| Come For Treatment, Stay For Probation
Palm Beach County addiction business a $1 billion gold rush, FBI investigating Under the radar, local fortunes are being made here, and quickly, from getting addicts and alcoholics clean and sober. With the big money has come big problems: Reports of kickbacks, patient brokering, inflated medical testing bills and insurance fraud are rampant. Take the out of state couple who opened a bill from a local drug testing lab with links to the sober home where their son was treated, to find a $300,000-plus bill. For urine testing. CONTINUED @ PalmBeachPost.com | | | American Physiological Assoc. Says: WHAT?
Teen Marijuana Use Has No Link To Mental Health Problems Chronic marijuana use as an adolescent has no link to mental or physical health problems later in life, according to a new study conducted over the past 20 years. Published by the American Physiological Association, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Rutgers University divided participants into four groups from their teenage years onward. One group almost never smoked marijuana, one used it mostly in their teenage years, another started using in adulthood and the final group of subjects started using marijuana early and continued into their adult years. | | | Proving Drugs Are Passé
Jerry Garcia died 20 years ago Originally published by the Daily News on August 10, 1995. This story was written by Bill Bell. Grateful Dead leader Jerry Garcia, a rock ‘n’ roll guru whose counter-culture appeal crossed generations and outlasted fads, died yesterday at a drug and alcohol treatment center near San Francisco, where the band began 30 years ago. | | TODAY & TONIGHT Open House
| | | Health Warning
What Diet Coke does to your body in just one hour A British health expert has issued an astonishing health warning about the alleged dangers of Diet Coke. Niraj Naik, who runs a blog called the The Renegade Pharmacist , claimed the low calorie fizzy drink rots teeth, encourages the body to pile on fat and even mimics the effects of cocaine. | | Click here for Biosound Therapy
| | | Essay from COSMOPOLITAN
When I Gave Up Alcohol, I Gave Up Many of My Friends Too As it turned out, we had absolutely nothing in common aside from a love for debauchery. About four years ago, my social circle underwent a complete overhaul. I had to let go of relationships that I thought were important to me and learn to develop new ones, no matter how uncomfortable I felt. My life literally depended on it. I made the decision to get sober, and that meant I had to change a lot of things about the way I was living my life. | | Recovery Program Management
| | | Black Out the Black Out
Addiction Relapse Prevention Possible by ‘Erasing’ Drug-Associated Memories Recovering drug addicts can be prevented from relapsing by selectively erasing drug-associated memories through a new process now being developed by scientists at the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), according to MedicalXpress. “Our memories make us who we are, but some of these memories can make life very difficult. Not unlike in the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind…” | | Rates for eBulletin Advertising
| | | No Safe Place
New Program Helps Jail Inmates Fight Drug Addiction Recovery coaches say setting up this kind of relationship with ex-inmates, is an important way to stop the cycle of addiction. Deborah J. Smith, Co-Owner, Wellness, InX said, “We’ll go and we’ll start planning with them whats your short term goal with you when you get out of here? Who’s picking you up? Because we know that folks who were picking them up that were not good influences on them would take them right back into a lifestyle.” CONTINUED @ WILX.com | | | UK Recovery
WHOLE PERSON RECOVERY – “THE ONE THING EVERY PERSON WANTS IS TO BELONG SOMEWHERE” We heard about one recovery center, where service users ran a daily drop-in session, complementing the structured treatment. Putting that level of trust in service users requires a shift in the way we understand a service user’s journey – giving them the reins not only for their own recovery, but also for those around them. | | Addiction/Recovery eBulletin
| | | Poison Is Poison
A woman’s Red Bull addiction is making her go blind Lena Lupari, 26, is seriously obsessed with Red Bull. The mom of three drinks 28 cans of the energy drink every day… In Lupari’s case, Red Bull is proving to be as addictive and dangerous as any Class A drug. The mother spends more than $450 a month on the energy drink. .. she has gained so much weight in recent years that her brain has become swollen. | | | It Reminds, Not Deters
Online Anti-Drinking Ads May Not Help Over Long Term Trying to curb alcohol use on your own with web-based or CD programs may not be very effective, a new study reports. The study found these programs could reduce drinking slightly among adults and college students. But they appeared to be ineffective for reducing binge drinking and the negative social aspects linked with alcohol misuse. “At this point, the effects of the available brief electronic interventions are small, and evidence that they help people to drink within recommended limits is lacking.” CONTINUED @ HealthDay.com | | | Thank YOU For SHARING
Not talking about your addiction is ‘deadly’ A crucial part of championing the stories of those who have recovered from addiction is to reach out to those who feel guilty or embarrassed because of their problems. Addiction, like its close cousin mental illness, can still be viewed as a stigma in society, something to be ashamed of, something to be hidden away. CONTINUED @ TheStar.co.uk | | | Nursery Fool Smartphones dumb kids down “Smartphones are psychologically addictive, encourage narcissistic tendencies and should come with a health warning.” That was the conclusion of a study at the University of Derby in the UK, which highlighted the disturbing downside to our digital obsession. But it could be even worse than that. Smartphone addiction could be damaging educational standards and exacerbating inequality. Digital technology is now an everyday component of classroom and community, but we need to think much smarter about its long-term impact. | | | School Daze Are Over
Being an alcoholic was an education: Alice Cooper Rocker Alice Cooper believes being an alcoholic was “an education” because it strengthened him. The 67-year-old rocker said he does not regret his years of being addicted to alcohol. Asked what advice he would give to his younger self, he said, “I’ll tell you the truth, I always think I would say, ‘Wow, don’t become an alcoholic.’ But then, going through that alcoholic experience, especially with those guys, was an education. “It was a choice between living and dying, and my doctor said, ‘Look, you can go and join the rest of the Vampires who have gone, or you can… | | | Independent Film Making w/A Purpose
Seed & Spark to Help Complete PERFECTION PERFECTION is a story about the timely subject matter of self injury as it explores our cultures addiction to plastic surgery and the absurd notion that we can only be loved if we are perfect! Kristabelle, still living with her Mother cuts herself to feel alive. Her Mother, addicted to plastic … OFFICIAL Selection REEL Recovery Film Festival. CONTINUED @ SeedAndSpark.com | | New Yorkers Call for FREE Tix 818-762-0461
| | | 2015 UPCOMING EVENTS
2nd REEL RECOVERY FILM FESTIVAL HOUSTON EDITION September 25 – 26 The Council on Recovery
303 Jackson Hill St., Houston, TX 77007 September 27 Sundance Cinemas – Finale
510 Texas Ave., Houston, TX 77002
Call Tracy Abbott for more information:
713-240-4931 4th REEL RECOVERY FILM FESTIVAL
NEW YORK CITY EDITION October 16 – 21 Cinema Village
22 E. 12th Street, New York, NY 10003
Call for more information:
818-762-0461 7th REEL RECOVERY FILM FESTIVAL
LOS ANGELES EDITION October 23 – 29 Laemmle NoHo CInema
5240 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601
Call for more information:
818-762-0461 | | Receive the Weekly EBULLETIN
| | | | The Good Life
Demi Lovato Discusses Sobriety Cosmopolitan’s September cover girl, Demi Lovato, spilled details about her sobriety and friendships in Hollywood during an interview with the fashion glossy. Lovato donned a white mesh cut-out top along with a skin tight white skirt that showed off her curves in an Instagram posted by the magazine. According to Entertainment Tonight, the 22-year old “Cool For the Summer” singer credits 35-year old boyfriend, Wilmer Valdderama, for her continued sobriety. The two started dating in 2010 when Lovato turned 18, just before she started rehab. CONTINUED @ UPI.com | | | Available Everywhere
America’s Most Dangerous Pill? It’s not Adderall or Oxy. It’s Klonopin. And doctors are doling it out like candy, causing a surge of hellish withdrawals, overdoses and deaths. Klonopin is the brand name for the pill known as clonazepam, which was originally brought to market in 1975 as a medication for epileptic seizures. Since then, Klonopin, along with the other drugs in this class, has become a prescription of choice for drug abusers from Hollywood to Wall Street. | | | The Lonely Clown
One Year Later: Lessons From Robin Williams’ Suicide by Adele Ryan McDowell Psychologist, teacher, and writer whose latest book is “Making Peace with Suicide: A Book of Hope, Understanding, and Comfort. “Last year, our collective hearts took a big hit. We lost Robin Williams, our man of 1,000 voices, a cavalcade of characters, a wired Gumby body with an electric brain, and one very deep — and wildly inclusive — heart. Beyond his comedy and acting fame, Robin was a staunch advocate and supporter of underdogs and the disenfranchised. | | | Stop The Violence
Decriminalize Heroin Use Massachusetts Governor’s Councilor Robert Jubinville wants to fight addiction in an unusual way – by decriminalizing heroin use and possession. “We’ve got to think about some other way than what we’ve been doing for the last 45 years. It’s not working,” Jubinville said. “We’ve got to do something because every day we talk, some kid is putting a needle in his arm and dying.” | | Check out Loma Linda University
| | | Still At A Loss VIDEO
Chris Farley’s loved ones are sharing new insights into his personality as a documentary about his life is released. The new documentary, I Am Chris Farley, honors the comedic icon’s life. At the Hollywood premiere, family and friends spoke of Chris’ extraordinary and over-the-top talent. | | | UK Today
Cocaine, heroin addiction ‘more common in homeless women than men’ The research, carried out by Homeless Link, shows a third of homeless women used heroin in the last month, compared to 28 percent of homeless men. Some 31 percent of women confessed to taking cocaine, compared with 29 percent of men. The study examined 3,555 homeless people in England and found that more women used methadone, a heroin-substitute, than men. | | | Before It’s Too Late
Want to beat alcoholism? Get married! Research on alcohol-use disorders consistently shows problem drinking decreases as we age. Also called, “maturing out,” these changes generally begin during young adulthood and are partially caused by the roles we take on as we become adults. | | Twelve Promises: Rewards of Recovery
| | | It’s Family Affair
Truth in death: Shedding the stigma of heroin addiction in obituaries In the bleak realm of obituaries, there is one category of death that remains taboo even in a social media-obsessed, overly candid world. It is typically cloaked in euphemism: He died suddenly. She died unexpectedly. He died at home. Deaths caused by drug overdoses are rarely acknowledged in print by the people who are left behind… | | | Here We Grow
Minnesota’s first month with medical marijuana is a mixed bag Patrick McClellan’s first batch of medical marijuana, via vaporizer, worked like a charm, curbing the pain and muscle spasms that come with his muscular dystrophy and supplanting a combination of prescription medications that doctors say could kill him…The story of Minnesota’s first month of medical marijuana is one of triumphs, disappointments and everything in between — a trial-and-error process… | | Visit the Newsletter ARCHIVES
| | | Interesting Times VIDEO
If I didn’t have cannabis, and I had to rely on the meds from the VA, I would not be alive,” said Mark, who told CBS4 he has been struggling with PTSD for 20 years. He says it has saved him from dangerous side effects and overdose risks from pharmaceuticals that haven’t helped him. “The Valium and Klonopin, things like that, that they’ve given me, they just made me an addict,” he said. | | | Seeing the Light
New DEA Chief: ‘Heroin Is Clearly More Dangerous Than Marijuana’ DEA head Chuck Rosenberg told reporters Wednesday morning at the administration’s headquarters that “heroin is clearly more dangerous than marijuana,” clarifying a less definitive statement he made last week, when he said marijuana is “probably not” as dangerous as heroin. | | | Bottom Line is All That Counts VIDEO
A mother from New Jersey whose son died from a heroin overdose in 2010 has received a series of shocking abusive emails after accusing a clothing company of ‘glamorizing’ drugs. Patty DiRenzo has been campaigning since her son Sal died five years ago, aged 26. California-based clothing company Urban Stash Spot Clothing came to the attention of the grieving mother for its designs featuring the logos of numerous drugs – and instructions on how to take them. | | | Sounds Like AA?
Spirituality may be tied to easier cancer course Cancer patients who report more religiousness or spirituality may also experience fewer physical symptoms of cancer and treatment and more social connection, several new papers suggest. The new analyses reviewed previous studies of spirituality involving more than 44,000 cancer patients altogether. The studies varied in many ways, but religion and spirituality were associated with better health regardless of specific religion or set of spiritual beliefs. CONTINUED @ FoxNews.com | | | It’s Complicated NPR AUDIO
Twenty-seven years ago, journalist Buzz Bissinger decided that he wanted to write about the big-time stakes of small-town high school football … It’s a shopping addiction but it’s a sexual addiction … It was leather. I have a leather fetish, which is fine, but my shopping became compulsive … Three, four packages a day. I bought a lot of women’s clothing, and you know what? I like women’s clothing … I bought a lot of boots. I bought stiletto boots. I bought leather jackets. I had over 100 leather jackets, and probably close to 100 pairs of leather pants. I mean, in your lifetime you probably can’t wear all that stuff. I spent over $500,000. | | | Harvey Milk Would Be Pissed Off
LGBTQ Drug Addiction After that, however, she asked me another question: Is drug use higher among the gay population? A parent, she found herself concerned that her son being gay might mean he was more susceptible to getting involved in drugs. That made some sense to me. People often get involved in self-destructive behavior; none of us make the right choice all the time. I eat too much red meat. Women — and men — wear high heels. | | | Dispensing Disaster
Doctor Charged With Homicide Over 3 Pain Pill Deaths A former Indianapolis doctor faces reckless homicide charges in the deaths of three people who overdosed on painkillers that he prescribed them, prosecutors said Friday. Dr. John Sturman, 69, overprescribed narcotics for pain that resulted in the deaths. Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller, whose office assisted in the investigation, said drug addiction and overdose was a top public health and safety issue. “It’s imperative that we crack down on overprescribing of prescription drugs that is a contributing factor in the drug abuse epidemic in our state.” | | | Seeking Films on Addiction & Recovery
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 and the general public. If you or someone you know has a film about Addiction OR Recovery,
please click on our: Addiction/Recovery eBulletin Publisher & Editor: Leonard Buschel © 2015 Addiction/Recovery eBulletin | | | |