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Addiction Recovery Bulletin

Prejudice, Knowledge, or Ignorance? –

August 28, 2020 – As of 2018, only about 5% of physicians had a license to prescribe buprenorphine — despite increasing demand for the drug and an overdose crisis that killed 70,000 people in the United States last year alone.

“[Bupe] can be prescribed for pain without any of these regulatory requirements. When prescribing it for opioid use disorder, it’s layered with all these barriers. There’s a stigma around the medication,” said Beth Connolly, the project director of Pew’s substance use prevention and treatment initiative. ”It was really important to study what some of the barriers are, and whether people are actually prescribing it.” The study looked at the monthly buprenorphine patient volume for physicians licensed to prescribe the drug between April 2017 and January 2019. Just over 50% wrote at least one prescription during that time period. And most of the physicians who did regularly prescribe it didn’t hit their “patient cap,” in some cases prescribing to just a handful of patients.

The problem isn’t necessarily that individual doctors aren’t prescribing to as many patients as possible — it’s that so few doctors can prescribe buprenorphine at all, said Jeanmarie Perrone, the director of the Division of Medical Toxicology and Addiction Medicine Initiatives in the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Emergency Medicine.

more@Inquirer

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Addiction Recovery Bulletin

LISTEN – They’ll always take your action at G.A. –

August 20, 2020 – But after reopening in mid-June, business is booming again, and counselors are concerned.

“Since they’ve reopened, our calls to the hotline number and to the agency have been on a steady increase,” says Bruce Jones, who heads the gambling program at Maryhaven.

That demand is reflected in big profits for casinos and racinos around the state.

“Keep in mind that because of COVID, they reduced numbers of availability on the machines and some of the poker rooms were closed, and they still set records, so they’re back strong,” Jones says.

Jones says that, according to figures he’s seen, Hollywood Casino Columbus brought in $18 million last month.

“People are venturing back, even taking the risk with the social distancing and everything,” he says.

Jones adds it’s not just the availability of gambling: an influx of federal cash may have contributed to the increase.

“I think it’s great that people received stimulus checks during this period, but it was not a good thing for a lot of people in recovery,” he says.

more@WOSU

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Addiction Recovery Bulletin

Listings and Recommendations –  

August 23, 2020 – Some people don’t want to live in holes anymore and want to see the light of the day. Every addict’s story is something like that. However, beating addiction isn’t as easy. There are multiple ways to deal with addiction and work for sobriety. Recovery homes are places where people can find a semblance of peace and work on being sober.

Sober living homes are pockets of goodness where addicts can work on their growth. But finding good sober living homes or recovery homes isn’t easy. That’s why an app called Taste Recovery has been created, that searches for recovery homes efficiently.

more@DigiHerald

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Addiction Recovery Bulletin

WATCH – Hear the crack of the bat? –

August 23, 2020 – A team consisting of officers from local law enforcement agencies in Washington County took on a team of individuals involved in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. The two teams squared off on the softball field Saturday night at the Canyon Softball Complex on West 2000 North in St. George.

The event was organized as a way to demonstrate the positive relationship between two groups of people that are sometimes viewed as mortal enemies, and to break the common stereotypes that can come with active addiction.

The game was organized by Ty Empey, with Hope Rising Detox and Rehabilitation, and included members of the Recovery Softball League that played against a law enforcement team that included players from five participating agencies, including the Washington City Police Department, the St. George Police Department, Adult Probation & Parole, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department.

more@StGeorgeNews

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Addiction Recovery Bulletin

MEDIA: Book Recommendation –  

April 28, 2020 –  Each story provides answers to the following questions: When did you start drinking or using drugs, and how did it progress? Looking back, when do you think it was mostly out of control? How are you able to not drink or use daily? What is your thought about medication-assisted treatment? Is there anything you want those struggling with addiction to know? What do you want lawmakers to know? Combining Suzanne Thistle’s 20 years of professional knowledge and 101 people with lived experience, Chem-Free Sobriety gives a practical approach to recovery from alcohol and drug use disorders. Family members, medical providers, and others will also be motivated by the insight gleaned from this book.

more@Amazon

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Addiction Recovery Bulletin

Online for life? –  

August 28, 2020 – Call people: Most support groups will offer a phone list of members. If you like the way a person shares about their recovery, call them after the meeting and talk to them. This is welcome and a good way to build a support system. Connection is critical to recovery.

Meditation apps: There are many apps, and even some online groups, that teach and support a meditation practice. Meditation can bring a sense of calm and connection. When part of a daily practice and used in conjunction with support groups and a support system, meditation can be effective in decreasing urges to drink/use and give a sense of well-being.

Volunteer: Called “service work” in 12-step programs, helping others is one way to make meaning, get out of your own damaging thoughts, and contribute to making a better community. While some service work is sobriety-related, other efforts may involve community service or social activism. Some volunteer activities can be done online or at home. Foster a dog. Help people register to vote. Raise money for a charity that’s important to you. There are many ways to be of service to others. Focus on what you can control: There are parts of our lives over which we do have a fair bit of control. What are you doing to sleep well? Are you exercising? How is your nutrition? Are you bathing and getting dressed? The more you do to maintain a healthy routine, the better you will feel, especially if you are taking care of your basic needs in a healthy and responsible way.

Speak up: If you need help, ask for it. If you are struggling with addiction or mental health issues, let people know, and keep letting people know until you find the help and support you need. Talk about what’s bothering you. Friends or family may not be able to change what’s going on, but they can give you space to feel what needs to be felt, so that you can develop healthy coping mechanisms and develop resiliency.

Go to treatment: If you are unable to get or stay sober in the relative isolation that the pandemic has caused, residential treatment is an option. Many treatment facilities across the country have room at present. Treatment facilities are doing everything in their power to keep Covid-19 out of facilities through screenings and safety protocols. Now is a great time to get help in a residential treatment program.

more@PsychologyToday

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Addiction Recovery Bulletin

Everyone should start an “artdiction” exhibit –  

August 28, 2020 – SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The Tallgrass Recovery Art Show this Friday in Sioux Falls is giving people dealing with addiction to drugs and alcohol an outlet to talk about it.

More than 25 pieces will be on display at Post Pilgrim Gallery Friday night. Creator Joan Zephier says everyone is welcome to attend the event. She says the pandemic has caused a lot of struggle for people in addiction and recovery.

“We’re already isolated as a group and then to add something that we’re really isolated, so relapse was higher,” Zephier said.

The Recovery Art Show is free and is open from 6-9 p.m. at Post Pilgrim. There will be food and “live” music. Masks are required for the event.

more@Keloland

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Addiction Recovery Bulletin

“Sisters are doin’ it by themselves” –

August 28, 2020 – From my work at Wellbridge Addiction Treatment and Research, I have seen, first-hand, the danger of heightened risk for alcohol and drug abuse that has resulted from COVID-19. Social isolation coupled with job losses, financial frustrations, and health concerns have caused many people to look for new outlets to relax, relieve stress, and provide entertainment.

While substance use disorder (SUD) has always been a global health concern, never in my 14 years as a licensed clinician have I seen such a concerning impact upon my field. Due to the pandemic, there have been disturbing increases in reports of alcohol sales, overdoses, and addiction relapses. In March, the first month of quarantine, alcohol sales rose 55% from last year.

When you’re home all day, the hours can blend together, boundaries may disappear, and suddenly it’s more difficult to distinguish when lunchtime turns to cocktail hour. Or perhaps, reaching for a cocktail signals that it’s finally time to relax and unwind. For women, moderate drinking is defined as one drink per day, while heavy drinking is defined as eight drinks or more per week. 

Zoom “happy hours” sprung up in the early days of the pandemic, which at the time provided a much-needed way for people, especially women, to connect with friends. But as these get-togethers mainly revolved around drinking alcohol, they sometimes perpetuated the desire to consider a second, third, or even fourth glass of wine or cocktail. As the weeks in quarantine piled up, so did alcohol consumption. Additionally, social media has played a significant role in bolstering this behavior with alcohol-related memes, including “quarantinis,” making light of the “need to drink” mentality to get through this difficult time.

more@SWAAY

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Addiction Recovery Bulletin

Cartoon character needs AA –

AUGUST 28, 2020 – Nicolas Cage will play an alcoholic, TV-loving dragon in Amazon’s TV adaptation of Eoin Colfer’s Highfire novel at Amazon, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed today.Davey Holmes (Epix’s Get Shorty, Shameless) is writing the series and will serve as an executive producer alongside Cage and Andrew Mittman of 1.21.

Colfer is known for writing the Artemis Fowl series of YA novels, which recently received a film adaptation from director Kenneth Branagh (the movie is now streaming on Disney+). Highfire was published in January of this year.

more@SyFy

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Addiction Recovery Bulletin

And the young shall lead them… –

AUGUST 31, 2020 – As Rumer explains now, she’s learned that it was never in her power to fix her mom. And she credits communities like Al-Anon, a recovery space for friends and family of alcoholics, with helping give her the support she needed to move on.

These days, Rumer and Demi (and Scout and Tallulah and Bruce) are all on the sober train, and find great strength in each other. In fact, Rumer says it was mom Demi in part who inspired her to get sober herself: “I was the last one [in my family] to get sober,” she admits. “And so also at that point I was like, ‘man, I can’t be the only one left here. This sucks.’” Three years sober and counting, Rumer is far from alone. And each time she shares her journey like this, she helps viewers everywhere feel less alone too.

more@SheKnows

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