Soberworld July 2020

J U LY 2 02 0 | VO LUM E 9 | I SS U E 7

I N M E MO RY O F S T E V E N

POST-ACUTE WITHDRAWAL AND THE FAMILY

By Dr. KJ Foster, LMHC, CAP

RECOVERY FROM ALCOHOL ABUSE PAVED THE WAY FOR CANCER SURVIVAL

By Jim Anders

SLY STONE’S FALL FROM GRACE

By Maxim W. Furek, MA, CACD, ICADC

PROBLEM-SOLVING DEPRESSION AND GROUP ADDICTION THERAPY By Terence GorskiPh.D. Stephen M.T.Lange,

ADDICTION RECOVERY BEGINS HERE. McLean’s Signature Recovery Programs specialize in teaching the skills necessary for sustained recovery from drugs and alcohol while also treating common co-existing conditions such as depression and anxiety.

It’s not easy, but together, we will find the answers.

To learn more, visit mcleanhospital.org/addiction

Ranked #1 in psychiatry

by U.S. News & World Report

2

McL Sober World Sig Recov 9-2018_D.indd 1

www.thesoberworld.com 9/17/18

12:21 PM

A LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER Dear Readers, I welcome you to The Sober World magazine. The Sober World is an informative award winning global magazine that’s designed to help parents and families who have loved ones struggling with addiction. We are a FREE online e-magazine reaching people globally in their search for information about Drug and Alcohol Abuse.

Our monthly magazine is available for free on our website at www.thesoberworld.com or you can have it come to your inbox each month by signing up on our website.

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.

If you are experiencing any of the above, 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, 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

To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943

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.

We are on Face Book at www.facebook.com/TheSoberWorld/ or Twitter at www.twitter.com/thesoberworld, and LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-rosen-95521051/ or www.linkedin.com/groups/6694001/ Sincerely,

Patricia

Publisher Patricia@TheSoberWorld.com

For Advertising opportunities on our website or to submit articles, please contact Patricia at 561-910-1943 or patricia@thesoberworld.com.

3

THE CALL TO CHANGE YOUR ALGORITHM

by Toby Herman

The topic is phones. “We’re a lot like them,” he muses. “We sleep to recharge, we look for a connection, we can take in a lot of data. But when a phone malfunctions, it can reprogram itself.” He continues, “Our human malfunctions are depression, anxiety, addiction.

And there are a lot of people who feel like they can’t reprogram themselves – we forget that we can do that.” And once we do?

“Once we reprogram our hardware, our algorithm changes. And so do our lives. Our lives become better.”

On the phone is Joel Relampagos. Television Executive Producer, recovering addict and founder of Change Your Algorithm. We connected to discuss his journey and his new mental health initiative.

What can you tell me about your relationship with mental health and addiction?

I suffered from depression and anxiety for years – and nobody knew how severe it was for me. I was always known as a happy guy – which just shows you the lengths I went to in order to hide it. I was so shameful – and it took everything in me to mask the truth at work or with friends. I distracted myself by staying busy – sometimes too busy – and when things were quiet, when I was alone, I’d drink two bottles of wine a night. And I felt like I was getting away with it. I thought, I’m finding success in my career, I have friends – I guess I don’t have a problem. And after 17 years of that, the emptiness and unhappiness took over. I felt like I didn’t have a purpose. And I knew I had to go inward to understand what was really going on.

What did your road to recovery look like?

I went to rehab for 50 days. I took a step back from entertainment.

And it changed my life. I was able to disconnect from the world and began to understand that I was such a people pleaser because it gave me validation. In rehab I could focus on myself and discover what those things were that I was trying to avoid mentally. I could give attention to my overwhelming sense of unworthiness. It was a lot of soul searching. And at the end of my stay, I returned home and realized that, while I loved working in TV and creating shows and content, I no longer wanted to produce just any show.

Fun and entertaining no longer felt good enough. The world itself was suffering – as were so many people within it. I wanted to do something about that.

How did Change Your Algorithm come to be?

Things peaked during quarantine. Everything was online and everyone was isolated. It wasn’t just those in recovery – it was friends and friends of friends who were experiencing depression and anxiety, some for the first time in their lives.

I’ve led over 100 recovery meetings, webinars and seminars since becoming sober – and I realized that there was a need for a recovery program for non-addicts. Because, let’s face it – we’re all recovering from something. Bad relationships, failure, mistakes, loss.... And if we’re all recovering, we all need a path to empowerment. It’s a choice to be empowered in your own life. To find your purpose. And that is the mission of Change Your Algorithm. Without purpose, it’s hard to find motivation to actually experience life. Instead, you focus on just trying to get by. The more I realized how universal this struggle is, the clearer the mission became.

I firmly believe that everything starts with our mind. I don’t believe that people have an addiction just because they want to have one. I think that addiction is a coping skill that people turn to because they don’t want to deal with their issues. For me, the first step of recovery was breaking my cycle of shame.

I now know that that stigma is universal. As with anything, the more we talk about it, the more we understand it. The irony is – depression, anxiety and addiction are very lonely. Most don’t realize how many people are struggling right alongside them. So,

4

I set out to amplify the conversation, focus on raising awareness and providing resources to aid in the journey.

How does Change Your Algorithm work?

I have learned that the four pillars that lead to a successful meeting are literature, a talk from a professional, a group share and a mindful meditation. And that became the backbone of this program.

The topics change daily and include: reprogramming your negative belief system, gratitude, fulfillment, forgiveness and boundaries.

Whether you attend in person in Los Angeles or online, you will go through a brief reading about the topic, hear from a guest speaker (usually a therapist), followed by a group share and a final meditation to help keep you grounded before we leave.

My time in the entertainment industry – specifically as Executive Producer of NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” – gifted me with skills and resources to aid in my promotion of mental health awareness. I worked with a psychologist and a team of doctors that have approved the program. Personally, I have found that working with professionals is the best way to heal. But that is not always an option for everyone – largely due to financial concerns. It was very important to me to make “Change Your Algorithm” accessible to everyone. And I am very proud to say that the entire program is free.

How did you land on the name for the program?

The name came from the fact that on social media or in tech, we believe that we have to abide by the algorithm. The algorithm is set and we take for granted that it’s there no- matter what, end of story.

But it can be changed. I feel that when it comes to our own human skills we can change our own algorithms. We can reprogram in recovery and set out with a new algorithm, a clear purpose in life.

And that is at the very heart of Change Your Algorithm. I want people to know that they have a life purpose. It is just waiting for them to answer the call.

For more information please visit https://www.changealgorithm.com Toby Herman is a writer and producer in Los Angeles. You can find her on Twitter @tobyherman27

www.thesoberworld.com

In the comfort of your home Call 800-345-5407 Toll Free

To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943

5

POST-ACUTE WITHDRAWAL AND THE FAMILY

By Dr. KJ Foster, LMHC, CAP

If there’s one thing I wish I knew when I was first getting sober, and when my son was getting clean and sober, it’s the information I’m about to share with you about post-acute withdrawal syndrome, also commonly referred to as PAWS. It would have saved me, and our family, so much needless confusion and suffering. Once I started working with individuals and family members, I began to realize that I was not the only one who was totally unaware of this critical phase of recovery. It wasn’t until I went back to school to get my PhD, and started my relapse prevention certification, that I began to learn about post-acute withdrawal, and just how important it is for the entire family to be aware of what to expect.

Most people are familiar with the acute withdrawal phase. Acute withdrawal is the physical response that occurs when the individual stops consuming the drug (alcohol or otherwise). It generally lasts between 4 to 10 days, depending on the quantity, duration and type of drug use. It’s the uncomfortable, and often dangerous, physical withdrawal symptoms that occur in response to the discontinuation of use. Many individuals, especially those who are physically addicted to alcohol, are at great risk of experiencing a life-threatening seizure during this stage. Any individual physically addicted to alcohol or other drugs should be medically monitored during this phase. Most individuals will require professional detoxification at a medical facility (detox) prior to entering residential rehabilitation.

Post-Acute Withdrawal (PAWS) is the phase that occurs after the acute phase. It generally kicks in about 14 days after acute withdrawal. It occurs in response to changes in brain chemistry, as the brain gradually returns to normal functioning. As the brain improves, the level of brain chemicals fluctuate as they approach the new equilibrium, causing the post-acute withdrawal symptoms. The most common symptoms of PAWS are mood swings, anxiety, low enthusiasm, cravings, disturbed sleep, insomnia, anhedonia, irritability, variable energy and enthusiasm, cognitive issues, memory loss, stress sensitivity, tiredness, and depression. When you’re aware of what to expect, it will make it much easier to move through the experience.

In the beginning, PAWS will feel like a roller-coaster, the symptoms will change minute to minute and hour to hour. Later in the process, the symptoms will disappear for weeks or months, only to return again. As you continue to recover, the stretches will get longer and longer. However, it’s important to be aware, the bad periods of post-acute withdrawal will be just as intense and last just as long. Generally, each episode won’t last longer than 2 or 3 days, depending on the type of drug use, quantity and duration of use. The disconcerting part is that there’s no obvious trigger for most episodes. The individual will wake up one day, after a period of feeling better, and find themselves back to feeling irritable and depressed again. This is why it’s so important for individuals and their family members to be aware of PAWS. There’s good news and bad news about post-acute withdrawal.

The good news is that the symptoms generally only last a couple of days and will lift as quickly as they started. After a while you’ll develop more confidence that you’ll be able to get through the symptoms, because each episode is time limited. The bad news, or what many perceive as the bad news, is that PAWS can last up to 2 years. Over time, the good stretches will get longer and longer. But this is where many people are at greater risk for relapse, because if you think post-acute withdrawal will only last for a few months, then you’ll get caught off-guard and you could make it worse. This is another one of those facts about recovery that most people don’t realize or want to accept. The reality of just how much time it truly takes to fully recover. With that said, keep in mind that yet another positive aspect of PAWS is the fact that every time your loved one goes through PAWS it means their brain is healing. This is definitely good news and something to embrace.

As the family member, knowing what to expect during the

6

PAWS stage will help you be more supportive, compassionate and understanding toward your loved one, rather than responding from a place of confusion, suspicion or anger. For example, when my son was going through PAWS he struggled with significant insomnia.

There would be nights when I would hear him up at all hours.

This was a behavior that I also associated with his drug use and I was often fearful that he had relapsed. My own experience with insomnia kept me from acting on my fears and making unwarranted accusations. Yet, there were other symptoms that also mimicked his behavior when he was in active addiction, and it was a real challenge not to become suspicious and accusatory. Had I known about postacute withdrawal back then, I would’ve experienced far less anxiety.

Here are 10 tips on how to survive post-acute withdrawal: Be patient.

You can’t hurry recovery. But you can get through it one day at a time. If you resent PAWS, you and your loved-one will become exhausted. And when you’re exhausted, you will risk acting out in unhealthy ways. Post-acute withdrawal symptoms are a sign that your loved-one’s brain is recovering. Therefore, don’t resent them.

Go with the flow.

You’re loved one will have lots of good days over the next two years. Enjoy them. They’ll also have lots of bad days. On those days, don’t try to do too much. Take care of yourself, focus on your own recovery, and you’ll get through it.

Practice self-care.

Give yourself lots of little breaks over the next two years. Tell yourself “what I am doing is enough.” Be good to yourself. Sometimes you’ll feel overwhelmed. Understand this and don’t over book your life.

Give yourself permission to focus on your own recovery.

Post-acute withdrawal can be a trigger for relapse.

Your loved one will go for weeks, even months, without any withdrawal symptoms, and then one day they’ll wake up and PAWS will hit like a ton of bricks. They’ll have slept badly. They’ll be in a bad mood. Their energy will be low. And if you’re not prepared for it, then you have the potential to make it worse. Practice cultivating compassion.

Learn to relax.

When you’re tense you tend to dwell on your loved-one’s symptoms and make them worse. When you’re relaxed it’s easier to not get caught up in them. You aren’t as triggered by their symptoms which means you’re more likely to stay on track with your own recovery.

Practice meditation.

Learning to take back control of your thoughts, feelings and behavior is a big part of successful recovery. With some good direction, you can begin to calm your mind. Short periods of consistent meditation Continued on page 13

www.thesoberworld.com

RECOVERY FROM ALCOHOL ABUSE PAVED THE WAY FOR CANCER SURVIVAL

By Jim Anders

“New Beginnings Are Often Disguised as Painful Endings” ~ Lao Tzu WHOA! The lump on my throat popped out when I raised my head to the water streaming down on me in the shower 2 years ago. I called my doctor immediately and the whole process of diagnosis, treatment and recovery began. Referred to specialists, I soon had a surgeon and chemo and radiation professionals on my cancer recovery team. My recovery from alcohol abuse (SUD) 13 years prior paved the way for my becoming a cancer survivor.

Fear, anger. self-pity, the whole regimen of usual reactions to a cancer diagnosis were minimized by my experience of 13 years in recovery from alcohol. “You Deserve No Better,” a lie my addiction told me again and again until I believed it to be true, never entered my mind in my cancer battle. My recovery from substance abuse taught me that I would not let my cancer diagnosis and treatment defeat me. I would and did emerge more fully whole from both addiction and cancer.

Just as alcoholics anonymous and narcotics anonymous were a necessary part of my early addiction recovery (along with evidence-based individual and group therapy), I knew I would have to form connections with a cancer recovery community. Gilda’s Club, a cancer recovery group, has been of immeasurable help when I joined them after my chemo and radiation treatments ended and continuing into today. From my addiction experience, I knew that once the cancer was killed, it was I who would need to continue to heal. Just as recovery from alcohol abuse and drugs doesn’t end when the last trace of drugs has left the body, so too would I need to heal after the last trace of cancer was erased.

FEAR My fears, like a pack of wolves in my addiction, became domesticated in recovery. Realistic fears are healthy tools, life-protecting guard dogs in recovery. Truthfully, my cancer diagnosis was not much of a shocker to me. I was almost blasé about it, not dead in my tracks as one might suspect, a strength I did not know I had upwelled. Whatever it was, whatever the diagnosis, my recovery from addiction had given me the tools, knowledge and direction I would need to face all my fears, including cancer, directly, forthrightly.

Fear of failure, of the unknown, fear of loss, even fear of success have been felt, recognized and dealt with by me and countless others. Shared courage. I dealt with these and other fears by having another drink in my addiction. Alcohol overcame me and became the only tool in my recovery toolbox.

My destruction became obsessively, progressively more inevitable. Finding recovery from alcohol abuse would require new tools. And it is through shared courage that I would find my way in the SOBER WORLD. GRATITUDE I believe gratitude can be taught because I learned all about it in my recovery from alcohol abuse and other drugs. One of my favorite examples of learning gratitude (and humility) is depicted in a favorite scene from “Zorba the Greek.” Zorba sees an old man planting a seedling for a tree that will surely never bear fruit in the old man’s lifetime. Seeing this, Zorba asks the old man why he even bothered planting it. The old

To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943

man replies that he chooses to live each day as if he will live forever. Floored, Zorba replies that he has always lived as if he could die at any moment.

These stark contrasts in daily living clearly show how living life “One Day at a Time” may mean vastly different things to different people.

Recovery from addiction taught me that I had to face the cancer treatment squarely and to follow all medical guidance. Gratitude and humility became invaluable in my cancer fight (which wasn’t a fight for me at all, really). The chemo and radiation would do the fighting and I would surrender my trust to the evidence presented to me by my medical team. Hope, trust and a regimen of prescription drugs led me finally to be cured.

SHARE GRATITUDE

“Silent gratitude isn’t very much use to anyone” ~ Gertrude Stein Grateful for my gratitude, as wonky as that may sound, is surely better than when my addictions told me “You Deserve No Better.”

Addiction and cancer have well-prepared me for future storms.

Just as my recovery from addiction did not see cancer on the horizon, so too, my cancer recovery does not see what next may await me. But I do know that each step along the way prepares me for the next. I am strong. I am of sound mind. What next? Covid-19 or other great uncertainties most certainly will not deter me. I have become resilient.

SHARED COURAGE Shared Courage is an invisible force in my recovery from addiction and from cancer. Connections are a saving grace for me. Addiction severed connection with all else. Cancer has become a gift, feeding my recovery from addiction in ways both subtle and complex. Fear used wisely and rationally will guide me forward, protect me, save me. Pass through it to survive, for survival is fear’s real purpose.

Share your fears, your courage and your gratitude. Remember all the obstacle you have surmounted. Shared courage saw me through and may see you or anyone through.

Before my cancer was even diagnosed and confirmed, I remembered what I learned from my recovery from alcoholism. I had learned to tell myself this: Addiction Will Not Own Me / Control Me / Lessen Me. And recovery from addiction had prepared me for my cancer diagnosis and treatment. I had learned to tell myself this: Cancer Will Not Own Me / Control Me / Lessen Me. Fear became less fear and less fear became fearless. So, my gentle readers, construct your future. You have met other obstacles in your life and Obstacles Will Not Own You / Control You / Lessen You. Fear... less. The future beckons and we will be ready!

Continued on page 13

7

PROBLEM-SOLVING GROUP THERAPY

By Terence T. Gorski

Problem-Solving Group Therapy teaches a powerful and effective model of group therapy that meets the needs of behavioral health professionals including counselors, supervisors, group members, group leaders, and clinical managers, both in person and virtual settings. This evidencedbased group process has evolved fifty years of clinical practice and application, and has helped thousands of people improve their life and remain substance free.

The CENAPS System of Problem-Solving Group Therapy includes using a series of group exercises or techniques that have consistently produced positive results for clients. Most group leaders find that their groups become easier to lead, more effective, and create a positive motivation for recovery in most group members.

The CENAPS System of Problem-Solving Group Therapy allows clinicians to execute strategic treatment plans in groups, which is a requirement of most behavioral health providers. Patients/ clients support this model because it’s easy to learn, and it provides the structure and skills training that is needed for successful group therapy. Clients know what’s expected of them; they learn techniques that they can use in all aspects of their lives; and they see timely, tangible improvement in the target problems they have identified.

This model of group therapy has stood the test of time. The early development of this model was done in the Alcoholism Treatment Program of Grant Hospital of Chicago between 1969 and 1973. Richard D. Weidman developed and taught a 40week course on problem-solving group therapy in 1970 using the integrated principles of Adlerian Group Psychotherapy. The course demonstrated through training exercises how to structure the group therapy session, integrate group and individual therapy, and integrate the group treatment of alcoholism with self-defeating personality styles. It was based upon a fluid combination of the medical disease model of alcoholism, the principles of Twelve Step Recovery, Adlerian Group Psychotherapy, Gestalt Therapy, and Transactional Analysis.

The techniques that I learned in this course, observed, and used in my own groups would still be considered advanced, even in today’s standards.

foundation of Problem-Solving Group Therapy has remained effective over decades of use.

Terence T. Gorski has spent many years developing resources, publications and relapse prevention models and mechanisms to change behavior patterns of those who suffer from mental illness and substance abuse disorders. He has helped people abstain from drugs and alcohol, and assists with their mental health conditions. www.gorskibooks.com

As I used the Problem Solving Group Therapy method in my own clinical practice, I continued to find ways to improve upon it. I found the need to develop clear operational guidelines for all of the procedures. What emerged was this comprehensive model for conducting Problem-Solving Group Therapy sessions. When I began directing addiction programs, I used this model as a standard procedure in all groups. Over time, this emerging system of problem-solving group therapy became a much-demanded service. Since 1982, I’ve taught thousands of professionals to conduct groups by this highly effective method, at workshops and training sessions around the world.

To learn and utilize the method, we now are offering the tools on gorskibooks.com, including an updated poster series with a fresh look that can be purchased as a printed set or download.

The series of work includes, “Problem-Solving Group Therapy- A Group Leader’s Guide for Developing and Implementing Group Treatment Plans”, “A Group Member’s Guide to Brief Strategic Problem-Solving Group Therapy, Making Group Therapy Work for You”, and “Poster Series-Brief, Strategic Problem-Solving Group Therapy”.

At CENAPS, we always welcome your comments about this process as we continue to improve all of CENAPS models, with our goal always being to help persons with behavioral health disorders live a life free of the suffering addiction can cause. The

8

www.thesoberworld.com

Problem-Solving Group Therapy Series Problem-Solving Group Therapy teaches a powerful and effective model of group therapy (in-person or online) that meets the needs of group members, group leaders, clinical managers, and behavioral health organizations. This evidencedbased group process has evolved of fifty years of clinical practice and application and has helped thousands of people improve their life and remain substance free.

This series includes: Problem-Solving Group TherapyA Group Leader's Guide for Developing and Implementing Group Treatment Plans; A Group Member's Guide to Brief Strategic Problem-Solving Group Therapy, Making Group Therapy Work for You; and Poster Set (16 different posters)Brief, Strategic Problem-Solving Group Therapy.

CENAPS is now offering the materials individually or as a bundle for easy purchase. Visit us at gorskibooks.com for options.

To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943

gorskibooks.com 9

SLY STONE’S FALL FROM GRACE

By Maxim W. Furek, MA, CACD, ICADC

Before withdrawing into the inner-city slums, Sylvester Stone had been a transformative musical legend. With his Family Stone, he turned Max Yasgur’s farm into a dance party, traded rock for funk, and was among a handful of acts to emerge from Woodstock as a bonafide “superstar.” Before his fall from grace, the former disk jockey and San Francisco record producer became one of the hottest acts of the era with monster hits “Everyday People” #1 (Epic, 1968), “Hot Fun in the Summertime” #3 (Epic, 1969), and “Family Affair” #1 (Epic, 1971).

Arriving late for concert appearances became a notorious part of the Sly Stone tradition. Stone cancelled 26 of the 80 dates he had committed himself to in 1970 and roughly half of the next year’s shows. Tardiness wasn’t the problem, but his struggles with substance abuse, like a raging riptide, were. After an arrest for cocaine possession, the singer was placed in a drug diversion program in Los Angeles in October 1979. Two years later he was arrested in Hawthorne, CA for possessing a controlled substance, and arrested again on July 27, 1982 in Los Angeles after police found cocaine and a handgun in his attache case.

It only got worse. In June 1983, Sly Stone was found unconscious, with a female companion, at a Fort Myers hotel.

Officials stated that he “was in a narcotic trance or semiconscious state” when deputies arrived to arrest him. Police found what appeared to be a glass free-basing kit, three propane tanks, a torch, and a razor with white powder still on it. Stone was charged with third degree felony possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and attempting to skip out on a bill for food and drinks. As Woodstock celebrated his coronation, Fort Myers witnessed his fall from grace. He was booked into the Lee County Jail after refusing to go to the hospital, and, after posting a $5,750 bond, was released.

Cocaine Long associated with the rich and famous, cocaine (Cocaine hydrochloride) is a water-soluble salt that the user can snort, eat or inject, but not smoke. In his book, Street Player: My Chicago Story, former Chicago drummer Danny Seraphine watched as cocaine, ever present in the 1970s, gained a powerful hold on his peers: The beauty of the hippy movement had long since turned ugly.

The drug culture had cast a shadow over everything. People like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin had already succumbed to their addictions. Nobody simply experimented anymore. Drugs were being used for daily maintenance, not recreation and exploration.

An alternative Rock and Roll Hall of Fame sadly lists musicians who succumbed to cocaine: Steve Clark (Def Leppard), Kevin DeBrow (Quiet Riot), John Entwistle (The Who), Shannon Hoon (Blind Melon), Johnny Thunders (New York Dolls), David Ruffin (The Temptations), and Ike Turner.

Freebase cocaine Cocaine is made from hydrochloride and alkaloid, also known as “base.” In the 1970s, ether, a highly flammable liquid, was used to “free” the base from any additives and impurities. A heat source, like a lighter or torch, was used to heat the freebase, to inhale the vapors. Within seconds, a powerful rush and an orgasmic, longer lasting high, was experienced. With a 75% to 100% purity, freebase triggered psychosis, hallucinations, paranoia and violence. The high is often followed by depression, anxiety, and uncontrollable drug seeking, as the user craved freebase again and again.

Freebasing caused numerous burns and accidents whenever the heat source sparked the incredibly flammable and unstable ether.

Soon, another reworking of freebase, known as crack, hit the streets. Crack was made by boiling cocaine in a mixture of water, and baking soda, creating a waxy rock-like crystal. Sold in vials,

10

these rocks were to be heated and inhaled into the lungs. The term “crack” referred to the crackling sound when the rock is heated.

Although the terms “freebasing” and “smoking crack” are used interchangeably, crack is less dangerous because the user does not have to heat ether to free the base, and is generally less expensive than freebase, which is almost pure. Crack has the reputation of being the “poor man’s drug,” but has appealed to many accomplished personalities like Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, Washington D.C. Mayor Marion Barry, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, and musician Gil Scott-Heron. Crack plays no favorites.

Narcotics violation Several individuals raised our awareness of the drug’s perils. In 1980, Richard Prior’s body was severely burned while freebasing.

That same year, Sly Stone boasted that freebasing was superior to snorting cocaine. Once a millionaire, Stone was now bankrupt.

In November 1987, he was charged with possession of cocaine, the second time in less than a year that he was charged. In 1989 he spent Thanksgiving in a California jail. With mounting legal troubles, and lawsuits against his former manager, his fall from grace persisted. In 2011 he was reportedly homeless, living in a white van parked in the rough Crenshaw neighborhood of LA. He was arrested in 2017 (once again) for cocaine possession. It was a sad ending for someone who had forged a brilliant and innovative career.

One of the most profound signs of wellness is when someone has the courage to ask for help. In Mychal Denzel Smith’s article, “Why did we let Sly Stone slip away?”, the author uncovered an obvious truth: It’s easy to draw the line from genius to dark and troubled soul, but something about Sly suggests that he simply enjoyed getting high more than he enjoyed performing and being fawned over. And that’s just Sly, the main reason we haven’t heard from him in so long and the main reason we haven’t been able to be there for him the way we may have been for other fallen legends who needed our support: he just didn’t want it.

“I wanna take you higher,” Sly Stone sang out to the masses, but, the higher he climbed, the harder he fell. Stone chose freebase over powder cocaine because the effects were more intense and immediate. It became his drug of choice, more powerful than the applause of his fans. For this former superstar, who had attained majestic heights of greatness, freebase became his sad and publicized fall from grace.

Maxim W. Furek has a rich background that includes aspects of psychology, addictions, mental health and music journalism. His book The Death Proclamation of Generation X: A Self-Fulfilling Prophesy of Goth, Grunge and Heroin explores the dark marriage between grunge music and the beginning of the opioid crisis.

Contact him at jungle@epix.net

www.thesoberworld.com

DRUG CULTURE AND THE CULTURE OF RECOVERY Pascal Scoles, DSW, LCSW

Historically, the field of substance use treatment focuses on cultures based on language, ethnicity, race, and national origin, with little or no attention to an individual’s drug culture. In turn, this neglect has affected not only the duration of a person’s substance use pattern, but also contributes to years of multiple relapses.

Within the drug culture, individuals often share similar ways of socialization patterns, language, and style of communication.

Generally, people who experiment with drugs usually do so in highly marginalized social settings, which can contribute to the development of substance use disorders. When people who abuse substances are marginalized, they tend not to seek access to mainstream institutions that typically provide sociocultural support. This isolation can result in even stronger bonding with a drug culture. A person’s identification with a drug culture enables its members to view substance use disorders as usual or even as status symbols. The confusion becomes a source of pride, and people may celebrate their drug-related identity with other members of that culture. Stigma, when coupled with other discrimination, can increase denial, projection, and rationalization, which facilitates an individual’s attempts to hide substance use.

The immorality that mainstream society attaches to substance use/abuse can unintentionally serve to strengthen an individuals’ ties to a drug culture. Thereby, decreasing the likelihood that they will seek treatment.

Drug-seeking behaviors have a reinforcing effect beyond that of the actual substance. For example, rituals of use can provide a focus for those who use drugs and help them shift attention away from problems in living they might otherwise need to face.

Drug cultures serve as a sustaining force for substance use and abuse. The drug culture provides a way for people new to substance use to learn what to expect and how to appreciate the experience of getting high. As White (1996) notes, “the drug culture teaches the new user how to recognize and enjoy drug effects”. In some communities, participation in the drug trade is one of the few economic opportunities that gain the admiration and respect of peers. Some adolescents and young adults find drug cultures particularly appealing. Feelings of alienation from society and a firm rejection of authority can cause youth to look outside the traditional cultural institutions, allowing youth to seek acceptance in a drug culture. As a person progresses from experimentation to abuse and dependence, he or she develops a more intense need to “seek for supports to sustain the drug relationship”. In addition to gaining social sanction for their substance use, participants in the drug culture learn many skills that can help them avoid the pitfalls of the substance-abusing lifestyle and thus continue their use. The more an individual’s needs are met within drug culture, the harder it will be to leave that culture behind and find recovery.

The Culture of Recovery The main barriers to the implementation of a culture of recovery continue to be: (1) the influence of the drug culture and (2) the existing infrastructure of a medically driven behavioral health service system. The current system of care reinforces stigmatization, medicalization, and criminalization of individuals with alcohol and drug challenges. To combat the above two issues, a significant transformational movement from drug culture to a culture of recovery must reaffirm the reality of long-term community recovery. This long-term recovery is accomplished by celebrating multiple pathways of healing, that support a “recovery-oriented systems of care”. The current treatment system, with its historical acute care focus, needs to increasingly expand its focus to incorporate a population health model that gives equal justice and attention to the social determinants of health. Therapeutic healing can be

To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943

accomplished in addressing those social determinants that influence many lifestyle choices.

White (1996) in articulating a culture of recovery, indicates that a “recovery-oriented system of care” must: • Teach clients about the existence of drug cultures and their potential influence in clients’ lives.

• Teach clients about cultures of recovery and discussing how aspects of a culture of improvement can replace elements of the drug culture.

• Establish clear boundaries for appropriate behavior in the program that consistently corrects actions that violate boundaries.

• Work to shape a peer culture in which clients can socialize new behaviors to a culture of recovery.

• Have regular assessments of clients and the entire program in which staff members and clients determine areas where work is needed to minimize cultural attitudes that can undermine treatment.

Active behavioral health recovery must be: (1) traditional, in that it involves a shared common welfare, a support network of other people in recovery; (2) progressive in creating personal conditions conducive to transformative insights, and (3) proactive by identifying, engaging, and ensuring service access at the earliest possible stage in an individual’s recovery.

The realization that the old entrenched methods of behavioral health care delivery are not working has moved a medically driven care approach to a system of care that provides lifetime recovery supports while recognizing the many pathways to health.

References Provided Upon Request Pascal Scoles, DSW, LCSW is Professor, Behavioral Health/Human Services and Director, Office of Collegiate Recovery, Student Life, Community College of Philadelphia, 1700 Spring Garden St, Philadelphia, PA 19103 https://sites.google.com/site/pascalscolesccp/

11

DISCRIMINATION-MANAGING THESE TURBULENT TIMES

By Dr. Asa Don Brown, Ph.D., C.C.C., D.N.C.C.M., F.A.A.E.T.S.

In the wake of George Floyd, I respectfully compose this article. The intent of my article is not to debate or facilitate hate or discrimination.

I write this article from a place of genuine concern and with a heavy heart. It is not only my heart that is heavy-laden, but the hearts and minds of so many who have been burdened by the tragedies, bloodshed, and woes of our time. I cannot imagine the burdens that you may be facing in the wake of these events. As a psychologist, I could never have imagined such a massive outpouring of emotions, distress, or affliction. In my humble opinion, this turbulent time is by far greater than any other that has been experienced.

As an individual, I can imagine that these times have given you some grave concern. For me, I have been gravely concerned for the precious lives of the children and youth of the day. We are living in an unprecedented time of human history. We are not only facing the crisis of COVID-19, but we are now facing the crisis of human conflict, discrimination and despair at unimaginable levels.

Collectively, we are living in a time that dwarfs all others.

The human race was ill-prepared for such a calamity of events to unfold. Despite the human species having continuously gone through feuds and global conflicts; wars and rumors of wars; crisis upon crisis; unlike so many events of the past; the events of the day reach every corner of the world.

As far as the events involving George Floyd, I dare not downplay the significance or the overwhelming emotional relationship of this tragic loss of life. I am not contesting the validity of this tragedy or downplaying the “universal” feeling of discrimination felt by so many.

Discrimination is one of the most egregious experiences a human can endure. Discrimination knows no allies or foe. Discrimination is not settled with enough is enough, rather it can be poured on you until your cup is overflowing. It leaves an individual with feelings of hopelessness and despair. Emotionally, discrimination can feel as though your heart has been thrust from your chest. It is through discrimination that an individual’s own identity can be squelched.

I doubt that there is a human alive that has not experienced some form of discrimination. While the degree with which an individual may have experienced discrimination may vary; the effects of discrimination is commonly universal. When an individual has been discriminated against there is a shadow of doubt placed upon your character, your abilities and your overall persona. It is the single most human invention that I could do without. At its essence, discrimination is the intentional or the un-intentional prejudice or prejudicial perspectives, behaviors, actions, beliefs, propaganda or treatment that affects the life of another.

Discrimination can occur through blanketed ideological perspectives that segregates or singles out an individual or a group of people. Discrimination may occur out of a prejudice that is related to an individual’s personal race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, political, belief system, educational or lack therein, cultural, employment, or intellect.

MANAGING THESE TURBULENT TIMES How are you coping? How are you managing your personal angst?

Do you feel that your emotional well has run dry? My concern is that there have been many, and will continue to be many, who return to abusing various substances, alcohol and other vices.

We are indeed in a perilous time, but this is not to say that we will remain in this time. We most assuredly will be moving beyond this.

Although the media and others may have you believe that these times are here to stay; I firmly believe that these times will pass.

We will move beyond these times as we have others in the past.

Hopefully, we will learn from these times. Possibly, we may gain a new appreciation and acceptance for our fellow human.

12

According to a poll conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, the survey aimed to provide a clear explanation of the struggles that individuals may be facing at this time. The assessment focused on perspectives of the nation’s mental, physical and financial health. The survey provided disturbing details of how people currently feel. The poll found that during the first week in May 2020, approximately two-thirds of Americans describe overwhelming feelings of anxiousness, nervousness, depression, loneliness, and hopelessness.

MOVING BEYOND OUR STRUGGLES I beseech you, do not give into your past struggles. Life is worth living. It is worth pursuing and enduring these challenging times. It is worth the hardships and the acts that are blatantly designed to cause you harm. We will move beyond these times and prove better for it.

We will need one another to move beyond our struggles. We can no longer act as a lone vessel in the harbor. We must understand that our struggles and the struggles of our fellow humans are mirrored.

If nothing else, the COVID-19 crisis has brought all of humanity to its feet. You are not alone, and your struggle is the same as so many.

When an individual begins feeling isolated, lonely, depressed, and desperate; they are often feeling as though no one can relate.

Believe me, I can confirm that there are a vast number of people who are feeling the same emotional uncertainty that you are experiencing.

THE GOOD NEWS We will move beyond these unbelievable times. We will overcome these struggles and our indifferences. For far too long, there has been a racial divide that has plagued our country. The egregious acts of discrimination and prejudices will no longer be tolerated.

At this time, we must become unified. The outcry of our country and the global community is for universal peace, acceptance, liberty, and justice. For so many, the depths of discrimination have caused personal angst and trauma. We are listening.

I encourage you to help your fellow human. Empower those around you by offering a gentle word, a sincere smile, a listening ear, a shoulder to lean upon, and simply, words of encouragement. We are all living in a difficult time, but it can be improved with each empathetic act.

Dr. Asa Don Brown is a prolific author, an engaging speaker, human rights advocate, and clinical psychologist. He serves as first responder in New York and he has held university faculty positions teaching incoming freshmen to those completing their graduate work.asadonbrown.com

www.thesoberworld.com

POST-ACUTE WITHDRAWAL AND THE FAMILY

By Dr. KJ Foster, LMHC, CAP

Continued from page 6

are more beneficial than longer sporadic meditation practice.

Meditation is one of the most underrated and under-utilized aspects of successful recovery. Meditation will do more to help you and your loved one move through PAWS than nearly anything else.

Structured Daily Schedule and Consistent Sleep Habits Insomnia and sleep disturbances are common symptoms of PAWS and one that you and your loved one can combat with a structured daily schedule and a consistent sleep schedule. Strive to maintain a structured routine, and get up and go to bed around the same time every day, Exercise Exercise helps the body heal faster and may shorten the amount of time spent experiencing PAWS. Even something as simple as a 20-minute walk can do wonders for your mood.

Healthy Diet What we eat impacts how we feel. Many people love caffeine, whether you’re in recovery or not. But it’s a good idea to keep caffeine to a minimum. Also, energy drinks can trigger parts of the brain that crave drugs. Too much sugar can also make post-acute withdrawal symptoms worse.

Recovery Friendships and Support Recovery friendships add a layer of accountability to your program and provide people with whom you can confide in during times of need. Lean on these people when PAWS cycles start. Talk to them if your loved-one’s PAWS are affecting you. Ask for direction and support. They’ve been through it themselves.

To register for the next Family Recovery Workshop, a 6-week live, online, family recovery program, with personal guidance and support https://frprogram.com/family-training-workshop-order For Free Daily Recovery Support Meetings https://drkjfoster.org/online-recovery-meetings Dr. KJ Foster is Founder of Fostering Resilience, LLC, Co-Founder of the Center for Sobriety, Spirituality & Healing and Family Program Director at the Beachcomber Family Center for Addiction Recovery. She is a Resilience Expert, Educator, Entrepreneur, Public Speaker, YouTube Creator, and Author of The Warrior’s Guide to Successful Sobriety, available at www.drkjfoster.org

RECOVERY FROM ALCOHOL ABUSE PAVED THE WAY FOR CANCER SURVIVAL

By Jim Anders Continued from page 7

All Drinking Aside: The Destruction, Deconstruction and Reconstruction of An Alcoholic Animal is a 90 Chapter orchestration of autobiographical flashbacks in which the author describes his descent into alcoholism while three fictional characters (unnoticed by him) discuss his prospects for recovery. 286 pages, it is available on Amazon.com in both print and Kindle editions.

Jim Anders honed his skills writing as an advertising copywriter.

He is a graduate of Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA. After becoming a cancer-survivor, he became a CCAR Recovery Coach and is working on a second book tentatively titled Becoming Unbroken. www.alldrinkingaside.com alldrinkingaside@yahoo.com

To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943

13

What Does Recovery Mean For You?

Pregnancy is one of the most meaningful chapters of any mom’s life.

For moms-to-be struggling with substance abuse or mental health disorders, it can also be one of the most difficult. Research shows that if mom is battling addiction, her newborn will come into the world battling it, too. Without proper treatment, both mom and baby’s lives can be at risk.

Retreat offers comprehensive prenatal care that focuses on mom and baby simultaneously. Our on-site OBGYN works with closely with our patients, on behalf of their families’ futures.

Find us on Social:

www.RetreatBehavioralHealth.com | 855.859.8810 14

www.thesoberworld.com