Greatest Swimmer of All Time: Piling Up Gold & Coming Back From the Brink
What’s left to achieve for the most-decorated Olympic athlete in history? Michael Phelps already has an astounding 22 medals – 18 of them gold – twice as many as the world’s second highest medal-winning Olympians. Redemption, for one thing. A little over a year and a half ago, Phelps was in rehab, recovering from his second DUI arrest and beginning a six-month suspension from competitive swimming … “Michael’s story of sobriety and having a child has been great, It’s the right time for him to show leadership.”
READ MORE @ People.com
Not Swimming With The Fishes
Gold Medalist Anthony Ervin Makes Comeback After Drug Problems and Attempted Suicide
Ervin was a standout swimmer growing up in Valencia, California, with a lean, uniquely American look – a genetic mix that includes Jewish, Native American and African-American roots. Ervin developed symptoms of Tourettes just before high school … He had already tried to commit suicide by swallowing a handful of tranquilizers, and he nearly killed himself more than once riding a motorcycle while high on LSD and cocaine.
READ MORE @ People.com
LAW ENFORCEMENT
One Bad Apple VIDEO
Petaluma Police Arrest Drug, Alcohol Counselor Accused of Sexually Assaulting Teen VIDEO
Police in the North Bay have arrested a drug and alcohol counselor accused of drugging and sexually assaulting a teenage girl. Investigators say 38-year-old Brett Niebergall met the girl through a social media app.They met on a social media app and communicated online for a few days and then agreed to meet last Saturday at his Petaluma apartment. The 16-year-old went to police on Monday with allegations of sexual assault.
Kandel snapped. “But ultimately I should be able to replicate your findings and you should be able to replicate my findings, otherwise it’s not science, it’s bullshit.” “I knew something like ‘if it’s not science it’s bullshit’ was coming,” … William Cope Moyers, vice president of public affairs and community relations at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation (which uses the 12-step model) and author of Broken: My Story of Addiction and Redemption, says he has begun avoiding the term “disease” in his work “because it’s a term that either a lot of people can’t understand or disagree with.”
Finding a better way to treat drug addiction than by jailing people
Australia could learn a lot from the fact that a number of American cities are successfully reducing the role of criminalisation in their drug policies. This is something that should be addressed at the Drug Summit in Sydney today.
Drug Enforcement Administration Keeps Marijuana on List of Dangerous Drugs on par with Heroin
The DEA decision on Thursday to not remove marijuana from the list of the nation’s most dangerous drugs outraged scientists, public officials and advocates who have argued that the federal government should recognize that marijuana is medically useful…
READ MORE @ FoxNews.com
CELEBRITY SOBRIETY
Brave Heart VIDEO
Mel Gibson speaks out about his battle with alcohol addiction VIDEO
Mel Gibson has spoken about his battle with alcohol after nearly a decade of silence. According to The Sun, the actor has revealed that he wouldn’t have survived if it wasn’t for Alcoholics Anonymous, which he says he has spent many years attending. He told Good Weekend: “I have had to do that stuff, otherwise you don’t survive.” He added: “They call it the spiritual path for the psychopath.”
Debate Continues to Surround Data on Overdose Deaths VIDEO
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – There’s no question that there’s an opioid epidemic in Broome County, but some are suggesting it could be worse than it seems. Local heroin prevention advocates are arguing that the county is not recording data properly, or in a timely fashion. “I’m tired of her ignoring the loss of our kids. I’m tired of pretending their lives don’t matter. I’m tired of her not counting these overdose deaths,” said Truth Farm Director Alexis Pleus…
August 12, 2016, Investigation has resulted in 100 group homes in Prescott, AZ closing their doors
Dan Kreitman, director of the special investigative unit for the Centene Corporation, told the city’s Ad Hoc Committee on Structured Sober Living Homes Wednesday, Aug. 10, that his team had uncovered widespread insurance fraud, theft, and waste in Prescott. * Sober living homes that were routinely charging as much as $2,000 for daily urine drug screens – tests that Kreitman said should have cost about $29. * Homes that were making claims for upwards of $5,000 a day for equine treatments – “to go out and pet a horse.” * Clients remaining in treatment for 14 or 15 months, “with no end in sight.” Regularly, Kreitman said, “We’re finding sober home living facilities with no end game. What we’re finding is our members who are being shifted from facility to facility and who are testing positive for heroin from facility to facility.”
At the time I was earning around £5,000 a month – not enough to pay for my habit. Within a few months, my relationship broke down under the strain and things began to spiral out of control. I received death threats from a dealer I owed money to, and in 2006 I lost my job because I wasn’t turning up. I found a new position in Manchester, but lost that within months when I was caught drink-driving. Even though I couldn’t even afford my rent, I bought drugs on credit.
Brianna Byrnes, 32, was arrested last August 28 by Martin County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Justin Albauer after he noticed the SUV she was driving swerving all over the road at night. She admitted to Albauer that she just purchased heroin from a dealer in Riviera Beach and that the drug was in her car. Byrnes also told the officer that she was an addict, but wanted help with her addiction before it killed her … Roughly a year later, she has two jobs and is raising her young son. She called the sheriff’s office last week looking for Albauer to give him a thank you letter before coming forward to share her story publicly on Wednesday…
The number of babies born with a dependence on drugs increased 300 percent between 1999 and 2013, a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed. The report, based on statistics from 28 states, says the newborns come out of the womb suffering from “neonatal abstinence syndrome” (NAS) and experience withdrawal at birth. Those withdrawal symptoms are horribly physical and include seizures, respiratory problems, vomiting, diarrhea, and feeding difficulties.
READ MORE @ NewsMax.com
TREATMENT INDUSTRY
Joining The Team
American Addiction Centers Welcomes New Chief Clinical and Compliance Office
American Addiction Centers (AAC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Tom Doub, PhD, as its new Chief Clinical and Compliance Officer. Dr. Doub brings more than 25 years of behavioral healthcare experience to his new role with a strong background in clinical best practices, research, analytics and technology. In his new role at AAC, Dr. Doub will build upon the company’s commitment to clinical excellence and focus on improving outcomes for clients across the nation.
Prescription drug abuse tied to increased risk of teen suicide
“Growing up has always been difficult and life now is even more complicated,” Shain, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email. “Parents should take seriously severe or persistent distress and changes in behavior, such as isolation or falling grades, and bring their teen to their primary care physician or a mental health professional with any signs.” Parents should also try to make it harder for teens to get their hands on things to harm themselves, said Dr. Yolanda Evans, an adolescent medicine specialist at Seattle Children’s Hospital who wasn’t involved in the study.
READ MORE @ FoxNews.com
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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.
At Fabled Addiction Treatment Center, a New Approach
For decades, the fabled Hazelden Foundation here has relied on group therapy, individual counseling and other nonmedical approaches to help tens of thousands of people recover from drug and alcohol addiction. But several years ago, Hazelden realized that too many of its opioid-addicted patients were dying of overdoses after dropping out of the traditional 12-step treatment programs … It was time to try a different approach.
Bernie Sanders Slams Decision Not To Reclassify Marijuana
Sanders made clear on Twitter that he was among those dissatisfied with the decision not to remove marijuana from the federal government’s list of “Schedule I” drugs, where it sits alongside heroin and LSD. (Schedule I is the most severe category of illegal substances, referring to drugs with the greatest tendency for abuse and no known medical uses.)
U.S. Won’t Reschedule Marijuana, But Will Expand Research Opportunities
The U.S. will announce on Thursday that it will allow more research into marijuana but rejected requests to loosen the classification of the substance as a dangerous drug with no medical use, sources with direct knowledge of the matter said. The decision, to be announced by the DEA, is an answer to a 2011 petition filed by two former state governors who asked federal agencies to re-classify marijuana as a drug with medical-
Scientists say smart people more likely to stay up late and do drugs VIDEO
According to a growing body of research, the smarter you are, the more likely you are to be a night owl – and to use illegal drugs … Results showed that the smarter participants were more likely to have used illegal drugs by middle age – and this was especially true for women … So what explains the link between intelligence, staying up late, and doing drugs? nna-IQ interaction hypothesis.”
It’s been two years since beloved actor Robin Williams died by suicide, and one major legacy of his passing as been a continued conversation about the serious effects of psychological and neurological disorders… But it was his experience with depression that really resonated with fans and the entertainment community who still mourn his death.
Christopher Barry, Son Of Former D.C. Mayor, Dies From An Overdose
Marion Christopher Barry Jr., the son of the late D.C. Mayor Marion Barry, died Saturday (August 13) from a drug overdose. He was 36 years old. The younger Barry, like his father, struggled with addiction and had several encounters with law enforcement. In 2011 he was charged with possession of marijuana and PCP and in 2013 he was charged with driving under the influence of possession of marijuana…While the elder Barry had many accomplishments during his tenure, he’ll always be remembered for a single night in downtown Washington hotel room in which he was caught on video lighting a crack pipe. However, Barry was able to re-enter politics and serve as mayor and later city council.
What makes marijuana users different from everyone else? VIDEO
A massive study published this month in the Journal of Drug Issues found that the proportion of marijuana users who smoke daily has rapidly grown, and that many of those frequent users are poor and lack a high-school diploma … The concentration of use among poorer households means that many marijuana users are spending a high proportion of their income on their marijuana habit.
‘The message is hope’: Man plans cross-country trip for addiction awareness VIDEO
Walking into the Panama City Rescue Mission, it’s hard to miss Jim Downs. He’s known as “Big Jim” for a reason. His large frame and larger-than-life personality are topped off with an instantly recognizable tan cowboy hat, and he’s usually the first face new clients see after arriving at the support center.But starting in February, Downs, who has spent the last year in the mission’s addiction recovery program, will set off on his own journey of sobriety and self-discovery as he endeavors to leave the mission and hike the Appalachian Trail up to Canada, raising awareness about addiction and recovery along the way.
“I am actually glad that the Narcan is out there,” said Dr. Eric Samuel, medical director at Families First of the Greater Seacoast. “It makes my job easier. I hope dealers will carry it. It is a risk reduction. Of course, I would never advise anyone to buy anything off the street. You never know what you are actually getting. There is a reason these drugs require a prescription. As for the addiction control medications, I think we all know that everything has the potential to be abused.”
Pennsylvania Developing Formal Process To Certify Drug & Alcohol Recovery Houses
The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) is preparing to implement a formal process to certify drug and alcohol recovery houses for people receiving publicly funded addiction treatment. There are currently no regulations in place in Pennsylvania to govern the operation of these facilities.
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