YOUR TODAY INSPIRES HER TOMORROW A different way to treat people. A parents battle with addiction places their children’s future at risk. At Sober Living Outpatient, we strive to provide the highest quality treatment for each and every individual. Our clients are enabled to maintain long term sobriety and focus on what’s most important in their lives... their future.
Call Us Today! 877.659.4555 soberlivingoutpatient.com
Sober Living Outpatient is proud to have partnered with Dr. Patch Adams on last months “The Joy of Caring” fund raiser. All proceeds went to Sage Institute for Family Development, a 501 (c)(3) charitable, non-profit corporation
2
www.thesoberworld.com
A LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER Dear Readers, I welcome you to The Sober World magazine. The Sober World is an informative award winning national magazine that’s designed to help parents and families who have loved ones struggling with addiction. We are a FREE printed publication, as well as an online e-magazine reaching people globally in their search for information about Drug and Alcohol Abuse. We directly mail our printed magazine each month to whoever has been arrested for drugs or alcohol in Palm Beach County as well as distributing locally to the schools, colleges, drug court, coffee houses, meeting halls, doctor offices and more throughout Palm Beach and Broward County. We also directly mail to treatment centers throughout the country and have a presence at conferences nationally. Our monthly magazine is available for free on our website at www.thesoberworld.com. If you would like to receive an E-version monthly of the magazine, please send your e-mail address to patricia@thesoberworld.com Drug addiction has reached epidemic proportions throughout the country and is steadily increasing. It is being described as “the biggest manmade epidemic” in the United States. More people are dying from drug overdoses than from any other cause of injury death, including traffic accidents, falls or guns. Many Petty thefts are drug related, as the addicts need for drugs causes them to take desperate measures in order to have the ability to buy their drugs. The availability of prescription narcotics is overwhelming; as parents our hands are tied. Purdue Pharma, the company that manufactures Oxycontin generated $3.1 BILLION in revenue in 2010? Scary isn’t it? Addiction is a disease but there is a terrible stigma attached to it. As family members affected by this disease, we are often too ashamed to speak to anyone about our loved ones addiction, feeling that we will be judged. We try to pass it off as a passing phase in their lives, and some people hide their head in the sand until it becomes very apparent such as through an arrest, getting thrown out of school or even worse an overdose, that we realize the true extent of their addiction. I know that many of you who are reading this now are frantic that their loved one has been arrested. No parent ever wants to see his or her child arrested or put in jail, but this may be your opportunity to save your child or loved one’s life. They are more apt to listen to you now than they were before, when whatever you said may have fallen on deaf ears. This is the point where you know your loved one needs help, but you don’t know where to begin. I have compiled this informative magazine to try to take that fear and anxiety away from you and let you know there are many options to choose from. There are Psychologists and Psychiatrists that specialize in treating people with addictions. There are Education Consultants that will work with you to figure out what your loved ones needs are and come up with the best plan for them. There are Interventionists who will hold an intervention and try to convince your loved one that they need help. There are detox centers that provide medical supervision to help them through the withdrawal process,
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
There are Transport Services that will scoop up your resistant loved one (under the age of 18 yrs. old) and bring them to the facility you have chosen. There are long term Residential Programs (sometimes a year and longer) as well as short term programs (30-90 days), there are Therapeutic Boarding Schools, Wilderness programs, Extended Living and there are Sober Living Housing where they can work, go to meetings and be accountable for staying clean. Many times a Criminal Attorney will try to work out a deal with the court to allow your child or loved one to seek treatment as an alternative to jail. I know how overwhelming this period can be for you and I urge every parent or relative of an addict to get some help for yourself. There are many groups that can help you. There is Al-Anon, Alateen (for teenagers), Families Anonymous, Nar-Anon and more. This is a disease that affects the whole family, not just the parents. Addiction knows no race or religion; it affects the wealthy as well as the poor, the highly educated, old, young-IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. This magazine is dedicated to my son Steven who graduated with top honors from University of Central Florida. He graduated with a degree in Psychology, and was going for his Masters in Applied Behavioral Therapy. He was a highly intelligent, sensitive young man who helped many people get their lives on the right course. He could have accomplished whatever he set his mind out to do. Unfortunately, after graduating from college he tried a drug that was offered to him not realizing how addictive it was and the power it would have over him. My son was 7 months clean when he relapsed and died of a drug overdose. I hope this magazine helps you find the right treatment for your loved one. They have a disease and like all diseases, you try to find the best care suited for their needs. They need help. Deaths from prescription drug overdose have been called the “silent epidemic” for years. There is approximately one American dying every 17 minutes from an accidental prescription drug overdose. Please don’t allow your loved one to become a statistic. I hope you have found this magazine helpful. You may also visit us on the web at www.thesoberworld.com. We are on Face Book at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Sober- World/445857548800036 or www.facebook.com/steven.soberworld, Twitter at www.twitter.com/thesoberworld, and LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/grp/home?gid=6694001 Sincerely,
Patricia
Publisher Patricia@TheSoberWorld.com
For Advertising opportunities in our magazine, on our website or to submit articles, please contact Patricia at 561-910-1943 or patricia@thesoberworld.com. 3
IMPORTANT HELPLINE NUMBERS 211 PALM BEACH/TREASURE COAST 211 WWW.211PALMBEACH.ORG FOR THE TREASURE COAST WWW.211TREASURECOAST.ORG FOR TEENAGERS WWW.TEEN211PBTC.ORG AAHOTLINE-NORTH PALM BEACH 561-655-5700 WWW.AA-PALMBEACHCOUNTY.ORG AA HOTLINE- SOUTH COUNTY 561-276-4581 WWW.AAINPALMBEACH.ORG FLORIDA ABUSE HOTLINE 1-800-962-2873 WWW.DCF.STATE.FL.US/PROGRAMS/ABUSE/ AL-ANON- PALM BEACH COUNTY 561-278-3481 WWW.SOUTHFLORIDAALANON.ORG AL-ANON- NORTH PALM BEACH 561-882-0308 WWW.PALMBEACHAFG.ORG FAMILIES ANONYMOUS 847-294-5877 (USA) 800-736-9805 (LOCAL) 561-236-8183 CENTER FOR GROUP COUNSELING 561-483-5300 WWW.GROUPCOUNSELING.ORG CO-DEPENDENTS ANONYMOUS 561-364-5205 WWW.PBCODA.COM COCAINE ANONYMOUS 954-779-7272 WWW.FLA-CA.ORG COUNCIL ON COMPULSIVE GAMBLING 800-426-7711 WWW.GAMBLINGHELP.ORG CRIMESTOPPERS 800-458-TIPS (8477) WWW.CRIMESTOPPERSPBC.COM CRIME LINE 800-423-TIPS (8477) WWW.CRIMELINE.ORG DEPRESSION AND MANIC DEPRESSION 954-746-2055 WWW.MHABROWARD FLORIDA DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE 800-500-1119 WWW.FCADV.ORG FLORIDA HIV/AIDS HOTLINE 800-FLA-AIDS (352-2437) FLORIDA INJURY HELPLINE 800-510-5553 GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS 800-891-1740 WWW.GA-SFL.ORG and WWW.GA-SFL.COM HEPATITUS B HOTLINE 800-891-0707 JEWISH FAMILY AND CHILD SERVICES 561-684-1991 WWW.JFCSONLINE.COM LAWYER ASSISTANCE 800-282-8981 MARIJUANA ANONYMOUS 800-766-6779 WWW.MARIJUANA-ANONYMOUS.ORG NARC ANON FLORIDA REGION 888-947-8885 WWW.NARANONFL.ORG NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS-PALM BEACH 561-848-6262 WWW.PALMCOASTNA.ORG NATIONAL RUNAWAY SWITCHBOARD 800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) WWW.1800RUNAWAY.ORG NATIONAL SUICIDE HOTLINE 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433) WWW.SUICIDOLOGY.ORG ONLINE MEETING FOR MARIJUANA WWW.MA-ONLINE.ORG OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS- BROWARD COUNTY WWW.GOLDCOAST.OAGROUPS.ORG OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS- PALM BEACH COUNTY WWW.OAPALMBEACHFL.ORG RUTH RALES JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES 561-852-3333 WWW.RUTHRALESJFS.ORG WOMEN IN DISTRESS 954-761-1133 PALM BEACH COUNTY MEETING HALLS CENTRAL HOUSE 2170 W ATLANTIC AVE. SW CORNER OF ATLANTIC & CONGRESS CLUB OASIS 561-694-1949 CROSSROADS 561-278-8004 WWW.THECROSSROADSCLUB.COM EASY DOES IT 561-433-9971 LAMBDA NORTH CLUBHOUSE WWW.LAMBDANORTH.ORG THE MEETING PLACE 561-255-9866 WWW.THEMEETINGPLACEINC.COM THE TRIANGLE CLUB 561-832-1110 WWW.THETRIANGLECLUBWPB.COM BROWARD COUNTY MEETING HALLS 12 STEP HOUSE 954-523-4984 205 SW 23RD STREET 101 CLUB 700 SW 10TH DRIVE & DIXIE HWY LAMBDA SOUTH CLUB 954-761-9072 WWW.LAMBDASOUTH.COM POMPANO BEACH GROUP SW CORNER OF SE 2ND & FEDERAL HWY PRIDE CENTER 954-463-9005 WWW.PRIDECENTERFLORIDA.ORG WEST BROWARD CLUB 954-476-8290 WWW.WESTBROWARDCLUB.ORG
4
www.thesoberworld.com
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
5
ASD AND ADDICTION By Dr. Karen McKibbin
Addiction is a difficult thing to cope with, live with, and to overcome. Regardless of who you are, it is a battle that not only affects the person but also their friends and family. Addictions often stem from intense feelings of pain and loneliness, as well as a history of trauma. While all of these factors don’t need to be present for addictions to occur, they do significantly increase the risk of developing an addiction to any variety of substances. Autism Spectrum Disorders are a neurological condition that significantly affects a person’s ability to understand and navigate the social-emotional world that we live in. It is a condition that is present from birth and does not occur because of a trauma or exposure to stressful situations. Individuals on the autism spectrum can spend a lifetime struggling to understand the nonverbal communication that we all engage in, from our facial expressions, gesture use, tone of voice, and identifying emotions both in themselves and in others. These challenges can make it difficult to form and maintain friendships, often leaving the person feeling isolated, misunderstood and alone. Individuals on the autism spectrum can fall into the world of addiction just as easily, if not more so, than a non-autistic (or neurotypical) person. They spend their lives living in a world that they don’t understand, a world that doesn’t understand or accept them. The constant battle to be accepted, find a friend, to be liked and to be tolerated often causes significant depression and anxiety. The exposure to repeated isolation from peers and the trauma of bullying from others can be extremely difficult to manage alone, particularly for individuals who have high functioning autism, and what we used to call Asperger’s Syndrome. The world of self -medication is one that is easy to fall into and desperately difficult to come out of. When traditional medications don’t seem to ease the anxiety of living in a social-emotional world that you don’t understand; when a stare, a gesture, or a wrong word can leave you targeted by bullies, ostracized by your friends, your classmates, and resented by your teacher, the blanket of depression quickly ensues. Many individuals on the autism spectrum feel that they were “born on the wrong planet” - they look just like everyone else, but their minds don’t comprehend the nuances of the social and emotional world they are forced to live in every day. And then one day they find their substance - whether it be alcohol, marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine or something else suddenly they feel the release ... the freedom of the world they have tried so desperately to fit into, to be accepted by, but to no avail. Falling into the world of drugs and addictions allows them to find a social group that finally accepts them; that does the same drugs, that have the same addictions as they do. Combining that sense of freedom, the release from the endless anxiety and depression, and the longing for acceptance from others, substance use becomes all the more addictive. Not only does it give the release from the intolerable world, but it also provides a social network and comfort that has often only been dreamt of.
6
For individuals on the autism spectrum, using drugs and alcohol helps alleviate their anxiety and their sense of loneliness. It allows them to feel less inhibited, and more comfortable engaging in social events and interactions with others. Drug use and the interactions of different substances can also become a strong area of interest for individuals on the autism spectrum. In this regard, they are often seen as “experts” by their fellow drug users who will ask for their experiences when certain substances are used in combination with others and what dosages can be used to produce specific highs. This is incredibly reinforcing for the individual on the autism spectrum because they are now also being recognized as an expert, and their knowledge and intelligence are being seen as an asset to those around them. Giving up substances also means giving up this aspect of their lifestyle, which can be extremely difficult in itself because this type of intellectual and social acceptance is often something that the person has spent most of their life trying to find. While the treatments for addiction entail the same components for someone on the autism spectrum as they would for a neurotypical person, it is also extremely important for the individual on the spectrum to develop a social network with new friends, as well as finding other, healthier ways for their intellect and special interests to be acknowledged and appreciated. For example, if they have been seen as the expert in drug interactions and dosages, considering a job or gaining training where this information can be helpful (e.g. taking chemistry classes at the local college) would be worth considering. Like with anyone else who has overcome and survived addiction, having a strong social support network around them is very important in order to maintain their success and move forward in their lives. Autism Spectrum Disorders do not cause substance abuse or addiction. Substance abuse and addiction occurs due to a wide variety of difficult circumstances in a person’s life that leaves them feeling alone, unsupported and misunderstood. Having a family history of substance abuse also increases any person’s risk of abusing substances themselves. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there are many resources available that can help you as a family member, a friend or as an individual who is struggling. Dr. McKibbin is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who has worked with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder for over 15 years. She trained at John Hopkins University and has been mentored by Dr. Tony Attwood, spending time working with him in his clinics in Australia. Dr. McKibbin currently runs a successful private practice in Portland, Oregon and specializes in working with teenagers and adults with high functioning autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. She recently published her first book about females on the autism spectrum entitled “Life on the Autism Spectrum: A Guide for Girls and Women.”
www.thesoberworld.com
RECOVERY COACH TRAINING
Spiritual Growth
Are you looking to build a career, and have a passion for helping others? Come take our training and become a Certified Recovery Coach (CRC)!! We will provide you with the necessary skills to mentor and provide support to anyone who would like to enter into or sustain long-term sobriety. Come join us and get your certification to become a Recovery Coach. The training will take place th th th th over two weekends, March 18 – 20 and the 25 – 27 at Lifescape Solutions Located in West Delray Beach. Come take advantage of our training valued at $850 at our discounted price of $450. Not only will you be getting an extremely beneficial certification for this amazingly low price but a 100 percent goes to our scholarship program to help those who can’t afford to help themselves. For more information and to reserve your spot today visit www.SpiritualGrowthTherapy.com!! Please hurry as we only have a limited number of seats available!!
Therapy
A New Way of Thinking
Visit our blog for intriguing articles on current events, philosophy, and spiritual growth!
www.SpiritualGrowthTherapy.com
CALL NOW! 844-305-4357
We won’t give up if you don’t give up.
A Family Business
benchmarktransitions.com
The Benchmark Transitions® Program Benchmark Transitions® is a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to residential therapeutic transitional living for young adult men and women offering a full continuum of transitional living services: •
Detox
• Residential
• PHP
(Day Treatment)
• IOP (Intensive Outpatient)
• OP
(Outpatient) Living
• Transitional
• Extended • Evening
Care IOP
Our dual-diagnosis model combines clinical treatment, behavioral health therapy, addiction recovery & aftercare, educational & occupational opportunities, career development and life skills in a structured and nurturing environment that fosters self-discovery and autonomy.
Individualized Treatment with Comprehensive Program Options Recovery by Benchmark® Substance abuse treatment specific to young adults
Benchmark Behavioral Health Specific treatment option for clients without substance use history
Co-Occurring Diagnosis Individual treatment plans specific to each client’s needs
1.800.474.4848 x1 To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
7
MY JOURNEY FROM MOBSTER TO RABBI A STORY OF ADDICTION, CRIME AND REDEMPTION By Rabbi Mark Borovitz
“Hi, my name is Mark Borovitz and I am an alcoholic in recovery with a pure soul.” I have been saying this for more than twenty-seven years, since my release from incarceration at the California Institution for Men in Chino, California. I was at my lowest point in December 1986, when LAPD Detective, Jim Bashira, arrested me. He had already arrested me once, in January 1981; so when he saw a wanted poster for me in November 1986, my identity was flagged in his memory. It took only enough time for him to round a corner in his police cruiser and see me crossing that very same street, for everything to come together in his mind. I was taken into custody for the umpteenth time. In jail again, I called my wife at the time. Familiar with the drill, she asked me which bondsman she should call. This time my answer was very different. “Don’t call anyone,” I told her, “the Man Upstairs is trying to tell me something and I have to sit here until I can figure it out.” I grew up as a nice Jewish boy in Cleveland, Ohio, in the ‘50s and ‘60s. I was not abused as a child and my parents, grandparents and extended family were fine, upstanding citizens. I had two older brothers (one died in 2001 from complications related to multiple sclerosis) and a younger sister. Yet, my earliest memories are of being acutely aware that I did not feel like I fit in anywhere – not with my family, not at school and not in my synagogue community. My inner feeling of not being “good enough,” kept me feeling separate. My father, Jerry Borovitz of blessed memory, always told me that I was worthy and valued and helped me deal with life, but I never found a place of acceptance of myself, or my place in the world. Like many kids, I stole little things, mostly giving away what I took to “buy” friends. After my father’s death when I was fourteen years old, my mother found herself strapped for cash. To help my family I went to school, went to an after school job, and started reselling merchandise that had been stolen by the Mafia. I found that having money made me feel more at ease. I found that drinking made me feel more at ease. I no longer felt like an oddball when I had money and booze on or in me. In my teenage years, I was doing these illegal activities as well as going to temple and saying prayers for my father, and serving as the president of my youth group. I was split having two separate identities but I could not see the incongruous nature of my life. This divide inside of me kept growing larger. I had to leave Cleveland when I learned someone wanted to “take out a contract” and have me killed! I came to Los Angeles, CA, and continued on with my divided ways: I got married and had the most wonderful daughter; and also continued committing crimes and drinking heavily. Nothing stopped me: not love, not negative consequences, not legal penalties, nothing- that is, until
that day in December 1986. From prison, I called my brother Neal who has been a rabbi since 1976 and asked him to send me a Hebrew Bible and a Jewish prayer book. I also began working with the prison chaplain, Rabbi Mel Silverman, of blessed memory, and began my journey of finding my authentic self. Since February 1987, I have studied and prayed each day. I have grown out of being a rebellious, angry teenager and grown into a responsible adult. My path has been one of integration and I continue to unite the wisdom I have found in Judaism, the spiritual principles of 12-Step programs, and other faith traditions with “street smarts” and my innate sense about business and how to make a deal. I work hard each day to see the divine image in each person and the spiritual principles at play in every situation. I have been fortunate enough to be profoundly impacted by many teachers; there are so many who have contributed to my recovery, from finding my calling to work in criminal rehabilitation and addiction treatment, to becoming an ordained rabbi in 2000, and to my current position as CEO and Senior Rabbi for Beit T’Shuvah, a successful nonprofit, long-term treatment center in Los Angeles. I certainly would not have found my way without a lot of help along the path and there is one person who has been a constant companion in my search to find wholeness- my daughter, Heather Garrett. When she was six years old she wrote me a letter while I was in prison for the last time: “Daddy, I hate you because you are part of me and when you are in prison, part of me is in prison and I didn’t do anything to be in prison. Love, Heather.” I had already made the decision to change and listen to where God was trying to guide me, but this letter solidified my resolve. For the first time, I realized how much I mattered to my daughter. This experience led me to a new and overwhelming understanding: You Matter! This is the first teaching that I impart to new clients at Beit T’Shuvah. We all matter, everything we do has an impact on other people, the world around us, and ourselves. I have had the honor and privilege of teaching and learning with many people who have made me the man I am today. One of the gifts of this journey is that I can honor my father’s memory and life principles. I have also received the immense gift of becoming a proud and committed father, no longer trapping my only child in my own imprisonment. My journey from criminal to rabbi has involved so many people and experiences, they are far too numerous to name and too rich to fully describe. I am grateful for everyone. Trying to listen to what God is telling me continues to be a daily practice. I cannot always hear or understand, but I am a lot farther along the path than I was when I first started seeking that guidance almost thirty years ago. Thank you, God, for always searching for me, for finding me, and for speaking to me in a way that I can understand. My prayer is that this article speaks to all of you in ways you can understand. Rabbi Mark Borovitz is the author of The Holy Thief and the newly released book Finding Recovery and Yourself in Torah: A Daily Spiritual Path to Wholeness (Jewish Lights Publishing) Rabbi Mark is the senior Rabbi and CEO of Beit T’Shuvah, a non-profit, nonsectarian, Jewish Addiction Treatment Center and Synagogue community in Los Angeles, CA.
8
www.thesoberworld.com
YOUR FUTURE SELF WILL THANK YOU The Shores Treatment & Recovery provides
highly individualized treatment plans for both men & women. Our integrated holistic &
medical methods of care foster healing for mind, body & spirit, all in a supportive, nurturing environment.
Beachfront MenĘźs Housing Substance Abuse Treatment Mental Health Treatment Residential & Outpatient Support Faith-based & 12-Step Options Strong Recovery Community Alumni Support Nutrition & Physical Wellness Massage Therapy Chiropractic & Acupuncture
Thank y o reaching u for One pho out for help everyth ne call chan . ged ing. -Your fu
ture sel f
We Are Here For You
772.800.3990 TheShoresRecovery.com
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
9
INTELLIGENCE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL: ONE-WAY TO DERAIL ADDICTION DISEASE By Omoronike’ Hamilton, LPC, NCC
Given that approximately one million young adults ages 18-25 received some type of treatment for behavioral health (substance use disorder or mental illness) problem in the past year, it is fair to say that the population at risk for actual “Face time” with substance misuse and addiction is getting younger and younger- A pause for concern. The fact that the field of addiction is finally getting the recognition and support that it deserves is exciting and an inspiration. I say this because what I do for a living has afforded me the opportunity over the last five years to get a glimpse of the world according to the young adult in early recovery. I can honestly say while I am encouraged to see that young people are getting help sooner than later, I am struck by the toll it takes emotionally. What has stirred my interest enough to try and write about this is not hearing a 20 something- year old say they “use to numb feelings” or “to escape” “to calm down” to fit in”,” to be liked in certain social circles” “ to cope with stress” “ to be more comfortable in social settings” and a number of other reasons to avoid reality. What compels me is the fact that they recall being this way since the 6th or 7th grade! I am fully aware that teenagers and young adults have access to and experiment with various drugs but for some reason, I felt the need to find out more about what can be learned from teenagers ages 11-14 years old who will become young adults in recovery. When I speak with parents and family members, their recollection of their “loved ones’ (now in recovery) growing up, range from nothing unusual to super smart, well rounded, adjusted, pleasant personality, confident, lovable, connected, popular or ‘a regular kid”. And yes children develop differently as experts in psychosocial development tell us, “Individuals pass through different stages of development from infancy to adulthood.” Challenges of stages NOT completed can re-appear at a later time in a person’s life! The glaring reality that requires the acquisition of self-awareness and maturity is definitely something that people are faced with in early recovery. I found myself needing to fact check this with my personal experience as a parent of three young adults who attended middle school and high school and college (I figured it was safe to find out what I might have missed about their experience without freaking out!) To fast forward, I asked my youngest daughter to enlighten me about her experience. “Mom, Middle School is a unique experience” and she broke it down in her own words, but my take from what she said is this: Elementary school is like one size fits all: same class, same teacher, same friends. Middle school is sort of like a box of chocolates- in that you never know what you are going to get: different teachers, different class rooms, different friends, different everything!!” In other word, a significant transition to say the least. Suddenly the expectation is that somehow the Middle School crowd is expected to demonstrate their ability to problem solve, memorize, grasp complex math and science concepts, become well rounded, or high achievers with their own unique talents that we expect will be ”fine tuned” in High school. So is this about a certain level of intelligence? Stay with me here as I present my breakthrough. Quite often with an “increase in intellectual ability comes varying degrees of social awkwardness and or lack of success”. It is well documented that Emotional Intelligence is equally if not more essential than intellectual ability for balancing happiness/success, achieving life goals and maintaining meaningful relationships. Guess what? For the same reasons, adolescents in Middle School and young adults struggle with or lack Emotional Intelligence (EI), which is “ the ability to identify, use and manage emotions in positive and constructive ways.”
10
It is about engaging with others in an effort to build connection. It requires the following abilities: Self-awareness: Recognize one’s own emotions and how they affect thoughts and behavior; know your own strengths and weaknesses, develop self-confidence. Self-management: Control impulsive feelings and behaviors, manage emotions in healthy ways, take initiatives, follow through on commitments adept to changing circumstances. Social awareness: Understand emotions, needs and concerns of others, feel comfortable socially, and recognize group dynamics. Relationship management: Maintain good relationships, communicate clearly, inspire and influence others, be a team player and manage conflict. Where it is complicated for those in Middle school is that developmentally, they are grappling with “industry vs. inferiority, identity vs. role confusion: can I make it? Am I confident? The big one is Social relationships. Talk about Stress! Young adults now in early recovery face similar complications because their approach, up until this point has been not to trust emotions but rather to self medicate, numb feelings, avoid, escape etc. Consequently, both groups lack the following skills required to develop emotional intelligence that could alleviate some of the reasons they are attracted to and or use drugs in the first place. These skills include: • • • •
The ability to reduce stress quickly Recognize and manage emotions Connect with others Use humor and play and resolve conflict
On a positive note, these skills can be and are being incorporated in to various treatment modalities, which afford young adults an opportunity to acquire and incorporate them into their relapse prevention or recovery plans and in their every day lives. The question becomes how helpful would it be for teenagers in middle school to develop emotional intelligence given that they are in “a box of chocolates” mode to begin with? My suggestion is that it would be helpful to expose those in middle school to the (EI) skills while they are “adolescents, with the hope that the have every opportunity (the earlier the better), to learn and practice using these tools necessary to successfully complete stages of development without resorting to substance misuse or having to revisit earlier stages of development later on in life while struggling with addiction disease. Omoronike’ Hamilton is the Clinical Director at Aquila Recovery Clinic in Washington, DC. Nike has 30 years of experience in counseling and behavioral health. She has served in both public and private sectors within the United States and Great Britain.
www.thesoberworld.com
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
11
LIVING BEYOND
A Monthly Column By Dr. Asa Don Brown
THE ADDICTIVE PERSONALITY “Every form of addiction is bad, no matter whether the narcotic be alcohol, morphine or idealism.” ~ Carl Gustav Jung What is an addictive personality? Are you an addict if you use or rely upon something too much? Are you an addict if you prefer to spend time reading a book verses playing an online game? Are addictive behaviors related to a specific psychological personality? Contrary to popular belief, research has been unable to identify an ‘addictive personality.’ While we understand the complexities of an addiction and addictive personality; addictions themselves have a variety of triggers that may spark an addictive habit. Psychologically, addictions and addictive behavior can be related to alcohol or a substance, a specific thing, an ideological perspective (e.g. religion, political) or an activity. Why is it that addictive personalities are frequently attracted to similar stimuli? For a majority of people, when they consider an addict, they will inform you that an addict is someone who is physically and mentally dependent upon a particular substance, but rarely do we consider other forms of addiction. Why it is that substance abuse dominates the discussion of addiction? Simply put, substance abuse has a tangible and definable effect upon the life of an individual. Furthermore, when an individual is addicted to a substance, they are typically unable to stop taking it without incurring adverse side-effects. “Drug addiction has been a stubborn problem for thousands of years, but only in the last generation have scientists come to understand clearly one of the reasons: It causes lasting changes in brain function that are difficult to reverse.” While we understand that the stimuli serves as a source of evoking a specific reaction or response within the pleasure center of the brain; research struggles to pinpoint why some individuals are capable of quitting while others are perceivably unable to quit. What is it that causes one individual to girt his loins up and is capable of quitting, while another individual struggles throughout his or her life? Does the ability to quit reflect upon an internal ability to prove resilient? Does familial support or the lack therein offer some explanation to why someone may be capable of quitting an addictive habit while others are not? We have a clear understanding that the addictive personality is seeking to stimulate the brain’s pleasure center, but what about those who have seemed to sear this pleasure center. Why are they continuing to use substances or to pursue his or her addictive habit? What drives an individual who perceivably receives no pleasure from the addictive habit? As previously mentioned, addictive habits have been a problem for humanity since the very inception of the human species. While not all individuals are addicted to legal or illegal substances, the cravings evoked from an addictive habit stimulate the same pleasure center releasing the neurotransmitter dopamine. “When a human being or other animal performs an action that satisfies a need or fulfills a desire, the neurotransmitter dopamine is released into the nucleus accumbens and produces pleasure. It serves as a signal that the action promotes survival or reproduction, directly or indirectly. The system is called the reward pathway.”
line, or finding some form of success or ultimate sense of achievement. It is that ultimate high that comes with feeling fulfilled, accomplished, and satisfied. “Over fifty years ago the discovery that rats would work to electrically stimulate their brains suggested the intriguing possibility that bliss could be achieved through the use of ‘pleasure electrodes’ implanted deep within the brain. Subsequent research has failed to bring about this brave new world of boundless pleasure, but more recent findings have started to throw new light on the intriguing links between brain mechanisms of pleasure and happiness. While we clearly understand that the addictive personality is searching for the ultimate rush and feeling of satisfaction, the specific location of the brain’s satisfaction center is not clearly understood. The Rolling Stones nailed the addictive personality with the song Satisfaction: I can’t get no satisfaction I can’t get no satisfaction ‘Cause I try and I try and I try and I try I can’t get no, I can’t get no... The addictive personality commonly feels as though he or she cannot achieve, or that they seldom achieve, satisfaction in life. What is the solution to resolving the need for an addictive personality? In the United States alone, we know that there are nearly 2 million heroin and cocaine addicts, perhaps 15 million alcoholics, and tens of millions of cigarette smokers in the United States alone. No simple solution is in sight, but we know much more than we did 20 or even 5 years ago about how the brain responds to addictive drugs, and that knowledge is beginning to affect treatment and prevention.” The addictive personality is not isolated to substance abusers, alcoholics, gamblers, and sexual pursuers; the addictive personality may be made up of impulsive characteristics, and is often layered with a compulsive behavior. Addicts do not all look the same, nor are they all struggling economically, socially, or emotionally. If you were to consider for a moment the positive styles, traits, and behaviors of an addictive personality; then you may see that addictive behaviors are intermingled throughout a majority of our society. Addictive styles, traits, and behaviors are a common core of successful entrepreneurs, entertainers and academic achievers. While the neurological, biological and psychological communities continue to research the addictive personality, it is encouraging that we are gaining on a clearer understanding of the addictive personality and the behaviors therein. The addictive personality is not unlike a majority of society, they are simply seeking to find a place of satisfaction. May you begin living beyond. Author: Dr. Asa Don Brown, Ph.D., C.C.C., D.N.C.C.M., F.A.A.E.T.S. Website: www.asadonbrown.com References Provided Upon Request
The addictive personality does not have to crave the same addictive substance to receive the same pleasurable release. The addict is seeking to feel satisfied or fulfilled. The release of dopamine is a euphoric experience allowing for the individual to be in a state of intense excitement, joy, pleasure, and happiness. It is not unlike an individual winning a tournament, crossing the finish
12
www.thesoberworld.com
We are the second step to becoming sober. Calling us is the first.
W E B U I L D T H E P L AC E S W H E R E M I R AC L E S H A P P E N E V E RY DAY
3 Corbett Way • Eatontown, NJ 07724 8 0 0 .7 1 0 . 4 3 0 0 • s p r o u t h e a l t h g r o u p . c o m
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
13
DECRIMINALIZATION By Catherine Lovern In a state ranked 49th for mental health funding, with one of the largest uninsured populations, and an ever increasing number of incarcerated people, Florida is in desperate need of mental health care reform. Today, the three facilities that hold the highest number of individuals with mental illnesses are not psychiatric hospitals, but jails. The criminal justice system has become the “de facto” mental health care system, simply because there are so many persons with psychiatric disabilities who are not receiving treatment. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 40% of adults with serious mental illnesses are arrested at some point (usually for petty crimes like loitering or disturbing the peace). A 2006 survey revealed that 56% of state prisoners, 45% of federal prisoners, and 64% of jail inmates had clinical symptoms of a mental health disorder (James and Glaze). In fact, Riker’s Island holds the highest number of individuals with mental illnesses. When an individual with a serious mental illness goes untreated and un-medicated, they often become symptomatic. While these symptoms certainly vary in type and severity, they often lead to behaviors that can be interpreted as combative, threatening, and resistant from a law enforcement officer’s perspective. While Broward and Miami Dade counties have responded – and have done an excellent job in doing so - by implementing programs such as mental health court and crisis intervention training, the root of the problem remains. We need effective, comprehensive, community-based mental health care. We already know that mass incarceration spends tax-payer dollars at an alarming rate; why not spend these dollars on mental health care before these individuals become part of the criminal justice system? An individual with mental illness could receive about one year of disability income, outpatient mental health services, and supplemental housing for roughly the same cost as a ninety day incarceration. The economic impact alone should be a sufficient impetus to overhaul Florida’s mental health care system. What about
the other implications of incarcerating individuals with debilitating mental illnesses? Most individuals with psychiatric disabilities do not represent a threat to the public. Once in jail, they serve longer sentences with higher levels of corrective action and higher recidivism rates - all due to their mental illness. They are easily victimized by other inmates, and due to disruptive behavior caused by their illness, often serve longer sentences than prisoners without a mental illness, even though that person may have committed more serious crimes. When released, they face the same barriers (now compounded with a criminal record) as they did before their arrest. Mental illness is not a choice, not a defect of character, and certainly not a crime. Most people, when asked, would say that non-violent offenders should not be imprisoned if there are better alternatives. Yet the problem continues to escalate. As they cycle between street corner, jail cell, and hospital bed, we are treating individuals with psychiatric disabilities in the most ineffective (financially, ethically, and clinically) way possible. Guardian Behavioral Health Foundation is determined to stop this cycle of ineffective spending, misallocated resources, and – most importantly – inappropriate and inhumane treatment of individuals with mental illnesses. The decriminalization of mental illness is about taking responsibility for our community. It is a civil rights issue. The next time you see a man, unshaven, dirty, sunburnt, wearing clothes that are far too big for him, walking barefoot on the side of the road…consider that he may have lived the past ten years trying to negotiate through life with incessant voices in his head, intrusive thoughts, and delusional thinking. What we don’t know is who he really is. He is a person, and he has a story. Treatment has been proven to improve lives. And…at the risk of sounding cliché…he deserves a chance to do that. Catherine Lovern is the Program Director at Guardian Behavioral Health Foundation
MOVE SOMETHING! DANCE WITH LIFE GETTING INTO ACTION TO BOOST YOUR RECOVERY By Rabbi Jenny Skylark Kuvin, JD RMT
“You will never think or feel your way into right action, but you can act your way into right-thinking or feeling.” ~Anonymous
“All we basically need is to start with one gesture of faith as a token of acceptance. Each little act strengthens the next.” ~Rabbi Joseph Gelberman
It’s time to move something!
Imagine life is your dance partner. It cannot lead you if you don’t move. Stop dancing with fear and anger; they keep you stuck in cement. Stop dancing with the past. This day is waiting. There is a rhythm in your heart which beats with life. Let the rhythm move you. Get out of your head, into your heart. Shake your tush and smile. Grab life by the hand and tango! Move something...and watch life move!
So many times in our recovery we find ourselves stuck in a depressed state. We are unable to pick up the phone to call anyone, share our feelings or attend meetings and be honest with what is going through our mind. The most important thing is not to beat yourself up when you find yourself in this state. It is part of the process. The most important thing is simply to move. When one moves one sets into motion new possibilities, allowing the universe to open new doors by demonstrating willingness. We are in a partnership with the world. If we do nothing, the world does nothing. If we reach out, the world reaches out. If you find yourself caught in a negative mindset of depression, sadness, anger or fear...it’s time to move.
14
Rabbi jenny Skylark Kuvin is the host of The Rabbi Jenny Show on 1470am and iheart radio. She is the author and creator of AHAVATAR: Awakening the Divine Within, The Heroic, Visionary and Healer Therapeutic Model. She is also the Executive Director at Epiphany Resources Treatment Center www.rabbijenny.tv
www.thesoberworld.com
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
15
Hop on into Within today!
April
2016
A Recovery-focused Boutique
Within Books Boutique Cafe is part of The Treatment Center Family
20OFF %
OFF
Any 50$ Purchase
Any Single Item
Certain exclusions apply Expires: 5/2016
Located in The Shoppes of Atlantis 5865 S. Congress Ave. Lake Worth, FL 33462 16
Certain exclusions apply Expires: 5/2016
Monday - Friday 7:30am-5:00pm Saturday 8:00am-4:00pm Closed Sunday
561-922-0313 WithinBooksCafe.com www.thesoberworld.com
OU R MISSIO N is to guide individuals and families
W E AC C E P T A LL P P O I NS U R A N C E
towards
To f i nd o ut i f y o ur H MO i nsur ance i s c o vered, v i si t b e i ttshuv ah.o r g
a p a t h o f living well
LEVELS OF CARE
so that wrestling souls
can recover from addiction an d l e arn
HOW TO PROPERLY HEAL The BEIT T’SHUVAH faith-based model, founded on authenticity and wholeness, integrates spirituality, psychotherapy, Jewish teachings, the 12 Steps, and the creative arts. We are a compassionate, supportive community, devoted to building an empowering sense of belonging and purpose to everyone who seeks it. BEIT T’SHUVAH believes everyone has the right to redemption, and practices never turning a single soul away due to their inability to pay... allowing for all who wish, to make T’Shuvah.
• • • •
Residential PHP IOP Outpatient
ADDITIONAL SERVICES OFFERED
• • • • • • •
Interventions Prevention Family Counseling Individual Counseling Spiritual Counseling Gambling Cessation Alternative Sentencing
310. 20 4 .520 0 For more information contact BRANDON BE RRY ADMISSIONS DIRE CTO R bberry@beittshuvah.org
www. be ittsh uvah .o rg To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
17
A QUESTION ABOUT ADDICTION - DOES JAIL FAIL? By Judge Seth Norman
The original theory of incarceration for criminal offenses was to punish and rehabilitate. Over the years it seems that the theory has become geared more toward punishment and less about rehabilitation. This is not to say that penal systems have abandoned rehabilitation because this is not true. The problem arises as the result of the ever growing number of people who are incarcerated. For many years legislative bodies tried to combat crime by building more jail or prison cells and increasing the punishment for certain crimes. Much of this has come about because of the increased use of drugs by the people of this country. At the present time almost 60% of all individuals serving a sentence of confinement for a criminal offense have an addiction. For many years, many members of the judiciary believed that you could “lock’ um up till you dry’ um out”. Before I was elected as a Criminal Court Judge in 1990, I had practiced law for 28 years. A good part of my practice had been defending individuals charged with a crime. When I started as a young lawyer drug cases were rare. However, over the years the number of clients I represented for drug related offenses steadily increased. Later, as a trial judge, I began to see the “revolving door” analogy increase. I would sentence an individual to prison for a drug related offense and before I knew it the same individual was back before me after having served his or her sentence only to be released and within a short time was back before me on a new drug related charge. Sometime in the early nineties I read or heard of something in Miami, Florida called a “Drug Court”. At that time our criminal courts were swamped with drug cases. The thought crossed my mind that we might be able to get a new criminal court to handle drug cases and relieve our overcrowded dockets. I appeared before the appropriate state legislative committee and asked permission to investigate the possibility of a Drug Court. We were fortunate because we received a study grant and an implementation grant to help us start a drug court program. In late 1996 the Davidson County Drug Court began to operate. As luck would have it, we did not get another court, I got another docket. Our operation was an out-patient program. Such programs are extremely valuable and serve a great purpose, but they do little to relieve the jail overcrowding problem because most people who are eligible for out-patient treatment would not be sentenced to incarceration. It was obvious that if we we are going to help the jail overcrowding problem we would have to divert individuals from jail to a residential facility. It was not the intent of the proposed program to offer treatment in lieu of punishment but rather to offer treatment in conjunction with punishment. In order to receive the grants for a drug court, visits with other operating courts is required. During these visits the length of treatment was a continuing topic. The longer a person stayed in a treatment setting the more their chance of success improves. The Drug Court staff considered this fact and decided that some type of residential setting would be worth a try for long term hardcore drug users who were packing our jails. As luck would have it the staff became aware of buildings at an old mental hospital that were vacant. These buildings had been vacant for a considerable length of time and were not in the best of condition. We asked for, and were granted permission to use these facilities. Well, now the drug court had a potential residential facility, but that was all we had. No beds, no sheets, no towels, no food, but most important of all no money!!! In Tennessee, and probably in many other states, money and property are often seized in drug related cases. Tennessee law allows some of these funds to be used for the treatment of addiction. By agreement with the District Attorney
18
General and the Chief of Police we entered into a contract which provided the drug court with some of these funds. The Davidson County Residential Drug Court staggered into being. There were no guidelines for this type of operation. It was strictly on a trial and error basis. We would try something and it would not work, so we would back up and try something else. We kept experimenting until things worked. Most state and local governments have surplus property departments. We had to become very friendly with these people, as the result we were able to acquire the necessary furniture and other items. While searching for additional funding we became aware that there were charitable organizations that could or would not give money to a governmental body. The Las Vegas drug court had solved this problem by creating a not for profit foundation to receive monies from such charities. The Nashville Drug Court Support Foundation was created to alleviate this problem. Judges cannot solicit funds in Tennessee but a not for profit foundation can. What started with seven residential volunteers began to blossom. It soon became necessary to ask for more buildings. The original entrants were all male. It soon became obvious that a female component was necessary. Within a year we were using five buildings on the old mental hospital campus. Our population had grown and was approaching 100 residents. For some reason that we have never understood we asked the city of Nashville government to pass a resolution that allowed the drug court to use these buildings as long as the drug court was in operation. Within six months the city told us we would have to move because Dell Computer was moving to Nashville and they wanted this property. Because of the resolution granting us use of the property we politely refused to move. The city found three million dollars and built us a new 100 bed facility. We continue to operate out of that facility today. The five building complex is structured to house 40 female residents and 76 male residents. Population is usually controlled by available funding. Admission to the residential treatment program is controlled by the Tennessee Drug Court Treatment Act of 2003. As is usual with most Drug Courts, violent offenders are excluded. When the Davidson County residential program started its treatment it was only for residents of that county (Davidson) and cocaine was the most prevalent drug of choice. When Tennessee began to realize that methamphetamine was a growing problem, the Governor asked us to add twenty beds to the facility and to start a pilot project for the treatment of meth addiction. Several years later the thirteenth Judicial District of Tennessee asked if we would be willing to oversee their Drug Court. The 13th Judicial District covers Continued on page 44
www.thesoberworld.com
Leave the Pain of Addiction Behind Start Your Recovery Today
MedicALLy MAnAged detox in A Luxurious setting
(561) 263-5090 1230 S. Old Dixie Hwy. l Jupiter, FL 33458 l JupiterMedDetox.com
58727_JMC_SoberWorld_QP4C_Ad.indd 1
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
11/2/15 11:21 AM
19
WHAT AM I MISSING? DEFINING THE PROBLEM AND ATTACHMENT THEORY (PART 1) By David M. Kolker, J.D. LCSW
What am I missing? I keep relapsing and don’t know why I have such a difficult time remaining clean and sober?” How we treat addiction in treatment must change. The idea that we can provide information and teach an individual how to remain clean and sober is a fallacy. Most addicts and alcoholics are above average in intelligence and the question is “Don’t you think if they could be taught how to stop destroying their life they would merely read a book and the problem would be eliminated?” The answer is “Of Course.” Who would choose to drink, drug or addictively act out knowing their life is over if they do?” Nobody. Thus, people know and they still partake in these behaviors. Therefore, the answer is not merely education. Facts: • 9% of the U.S. population meets the criteria for substance use disorder (SUDs) (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 2010); • Drug-related suicide attempts increased by 41% from 2004-2011 (Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN); • Therapeutic alliance is one of the greatest predictors of positive treatment outcomes (Straussner, 2012). “Until an addict or alcoholic develops the capacity to establish mutually satisfying relationships, they will remain vulnerable to relapse and the continual substitution of one addiction for another ~Phillip Flores What is Attachment Theory? “Most of the psychopathology seen in the alcoholic is the result, not the cause of alcohol abuse.” ~Valiant, 1983 If we don’t begin treating the problem, which quite possibly stems from a lack of secure attachment modeled during childhood, as opposed to the solution, addictive behavior, we can count on continued treatment failure, often called resistance to treatment. Resistance to treatment seems to be a way of saying it’s the patient’s fault not ours. Therefore, we put the cart before the horse. The result of putting the cart before the horse is the following: • We admit a patient to treatment with distorted definitions of concepts learned as a child, i.e., honesty, hope, faith, courage, integrity, willingness, humility, brotherly love, discipline, perseverance, awareness, service. • The patient learned these definitions from their caregiver or parent from the models presented to them as children. • How would the patient know these definitions are potentially dysfunctional if it is all they know? • How effective will step work be if the patient doesn’t have a model or healthy definition of what the principles of the steps espouse? Attachment theory assumes that the experience of childhood relationships shapes adult attachment styles. These experiences create the road map or internal working model for how the individual will perceive himself and others relationally (Bowlby, 1973). The basic premise is that we only know what we know. For example, two men are sitting in the park discussing zoo animals. The one man asks the other if he has ever seen an elephant, to which the other man replies ‘no, what does it look like?’ The man states, ‘it is a large grey animal that has four hoofs, rough skin, floppy ears and trunk in the front’. The other man states ‘you mean like the tree trunk outside?’ The man replies ‘no, not a tree trunk’. To which the man asks ‘You mean like the trunk of my car?’ The point is that the man will only know what an elephant looks like if he sees a picture or goes to the zoo. Similarly, if a child grows up with caregivers who are physically present although not emotionally present, thus, lacking a functional definition of emotional availability and intimacy, the child is more likely to have a stunted view
20
of being emotionally present for others in their life. It is very possible that when this child becomes an adult, their innate need for secure attachment will not be met unless they see a model for what healthy attachment looks like. The basic principle of Attachment Theory is that those with secure attachment (stronger emotional relationship with caregiver) are better able to regulate emotions and have less relationship problems. However, disruptions in the attachment system (insecure attachment) can lead to vulnerabilities in the sense of self and others as well as relationship problems; thus, leading to shame, co-dependency and a need to numb pain via addictive behavior. Therefore, if we don’t address and model secure attachments to patient’s, they will stay stuck in the solution of continuously seeking to avoid and discharge pain through addictiveness. Research suggests that relationships influence brain development and “relationships have the capacity to rebuild certain parts of the brain that influence social and emotional lives; clinicians can help clients to alter their attachment patterns with a secure clinical relationship. (Miehls, 2011, p. 82). The bottom line in defining Attachment Theory is that the goal of treatment needs to be focused on changing the the definition and model of what it means to feel included, loved and secure. “The inability to establish healthy relationships is a major contributing factor to relapses and the return to substance use.” (Flores, 2004). Thus, the answer to “sh*t what am I missing?” is: Not having had a clear model of secure attachment because it was partially or completely missed during childhood. As Flores stated: “Therapists must be able to challenge, soothe, care, love, and if necessary, fight with a patient if they are able to provide a full range of emotional experiences that can potentially come alive in an authentic relationship. ~Flores, 2004, p. 259 To sum up part one of this article, unless we provide a solid definition of concepts that we see as normal (based on definitions that were modeled) albeit dysfunctional and damaging, the way we work the 12 steps will be flawed and based on dysfunctional definitions, lacking much change in behavior. Alternatively, we can utilize the 12 steps as a corrective experience by interpreting each step as follows: Interpreting the 12 Steps from an attachment perspective: Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Step 5: Step 6-7: Step 8-9: Step 10:
The experience of abandonment; Permission to hope; integration to others; Taking a risk (vulnerability) to attach Taking a risk to attune with self Taking a risk to attach to another person Correcting and repairing relationship with self Correcting and repairing relationships with others Personal responsibility for securely attached relationships in my life Step 11: Solidifying a secure attachment to my Higher Power Step 12: Increasing my ability to model securely attached relationships to others David Kolker is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Juris Doctor. He is the Clinical Director/CEO and primary therapist at Sober Living Outpatient.
www.thesoberworld.com
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
21
Mal–FEE–Sance – PERSONNEL IS POLICY By John Giordano, Doctor of Humane Letters, MAC, CAP
This is the third installment in the Mal–FEE–sance series that I have moved up to second because of current events. In the first installment I laid out how campaign contributions to congressmen and congresswomen influence our government’s national drug policy. In this segment I’ll show you how PhRMA’s campaign contributions in combination with their lobbying efforts have moved one of our institutions – the FDA – away from their core responsibilities of protecting the American public and into the pharmaceutical industry’s profit column. Politicians have an axiom they’ve been using for quite some time; ‘personnel is policy.’ But what exactly does this mean? In this case, it means that for any government official – whether it’s your local mayor or President of the U. S. – to accomplish their agenda, they must have key personnel placed in strategic positions within the government agencies that will be effected by and executing their policy. Perhaps one of the finest current examples of ‘personnel is policy’ is President Obama’s appointment of Dr. Robert Califf to head the FDA. As a matter of procedure, the President appoints the commissioner of the FDA and the senate must approve his appointment before he or she can hold the office. On February 24, 2016 the senate approved Califf’s appointment over the strong objection of many of its members and watch-dog groups who say he has a series of conflicts of interest and is too friendly with the pharmaceutical industry. Regardless if you think President Obama is too closely aligned with the Pharmaceutical industry or not, the actions he has taken are facts. Whether they’re the result of political wrangling or his preference will never be known. But what does stand undisputable is the decision itself of replacing Margaret Hamburg as head of the FDA – the government agency that regulates in excess of twentypercent of all the products bought and sold in the United States – with Dr. Califf. Margaret Hamburg is a Harvard University graduate who left her position at Henry Schein, Inc (the largest seller of dental products in the U.S. and a major seller of medical products) when she was tapped by President Obama to head the FDA. Hamburg was President Obama’s first commissioner appointment to the FDA. Because of her fawning public health positions, Hamburg was greeted with open arms. But the new commissioner soon disappointed her advocates when she began working towards loosening the conflict of interest rule baring individuals and/ or groups who receive health industry money from sitting on expert advisory boards regulating the very products made by the companies that paid them. She claimed the agency was struggling to fill the seats on the 50 expert panels. In response, health-care watchdogs said; ‘Balderdash’ (and other acronyms or phrases starting with the letter ‘b’ with the same effect)! Hamburg’s stained legacy is not what her early supporters could have ever believed possible. At the objection of her advisory board (11-2) and 28 state attorneys generals, Hamburg approved the pure hydrocodone product Zohydro (5 times as much active opioid as the highest strength hydrocodone), approved Oxys for kids 11 years and older, oversaw a 50.4% increase in the production of Oxycodone, the active ingredient of Oxycontin, and streamlined the approval process making it even easier for pharmaceutical companies to get FDA approval. Perhaps her most challenging moment came in 2012 when a pharmacy based in Massachusetts produced tainted epidural steroids that killed 64 people and sickened hundreds of others across the country with fungal meningitis. Lawmakers grilled Hamburg during a congressional hearing, accusing her of not fulfilling her duties as leader of the nation’s top drug regulatory
22
agency. During Hamburg’s tenure, nearly 100,000 Americans died an avoidable horrible death at the hands of the very poison she was responsible to regulate, prescription opioid painkillers; yet not a peep from congress. Our lawmakers’ silence is deafening. While many in congress have called for a change in the culture at the FDA, it appears as though they are as much, if not more, of the problem. They take money from the pharmaceutical industry and tell us that it doesn’t influence their votes. Often they’ll point to their voting record as an example of their honesty and integrity. However what they rarely point out – and what you and I will never see – is the backroom political gymnastics our lawmakers go through for special interests to get key personal placed into a position of authority. And we don’t see or hear much about the pressure congressmen and congresswomen brings to bare on the heads of agencies on behalf of their campaign contributors. Is this how Dr. Califf found his way to the top spot in the FDA? Quid pro quo? You be the judge. Watch-dog groups have firmly opposed the confirmation of Dr. Robert Califf. Joe Manchin, former governor of West Virginia and current Senator, suggested: “Get somebody in the FDA that’s basically conscious about what’s going on and not married up to large Pharma.” Yet with all the controversy and obvious conflicts of interest surrounding Califf, his nomination was confirmed by senate with an 89-4 vote on February 24th. From my perspective, this confirmation completely eviscerates any and all government pretenses of eliminating conflicts of interests. The frail veneer that at least gave us the faint impression that the FDA was working to keep us safe is now gone. There is no longer any conflict of interest; the FDA is now being operated solely by the very same industries they’re supposed to be regulating. The FDA will now be regulating commerce – or more accurately opening the flood gates – with little regard for public safety. Dr. Robert Califf is the former Vice Chancellor for clinical research at Duke University. 50-60% of the research he conducted was funded by the pharmaceutical industry. During his tenure at Duke, Califf was also a paid consultant for a variety of pharmaceutical companies (as much as $100,000 a year). He says his salary was contractually underwritten in part by several large pharmaceutical companies. According to his Wikipedia page Califf was also: “the Director of Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from July 2012 to January 26, 2015, Advisor of Proventys, Inc., Chairman of the medical Continued on page 46
www.thesoberworld.com
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
23
24
www.thesoberworld.com
MAKING RECOVERY A LIFETIME OF ADVENTURE!
O
regon Trail Recovery combines clinical therapies with outdoor adventures that renew mind, body, and spirit.
Located in beautiful Clackamas County, Oregon, an incredible range of adventure environments lay within a couple hours in any direction—from ocean to mountain, forest to desert, city to countryside...
Our 3-9 month therapeutic and comprehensive Men’s and Women’s transition recovery programs include: • Individual therapy with a Licensed, Masters level therapist • Weekly groups facilitated by certified addictions counselors and a Master’s level therapist. • Spiritual group and guided meditation • Adventure Excursions that include camping, river and ocean fishing, hiking, biking, whitewater, snow trips and sporting events. • Job search and preparation, including resume building and interview skills • Upscale structured living homes provide a perfect environment to learn and grow in recovery. • Transportation and meals are provided. • Most insurance is accepted.
Oregon Trail Recovery provides clients with the resources and tools to address their core issues and behaviors to increase their ability for sustained recovery and mental and emotional well being.
Call 503.901.1836 or visit OregonTrailRecovery.com 1 0 6 0 0 S E M C L O U G H L I N B LV D . # 2 0 7
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
•
M I LWA U K I E , O R 9 7 2 2 2
25
THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL FOR ADDICTION – BUT IBOGAINE IS THE NEXT BEST THING By Rabbi David Dardashti
I call Ibogaine the miracle substance. Well over twenty-five years ago I was a successful and respected businessman in South Florida, husband and the proud father of six wonderful children. At the same time I was in excruciating pain from migraine headaches. They became so unbearable that I found myself barely able to work and be a good father. The pills my doctor prescribed provided relief for a while; but the dosage needed to be increased as time went on. He assured me this was normal and the pills were safe. I had no idea that the pills I put in my mouth every morning and evening were legal heroin. As you could imagine, I found myself in the clutches of a full blown opioid addiction. It was very hard for me to accept. I was a business man with a family; not an addict. Impossible I thought. It simply can’t be; I’m too strong. Later I accepted that I was naive. Unwittingly, I had become addicted to prescription opioid painkillers. I tried to quit several times, but to no avail. Eventually I checked into a detox facility; and after five long days and sleepless nights of being treated with methadone I returned home. I was so sick my family gathered around me that night thinking I was going to die. I’ve never felt so close to death. In and out of consciousness I prayed to God for mercy. It took days for my prayers to be answered. But when the illness subsided I was left in a familiar place – cravings opioids with brain crushing migraines. I did not question God’s judgment and always believed my experiences were part of his plan for me. However, over time I became very depressed. The migraines were debilitating – I felt like a broken human being constantly searching for relief from the pain. In my quest I’d found a clinic in Mexico that claimed they could end my migraines with an all natural substance called Ibogaine. Everything I’d been through made me skeptical. This had to be a sham I thought; just one more empty promise of ending my pain. But at the time I was desperate. The migraines were unbearable. So I took a chance. I hired two private detectives to check out the clinic and their fanatical claims. I was shocked when they reported the clinic was above board and their claims were verified. And then I felt something that I hadn’t sensed in decades – hope. I have to admit I was cautiously optimistic walking up the sidewalk to the center. As they began treatment I found myself drifting off into a dreamlike state while feeling an unfamiliar yet welcomed energy gently coursing throughout my body. It was a warm and at times tingly sensation from my toes to my head. Then I went on an interpersonal journey. I found myself walking back in time all the way to my youth. What I found unique was that I was walking through my subconscious – a view of my life experiences that I never saw before. A voice told me I had very little time and I had to decide between asking questions and praying. What happened next is very personal to me and I don’t care to share those experiences. However, I can tell you that later I heard what I can only describe as a musical rhythm – the sound of something being repaired. Many of the people I’ve treated have said they heard the same thing. It seemed like seconds to me but ended up being ten hours. I awoke feeling the changes. Within days I felt an energy I’d never known before. My senses became alive. Everything I ate had more flavor, the days were brighter, colors were more vivid and my outlook on life was never better. People I’ve treated had similar experiences. Since my Ibogaine treatment I have not had one single migraine. It took my depression away and my chronic addiction. After I experienced the healing powers of Ibogaine firsthand, I realized why I’d become addicted and went through the excruciating
26
pain that I did – I knew exactly what God’s plan was for me and have pursued it with an unshakeable passion ever since. People are dying horrible avoidable deaths by the tens of thousands every year from addictions to these poisons – my job is to end the carnage. “Soon after, with the help of experienced doctors and medical assistances, I began operation of my own Ibogaine clinic. In the time I’ve been treating people for addiction with Ibogaine, most ask about the negative physical side effects of treatment before we get started. There are very few. Nausea and vomiting seem to be highlighted on the internet; however there are ways to mitigate it. For example, many clinics around the world have a one size – or in this case one dosage amount – fits all approach to treatment. This approach allows the same dosage for a 6’2 225 pound healthy 25 year old male and a frail 60 year-old grandmother. I’m sure even you can see problems in this approach. What I’ve found in the last ten plus years is that a more comprehensive approach that takes into consideration a persons age, weight, years of abuse and so on, combined with staggering the administration of Ibogaine eliminates nearly all the nausea and vomiting. People are also curious as to why there isn’t more scientific research on Ibogaine. In 1967, Ibogaine was classified as a Schedule 1 drug in the U.S.; and as such, very difficult to research. I suspect there is another reason Ibogaine is under-researched. Ibogaine is derived from the Iboga plant – a scrub really – found in West Central Africa. Because it is found in nature it cannot be patented. The pharmaceutical industry – who holds sway over drug research and development in the U.S. – has absolutely no interest in developing a substance that they can’t patent and profit from, regardless of its proven healing abilities. Additionally, and based on my experiences, I believe that Ibogaine poses a threat to the pharmaceutical industry’s reoccurring multi-billion dollar annual profits from the sale of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) drugs. Seven out of ten people I treat are on one of these MAT drugs. It is my supposition that the more people become aware of the healing qualities of Ibogaine and the more addicts treated with this miracle substance; the closer some of these big pharmaceutical companies come to going out of business. So that being said, we are left to rely on internet reporting from people and facilities around the world utilizing various protocols to evaluate the efficacy of Ibogaine in the treatment of drug addiction. Although not scientific and certainly a less than desirable form of research, a common thread has emerged from cumulative reports resulting from the tens of thousands of people treated with Ibogaine over the last half of a century – Ibogaine is extremely effective in eliminating addiction withdrawal symptoms, cravings, the desire to abuse drugs and depression. From my own experiences, I can tell you unequivocally Ibogaine works. To date, with my staff of doctors and trained medical Continued on page 46
www.thesoberworld.com
We know Lives are on the line...
Florida Screening & LC/MS/MS Confirmation Laboratory 24 HOUR TURNAROUND We understand a fast turn around time is required, NOT optional. Which is why our lab technicians will do whatever it takes to ensure you receive your results within 24 hours.
ACCURATE RESULTS Results are checked by 2 MT’s before the certifying scientist reviews and releases the results.
EASY TO FIND RESULTS We can customize how you view your laboratory results: mail, fax, portal, even automatically upload them into many EMR’s.
NO LOST SPECIMENS Our SOP’s require hand offs and sign offs whenever samples change hands. Specimen tracking is more than important.
1501 Green Road, Suite A, Pompano Beach, Florida 33064 To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
CUSTOMIZED PANELS Don’t get forced into a panel you don’t want, customize your test panel based on your patients needs, not the labs.
SUPERIOR CUSTOMER SERVICE
As a full service laboratory, we pride ourselves on keeping you completely satisfied. Our customer service and laboratory teams stand ready to answer your questions anytime.
754-222-5150 | 844-DRUG-LAB
AtlanticBioTech.com
27
HOW MUCH DOES ADDICTION TREATMENT COST… WHEN IT DOESN’T WORK? By Jacob Levenson
According to statistics from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, approximately 40 million Americans have addiction (21.5 million with substance use disorder), 27 million have heart disease, 26 million have diabetes and 20 million have cancer – all chronic diseases requiring extended, long-term treatment. However, there is a huge disparity in the amount our nation spends to treat addiction when compared to the amount spent on each of the other diseases. Consider this: In one recent year, the United States spent $107 billion to treat heart disease, $87 billion on cancer treatment, $44 billion to treat diabetes, yet just $28 billion to treat addiction. Paul Samuels, President and Director of the Legal Action Center, which advocates for people with addiction, stated in a 2015 interview, “We know addiction treatment saves lives, reduces drug use, reduces criminal activity and improves employment. The data is there, the evidence is in, but our public policy has not caught up with the science.” We are, however, seeing progress in the public’s understanding of the disease of addiction. For example, in 2005, a survey of 1000 American adults reported that 63% saw addiction as primarily a personal failing or moral weakness that should be treated with criminal punishment. Fast forward ten years to November 2015, and a survey of 1007 American adults reported that 72% see addiction as primarily a chronic disease that should be treated as a health condition. Despite the fact that addiction is a recognized disease of the brain, on average, only 11% of Americans who need addiction treatment receive it - a percentage that fails in comparison to those who seek, and receive, treatment for other chronic diseases. There is a confusing variety of treatment options including inpatient, outpatient and a wide array of residential treatment facilities. There are facilities that specialize in specific addictions, most do not. Some facilities prefer patients to start as a group at the same time, while many others accept new patients daily, incorporating them into on-going groups and therapies. There are facilities that encourage detox and others that do not have the medical staff to do so; some use medication and some do not. Even though all of the facilities have an approach to treating addiction, very few of them have reliable outcomes data. This makes it difficult to make an informed decision. A frequent scenario see’s families choosing addiction treatment based on word-of-mouth or internet searches which too often results in a revolving door of failed treatment. Today some providers in the field of addiction treatment have begun to examine the field’s practices and methods in order to formulate strategic responses to what is and isn’t working. Providers are motivated to no longer send the message to a patient who relapses or experiences multiple returns to treatment that he has somehow failed, rather the message today is that the treatment more than likely failed the patient. Addiction, like every chronic disease, requires a comprehensive understanding of the severity of illness and the indicated level and intensity of treatment coupled with an extended post-treatment maintenance plan. A contained plan, for example, of 28 days of residential addiction treatment with discharge instructions to find a local support group is no longer acceptable. Quality providers understand that treatment oftentimes begins in earnest once the patient has returned home. Data demonstrates that the first 12 to 15 months following addiction treatment is the most tenuous for the patient and there is high risk for relapse and a return to a lifestyle of active addiction. Extending the continuum of care to include posttreatment recovery support has been shown to result in a higher likelihood of maintaining recovery and successfully transitioning from short-term to long-term recovery.
28
Providers and patients will benefit from cost-effective telehealth services; extending the continuum of care and collecting outcomes data on discharged patients is no longer an obstacle for providers due to accessible technology in almost every location in the United States. When addiction treatment is effective, it is less likely to require repeated attempts which reduces recidivism. When only 11% of Americans who need treatment receive it, providers who demonstrate their success rates will be highly pursued. Furthermore, expanding the continuum of care with telehealth will shine a light on a yet-to-be discovered opportunity. Addiction treatment providers will be able to communicate with individuals during the addiction treatment selection process and with families while their loved ones are receiving treatment. The concept of ‘Family Weekend’ has the potential to expand to more frequent and consistent communication which will be proven to be another cost-effective approach to treating the family disease of addiction. A patient’s entire treatment team, including the family physician, therapist or previous providers, will be able to collaborate and communicate best practice methods during and following residential or structured treatment. And, for the provider motivated to work closely with health insurance carriers, telehealth will bring the field of addiction treatment to an altogether new level of transparency. The informed consumer researches and poses questions to potential treatment teams and insurance providers. However, the tricky part is not simply asking questions prior to selecting a treatment provider, the informed consumer will know which questions to ask. Questions to Ask Yourself/Your Family Member • What is the specific addiction? Alcohol, opioids, etc? A combination? • Are there under-lying issues, such as depression, anxiety or bi-polar disorder? Is it possible you/your loved one is selfmedicating with their drug of choice to treat an undiagnosed illness? • Do you have a value or belief system that aligns or does not align with a 12 Step treatment approach? • Are you comfortable in groups and group discussions or do you prefer individual sessions and discussions? • If you have health insurance and/or want to use it, do you understand your policy? Questions to Ask A Potential Treatment Provider • What type of addiction do you specialize in treating? Continued on page 46
www.thesoberworld.com
CO-ED SOBER LIVING AT ITS BEST IN SOUTH FLORIDA 100 Steps to The Ocean, 12 Steps to A New Life!
Prices Start at $200.00 WK. • Alan 30 yrs of Sobriety • Directv in every room with NFL Ticket • 12 Step Meetings on Property • Unlimited Broadband – wireless internet • Security Lockers in every room • Weekly Drug and Alcohol Testing • Heated Swimming Pool • Free Membership to LA-Fitness 320 CLEVELAND STREET, HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA WWW.SOBERLIVINGRESORT.COM
954-931-2500
LIKE us on Facebook: Cleveland House Sober Living Resort
1.888.80.SOBER “If you have been arrested - CALL US!”
Treatment Providers
Ensure that your facility is a Center of Excellence in the addiction treatment field. Track and improve outcomes Optimize your census & reimbursements Expand the value of your program For Information on How You Can Join The Network Call: 844-627-1449 Email: info@MAPNetwork.com Visit: www.ThisisMAP.com/MRN To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
ASI specializes in coordinating treatment alternatives to jail time for those facing alcohol or drug related charges in the court system. ASI is affiliated with a network of treatment centers and licensed attorneys who are qualified and experienced in defending alcohol and drug related charges. For those who are not covered by health insurance for Substance Abuse Treatment, we offer rehab alternatives at a rate substantially discounted from what the treatment centers will normally charge you. Call for a FREE consultation WE PROVIDE: Myles B. Schlam,J.D.,CAP/CCJAP • Interventions • Drug Evaluations CEO, Advocare Solutions,Inc • Drug Charges * • DUI’s * 954-804-6888 • Expert Testimony mschlam@drugtreatmentpro.com • Marchman Acts * www.drugtreatmentpro.com • Criminal Record Expungement *All clients with legal cases will be represented by one of ASI’s licensed network attorneys
29
ENTITLEMENT By Paul D. Alleva, MSW
The definition of Entitlement: • the fact of having a right to something • the amount to which a person has a right • the belief that one is inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment Being an owner and therapist at a substance abuse treatment center, I have seen more than my share of entitled people walking through the doors for treatment. It amazes me that people who were shooting heroin a week before being admitted could be so self-righteous and entitled, often trying to dictate their treatment and throwing wrenches in their path to sobriety right off the bat of admission. They quickly begin to inform the staff of what they are willing to do and abundantly what they are not willing to do while in treatment. News Flash entitled people, those in my experience who actually stay sober are those who have and continue to follow suggestions. Entitlement is a defense mechanism for a fractured ego, poor self-worth, and a life spent receiving everything without a minute of working for it. They’ve lost the notion and the concept of being ‘humble,’ which has become more foreign to them than the Latin language (most of them would even tell you they can speak the Latin language if it would deter them from having to go to group at that particular moment). Entitlement is the notion that the entitled person should receive everything they ask for without having to do anything for it. They are also the first to relapse and the catalyst for bringing other people back into the abyss of addiction. There seems to be a generation of entitled people. Entitlement spans across the generations. However, I’ve never seen such a large number of entitled people as I have recently in our current younger generation (ages 18-30). Perhaps it has to do with growing up in a world where information and technology drives the time and enables them the ability to receive whatever they wish at the touch of a button. Or perhaps the parenting styles and skills of today’s young parents have spoiled their children to the point where the entitlement reigns supreme across the country, or maybe it’s the government entitlements allowing people not to work for what they have after receiving a trillion in government assistance. A friend of mine during the last presidential election told me the story of his son voting for Obama saying “why would I vote for anyone else, I don’t even have to work and I can still get paid.” This is so disheartening- the fact that our nation has created such steep entitlements in the lives, brains, and hearts of our youth to the point when things don’t go their way, they truly have no idea how to fix it other than putting their hands out for another person to save their life. They have no notion or inkling on how to fix the problem themselves. No matter how we’ve come to this point, the fact of the matter remains that it is here and is steeped in the world of addiction. It is creating relapse after relapse and nightmare after nightmare and is the cross to bear for many therapists in treatment centers across the country.
We need to teach these clients that hard work translates into dreams coming true and a life filled with joy and fulfillment. We must go through the darkness to find the light; this is the nature of the universe. Tapering the ego, working for what we want, and building self-value and self-worth lead to a strengthened core and framework for where our clients or patients can build a beautiful life. Paul is the founding owner of Lifescape Solutions and Evolve Mental Health which he opened in December of 2011, based on a new model of healing and psychotherapy called Spiritual Growth Therapy. His newest book, Let Your Soul Evolve: Spiritual Growth for the New Millennium 2nd edition describes the model. SpiritualGrowthTherapy.com
Addressing the clients or patients ego is a paramount way of dealing and addressing entitlement issues. For every need, want, desire or request the entitled person asks for, counter the entitlement with an assignment or work to be completed in order for the person to receive what they are asking for. Always throw the request back on the client and never allow them to get something for free, teaching them to work for what they want and humbling their ego as much as possible. There’s no problem getting what you want if you work for it, it’s what this country has been based on over the centuries. Setting rules and parameters around the ego and entitlement begins to create a higher feeling of self-worth and initiates a good work ethic, humbles the ego, and changes the way the brain works .Setting rules will help strengthen the clients ability to maintain and achieve sobriety.
30
www.thesoberworld.com
Just when the thought the
was over
it became a
WHAT IS A LEVEL 4 TRANSITIONAL CARE HOUSE? Sunset House is currently classified as a level 4 transitional care house, according to the Department of Children and Families criteria regarding such programs. This includes providing 24 hour paid staff coverage seven days per week, requires counseling staff to never have a caseload of more than 15 participating clients. Sunset House maintains this licensure by conducting three group therapy sessions per week as well as one individual counseling session per week with qualified staff. Sunset House provides all of the above mentioned services for $300.00 per week. This also includes a bi-monthly psychiatric session with Dr. William Romanos for medication management. Sunset House continues to be a leader in affordable long term care and has been providing exemplary treatment in the Palm Beach County community for over 18 years. As a Level 4 facility Sunset House is appropriate for persons who have completed other levels of residential treatment, particularly levels 2 and 3. This includes clients who have demonstrated problems in applying recovery skills, a lack of personal responsibility, or a lack of connection to the world of work, education, or family life. Although clinical services are provided, the main emphasis is on services that are low-intensity and typically emphasize a supportive environment. This would include services that would focus on recovery skills, preventing relapse, improving emotional functioning, promoting personal responsibility and reintegrating the individual into the world of work, education, and family life. In conjunction with DCF, Sunset House also maintains The American Society of Addiction Medicine or ASAM criteria. This professional society aims to promote the appropriate role of a facility or physician in the care of patients with a substance use disorder. ASAM was created in 1988 and is an approved and accepted model by The American Medical Association and looks to monitor placement criteria so that patients are not placed in a level of care that does not meet the needs of their specific diagnosis, in essence protecting the patients with the sole ethical aim to do no harm.
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
31
TOP FIVE HIPAA COMPLIANCE ISSUES By Tom Murphy
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR), a division of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the entity within the federal government responsible for enforcing HIPAA. This is the storing, accessing and sharing of personal health information (PHI). The OCR has provided a list of the top five HIPAA compliance issues they have seen since 2003. 1. Impermissible Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information This comes in many forms and can include disclosing patient information without the proper permission or providing patient treatment details to an unauthorized party. 2. Lack of safeguards for Protected Health Information A disgruntled employee of a medical practice in Florida discarded boxes of patient records in a dumpster near the practice. Every medical practice regardless of size is required to implement safeguards to protect health information. 3. Lack of Patients Access to Their Health Information Patients have the right to access their personal health information within 30 days of a request. The practice can charge the usual and customary fees associated with copying these records but the practice must provide them upon the patient or authorized party request. 4. Lack of Administrative Safeguards of Electronic Protected Health Records This is the fastest growing area of compliance issues due to the exploding use of technology in every area of healthcare. You only to need read the headlines every day to recognize that healthcare organizations of all sizes are experiencing serious issues with cybercrime as well as problems within their own organization. 5. Use or Disclosure of More than the Minimum Necessary Health Information This is using or providing more than the necessary protected health information necessary to perform ones job. This can be in the form of having protected health information visible to all employees of a medical practice when only certain employees should have this access. HIPAA Training for Staff Effective 1/1/2016, the Office for Civil Rights is stepping up its enforcement of violation of the HIPAA Privacy Rule and even if your practice does not receive a formal complaint, the OCR is tasked with performing random audits of medical practices and the business associates of these practices. We always recommend that any medical practice or business that falls under the HIPAA guidelines as a “covered entity” should be providing annual HIPAA compliance training for all employees. This can be accomplished in a few different ways. The physician or group medical professional liability insurance company typically has risk management specialists and a wealth of information on their websites. This is going to be your best option and it is free of charge. You can also go to www.hhs.gov/hipaa to get information about the HIPAA guidelines and compliance training. Tom Murphy is a medical malpractice insurance and workers’ compensation specialist with Danna-Gracey. He can be reached at or (800) 966-2120 or Murphy@dannagracey.com.
Finally, Finally,aa Professional Professional Liability Liability Program Program Designed Designed Specifically Specifically for for Behavioral Behavioral Healthcare Healthcare and and Treatment Treatment Providers Providers You deserve an insurance specialist who cares for you as much as you care for your clients and patients. As the largest independent agents specializing in medical insurance for healthcare providers in Florida, Danna-Gracey has gained a wide reputation for treating their physician and surgeon clients like they should be treated… fairly, competently, honestly, and with a caring, personal connection. Danna-Gracey has created numerous medical society endorsed Worker’s Comp, and malpractice Insurance programs, as well as some of the largest Risk Purchasing Programs in the country. Isn’t it time you settled for nothing less than guidance from a trusted advisor who really cares about looking out for you? Who better to work with than those who work with so many medical professionals?
Contact us today at (888) 966-2120 to see what we can do for you.
800.966.2120 • www.DannaGracey.com 32
www.thesoberworld.com
To Untitled-1 Advertise, Call 561-910-1943 1
33
3/4/16 2:14 PM
DISENGAGING WITH LOVE: FOSTERING RESILIENCE IN RECOVERY By Ava Diamond, LCSW
”Some say “detach”, some say “disengage”. Here is why I choose the latter: The parking-brake mechanism engages the teeth on the output to hold the car still. This is the section of the transmission that hooks up to the drive shaft -- so if this part can’t spin, the car can’t move. To “disengage” then, is to allow for movement. To “disengage” is to unclench your teeth from the “output” or trying to stop the outcome from happening by keeping your loved one (or the dynamics between you) in a stuck condition.
Codependency Thrives on Shame, Guilt, and Fear Consider the last few times that you “parented” or “intervened” with your son or daughter...meaning, an issue arose that you chose to address from a parental standpoint. How did you feel when you realized the issue existed? What was your fear about it? Beneath the fear, what was your shame or guilt related to being his/her parent with this issue at hand? How did your fears or shameful feelings (if you had them) affect your words, tone, and actions in how you dealt with your child’s issues?
Is it just semantics? Of course it is. However, I believe that our words are powerful and we must choose them well. “Be impeccable with your word”, is one of The Four Agreements, a Toltec Wisdom book by Don Miguel Ruiz, and since applying that concept (or fumbling and not choosing words wisely at times), I have grown an even deeper appreciation for the power of language. Hence, “detach” vs. “disengage” makes a difference to me and seems to for those whom I support. Can we ever really feel detached or disconnected from our children without either an emptiness related to grief or guilt? Can we wrap our heads around disengaging, or releasing our role from the issues our children are facing or from the negative dynamic we share with them in order to find a new, healthier way?
“I will support you in healthy life, but I will not participate in your demise”.
In order to disengage from the world of addiction, a person has to first recognize how they are a part of it. Parents and significant others often don’t realize how entangled they are in the problem. “Co-dependency” is a byproduct of addicted family life. This is why it is typical for people who were raised by alcoholic or drug addicted parents to find themselves in codependent relationships as adults and then as parents themselves. It is a cycle that will perpetuate if not actively disengaged. Are you ready to stop the cycle?
How Do Parents Foster Resilience in Young Adult Children?
Who is a Codependent Person?
Accountability Measures are Acts of Loving Disengagement
A codependent person: • Has a strong need to take care of and be needed by others. • Feels that they know how to take care of others better than they can take care of themselves. • Will give gifts or rewards in order to keep a relationship going. • Sets aside their own hobbies and interests in order to focus on the interests of others. • Stops all social activities and involvement in order to become more involved in the life of someone else. • Will continue “helping” even if the person they are involved with is abusive. • Feels frequently and intensely unhappy and upset with other people’s problems. • Changes their own behavior so that others don’t reject them or become angry with them. • Feels that their own personal value is directly related to other people. • Finds it difficult to say “no”, always needing to be available to take care of other people and their problems. • Often upset when other people don’t take your concerns as seriously or as strongly as you do. What Does Codependent Family Life Look Like? Family members aren’t sure what they feel, so they have difficulty sharing their emotions. Family interactions or decisions are often focused around the addict or alcoholic. Open communication is difficult since a pattern of avoidance or denial has been set in place. Blame and anger are often present, making it difficult for common solutions to be found. Codependent family roles keep the addict from hitting rock bottom. Family members do whatever it takes to avoid confrontation, chaos or pain.
34
To Disengage Will Foster Resilience in Recovery. • Resilience describes a characteristic that allows positive adaptation within the context of significant adversity. Recovery describes a process that allows restoration or renewal following personal setbacks related to disabling circumstances. • Resiliency is partly determined by one’s genetic makeup, and partly developed through experience and nurturing environments. Recovery is achieved by overcoming obstacles created by illness or environment. • Developing resiliency is an essential aspect of a successful recovery process. In theory, you can’t. In practice, you can only create opportunity for your young adult child to grab hold of their purpose and propensity to overcome life’s challenges, reach goals, and become their healthiest selves. Creating that opportunity can be considered part of disengaging with love as you practice asking questions of your children and setting limits with yourself around problem solving. Accountability measures are clearly defined behaviors that put the onus of responsibility on the person in recovery for earning trust within the family unit. These markers are demonstrated with consistency over time...not just a one- time deal here. For young adults, there needs to be even greater buy-in by the recovering addict for wanting to earn trust because legally they are “free” to do as they please. Hence, disengage with love would mean that while simultaneously setting accountability measures, parents are also following through with their own accountability to the new plan. For example, in order for parents to financially assist the young adult, the young adult needs to participate in recovery work (i.e. remain abstinent as evidenced by tox screens, attend therapy weekly, go to AA meetings/have a sponsor, communicate openly with parents about his efforts and struggles). Another example could be for parents to allow their child to live in their home again, as long as their child continues with recovery practices, has a job or is in school. Accountability measures can only be effective in fostering meaning if the parents mean it! Extrinsic motivation can become intrinsic motivation with consistency of message and action alike. So...go ahead and unlock the brakes and allow for movement... for you and for your young adult child. Foster resilience with clarity and conviction characterized by care. Ava Diamond, has expertise in addiction and trauma treatment, program development, and burnout prevention/intervention for healthcare providers. She is a professional athlete and has blended her physical training experiences with her clinical background to offer her unique Mental Fitness Coaching program worldwide. Currently Ava is practicing in Westport, CT, and at the MindSpa in Sarasota, FL, in addition to coaching clients nationally via secured, HIPPA compliant internet conferencing. www.avadiamondlcsw.com
www.thesoberworld.com
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
35
28 DAYS TO HEAL THE BRAIN? By Dr. Robert Moran
Our knowledge of addiction is rapidly expanding. It is becoming exceedingly complex. One must have a great deal of knowledge of brain function in order to even begin to understand what addiction is, let alone, how best to treat it. I would venture to guess that most professionals who are involved in the treatment of addiction have no basic understanding of brain function. What effect might this have upon the vulnerable patient? Should we leave it up to luck to determine who gets into programs directed by evidence-based treatment and who does not? Research has shown that not everyone who uses alcohol and drugs develops addiction. Genes and early environment play a significant role. In fact, only about 10% (on average) of all people who use substances regularly go on to develop addiction! That is astonishing to most people. These people have been unfortunate enough to have the genetics or environmental experience that have made them vulnerable to the neurologic process when exposed to substances that eventually lead to this state we call addiction. Addiction is not simply the regular use of substances. Rather, it is a state in which the brain is now changed. In a stroke, a clot in an artery in the brain has prevented blood (and, therefore, oxygen) from getting to a part of the brain, which then begins to die. Since the neurons in this area are no longer functioning, symptoms appear which are a result of this neurologic dysfunction. If it occurs in the motor cortex, one experiences paresis (weakness) or paralysis (total loss of muscle function) in the affected area. If this stroke occurs in the left prefrontal cortex, then one experiences all of the symptoms associated with Major Depression, etc. In addiction, there are multiple areas of the brain which have changed as a function of being exposed to chronic use of the substance. For example, the motivation reward system (nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmentum, extended amygdala) is changed, such that it only effectively responds to the substance, rather than the natural reinforcers: sex, food, water, relationships, etc. The memory/learning system (hippocampus, amygdala) has changed such that only memories associated with substance use become relevant (people, places and things). The mood regulation system (limbic system, subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex) is changed in addiction. The impulse control center (orbitofrontal cortex) is changed in addiction. There are connections between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (responsible for working memory and consideration of behavior) and the orbitofrontal cortex and ventromedial cortex which then influence the lower centers of the brain--the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, midbrain, etc., determining whether a craving/desire/wish is allowed to be acted upon. These pathways are severely impaired in addiction. It is no wonder a person suffering from addiction often says that he/she developed a craving and instantly acted upon it without even thinking about it. He/she is being quite accurate in describing the experience. The craving/desire/wish is being developed by the midbrain and should (in the healthy brain) be suppressed or extinguished by the prefrontal cortex if after consideration by the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is found to be unhealthy. These connections are weakened in the state we call addiction. Therefore, they are not extinguished and they are allowed to then determine behavior--that is, the searching for and acquisition of the substance. Treatment involves identifying first the state of the brain. How impaired is the prefrontal cortex (which, by the way, is also responsible for judgment--the capacity to determine the likely consequences of our choices) or the orbitofrontal cortex,
36
or the amygdala, or the nucleus accumbens, or the hippocampus, etc.? We are in the 21st century. The field of medicine has highly evolved. Research is booming. We need to now recognize addiction as the neuropsychiatric disorder that it is. Although, we don’t routinely perform imaging studies such as fMRI, PET, or SPECT scans to help identify the pathology in the brain, we can indirectly identify which parts of the brain are not functioning in a healthy manner. The impulsive, anxious individual exhibiting poor judgment, disorganized thoughts, poor mood regulation, severe craving, and inability to remain abstinent is suffering from brain pathology in the orbitofrontal cortex, amydgala, prefrontal cortex, limbic system, and motivation/reward system. We don’t need the scans. It’s like seeing the stroke victim with the paralyzed right arm and having difficulty making sense when he speaks and knowing that the stroke is in the area of the left lateral motor cortex involving the fronto-temporal cortex (also known as Broca’s area). Now, imagine complicating the picture with mood, anxiety, psychotic, and personality disorders. Is it a surprise that it would take longer than 28 days to repair the brain? Certainly, we already have imaging studies (fMRI,PET) which reveal minimal change in such a short period of time. Clearly, much more time is needed. Fortunately, it is a natural response of the brain to attempt to heal itself when it is no longer exposed to foreign substances. Our interventions: medicines, cognitive-behavioral strategies, dialectic behavioral strategies, psychodynamic strategies, family therapy, motivation enhancement, and 12-step facilitation all work to help change the brain from the pathologic state to the healthy state (often healthier than it has ever been). But, how long does this take? Of course, it depends upon the individual. For example, genes do not only help determine the vulnerability to developing addiction. They also help determine the likelihood of response to treatment. Some people respond very quickly; others do not. It is no different from breaking a leg. It is not surprising that two different people with the same fracture will take different periods of time to respond. Why should we expect that everyone with addiction is ready to move to outpatient treatment after a mere 28 days? That is a silly concept that is no longer consistent with what the research has revealed to us. We can ignore scientific research only to the peril of our patients’ best treatment. So, how do we measure our patients’ progress--their response to treatment? Well, wouldn’t it make sense to appraise their brain function? Shouldn’t we be looking at the prefrontal cortex function ( judgment and executive function--that is, ability to plan, organize, complete tasks in efficient manner), the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex function (ability to use working memory, help consider options of choices), orbitofrontal function ( ability to inhibit behaviors that would be unhealthy or undermine the acquisition of one’s goals), ventromedial prefrontal cortex function ( mood regulation and how it relates to thought processes), nucleus accumbens/ventral tegmentum/ extended amygdala (what is motivating the individual to act and provide pleasure/ satisfaction), the amygdala ( anxiety tolerance and incentive-salience), the hippocampus (memory of Continued on page 42
www.thesoberworld.com
LIFE’S ONION®
Breakthrough Therapeutic Tool Produces Big Results for Clinics and Clients We all know the saying about what to do when life gives us lemons - make lemonade! But what do you do when life gives you onions? If you’re Mark Wetherbee, founder and creator of Life’s Onion, you make a therapeutic tool so innovative that it is awarded a patent. Life’s Onion is a handheld, onion-shaped device with 12 peels which transforms into a flower when opened. People in self-help and therapy record their goals and achievements on the actual peels, and peeling them back to flower petals as progress is made. It’s a simple tool, but its application is what makes it unique: while there are other methods of tracking improvement, Life’s Onion is the only product which marks people’s progress in a tangible, visual form and remains with them to reinforce their successes. One Life’s Onion user stated, “It will be a daily reminder of my journey through treatment, self-reflection, growth, and continued success in life.” It is not often that people have a visible reminder of their growth and achievements outside of the therapeutic environment, and this was clearly the creator’s goal. Life’s Onion incorporates elements of journaling, art therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Schema Therapy. The tool can be used by an individual or with any therapeutic modality or style. In addition to the tool itself, there is a full package of support materials designed to integrate Life’s Onion into existing programs. After more than 3 years of research, development and field trials, Life’s Onion is now being made available to the public. To find out more visit: www.lifesonion.com
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
37
REALIZING OUR JOURNEY By Maxim W. Furek, MA, CADC, ICADC
In our exploration of happiness, the topic of “the journey” unsurprisingly appears like an ever-present phantom. We hear it everywhere, namedropped in verse and song. “The journey” subtly emerges in everyday conversation and is prominently displayed on handmade AA posters hung on the walls of recovery rooms. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) is credited with the declaration. He said, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” Decades later, in Aerosmith’s 1993 song “Amazing,” Stephen Tyler forcefully sung out, “Life’s a journey not a destination, and I just can’t tell just what tomorrow brings.” But, are these individuals correct? Shouldn’t the focus be placed upon the goal and the resulting harvest of our hard work? Swami Sivananda observed, “Life is a pilgrimage. The wise man does not rest by the roadside inns. He marches direct to the illimitable domain of eternal bliss, his ultimate destination.” That “illimitable domain of eternal bliss” was articulated best by American mythologist, writer and lecturer Joseph Campbell (19041987). During an interview with Bill Moyers, Campbell provided further instruction, “If you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you don’t know they were going to be.” Follow your bliss. Don’t be afraid. Campbell’s metaphorical track can take us on a journey leading to an awesome, magical place of selfdiscovery. It is a destination embracing the life we ought to be living. It is the moment of awareness when we realize our intention in the universe. “The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are,” was a powerful tenet espoused by Swiss psychotherapist C.G. Jung (1875-1961). We are special and unique. None are the same, no two alike. We have the ability to create change and to make a difference. Each has exceptional talents and attributes that define our exceptionality. Each has a unique gift; a singular mission hidden within our psychic DNA. To fulfill that mission, when understood, contributes to the “greater” good. Clearly, our single most important task is discovering our true purpose. It is a steadfast, goal-directed pursuit that begs the questions, “Who am I? How do I contribute positively to the universe?” Those who definitively answer these questions will have a deeper sense of fulfillment and sense of self. They will know themselves as they realize their place, their purpose in the world. There is awesome opportunity ahead. Some accept the challenge and assume the risk. Some, bathed in the comfort and security of a predictable, nonthreatening routine, choose to do nothing. Change is difficult. Habits are hard to break. Unfortunately, not everyone climbs onto their track. Some struggle looking for but, regretfully, never finding their life’s passion. For them, happiness is close at hand and just around the corner. It is that magical pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But it is a lie. It hides in the wings, waiting to be summoned, waiting for the cue that never comes. These individuals, for lack of a better word, are the Future People, their lives stepped in anticipation and expectation of future events. They dwell, not in the strength of the moment, but in the Fantasy Land of tomorrow. They calculate that they will live, not now, but in the future. They just need to get their degree, a particular job, a promotion, or a raise. They demand that certain things must happen before they take action. Maybe they’re waiting to get married or have a child. Perhaps they will be happy after they retire. Perhaps! In his essay titled “Happiness,” Father Alfred D’ Souza explained, “For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin. But
38
there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have. And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time … and remember that time waits for no one…” D’ Souza’s observation is that our lives are happening now. If we are to enjoy the satisfaction and fulfillment we deserve, we must draw pleasure from everything that happens to us. These experiences are the very essence of our life. We must live in the moment. We must stop to smell the roses. “Be here now,” instructed Ram Dass. Happiness isn’t just around the corner. It’s not going to show up at 3:30 in the afternoon like an old friend. It’s not like a passenger train pulling into the station. It’s now and it’s today and it is happening on our journey and in the moment. The more conscious we are that life consists of the journey, not the destination, the more likely we are to get the most out of it. Joseph Addison (1672-1719), English essayist and poet suggested that, “Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.” Addison is on to something here. That “something” that we do strongly defines who we are. That “something” provides us with optimism, personal satisfaction and love of self. Joseph Campbell would agree that it equally defines our bliss. Discovering our purpose in life is essential. It helps shape our self-identity and allows us to look at ourselves with satisfaction and feelings of selfworth. This is key as we realize the interconnectedness we have with all things and the oneness we share on our journey. It has often been stated … blessed is the person who has found their life’s vocation, doing what they most enjoy and receiving a compensation greater than any financial remuneration. As they embraced their passion they discovered their purpose. Although scholars believe that the Life is a journey, not a destination is a misattribution of Ralph Waldo Emerson; he did write a thematically related remark. Emerson said, “To finish the moment, to find the journey’s end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom.” And happiness too. With much appreciation to Ralph Waldo Emerson and countless others … the pursuit of happiness is about being and not doing and of the journey and not the destination. Maxim W. Furek is a competitive athlete and published author. His rich background includes aspects of psychology, addictions, mental health and music journalism. His latest book Sheppton: The Myth, Miracle & Music explores the psychological and spiritual trauma of being trapped alive and is available at www.shepptonmyth.com
www.thesoberworld.com
CERTIFIED RESIDENCES JAX
Sober Living Recovery Residences JACKSONVILLE BEACH a safe, sober environment on the journey to sobriety... one day at a time.
904.300.6050
www.jaxsoberlivinghouse.com
e ady? ArR ouChangee Your Life? YTo
Safe and structured environments for women to build a strong foundation for long term recovery.
386-265-4955 • www.avenues12recoveryhouse.com
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
39
AFTERCARE NOT AN AFTERTHOUGHT ANYMORE By Harold Jonas, PhD, LMHC, CAP
I have been an active clinical service provider in the field of addiction treatment for more than 25 years, I read diligently to stay abreast of the latest trends in my field. Recently, I’ve seen a pattern in articles discussing the services provided for clients upon discharge from renowned treatment centers. The services discussed in the article were focused on continuing care following inpatient treatment, and how vital such services are to facilitate ongoing change and lasting recovery among clients. In my clinical practice, I have worked with recovering addicts before, during, and after the acute phase of treatment. It has been my experience, and that of others in the field, that many clients who succeed in treatment settings – where the daily pressures of living are removed and rules are enforced by authority figures – are unsuccessful beyond the acute phase. Often, when such clients progress to the next, less restrictive, level of care, they confront challenges that existing coping mechanisms are insufficient to tackle. It is also a widely accepted conclusion that clients who stay connected with clinicians and caregivers from their treatment facility beyond the acute phase have an increased probability of maintaining long-term recovery. In treatment, clients are taught that they have a “chronic, progressive, and fatal disease” that needs vigilant attention in order to stay in remission, yet the tools provided have proven insufficient to achieve lasting recovery. This indicates that the acute treatment model is insufficient to treat chronic disease. Thus, there is a need for additional technological advances promising affordable, long-term recovery. With these challenges in mind, coupled with my extensive experience in treating addicts, I developed the FlexDek™ platform and its flagship product, Sober Systems-- an innovative and adaptable smartphone app designed to increase client compliance and reductive recidivism that often require (re) hospitalization. FlexDek™ is data-driven, precise, and scalable, thereby helping to make long-term recovery more affordable for all.
FlexDek® is the Scientifically Proven Method to Dramatically Reduce Relapse Rates FlexDek® is a new mobile app designed for everyone who is interested in participating in another’s ongoing care. This can be a Spouse, Sponsor, Children, Care Giver, Therapist, Coach or Case Manager. It is compatible with I-Phone, Android and all tablets. For Loved Ones, use it to passively monitor how recovery is progressing based on consistent input by your loved one. When needed, proactive intervention can be accomplished. Let’s face it, trust is long gone and everyone wants it back. What better way than to use today’s technology for the betterment of all involved. This is a proven method to change unwanted behaviors without the usual overbearing, perceived as controlling conversation; did you really go to the meeting? Are you really not drinking? FlexDek® will make your life easier and more relaxing. Put the accountability where it belongs, on the recovering person, then sit back and wait for the alerts to sound. No news is good news!
The intent of the FlexDek™ platform is to strengthen client empowerment and solidify the client’s desire, willingness, and ability to proactively make choices that strengthen recovery. This reinforces the foundational principle of willingness taught in treatment settings. Moreover, it enables the client to progress beyond compliance (i.e., following rules in treatment), to surrender – an active choice (see T. Gorski’s writing on compliance vs. surrender). Telemedicine has still not realized its full potential in this field. Even as technology has evolved, a clinical professional is still the primary gatekeeper -- and cost. Sobersystems relies on community and family support to hold the client accountable; moreover, a facility’s Care Managers have the option to participate as intensively as they desire. The software application’s main thrust is to have the client take responsibility for his or her recovery -- a principle taught in the acute phase of treatment -- and to embrace change in daily living. Many addicts in need of treatment do not have the resources to allow for an extended inpatient commitment (in an elite setting), followed by post-treatment outpatient services. The increasing costs of addiction treatment, coupled with the increasing need for such care, create an environment in which technology-infused, affordable options for continuing care and connectivity can thrive. The FlexDek™ platform demonstrates how technology can empower clients and Care Managers in a chronic treatment model in a cost-effective manner. Harold Jonas, PhD, LMHC, CAP is a recognized expert in the behavioral health industry, specializing in addictions. He creates innovative solutions for the individual, the provider and the systems of care. Over the past 25 years, his desire to be of service has led him toward developing healthcare business models aimed at successfully merging the helping profession with capital enterprises. His entrepreneurial interests led him to acquire a number of real estate properties for recovery residences and hospitality.
Support a Loved One Enhance Your Practice Super Charge Results
® WELLNESS MANAGEMENT
For Professionals, there’s nothing more satisfying than seeing your client succeed in making healthy lifestyle changes. Whether its wellness management, supporting clients in recovery or helping patients manage other chronic conditions, it’s the reason you do what you do. But when your clients relapse, it can be heartbreaking for you and devastating for them. That’s where FlexDek® comes in; a brandable asset you can customize for your specialty and expertise. It gives you a full suite of tools for surveys, reports, education and goals to increase compliance and reduce relapse.
Download FlexDek® to iPhone or Android (use codeword SERENITY for a free trial)
40
561.265.1564
|
flexdek.net
www.thesoberworld.com
HEROS IN RECOVERY
SOBERWORLD2016
SOUTH FLORIDA Huizenga Plaza | 06.04.16 | 7 AM Heroes6K .com
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
41
AN EVENING OF GRATITUDE GALA RAISES $142,000 FOR GRATITUDE HOUSE Award-Winning, Hall of Fame Songwriter Paul Williams and Hollywood Screenwriter Tracey Jackson Served as the Honored Guests for the 8th Annual Gala at the Four Seasons Resort in Palm Beach. PALM BEACH, FL. (March 14, 2016) Memorable songs and moving stories highlighted the evening during the 8th Annual Gratitude House Gala on March 12 at the Four Seasons Resort. Legendary Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe-winning Hall of Fame songwriter Paul Williams, along with screenwriter Tracey Jackson served as Honored Guests for the elegant evening Cochaired by Christina Goode, Nicole Morris and Lyn Garrett. The annual fundraiser brought in$142,000 to support the life-saving programs offered by Gratitude House to provide substance abuse and mental health treatment for women in Palm Beach County. The evening began with a pre-reception featuring a fabulous silent auction, supporting the noted not-for-profit substance abuse treatment center for women. Following a welcome by Co-Chair Nicole Morris, an invocation was delivered by the Reverend Burl Salmon and Rabbi Cookie Lea Olshein. This year’s gala saw the presentation of the Outstanding Service Award by Co-Chair Lyn Garrett to the dedicated Kathy Novak. Gratitude House Board President Lynn Gentithes delivered a special message on the exciting future of Gratitude House before introducing the House’s alumni speaker Kim B. who told a touching story of how the programs at Gratitude House saved her life. Following a Call from the Heart by Co-Chair Nicole Morris, Honored Guests Paul Williams and Tracey Jackson were introduced by Executive Director, Steven Schauder. Paul and Tracy took to the podium to speak about how the principles of recovery can help everyone lead a more fulfilling and enriching life. The event chairs stated: “We could not have asked for a better night. We had a capacity crowd, exceeded our fundraising goals and heard an incredibly inspiring message of hope from Paul Williams and Tracey Jackson. We also helped share the message that Gratitude House will accept any woman in Palm Beach County who needs treatment services, regardless of her ability to pay, even if she comes to us pregnant or with a young child.”
Tracey Jackson, Paul Williams and Patricia Rosen, Publisher of The Sober World
Benefitting: Established in 1968, Gratitude House is a fully accredited Level II licensed treatment center offering long-term clinical services to women who meet the DSM-V criteria for substance abuse and, in many cases, co-occurring mental health issues. GH serves clients 7 days a week, 365 a year offering Residential, Day & Outpatient Treatment, Transitional housing, Intervention services, case management, Aftercare and Family programs. Gratitude House is the only treatment center in Palm Beach County that offers long-term residential services for pregnant and post-partum mothers so the women can have their babies reside with them while in treatment. Last year, GH served 330 women and 24 babies through its programs. Over 85% of the clients are living at or below the Federal poverty level with the majority homeless, jobless and indigent when they arrive. Gratitude House believes that all people deserve to live with dignity and in safety, that people can change and that the battle against addiction can be won.
28 DAYS TO HEAL THE BRAIN? By Dr. Robert Moran
experiences which help to motivate healthy vs unhealthy behaviors). It is only with comprehensive examination of these brain expressions, can one truly assess our patients’ progress and determine the proper level of care and need for appropriate interventions to ensure likelihood of recovery. Clearly, detoxification is not the goal of treatment. It is clearly a step in helping the brain to accommodate to the absence of substance. Incidentally, in most individuals, this process takes weeks if not months; certainly not the typical 6-10 day “detox” that is offered. This detox process does not result in a healthy brain. Residential and PHP (Partial Hospital Program) levels of care provide an opportunity for the brain to be relieved of stress (which can be toxic to the brain) and allow an assessment of the degree of impairment of the various brain functions described above. The move to IOP (Intensive Outpatient) allows the treatment team to assess the brain function with exposure to the community. This brain is now exposed to stressors, people, places, and things, and if done properly, a job which requires a sense of obligation, commitment, routine, responsibility, purposefulness, an opportunity for conflict resolution, humility, and experiencing a sense of
42
Continued from page 36
accomplishment (rebuilding self-esteem). Only a healthy brain can accomplish these tasks successfully. As treatment continues, it should allow greater responsibility and freedom to make choices to assess the brain’s capacity to make healthy ones. The individual becomes exposed to further opportunities to tolerate frustration, to regulate emotions, to tolerate anxiety, to exercise healthy judgment, to be motivated by healthy rewards, and to regulate self-esteem. Mastering these functions is the goal of treatment of addiction. It’s nearly impossible to accomplish in 28 days, even in the most motivated of individuals. What’s important, though, is that it is brain function that needs to be assessed and monitored throughout the process. We are treating a neuropsychiatric illness. Who better to direct the entire treatment than the Addiction Psychiatrist? Dr. Robert A. Moran is Board Certified in Psychiatry, Addiction Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine (both by the American Society of Addiction Medicine and the American Board of Addiction Medicine). He is also certified by the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology. He is the founder of Wellington Retreat, a nationally recognized treatment facility. Dr. Moran oversees the treatment team and directs all clinical decisions.
www.thesoberworld.com
Certifying safe and digniďŹ ed recovery residences for individuals seeking peer-supportive housing.
Join
Volunteer
Support
www.farronline.org
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
43
A QUESTION ABOUT ADDICTION - DOES JAIL FAIL? By Judge Seth Norman
seven mostly rural counties in eastern middle Tennessee. Through this program they would be able to send individuals to Nashville to receive their residential treatment at the Davidson County Residential Treatment facility and then be returned to the 13th Drug Court for their aftercare. Finally in 2013 the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Tennessee Department of Corrections asked if we would oversee another 100 bed facility for males in Morgan County, Tennessee. The Morgan County facility is located in an old prison annex which is separate from the prison complex. For almost 18 years the residential program has been in operation. During that time the prevalent drug of choice has gone from cocaine, to meth, to prescription pills. During all of this time marijuana, alcohol and other drugs continue to be abused but they are not as significant. The residential treatment program generally consists of three parts. When a person is admitted to the program they are told emphatically that there is no definite period of treatment. Some people are able to go through the program faster than others, and some people are not entirely ready to embrace treatment. To begin, an individual will be assigned an addiction counselor, and they will be given written assignments as well as participating in group sessions. Lectures, guest speakers and study groups are part of their daily routine. Basically the first part of the program is like most other private residential treatment programs. However, there is one major difference. In this program everyone has a job. All meals are prepared by residents assigned to the kitchen. The entire facility is maintained by the residents; therefore, you might be assigned to do laundry, or yard maintenance or gardening. No one just sits around doing nothing. This serves two purposes. One, time passes faster when you are working and two, discipline is taught by structure. This phase of the program usually will last anywhere from nine months to a year. The second and third parts of the program are different depending upon which facility you are in and where your home county is located. If you are from Nashville and are a resident at the Davidson County facility, you will continue to reside at that facility, but will be allowed to go out and find a job during the day. When they become employed they are required to pay a portion of their salary to the facility as rent. In the third part of the program they reside outside of the facility but they must check in with their counselor at certain times, be drug tested randomly and attend Drug Court every Tuesday evening. If they are not from Davidson County they will be returned to their home county for aftercare treatment. In their home county their aftercare will be similar to that of a Davidson County resident. All of the applicants must have pled guilty to some offense before they can be admitted to any of the above described programs. They are told, before being admitted, that if they violate the terms and conditions of their treatment that their sentence will be put into effect and they will be transferred to prison to serve their sentence. Over the years we find that about 35% of those admitted to the program will be returned to serve their sentence, usually because they are just not ready to accept treatment or because the program is too rigid and they had rather serve their sentence. As of now the programs have had over two thousand admissions. Currently there are close to 200 in various phases of their treatment. Close to 1,000 have completed one of the programs and have graduated. We are constantly asked about our recidivism rate. This is a hard question to answer because there is no definite description of a recidivist. Is it a person who graduates and is then arrested for any offense? Is it a person who graduates and is arrested for a drug offense? Is it a person who graduates and is convicted of a drug offense? Also, because we have been in operation for over seventeen years, it is difficult to keep up with all graduates. Some have left the State
44
Continued from page 18
of Tennessee, some have gone on to become successful citizens and no longer wish to be affiliated with their past and others just disappear. As best as we can tell, about 20 to 25% of our graduates can be classified as recidivist. We try to keep up with this by checking arrest records and running the names through criminal statistics computer programs several times a year. Currently it costs $67.00 per day per individual to house and feed a person in the Tennessee Department of Corrections. The average cost of housing, feeding and treating an individual in our programs is $47.00 per day. If you average having 125 people in the programs each year you save the State of Tennessee $20.00 x 125 x 365 + $912,500.00 per year. At the rate of $67.00 per year, it costs the State of Tennessee $24,455.00 to house a prisoner. The average length of time that one of the people admitted to the residential programs would actually spend in incarceration if they went to prison is four years. That same person would graduate from the residential in two years. Therefore each successful graduate from a residential program saves the State of Tennessee an additional $48,000.00 of incarceration cost. I am a Criminal Court Judge, I carry a regular criminal court docket the same as the other five Criminal Court Judges of Davidson County. Being the Judge for the Davidson County Drug Court, the 13th Judicial District Drug Court and the Morgan County Residential Recovery Court are in addition to my elected position. It is 160 miles from Nashville to Morgan County. The 13th Judicial District happens to be almost in the middle of that distance. I hold drug court in Nashville every Tuesday at 5:15 p m. Two Thursdays a month one of my court officers and I leave Nashville at 6:30 am to drive to Morgan County. I hold Drug Court in Morgan County at noon Nashville time. Then I start back to Nashville and stop at Cookeville, in the 13th Judicial District, and hold Drug Court at 5:00 p m. I usually get back to Nashville about 7:30. People often ask why I do this. To me, it is a privilege. One, I am a taxpayer in this state and do not like to see my taxes wasted. Two, it is a great pleasure to see people change their lives and become useful citizens. Nothing feels better than to have a stranger walk up to you somewhere and tell you that you saved their child’s life. In answer to the question asked by this article, I will say that for an addict, yes jail without treatment fails. However, we feel that our statistics that have been compiled over seventeen years prove that jail in conjunction with treatment greatly reduces this failure figure. Since being elected as a Criminal Court Judge at the local level in 1990, Judge Norman has dedicated countless hours toward improving the system’s response to the link between substance abuse disorders and crime. In addition to the responsibilities of a full-time Criminal Court Judge, he is the founder and Presiding Judge of the Davidson County Drug Court (DC4), and the founder and former Chairman of the Nashville Drug Court Support Foundation. Judge Norman and DC4 have been highlighted in various publications as well as the 2004 President’s National Drug Control Strategy, Addiction Professional Magazine, Newsweek Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, Tennessean, and other periodicals. Judge Norman also serves as Founder and Presiding Judge of the Morgan County Residential Recovery Court. He holds dockets at that facility two Thursdays a month.
www.thesoberworld.com
The 7th Annual
West Coast Symposium on Addictive Disorders
June 2-5, 2016 La Quinta Resort & Club La Quinta, CA
Earn up to of continuing education and choose from more than challenging workshops. Join us for the 7th anniversary of one of C4 Recovery Solutions’ premier addiction conferences — the West Coast Symposium on Addictive Disorders (WCSAD). WCSAD is dedicated to continuing education and networking in the field of addictions. In 2015, WCSAD hosted more than 1,000 attendees. Like its sister conference, the Cape Cod Symposium on Addictive Disorders (CCSAD), WCSAD combines workshops and seminars on timely industry topics with an unmatched showcase of the industry's products, services and facilities. We look forward to seeing you!
You, Music City and the industry’s experts. INNOVATIONS IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE June 20-21, 2016 Hilton Downtown, Nashville, Tennessee
Get CEs and CMEs as you network, learn from the experts and soak up the scenes of Nashville! The IIBH conference is about driving results for patients, professionals and providers in the addiction and mental health treatment field. Act now for the best available pricing on your registration and room rates! Visit FoundationsEvents.com for more details. We look forward to seeing you there!
www.WCSAD.com Registration begins March 1
ADV E RT I S I N G
O P P O RTU N I T I E S
The Sober World is a free national online e-magazine as well as a printed publication. We use an educational and informative approach as an outreach to parents, families, groups and others who have loved ones struggling with addiction. FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR MAGAZINE OR ON OUR WEBSITE, PLEASE CONTACT PATRICIA AT 561-910-1943. Look for your FREE issue of The Sober World in your bag at the following conferences: Innovations in Recovery- April 4-7, 2016- San Diego, CA You Have to Surrender to Win- April 5, 2016- Punta Gorda, FL NAATP- May 15-17, 2016- Fort Lauderdale, FL West Coast Symposium on Addictive Disorders- June 2-5, 2016- La Quinta, CA Innovations in Behavioral Healthcare- June 20-21, 2016- Nashville, TN C.O.R.E. - Clinical Overview of the Recovery ExperienceJuly 10-13, 2016- Amelia Island Moments of Change- Sept 2016- Palm Beach, FL Cape Cod Symposium- September 8-11, 2016- Hyannis, Ma Lifestyle Intervention Conference- October 2016- Las Vegas, NV Foundations Recovery- Recovery Results- November 29-November 30- Dallas, TX
For more information contact Patricia at patricia@thesoberworld.com www.thesoberworld.com To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
45
Mal–FEE–Sance – PERSONAL IS POLICY By John Giordano, Doctor of Humane Letters, MAC, CAP
advisory board of Regado Biosciences, Inc. and has been member of the medical advisory board since June 2, 2009, and member of the clinical advisory board of Corgentech Inc.” Califf is not tied to Big PhRMA – he is Big PhRMA! In 2014 Califf stated in a presentation to a group of biomedical researchers, lawyers and industry experts that “American system for developing drugs and medical devices was in crisis. The system was too slow and too expensive, and required disruption and transformation.” Towards the end of his talk, he put up a slide that identified a key barrier to change: regulation. In an interview with time magazine Califf stated: “The greatest progress almost certainly will be made by breaking out of insular knowledge bases and collaborating across the different sectors,” He says there is “a tension which cannot be avoided between regulating an industry and creating the conditions where the industry can thrive, and the FDA’s got to do both.” He says it would be “useful to have someone [leading the FDA] who understands how companies operate because you’re interacting with them all the time.” In all that I’ve been able to read on Dr. Califf, I’ve yet to hear him mention public health and safety in any significant manner. I don’t even think it’s on his radar. First Dr. Hamburg and now Dr. Califf – what could possibly go wrong?! America’s Second Opiate/Opioid Epidemic is raging out of control and this is the best our government can do for us – putting the fox officially in charge of the hen house?! If you’re finding yourself in shock and a state of total disbelief, you’re not alone. Everyday that passes, I find myself trusting our
THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL FOR ADDICTION – BUT IBOGAINE IS THE NEXT BEST THING By Rabbi David Dardashti
Continued from page 26
assistances, I’ve treated over 2,800 people ranging in age between 18 and 83 with Ibogaine. These people come from around the world and include doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, clergy, politicians, judges, lawyers, artists, athletes, business owners, store clerks, construction workers and nearly every other walk of life. Most of these people came to us for addiction treatment. However more and more people show up every year looking for relief from migraines, PTSD, depression, other mental illnesses, job burnout, Alzheimer’s and even acne – all of which we’ve treated with success. I can say with complete confidence that every person I’ve treated with Ibogaine left my clinic without withdrawal symptoms or cravings associated with addiction. I find Ibogaine to be neither a drug nor a medicine; but rather a trigger that allows the body to heal itself – truly a miracle. David Dardashti is an ordained Rabbi who continues his learning through the Talmud and Kabala. His studies include the workings of the human psyche – both conscious and subconscious – and the role it plays in substance abuse. He has been known to say, “One can become spiritual only when lifted from the boundaries and limitations of the physical body, and connected to the highest levels of consciousness – to the soul.” In response to a dramatic increase in substance abuse, depression, and PTSD, David began the development of an Ibogaine treatment program and medical research center. He can be reached through his website www.IbogaineClinic.com
46
Continued from page 22
lawmakers less and questioning their judgment more – and I know there are a lot of others out there that feel the exact same way. However its political season and that provides us with the rare opportunity to speak directly with lawmakers without having to hire lobbyists. I am asking you to attend the town hall meetings and question their position on drug policy and the personnel they feel best suited to execute it. If there are no meetings in your area then visit the candidate’s website. Press them and ask how they plan to end this epidemic! John Giordano DHL, MAC is a counselor, President and Founder of the National Institute for Holistic Addiction Studies and Chaplain of the North Miami Police Department. For the latest development in cuttingedge treatment check out his website: www.holisticaddictioninfo.com
HOW MUCH DOES ADDICTION TREATMENT COST… WHEN IT DOESN’T WORK? By Jacob Levenson
Continued from page 28
• What demographic? (Age, male, female, LBGT, etc.) • What is your approach? (12 Step or other) • Do you collect outcomes data? What are your rates of treatment success? • What are you rates of recidivism or repeat customers? • How much of your treatment is group therapy and how much is individual therapy? • Do you provide post-treatment recovery support? How? By telehealth? For how long? • Are you available for an in-person visit or telephone conference call so I can learn more about your facility? • How extensive is your program? How many days? Is there a limit? • How much does your program cost, what is covered and are there additional costs? (For example, transportation to meetings, dispensing prescription meds, etc.) • Do you prescribe medication as part of your addiction treatment? • What type of assessment tool do you use and how frequently do you re-assess? Questions to Ask Your Health Insurance Provider • What does my policy provide for addiction treatment? • Will I be expected to pay for treatment that goes beyond a specific number of days? • Am I covered for post-treatment recovery support? The annual costs of substance abuse to society, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, is estimated to be nearly $500 billion. Failed and/or insufficient treatment results in incalculable emotional costs, fractured families, shattered relationships, and lost potential and opportunity for a quality life. When treatment is not effective, everyone pays the price. Jacob Levenson founded Austin-based MAP Health Management, LLC in 2011 and has served as Chief Executive Officer since its inception. MAP is a provider of comprehensive outcome data, aftercare programs and revenue cycle management to addiction treatment providers across the country. Levenson passionately architects and deploys data-based solutions and healthcare services that empower patients by mitigating potential relapse, increasing predictability for insurance payers and overall outcomes for treatment providers. For more information, visit www.ThisIsMap.com.
www.thesoberworld.com
You run your organization with high ethical standards. Shouldn’t your lab do the same?
AccountAbilitY trAnSpArencY QuAlitY
Choose a partner with conďŹ dence. Choose ADLS.
Full service diagnostic laboratory for pain, wellness and treatment providers
myadls.net | (855) 707-7904 | info@myadls.net To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
47
P.O. BOX 880175 BOCA RATON, FLORIDA 33488-0175 www.thesoberworld.com
The contents of this book may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without consent of publisher. Every effort has been made to include accurate data, however the publisher cannot be held liable for material content or errors. This publication offers Therapeutic Services, Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitative services, and other related support systems. You should not rely on the information as a substitute for, nor does it replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other health-care professional. Do not disregard, avoid or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health care professional because of something you may have read in this publication. The Sober World LLC and its publisher do not recommend nor endorse any advertisers in this magazine and accepts no responsibility for services advertised herein. Content published herein is submitted by advertisers with the sole purpose to aid and educate families that are faced with drug/alcohol and other addiction issues and to help families make informed decisions about preserving quality of life.
Nationally recognized addiction and mental health treatment for men and women in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
48
TREAT | EDUCATE | GIVE BACK
www.thesoberworld.com