Washington State University from 1995 to 1997 and led the Cougars to their first Pac-10 championship game. The Cougars ended up losing in the 1998 Rose Bowl but that did not end Leaf’s football career. Leaf was widely considered one of the best players alongside Peyton Manning in the 1998 NFL draft. Leaf went on to play for the San Diego Chargers from 1998 to 2000. Leaf also played briefly for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys in 2001.
READ MORE @ KREM.com
No More “Dirty” Language
Words Not That Hard to Refine?
If we want addiction de-stigmatized, we need a language that’s unified. The words we use matter. Caution needs to be taken, especially when the disorders concerned are heavily stigmatized as in substance use disorders
Former addict/alcoholic penned poem to help others overcome addiction
March 30, 2017 – You can’t keep it unless you give it back.” That is the philosophy Alan White has learned to live by since his recovery from alcohol and drugs. He heard it from members of Alcoholics Anonymous after he started attending meetings, which began his road to recovery. White is a 55-year-old former alcoholic and drug addict. He hopes his poem ‘The Taker’ and his story can serve as a wake-up call. He wants to show others there is hope, and that help is available. “If people can see that somebody like me was able to make it back from the grave, with a 14-pound liver….”
READ MORE @ ElliotLakeStandard.ca
Technology to the Rescue? VIDEO
UBC students design watch-like device – detects overdoses VIDEO
March 30, 2017 – As the death toll in B.C.’s drug overdose crisis continues to rise, a group of university students has designed a piece of wearable technology that could potentially save lives. The six medical, engineering and design students from the University of British Columbia put their heads together to create a watch-like device capable of detecting if the wearer is overdosing. Using technology similar to fitness trackers, the device senses if the wearer has stopped moving and started breathing slowly. If those warning signs are detected, an alarm is triggered that can alert people nearby … The alarm-based design is deliberate, informed by the fact that roughly 90 per cent of fatal overdoses happen indoors. Satti said the device is intended for someone who might have a dose of naloxone, the opioid antidote that can reverse the effects of an overdose.
Alcohol and drugs cost Alaska over $3 billion a year VIDEO
April 1, 2017 – The Alaska Mental Health Trust study says the multi-billion dollar total is equal to roughly $4,000 per state resident, with alcoholism causing more economic damage than drug abuse … Researchers found that one-third of the economic costs from alcohol use are attributable to lost income for the families and local economies due to those who die from alcohol-related causes.
Lamar Odom Shares Memories of Overdose & Aftermath: It’s ‘Scary S***’ VIDEO
A year and a half after he nearly died from a drug overdose at a Nevada brothel, Lamar Odom is telling all about what he went through that fateful night and during the aftermath. The scariest part? He has no recollection of even taking the drugs that practically killed him. Lamar Odom, 37, is telling more about his October 2015 overdose than ever before in this brand new interview. “I was home by myself, bored. I wanted to get out and have a good time,” … The former basketball star also remembers seeing estranged wife Khloe Kardashian, 33, by his side when he woke up. She called him “Mookah,” his mother’s old nickname for him, “to let [him] know [he] wasn’t dead.” “I kept thinking, am I paralyzed forever? Am I mute forever? It was scary s***. Faith got me through.”
WATCH MORE @ HollywoodLife.com
La Quinta Resort Welcomes:
West Coast Symposium for Addictive Disorders
The West Coast Symposium on Addictive Disorders is one of C4 Recovery Solutions’ premier addiction conferences. WCSAD is dedicated to continuing education and networking in the field of addictions. WCSAD hosts more than 1,000 addiction professionals from across the country.
READ MORE @ WCSAD.com
Spring Awakening
To our Readers and Advertisers: An Open Letter from Leonard Buschel Publisher/Editor of the Addiction/Recovery eBulletin
Gratitude is always in season, and as we begin Spring, I want to thank our readers and astute progressive advertisers for your loyalty and confidence. The Addiction/ Recovery eBulletin is approaching four and a half years of continued growth and influence. This would not have been possible without the support of “The Good Guys” – our sponsors who continually stand on the side of truth, integrity and Best Practices. It is an honor to serve our readers and a responsibility I do not take lightly.
“I’ve been reading the Addiction/Recovery eBulletin for some time and I look forward to receiving it on a weekly basis. I’m a very busy professional, and I find the succinct details in which the articles are written both informative and enlightening. Please continue with your great work.”
Johanna O’Flaherty, PhD
Her doctorate in clinical psychology is from Pacifica Graduate Institute.
Go Make a Movie
REEL Recovery Film Festival
is a social, educational, networking and recovery forum showcasing first-time filmmakers and experienced professionals who make films about addiction and recovery. Our audience is treatment professionals, people in recovery, members of the entertainment industry, media representatives, educated moviegoers & the general public.
March 29, 2017 – Gov. Christie didn’t get tapped for the dream jobs of vice president, attorney general, or chief of staff, but he has at last joined the Trump administration to work on a nightmare issue close to his heart. On Wednesday, the New Jersey governor debuted as the chairman of a commission to combat opioid abuse, sitting to the president’s right during a White House listening session with people whose lives have been touched by addiction and government officials charged with fighting the drug problem.
The journey continues from our first book, Global Sober, celebrating AA across the globe, from Kyoto to Reykjavik, from San Francisco to Shanghai. Steps Three and Eleven. If you feel you need help with a drinking problem, Alcoholics Anonymous is here to help, as it has helped millions of people around the world. AA has no dues or fees of any kind and your anonymity will be assured. To find a meeting close to you, go to. www.aa.org
READ MORE @ Zen-Sober.com
You Got to Have Friends VIDEO
Matt Damon reveals Ben Affleck ‘couldn’t be happier’ after rehab VIDEO
March, 29th 2017 – The celebrity duo, who are known to be close friends, are long-time collaborators in their work – including winning an Oscar for their film Good Will Hunting in 1996 … Now Matt has revealed that following Ben’s admission to rehab, his Dogma co-star is feeling a lot better and enjoying spending time with his kids. He told Entertainment Tonight: “He’s with the kids now, couldn’t be happier. Jen’s working for a couple weeks in Atlanta, so he’s Mr. Mom-ing it right now. And that’s what he wants to be doing.”
Published on Feb 10, 2017 – These 7 short videos show you how to build new neural pathways to turn on your happy brain chemicals in new and healthy ways. Anyone can do it by following these simple steps. You’ll learn what turns on each happy chemicals in the state of nature, and why they’re not on all the time. Then you’ll learn why our unhappy chemicals turn on so easily.
Mar. 30, 2017 – The Ohio governor unveiled a plan Thursday that targets the place where experts say many opioid addictions begin – the doctor’s office. Gov. John Kasich’s order limits the amount of opiates primary care physicians and dentists can prescribe to no more than seven days for adults and five days for minors … In addition to pill limits, Kasich said the new rules require doctors to provide a specific diagnosis and procedure code for every painkiller prescription they write.
Council on Alcoholism to host experts at addiction conference
Mar 31, 2017 – Allen Berger and Jerry Moe will be the presenters at the Central Nebraska Council on Alcoholism and Addictions’ annual conference and fundraiser on Thursday and Friday, April 20 and 21, at the Quality Inn and Conference Center at the Interstate 80/Highway 281 interchange. “Emotional Sobriety: Key to Preventing Relapse” will be the topic of Berger’s presentation on April 20. Berger is a psychologist and author of “12 Stupid Things That Mess Up Recovery” and “12 Smart Things to Do When the Booze and Drugs Are Gone.” He is clinical director of the Institute for Optimal Recovery and Emotional Sobriety and runs a two-year training program in Gestalt experiential therapy.
READ MORE @ TheIndependent.com
Aren’t The Pills Helping?
Depression is the No. 1 cause of illness and disability worldwide
March 30, 2017 – The World Health Organization has two words for anyone who’s “Sad!”: “Let’s talk.” Depression is the no. 1 cause of illness and disability worldwide, the UN’s public health arm said Thursday. An 18% spike from 2005 to 2015 puts the most recent estimate at more than 300 million people… “We suggest that people start talking about depression with their friends, with their family, and with their health care providers,” he said. “Because talking about depression can be the beginning of seeking help and getting help.”
Joan Kroc’s legacy paved way to battle addiction in America
March 31, 2017 – Ray Kroc’s role as a fast food icon is well-documented in the recent film “The Founder.” But one major storyline not addressed in the movie is how Joan Kroc used her husband’s financial success to improve the lives of people affected by addiction to alcohol and other drugs … Long before much education or treatment was available for alcoholism, Joan Kroc saw firsthand the impact drinking had on their family. After years of trying and failing to get Ray to quit drinking – as Lisa Napoli writes in her book “Ray & Joan” – Joan turned her eyes and fortune instead to helping others.
Mar. 30, 2017 – Two assumptions have have come to define discussion of the opioid crisis in the country: 1) It is not a partisan issue, and 2) we need to approach it as a public health problem, not a criminal one. The tires are now getting kicked a little on both claims. Gov. Charlie Baker has become a leading face of the first one, with the Republican governor making the opioid addiction crisis a top priority for state government and challenging the idea that Democrats have the corner on committing new public resources to those in need. He has regularly been part of a bipartisan tag-team with two prominent Democrats – Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Attorney General Maura Healey – in the anti-addiction fight … “We’re at a crossroads in dealing with the issue of addiction,” Newman-Polk said. “There is a lot of conversation around it being a public health issue, but it’s very difficult to both criminalize behavior and to also say it’s an illness.”
After Christie praises addiction doctors, they blast the Trump budget cuts
As Gov. Chris Christie spends his last year in office focused on expanding addiction treatment, President Donald Trump has been seeking massive cuts to the National Institute of Health’s budget. On Thursday, those two political realities collided awkwardly. Christie appeared at St. Joseph’s Hospital to tout its successful opiate addiction prevention program. But after the governor departed, the doctors behind the initiative were highly critical of Trump’s plan to slash funding of the medical research supporting their efforts.
I Turned Into an Alcoholic After One Night of Binge Drinking
Mar. 30, 2017 – This article is the first in a series of four autobiographical essays detailing one man’s struggle with alcoholism and his recovery. For many, an unhealthy relationship with alcohol develops slowly and sneakily, over years or even decades. Life stressors like abusive relationships, bad breakups, academic pressure and even engagements and marriages make us vulnerable. That wasn’t true for me. My 21st birthday ended uneventfully.
Denise Welch, 58, celebrates 5 years of sobriety, flaunts her body in sexy bikini VIDEO
APRIL 1, 2017 – Denise Welch opens up about “mental breakdown” and using alcohol to cope with depression … Earlier this month, the actress, who is married to artist Lincoln Townley, revealed that her depression recently reared its head with a mental collapse happening just two months before she wrote a book, and lasted for three days … Denise had been battling the bulge – and the bottle – for years…
“It’s a unique service to addicts and their families.”
“It’s a unique service to addicts and their families. And an informational periodical for the rehab industry. If I don’t ingest the Addiction/Recovery eBulletin, then I immediately need a fix.”
Paul Krassner
American author, journalist, comedian, and founder of the magazine The Realist. Krassner became a key figure in the counterculture of the 1960s as a member of Ken Kesey‘s Merry Pranksters.
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