As we all sit back and watch the various layers of the U.S. war effort unfold, it is hard enough for us to conceptually grasp the level of loss and violent despair unfolding each minute for our troops in the middle east. Even for family members of soldiers, who risk their lives daily, they may have a different perspective on the madness, but nothing can or will ever compare to the horror each individual soldier experiences.
The reason I bring this up is to shed a little light on a situation we are all facing that is certain to explode like a hidden IED, tripped by an unsuspecting soldier. Four letters we’ve all heard before but you better be ready for since they are about to change the world we live in…PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a bomb being constructed in the middle east as you read this and will be triggered to explode gradually over the next 20 years. Believe me, if you think I’m being dramatic, watch the approaching explosion and think back to this post if you survive it.
Visit http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/fslist-ptsd-overview.asp for a peek at what we will all be faced with but when you’re reading this, remember that only recently has the the U.S. Military’s powers-that-be begun to recognize the the fact that PTSD exists…that is pathetic and unacceptable. While it is wonderful that it is finally being given credibility, the resources set aside for treatment is a pittance compared to what will be needed. Ironically, each returning veteran will have a ticking PTSD IED inside each one of them that can ‘go off’ at any second. Whether an acute PTSD reaction occurs on the street, at work, at school, at church or at home, you can bet your ass that if WE ALL aren’t equipped with a basic understanding of how to deal with it, we will be suffering as a society for generations to come.
Sadly, PTSD cannot be treated like other behavioral disorders and daily we hear reports of treatment facilities failing patients and their families on a daily basis by attempting to treat PTSD along with other behaviorally impaired patients…THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE!!!! These individuals and their families need specialized treatments with professionals specifically trained to deal with PTSD. Do the math, with the numbers of returning veterans, we are in for a shit-storm if we don’t get a handle on this thing and the government has its hands full.
That is why I’ve assembled a team at TSN, who has created a program called HEROES WELCOME. I will share more about the specifics in the next few weeks but in essence, we are assembling the best PTSD experts and centers on the planet and offering treatment for both the victim and their family. As a society and a field, we have a unique opportunity to learn from the past (Viet Nam) and truly help diffuse a generational bomb. This is not a bullshit sticker on a bumper, this is a way for us all to actually support our troops and save our own society.
This is the seed and you are all aware that TSN is growing a solution so don’t pretend you haven’t been informed. If you are interested in learning more or have something to offer, contact Jed Wallace for details since he will be coordinating the effort on my behalf. I encourage you to do some serious research and soul searching – be a part of HEROES WELCOME and do your part to support the veterans that have given their lives, limbs and personalities to protect our freedom…now it is our turn!
Responsibility can be defined as “the ability or obligation to act or decide on one’s own, without supervision”. In active addiction, there was very little that I took responsibility for besides getting and using the next drink or drug. For everything else, I relied on my family and friends to enable me, care for me and clean up after the wreckage I often left in my wake.
When I came into this new way of life, I learned that I was responsible for my own recovery. This meant that I had both the ability and the obligation to decide for myself whether or not to attend meetings, whether or not to work a 12-step program and ultimately whether or not to stay clean. It didn’t mean I was alone in the process, but it did mean that it was also up to me to ask for help or guidance when I needed it. The more I embraced responsibility, the more freedom and joy I experienced.
Responsibility for an addict or alcoholic is a very daunting concept. For so long in our active addiction, we ran from it out of fear. Working at Treatment Solutions Network, I get to stand with the suffering addict or alcoholic and help them face this fear. With this assistance of their loved ones, healthcare providers, EAP’s, or other community members, I am able to help them to help themselves and make the decision to seek a new way of life.
At Treatment Solutions Network, we’re experts at streamlining the process of finding the appropriate level of help for the suffering addict or alcoholic, from the initial phone call to dealing with the insurance companies, to assisting in travel and throughout the entire treatment process. But no matter how good we are at what we do, it’s ultimately the addict or alcoholic who makes the decision, in spite of their fears, to begin taking responsibility for their lives. From there, anything is possible.
Wow, I never thought I’d see the day when America’s golden boy Tiger Woods would go zero to bottom overnight. I’m still reeling from this one and just when I think I’ve got a handle on the story, out pops some new porn star from Portland that not only says she too had sex with Tiger, but she also had unprotected sex with Tiger…wow!
This country was practically built on scandal and shame so this is nothing new to the masses; however, this is Tiger Woods for God’s sake, I was still coming to grips with the fact that the guy was having sex. They say people reveal themselves in their opposites, which can only mean that we are dealing with one sick cub. Is it wrong that I actually find him more interesting?
Ok, before the hate mail starts pouring in, let me explain what I mean. I am not saying I condone what he did or respect his choices, but we are dealing with a MASSIVE ADDICTION that has personified Tiger Woods and I am interested in watching him now more than ever. I am certainly impressed when a human being can put a ball in a cup with one swing from 300 yards out, but I am absolutely captivated when I have the privilege of watching a human being face and embrace the truth for the first time.
Addiction is so powerful that even those we perceive to be superheroes behave the same way when faced with the truth…they lie! Tiger is about to bounce off the bottom at any second but as it stands, I get the sense he is still a pitching-wedge away from the absolute truth. I watch this process daily and it isn’t pretty when it happens behind closed
doors but to see it unfold on the global stage is downright brutal. Everyone is in pain watching the truth emerge – especially his family and that is horrific; however, I will say that as this plays out and if Tiger has any self respect, he will find the humility he needs, connect with his higher power and come completely clean.
He is one of us and that means that if he gets into a program of recovery and takes the necessary steps, the man we will meet on the other side will not only be the greatest golfer of our time, but he will also be a man capable of looking into a mirror and loving the reflection. That in itself will overshadow the golfer and let the sun shine brightly on the great man, father and husband he has become by getting honest.
Good luck to the entire Woods family. We are here if you need us.
In active addiction, it was impossible for me to be myself or to express my personality freely. My entire being was bound by my addiction and the pursuit of the next drink or drug and as a result, I behaved accordingly. Sometimes, this meant I had to present myself as a tough guy – someone big, bad and fearless; other times, this meant I played the role of the victim – someone trapped by circumstances beyond my control and deserving of pity. In reality, neither of these masks were the truth.
When I came into recovery, I began to learn new ways to live. I developed trust in the process and learned okay to express fear and vulnerability. I also learned that it was equally important to take responsibility for my life and my actions. I developed relationships with other recovering addicts and alcoholics who were genuinely interested in my recovery and well-being, not money, property or prestige. In this environment, I was able to learn who I was and felt safe being myself. It is very liberating to realize that I no longer have to wear a mask or play the chameleon.
When an addict or alcoholic makes a choice to enter into a lifestyle of recovery, oftentimes, they have been living a contradicting lifestyle for so long that they have a hard time identifying who they even are anymore. It is one of the most beautiful and rewarding gifts of recovery to watch a scared, lost, confused addict or alcoholic slowly evolve into a man or woman of integrity who can stand confidently in their own skin. Like anything else, this is a process that occurs slowly, one day and step at a time.
Working at Treatment Solutions Network, we’re blessed to be able to help place suffering addicts and alcoholics on the path to personal freedom. It’s a mission that requires us as individuals to remain true to ourselves and the suffering individual. It’s a privilege that we do not take for granted.
This story is a nice follow up to several stories we have written lately regarding the effectiveness of treating addiction rather than locking up offenders.
Florida’s prison population has increased five-fold in the past 30 years, while its general population hasn’t even doubled. Today 5.4 of every 100 Floridians are incarcerated.
Meanwhile, each new prison costs roughly $100 million to build and $25 million to operate annually – and the Department of Corrections has plans for three more ready to implement.
Here at Treatment Solutions Network we have very strong ties to those who serve our communities, protecting and serving day in and day out. We are proud of these men and women and have a particular affinity for the Boston Fire Department. We were very happy when one of our friends forwarded us this video detailing the service of Boston Fire. Enjoy!
To learn more about our involvement and commitment to help those who serve us please check out our testimonials page by clicking here.
When is the most difficult time in the process of addiction treatment?This is a very subjective question and depending on whom you ask and their personal or clinical experience, you may find different answers. Certainly, if a person never gets to a treatment facility that is properly geared to treat their disease, then the chances for successful recovery from addiction are likely very poor.
However, if an addicted individual is placed at a proper chemical dependency treatment program there are many factors that affect their abstinence rates, and the quality of their lives, one year after entering the treatment facility. There are a lot of people and companies in the treatment profession that represent success rates, but the key questions to ask are: Who determined their success rates? Were they independently validated? Find out if this was an actual scientific study or did the numbers just get massaged to help in marketing efforts.
While there is much debate about the aforementioned question, there is little debate about the positive correlation between longer treatment and more efficacious recovery results. Lengthy treatment stays, however, do not always translate to healthy coping skills. Witnessing this firsthand for years, I have seen individuals thrive in the treatment setting – even if it is for 90 days or more – but when they return home disaster strikes. Difficulties may stem from re-acclimation to home, work, or social life, finding ways to fill free time, embracing a new healthy lifestyle, applying the treatment principles in the “real world,” or any number of individualized challenges. A unique complement (not an alternative) to combating these difficulties that may arise in today’s typical treatment protocol can be found with a long-term recovery coaching model.
To smooth such pitfalls, I developed a comprehensive program for my clients to establish a coaching relationship throughout and beyond the first year of recovery. Often that relationship starts prior to an intervention, and includes contact with the coach during treatment (with the coach present for the critical transition of discharge from treatment), and adhering to a holistic recovery coaching protocol for a minimum of 52 weeks post-discharge. This creates a lifestyle change in the addicted person to help them embrace and succeed in a recovery that goes well beyond abstinence. A change that encompasses mind, body and spirit is necessary, and importantly, one that makes sense for that individual’s lifestyle is critical for the effects to last. For example, at LifeSkills Authorities we have programs specifically geared toward executives and attorneys that take the nuances of their high-stress corporate lifestyles into consideration. This unique approach is developing a national following in a short period of time because of the thoroughness of working with clients to manage all touchpoints of early recovery.
If you have fallen prey to the difficulties of recovery and want help for yourself or if a loved one is struggling in recovery, I encourage you to consider a new approach. Visit our website (http://www.lifeskillsauthorities.com/) and really spend the time to find out what the LSA philosophy and programs are all about.
Opportunity is defined as “a favorable or advantageous circumstance or combination of circumstances”. In active addiction, this usually meant some circumstance that I could exploit to continue using. It didn’t matter what consequence, spiritually, emotionally or financially that was caused, so long as I could get what I wanted out of particular situation.
Getting clean provided me with a vast number of new, more positive opportunities in life. On a very basic level, when I stopped chasing the next high and spending all my money on drugs, I had a great deal more time and resources to dedicate towards positive avenues. When I embraced others in recovery, I acquired valuable friendships, new insights and perspectives and solid peer support. Working a program of recovery enables me to do the internal work to become a better version of myself on a daily basis. As a popular recovery saying goes, “lost dreams reawaken and new ones are found”. For the recovering addict, with a little patience, the possibilities are endless.
Working at TSN, I get a chance to encounter and work directly with addicts who often claim to feel “stuck”. It’s true that an addict or alcoholic’s bottom is usually that place in their life when they’ve run out of chances to continue using. I know from firsthand experience that feeling of the walls caving in. The beauty is that this ‘bottom’ is actually an opportunity; a favorable circumstance to affect change in that individual’s life, if they so choose.
At TSN, we pride ourselves on being a part of that process. We feel every addict or alcoholic deserves the opportunity to recover. We are glad to be a piece in the puzzle, along with family members, social workers, EAP’s, and the many other professionals involved in the field of addiction, to help create this ‘favorable circumstance’ for recovery.
Preventing Prescription Painkiller Abuse
By Bethany Winkel, October 20th 2009 ShareThis
Prescription painkiller abuse is a huge problem in our country. Abusing painkillers has become the drug addiction for those we would least expect, and many people are able to hide the addiction so well that not even family members are aware.
Acute and Chronic Pain
It often starts with an injury or illness that leaves a person in a lot of pain. This acute pain that sets in quickly can sometimes be treated easily with painkillers, and if done properly the person can be weaned off the drugs with no problems. Oftentimes, however, people don’t seek treatment for acute pain, or the pain doesn’t resolve like it should, and the person is left with chronic pain. Chronic pain is persistent, and it begins to break a person’s spirit down. These people never feel good, they miss out on enjoyable things, and they can’t see an end to the pain. This can easily lead to sadness, mood swings, and depression.
Prescription Painkillers
Managing chronic pain is a difficult thing. There are so many effective medications out there, but the problem is that many of these drugs have side effects and are very addictive. Then when we add in the mental instability of some patients who are in chronic pain, you might expect there are risks to prescribing prescription painkillers.
Some doctors haven’t been trained in the use of prescription painkillers, and some are not familiar with spotting abuse or dependence. These doctors may give dosages that are too high, or for too long of a time, leading patients to become dependent on them. Other doctors prescribe too little for too short of a time, causing the patient to feel helpless and seeking some other sort of relief.
Some patients are so desperate for relief that they themselves overmedicate and then end up using the prescription as a crutch. They go through pills quickly and begin to make up excuses to get more medications, or they “doctor shop” or use aliases to get more prescriptions. These patients can quickly become addicted and will do anything necessary to get more pills. These people will steal the pills, order them illegally online, or buy them off the street, just so they can get their high.
Prevention
There are ways to curb the abuse and addiction of prescription painkillers. It is a felony to doctor shop in order to get more drugs, and enforcing these laws and getting help for those that break them will help. There is a database of pharmacies that has been established to monitor the medications patients are getting, so they can’t shop around for more medications. Some pain clinics require patients to sign a contract saying that they will not go anywhere else to get additional painkillers. But maybe the best way to ensure patients don’t abuse prescriptions is to screen them for risks beforehand, focusing on past drugs abuse and history of psychological problems. Doctors that do prescribe them should be well-trained to spot those at risk and to prescribe medications for every patient in a way that reduces the risk of abuse.
The social psychologist Timothy Wilson wrote that: “The conflict between the need to be accurate and the desire to feel good about ourselves is one of the major battlegrounds of the self, and how this battle is fought and how it is won are central determinants of who we are and how we feel about ourselves.” (2002) Furthermore, he adds that: “An important question becomes how the accuracy, and feel good criteria (two identified operations of our unconscious minds) operate together, since they are often incompatible.” In other words it is very difficult to be truly humble, and feel good at the same time.
Here is more proof. In a study conducted by Armor and Taylor in 1988, they discovered that “People who have positive illusions are less likely to be depressed than those who do not.” So, if humility entails the ability to see yourself clearly, to be realistic, and be truly in touch with your limitations, this will not lead to “feeling good.” Actually, there is a long historical trail that supports this research.
Two-thousand and five hundred years ago the Buddha declared that “life is suffering” as the first noble truth of Buddhism. This revelation came after years of practices designed to be able to apprehend reality clearly, and getting rid of the “self” or “ego.” In other words, he got through the part of the mind that is responsible for distorting reality so we can make ourselves feel good. In this clarity he saw the same reality that is revealed by these modern researchers. Again, here is Wilson: “People’s judgments and interpretations are often guided by… the desire to view the world in the way that gives them the most pleasure” (2002.) This would include the pleasure, and pride that my ego provides me when I see myself, and are seen by others, as a “humble” person. So, if the person getting an ego boost out of their “humility” is not truly humble, who is?
The most truly humble people that I have met have been suffering addicts coming into treatment. They come openly displaying every inadequacy known to man on their sleeves. They are too tired and beat up to care how they look, or what you think about them. They are too tired to be “humble,” or “kind,” or “nice,” or anything else. In clinical language, they have no ego-strength left.
In this state of ego exhaustion, there arises a quality that I find hard to describe in words; a quality that I can only attempt to describe in the language of feelings. This quality feels powerful, raw, open,and, true. The person exhibiting it is Fully present. There is the feeling of a Divine presence in the exchange with them. It feels Spiritual. It feels Holy, in the truest meaning of the word. This is the quality of true humility; the absence of ego. It doesn’t feel good because its catalyst is not pride; its catalyst is pain. It doesn’t feel; it feels right.
Print This Page
