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A LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER Dear Readers, I welcome you to The Sober World magazine. The reason you are receiving this magazine is because a family member or close friend living with you has been arrested due to drugs or alcohol. Many petty thefts are also drug related, as their need for drugs causes them to take desperate measures in order to have the ability to buy their drugs. Drug addiction has reached epidemic proportions throughout the country. Florida is one of the leading states for drug use in the country. People come from all over to obtain pharmaceutical drugs from the pain clinics that have opened virtually everywhere and are still opening as you are reading this. The availability of prescription narcotics is overwhelming and as parents our hands are tied because we are told it is “legal”. We have to sit back and watch while doctors write out prescriptions for drugs such as Oxycontin, and Oxycodone (which is an opiate drug and just as addictive as heroin) to young adults in their 20’s and 30’s right up to the elderly in their 70”s, thus, creating a generation of addicts. Addiction is a disease but it is the most taboo of all diseases. 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 an arrest, 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 ones life. They are more apt to listen to you now then 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 transport services that will scoop up your resistant loved one (under 18 yrs old) and bring them to the facility you have chosen, there are long term programs (sometimes a year and longer) as well as short term programs (30-90 days) there are Wilderness programs and there are sober living housing where they can work, go to meetings and be accountable for staying clean.
To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
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 instead of 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 as well. There are many groups that can help you. One such group is Al-Anon, which I have found to be very helpful. There is also one called Alateen, which is for teenagers; this disease affects the whole family, not just the parents. Both groups allow you to share your thoughts and feelings. It is an anonymous group and anything said within those walls are not shared with any one outside the room. You share only your first name, not your last name. This is a wonderful way for you to be able to openly convey what has been happening in your life as well as hearing other people share their stories. You will find that the faces are different but the stories are all too similar. You will also be quite surprised to see how many families are affected by drug and alcohol addiction. 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 grades 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 had 7 months clean when he relapsed and died of a drug overdose. Whatever you decide to do, or wherever you decide to send your child or loved one, I beg each and every one of you. Do not give up on your child. Do not enable them but do not give up either. Please don’t allow your child to become a statistic. They have a disease and they need help. There is a website called the Brent Shapiro foundation. Famed attorney Robert Shapiro started it in memory of his son. I urge each and every one of you to go to that website. They keep track on a daily basis of all the people that die due to drug overdoses. It will astound you. I hope you have found this magazine helpful. Sincerely,
Patricia
Publisher Patricia@TheSoberWorld.com
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MY FIRST DAY IN TREATMENT – Tony Foster Having recently celebrated nine years of sobriety, I’ve been reflecting on my early days in this journey. Although I went to treatment for alcoholism three times in a seven month period it was only the third time that I went by choice. The first time I went was at the behest of my family along with a Baker Act. As you might imagine, I wasn’t excited about being in treatment and giving up alcohol. Consequently, I did my twenty-eight days and stayed sober exactly five days. I then began drinking outside AA meetings and going into them under the influence. Soon after that my wife went to court to have me committed under Florida’s Marchman Act. A judge signed off that I was a danger to society and myself, and off I went to treatment again. This time I was even less excited about investing a month of my life into doing something I didn’t want to do. I decided that since I was a grown man nobody was going to tell me when I could or couldn’t drink. In my sick mind I had not hurt anyone so why should I have to stop? Treatment was uneventful and I drank on the 28th day on my way home from treatment. Imagine my surprise when I got home and found my house completely empty, except for an easy chair and a television. Believe it or not, I thought I had won the lottery. Now I could drink with impunity. No wife or kid around to stop me. That lasted about six weeks. During those six weeks the only thing I ate was one bag of M & Ms per day that my wife brought me. She hadn’t completely given up on me though, she just couldn’t live with me like that. In any case, during those six weeks I lost sixty-five pounds. Then one day she came over and out of the blue I said to her “I’m done, I want to stop drinking”. What I didn’t know then was that I suddenly had something that I never had before, a desire to stop drinking. Alcoholics Anonymous says that the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. I finally qualified. I said to my wife, “I’m going to go to treatment and do everything they tell me to do”. I opened the phone book and found an alcohol and drug treatment facility in Delray Beach. That decision changed my life in more ways than I can count. It literally saved me from a painful, premature death. My start in treatment was inauspicious, at best. On the appointed day of my intake my wife drove me there at about 8:30 in the morning. I had been drinking until 4 AM. The owner did not want me to stay because he thought I needed detox. My wife begged him to let me stay and capped her pleading and crying with “we need a miracle”. That’s what treatment became for me, a miracle. Like many treatment facilities, this one uses a twelve step model to help patients get and stay sober. But they did much more than that for me. Alcoholics Anonymous tells us that drinking is but a symptom of underlying issues that are going on. Treatment, for me, focused on that over a twenty-eight day program. However, how they did it was so unique. First, this particular treatment center only sixteen beds so they never have more than sixteen patients. For these sixteen patients they have five licensed therapists. I doubt you’ll find that kind of ratio anywhere else in the country. They also have a full and a part time chef. Like most other new patients I showed up undernourished and with terrible (or no) eating habits. In fact, I was so undernourished that all my toenails had fallen out. The great food the chefs cooked took care of that. But besides the food and the therapists it was what I was taught that really helped me when I got out. To Advertise, Call 561-910-1943
I was taught that I was feeling a lot of guilt and shame for what my life had become and how I had squandered a family and my own potential. I learned that there is a grieving process to quitting drinking and that I had to now feel things that in the past I would always drown with vodka. I had to learn how to live my life one day at a time without a drink. But I believe the reason I am sober today is that I learned “Toothbrush Therapy”. Toothbrush Therapy is a method taught at this particular treatment center which gives one a daily routine that helps a recovering alcoholic or drug addict stay sober. I can still remember one of the therapists saying “if you follow the simple directions and do these five things every day I guarantee you, you will never drink again”. The first time I heard that I was beside myself. You’ve got to be kidding, I thought. In fact, it was early in treatment that I heard it the first time and like a good alcoholic I was going to prove the professional wrong. Well guess what, not only was I wrong, I’ve been doing it now for over nine years and I haven’t had a drink yet. Toothbrush Therapy is named because it is designed in a way that it is used as you would brushing your teeth. You get in a routine for personal grooming and such and Toothbrush Therapy establishes a routine. It takes into account that alcoholics and drug addicts are creatures of habit, usually bad ones. But if we really want to be sober Toothbrush Therapy makes it pretty simple. You just have to do it every day. Does that seem like a lot? Well, I drank every day from the moment I woke up until I passed out. I was either buying alcohol or consuming it every waking hour. Toothbrush Therapy can be done in as little as one hour and fortyfive minutes per day. Now, if you really want to stay sober that seems like a very small requirement to me. If you can’t invest that much time in your sobriety and saving your life then you really don’t want to be sober. I decided to condense Toothbrush Therapy to one sheet that I could refer to all the time. This made it even simpler. In short, I pray at the beginning and end of each day. I also meditate every day. I follow that up with reading four pages of AA, or other recovery literature. Then I go to a meeting every day. I also have a support group of recovering people who I talk to every day. Finally, at the end of every day I write a gratitude list in the manner of a letter to God (my higher power). In the letter I thank him for five things in my life which I’m grateful for. That’s the end of Toothbrush Therapy for that day. As the therapist told me, “follow the simple directions” and it works. To complete this circle, I ultimately went back to school because I became passionate about helping other alcoholics and addicts. After four years I received dual Master’s degrees specializing in Mental Health and Rehab Counseling. I was able to do my Internship at the place where I got sober, and today I’m a counselor/therapist there. Finally, a year and a half ago I began a doctorate program which has led me to an even deeper understanding of the underlying problems of alcoholics and drug addicts. With all that’s happened in my life I still keep sobriety as my number one priority, and in order to succeed at that I continue to do Toothbrush Therapy every day. First published in Counseling Today. Tony is the director of therapy at the Beachcomber Outpatient Services located in Boynton Beach Florida. 7
The Florida Marchman Act: How to go about obtaining court-ordered treatment for addiciton or alcoholism. In Florida we have the Marchman Act: There are many people out there who are affected by the disease of Addiction, but they do not even know it. “Denial” is a common factor when dealing with addicts. Unfortunately, the family often times will suffer the whirlwind created by the active addict. Families often times do not know which way to turn, especially when the Addict refuses to admit to treatment voluntarily. There is a solution, but the family (or friends) must be perserverant. In Order to have a person court-ordered to Treatment under the Marchman Act, a Petition must be filed with the Court. It is strongly suggested that the family or friends petitioning the Court consult with an Addiction Professional prior to initiating the action. The first step is a Petition for Involuntary Assessment and Stabilization under Fla. Statute 397. It must be determined by a Qualified Addicions Professional, that the Respondent (person we are trying to get treatment) has clearly lost control over their drug or alcohol use and cannot appreciate the gravity of their addiction. It must also be evidenced that 1) The Respondent has lost the power of self control with respect to substance abuse, 2) has inflicted or is likely to inflict physical harm on him/herself or others unless admitted, 3) His/Her judgement is so impaired that he/she is incapable of appreciating his/her need for care and of making a rational decision regarding the need for care, and 4) has refused to submit to a voluntary assessment. If the Addiction Professional believes that the above criteria have been met, then the next step would be a Petition for Involuntary Treatment, also under Fla statute 397. The standard period of time ordered for treatment is 60 days. However, the judge will usually defer to the Addiction Professional who assessed the Respondent and the assessment does not always recommend residential treatment. Sometimes Intensive Outpatient or just outpatient counseling is recommended. If treatment is ordered at a county facility, there is sometimes a waiting period of a few days up to 10 days for the assessment. At ASI, our staff are Qualified Addicitons Professionals, who can perform the assessments as well as facilitate the Marchman Act hearings. If there was an emergency/crisis admission within the 3 days prior to the petition, the requirement for Assessment can be waived. A Petitioner in a Marchman Act Proceeding in Florida must be either a blood-relative or three “responsible adults” with first-hand knowledge of the Respondent’s condition. If the Petitioner has private insurance or has the financial means to 8
pay for treatment, the Court will Order him/her to the facility decided upon by the parties. If the Respondent is indigent or has no means to pay for treatment, he/she will be ordered to a County-funded facility if he/she meets the eligibility requirements of that facilities diagnostic guidelines. However, if the Respondent suffers from certain types of mental disorders such as Schizophrenia, most of the county facilities treating primarily addictions will not admit them. Once the Respondent has completed the 60-day courtordered treatment program, a motion can be made to extend the treatment period up to an additional 90-day period. This decision would be influenced by the recommendation of the treatment team at the treating facility as well as other professional opinions. If the Respondent leaves a facility which he/she has been court-ordered to, the sheriff’s office will be called and Respondent will be picked up and usually brought back to said facility. The Respondent can also be held in Contempt of Court for leaving the facility or for failing to stay abstinent from alcohol/drugs. A “Show Cause” motion should be filed by the petitioner and/or the treating facility. Then a Rule to “Show Cause” will be issued by the Judge and there will be another hearing to determine if the Respondent should be held in contempt of court. There are many pitfalls and loop-holes in the Marchman Act and it is strongly advised that anyone attempting to go through with this seek the advice of a qualified and experienced professional to assist them in navigating this system. The Respondent will be appointed Legal Counsel to represent his/her interests if they cannot afford one. Also, Marchman hearings differ from county to county. ASI can facilitate and coordinate Marchman hearings statewide. At ASI we are here to take a stand for the Petitioners and facilitate this process for them. We will coordinate all levels of treatment and facilitate the court hearings. We remain present from beginning to end and appear in Court multiple times if necessary. ASI provides Intervention and Case-Management Services to its Clients. We are the only facility in South Florida licensed by The Department of Children and Families specifically for the clinical components of General Intervention and Case-Management. We are here to serve and look forward to answering any of your questions and addressing the needs of you or your loved ones. Myles B. Schlam, J.D., CCJAP Advocare Solutions, Inc – CEO (954) 804-6888 WWW.MARCHMANACT.ORG
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Early recovery can be a difficult experience; our program is intended to aid residents in body, mind and spirit at every step of the way. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, call Sunset House today at 561.627.9701 or email us at darthur@sunsetrecovery.com.
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For more information, visit our website or call us toll-free at:
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CONFUSED ABOUT WHICH TREATMENT CENTER IS RIGHT FOR YOU? Choosing a treatment center is an important decision-one that you should not make alone! I can help you with: Placements • Consultation • Case Management Services • Client Advocacy • Court Liaison Services • Interventions • In-Custody Evaluations • Expert Testimony • Alternative Sentencing• Marchman Acts. Call me today for a free consultation.
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A New Day Therapeutic Services, LLC Daniel Schimmel LCSW, CAP Phone: 954.547.0788 Fax: 561.900.3344 E-Mail: schimmel34@aol.com Web: anewdaytherapeutic.com
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Letting go and holding on simultaneously. Surrendering to a higher power, while trusting that God is working in your life. Often they don’t go together but when they do, they can propel you to a better place carried by God’s grace. It’s like folding your cards and having one ace. Some attend the house of God; others get their gospel in the rooms. When you put them together, the outcome is someone who knows God is calling and is ready to listen. Surrendered Faith By Dan Schimmel
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P.O. Box 880175 Boca Raton, Florida 33488-0175
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 on this site. 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.
At Recovery Road, we don’t believe that any two individuals are alike, nor do we believe in one-sizefits-all treatment plans. In fact, we think that each person in our care deserves a treatment program that speaks to his own unique needs and circumstances. Recovery Road treats only a small number of people at a time, and it has one of the most generous staffto-patient ratios among recovery programs in the nation. This level of staffing makes it possible for our excellent clinical staff to get to know each individual and create personalized treatment programs • • • • • • • •
Individual Therapy Group Therapy Family Therapy Spirituality Meditation Yoga Nutrition Life Skills Development
• • • • • • • •
Acupuncture Art Therapy Hypnotherapy Twelve-Step Groups Patient Education Physical Fitness Massage Therapy After Care Planning
If you or someone you love is suffering from addiction, contact us at:
888.899.8301 - recoveryroadfl.com 4362 Northlake Boulevard, Suite 109,Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410