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Every year countless babies are born with defects or disorders as a result of the mothers actions during pregnancy. The substances a mother consumes, just like the food she eats, eventually finds its way to the fetus greatly increasing the chances of the baby having health problems. Extensive research has been done in the way of studies and experiments that prove that the effects of drugs and alcohol are monumental.
HealthDay News reported that a study done by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that babies exposed to methamphetamine and alcohol before birth have smaller caudate nucleus regions in the brain than non-exposed children or children exposed to alcohol only in the womb. What are caudate nucleus regions?
The caudate nucleus helps with:
learning
memory
motor control
motivation
Researchers who worked on the study compared and contrasted brain scans of 13 children exposed to alcohol in the womb, 21 children exposed to both methamphetamine and alcohol, and 27 children whose mothers did not use anything. "We know that alcohol exposure is toxic to the developing fetus and can result in lifelong brain, cognitive and behavioral problems," said researcher Elizabeth Sowell of the University of California at Los Angeles. "In this study, we show that the effects of prenatal meth exposure, or the combination of meth and alcohol exposure, may actually be worse. Our findings stress the importance of drug abuse treatment for pregnant women."
This information is not all that surprising, if alcohol is bad for a baby, then alcohol and meth would be terrible. Drugs and alcohol rob a child of their chances for success, babies need pollutant free environments to develop in; otherwise Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and, or, a sleuth of other health problems will result. There are many drug and alcohol treatment facilities that specialize in the recovery of pregnant addicts; any pregnant women that wants assistance getting clean, have the opportunity to give their baby a chance at life.
If someone asked you the question, "What are the most influential works of writing in history?", you might think of something different than me. There are countless books that have sparked revolutions on a global scale; religious, scientific, and philosophical books all have made an everlasting impression on society. In attempt to protect the existence of original manuscripts, collectors will keep these historical treasures locked away out of the public's eye. Private collectors with large bank rolls have the ability to purchase pieces of history.
Recently I came across an interesting blog post from a few years ago that raised some provocative questions, questions I thought to be a worthy topic for today's post. The post discussed a Sotheby's auction from 2007 where The “Master Copy” of the Original Manuscript of the book of Alcoholics Anonymous sold in New York City for the hammer price of $850,000. Sotheby's obtained the 1938 document from an A.A. member, Joseph B. He said his aunt, an A.A. member who knew Bill Wilson (A.A's co-founder), gave him the manuscript. Joseph B. claimed that he attempted to find interest for the manuscript within A.A., but "ran into a lot of brick walls, a lot of dead ends." My first thought or rather, question was, why isn't this going into a museum to be studied and visible to the public? Who would be the individual that would have the honor of owning what has been considered perhaps the most profound and influential work of writing from the twentieth century; and finally, what would the person who purchased the manuscript do with it?
The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous coupled with 70 years of fine tuning aided by many expansionary writings has been the keystone in the recovery of countless alcoholics. Hundreds of 12-Step programs were modeled after the principals of A.A., principals which can be adopted free of charge. In June of 2007, Ken R, a wealthy commodities teacher who retired in 2006, purchased what he calls “the ultimate commodity: There’s only one of Bill Wilson’s original working manuscript!" When he referred to the manuscript as a commodity I thought surely he would hide this away in his vault, but, I was wrong; Ken R created a website dedicated to the original manuscript, which he has dubbed "the holy grail". “This is one of the most significant manuscripts of all time! It’s divinely inspired, has helped millions of people, and I’m surely not one to hide this light under a bushel! No, this is not something to lock away in a vault somewhere . . . .”
The fact of the matter is, after two years there does not seem to be much that has been made available by Ken R regarding the manuscript. There are a couple sneak peak pictures of the writing with editing from A.A.'s original members on the sides, but, really not a whole lot. This is testament to why one of the most influential writings of all time belongs in a museum not in private hands. What are your thoughts?
On February 5, 2010, the recovery community lost a good friend. Below you can read Jim Nugent's memorial as seen in the Daily Courier (Prescott, AZ).
James (Jim) Nugent, beloved husband, father, grandfather, counselor, and mentor, died at age 76 when his heart failed while en route to his regular A.A. meeting on Feb. 5, 2010, in Prescott Valley, Ariz.
For over 30 years, Jim's passion was helping alcoholics/addicts recover to productive and responsible living. In this role he helped thousands. In the late 1970s, he was the first to offer 4th-Step guidance as a workshop. The format he used is duplicated all over the world. In the mid 1980s, his work in developing structured residential treatment homes led a recovery home movement that today fills the gap between primary in-patient treatment centers and halfway houses. Because these more fully supportive residential programs make recovery more likely for millions, and for his pioneering role in this industry, a noted psychiatrist labeled him "a national treasure." He started and directed homes in Laguna Beach and Newport Beach, California and in Prescott, Ariz., where he moved in 1997. This winter he celebrated 33 years sober as an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous. He often ended conversations with "Don't drink and go to lots of meetings."
For many years, throughout the country, he conducted personal development seminars in which participants learned to identify and use those talents that particularly motivate them toward success. Last year he facilitated courses on "Your Bucket List" in the OLLI lifelong learning program at Yavapai College.
Born on May 10, 1933, in New York City, he grew up loving track, basketball and tennis. He served two years in the U.S Army where he played on an Army basketball team. He graduated in education from Cortland State, earned a master's at Hofstra, and a Ph.D. in Iowa. He served as a teacher, an elementary school principal and a district administrator in New York schools before moving to California in 1975. An innovative and empowering educator, he believed in allowing students to function within their strengths and interests, and he promoted peer tutoring and teaching.
Jim is survived by his wife of 40 years, Marilyn; by sons John, Joseph, James and Paul; by daughters Jean Nugent, Veronica Skelton, Catherine Collins and Mary Day; by brother Neil Nugent; sister Grace Nugent; and by 16 grandchildren.
A celebration of his life will be from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010, at the Ruth Street Theater. The family asks no flowers please.
Information provided by survivors.
Many are unaware of how many lives were touched by Jim Nugent. His 33 year presence in the recovery community helped jump start people's lives. He played an important role assisting others start treatment facilities and specialized programs in the Southern California area. Jim Nugent's contributions to the recovery circle will be dearly missed; his memory will live on through the program of recovery.
Rock n Roll and alcohol have a long history! Bands are notorious for excessive drinking and drugging, almost like consumption is part of their job description. Sadly, over the years since the birth of rock n roll alcohol has directly and indirectly taken the life of some of the most talented musicians. Rock legends such as: John Bonham of the band Led Zeppelin died as a result of asphyxiation, Jimi Hendrix died of respiratory arrest caused by alcohol and Barbiturates, and Keith Moon of the Who had an accidental overdose on anti-seizure medication prescribed for alcoholism. The list of drug related overdoses associated with rock n roll is pretty long; many addicts never experience the adverse effects of alcohol because drug overdoses claim their life first.
Unfortunately, when the music stops the addiction will linger around. Rock n Roll Stars in their 60's are still battling alcoholism and drug addiction. It has been reported by the Telegraph that, "Keith Richards, the Rolling Stones guitarist and wild man of rock-and-roll, has given up alcohol, it has been reported". Alcohol is finally catching up to Keith, who received orders from his physician to stop drinking and Richards has not touched alcohol in four months. Richards has witnessed the effect that alcohol has had on friend and former band mate Ronnie Wood's life. Richards claims that he has out lived many of the doctors who have advised him to stop drinking over the years. However, Keith Richards' behavior had an adverse effect on his life four years ago after falling out of a tree in Fiji while drunk, suffering a brain hemorrhage.
There are not any reports that Richards entered treatment or is working any kind of 12 step program. Hopefully, he will find that life is worth so much more while sober and that recovery is one gift after another. Without any doubt, Richards, has lost many close friends to the disease of alcoholism and doesn't want the same for himself. "He has watched Ronnie fall well and truly off the wagon last year and he doesn't like what he sees. Plus he has started to feel for the first time like it might do him some good to give up the booze for a while".
How much is your life worth or the life of someone dear to you? The United States spends nearly $500 billion annually to help in the fight against addiction and sadly the money is poorly managed which leaves very little room for success. Alcohol and drug addiction is perhaps the hardest disease to treat and is certainly the disease that is the least understood. 105,000 Americans each year die as a result of complications directly related to drugs and alcohol, that number is higher than traffic accident related deaths in over 15 states. The cost of even attempting to start a new life, one free of addiction, is staggering; because of that it is very difficult for most addicts to get the treatment that they need. Sadly, treatments controlled by the state are not managed properly and their success rate is minimal; for those who can afford to go to private pay drug treatment facilities success rates are much higher. Substance Abuse Emergency Detox Cost over $1,300, and clearly most bottom of the barrel drunks do not have that kind of money lying around. With an annual bill of 500 billion dollars, one would think that the state organized treatment options would have better numbers - where is the money going?
The Times Union of Albany New York reported that, "of each dollar spent, 96 cents goes to the criminal justice system and health care costs, 'shoveling up the wreckage' in the phrase of a recent study by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. Less than 4 cents of every dollar goes to prevention, treatment and research, 'a reckless misapplication of public funds,' the study concluded". Unfortunately, the majority of state funds go towards a group of repeat offenders who have been to: detox, treatment, jail, and hospitals several times over. "In Albany County, about $12 million, mostly state funds, is spent each year where about 100 individuals chronically addicted to alcohol and drugs consume the bulk of services and funding. They typically also are homeless, mentally ill and suffer from a myriad of physical ailments", according to the Times Union. About have of that number, 43, people can be seen in emergency room detox units with blood alcohol content levels around .30% as much as two dozen times a month. If you do the math, at $1,300 a day per person, the bill could reach $26,000 a month.
I cannot help but think that 4 cents on the dollar is not enough funding to make any head way in the prevention, treatment, and research of addiction. Perhaps if the state funding was allocating properly, the chances for individual success and less repeat offenders could be possible. The disease of addiction has been around since the dawn of civilization and is not going anywhere; if we use more money for research and less for imprisonment perhaps more lives could be saved every year from this terrible affliction. The tools are available for people to make a successful recovery, but, unfortunately people are not using those tools to their fullest potential or are not being properly taught how to harness the power of them. Until the United States figures out how to allocate spending appropriately, the longer unnecessary deaths will continue.
The Emmy nominated Intervention has been changing peoples' lives, chronicling individuals in the grips of addiction. Every episode ends with the friends and family of the suffering addict taking part in an intervention to help convince them that they need treatment. The intervention part of recovery is perhaps the most important aspect, one that can be delicate and should be done a certain way with a professional mediator - the interventionist.
Intervention lets people know what options they have regarding treatment when they feel like they have nowhere to turn. Not only has this A & E program helped the people seen on the show but also the viewers who may be less informed about the recovery process. Success with recovery is never guaranteed; however, once the seed of recovery has been planted then the addict's chances exponentially increase. The friends and families of addicts are given tools necessary to confront the suffering individual and help them walk through the doors of treatment.
I encourage everyone to watch Intervention Monday evening, July 13 to see Bret's story. “Now 43, Bret once had a promising career in real estate. But the stress to make more money to provide for his family took its toll, and Bret became an alcoholic. Two years ago, Bret's family held an intervention and sent him to rehab programs, but he relapsed. His wife finally divorced him, he lost his job, and he continues to be totally focused on drinking. Having already tried an intervention, Bret's family must understand what they did wrong the last time in order to save his life this time around.”
If you are struggling with addiction, I hope that you will be able to watch this show with the expectation that you might take something from it that may guide you towards recovery. Recovery starts with the individual, but if success is to be achieved, both friends and family need to work and be a part of the recovery process, whether it is in the intervention itself or the family program at a drug treatment facility. To assist our patients and their families, Hope by the Sea has a family group program every Saturday from 9:30am to 11:30am and can also schedule for an individual session with our clinical director.
I will look forward to watching this episode. Let me know if you will be tuning in.
Celebrity addiction always seems to get more attention than family substance abuse. I often read news articles about celebrities getting in trouble with drugs and alcohol. The whole world is shocked to find out that one of their favorite stars, to everyone's surprise, has a drug problem. Everyone asks how can this be? Why would somebody who has everything need to get caught up in the drug world? The answer is that there is more to drug addiction than how much money somebody has or how famous they are. Addiction rears its ugly head in every family and in every society because addiction is a disease that can be passed down to a person through their blood line. No amount of stature, wealth, or prestige has the power to make an individual immune to the disease of addiction.
Anywhere you look, whether it's downstairs sitting in front of the T.V. or in the bedroom your older brother sleeps in, the possibility for addiction exists. I believe that it is fair to say that there is not one person on this planet who does not know of an addict in their own life. A friend, relative, or even your doctor could, as we speak, be abusing drugs and alcohol. Even if you are not currently aware of it, I am sure this is taking place right under your nose. You see the drug addict and alcoholic have developed over a number of years of practice skills necessary to fool even their closest loved ones into believing that nothing is going on; or if it is going on that the problem is under their control.
However, over time signs start to appear that make you feel like something is not right with your friend or family member. At first, many people brush off signs like disorganization, lack of responsibility, and frequent mood swings. Maybe they are having a bad day, week, month, or year and there is no reason to be alarmed. When it comes to family and friends we sometimes will ignore these traits because on a subconscious level we don't want to believe the truth in order to protect ourselves and that it is easier to continue on living our "happy little lives". This is completely understandable behavior because of the idea that the less we think we know hurts less than the pain of finding out the truth.
But, at a certain point in every one's addiction, one starts to approach their "bottom"; a bottom so filled with pain and despair that few are ever able to pull themselves out of without the proper kind of help. This is when the friends and family, of the suspected addict, come together to discuss what should be done. Treatment is usually the first idea and the most effective idea when trying to get help for those that you care about. Passing off the signs as opposed to addressing them immediately is the worst thing you can do for the one you care about. When you notice a pattern of behavior that appears to be unhealthy, probably means that it is unhealthy. The quicker you move towards addressing these problems, the quicker the sick individual can get help, ignoring the writing on the wall will only allow an addict more time to makes things worse.
Intervention is one way to address the problem, Hope by the Sea is proud to be a featured treatment center on A & E's highly rated, Emmy Nominated series, INTERVENTION. Check back next week when I will post the airtime for the next INTERVENTION episode that features Hope by the Sea.
Social networking and addiction recovery are working together to help recovering alcoholics and drug addicts stay connected. The key to a strong and successful recovery has always been contingent upon staying plugged into the recovery community. Now, with Web 2.0 and our ability to network with people all around the world, it does not matter where you are; a person in recovery is capable of staying connected as long as they can find a computer.
Working the steps, going to meetings, and surrounding oneself with a sober community are three suggestions for success. Unfortunately, people can't always be close to their immediate support network; whether it is work related or family related, traveling is an inevitable part of life. Cell phones do not work everywhere you go, but, in the 21st century there is Internet everywhere. Just about all local businesses cater to the public by providing WiFi for their patrons. This allows anyone in the recovery community to maintain communication with their local network from thousands of miles away.
The Internet may be one of your strongest allies in the fight to stay sober and taking advantage of it could be what stands between you and your next drink or drug. Here is a list of some social networking websites that may interest you and your support network. They are available for you to sign up for:
At these websites anonymity is just as important as it is in the program of recovery. They offer different types of memberships, so you can choose what suits you. They host online group meetings where you can talk about what's going on with you. The ability to share (if you choose) your blogs, messages, and videos is available as well. Find what will work for you and give it a chance, who knows what you might find?
Like the other sites listed above, our Hope by the Sea blog is made available as a tool for our alumni and the recovering community in general to stay connected and informed. Let us hear your thoughts about social networking and recovery.
Literally, "Red Bull Gives You Wings"! Officials at the Center for Food Safety said a laboratory analysis found tiny amounts of the illegal drug Cocaine in samples of "Red Bull Cola", "Red Bull Sugar-free" and "Red Bull Energy Drink", a spokesman said. The traces were between 0.1 and 0.3 micrograms of the illegal drug per liter.
Energy drinks have always raised a lot of controversy in the Drug and Alcohol recovery field. People attempting to better their lives and recover from years of addiction have been cautioned by doctors about drinking energy drinks for some time now. Red Bull, whose advertising slogan is "Red Bull gives you wings", was founded by an Austrian toothpaste salesman Dietrich Mateschitz in the 1980s. Energy drinks affect many of the same receptors in the brain as cocaine and methamphetamine. It makes sense for people in recovery to stay as far away from things like energy drinks that have the ability to trick your brain into thinking it is getting high.
Hong Kong Officials found traces of cocaine in cans of Red Bull, a few days after Taiwanese authorities confiscated close to 18,000 cases of the popular energy drink. The drink has now been taken off the shelves of major supermarkets, the spokesman said in a statement issued late Monday. He added the amount of cocaine found in the drinks posed little health danger. This may not matter to people who have never struggled with addiction, but to those who have, this should raise a lot of concerns and should be all you need to know; just because Red Bull does not contain enough cocaine to get you high, doesn't mean that it will not stimulate your brain in negative ways. The question then, is drinking Red Bull or energy drinks of any kind worth it?
