Addiction Tomorrow

Catching up...and succession planning

2011-06-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, it's been entirely too long.

I've spent the time in the last few months that I haven't been blogging doing lots of interesting things. I've attended a bunch of conferences (NAATP, West Coast Symposium on Addictive Disorders, and the Moment of Change Conference, to name three), visited a number of treatment centers, and met a lot of new professionals in the field. I've gotten to see a new addiction news and culture website launch (www.thefix.com) and another of my favorites (www.allaboutaddiction.com, run by Dr. Adi Jaffe) gain some steam as a solid research-based blog.

Mostly, I've spent my time thinking about the future of the field of addictive services. At all of these conferences, the number of clinicians and administrators in the addiction field under 35 is frighteningly low. Personally, I'm concerned about this, and at the West Coast Symposium (mentioned above) there was a concerted effort to bring together the wisdom of the current leaders to the newer members of the field. A mentoring lunch was held, with tables featuring such leaders as Rob Waggener, CEO of Foundations Recovery Network and Dr. Andrea Barthwell, former Deputy Director for Demand Reduction at the Office of National Drug Control Policy and currently the owner and director of Two Dreams Outer Banks, as well as other researchers and clinicians.

In my experience, this has been the first true effort by the addiction treatment community to spread their thought leadership to the next generation of treatment providers. A good idea all around, as the field needs that wisdom to continue moving the work forward. As a young leader in the field, I almost feel partially responsible for helping this message get to my generation of addiction professionals. Thanks to C4 Recovery Services for taking the bull by the horns and helping to get the process started. If anyone has any ideas on how to continue our work, suggestions are welcome.

For something funny, check this out:

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis: Will Ferrell from Will Ferrell

Follow me on Twitter, and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of my blog or my company on Facebook. And see you later this week.

The Social Network

2010-10-10T21:44:00.001-07:00

After finally seeing "The Social Network" today (and yes, I know this makes me a "late adopter"), it really got me thinking. How different has our culture become since the launch of Facebook in 2004? For those of you who've read my blog in the past, you'll know that I'm relatively plugged in to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

The interesting thing is the level of connectivity. Back in 2007, Alice Mathias wrote an opinion article lamenting the "Facebook generation" and the general lack of connectivity and how things are changing as a result of the constant online exposure. "Facebook purports to be a place for human connectivity, but it’s made us more wary of real human confrontation," Mathias says in the article. And now with the Blackberry, iPhone, etc., people are in more constant contact and connected all the time. Is this really a good thing? On one level, those who work in high-pressure jobs that require realtime responses and crisis-level action (i.e. pagers for doctors) it seems like a smart concept. But for those who simply like to have access to their network at all times, this can actually be a problem. In the New York Times this summer, an article appeared talking about teens that had serious academic consequences as a result of their compulsive behavior around Facebook. From the article, "As many as 1 in 8 Americans suffer from problematic Internet use, according to researchers at Stanford University in California." Those are crazy high numbers, although if we look at general addiction stats, those seem to fall in line.

So what to do? I know I personally check Facebook a couple of times a day, not to mention Twitter and LinkedIn and the constant vibration of texts and emails. My coworkers and I joke about "phantom vibrations," or when you think you feel the vibration of your phone and your phone isn't even in your pocket. We call this a joke, but it's not really that funny. How connected is TOO connected? That's for you to decide. If your workplace has started the migration to social media, you may already be responsible for being responsive 24/7. Another exercise in boundaries, I suppose. It will be very intriguing in the next few years to see what kind of consequences arise from compulsive access. How do you match up?

And now, here's something funny.

Be sure to check out my company, Ferguson Behavioral Health Consulting.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:S Barrington Ave,Los Angeles,United States

New Updates and Upcoming Posts

2010-07-29T23:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks for sticking around, for those of you who still follow the blog, love the old content, and like the things we've written. In 2010, a lot has happened in the addiction and recovery field that we need to comment on, and due to some new twists and turns, the posting has (to say the least) fallen off a little bit. We'll be back with a vengeance, and with some new features. So here we go.

In February of this year, I launched a new company, Ferguson Behavioral Health Consulting. After working in the field for the last few years, I decided it was about time for me to take a little risk and go out on my own. Needless to say, it's been a lot of work. So, with the support of a few key people (namely Jaywalker Lodge, PCH Treatment Center, and Safe Harbor Treatment Center for Women), I was able to incorporate my love for seeing people get to the appropriate treatment provider as well as branding and outreach relations. You can also follow my new company on Twitter and be a fan on Facebook.

So this year, along with commentary on what's happening in the news of addiction (look for a post regarding our friend Lindsay Lohan over the weekend), I'll also be writing about events I attend, interesting speakers, and revolutions in the industry. As part of the broader scope of addiction recovery, I hope that together we can continue changing lives and helping people get better. Let me know if you have any suggestions about anything you'd like to see or see more written about.

Here's a video from one of my consulting clients, Jaywalker Lodge:

Here's something funny:

Pacey-Con with Joshua Jackson from Joshua Jackson

What I've been reading: Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis

What I've been watching: Louis C.K.: Chewed Up

What I've been listening to: State Radio- Us Against The Crown

As per usual, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you next week- I promise.

British consider alcohol price increase

2010-01-14T11:05:00.000-08:00

In this week's edition of The Economist, one of the standout articles was about a parliamentary health committee convening to discuss raising the prices on low-end alcohol. According to the article, many of the low-end alcoholic beverages are sold at incredibly low prices, as well as significantly discounted when purchased in bulk. From the article: "Using research from Sheffield University, the committee argued that a floor of 40p for a 10ml unit of alcohol—enough to push the Sainsbury’s cider up to £3.36—would save 1,100 lives per year. A floor of 50p would save 3,000, it said. Medical associations and the police all want to see drink get more expensive too."

As we've touched on before, the British have a long history of binge drinking, especially among the younger adults. British cases of cirrhosis are on the rise, while all over the rest of Western Europe cases of cirrhosis are on the decline. What's interesting to see is the fact that, per-capita, their consumption is the eighth-highest in Europe; however, according to the World Health Organization, a whopping 12% of the British population are non-drinkers.

Now normally, a bill like this would get a lot of negative feedback from the already-struggling pub industry; however, a raise in the low-end liquor industry wouldn't directly affect them as most drinks served in bars aren't THAT low end. So hopefully we'll see a stabilzation in the low-end market, helping slow alcohol consumption in the lower-end markets. Scotland, on the other hand, is working to introduce a "social responsibility" fee for bars and other liquor sales places, presumably to put those funds toward treatment and education programs. I hope that we see an uptick in this area; alcohol sales tax SHOULD go towards rehabilitation services for those in need- after all, their legal drug causes all sorts of damage to individuals and families. Perhaps a price increase will slow consumption of liquor in the UK; at any rate, it's a start, and one can hope that treatment options are made more readily available to those in need.

In other news, TLC announced today that they would be premiering a new series called "Addicted" this March, featuring interventionist Kristina Wandzilak of Full Circle Intervention and author of the book, "The Lost Years." I'm excited for this show- I know that the journey through addiction will be presented well, and can only increase awareness to the help available out there. I'm happy that this seems not only to focus on intervention, but also on the "life stuff" that follows the exit from a treatment center. Once again, the more awareness of resources available, the better- if this show helps one person seek treatment, then I qualify it as a success.

Here's a video of Ms. Wandzilak from ABC:

Here's something funny.

As per usual, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you this week.

Back for 2010

2010-01-11T09:32:00.000-08:00

After a much-needed two-month writing sabbatical (due to work reasons, writers block, etc.), it's good to be back in 2010. Lots of stories to cover this year. First and foremost, thanks so much to AllTreatment.com for naming my blog one of the best of 2009! (Congrats as well to my friend Adi Jaffe at All About Addiction who also had his blog listed as one of the best). Had a great end to 2009, helping a number of people find their way to treatment and start the journey of getting well, and spent much needed time with family and friends over the holidays. One can only hope the holiday experience was as relaxing for everyone else. As we know, the holidays can be a difficult time for families that have been ravaged by addiction; for those of you who need help, please ask for it! Asking for helping is the only way to get it.

One of my new favorite reads during the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010 is Joe Schrank's Core Company blog, covering lots of different topics around addiction. Schrank isn't afraid to share his opinion, which can seem grating to some but we at Addiction Tomorrow find it fairly refreshing to see someone speak their mind. His 2009 recap column brought up a number of different issues, mostly documenting the numerous "celebrity" drug and alcohol deaths, which seemed to be higher this year than in years past. Although, it may just be that the 24/7 news/gossip channels and blogs have been paying more attention this year. Obviously, Michael Jackson's death in June sparked the greatest awareness (We blogged about it numerous times, starting here.) Jackson's overdose brought to light the abusive natures of overprescribing doctors, enabling family members, and what fame can do when left unchecked. A tragic end for one of the most interesting figures of my lifetime.

For current events, the healthcare debate has been raging all year and preliminary voting looks like things are in for a change. But we will see; as with all things government, time will tell how much reform is actually put in play.

A very interesting article on the Americanization of mental illness was in the New York Times this weekend. Check it out; some interesting perspectives on how mental illness is diagnosed around the world. One of the most interesting segments of the article spoke about a specific form of anorexia that occurred in Hong Kong; Dr. Sing Lee, a psychiatrist in Hong Kong saw a few patients who simply expressed that their stomachs always felt bloated, instead of the usual Western diagnosis of fat phobia. What Lee saw after the death of one of his patients was what made it very interesting- it seemed that his patients who suffered from disordered eating patterns turned their OWN SYMPTOMS into the more widely-accepted Western views. “Culture shapes the way general psychopathology is going to be translated partially or completely into specific psychopathology,” Lee says. “When there is a cultural atmosphere in which professionals, the media, schools, doctors, psychologists all recognize and endorse and talk about and publicize eating disorders, then people can be triggered to consciously or unconsciously pick eating-disorder pathology as a way to express that conflict.” This is definitely worth a read.

Here's one of my favorite videos, from Dr. Kevin McCauley:

Here's a great video on healthcare reform from Robert Reich, professor of Public Policy at UC Berkeley and former Labor Secretary under the Clinton administration:

Here's something funny.

As always, connect with me on LinkedIn and follow me on Twitter. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you later this week (I promise!)

Len Bias and the War on Drugs

2009-11-04T09:21:00.000-08:00

After watching the amazing ESPN documentary series' "30 for 30"'s latest episode, "Without Bias," I was struck by the impact Len Bias' death had on awareness of the dangers of cocaine, and on the drug laws. For those of you who don't know, Bias was a standout basketball player for the University of Maryland (check out highlight footage here). Bias was often compared to Michael Jordan, who we all know is the best basketball player that we've seen- his potential was through the roof. In fact,Celtics scout Ed Badger told the press at the time, "Len Bias is the closest thing to Michael Jordan to come out in a long time." Bias was drafted number two overall by the Boston Celtics at the 1986 NBA draft, and the following day went and signed a 1.6 million dollar deal with Reebok shoe company for an endorsement. That evening, Bias returned to the Maryland campus to spend time with his former teammates- and started to use cocaine. Around 6 AM that following morning, Bias started to have trouble breathing and went into seizure. After paramedics were called, Bias eventually succumbed to a cocaine overdose.

A month later, a Maryland grand jury returned indictments against Bias's friend Brian Tribble for possession of cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and Bias's Maryland teammates Terry Long (possession of cocaine and obstruction of justice) and David Gregg (possession of cocaine and obstruction of justice). All were found not guilty, although Tribble was later convicted of an unrelated cocaine trafficking charge.

The aftermath of Bias' death stretched out into the legal system. The Narcotics Penalties and Enforcement Act was supported by both parties and enforced stronger prison sentences for smaller amounts of drugs. From a Washington Post article: "From 1954 to 1976, it fluctuated between 20,000 and 24,000. By 1986 it had grown to 36,000. Today it exceeds 190,000 prisoners, up 527 percent in 20 years. More than half this population is made up of drug offenders, most of whom are serving sentences created in the weeks after Len Bias died. "

So is Bias to blame for our current terrible prison and "War on Drugs" situation? The laws that were passed in the wake of his death have bled into a terrible problem in their own right. PBS Frontline did a great timeline on the War on Drugs, talking in specifics about the consequences of Bias' death. We can only hope that the mandatory minimum sentences that were established can be replaced by addiction rehab options for people who are struggling with addiction. Bias also brought a new level of awareness to the dangers of cocaine- in a way, he may have saved some lives with his example. That, we can hope, will be his legacy.

Here's a preview of the 30 for 30 episode. Check your local listings for the full show.

Click here for something funny.

Sorry for the prolonged absence! But it's good to be back. Come and connect with me on LinkedIn and follow me on Twitter. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And we'll see you shortly.

A cocaine vaccine?

2009-10-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

A Time Magazine article this past week spoke about the success of early trials of a cocaine vaccine. The results, although only mildly successful, seemed to point towards the idea that a vaccination against addiction could be something viable in the fight to get people well. ABC news posted a video talking with Dr. Marvin Seppela, medical director of Hazelden, about the potential effects of something like this happening. The vaccination is built to damper the "high" users obtain from using cocaine, and therefore, scale back the level of craving.

Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (or NIDA), has mentioned that vaccinations against addiction are one of the institutes "...top priorities." NIDA is also working on a similar vaccination towards nicotine addiction. However, an interesting fact in the article: "About 25% of the study participants did not produce cocaine antibodies when vaccinated. In about half of these cases, researchers think smoking crack was the problem." This seems interesting, since it looks as though the vaccination would only alter the affects of powder cocaine users. As is widely known, crack cocaine causes far more severe effects among addicts, so it will be interesting to see if they find a way to combat the effects of crack addiction.

One of the more interesting points, made near the end of the article, was that the vaccine would need a number of consistent "booster" shots to keep up the effects of the vaccination. Dr. Volkow says that more than likely, the best use for the vaccine would be as a mode of relapse prevention, as opposed to a new method of abstinence. Since most addicts do require a form of aftercare, such as a 12-step group, this can be used as an additional tool to help support recovery and sobriety. In the spirit of the blog, being named Addiction Tomorrow after all, we're looking forward to seeing additional research and options for addicts to get well. This is encouraging, and hopefully we can get another tool in the toolbox to fight this battle.

Here's a great video about the myths of addiction.

Here's something funny.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you this week.

The Bridge To Recovery

2009-09-29T11:17:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are avid readers, I apologize for the lack of posting for the last couple of weeks. I've been on the road for work and haven't had access to wireless internet. Here's the first of a few updates.

I spent a long weekend in Bowling Green, KY doing a referent weekend at The Bridge to Recovery, a residential treatment center with a focus on codependency. With tracks starting a 14 days and going up through 90, The Bridge can do treatment like I've never seen, focusing almost solely on family members of addicts as well as addicts themselves. Carol Cannon, one of the founders and a pioneer in the field of codependence (and published a couple of books, most notably "Hooked on Unhappiness") provided one of the best definitions of codependence I've ever heard:

“Codependence is the pain in adulthood that comes from being wounded in childhood, which leads to a high probability of relationship problems and addictive disorders in later life.”

With a huge focus on trauma and codependency, I was really impressed with The Bridge. This was also an amazing weekend to be there, as it was both the 35th anniversary of The Bridge AND the retirement celebration for the founders, Paul and Carol Cannon. I got the opportunity to meet and speak with alumni from all the back in the late 80s, and really got a feel for the work that they were doing. In addition, Dr. Stephen Grinstead of Addiction Free Pain Management , who also works with Terry Gorski doing Relapse Prevention training, told his story and lead a workshop on "Identifying and Managing the Inner Saboteur." He took the clients through his workshop, as well as the visitors (like myself), staff, and alumni. A really powerful experience to do some difficult group work and look at how denial manifests in our daily lives. Also got the opportunity to hear stories from Josie Ramirez-Herndon and Dr. Jeff Seat over the weekend, a truly great experience.

Overall, a fantastic visit. I wouldn't hesitate to send a family member to treatment at the Bridge, and I'm looking forward to doing some work with them in the future. Such a diamond in the rough; it's weird to think that they've been around for 35 years and yet are not really known about on the West Coast. Hopefully we can spread the word; long term treatment for family members of addicts can only provide a healthier, more supportive network for people trying to maintain their recovery.

Here's a video about The Bridge to Recovery:

In the next blog: my trip to Nashville.

Here's something funny, Will Ferrell's video about health insurance.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you tomorrow.

How are Mexico's drug laws affecting us?

2009-09-14T14:35:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in a recent post, drug violence in Mexico has been escalating to a disturbing degree, from affecting tourism numbers to actually seeing hitmen invade a Mexican treatment center and brutally kill people trying to get well. This does not bode well for the Mexican-American border, nor for the Mexican citizens as well. An article in the New York Times today talked about the new laws decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana and harder drugs in Mexico. Good questions brought up here- will US citizens go across the border for easier access to drugs? How will the Obama administration react? And how will this policy affect the Mexican citizens?

A variety of experts chimed in on this. One, Tony Payan (a political science professor at University of Texas-El Paso) mentioned that the new law was designed simply to combat the rampant police corruption- i.e. police demanding bribes to let people off for small possession charges- and NOT to curb violence. However, I really liked his viewpoint on this, quoted here: "it is a solid first step to pave the way for 1) distinguishing between drug use and drug abuse 2) paving the way for fully medicalizing abuse, that is, reinforcing the idea that we should treat drug addicts much as alcoholics and offer them help instead of prison time, and 3) focusing state resources on the production, trafficking and distribution networks." This is what we, vocal opponents of the US drug war, have been saying for years- that we should be going after the big drug kingpins and allow users better, and more comprehensive, access to drug treatment as opposed to putting them in jail.

I was, however, disappointed to see the response from Calvina Fay, executive director of the Drug Free America Foundation. She states: "Drug users are not innocent. They support the vicious drug cartels. Without their demand for drugs, the supply side has no purpose." However, this has been the response of government entities for the last 30 years, and we've made almost no progress. This is like comparing abstinence only education vs. comprehensive sex education. There will ALWAYS be demand for drugs- addiction will not go away if we someone slam the channels of drugs shut. People will find something new to be mind-altering- maybe even the internet- to fill the void. So we should be focusing more on the education of "what-happens-if" instead of "just say no."

Here's a breakdown of the new decriminalization laws:

Here's something funny.

Be sure to check out Writers in Treatment, a great new nonprofit organization in Los Angeles looking to help struggling artists get well. They'll be hosting an event here in LA co-sponsored by Hazelden; as more details emerge I'll post them. A great cause, and we're glad to see someone supporting them.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you this week.

Internet Addiction and Treatment

2009-09-09T11:07:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of talk in the news lately about internet addiction and treatment. The Chicago Tribune posted an article this morning about reSTART, an internet addiction treatment center in Seattle. The website talks about different signs and symptoms associated with internet addiction, such as neglecting friends and family, obsessing over the computer and internet, and failed attempts to control behavior. Although internet addiction isn't classified in the DSM as of yet, there are well-chronicled tales of people with addiction to games such as World of Warcraft. In Chicago, Linda Lewaniak, director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital in Hoffman Estates, said that while research on the subject is scant, "we've had steady growth in this area. We're now seeing enough people to have its own group."

So what's the deal? Are people TRULY addicted to the internet? I think when we start to see consequences such as lack of social activity, lowered productivity in the workplace, and feelings of craving for the internet, we may actually have a real problem on our hands. I'm glad to see someone addressing this; Dr. Hilary Cash, the executive director at reSTART, has been doing research in this field for years, and sees a huge developing problem among our youth. She has helped lead the research and bringing about a 12-step program for internet gaming addicts. This will be an interesting field moving forward; I'm interested to see where this leads, as we're just at the beginning stages of research- and at the problem.

From the Tribune article:
At Rush University Medical Center, which also treats patients at its Center for Compulsive Behavior and Addiction, Dr. Louis Kraus said it's important to recognize that these activities are often intertwined with other underlying issues, such as depression and social anxiety.

"It's great that people are looking at this and the impact it's having," the child psychiatrist said, "but we still don't have clear scientific basis for what kind of treatment approach will offer the best outcome."

In other news, Pfizer, the world's largest research-based pharmaceutical company, was recently slapped with a $2.3 billion fine for falsely advertising and marketing drugs for purposes they weren't intended for. They were slapped with the fine following a guilty plea towards one felony count to settle federal criminal and civil charges that it illegally promoted its Bextra painkiller and other drugs. What hasn't been brought to light is that this is Pfizer's FOURTH settlement over false advertising. We need to reign in these companies before they start to do more harm than good. Hopefully the health care reform will lay out some rules and regulations that will impose stiffer penalties on companies that promote products illegally.

Here's a video by Dr. Hilary Cash talking about internet addiction:

Here's a GREAT video from Robert Reich talking about health care reform. Please be sure to take the 2 minutes to watch this one:

Here's something funny.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you this week.

Hitmen Murder Rehab Patients

2009-09-03T14:04:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday night, approximately a dozen hitmen swarmed into a drug rehab center in the city of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Execution style, they lined up the patients and killed 17 of them. This treatment center, on the Mexican and U.S. border, seems to be an attempt to send a message to the two governments that the crackdown on Mexican drug trafficking isn't going to work. Mexican president Felipe Calderon announced in 2006 that he'd be going directly after the cartels- who haven't exactly responded well.

In a little-covered aspect of the story, the drug cartels have been specifically targeting drug treatment centers. The cartels seem to be hunting down their rivals, or looking for new recruits to join in the fray. Over a thousand people in Ciudad Juarez have died this year as a result of drug-related violence. Even with thousands of police and federal agents swarming the city, these cartels are obviously still able to function relatively successfully, albeit with a large amount of bloodshed.

Bottom line here: War on Drugs: FAILING. Need a new solution. We may not be able to fix Mexico's problem, but by putting more treatment resources in the hands of our citizens. Without creating a police state in Mexico, we can't really help them. So how do we help ourselves? By putting plans in place to help people struggling with drugs, and getting rid of laws that force non-violent drug offenders into jail instead of treatment, we can provide an on-the-ground solution here at home. I've posted this before, but Walter Kronkite posted a great article about the failure of the war on drugs here in the US. If we want to export help to other countries, it needs to be a message of help, not a punitive message. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..." Let's not forget that we're here to be a safe haven.

Drugs are a threat that make all borders meld together, a scourge that we can't take care of on our own. Latin America, and ESPECIALLY Mexico, absolutely need to develop some workable communication between themselves, the United States and the European Union. We need a workable solution to the war on drugs. As the lives of 17 drug addicts trying to get well can attest, the current strategy isn't working.

Here's a video of the story:

Here's something funny.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you this week.

RIP DJ AM

2009-08-31T09:10:00.000-07:00

Seems like addiction is in the news quite a bit lately. With the loss of DJ AM, who's real name is Adam Goldstein, we unfortunately see another death in the face of addiction. Found in his New York apartment "wearing only sweatpants, face down on his bed with a crack pipe and unspecified prescription drugs" nearby, Goldstein obviously was struggling with a relapse. A tragic ending for someone who had been sober for a number of years- a reminder that addiction is a chronic, progressive and fatal disease. The sad part is, less than a year ago, Goldstein survived a horrid plane crash, only to end his life at a too-young age with drug use. The thing to remember here- he was in the grips of a disease. Keep away from judgment- at this point, Goldstein's decision making was so far from the norm that going to far could only be expected. THIS is what addiction does.

Dr. Drew Pinsky brought up an interesting point- that pain medication likely led Goldstein down a path away from his recovery. We know that pain medication can be addictive and dangerous- we just saw Michael Jackson perish from an overdose as well. So Pinksy probably isn't that far off. We'll never truly know what caused DJ AM to go on a final drug run...but we can learn from this. It's sad that it sometimes takes a tragic loss for people to get a wake up call, but maybe some of our friends and families that are struggling with addiction, or asking for help, will see this as a warning for their own behavior.

In October, The Associated Press reported, MTV was to begin his new reality show, “Gone Too Far,” in which he and concerned families staged interventions for drug abusers. As a legacy, I hope they continue with the broadcast. In the end, DJ AM was reaching out to try and help young addicts. Struggling with relapse or not, he still was able to encourage individuals to see help. That, in its own way, is heroic. So Adam, we'll miss you.

Here's DJ AM performing in Las Vegas:

And here's AM talking about his in-progress MTV show about addiction:

MTV Shows

Here's something funny.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you this week.

Problems at the Clean Plate Club

2009-08-24T16:14:00.000-07:00

I don't know about any of you, but I was raised in the Midwest and had "clean your plate" drilled into my head from a young age. Ever since World War II, when Harry S Truman introduced a campaign in schools to "clean your plate" because resources were scarce, that notion of a clean plate has stuck with us. With portions in restaurants rising at alarming rates, and the idea that one can very easily "super size" a meal, we have an impending obesity crisis on our hands- one that is already surfacing. According to the latest statistics from the Center For Disease Control, more than 66 percent of Americans are overweight or obese. These are INCREDIBLY troubling numbers- and the real question is, how do we change this culture?

As I've written before, we're seeing more and more eating disorders surfacing from all sorts of different areas. The other "eating disorder" is the one we, across America, face every day- the fast food nation. With portions becoming out of control and people hurrying to eat and finish meals, we've seen a large increase in obesity across the nation. The Food and Drug Administration is even trying to crack down on portion sizes in restaurants.According to the FDA report, the annual healthcare cost for obesity is right around $93 billion. This is (sorry about the pun) a HUGE problem.

An interesting solution was proposed by various pundits- perhaps a "fat tax" would create some change? According to a study released in July of this year by the Urban Institute and the University of Virginia, unless diet and consumption changes drastically, in 2015 a whopping FORTY PERCENT of Americans will be considered obese. Additionally, the study brings up the option of a "fat tax," or a tax on unhealthy foods like chips and soda, and here are the stats. A 10% excise or sales tax on fattening foods could raise $522 billion over the next 10 years. A 20% tax could raise $937 billion. These are impressive numbers, to say the least. Nearly a trillion dollars because Americans can't stop eating unhealthy food? What's the deal?

Are we dealing with an addiction to fats, salts and sugars? Dr. David Kessler, author of "The End of Overeating" seems to think so. According to research for his book, Dr. Kessler found the dopamine receptors in our brains are stimulated by unhealthy foods, so, much the same as a drug addict starts to crave the rush of an illicit substance, we start to crave unhealthy food. And, according to both his book and the billions of dollars in ad campaigns every year, the market has adapted to our cravings. With fast food on every corner and unhealthy options at every restaurants, we have to diligently fight to eat intelligently and healthfully. A battle on many fronts, to say the least.

So here's a call for drastic change- shop local, organic food, and eat smaller portions. Learn to recognize what "full" means and don't eat past the threshold. Ignore those pesky McDonalds signs- at least most of the time. Without some clear thinking, we truly will have an epidemic on our hands. I'm not advocating for complete and total change- but you CAN change yourself. Start there, and others will follow.

Here's a link to a video from Katie Couric on CBS News talking about the obesity epidemic.

Here's a video from Thomas Frieden, the Commissioner of New York City Department of Health, talking about combating obesity:

We got a great shout-out from the Sober Living Blog about Addiction Tomorrow! Thanks guys!

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you this week.

Michael Jackson, back in the news.

2009-08-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

This afternoon, CNN reported that Michael Jackson died of a propofol overdose. Taken directly from that article, here are the doses administered to Jackson during those final hours:

-- At about 1:30 a.m., Murray gave Jackson 10 mg of Valium.

-- At about 2 a.m., he injected Jackson with 2 mg of the anti-anxiety drug Ativan.

-- At about 3 a.m., Murray then administered 2 mg of the sedative Versed.

-- At about 5 a.m., he administered another 2 mg of Ativan.

-- At about 7:30 a.m., Murray gave Jackson yet another 2 mg of Versed while monitoring him with a device that measured the oxygen saturation of a his blood.

-- At about 10:40 a.m., "after repeated demands/requests from Jackson," Murray administered 25 mg of propofol.

If this isn't gross negligence, I don't know what is. Dr. Conrad Murray, Jackson's personal doctor, administered the doses himself. Now, being a doctor, he should've recognized that all of these are dangerous doses and that a "normal" person wouldn't have been able to survive even 1/5th of these. Regardless- if Jackson, as reported, was receiving prescriptions from multiple doctors, then shame on them as well. However, if Dr. Murray was Jackson's personal physician, he had a RESPONSIBILITY to insure Jackson's health. I hope, at the very least, that his license to practice is pulled, and at the most, he and the other prescribing doctors are charged with gross negligence, if not homicide. If the doctors knew this was going on, they should've done something, like refuse to prescribe or practice with Jackson. A gross abuse of power and money seems to be the what's behind this.

The power, apparently, laid in Jackson's hands, as he requested that Dr. Murray give him the injection. Murray, however, HAS a conscious. He should've been aware of the problem- and yet, he refused to do anything about it. A shame. Enabling behavior by family, staff, and healthcare providers contributed to the loss of yet another life.

In other news, it appears as though Miami Heat forward Michael Beasley has entered drug rehab.Beasley was fined $50,000 by the NBA last September after security officers at the league's rookie symposium detected the scent of marijuana in his hotel room. Too bad it took some consequences to get him in the doors, but we are glad he's getting the help he needs. As I touched on a couple of weeks ago, drug use is becoming more and more of a prevalent story. We can only hope that this awareness leads to more people seeking the help that they need.

Here's a video of Dr. Sanjay Gupta talking about the effects of Propofol:

Here's something funny.

I'll be posting another blog entry tomorrow morning, so be sure to check back in. In the meantime, as per usual, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you tomorrow.

Really, California? Really??

2009-08-19T10:24:00.000-07:00

I opened the paper yesterday to see a disturbing headline: "California might act to jail more drug offenders." Great. We really need more criminals, and less people in recovery. The question here, you bureaucratic imbeciles, is who does this make the world better for? Is prison somehow better at rehabilitating drug addicts than drug addiction treatment? How does this make sense?!? We already have 3.2 percent of our population in prison; do we need more? Two weeks ago, federal regulators ordered California to cut their prison population; so, oh government of ours, what the hell?

"While one side of the government is addressing prison overcrowding, another side seems to be acting directly counter to that goal," said Margaret Dooley-Sammuli, deputy state director of the nonprofit Drug Policy Alliance. Here's a fun fact- the mere $120 million for California government funded drug treatment has been cut in half from 2006. Last month, legislators here in California decided to cut 1.2 BILLION from the prison budgets. Why not full, oh, say, 1/10th of that money into drug treatment and help cut down recidivism rates? Why not focus and develop better treatment programming and staff so that the people you have turned into criminals can have a shot at a better life? I mean seriously, people, COME ON. Open your eyes. Prison is not rehabilitation when one is dealing with drug addiction. Addiction treatment will create change. Develop better programming- and laws- and we won't need nearly as many prisons. But will special interest groups be upset? Who cares?? It will be better for our entire population.

Here's a quick excerpt from a New York Times article from a couple of weeks ago:

"R. Gil Kerlikowske, who in May was sworn in as the Obama administration’s director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, is a supporter of drug courts as an alternative to mandatory drug sentencing. The new drug czar and the man nominated as his deputy, A. Thomas McLellan, are viewed by many addiction experts as representative of a sea change in thinking about treatment: away from the punitive, toward more acceptance of nuances and complications of addiction.

“Ten years ago, if you would have asked me this question about addiction, I would have said it’s obviously a moral failure and I don’t know why people can’t pull themselves up from their bootstraps and handle this and get themselves totally clean,” Mr. Kerlikowske, a former police chief in Seattle, said in an interview. 'But we can be going in a different direction. We can look at this from different viewpoints now.'"

So let's build out our drug courts if we can't change the laws. But if we change the laws, we'll have less need for punishment- divert people with possession charges to treatment and allow them a chance to get better. Legal consequences can be a GREAT motivator for people to get well. Allow them that option. Please. We beg you.

So California? I say, get it together. Make us better. Stop creating problems for yourself.

Here's a video on Prop 5, the drug treatment bill that failed to pass in 2008:

A special thanks goes out to Adi Jaffe with the All About Addiction blog for his guest post on Take Part which got me fired up about this.

My friend Jane Mintz of Real Life Interventions recently started an online school for intervention training- check it out here. Pretty cool option, and helps with accountability. This is a training available for her newly designed intervention model, the Field Model of Intervention. Great user interface as well.

Here's something funny.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. Support my advertisers! And see you this week.

The Wire- a unique viewpoint on the war on drugs

2009-08-11T21:31:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to write about this for a couple of months now, but with all the addiction in the news I just haven't gotten around to it. The Wire, the recently-ended HBO series, is one of the best shows ever to make it on TV (in my humble opinion). If you haven't watched it, you can rent it or buy it on Amazon here. The show is infinitely rewatchable, so definitely a good investment.

David Simon, the creator of the show, worked for the Baltimore Sun (newspaper politics and policies are featured in-depth in the show's final season) for a time before writing a couple of books and eventually Homicide: Life on the Street and The Wire. There's a great article talking about Simon's background in The Atlantic; I'll touch on some of the points there, but the article is definitely worth a read. What's great about the show is the humanizing aspect- that both cops and drug dealers have their flaws-- and their good parts. I haven't ever felt a lot of empathy for drug dealers, at least until I saw The Wire.

Steven Levitt, author of Freakonomics, talks quite a bit about the dichotomy of drug dealing, and why many of the dealers on the street stay poor. Since drug dealing is like a pyramid scheme (those on top make a ton of money, but those on the low outposts can barely make as much as working at a McDonald's), it's difficult to break the poverty cycle in a drug-centered community. The Wire covers all of this throughout their various seasons, portraying all sides of the drug trade.

I love this show for a variety of reasons- a) it shows the ins and outs of battling drugs on the ground level from a police perspective; b) it talks directly about the effects of drug use and dealing on individual families; c) it shows an honest portrayal of people trying to make it out of the ghetto via the drug trade; d) the character Bugs is a great example of an addict trying to get well; and e) takes risks in dealing with the relationship of drugs and the police force. Many different opinions are expressed here, and David Simon's voice is a clear bell against the war.

If you want an inside scoop on the war on drugs, definitely check out The Wire- my favorite show ever. Never got great ratings, so I'll excuse you if you have yet to see it. But make sure you do.

Here's a great clip:

Oh and a quick note on the ongoing healthcare debate (I'll write a separate blog on this on a later date), we here at Addiction Tomorrow are in favor of an optional government sponsored healthcare plan- after all, having an option is better than not having one, and will be beneficial for the greater good. We need to make sure the private sector will be held accountable to standards of practice, but not snuffed out by a government healthcare plan. Ok, I'm off my soapbox for the day.

Here's something funny.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you this week.

Relapse and Addiction in the news

2009-08-10T09:02:00.000-07:00

Lots of addiction and drug use in the news as of late: of course the biggest story was Michael Jackson; his death, and the long history of addiction, will rival Elvis's in history I imagine. And if it doesn't, then we should make sure we as a people and a media are looking at it honestly. That, of course, was a huge splash and brought about a new wave of awareness about prescription pain medication.

A couple of months ago, the "Shamwow guy," Vince Shlomi, was arrested for being in a drunk fight with a hooker. And this past Friday, news about Billy Mays (pictured above) and a history of cocaine use breaks across the wire. Then over the weekend, Josh Hamilton, a darling of the media for his miraculous comeback from drug addiction (see a great article on his comeback from ESPN the Magazine here and I mentioned his comeback in my blog earlier this year), had pictures posted on Deadspin.com, a sports media blog, of an obvious relapse during spring training in January.

A couple of thoughts here: first and foremost, it's hard to be in the public eye. We've seen tortured artists, athletes, and successful people for centuries-- some of the most powerful people in the world have been the most troubled (see Howard Hughes, Elvis, Michael Jackson, etc. etc.). The list goes on and on. And when people who have any sort of issue- a drug problem, depression, anger management issues and the like- get into the public eye, the odds of a slip being exposed to the media are increased tenfold. For someone like Mays, whose persona was one of an over-the-top pitchman for various products on late night television, cocaine seems like a natural fit. For Hamilton, who had completely lost everything and built it back up, a relapse (for someone not as popular) may have been a tiny setback. However, in Hamilton's case, his entire season is being scrutinized for evidence of drinking or drug use, and whether or not his lack of performance this season is tied into that.

As we know, addiction is a chronic and fatal disease, as we've seen with Jackson and Mays. What we also need to remember is that sometimes people slip, like Hamilton did in January. Instead of making snarky remarks and making life more difficult, we as a group need to support Hamilton and his recovery. One can only hope that the Rangers will allow him time to find his way back to a recovery program-- and that Hamilton will make that decision as well.

Here's a video of the Josh Hamilton story, previous to his last relapse:

Hope: The Josh Hamilton Story - More amazing video clips are a click away

Here's a clip of Hamilton talking about his relapse:

Blitzcorner | Josh Hamilton Speaks about Relapse Video

Here's something funny.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you this week.

Addiction in Mexico and the War on Drugs

2009-08-04T08:37:00.000-07:00

In a recent "Wealth of Nations" blog post on the Newsweek website, the issue of addiction in Mexico has been brought to light. With so much focus on the American drug problem- and don't get me wrong, it's a big one- we sometimes lose sight that other countries are battling the same demons. With our miserably-failing "War on Drugs," we've created a mess here and abroad, but at least we have some good private resources available for people seeking help. Walter Cronkite wrote, in 2006, about the failing war on drugs and included this quote: "People who do genuinely have a problem with drugs, meanwhile, are being imprisoned when what they really need is treatment." To that, Mr. Cronkite, I say thank you. Thank you for stating the obvious, and for being a trusted voice to say it.

And I'm off on a tangent. Meanwhile, the article about drug use in Mexico had some interesting insights and facts. An estimated 4.5 million Mexicans now use drugs, up some thirty percent in the last five years, and the number of actual addicts is up 100% since 2002. These are astounding figures. We often view Mexico as the place where drugs come from, a highway from South American drug production to American drug consumption, but how often do we see the direct effect of addiction on that country? Mexico is also in the process of decriminalizing possession, and that could have considerable effects on the addicted population. This could be a true epidemic should they not develop more than the 100 treatment centers they have operating within their borders. More will be revealed, that's for sure.

I encourage everyone to check out the Drug Policy Alliance, a groundswell working to end the war on drugs and create a better plan to battle addiction in this country.

Here's a great video on crystal meth use in Mexico City:

Here's something funny.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. Support my advertisers! And see you later this week.

Visit to ATCPCC

2009-07-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

I spent 3 days last week in Santa Barbara at the Addiction Treatment Centers & Professionals Consortium of California listening to treatment centers from all over the country talk about what they are doing. This conference was pretty interesting; it's always nice to keep a finger on the pulse of what people are doing across the country. A good chunk of providers were there, about 60 from around the country.

I was really impressed with a few people there (and of course I presented and thought I did well, talking about Sober Living By The Sea) and I thought I'd talk about the others doing good work around the country.
Hero House, with homes in Atlanta and San Juan Capistrano, CA, has a specific focus on college students, providing them a safe environment following treatment (like the TEACH program) complete with educational support. Randy Haveson, the founder and executive director, has a great passion for helping students recover and I'm looking forward to doing some work with him.

Jane Eigner Mintz of Real Life Interventions, from the Cleveland area, rolled out her new model of intervention, the Field Model. This is based more on a clinical aspect rather than the Johnson or Systemic model. I'm really looking forward to seeing what this looks like. She also is developing a school for interventionists, which will be helpful in providing families with qualified professionals.

And of course, Jaywalker Lodge was impressive, bringing two of their therapists out from Carbondale, CO. They talked about the men's relapse prevention program, as well as their longer-term outpatient/sober living option. They have a wonderful small town feel and treat the client who is looking to hit the "reset" button and get a fresh start.

There are others out there also doing good work- these three stood out to me. We'll see what pops out in the next year or so.

Here's a video on opioids and the brain from HBO's "Addiction" special:

In other news, if you haven't checked out my favorite sports columnist, Bill Simmons, today is a good day. Here's a link to his ESPN website.

And for something hilarious click here.

As usual, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And be sure to support my advertisers! See you this week.

Make sure to check out my podcast on The Afflicted and Affected starting today at 4 PM Pacific, and read my abridged life story on the Equinox Fitness website.

Quick Post

2009-07-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

Just wanted to let everyone know a couple of PR things:

A very short version of my recovery journey is on the Equinox Fitness website as one of their featured "Life Stories," click here to see it!

And on Monday, July 27th, I'll be appearing on the Afflicted and Affected podcast, talking about my personal experience in recovery as well as my experience working in the field. Check it out here.

I'll be at the Santa Barbara Addiction Treatment Consortium this week, stay tuned for details as I'll be live blogging and Twittering from the event.

Here's a good video from the National Geographic Channel on heroin addicts:

As always, follow me on Twitter, connect with me on LinkedIn and become a fan of the blog on Facebook. See you this week.

Marijuana- a gateway drug?

2009-07-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

An article in the New York Times this week talks about a couple of individual stories of people who are dependent on marijuana. One of the people interviewed, Joyce, had this to say about pot: Smoking pot, she said, “was a slow form of suicide.” The article touches on the stigma of marijuana addicts- mainly that people who were addicted to substances like heroin or crack cocaine looked down on people who had problems with marijuana. However, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that the marijuana of today is up to five times more potent than the marijuana of the 1970s.

“We need to be very mindful of what we are unleashing out of a Pandora’s Box here,” said Dr. Richard N. Rosenthal, chairman of psychiatry at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan and professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University. “The people who become chronic users don’t have the same lives and the same achievements as people who don’t use chronically.” However, you can say this about EVERY drug. I mean, if someone had the ability to drink one glass of wine a week as opposed to someone who drank a bottle of wine a night, the person who drank less would have less adverse consequences, right? And you can repeat that with ANY drug.

More adults are now admitted to treatment centers for primary marijuana and hashish addictions than for primary addictions to heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, according to the latest government data, a 2007 report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. However, those numbers are a little skewed, as 57 percent of those people were admitted due to court requirements- so they may not have been a complete addict.

So the question that defines this- are there consequences from marijuana use? Are lives made unmanageable as a result of smoking pot? The answer, of course, is yes- and with the genetic link for addiction a proven fact, then obviously any psychoactive substance can activate that addiction. So- marijuana, like any other substance, can be addictive when it's used by a person prone to addiction.

About legalization- my view is this: If alcohol and tobacco are legal and cause as many negative health consequences as they do, then we really need to review our policies on marijuana. If controlled and managed well (at least as regulated as alcohol and tobacco), then we'll see a safer, more controlled version of the drug that's out there now. But we'll see what happens.

Here's a great article by Freakonomics author Stephen J. Dubner from the New York Times about the economics of legalization.

Stephen Baldwin vs. Ron Paul on legalization:

And here's the trailer from "Reefer Madness," the overblown movie from 1936 against marijuana:

Here's something funny.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. Support our advertisers! And see you later this week.

When eating disorders strike in mid-life

2009-07-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

Eating disorders, especially anorexia and bulimia, are generally classified as a young woman's disease. Now, according to a recent New York Times article, more and more women in their 30s and 40s are developing eating disorders.

“I think the degree of despair we are seeing among adult women about their bodies is unrivaled,” said Margo Maine, co-author of “The Body Myth: Adult Women and the Pressure to Be Perfect” (Wiley, 2005). “Eating disorders creep up during periods of developmental transitions, so the peak had been 13 to 15 and 17 to 19 — moving into adolescence and moving into college. Now, we are seeing them again during or after pregnancy and as women hit other life phases, such as empty nesting.”

“A problem is that friends, and even doctors, get used to seeing someone in their overly skinny state and may not recognize their habits and physique as dangerously unhealthy,” said Dr. David Herzog, the director of the Harris Center for Education and Advocacy in Eating Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is also the endowed professor in the field of eating disorders at Harvard Medical School.

WebMD even has a specific section of their website geared towards older women and eating disorders. This is an awareness that is growing among addictions- that these kind of things can strike anyone, anywhere, whether it's drug addiction, eating disorders or other compulsive behaviors. Money, success, fame (see Michael Jackson) or any other factor can't completely shield someone from these terrible diseases. The best we can ask for is awareness and the ability to get help.

What Dr. Herzog said above, about doctors not being able to recognize the behavior, is one of the biggest problems in America. Doctors receive little education around recognizing and treating eating disorders and addiction unless they really ask for it or specialize in it. This leaves an entire generation of doctors on their own, trying to help people in a general practice where these things may go unnoticed for long periods of time. Once again- educate, educate, educate and raise awareness! If you think there's a problem- if you're asking yourself if you drink too much, smoke too much pot, or aren't eating enough, ask for help! There is no shame in getting better. I think that's the biggest stigma in our culture- that somehow living with a huge problem and not getting help, attempting to pull oneself up by the bootstraps if you will, is a better option than asking for help with a major problem. This is something each individual can change for themselves. If you need help, you won't get it if you don't ask.

Miss America Kristen Haglund is involved in eating disorder awareness:

And here's a video on older women and eating disorders from CBS:

Watch CBS Videos Online

Here's something funny.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you later this week.

Michael Jackson and his pill problem- more is revealed

2009-07-10T08:19:00.000-07:00

Not shocking- it turns out that Michael Jackson's pill problem was more serious than we all thought. As I talked about in a previous blog post, Jackson had some major problems dealing with a childhood filled with trauma, the fame he was dealt, and all of his familial and personal issues which eventually lead to his too-early demise. Now CNN is reporting that Jackson, in 2004, was taking more than 10 Xanax a night. He also had his security guards picking up prescriptions in their own names for him, as well as prescriptions from doctors as far away as New York.

The amount of Xanax that Jackson alleged took surprised CNN chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta.In addiction cases, people develop a tolerance to drugs and have to take more and more pills, Gupta said. "No matter how you cut it, this is an extremely high dosage of Xanax," Gupta said. "It is a huge red flag, even with the tolerance that I was talking about. This dosage is exceedingly high for any human being."

According to the website AboveTheInfluence.com, who cite a number of reliable resources and studies, said this: Taking prescription drugs without a prescription, not taking them as directed, or mixing them with alcohol are all unsafe and potentially deadly. A 2008 study based on 224,355 U.S. death certificates for which people died from medication errors showed that there was a 3,196 percent increase between 1983 and 2004 in deaths at home from combining prescription drugs with alcohol and/or street drugs.

In 2006, Jackson was trying to jumpstart his career with a series of concerts in Las Vegas. According to Jack Wishna, a promoter who was helping Jackson secure the series of concerts in Vegas, Jackson had to pull out of the concerts due to his weakened condition. According to Wishna, Jackson appeared emaciated and incoherent, and often had to use a wheelchair to get around.

According to other sources, around this time Janet Jackson was planning an intervention for Michael. According to the report, Janet recruited her brothers to help stage the intervention, however Michael told his bodyguards to prevent his family from entering his property and refused to accept phone calls from his mother Katherine, CNN reports.

This becomes a difficult situation- what happens when someone has procured so much power that they seem to be untouchable? Why didn't the security guards step in? They must have known there was a problem- the guards couldn't have thought his pill consumption was normal, especially since they were filling prescriptions in their own names for him. Were they blinded by loyalty to Jackson? Or money? It's hard to believe that no one ever stepped in- people had to know something was wrong. Perhaps with a family intervention and treatment, Jackson would've had a chance to get better. The world will never know.

Here's Sanjay Gupta from CNN talking about Jackson's death:

And here's Dr. Gupta talking about Michael Jackson's final rehearsal:

Here's a breakdown of recent statistics on pill abuse:

Here's something funny.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. Support my advertisers. And have a great weekend!

Exercise and Substance Abuse Prevention

2009-07-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

Don't know how I missed this in my previous post about exercise and recovery, but there have been some articles published about the effectiveness of exercise and sports as actual deterrents to substance abuse. About a year ago, the Associated Press posted an article about exercise as a prevention tool. The National Institute on Drug Abuse received a $4 million grant to explore this further. "Exercise has been shown to be beneficial in so many areas of physical and mental health," said Dr. Nora Volkow, NIDA Director. "This cross-disciplinary meeting is designed to get scientists thinking creatively about its potential role in substance abuse prevention."

There has been other research: Brown University took smokers to the gym three times a week and found adding the exercise to a smoking-cessation program doubled women's chances of successfully kicking the habit. The quitters who worked out got an extra benefit: They gained half as much weight as women who managed to quit without exercising, says lead researcher Dr. Bess Marcus.

''Exercise improves blood flow to the brain, it helps the body detoxify, it puts you on a better cycle of physical behavior, and it leads to decreased stress. It also improves thinking and mental function and decreases your tendency toward addiction,'' said Dr. Marc Siegel, an internist at New York University Medical Center and an associate professor of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine in New York City.

For example, ''there's evidence that exercise is maybe the best non-pharmacological antidepressant we have - studies have shown that it works better than some drugs. It's also a great anti-anxiety intervention,'' said James Maddux, a professor of psychology at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and an expert on the mind-body health connection.

I know when I was in treatment, I used exercise as a type of coping tool- gaining a "runner's high" and creating a challenge to complete. I still work out today as a way of keeping my cravings (especially around nicotine!) at bay. Not to mention the fact that working out creates chemical changes in our mind and body to make us feel better and happier. I know my mood has improved since I started working out more often. For now, let's list exercise as a tool in a toolkit for fighting addiction- it's not the end-all/be-all, but it's another way to encourage this next generation to avoid the pitfalls of addiction.

If you're looking for a great blog about exercise, staying in shape and diet advice, check out Move Ur Body- great content and advice here. Be sure to check out Phoenix Multisport, a group in Boulder, CO who uses exercise as a recovery tool. And Sober Living By The Sea, where I work, provides physical activity to their patients as an ongoing part of treatment.

Here's a great video about Todd Crandell of Racing For Recovery, an individual who used triathlons to help defeat his own addiction:

And Jaywalker Lodge, an extended care program for men who have been through multiple addiction treatments, does expeditions every year. Here's a video of their winter expedition:

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you later.

Drugs and the Tour de France

2009-07-06T09:33:00.000-07:00

I've written about athletes and performance-enhancing drugs before, but I for some reason forgot to touch on cycling. With the Tour de France starting this 4th of July weekend, the question of doping in the peloton has started to run rampant again. The Tour has a long and illustrious history of performance-enhancing drug use (you can see the full history on Wikipedia here) and it's finally starting to get better- we think. More stringent testing for EPO (or Erthropoietin) and steroids have at least created a shield for the Tour to protect them from the scandals of the past. Floyd Landis, the last American to win the Tour in 2006, was tested and reported positive the day after his win- and was stripped of the title. He just made his comeback this past year after a two-year suspension.

The 2007 Tour was especially marked by rampant doping violations. The Tour winner, Alberto Contador, was not allowed to participate in the 2006 Tour de France due to his possible involvement with Operacion Puerto, a doping sting against doctor Eufemiano Fuentes and a number of accomplices, started in May 2006. He is accused of administering prohibited doping products to 200 professional athletes, to enhance their performance.

American cyclist Tyler Hamilton announced his retirement from cycling this past April, after multiple positive doping results. He had been battling depression for years and years, and stated that his doping and taking of supplements were taken in an unstable state of mind. An article in VeloNews, a cycling news organization, touched on depression in cyclists after the death of Marco Pantani.

It's well known that exercise can help combat depression and anxiety; that a healthful lifestyle will contribute to a better state of mind. Newsweek wrote about Phoenix Multisport, a group in Boulder, CO that I've written about before who use outdoor activities as part of a therapeutic lifestyle change.

However, when it comes to high-end, competitive athletics, doping has become a huge problem. We've seen it in major league baseball, as up to 103 athletes were named in the Mitchell Report of 2007. And now, with the Tour in the spotlight, we can look back in 2004 where 8 young cyclists died of doping-related heart attacks. In order to help these athletes, we need to provide a comprehensive education and accountability program. There will always be people who cheat, who seek the best edge, and who want every advantage available to them no matter the consequences; the best we can hope for is a level of accountability that provides stringent guidelines and punishments to those who violate the sanctity of sport.

Here's Greg LeMond, a very famous cyclist, talking about steroids and how they've changed sports:

And here's Lance Armstrong, talking about how to prevent doping:

Here's something funny.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you later this week.

Pain Relievers- Too Dangerous?

2009-07-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

A federal advisory panel finalized a close vote on Tuesday to recommend a ban on Percocet and Vicodin, two of the most popular prescription painkillers in the world, because of their effects on the liver. Since people who take these pain medications for long periods of time often need a stronger dose, the odds of liver damage increase drastically. Acetaminophen, a chief ingredient in these medications (and also in Tylenol and Excedrin), can cause liver damage when taken at high doses for a long period of time.

Vicodin (and its generic equivalent) is prescribed over 100 million times a year in the US alone- so this is a huge business decision. In a statement, Johnson & Johnson, Tylenol’s maker, said it “strongly disagrees” with the proposed restrictions on acetaminophen, adding that they would be likely to “lead to more serious adverse events as consumers shift to other over-the-counter products,” like Advil and aspirin.

However, without abuse or overmedicating, the odds of actual overdose or severe liver damage goes down. “If you keep track of what you’re taking, none of this is an issue for you,” Dr. Jan Engle, a panel member and head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Illinois in Chicago, said in an interview after the meeting.

We need to be on the lookout for the long term affects of misusing pain management drugs. With the new recommendations on banning pain meds such as Vicodin and Percocet, people may be looking for something stronger, or at least something different. SAMHSA has publish some disturbing trends around prescription drug abuse:

* Over the past decade-and-a-half, the number of teen and young adult (ages 12 to 25) new abusers of prescription painkillers such as oxycodone (OxyContin) or hydrocodone (Vicodin) has grown five-fold (from 400,000 in the mid-eighties to 2 million in 2000).
* New misusers of tranquilizers such as diazepam (Valium) or alprazolam (Xanax, called "zanies" by youth)-medicine normally used to treat anxiety or tension-went up nearly 50 percent in one year (700,000 in 1999 to 1 million in 2000).
* More than 17 percent of adults over 60, wittingly or not, abuse prescription drugs.
* In 2000, more than 19 million prescriptions for ADHD drugs were filled, a 72 percent increase since 1995. An estimated 3 to 5 percent of school-age children have ADHD. A study of students in Wisconsin and Minnesota showed 34 percent of ADHD youth age 11 to 18 report being approached to sell or trade their medicines, such as Ritalin.
* Among 12- to 17-year-olds, girls are more likely than boys to use psychotherapeutic drugs nonmedically.

And the Office of National Drug Control Policy has some good facts on prescription abuse and awareness as well. Check that out here.

As we hear more and more about Michael Jackson and his prescription drug abuse, the need for awareness and prevention continues to rise. The medicine cabinet can be just as dangerous as the guy on the street corner. Doctors can be drug dealers too.

Here's video about the rise of prescription drug abuse:

And here's another one:

And here's something funny.

As always, connect with me on LinkedIn and follow me on Twitter. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you this week.

Michael Jackson's Tragic End

2009-06-30T09:22:00.000-07:00

On June 25th, we lost one of the marvels of the entertainment world, a truly talented and tortured artist, Michael Jackson. With his meteoric rise to fame as the centerpiece of the Jackson 5 and then an amazing solo career, in total selling over 750 million records worldwide. However, this fame came at an amazing price.

Having been in the spotlight since the age of 5 or 6, Jackson seemed to struggle with his place in the world. Naming his home the "Neverland Ranch" lead us to believe he wanted to be a child who never grew up (which, of course, led to the infamous sleepovers on the Ranch and the molestation accusations). A documented addiction to painkillers, two failed marriages, and numerous lawsuits for pedophilia dominated Jackson's last 20 years, causing him to become a late-night joke mainstay and most of us to forget his talent.

The question remains- do we remember him for the art he produced? Has there ever been a more polarizing, successful individual? His death caused delays and nearly shut down numerous websites. He had become the centerpiece of a media storm- mostly negative in the last 20 years.

In 1993, Jackson abruptly canceled the remainder of his "Dangerous" tour after admitting on an audiotape that pain from a burn injury while filming a Pepsi commercial in 1984 as well as allegations of sexual abuse have caused him to become addicted to painkillers. As of yesterday, June 29th, various news and entertainment outlets were reporting that Jackson had received a Demerol injection the morning of his death- but we'll only find out for sure after the autopsy is published. Lisa Marie Presley, Jackson's wife for a few short years, posted a blog entry on her Myspace page talking about his drug use. She talks about how she and Jackson had conversations about how he would end up with the same fate as Elvis- and it's looking more and more like he did.

Either way, we've lost the most tortured and talented artist we've seen in a long time. There will never be another like him, good or bad. Here are some of the telling articles from a series of Vanity Fair interviews. It will be interesting to see what unfolds from the autopsy results- but it seems as though we've lost another soul to the disease of addiction. Would it have been possible for Jackson to get help? Had anyone offered treatment? Had he BEEN to treatment? Was there support for him to get well, or just to prop him up and keep him out in the public eye? We may never know, but these are questions we can answer as we move forward to help other artists in the future. He was not a commodity- he was a person. And it's hard to remember that sometimes.

Here's a tribute to Michael Jackson:

In health news, here's a great video by Lance Armstrong's organization, Livestrong:

Here's something funny.

As always, connect with me on LinkedIn and follow me on Twitter. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. See you this week.

Obama Signs Anti-Smoking Bill Into Law

2009-06-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

In keeping up with his progressive health care reform policies, President Obama today signed a bill that puts tobacco under the authority of the Food and Drug Administration. With the new bill, the FDA will be able to monitor, regulate, and mandate lower nicotine levels in cigarettes and other tobacco products.

"Each day, 1,000 young people under the age of 18 become new regular, daily smokers, and almost 90 percent of all smokers began at or before their 18th birthday," Mr. Obama said before signing the legislation. "I know; I was one of these teenagers. And so I know how difficult it can be to break this habit when it's been with you for a long time."

"Kids today don't just start smoking for no reason," the president said Monday. "They're aggressively targeted as customers by the tobacco industry. They're exposed to a constant and insidious barrage of advertising where they live, where they learn, and where they play. Most insidiously, they are offered products with flavorings that mask the taste of tobacco and make it even more tempting."

"Today, thanks to the work of Democrats and Republicans, health care and consumer advocates, the decades-long effort to protect our children from the harmful effects of tobacco has emerged victorious," he added. "Today, change has come to Washington."

The goal here is not to ban tobacco products, but to allow adults to make a choice, much like alcohol. With the progressive legislation being passed, we hopefully can see some change in our junior highs and high schools allowing kids to make it to 18 before choosing to smoke. We've seen stronger legislation passed to enforce the "no selling under 18" methodology, but I know from my own experience and the experience of others that it's still easy to obtain cigarettes under the age of 18. Hopefully we can further educate our kids to be able to make the right choices around tobacco, and, of course, around other drugs.

Like anything else, however, starting smoking is a choice, just like starting to drink or smoke pot is a choice. The best thing we can do isn't legislation- the best we can do is let our kids and smokers and addicts know that help is available when they need it. And that it's not a weakness to ask for help- that asking for help is a strength. We in America have this "pull-ourselves-up-by-the-bootstraps" type of mentality, and that can prove fatal when dealing with addictions. It's imperative, at least around addiction, to instill in our youth that asking for help is ok. Because, as President Obama put it, "If current trends continue, 1 billion people will die from tobacco-related illnesses this century." 1 billion is 1/6th of our total population today, just to put it into perspective.

Educate, educate, EDUCATE!

Here's a video of the bill being signed:

Watch CBS Videos Online

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If you have a couple of extra dollars, feel free to support me in my efforts to end Leukemia and Lymphoma via the Team In Training Program. I'm riding a century (100 miles) on August 15th in Ventura, CA to raise money and awareness. Please donate here if you can. Thanks!

U.S. College Binge Drinking on the Rise

2009-06-16T08:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jim Geckler over at Assistance In Recovery for sending me a great article this morning. According to the Healthday Reporter, binge drinking in U.S. colleges is growing even as we bring more attention to it. As I mentioned here and here in earlier blogs, binge drinking and abusive behavior has been growing in this current generation.

According to the article, drinking-related deaths among students and young adults aged 18 to 24 years have increased from 1,440 a year in 1998 to 1,825 in 2005, according to a report from the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. And the number of students who acknowledged driving drunk rose from 26 to 29 percent.

Ralph Hingson, the chief researched on this project, had this to say: "The younger people are when they first become intoxicated, the greater the likelihood that when they are in college they will meet alcohol-dependence criteria: that they will drive after drinking; that they will ride with drinking drivers; they will be injured under the influence of alcohol; or they will have unplanned and unprotected sex after drinking."

None of these things sound like fun. We've seen stories in the news of parents providing alcohol to minors for years, and allowing them to drive afterwards. I know in my experience, parents thought they were providing a safe environment for drinking, and didn't know the extent of the consequences to follow.

Dr. Marc Galanter, director of the division of alcoholism and drug abuse in the psychiatry department at the New York University School of Medicine, had this to say: "The heavy drinking during college not only results in severe consequences at that time, [but] it also primes college students for later alcohol addiction. Heavier drink at this age is a predictor of later alcoholism and is likely a major causative factor."

I know that for me, my binge drinking in college lead to me having to find a new path, as my college didn't exactly agree with my behavior. Drinking and driving is also a part of my story, and I'm very very lucky that I didn't have major consequences. Looking back with a sober mind, those decisions were awful- yet I wasn't able to access the "prevention education" that I was taught in school. We need to make sure help is available and accessible for those in need. And we really need to push our kids to recognize that it's OK to ask for help when one needs it. Otherwise, our statistics will get worse, and more and more kids will die as a result of these dangerous behaviors.

Here's a video about defining college binge drinking:

Here's another video about one woman's experience with binge drinking:

Here's something a little more lighthearted.

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U.S. Drug Czar calls for end to "war on drugs"

2009-06-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

As I talked about in an earlier post, I'm very excited to have Gil Kerlikowske as our new drug czar. On Wednesday, we finally got some good news in the so-called "War on Drugs." In a Wall Street Journal article, new head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske, said that the "war on drugs" was a, "barrier to dealing with the nation's drug problem."

"Regardless of how you try to explain to people it's a 'war on drugs' or a 'war on a product,' people see a war as a war on them," he said. "We're not at war with people in this country."

FINALLY some progress and someone who sees the nation's drug problem as something that can't be fixed by putting more and more people in prison. The more people we funnel into treatment as opposed to prison, the better the solution is going to get. I also like how the Obama administration is going to change the policies surrounding the major criminal disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine, thus hopefully closing the racial barrier. The administration is also planning on changing the current federal rules that allow federal agents to raid state-run medical marijuana facilities based on federal law. This would allow states that legalize medical marijuana to operate freely as opposed to being under constant threat from the federal government. All of this is progress. As much as we can do to keep people out of prison for unnecessary reasons and put them into treatment when needed, the better we'll be off.

Here's a video about Barack Obama's stance on drug policy:

Here's a video from Ron Paul about ending the war on drugs:

And here's the famous episode of Different Strokes where Nancy Reagan talks about the war on drugs and just saying no:

Here's something funny.

As always, connect with me on LinkedIn and follow me on Twitter. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And please support my advertisers!

Also, if you're feeling generous, please donate a couple of dollars towards the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society- I'm riding 100 miles on August 15th in support of individuals suffering from these terrible diseases. Thanks so much, and see you tomorrow.

Senate Approves Tight Regulations on Cigarettes

2009-06-12T08:37:00.000-07:00

On June 11th (yesterday), the U.S. Senate approved a measure that would allow federal officials to regulate tobacco products. It's now been four decades since the Surgeon General declared cigarettes a health hazard, and we'll finally have oversight into the product. The legislation will allow the FDA to regulate both the content of tobacco products as well as the marketing side of the house.

In order to gear the tobacco companies away from marketing their products to the youth segment, outlawing ads within 1,000 feet of schools and/or playgrounds. Also, the terms "light" and "low tar" will be removed from packaging by 2011, and by 2012 there will be large health warnings on cigarette packs, similar to Canada and Europe.

It's crazy to think that in 40 years we've gone from ads like the one pictured here:

to warnings like this saying things like "Smoking will kill you."

We'll see what happens in the future. I'm surprised we haven't heard more of an uproar from the tobacco companies, although Phillip Morris has been going along with the legislation. No other tobacco companies have made any effort to support this measure, and the Democratic senator from North Carolina, Kay Hagan, was the only Democrat not to support the bill. Coincidentally, North Carolina is the nation's leading producer of tobacco.

Will we see a revolution that involved less people smoking? It remains to be seen. For now, we can only hope for a more healthful country that is conscious of the decisions they make.

Here's a Camel ad from 1949:

And here's an ad from 2008 from TheTruth.com:

Amazing how things change, huh?

Here's something funny.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And have a great weekend.

Addiction Recovery and Physical Activity

2009-06-08T08:54:00.000-07:00

The longer I've been in recovery, the more important I've been finding physical activity. When I was in treatment, we went to the gym a couple of days a week, but there was no real stress on it, plus we weren't exactly in the best shape when in treatment. I also find myself eating lots of sweets and just in general, eating more than when I was actively using. And of course when I left, I continued to eat the way I had in treatment and quickly started to gain weight. After experiencing some sobriety and a lack of physical activity, I joined a gym and rediscovered the joys of physical activity. Playing in a basketball league and working out provided a new foundation for feeling good about myself.

These days, I've become even more passionate, enrolling in the Team In Training program to raise money for leukemia and lymphoma research (you can donate to my cause here) and riding 100 miles in one day in August. I'm also contemplating another century (100 mile ride) in Austin in October to raise money for cancer research via the Livestrong Foundation. We'll see how it goes. Either way, I know by training for these events I've created an avenue for success and a challenge, both of which keep me engaged and healthy- both key elements of my recovery.

Other groups have popped up around the country to encourage physical activity in recovery. Treatment centers like Sober Living By The Sea in Newport Beach, CA (where I work), Jaywalker Lodge in Carbondale, CO, and Gray Wolf Ranch in Port Townsend, WA all include various treks, physical activities and sports in their treatment plans. Phoenix Multisport, a group based in Boulder, CO specializes in groups of recovering individuals engaging in tough physical activities like climbing and biking. And make sure to check out Racing For Recovery, featuring Todd Crandell, a recovering addict who now raises money for addiction treatment by doing triathlons. CNN posted an article on recovery addicts participating in triathlons.

Another good resource if you're interested in recovery and sports is the book by Andrew Dieden, "The Sports Lover's Guide To Recovery." The book is filled with great quotes, stories and experiences. You can get the book here.

For a great story, check out the redemption of Josh Hamilton, a highly regarding baseball prospect who got derailed from drug addiction. He then climbed his way back. Check out the article on ESPN.

So basically, if you're in recovery, make sure to get involved with som sort of physical activity- it will help your healing process! I'm sure we'll see more treatment centers employing the physical aspect of treatment in the years ahead.

I've posted this before, but a great video from Doug MacBain who rode across Canada to raise money for an addiction recovery home:

For "Addict" socks, click here.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And please support my advertisers! See you tomorrow.

The Business of Addiction Treatment- A Manifesto

2009-06-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

I was having a conversation with a friend of mine who doesn't work in the addiction treatment world this week, and she made the observation that it's strange to see people with no business training running successful treatment businesses. And, unlike the rest of the business world, this is definitely the majority of treatment centers as opposed to the other way around. The lack of business knowledge can be very detrimental to the treatment itself- when owners and executive directors are panicking about meeting the bottom line, the staff of clinicians and lower-level operations personnel can feel the panic. This isn't good for anyone, ESPECIALLY the patients, who can pick up on the tiniest weakness in their counselor and work to exploit it to their advantage. After all, addicts are the greatest manipulators. What we don't want is the option for addicts to basically be running their own treatment plan-- and when staff is in panic mode, they often can.

In these lean times, with unemployment rising and the economy not doing so hot (to say the least), more and more treatment centers are comprising their level of care, admitting clinically incorrect patients, and laying off staff in order to make the numbers work. What's sad is that even the most business-minded owners can't avoid this reality. Only a few of the treatment centers are running at capacity. And unlike the hey-day of the late 90s and early 2000s when people would take out home equity or other loans to pay for treatment, the credit has dried up and treatment centers are feeling the squeeze.

What we, as an industry, need to maintain is a sense of urgency. Every day we fight on the front lines of addiction. We help people change their lives, and see miracles happen every day. Some days, when the business doesn't make sense and it feels like we're not going to make it, we need to remember that we're doing some of the toughest work on the planet. We help dying people find a new light and a new LIFE. The more we help each other, as industry professionals, the better we all do, and we make sure everyone survives. So when someone calls in a panic, in need of referrals to keep the doors open, help. Because you never know when you'll be the person in need.

And as a follow up to my military post, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Admiral Michael G. Mullen, said on Tuesday night that troops' mental health needs to be a priority. "I think we need to get to a point where everyone is screened by a competent mental health professional," he said. Check out the article on CNN here.

Here's a great video from Feliz Dennis, a former crack addict who now is one of the world's foremost publishers.

Here's something funny.

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Binge Drinking and the Military

2009-06-02T08:42:00.000-07:00

In exploring the Blog Catalog, I stumbled across the Addiction Index blog which had a great article about binge drinking in the military. This is such a viable topic these days with the wars going on in the Middle East that I thought I'd grab some of the information and pass it along here.

"Binge drinking is so common in America's armed forces that startling numbers of those who serve on military bases report for work drunk, drive drunk and drink illegally while they are underage, according to a study released today by the University of Minnesota and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."- this is from the article in the Minnesota Post. The survey covered soldiers at home and overseas, and an astonishing 25% reported a history of drunk driving. Can we point to the fact that their lives are some dangerous that they seek risk even when off duty?

In an interview with a University of Minnesota radio station, Mandy Stahre, a researcher on the project said that 43 percent of the active respondents reported binge drinking in the past month. That broke down to 29.7 incidents of binge drinking per person per year. That's a huge and dangerous number. How do we better educate these service men and women?

An article in the Chicago Tribune touched on the increase in suicide of soldiers. "The Department of Veterans Affairs tracks the number of suicides among those who have left the military. It says there have been 144 suicides among the nearly 500,000 service members who left the military from 2002-2005 after fighting in at least one of the wars." The website wsws.org reported that in 2008, there were 128 confirmed suicides by serving army personnel and 41 by serving marines.

Now we've started to see progress, with the military providing classes on suicide prevention and alcohol abuse. But how do we truly improve this? It's not like we can take away the trauma that soldiers suffer while on active duty. Our Veterans Affairs offices are already swamped with cases and are underfunded. How do we fix this? The easiest solution- provide more funding to attract better researchers and addictional clinicians. However- that would increase taxes, something more than half the country is against, even though it goes towards making our soldiers safer. Some things to think about as we move forward.

Here's the suicide prevention video:

And here's one about the binge drinking in the military:

Here's my favorite new website.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And be sure to support my advertisers! See you tomorrow.

The Mechanism of Addiction

2009-06-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

In an article posted in the Salt Lake Tribune, BYU researchers as well as Canadian neuroscientists, induced drug addiction in lab rats without using actual drugs. This is a huge breakthrough, basically proving that addiction is a brain disorder and not one of willpower.

Scott Stephenson, a lead researcher on the project, provided some good feedback. "We are wired for pleasure," said Steffensen, a professor in the department of psychology. "Drugs overwhelm this system that is under tight regulation. It's a sad spiralling disregulation that takes place." By isolating a protein in the brain (known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF) that is enhanced in people struggling with addiction, they were then able to inject the protein into the rats and create the symptoms of opiate addiction.

This research opens many new directions for drug and alcohol treatment. Are we getting closer to a medical solution to addiction prevention? Maybe it's going to be possible in the future to establish blockers to these proteins that create the insatiable need for drugs and alcohol. Will it be possible to help a child with a family history of addiction to block the effects of drugs and alcohol with a simple medical treatment or prescription? I don't think that these are far off in the future.

I've been reading "The End of Overeating," by Dr. David Kessler (available here on Amazon), and in it he speaks about certain foods affecting our opiate receptors almost as much as drugs do directly. So we may also be on a path to developing further medical treatments for overeaters as well. Some doctors are already seeing progress in using naltrexone to stop the craving for carbohydrates. Dr. Richard Bernstein, in his book "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution" has published studies on the effectiveness of this method of treatment on chronic overeaters.

So it's possible that medical treatments may, in the future, be the true path to prevention and treatment. But we'll see.

Here's a video about some of the uses of naltrexone.

And here's a clip about the book, The End of Overeating:

And of course- here's something funny.

Follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And feel free to comment on any of the posts you see here. Please support my advertisers, and see you tomorrow.

Smoking and Recovery

2009-05-26T09:29:00.000-07:00

Columbia University recently published a study saying that adults who grew up around second hand smoke have lungs that look different than those with non-smoking households. Actually, the lungs have holes that look similar to the ones of people who suffer from emphysema. Is this shocking? Not really. We've been hearing about the detriments of smoking for years. And yet we see smokers day in and day out, huddled in small masses near heaters during winter and shunned to the street corners during summer. Now, don't get me wrong- I was a heavy smoker until this past year, despite the consequences. And I also believe in the freedom of choice- that individuals should be able to decide their own fate. However, tobacco kills about 438,000 people per year, according to the Virginia Department of Health. So my question is this: why do we allow smoking in addiction treatment centers?

In 2008, New York State banned smoking in their all public and private treatment programs. Their government-funded programs have been smoke-free since 1998. So why aren't other programs dealing with this? I know that in my experience, I smoked MUCH more in treatment than I did before- the only fix I had left! But for most of the people in an addiction treatment program, this was the only time they would take 30 days out of their lives to work on their addictions. Why not push for anti-smoking as well? If someone is going to deal with difficult withdrawals, why not deal with them in an ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTER???

I don't have a solution for this, nor am I completely pushing for the change. I'm just wondering what the therapeutic value of smoking has in the treatment world. Looking forward to your feedback.

Here's a TheTruth.com anti-smoking ad:

Here's a video on the facts of smoking.

Here's something funny.

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Sober in the Animal House

2009-05-19T09:23:00.000-07:00

A blog in the Well section of the New York Times spoke about a 19-year-old college student, Owen Jennings, at Dartmouth with liver disease. This was not caused by drinking, but as a result, he is unable to drink in order to save his liver. His blog talked about his experience, i.e. "Sober in the Animal House," as he was a pledge at the same fraternity that was the focus of the infamous movie. Here's my favorite quote from the article:

"If I hadn’t been diagnosed with liver disease, I would probably be a part of this insane and inane drinking lifestyle. But I’ve come to realize that while I might feel left out at a party or a bar today, maybe I’m lucky. I will graduate from college without ever having woken up on a bathroom floor, wondering how I got there; without ever having to play hide-and-go-seek with the police."

I find this connection similar to being a sober alcoholic in a crazy environment (however, most sober alcoholics have woken up on bathroom floors and run from police). The part that I love about being sober when around people partying is the fact that I can observe the behaviors I used to engage in, and find a new sense of gratitude about my sobriety. The other part that Jennings

What this also touches on is the pressure to drink in a college environment. Jennings talks about turning down cigarettes and marijuana and feeling no pressure. But when someone offers him a drink, they ask again and again if he wants one. "When I decline alcohol, the response is almost always, 'Why not?'" It seems that drinking, even underage, has become not only a social pressure but the social norm. To deny this is almost criminal. We hear stories every day of 18 and 19 year old college students suffering from alcohol poisoning, abusive drinking, and reckless behavior. The new found freedom can almost be too much. How do we prevent this or encourage safer habits? That, my friends, is the big question.

With more and more college age students entering substance abuse treatment, we as a country need to address this growing problem. The Harvard School of Public Health did a national study that showed 42% of college students had engaged in binge drinking over the past year. That is crazy- and why aren't we providing accurate education on this? I can remember being told not to drink in school, but never any education on what to do when you drink too much. Perhaps improving our education and information around this would actually create some change.

Here's a video on college binge drinking:

And here's a public service ad about binge drinking:

Here's something funny.

Follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan on Facebook. Looking forward to your feedback! And please support my advertisers.

And please support me in my quest to raise money for cancer research! I'm riding a century on August 15th in Ventura and would love your support. Even $5 helps. Check out the link here. Thanks!

Eating Disorder Books

2009-05-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

A post in the New York Times yesterday in the Books section touched on new stories coming out regarding girls and eating disorders. The title, "The Troubling Allure of Eating Disorder Books," says it all. There are a number of pro-anorexia websites all over the web, and this disturbing trend is pushed by things like Amazon book lists posted by individuals who encourage anorexia. One of the quotes by this particular reviewer was innately disturbing: "I couldn’t put this book down. The main character Kessa had one of the most extreme cases of anorexia. I admired her strength in never giving into food no matter how strong her carnal desires were (and she was severely emaciated so they were very strong)." The thinking here is obviously pretty sick.

What's difficult about eating disorders compared to other disorders is that you can't abstain. Unlike drugs and alcohol or even gambling, one can't quit and then work through personal issues. An individual struggling with anorexia or bulimia needs all the help they can get. There's a number of programs around the country available for help. An individual or family who is being affected can go through the International Association of Eating Disorder Providers to find a therapist or outpatient program in their area. Programs like Rosewood Ranch in Wickenburg, AZ and The Victorian in Newport Beach offer residential care for clients that need the help. A number of these individuals also have a history of significant trauma in their lives, and finding a way to work through that with new coping mechanisms can be a challenging process.

And of course, what we REALLY need is additional awareness. As with all compulsive disorders, a stigma created by society exists. Celebrities in the media almost flaunt their skinniness and potential anorexia, providing poor role models for young girls. One can open any US Weekly or click on Perez Hilton to see women pushed by the pressures of society to be too thin. The National Eating Disorders Association is working to destroy this image by providing education to parents, families, and educational institutions. The best combatant we have against this deadly disease is information and action. We can always hope for the best, but providing help for a friend or family member in need is the easiest way to make a difference.

Here's the Eating Disorder Awareness video:

Here's another video on eating disorders.

Here's something funny.

Make sure to follow me on Twitter and add me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you tomorrow.

Cyber Millenials and their drinking habits

2009-05-12T09:07:00.000-07:00

A study being published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, along with the Center for Disease Control, used audience segmentation as the basis. The "cyber millenials," or those tech-savvy young people living in an urban area, tend to be the biggest high risk drinkers. Most were on the West Coast or in the Mid West, and tended to be well-educated as well as ethnically mixed.

What's interesting about this segment is that outside of binge drinking, they are relatively healthy- lower smoking rates, lots of exercise, and eating organic foods- but yet seem not to recognize the danger that binge drinking presents. Also, this segment tends to have significant financial resources which allow for multiple drinks in one sitting.

Now what's mentioned near the end of the article is what truly interests me: that clinicians "tend to be more blasé with younger, healthier patients, and might not even ask them about their level of alcohol consumption or screen them for alcohol problems." That is the problem. I can remember from my college days, going to see the school psychologist to talk about my depression 2 days a week for 3 months- and we talked once about drinking habits. In seeing a therapist after I'd left school and had developed a significant drug and alcohol problem, we talked about drug use and abuse only twice in 6 months. This is horrendous. Without proper education, we can't expect clinicians to learn how to recognize and treat the disease. A marriage and family therapist averages around 10 hours of mandatory study directly related to addiction while gaining their degree. In contrast, the average drug and alcohol counselor (not a master's degree, by the way), will do at least 3,000 hours of practicum directly related to addiction. So it seems that we should probably provide some additional education around addiction and alcoholism to our therapist community, as most people will see them prior to seeing a drug and alcohol counselor.

It falls back again to the stigma around this disease- the fact that 1 out of 10 people here struggle with drugs or alcohol (not to mention all of the families that are directly affected by one's behavior) means we need to get this out of the dark. When affluent, well-educated young people are binge drinking more than any other segment of the population, we need to be prepared for when they go overboard. Parents, educators, and clinicians need to be well-versed in dealing with alcohol and drug abuse for this new generation. The Millenials are going to need all the help they can get.

Here's a British show about binge drinking there:

Here's something funny.

As per usual, find me on Twitter and LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. Check out Sober Living By The Sea. And be sure to support my advertisers. See you tomorrow!

Sex and Internet Addiction

2009-05-11T09:05:00.000-07:00

An article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer this morning talked quite a bit about sex addictions and internet addictions going hand in hand. Dr. David Greenfield, an expert in the sex addiction world, said he had never seen a case like Greenwich, CT resident Stephen Dent, who spent, in at least one case, up to $200,000 on women for casual sex.

A quote that is interesting to me is this: Dr. Greenfield stated, "We can't really talk about sex addiction today without talking about the Internet." With all of the dating sites like match.com and even getting into the adult "friend finder"-type sites, the ability for an individual to engage in sex addiction. The internet, as with any other addiction, has made access to addictive substances much much easier. There are websites almost specifically tailored to feed sex addiction. Also, online pharmacies have created the ability for individuals to easily manipulate the system and acquire addictive medications from different doctors. There has been a study done showing that teen pill use has TRIPLED in the last 10 years, almost all as a result of the internet.

Bottom line is, we need to provide resources and education for parents and families around all of this. The education on how to recognize sex addiction and the compulsive behaviors around that are huge. Most families aren't able to recognize it until it's too late to salvage relationships. We NEED to bring this to light. Although there has been progress, we need to continue to educate the public about the resources available for help, as well as signs and symptoms.

Here's a video from CBS talking about sex addiction:

Here's a link to a video talking about internet addiction.

And here's something funny.

As always, find me on Twitter and LinkedIn. Become a fan of Addiction Tomorrow on Facebook. Check out Sober Living By The Sea. See you tomorrow!

Athletes and PEDs

2009-05-07T17:05:00.000-07:00

After hearing the devastating news that Manny Ramirez tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) this morning, I once again found myself disappointed in the lengths that pro athletes will go to continue their previous successes. What makes me sad is that I LOVED Manny. I loved watching him play, I loved his enthusiasm for the game (and sometimes, his lack thereof), and the joy he brought to the field. Now, being confronted by this, I have to reconsider my feelings around sports. How many other athletes are using steroids? Who can we trust anymore?

When Rafael Palmeiro and Roger Clemens vehemently denied their steroid use and then were caught later in life, I figured it was a coincidence. Barry Bonds was proof of the fraud present in the era. And Alex Rodriguez's confession wasn't even really a confession. Manny makes it sold for me- the last 10 years of Major League Baseball are completely contaminated by cheating- and it did it to itself. Without a rigorous testing process and stiffer bans- like a year suspension without pay for the first positive test or a ban for life- then athletes will always find away around those drug tests.

I'm fairly certain that without change, there can't be any change! Unless there's a move either way- either allow steroids totally or institute tougher penalties- then baseball will become a joke. The history of baseball is really the most important part, and when records are broken by athletes who use PEDs, baseball loses fans and purists. It's up to them to save their game.

What's the MOST interesting thing about this are the athletes who get caught. On occasion, you'll see a minor leaguer trying to get a little better with the use of steroids. With players like Bonds, Clemens and Ramirez, this seems more like a last grasp for greatness. Taking a huge gamble on suspensions, ruining their legacy, and turning fans against them, they STILL chose the risk in hopes of achieving their previous greatness. It's sad that we've allowed this to happen- the fans, the media and Major League Baseball. Now our only hope for something different is true CHANGE.

Using PEDs is no different than using other drugs- ingesting a substance with the hope of achieving a different state of mind and body. So when will we start to see athletes entering rehab and treatment for their steroid addictions? What I can only hope is that the help is available- and we're their to receive it without judgement. When athletes start to slip and are considering PEDs, we need sports teams to intervene- or they risk ruining the sport for everyone. Constant vigilance is the only solution. Here's hoping it gets better and the black eye on Major League Baseball starts to heal.

Make sure to check out Bill Simmons' article on this.

Buster Olney wrote a great piece as well.

And one more from Bill Plaschke.

Here's video on teen steroid abuse:

And here's something funny.

Find me on Twitter, add me on LinkedIn and become a fan on Facebook. See you tomorrow.

Treatment moving forward

2009-05-06T08:38:00.000-07:00

I read an interesting blog post in the New York Times this morning by Dr. Mark Willenbring. Here's the question and answer that piqued my interest:

"Q: Why aren’t patients being told of the medical options available to them in addition to AA/rehab? Is it ignorance of doctors? Lingering stigma that alcoholics are somehow “bad” and their only solution is to admit their powerlessness and find a higher power? No other disease relies on meetings in church basements for its primary treatment. I’m a recovering alcoholic who attends AA meetings and takes Campral. Not one AA’er I’ve met thus far has heard of Campral. It has been a tremendous help to me and it’s too bad that it’s not being used more, especially as it relates to reducing relapses. Cew5x

Answer:

The type of treatment offered at more than 90 percent of treatment programs in the United States consists of group counseling and referral to community support groups provided by non-medical staff. This treatment model was developed about 50 years ago, and it represented a real advance at the time.

However, the treatment field has not kept up with scientific advances in either behavioral or medication treatment. For example, it is about as difficult to obtain high quality cognitive-behavioral therapy for alcohol dependence as it is medication therapy. This is likely to change eventually, but for the time being, people seeking treatment for themselves or loved ones need to be informed “consumers.” Insisting on access to high-quality, scientifically-based care is one way to help drive system change."

What I find interesting about this are a number of things. First and foremost, why haven't we, as an addiction treatment field, continued with the progress seen in other areas of medicine? Since addiction is recognized as a disease, we should be taking advantage of all scientific advantages availed to us. I find it interesting that we are so resistant to change, and that for 50 years we've done basically the same thing in treatment. What is ALSO very interesting is the RESISTANCE to change. It's hard to find a treatment program that is consistent in adopting new methodologies for addressing the brain and medical issues associated with addiction. Within the industry, there is almost a stigma associated with medication in the treatment process.

Why aren't we using every tool available to combat a disease that directly affects 10 percent of our population and countless numbers of family members?

The other point is that a 12-step program works, when instituted and practiced diligently. However, what we've seen with alcoholics and addicts is that a relapse can often completely derail the recovery train. With the help of certain medications and medical knowledge, combined with therapy, support network and 12 step work, our chances of seeing a full and complete recovery should vastly improve. I can only hope that we start to see this before we lose more people.

Here's a video of Dr. Mark Hillenbring:

Here's something funny.

As always, find me on Twitter and LinkedIn. Also, become a fan of my blog on Facebook! See you tomorrow.

High-functioning alcoholics?

2009-05-05T10:30:00.001-07:00

An article in the New York Times today spoke in depth about a segment of the population not often talked about- the high-functioning alcoholic. Sarah Allen Benton has recently published a book called "Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic" which can be found on Amazon here. Her basic premise is that this special type of alcoholic is able to somehow manage a job, family, friends and yet mask their problem drinking, sometimes for years. Many of these people are able to maintain a semblance of a normal life while covering up the massive wreckage that alcoholics routinely suffer.

What's interesting about this segment of the population is that it has existed in almost secret for hundreds of years. Employees, customers, and family members are often willing to overlook out-of-control drinking since their loved one or boss can maintain their job performance. The three martini lunch, popular up through the early 90s, was almost a right of passage for high-performing executives. They looked at alcohol as a reward for their hard work.

For many of these high-performing people, the major consequence for them is the fact that the one aspect of their lives that they can't control is their alcohol intake. They've avoided many consequences- loss of job, loss of family, financial ruin, etc. The other interesting thing is that there is an entire segment of the treatment world devoted to treating this population. Talbott Recovery Campus in Atlanta functioned for years by simply treating doctors. Hazelden Springbrook in Newburg, OR has a program dedicated to helping healthcare professionals. And programs such as The Landing, Promises, and other high end facilities specialize in treating high-functioning alcoholics- basing treatment tracks on the assumption that clients their don't need a complete overhaul of their lives, just around their relationship with alcohol and/or drugs.

What can be troubling about this segment of the population is relapse. When high-functioning alcoholics, who are used to perfection in all aspects of their lives, have trouble with sobriety, they can run into trouble when relapse happens. They can often move downhill fast. Luckily, there are resources available. Places such as Sunrise Recovery Ranch, Mayflower Center, and Jaywalker Lodge provide programs for chronic reluctant-to-recover patients, and can work together with the job and family to insure a smooth transition back into life.

It will be interesting to see how much this article and book bring awareness to this issue. People suffer in silence daily due to the ignorance of their friends and family members about the signs of out-of-control drinking. I can only hope that this article can help bring things to light about the secret lives of high-functioning alcoholics.

In other news, my friend Rick Ohrstrom over at Sober Bulldog just returned from the Gaza Strip working on addiction and trauma. Make sure to check out his website and stay tuned for a new blog about his experiences overseas.

Here's Anderson Cooper's breakdown of doctors in treatment:

Here's something funny.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. See you tomorrow.

Addiction and young adults

2009-05-04T10:55:00.000-07:00

In Milwaukee this week, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation awarded a $100,000 grant to Community Advocates, Inc. to support the Milwaukee Addiction Treatment Initiative.

The Milwaukee Treatment Initiative is a great project- they are working to close the gap in providing treatment services to those who need it. According to research, almost 21% of those between 18-25 in Wisconsin fit the criteria for a need of addiction treatment, compared to 17% nationally. This project shows good initiative for a grassroots movement to improve addiction treatment.

As someone who got sober at a young age, I am in full support of this. One of the biggest problems is the myth that college is a place to go crazy for four years and then adjust to the real world. The truth is, many kids go to college without proper preparation for the struggles they will face. Addiction and alcoholism go hand-in-hand with the feelings of uncomfortability and uncertainty, and those are feelings that run rampant in college students. The resources available on college campuses are woeful at best, and it's hard for college students to find the help they need without family help. When families aren't educated about the signs of addiction and depression, a kid can get in deep trouble on a college campus.

Milwaukee is taking a lot of steps to improve this, and I applaud them for it. We always need more resources available, and it's good to see foundations stepping up to support further resources and research.

Make sure to check out this video about where I work, Sober Living By The Sea. Thanks to Michael Hurst, our web designer, for posting this video and managing our blog.

Here's an interesting video regarding Erin Brockovich and her daughter's struggles with addiction:

As usual, here's something funny.

Come and find me on LinkedIn and Twitter. Also, make sure to check out my friends over at 12 Angels and their research project. See you this week.

2009-05-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

I'm posting this as a favor to my friends over at 12 Angels, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people in early recovery to get jobs and foster entrepreneurship. Check out the links below, and please take the surveys! I'll have a new blog up at the beginning of this week about educational consulting.

-Mike

Are you or have you ever been in a 12 step program to help you overcome your alcoholism or addictions? Would you be willing to help other recovering alcoholics or addicts reintegrate into the professional world by spending just 3-5 minutes of your time? If you answered “yes” to both of those questions, then now is your opportunity to make a difference by participating in a completely anonymous survey to help design a revolutionary online application for the benefit of the recovery community.

12 Angels is a nonprofit organization that fosters social entrepreneurship in the recovery community. The organization’s goal is to create and implement programs that will counteract the economic damage caused by alcoholism and addiction.

Thank you for your willingness to participate in our survey. Please complete only one of the two surveys presented below. Select the one you feel most accurately fits your background and experience.

Survey 1 - Sponsor: If you are, or have been, a sponsor in a 12 step program:

Survey 2 - Sponsee: If you are, or have been, a sponsee (but never a sponsor) in a 12 step program:

Anti-addiction pill? Buyers beware...

2009-04-20T08:39:00.001-07:00

CNN posted a story at the end of last week about naltrexone, an anti-craving drug. Dr. Mark Willenbring had this quote: "There will be a 'Prozac moment', when primary care doctors start handling functional alcoholics."

Here's another quote, this the response from Hazelden's medical director: At Hazelden in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a small proportion of patients receive anti-addiction drugs, but medical director Dr. Kevin Clark says the traditional model -- based on intensive therapy and the 12 steps popularized by Alcoholics Anonymous -- is still best. "It is a disease of the brain, but it's a multifaceted disease. It has a spiritual component, a behavioral component to it," says Clark. "Our experience tells us that having the network of support and recovery is what really makes the difference."

I lean towards the Hazelden response- I am in recovery and I believe that simply taking medication without a sufficient support network would lead to an unhappy life. There's a difference between stopping drinking and actual recovery. Until we develop a medical treatment that can do something besides simply reducing craving, then we still need to work with addicts and alcoholics to find recovery through 12-step programs, therapy, and supportive rehabilitation centers. However, I do think this is huge medical progress- and I'm happy that we're making strides to find other solutions which may increase successful outcomes.

Here's a video about placing naltrexone under the skin of heroin addicts:

And here's something funny.

As always, find me on LinkedIn and Twitter. Take care.

Methadone: A blessing or a curse?

2009-04-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

Methadone maintenance has been around for years- it's development stemmed from predictions in Nazi Germany that the war would cause shortages in opiates being able to cross into Germany's borders. In 1947 Eli Lilly's company started producing methadone stateside, and off we went. The drug was first published as a pain reliever, and now is mostly used in harm reduction around addiction.

I'm torn on the effectiveness of this methodology. What I've heard in anecdotes from members of 12-step programs is that their lives only really started to get better once they were able to detox off of the methadone, which creates a physical dependence of it's own. What is difficult to discern is that most of the people I've spoken with bout this have had resources for private addiction treatment- for those without resources, methadone seems to be a good start.

Methadone can be a start towards a path to a new life; however, it is not the be-all, end-all solution. Without therapy, a recovery program, and a plan to eventually remove oneself from a mind-altering substance, the chances of someone really recovering from addiction are slim. When planned correctly, methadone can be an important component in helping an individual get better.

The problem is in the profits- methadone maintenance is one of the most profitable businesses today, and I worry that clinics don't attempt to taper people off solely to make their numbers work on the bottom line. We need to respect the quality of life of our patients, and the easiest way to do this is to make a long term plan when someone begins a methadone maintenance plan. With all of the tools and resources available to us, we can put a plan together that allows methadone to be an active part of recovery.

Here's a link to the HBO special "Methadonia," a documentary regarding people who are hooked on methadone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mULJZzq4-cQ

And here's a video on methadone and the consequences of not managing it correctly:

And, as always, here's something funny.

Find me on Twitter and LinkedIn. Looking forward to your feedback!

Intervention

2009-04-08T08:12:00.000-07:00

With the T V show Intervention creating such a huge following and awareness, we've been able to see more resources put into the hands of struggling families. The effectiveness of such an approach can be shown in multiple ways- the addict going into treatment, the family setting boundaries, etc. What many people may not realize is that intervention is generally for the family- regardless of whether or not the identified individual enters treatment. The most important part of the intervention is recognizing the problem- a drug addiction, a compulsive behavior, or a behavioral problem- and addressing it from the viewpoint of the family.

Once the family is able to understand that they can make changes within their own family dynamic WITH OR WITHOUT A COMMITMENT FROM THE IDENTIFIED INDIVIDUAL, then the interventionist has made lots of progress. Of course, it's hard at the outset for a family to see that the intervention is a success when an individual chooses not to seek help. However, should the family hold the boundaries the interventionist helped them set, they'll often see a change in the individual and the family system. Following the intervention with participation in a program of recovery such as Al-Anon is essential for family members to continue their healing process. The most important thing- DOING SOMETHING. When a family chooses to move forward with an intervention, they are creating a bottom for the addict- therefore, allowing an individual a chance to get well before things get worse.

Interventions are the greatest gift a family can give.

Here's some clips from the Intervention TV Show:

And here's some of my favorite interventionists:

Gallant and Associates
Addiction Intervention Resources
Surrender Interventions
Crisis Case Management
Bayer and Associates

And here's a video for the song Intervention by Arcade Fire. I just thought this was cool.

Here's something funny.

As always, find me on LinkedIn and Twitter. Have a great day.

Obama says NO to legalization

2009-04-02T08:38:00.000-07:00

In his first internet town hall, President Barack Obama said he is against the legalization and taxation of marijuana. Since the majority of the questions for this town hall came from individuals via the internet, the response was instantaneous. Twitter users reacted swiftly with their disapproval (check it out on the previous article).

The tough part for politicians and businesses today is the quick reaction by bloggers, Twitter users, and Facebookers to write about what they see wrong. I trust that Obama has worked with experts to come to this decision for now- what's nice is it seems Obama isn't completely adverse to change and is willing to admit he was wrong and not have to stick to his guns. If a good argument is economically and scientifically presented, I'm sure he'd change his stance based on the evidence.

Once again, I'm torn on this issue. I'm wondering what my friends over at Faces and Voices of Recovery would have to say about this; I can say that there hasn't been a lot of uproar about this issue besides some Twitter feeds from Vaughn Howland.

It's really interesting to watch people in the industry start to get into social media, like blogging, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. I'm still working on ways to make all of this work better and would welcome any ideas to help use social media to help our cause. Make sure to check out the All About Addiction blog as well.

Here's a good argument pro-legalization.

Here's an interesting video from Lou Dobbs:

Here's something funny.

As always, find me on LinkedIn and Twitter. See you later this week.

New Drug Czar

2009-03-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

With the new nomination of Seattle Police Chief R. Gil Kerlikowske for drug czar, we're finally seeing a move to put treatment ahead of prison. FINALLY! This may mean we'll start to make progress actually getting addicts and alcoholics help instead of simply putting them in jail and not actually rehabilitating them. By incorporating treatment, we'll be able to provide some options for these struggling people, instead of simply putting them in jail.

"The success of our efforts to reduce the flow of drugs is largely dependent on our ability to reduce demand for them," Kerlikowske said at a ceremony. "Our nation's drug problem is one of human suffering, and as a police officer but also in my own family, I have experienced the effects that drugs can have."

Kerlikowske's stepson has had problems with drugs and alcohol in the recent years, so he understands the situation families go through. I think that's invaluable knowledge for a person in charge of drug prevention in this country; without empathy, it's hard to make good decisions around how we treat this disease.

Here's a video introducing Kerlikowske:

Hopefully we can make some more roads for people to get well. This is a step in the right direction.

Here's something funny. Thanks to Eliza for this!

As always, find me on LinkedIn and Twitter. And if you like the blog, leave a comment! Follow the posts! Feedback is welcome!!

Father Martin's passing

2009-03-18T09:35:00.000-07:00

With the passing of Reverend Joseph C. Martin last week, we in the recovery field lost a great man. An article in the Baltimore Sun described a huge, overflow funeral mass for him. He's touched many alcoholics around the globe via his videos, his talks, and the treatment center he founded, Father Martin's Ashley. This is a great loss for us, and a signal to move forward with an attitude of gratitude for those of us who still get to help people recover.

"All I wanted to do was fix a few drunks." -Father Martin

Here's some Chalk Talk:

Make sure to check it out and remember his example when we're working with the alcoholics who are struggling to make it.

"I’ll die with a piece of chalk in my hands, talking with a bunch of drunks and addicts." -Father Martin

EVERYONE should check this out.

And here's something funny.

As always, find me on LinkedIn and Twitter. Comments are welcome!

Marijuana as an economic stimulus?

2009-03-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

So there's been lots of discussion regarding the state of California attempting to legalize marijuana- I've heard it covered on NPR, CNN, MSNBC and the like. A big article in Time magazine covers a lot of the topics- from economic impact to societal impact. Now Dr. Sanjay Gupta has come out and said he is against the decriminalization of marijuana, and I can't hep but stop and think a little. With our current legal drugs (alcohol and nicotine) costing us $98 billion and $157 billion respectively, is it worth it add another one to the mix?

And yet I'm struck by anecdotal evidence. In talking with people who DO continue to smoke pot, they seem less likely to get behind the wheel of a car after having "one too many tokes." The long term health effects of smoking marijuana are similar to those of smoking nicotine, an already legal substance. And from purely talking to people, it seems as though marijuana has a lesser occurrence of addiction than alcohol does. So I'm torn. If we're already making money from people for two terrifyingly addictive substances, why not add a third to the list? And if that's not justified, then why not ban alcohol and nicotine as well? We're living in this gray area that seems to be driven by lobbyists, and that's the hard part.

Thoughts?

Here's some thoughts from CNN-

And here's a debate from Fox News (which I don't really watch but the debate was good:)

Here's something funny.

As always, find me on LinkedIn or Twitter. Have a great day!

Luxury Rehab

2009-03-03T09:10:00.000-08:00

After re-reading the article on Wonderland in the New Yorker I was inspired to write about the rise of luxury rehab. Having put in my time working for the super-high-end facilities, and seeing the rise of $100,000/month treatment and $20,000/month sober livings, I've been wondering about the effectiveness of these programs. Are we really helping people when we buy in to their entitlement? Or is this simply a free market scenario, where a program can charge whatever they feel the consumer will pay?

I worry that treatment is getting watered down, that we as professionals are starting to cater too much to the addicted client just so then they'll stay longer or pay more money. These sorts of things are not THERAPEUTICALLY good for a client who is used to simply buying his or her way out of their problems; it just serves as another thing they can tick off the list of things they've paid for and has or hasn't worked.

And of course, with the Dr. Drew reality shows, Perez Hiltons and TMZ's of the world, and now New Yorker features, we can start to expect to see more people starting programs NOT out of an idea of service, but out of an idea to make lots of money. Once again, it is a free market, and best of luck to them.

However, we're dealing with a disease that kills millions of people a year, effects tens of millions, and creates billions of dollars in lost revenue for the country. So maybe we need to take a look at keeping programs in perspective; I understand the need to make a living, but if you're working in treatment and driving a $200,000 car, there's probably something ethically wrong happening.

Making sure our hearts are in the right place is the only way we can do this well!

Here's something great that a couple of guys in Canada did:

For something funny, click here.

As always, find me on LinkedIn and Twitter, and search for me on Facebook. Gearing up for US Journal conference in Vegas at the end of this week, so there may not be as many posts. Let me know if you'll be there.

Social Networking

2009-03-02T08:40:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody. Sorry it's been a few days since the last post; I've been running back and forth from Los Angeles to Newport Beach and preparing to head to Las Vegas and Minneapolis in the next couple of weeks. So if the blogging is few and far between, that's why.

I've been asked a couple of times in the last week how social networking has benefited my working relationships. Although I just canceled my MySpace account, I am very active on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Plaxo. I've found that these are a great way to stay on top of the people I work with; namely, keeping in touch with those I work with who are out of state and maybe people who I don't necessarily need to speak on the phone with.

However, the nature of my job is outreach, so finding more and more resources to help addicted people and families get well is made remarkably easier with the help of social networking. With Facebook, I can get a glimpse into the normal, everyday life of a person I work with, as well as stay in touch with the various people I've met out of state. With the iPhone and Blackberry applications, these things are very simple to stay on top of, and easy to let people know where one is at. I use my Facebook status update to let people know when I'm traveling and where, and that makes it simple for people to find me when they need to.

With LinkedIn, I've been able to start a networking group called Addiction Recovery Professionals, which has now connected well over 200 people from around the world. We've been able to discuss professional relationships, referrals, and many other things via the group discussion feature, not to mention the great contacts we all have in our back pockets knowing that we're all in the same mission. The only downfall of LinkedIn is that you can't directly invite people you don't know--that is, LinkedIn will block your invitations if it feels like you're "spamming." With my job being outreach and trying to connect with people who are into the same things, this is a challenge. Facebook and Twitter are much more effective ways for me to connect.

Twitter presents a challenge: talk exactly about what you're doing in 140 characters or less. This allows you to post links, share location, and describe anything you're seeing or doing. Like Facebook status updates, these are instantaneous updates on the people you know (or don't). I use Twitter mainly to follow cycling and some of my friends since not a lot of people in the addiction field are currently on it. Check it out!

Here's a video of Evan Williams, co-founder of Twitter, describing it's many uses:

For something funny, click here.

As always, find me on LinkedIn or Twitter, and search for me on Facebook if you'd like. Hope all is well, and see you tomorrow.

The Genetic Link

2009-02-23T08:38:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Adi Jaffe over at All About Addiction for bringing up a great topic. Genetics and addiction have been talked about for decades; it was often brought up in people's stories of have a long lineage of alcoholic parents, grandparents, cousins, nephews, etc. and now has been proven to have a genetic link. The University of Utah did a great study on the genetics of addiction, even though they used incorrect grammar on the heading of their website!

One of my favorite phrases is, "Genetics load the gun, and environment pulls the trigger." The basic gist of the research shows people with a certain gene have a tendency towards being unable to quit once they have started drinking or using. However, should an individual have a great support system, education, and concept of a family history, then addiction is preventable. Basically, for families with a long line of addiction, one needs not even QUESTION if the gene is prevalent; families simply need to prepare and educate the next generation on the devastating effects of drug and alcohol abuse and addiction. Once armed the the powerful tools of education and awareness, a family can work towards prevention.

For something interesting about addiction and genes, watch this:

For something hilarious, click here.

As always, find me on LinkedIn or Twitter. See you tomorrow.

Addiction and Insurance

2009-02-19T09:16:00.000-08:00

I found an article on the PBS website talking about health insurance and the coverage for addiction. Even with the Wellstone and Domenci Parity bill passing, there still is a lot of room to grow in this world. Having dealt with this with a number of clients, insurance companies are still hesitant to pay for residential care, even when that is a clinical recommendation. Insurance companies, in general, want someone to FAIL in outpatient care before they are willing to pay, or look at paying for, residential treatment.
A quote from the PBS article: "We know that alcohol and drug addiction is a disease, yet we still have not integrated it into the health insurance system in a way that is meaningful," says William McColl, director of government relations for the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors.

We're in a tough spot. More people than ever need treatment, and still we have to fight daily to even have the disease of addiction recognized as something more than a weakness of willpower.

As we've seen with the AIDS movement and the GLBT movement in the last 20 years, equal rights and appropriate healthcare legislation can be passed when enough people are behind it. That's why I always push for advocacy; show the world that recovery works! To join the fight openly, check out Faces and Voices of Recovery. A good organization that needs more exposure and more members!

Last night I got the opportunity to record an online radio show with The Afflicted and Affected. Be sure to check them not; not quite sure when this will be posted, but I'll update when I know.

Here's an excerpt from the HBO special on addiction; the whole show is available through various clips on YouTube or on DVD.

Here's something funny.

As always, find me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Have a great day.

The Johnson Institute

2009-02-17T09:23:00.000-08:00

The Johnson Institute in Minneapolis is an advocacy group who really brings the truth out about addictions. The institute used to train interventionists, and now focuses on advocacy around the disease of alcoholism and addiction. One of the best articles I've found on the web is here, featured on the Johnson Institute website. In this article, they talk about the seven policies necessary to create a solution for the huge problem of addiction. First and foremost, family members and people in recovery MUST make themselves available to the general public. WE are the best voice and the proof that recovery works! They also talk about creating early awareness and early intervention as a solution; teaching social institutions that addiction is not a stigma but a treatable illness, and educating the general public on the options available.

A great article, make sure to check it out.

Hope you all had a good weekend. For something REALLY interesting, a podcast featuring a great researcher in the addiction field, click here.

For something funny, click here.

As always, find me on Twitter and LinkedIn. See you tomorrow.

Advocacy and Treatment

2009-02-12T07:49:00.000-08:00

A new Hazelden survey showed that over 8 out of 10 people sampled said first-time drug offenders should go to treatment and not prison. It also showed that 79% of those polled that the War on Drugs was a failure. However, this survey was a small sampling-- it only reviewed the opinions of 1,000 people. The opinions do represent a step in the right direction. It seems the stigma is getting washed off at least a little bit, that the general public can recognize that addicts need treatment and not jail.

For a history of the War on Drugs, check this out. NPR lays out a brief history, starting, of course, with Nixon declaring war on drugs in the early 70s do to a rising in arrests for both street crime and drug possession. In 1994, there were reports that the War on Drugs was responsible for putting 1 million people behind bars per year. In the 80s, with Reagan's policies around drugs kicking in, arrests for general crime rose 28%, while drug related arrests rose 126%. That's a huge, huge jump. And by not diverting people arrested for drug possession to treatment, we create a toxic prison environment soaked in drugs and more crime, as well as high recidivism rates.

How do we fix it? Support the Wellstone act. Vote for measures that allow tax dollars to be put towards treatment. For those of you who are more worried about what pubic services your tax dollars fund, push for those that support rehabilitation, as that will put more money back in the private secotr in the long run, as people who get adequate rehabilitation instead of a prison term are more likely to become productive citizens.

For folks who do a great job advocating recovery, click here, here, or here.

Here's a breakdown of the economic factors that addiction causes:

And here's Bill Maher's take on the war on drugs:

For something funny, click here.

As always, find me on LinkedIn or Twitter. Have a great day.

Drug PSAs...are they effective?

2009-02-10T08:52:00.000-08:00

This is an ad from the Montana Meth campaign. These brutally honest ads were a part of The Meth Project, a "large scale prevention project aimed at reducing first time meth use." The ads depict a number of scenarios, from losing hair and teeth, whoring oneself for money, and influencing younger siblings.

The New York Times recently published a study which estimated meth's yearly societal cost at $23.4 billion. That's a huge number-- and it gets worse. According to a 2005 study by SAMHSA, approximately $276 billion was spent or lost on health care, lost productivity, crime, auto accidents, and premature death as a result of drug and alcohol addiction. Yet we, as an industry, receive only $1 billion in federal funding for research. Absolutely ridiculous.

Do PSA's make an impact? Montana Meth reports that numbers are down across the board-- teen use has dropped by 45% and adult use dropped by 72%. There is no proof, however, that any of this is DIRECTLY related to the ad campaign, but it has to be assumed that it had at least a small effect.

All we really need to know is that the system doesn't work. Sending people to jail for years at a time for possession-related crimes instead of treatment doesn't rehabilitate people. Treatment works, especially when consequences have already been provided and more exist should one not complete treatment. We'll see what unfolds down the line. The Mental Health Parity Act is a good start, but that won't directly effect people who can't afford health insurance or those in jail. Keep advocating, and make sure to let your community know the you're not afraid to speak up as a person in recovery.

Here's an ad that didn't seem to make much of an impact.

Here's ALL of the Montana Meth ads put together in a montage. Don't watch this if you have a sensitive stomach.

For a great website, check out The Afflicted and Affected.

For something funny, click here.

As always, find me on LinkedIn or Twitter. Have a great day!

The Addiction Cure?

2009-02-09T08:47:00.001-08:00

While watching CNN over the weekend, I couldn't help but notice repeated ads from Passages Malibu marketing "The Addiction Cure." Curious, I browsed the website and also Amazon for the book "The Alcoholism and Addiction Cure." I couldn't help but wonder if this was detrimental to the recovery process that we've worked so long and hard to develop in this country. With a blatant disregard to the 12-step model and the disease concept, it seems as though the two founders are trying a completely different approach. Now, don't get me wrong-- I haven't read the book, nor have I visited the center itself. They may be doing great work there; the problem is, how do people continue their recovery when they leave a place that does 60+ individual sessions a month? My personal experience, and the experience of many others I know in recovery, show that a combination of individual therapy, 12-step work, and service are the keys to better living. I have trouble believing that one could be "cured" of alcoholism.

On the other hand, what if they have it right and the rest of us are wrong? Or is this another "easier, softer way?" Only time will tell. For now, I just hope they aren't doing more damage than good.

Here's a video of Chris Prentess, the founder of Passages.

For a different viewpoint, here's a video of Father Martin's "chalk talk."

Let me know what you think!

Here's something funny.

As always, find me on LinkedIn or Twitter. See you tomorrow.

Great NY Times Article

2009-02-06T08:10:00.000-08:00

I recently stumbled upon a New York Times article by Jim Atkinson which talks about getting and staying sober with a spiritual program. Most importantly though, he says, "While the image of those of us who manage to sober up has improved quite a bit since the temperance movement, we continue to be considered “lesser” for having had the problem in the first place."

And that right there folks, is the bottom line. There are countless members of society who are sober and doing well; I think the image of the skid-row drunk still crosses the mind of anyone who is not familiar with the treatment process or isn't open to the idea of not drinking.

I always find it interesting whenever I'm in a social situation and other people are uncomfortable with me NOT drinking. I was always pretty sure it would be the reverse. However, not everyone has been exposed to a sober alcoholic; there are, however, plenty of people who have been exposed to ACTIVE alcoholism, and the fact that there are sober people present could bring up a lot of emotion around that.

A study done by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in 2004 showed that nearly 17 million Americans fit the criteria for alcohol abuse. That means one out of every eleven people you meet is either struggling, or has struggled, with alcohol. That's a CRAZY amount for there still to be this kind of stigma around alcoholism and sobriety.

Get the word out! Become an advocate for recovery! And make sure to support measures that provide funding for treatment- not everyone can afford Hazelden or Sober Living By The Sea. As members of a sober community, we have a responsibility to get the message out that hope is available. Try to keep that message strong in your every day life.

For something interesting, check this
out.

Here's a New Jersey PSA about recovery from NCADD-NJ.

"Addiction is a treatable, preventable disease, not a moral failing." Well put.

Have a great weekend. Something funny here.

As always, find me on Twitter and LinkedIn.

"Celebrity" Rehab

2009-02-05T08:45:00.000-08:00

The first time I watched "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" I was pretty much appalled. I was wondering what would possess someone who has done a great deal to take away the stigma of addiction and worked in all areas of the field to expose fallen stars during their most vulnerable moments. I still have trouble with this, but I think Dr. Drew Pinsky has his heart in the right place. From day one, the show was overhyped, with commercials about relapse, people in treatment going crazy and getting angry during detox, and baring their soul on national television. I guess, in many ways, it's no different that the Real World on MTV EXCEPT for the fact that the people on "Celebrity Rehab' have a life-threatening addiction.

I'm more worried that the people who want to participate in shows like this (or the offshoot, "Sober House") may be more in this for the last grasp of fame.

I mean, with TMZ and Perez Hilton and the like, we see pictures, blurbs, and information about celebrities entering treatment all the time. For a while, it seemed almost cool to go to treatment.

I'm worried that all of this exposure will water down the treatment industry; there's a few programs out there that do a REALLY good job with addiction, and a LOT that are mediocre at best. I'm hoping that this glut of media coverage and reality TV doesn't inspire people who just want to make money and see a market available to open a treatment facility. That's where people get more hurt and traumatized, which I've seen with some former clients.

When you're treating people with the disease of addiction, make sure your heart is in the right place. Dr. Drew, you do a good job with this forum, and I hope you're in it for the right reasons.

Here's an interview with Dr. Drew.

Here's something funny.

As usual, find me on Twitter and LinkedIn.

See you tomorrow.

8 gold medals and one bong

2009-02-04T07:43:00.000-08:00

You know, I'd love to say I'm shocked by the fact that an 8-time Olympic gold medalist was caught smoking marijuana at a college party. Considering a study published by the University of Michigan, 47% of high school seniors had tried an illegal substance. And as those kids go to college and experience life without parental supervision, that type of using can get out of control. Michael Phelps, I don't blame you. I think he made a decision and is paying the consequences. As we all know, consequences create change...although he did receive a DUI in 2004. So Michael, time to do some hard thinking. We all get that your life is hard-- according to research done in the book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, on average, people with GREAT success require around 10,000 hours of practice, which means Phelps has crammed all of that in before his 23rd birthday. That kind of pressure can create problems and seeking a release, which is probably all he was looking for. But Mr. Phelps, remember you're in the public eye and a role model. Represent yourself that way. If you have a problem, get help. If you don't, keep it out of the public eye!

For someone else who has admitted to smoking marijuana, watch this:

Today is World Cancer Day, click here to find out how to get involved.

For something funny, click here.

For something good to listen to, check out Ohtis.

As always, find me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Ritalin: The new cocaine?

2009-02-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

Recently, the National Institute on Drug Abuse and Addiction published a study which shows that Ritalin produces similar effects on the brain as cocaine. Not really shocking, considering the high level of Ritalin abuse we've started to hear about in the last couple of years. I can remember in college when people would trade medications and use Ritalin either to stay up late to study, or to get nice and speedy before going out. The fact that it's taken almost 10 years since that time for a study to come out is a shame. Here's a quote from the lead researcher, Yong Kim: "Methylphenidate, which is thought to be a fairly innocuous compound, can have structural and biochemical effects in some regions of the brain that can be even greater than those of cocaine." Just another sneaky way to get addicted, if you ask me. Basically, this proves to me that we need to keep a better watch on what medications we give to our children, and especially if they show signs of abuse or addiction, make sure to put solutions in the hands of the parents who need them.

Here's a report from Fox News in Atlanta on students using Ritalin as a "brain steroid." Interesting stuff.

For something fun, click here.

As always, find me on Twitter and LinkedIn. See you tomorrow.

Continuing Care

2009-02-02T09:11:00.000-08:00

The Hazelden Foundation published a study in December regarding results of a research project about the importance of continuing care (you can find the study here.) The study shows a marked improvement when individuals in treatment follow their aftercare recommendation (specifically, this study is around outpatient and 12-step meetings). The basic underlying fact, and my experience, is this: the more engaged we can keep clients for the first year, the easier it is for them to achieve, or at least get on the road to, a successful recovery. If they go out on their own, are detached from their initial peer group and/or treatment center, and don't follow the recommended aftercare plan, their chances of success are slim. We, as an industry, need to do a better job recommending and enforcing aftercare recommendations; too many people are still under the impression that a person can go to treatment for 28 days and be "fixed." Once again, another stigma we have to break through!

Here's a PSA ad I found interesting and hadn't seen before:

Here's my favorite Super Bowl commercial from last night:

Here's something entertaining. Click here for some amazing art. Or here.

As always, find me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Thanks!

No Stimulus Funding?

2009-01-31T14:28:00.000-08:00

According to an article on JoinTogether.org, the new $819 billion stimulus package passed by the house rejected a request for $100 million towards addiction research and chose not to pursue that option. However, there was a provision towards anti-smoking research and education, and almost $6 billion for general health and wellness provisions. Hopefully we can direct some of that money towards improving treatment outcomes and helping more people find a solution to their addiction and crisis.

Here's a great video from the UK featuring Jack Osbourne talking about 12-step recovery and talking to a younger population in treatment.

For something lighter, click here.

As always, you can find me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Thanks.

Checking in on Clarity

2009-01-30T09:53:00.000-08:00

I finished the book Moments of Clarity by Christopher Kennedy Lawford this week and was super impressed (you can get the book on Amazon here). I think Christopher did a great job talking to folks not only of celebrity status, but those who work in the field as well. I was really touched by seeing Velvet Mangan's story in the book; it's great to see people I know advocating for recovery and sharing their personal experience on such a deep level. I'm hoping this book, which is currently on the New York Times Bestseller list, can help raise awareness that addiction can happen to ANYONE.

Here's a video that Christopher did promoting his book:

For something a little more fun, click here.

And as always, feel free to add me on Twitter or LinkedIn, and make sure to support my advertisers.

Layoffs?

2009-01-29T13:59:00.000-08:00

Coming into 2007 and 2008, healthcare looked like a great industry with good growth potential. Now, early in 2009, we keep hearing about layoffs coming in every industry, and even some of the treatment centers closing their doors. How does everyone cope with this? I'm pushing myself to develop a better referral network, be more connected, and continue to grow my resource base.

We'll see what unfolds in 2009. We've seen progress with the Mental Health Parity Act passing at the end of last year, but we still have a battle to fight.

Here's Obama's take on healthcare:

Also, check us out some folks doing good work at C4 Recovery Solutions.

A new day dawns

2009-01-28T22:36:00.000-08:00

Hi there.

Thanks for stopping by. I'll be writing on occasion to update the world on what's happening inside the treatment world, as well as research, government action, and opinions. I would love comments and questions, and look forward to seeing some good results as we move forward in new ideas in this world.

For now, check out where I work here

You can also find me on LinkedIn or Twitter.

I'll be posting links and articles as well as anything I find out while exploring the field.

Take care, and see you soon.