The End of 2013

We can prevent Dementia, Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Stroke

In a recent report on the BBC, the University of Cardiff Medical School conducted a 35 year study of Welsh men and concluded that by making five (5) lifestyle choices - 1) No smoking, 2) Regular exercise, 3) Low to no alcohol use, 4) Maintaining a health diet, and 5) Maintaining a low body weight. Selecting just a few of these behaviors can reduce heart disease by 60%, stroke by 70%, full dementia by 60%, cognitive difficulty by 60% and cancer by 40%BBC Science World - Dementia

Honoring Nelson Mandela

Today the world stopped to honor Nelson Mandela at a stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, South Africa.  President Obama and Michelle attended with former President George W. Bush and his wife. Also in attendance were President Robert Mugabe from Zimbabwe and Raul Castro from Cuba.  Obama and Castro shook hands.   Desmond Tutu chastised the crowd for being rude and said a prayer, partly in Afrikaans. All in all, the service reflected the love and the sacrifice made by this man and the blessings that come from his noble struggle.  I think the lesson for recovery is that time is long and perseverance is key. Also, it is good in the end - if it is not good, remember that it is not the end.

Mandela - The lessons of recovery

On October 5, 2013, Nelson Mandela, the first black President elected in South Africa, passed away at the age of 95 years.  He had spent his entire life fighting for the freedom of his countrymen of all colors and races.  Equality and freedom were his two passions.

He has so many lessons for those of us suffering from addiction as well as people generally, but the most important lesson is that resentment - lack of forgiveness is fatal - terminal. 

The second and much more powerful message is that love truly is more powerful than and truly does overcome hate.

Choices

SUP - Stand Up Paddleboarding

Despite everything that I have gone through and put myself through, despite all my self-inflicted wounds, I never want to give up trying new adventures.  This week I am going to buy a SUP (stand up paddleboard) and seek this adventure on a regular basis. 

What is a Sober Adventure???

What is a sober adventure?  A sober adventure is doing anything that you are afraid to do.  Why would we be afraid of doing something? We are usually afraid of the unknown - but that's what makes it an adventure.  I remember that I was going to run a 5k Race at the Gasparilla Running Festival with a 10k, a 15k, a half marathon and a marathon.  I had to register with 25,000 other people.  I did not know the area or what to do.  I was nervous and called a sober friend. 

The friend said "You're afraid to register for a race?   After spending 10 months in prison, you're afraid to register for a race?" 
I said, "well, I don't know where to go or where the start will be or the course?"
She replied "Why don't you just follow the crowd? You aren't going to be coming in first are you?"

She was right.  I was only afraid because I had never done it before...what if I failed.  What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?  What adventure does fear hold you back from doing?

 

SAMHSA Birthday

A Different Kind of Birthday

5 November 2013No Comment

Cross-posted from ONDCP Blog
November 4, 2013 • By Michael Botticelli, Deputy Director of National Drug Control Policy, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
Today marks 25 years since I started my journey of recovery.
Coincidentally, the same year I started that journey—in fact, the very same month—a law was created to establish the office where I now serve President Obama.
I know that today is just another day, but it is a day filled with joy and gratitude as I think about how my life has changed. While I am so grateful for the opportunities my recovery has given me, it is really the profound internal changes that matter most. I am not the person I was 25 ago. Some parts of the country refer to these milestones as “birthdays,” which is very appropriate given that recovery means a chance at a new life filled with meaning, purpose, joy and love. As I have often said, my story is not unique. I am one of millions of Americans who found a way back from the grip of addiction through the kindness and caring of many, many people.
Like many people with addictions, one of the biggest obstacles I faced in asking for help was that I could not imagine a life without drinking. Even though my life was a disaster, I could not see how stopping would lead to a happy and fulfilling life. What would people think of me if I said I had an addiction? What would my boss think? Would I ever have a social life again filled with friends? I did not see people like me living a happy life in recovery.
I can’t help but think that the recent Supreme Court rulings on gay marriage were in large part driven by the simple, yet courageous act of gay men and lesbians coming out to their family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. It changed public opinion and drove public policy. The same was true with people with HIV and even people with cancer faced fear, shame and stigma. When Magic Johnson announced that he was HIV positive, there was a significant increase in the number of people getting tested. ACT Up demanded expedited research and drug approval, funding for services and a compassionate response by the medical community. Any great movement to change public perception and public policy has often been fueled by people who are affected “coming out” of the shroud of secrecy and invisibility.
Yet, for too many people and their families, asking for help and seeking care for a substance use disorder is still saturated with shame. Despite the fact that nearly every family and community in America is affected by addiction, it remains part of our collective denial. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, only about 1 in 10 people with a diagnosable substance use disorder get treatment at a specialty facility. Compare this to diabetes where the treatment rate is 84%¹. For those who do get treatment, it is often in the most acute stages where, even though effective, treatment is more challenging and costly. The economic cost of excessive alcohol use is estimated to be $223 billion, with health care accounting for $24.6 billion of these costs². The economic cost of illicit drug use is estimated to be $197 billion, with health care accounting for $11.4 billion of these costs.³ None of these figures compare to the pain, anguish and grief addiction causes.
Decades of scientific research have given us an irrefutable understanding of addiction as a health issue, a chronic medical condition with genetic, biologic and environmental risk factors. It requires a comprehensive public health approach using evidenced-based prevention, early intervention, treatment and recovery support services. The 2013 National Drug Control Strategy, the Obama Administration’s blueprint for drug policy, is based on this understanding. It puts forth more than 100 action items across federal government to prevent drug use and its consequences. It dismisses a “war on drugs” approach, while acknowledging the vital role that federal, state and local law enforcement play in reducing the supply of drugs. With a public health framework at its foundation, the Strategy sets forth an agenda that tackles systemic challenges like over-criminalization, lack of integration with mainstream medical care, insurance coverage and legal barriers to fully restoring people to productive and meaningful lives. The implementation of the Affordable Care Act addresses some of these systemic issues by dramatically increasing coverage for treatment and ensuring that services are comparable to other chronic conditions for over 62 million Americans.
All of these advancements, however, are not enough unless we fundamentally change the way many people think about addiction. The Parternship at DrugFree.org and The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) estimate that there are more than 23 million individuals in recovery. Millions of people in recovery are living meaningful, productive lives full of joy and love and laughter—and I am just one of them. It is time for those of us in recovery, and those that care for and love us, to join the growing movement to put a face and voice to this disease; to lift the curtain of invisibility and to show others the endless possibilities of a life in recovery.
It is a time to make that simple, yet courageous decision to be counted, to be seen and to be heard.
Michael Botticelli is the Deputy Director of National Drug Control Policy.

---

[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Fact Sheet: national estimates and general information on diabetes and prediabetes in the United States, 2011. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011.

[2] Bochery, EE et al., 2011. Economic costs of excessive alcohol consumption in the U.S., 2006. American J. Preventive Medicine 41(5):516-524.

[3] National Drug Intelligence Center. 2010. National Threat Assessment: The Economic Impact of Illicit Drug Use on American Society. Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

Miracles Are Commonplace

In the early days of my own recovery, I heard two things - 1) Never Give Up Just Before the Miracle Happens and 2) In recovery, miracles are commonplace. My sponsor sent me this message today:

On this day of your life, I beleive God want you to know...

that miracles do not, in fact, break the laws of nature."

C.S. Lewis said that, and it is an enormous insight.

If we think that miracles are normal, we will expecte them.

And expecting a miracle is the best way to get one.

Just pray to whatever Higher Power you believe in for your miracle...

and if you have no belief, then perhaps you can believe

that I believe you will get a miracle -

it may not come the way you think, but it will come.

I remember trying to decide if I should go to treatment and it was the prospect of miracles that made me come and the promise of miracles that made me stay and kept me coming back. Expecting miracles - large and small - do end up in the manifestation of miracles. This is our experience. This is my experience. This has been shown over and over again.

River City Run - Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose

Today, I won...1st place in my age division and there were actually more than three people in the division. Last Saturday, I was 6th from last place.  Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose...but as I heard once, life is a game that can neither be won nor lost, only played.

Halloween

Overcoming Obstacles

13 Half Marathons (13.1 miles) in 2013 for GUA Africa

Emmanuel Jal - International Hip Hop Artist and Peace Activitist

On January 10, 2010, I ran my first full marathon - the Walt Disney World Marathon in Orlando, Florida.  I did not do well, but I finished. I never, never, never imagined I could run a full marathon, but I had two things - 1) a burning desire to do something noble after losing my career, my money, my life partner and my self-respect, and 2) I had the music of Emmanuel Jal on my iPod and when I  listened to it, I could run for miles.

In February, 2010, I became Facebook friends with Emmanuel Jal and we would chat.  He invited me to go to the Clinton Global Initiative in March, but the volcano in Iceland grounded Jal in London and he could not attend.  Also, in February, I decided to run the Chicago Marathon which was going to take place on 10-10-10.  That date will never come again until 2110.  So, I decided to raise money for Emmanuel Jal's charity - GUA Africa. Gua means peace in Jal's home language, Nuer. 

The following year, I decided to run 11 marathons, half and full, for GUA Africa. In 2012, I ran 12 full marathons.  I thought I would stop after that, but I cannot give it up.  It makes me feel so good about myself; it is one of the few things that doesreally make me happy and proud. 



Kids benefiting from GUA Africa, South Sudan
 

This year, I was running the St. Pete Beach Classic and I thought "I should run 13 halves because that would be 13 x 13.1 x 13 - 13 halves (13.1) in 2013 and try to raise moneyfor GUA Africa by getting 1000 or even 100 people to donate $13.00.  So that is the goal...check out my website at www.runforguaafrica.com.








 

Perseverance

Substance Abuse and Child Abuse

Yesterday, a news report that the 2 year old son of Minnesota Viking's professional football player, Adrian Peterson, died of neglect and abuse on Friday, October 11, 2013.  Sioux Falls, South Dakota, police said Joseph Robert Patterson, 27, has been charged with aggravated battery of an infant and aggravated assault. If convicted on the charges, both felonies, Patterson could face up to 40 years in prison and an $80,000 fine.

This made me wonder what was going on. Crack? Alcohol? Other drugs? I looked up the statistics for child abuse and neglect and found this report by the Humane Society:

Child Abuse and Neglect Statistics

The question of how many children are abused and neglected each year in the United States is seemingly simple, but it does not have an easy answer. Because several national and state agencies collect and analyze different data using different methods, the statistics vary. In addition, not every suspicion or situation of abuse or neglect is reported to child protection services (CPS) agencies. As a result, the number of reports likely underrepresents the number of children who actually suffer from abuse or neglect.

One of the most reliable and extensive information sources is the yearly Child Maltreatment Report by the Children’s Bureau, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Children, Youth and Families. This yearly report is based on data collected by the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) from state CPS agencies. American Humane has provided significant technical assistance and expertise to NCANDS as a project subcontractor to Walter R. McDonald and Associates since the project began in 1990.

According to NCANDS whose latest statistics are for 2005 an estimated 3.3 million referrals of child abuse or neglect were received by public social service or CPS agencies. Of these referrals, 899,000 children were confirmed to be victims of abuse or neglect (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2007). That means about 12 out of every 1,000 children up to age 18 in the United States were found to be victims of maltreatment in 2005 (USDHHS, 2007).

Where Do We Get Our Information?

Reports of suspected child maltreatment come from multiple sources. In 2005, over one-half of reports (61.7 percent) were from professionals who are considered “mandated reporters” (USDHHS, 2007). Mandated reporters are required by law to report suspected abuse and neglect. The most common mandated reporter referral sources in 2005 were social services personnel, legal professionals, law enforcement, criminal justice personnel and medical and mental health professionals (USDHHS, 2007).

Types of Maltreatment Children Suffer

Maltreatment can take many forms, and some children can suffer from more than one type. Since 1999, the majority of children confirmed to be victims of child maltreatment experienced neglect. The following are the percentages of children who experienced maltreatment in 2005 (USDHHS, 2007):

Neglect	62.8%
Physical abuse	16.6%
Sexual abuse	9.3%
Emotional/psychological abuse	7.1%
Medical neglect	2.0%
Other	14.3%

The ‘Other’ category listed above includes abandonment, threats to harm the child, congenital drug addiction and other situations that are not counted as specific categories in NCANDS. The percentages here add up to more than 100 percent because some children were victims of more than one type of maltreatment.

Demographics of Child Victims

Boys and girls are equally likely to suffer maltreatment. In 2005, 47.3 percent of child victims were male, and 50.7 percent were female. Victimization rates were highest among the youngest population of children, birth to 3 years, at a rate of 16.5 per 1,000 children (USDHHS, 2007).

In 2005, 49.7 percent of children who were maltreated were white, 23.1 percent were African American, and 17.4 percent were Hispanic. American Indians and Alaska Natives accounted for 1.2 percent of victims, and Asian-Pacific Islanders accounted for less than 1 percent of victims (USDHHS, 2007).

Approximately 10 percent of the children in this country have a disability or chronic illness. The incidence of abuse and neglect among these children is twice as high as it is among average children (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2006).

Child victims who were reported with disabilities accounted for almost 8 percent of all victims of child abuse and neglect in the 39 states that reported this type of data (USDHHS, 2007). For NCANDS’ purposes, children with the following disabilities were considered disabled: mental retardation, emotional disturbances, visual impairment, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, behavioral problems or other medical problems. It is believed that while children with disabilities are maltreated more frequently, these cases are less likely to be reported for several reasons. Most CPS agencies’ data collection on maltreatment cases does not involve questions regarding a child’s disability. Children with disabilities are less likely to be believed or viewed as credible when they attempt to report.

Parental Substance Abuse Can Lead to Child Abuse and Neglect

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University estimates in a 2005 report that substance abuse is a factor in at least 70 percent of all reported cases of child maltreatment. Adults with substance use disorders are 2.7 times more likely to report abusive behavior and 4.2 times more likely to report neglectful behavior toward their children. Maltreated children of substance abusing parents are more likely to have poorer physical, intellectual, social and emotional outcomes and are at greater risk of developing substance abuse problems themselves (USDHHS, 2003).

Too Often Children Need to Be Removed From Their Homes

One of the major reasons children enter foster care is abuse and neglect associated with parental alcohol or drug abuse (USDHHS, 1999). As of September 30, 2004, 517,000 children lived in foster homes because they could not safely remain in their own homes. In 2005, one-fifth (21.7 percent) of victims or 317,000 children were removed from their homes as a result of child maltreatment investigations. Some children spend weeks or months in care, and others live in care for an entire year or longer (USDHHS, 2007).

Statistics Over Time

The number of children who are abused and neglected has fluctuated over time. There has been a general increase in the number of abuse and neglect substantiations.

1999	829,000
2000	881,000
2001	903,000
2002	896,000
2003	906,000
2004	872,000
2005	899,000

It is difficult to determine if the shifts in the numbers of children being reported is due to the actual change in abuse and neglect each year or if the fluctuations are a result of improved data collecting in these areas. NCANDS reports that the increase in 2005’s data could be a result of the additional reporting of both Puerto Rico and Alaska, which were not included in Child Maltreatment in previous years.

Who Are the Perpetrators?

Perpetrators of child abuse or neglect are most often the child’s own parents. According to NCANDS, in 2005, 79.4 percent of perpetrators were parents and 6.8 percent were other relatives. The largest remaining categories of perpetrators were the unmarried partner of a child’s parent (3.8 percent) and other perpetrators (4.1 percent). In 3.6 percent of child maltreatment cases the perpetrators were missing or unknown. In under 1 percent of child maltreatment cases the perpetrator was a foster parent, residential facility staff, the child’s daycare provider, a legal guardian, friends or neighbors, or other professionals (USDHHS, 2007).

Approximately 40 percent of child victims were maltreated by their mothers acting alone; another 18.3 percent were maltreated by their fathers acting alone; 17.3 percent were abused by both parents (USDHHS, 2007).

Children Die Every Day From Abuse or Neglect

In 2005, an estimated 1,460 children died as a result of abuse or neglect (USDHHS, 2007). The majority almost 76.6 percent of these children were 3 years of age or younger. Most child fatalities (76.6 percent) happened at the hands of parents (USDHHS, 2007). Not all fatalities were the result of the physical trauma of abuse. Neglect accounted for almost half (32.2 percent) of all fatality cases.

Many Child Victims Are Unknown to CPS Agencies

According to the federally funded Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (1996), almost three times as many children are maltreated as are reported to CPS agencies. This study involved 5,700 community professionals who came in contact with children. The study offered insight into when and why these professionals reported suspected abuse or neglect in greater detail than can be derived through NCANDS data.

What Can You Do?

Thousands of children throughout America suffer abuse and neglect each day. This has harmful consequences on the physical and emotional development and well-being of children. State CPS agencies identify and help many of these children and their families, yet many cases of abuse or neglect are never reported, and not all states provide detailed case-level data to NCANDS. American Humane encourages all community members to become actively involved in the lives of the children within their communities.

American Humane’s Front Porch Project® is a national initiative built on the belief that people who are concerned about children’s well-being should be empowered to act. The program teaches community members how to intervene appropriately when necessary and encourages them to share their knowledge with other community members. It strengthens communities through relationship building between community members, building on the strengths and assets within at-risk families, and by creating a partnership between participants and government agencies.

You have the power to create positive change in your community by stopping the abuse and neglect that occurs in your own neighborhood. If you suspect child abuse or neglect is occurring, please report it to your local CPS agency or to the police if the child is in immediate danger. The longer the abuse continues the more damage it will ultimately cause the child(ren). (See American Humane’s Fact Sheet, Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect).

As nationwide data from sources like NCANDS become more detailed and available, they can help professionals and others understand the problem of child maltreatment more completely. Yet, data alone cannot solve the problem of child abuse and neglect in America.

What Is NCANDS?

NCANDS, the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, is the primary source of national information on abused and neglected children known to public child protective services agencies. American Humane has provided technical assistance to this project since its beginning in 1990. NCANDS reports that Child Maltreatment 2005 appears to have a large increase in overall data due to the fact that this edition is the first to include Alaska and Puerto Rico. For a copy of this report, contact the Child Welfare Information Gateway at (800) 394-3366 or http://www.childwelfare.gov/. The publication is also available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb.

References

Child Welfare Information Gateway (2006). Preventing abuse of children with disabilities. Retrieved June 29, 2007.

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA). (2005). Family matters: Substance abuse and the American family. New York: CASA.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth, and Families. (2007). Child maltreatment 2005. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

U.S Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau. (2003). Child welfare information gateway: A bulletin for professionals. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect. (1996). Third national incidence study of child abuse and neglect (NIS-3). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Resources

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth, and Families, Children’s Bureau. (2006). The AFCARS report #13. Retrieved June 27, 2007.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1999). Blending perspectives and building common ground: A report to congress on substance abuse and child protection. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

FEAR - Forget Everything And Run vs. Face Everything And Recover

It is said that "resentments" cause more people to drink and drug than anything else - "The number one offender." However, I am convinced that most people, including myself, react to their feelings of fear more than any other feeling. There are 6 basic fears:

- The Fear of Poverty
- The Fear of Criticism
- The Fear of Ill Health
- The Fear of Loss of Love of Someone
- The Fear of Old Age
- The Fear of Death

What do you fear most?

Miracle of Grace

This past week, I was at the American Bar Association (ABA) Annual Meeting on the Committee for Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAPs) which help lawyers, judges, and law students with addiction and mental health issues.  There I was forced to confront the most difficult pasts of my past minute-by-minute and day-by-day.   I attended this conference because I have had two career goals for the past 7-8 years - 1) to be the best interventionist possible, and 2) to create a treatment program that really and truly effectively helps legal professionals address their addictions and find recovery.

 

This year I took Absolute Adventure Addiction Interventions full-time and have started a lawyer treatment program.  But it is all difficult. Very difficult.  But what truly remarkable challenges are not difficult. 

I know we grow when we are outside our comfort zone, but when we fly without a net...it's scary.

One of the reasons that intervention is so important and necessary is that our addictions are the most cunning predators, as a woman I heard today stated, "addiction is the perfect predator because it finds it's place in our brain that will allow it to take another chance at our soul."

The good news about recovery was found in the resiliency - not of the mind, nor of the body - but of the soul.  The soul seems to be always under attack and is never destroyed.  Thus, the entry point for recovery is not necessarily the mind or the body but through the spirit...through the soul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sea Of Sharks - Hanging out with lawyers for three (3) days.

Today, I finished a conference of the American Bar Association Lawyer Assistance Programs.  It is their annual conference on programs to help lawyers with addiction issues and mental health problems.  Denial, delusion, rationalization, minimization and intellectualization are the hallmark of the lawyer's defense mechanism.

It was very difficult to hear all kinds of discussions about other lawyers going through what I did.  I heard a new definition of addiction - "I can't do it successfully, but I will always think I can." The fact is that sobriety is treacherous; life is treacherous.  But is really a great adventure and I do not want to miss a sober second of it - Good people, broken, cerebral - hard working people trying to change and do their best.

Sober Saturday Nights

Running season is beginning again. This is the time that I remember most what I am doing with my own recovery and the miracle of my sobriety. Tonight I am spending time with my parents. They were there for me when I was at my worst. Tomorrow I will get up at 5 am and run the length of New Smyrna Beach from Flagler Ave to the jetties and back - about 5 miles. Then go surfing if there are waves or Stand Up Paddleboarding if there are not. I am 51 years old and I will do these things as if I am 21 years old. When I was 41 years old, I was drunk at this time on a Saturday night. Not this Saturday night or any other for many years. Sunday mornings feel really good.

I am so grateful to take part in this miracle - to be a miracle or a tragedy. Miracle today, baby!!!

KROKODIL!!! More insanity!!

There are so many drugs that keep coming up, that continue to develop. For several years now, "Molly", a form of MDMA or Ecstacy, has been causing havoc among young people experimenting. Now, Krokodil, a rough form of desomorphine, is potentially making its way into the United States. I have no doubt it will come; it is only a matter of time.

As appeared in the Orlando Sentinel, By Matt Hamilton

11:00 a.m. EDT, September 28, 2013

A highly addictive drug whose name derives from the green, scaly sores that develop on users’ rotting flesh was reported to have found a toehold in the United States this week. In Phoenix, physicians told toxicologists at the Banner Good Samaritan Poison Control Center that they spotted symptoms consistent with krokodil, an intravenous drug that is prevalent in Russia and Eastern European countries, according to a statement released to the Los Angeles Times. Although toxicology reports have yet to confirm the presence of krokodil, reports in the media sounded the alarm, prompting fascination and speculation.

 

"The Most Horrifying Drug in the World Comes to the US," said Time magazine. Mother Jones minced no words: "Zombie Apocalypse Drug Reaches US: This Is Not a Joke." The appeal of news about krokodil (pronounced "crocodile") stems partly from its dramatic consequences on the human body: The drug ravages the flesh, exposing the bones, destroying internal organs and leaving users vulnerable to infection. Users quickly develop abscesses and gangrene, and often amputation is the only way to protect a patient’s life.

 

Curiosity also stems partly from the do-it-yourself nature of the drug’s preparation. According to New York’s Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, it can be made with ordinary ingredients, including paint thinner, codeine, iodine, hydrochloric acid, red phosphorus, gasoline and lighter fluid. Krokodil is essentially a back-alley version of desomorphine, which was introduced in 1932 as a less addictive version of morphine.

 

But according to a study in the Journal of Addictive Diseases, desomorphine turned out more addictive and up to 10 times stronger than the drug it was meant to replace, so it was mostly discontinued. Switzerland produced the drug until the 1950s, and today, desomorphine is banned in Austria and Germany. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has been tracking use of krokodil abroad for at least two years, where the drug has surged in popularity, especially in Russia. Up to 1 million people in Russia are estimated to use krokodil, according to New York's Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.

 

But has it reached the United States?

Absent any definitive proof that krokodil abuse has occurred, the DEA has -- so far -- labeled the Arizona cases anecdotal. Other reports of krokodil in the last two years in Alabama and Arkansas were never confirmed, agency spokesman Rusty Payne said. “When I hear about about these things like krokodil, I’m skeptical,” Payne said. “I’m not believing it until I get a lab report.” There’s still no evidence that it has entered the illicit drug market in the U.S., Payne said. But toxicologists at the Arizona poison control center said they remain worried about krokodil usage, explaining that emerging drug habits are typically first seen by area physicians.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/la-na-nn-krokodil-heroin-arizona-20130927,0,4080579.story

10 Reasons Why We Don't Lose Weight

Change and Dealing with the Reptilian Brain

When someone begins the study of addiction and the biology and the science of addiction, one of the first things that we learn is that addiction is a disease of the brain. There are many things that we still do not know, principally why some people become afflicted with addiction and others do not. We have learned that virtually all people who have severe addictions also have suffered severe trauma, occasionally emotional trauma, physical abuse or a traumatic brain injury. However, not all people who suffer from trauma also suffer from addiction. So the question is "why do some 'get it' and not others?" We do not know exactly what causes it either. However, there is a lot that we do know.

We do know which parts of the brain are affected by addictive behaviors and chemical substances. So, for example, in the case of the alcoholic or drug addict, we know that the chemicals act on the brain stem or the reptilian part of the brain. This is the area of the brain that controls our animal instincts for food, fight or flight and pro-creation or sex. Thus, the first addictions and perhaps the roots of all addictions are food addiction, sex addiction and fear.

Now here is the part where the interventionist is the most important in getting someone to accept help for their addiction. With addiction, the brain is satisfied temporarily when the addict gets his or her high from alcohol or drugs, the high from cake or sweets, or the latest sexual conquest or winning horse at the track. But soon the beast needs to be fed. When family or friends say, you need to change. What happens to the addict's brain? It hears "no more alcohol, drugs, gambling, compulsive eating or sex, etc" and goes into "fight or flight" out of fear. I have had interventions where many people fight verbally or occasionally and once with a gun. I have had a few who take flight on foot or in a car. But it is all fear overriding reason. What needs to happen is that the addicted loved one needs to hear "HOPE - FREEDOM - SAFETY SECURITY NEEDS MET IN ANOTHER WAY - A HEALTHIER SUSTAINING WAY." This is done through acknowledging the fear and addressing it in a non-threatening way and appealing to the basic response of "Here is how your needs will be met now."

Revising Our Lives

Courage

HOPE