FEDERAL BILL HR 911

The US House has supported the Bill HR 911, which outlines a mechanism for oversight, monitoring and restricting programs/facilities which provide residential services for teens up to age 18. There are those who are not in favor of such a Bill because it is too restrictive and based largely on one person's experience with a program that took the life of his son. They view it as punishment to all service providers including foster parents. Human service professionals state that it will impede many houses/programs from being certified and placement for teens will get backlogged.
In my humble opinion, one child lost in a residential program is one child too many. Historically, we have been lax when it comes to oversight of out-of-home programs including wilderness experiences and group home foster care. As a country, we have broken the cardinal rule of parenting - to keep children safe and secure. It is sad that we need federal legislation to mandate us to pay attention to places where teens are housed/educated/detoxed/treated for mental illness. But if that is what it takes, so be it.

IS AA THERAPY?

I just returned from the Harvard University School for Addiction Study Annual Conference. One of the attendees posed two questions that have been circulating at AA meetings for sometime. The first is whether or not AA is therapy? The answer is 'no'. It is self-help. Although it is of therapeutic value to most folks who attend, it is run by others who have 'walked the walk' of dependence upon alcohol. Therapy is very different and conducted by professionals who have spent a great deal of time studying the addiction process as well as how to facilitate wellness. The second question is whether or not a person who is on prescribed medication is really in recovery. The answer is, that if a person needs certain medications to manage his/her life, and they are taking this medication as prescribed, while abstaining from their drug of choice, then 'yes' that person is in recovery.
There will always be folks who have drug-seeking behaviors and who doctor shop just to get medications that they can use recreationally. These people are not in recovery. They are people who have chosen to put their drug use ahead of family, work and friends. Hopefully they will choose both treatment and self-help when they decide to start walking on the road to recovery!

WHAT'S THE ISSUE

Many patients have asked me if I could tell them why so many people relapse. They often quote friends in AA who subscribe to the philosophy that relapse is part of addiction. After so many years in this field, I am reluctant to support that idea. My personal experience tells me that we can change external behaviors. We can encourage and support those who stop participating in negative actions. We can teach patients about triggers, urges and cravings and the journey towards relapse prevention. But the data demonstrates that most will relapse. Why?
My theory is that each person with an addiction has a core issue - usually emerging in childhood and unresolved. It could be abandonment, abuse of some sort, neglect, punishment, gender struggles or a host of other traumas that children are subjected to. Only the person him or herself can identify that issue. Until they recognize and acknowledge that issue and make a conscious effort to deal with it in some therapetic way, they will fall back on what they know - drinking, drugging, gambling or other addictive behaviors. We can put a bandaid on a deep cut and it will heal from the outside. Or we can debris the cut and then bandage it and it will heal from the inside out. Clean up the core issue and the healing will begin.

TEN TIPS FOR MANAGING THE HOLIDAYS

1. Eat Right and stay hydrated with water. Protein and fruits work well.
2. Sleep 8 hours and take two 5-minute rest breaks during the day. Breathe deeply and get centered.
3. Take a 5-minute walk or do some daily exercise. The 5 minutes is easier to fit in than 30 minutes every other day.
4. If you don't have a problem, drink socially, not alone. 2-3 drinks in an evening is fine. Just don't drive.
5. Don't smoke marijuana to get through stress. Also, take medications as prescribed.
6. Surround yourself with positive people. It is contagious!
7. You hav the power to make the day a good one. You can choose not to attend something if it is going to upset you.
8. Do something nice for someone else. Simple, but meaningful acts of kindness benefit the giver as well.
9. Find peace within yourself, at church, synagogue, the movies, the beach or with friends.
10. Be grateful to be above ground. It sure beats the alternative!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!

DECRIMINALIZING MARIJUANA

After two years of protracted discussions about change, the Presidential election was filled with drama in the final two weeks. Voters obsessed on two subjects - the economy and the war. But tucked neatly at the bottom of a few state ballots was a question that could bring about disastrous social consequences for the next generation. At issue was the decriminalization of possession of an ounce or less of marijuana.
One ounce does not seem like much - a few joints, a couple of bowls or blunts. And proponents suggested that arresting people for possession of this substance does little more than create a backlog of cases in the court system. So in the name of legal expediation the proposal was put forth for the popular vote.
In a landslide vote of three to one, the majority spoke and the question passed. NOW WHAT?
Did anyone give thought as to how such a change in the law should be executed? Or how this would effect teens? Police are running around unsure if they should stop drivers when they suspect marijuana is the underlying cause for impaired driving. Teens are laughing aloud as they stand on corners openly thumbing their noses at law enforcement while 'blazing' in public. Drug treatment clinics are caught short when attempting to elucidate the merits of harm reduction as a means to control addiction to cannabis, to addicts who do not see the consequence of smoking. SO, NOW WHAT?

Healthcare parity bill

People with addictions have a difficult enough time finding appropriate treatment providers in their geographical areas. When the best provider is considered 'out of network' by an insurance carrier the bill may not be covered. Last week, step one in the journey towards healthcare parity for drug and alcohol treatment as well as services for people with mental illness was successfuly passed in Washington. Follow the website I have provided and let me know what you think about this issue.

CNN Coverage of the Amethyst Debate