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Diabetes and Alcohol Everybody wondered why “Stan” kept drinking, even after his doctor told him that he had developed Type II diabetes. Options for Opiate Addiction The battle against drug dependence keeps advancing. Over the years methadone has been used in treatment for opiate addiction, but since 2000 two drugs have been used for out-patient treatment, and unlike methadone, which can only be dispensed by authorized treatment centers, patients can now get help from their own physician. Suboxone and Subutex have brought on change in treatment options. A Very Close Call During group discussions we have often talked about spiritual experiences. Everybody is different, so people have different ideas about what a spiritual experience even is, from perhaps sensing something is happening, to that overwhelming feeling that they are in a very special moment. We hear so many stories. But the one that “Sam” shared with us had everybody in the room leaning forward with amazement. A Cure For Alcoholism I have often compared being “powerless over alcohol” with being “powerless over the human condition,” when trying to give an example of how the disease of alcoholism robs us of any measure of control over our lives. The alcoholic is powerless over alcohol because there is no cure. People want a cure for alcoholism. Because there is no cure for the “human condition” and our addictive personalities, there is no cure for alcoholism. Is Your Child Exempt? If according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, nearly 80% of high school students have tried alcohol, it is easy to come to the conclusion that the potential for alcoholism or drug addiction is put into motion very early in life. What may start out as an “innocent” activity to fit in with friends, to have some fun, or to look older, turns into a life-changing struggle. The consequences are never a concern for the teenager, but the effects of alcohol can hit before the young person knows there is a problem, or even understands that a problem can be possible. The End Came All Too Soon I was saddened by the death of George Carlin. The tributes will come, as people of my generation remember his commentary on American life and culture. He was scheduled to receive the Mark Twain Prize for American humor later this year, and he will always be remembered for his “Seven Words You Can’t Say on Television” routine. So much of his comedy was edgy and stretched the limits of societal tolerance. He talked about the human condition and how people see the world and react to it. Get Sick To Feel Better Swirling within the seemingly endless spiral of alcoholism is a person out of control. “Darci” understands the helplessness of being caught in the grips of addiction and knows that without help she is not going to live much longer. She is tired of the spiral and appreciates the treatment center. She is beginning to gain back control. On The Go…Constantly In America there is an ever-growing segment of the population that is beginning to either reach or exceed record numbers, depending on the community. That group, a by-product of the changing American culture and values, tries to make a nearly impossible job into a normal, everyday way of life. The group is the swelling population of single moms. Drying Out Is Not Enough Getting sober is not the only answer to alcohol abuse or alcoholism. I say that because people think that as long as somebody isn’t drunk, they’re sober. The idea of a dry drunk is hard to get your hands around, but it’s the key point to understanding that just because somebody isn’t drunk or isn’t drinking, that doesn’t mean they are free from dependence on alcohol or free from their alcoholism. Double Whammy: Adolescent Brain and the Adolescent brain on Drugs I think I’m like most people who used to believe that the brain matured at the end of childhood. Wow, how could I have been that wrong? Do parents know this? Probably not. The brain actually doesn’t mature until a person reaches 24 years of age. Can‘t Let Go, Can’t Get Help “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.” Step 3 of the 12-Step process offers so many people so much difficulty. I call it the “G” word, which in modern American society is a major stumbling block. The idea of God loving us, or caring for us, might provide a warm and fuzzy, but the idea of actually allowing God to take over and guide us is an entirely different matter. Having someone else telling us to do something, or how to do something, or the idea of us not being in control over our lives is problematic. What Else But Alcohol? My friend, Will, and I meet for breakfast every Friday at Whelan’s Coffee Shop, a warm, cozy place right on the main street where I live, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. If you want to get up-to-date on any civic matter, Whelan’s is the place. We drink coffee. We talk. We find out what’s being going on around town. The latest is a lulu. Recovery is like Discipleship Let’s say you did a “man on the street” survey of Americans and asked them what religion they practiced. Off the top of my head I would guess that well over half would say “Christian.” That response might take a few different forms, as many would respond “Catholic,” or “Lutheran,” or name some other denomination. Taking their response on face value, you then ask them if they are a disciple. A what? You might follow up and ask them if they have had any training beyond the confirmation or first communion that so many kids go through. Chances are they will say they have not, unless they went to a religious school. When Alcohol is feeding, Life Does not Matter Erin Howard probably never thought life could get so messed up. She was locked up in the Erie (PA) County Jail, in lieu of $75,000 bail, after she was charged with drunk driving following a crash that killed her six year-old son Samuel on June 14. Howard, 26, was given a 24-hour pass by a judge to attend her son’s funeral in Hamilton, Ohio, across the border. She had orders to attend the funeral and return by 3 p.m. the next day. She didn’t. How Much Is Too Much? Most of the news out of Green Bay, Wisconsin is about the NFL’s Packers, but a recent story out of that small city hit the wires and airwaves this week and tells the story of a broken and ineffective system. Ronald Dunaj, 36, took Brown County Sheriff’s deputies on a high speed chase through city streets, ran eight red lights, while hitting speeds of over 50 mph, and sometimes nearly 100 mph. Addiction Is Like Drowning! The expressions on their faces reflect their experience of helplessness and fear, when people recall what it is like to come close to drowning. It’s difficult at best to try to imagine what near drowning is like for those of us who have not gone through that experience, but the frightening tales that are shared in our group discussion on spirituality and 12-Step bring a chilling illustration to our understanding of the first three steps. Drug Addiction Treatment The old joke goes something like this: “I keep hitting myself on the head with a hammer because it feels so good when I stop.” It’s a playground joke, but there is humor in it and there is humor in it because it contains an element of truth. I inflict damage to myself, trying to experience a moment of pleasure. Addiction is like hitting yourself in the head with a hammer. Illegal Drugs Are Big Business You never know what you might find in a house in a quiet, suburban neighborhood. Federal authorities entered three homes in neighborhoods south of the City of Milwaukee and found an elaborate marijuana growing operation. They confiscated the plants, worth an estimated $4-5 million. But Officer, I Slept It Off ! There is an old folk song that asks the question, “What do you do with a drunken sailor?” The answer was “Put him to bed until he’s sober.” Bed is probably the best place for someone who has had too much to drink, but when does that person become sober? The answer might surprise you. But Officer, I Slept It Off ! There is an old folk song that asks the question, “What do you do with a drunken sailor?” The answer was “Put him to bed until he’s sober.” Bed is probably the best place for someone who has had too much to drink, but when does that person become sober? The answer might surprise you. Testing for DUI Not Easy Every once in a while you read the stories in the local paper, or see a piece on the evening news about a driver pulled over by police, who suspect a possible DUI situation. The field tests that are administered on the site are designed to screen for alcohol and drugs. According to DrunkDrivingDefence.com those tests are voluntary and defense attorneys strongly advise that people not take them. It further states that just because somebody is determined to be over the legal blood alcohol level that does not mean they are impaired. Is Incarceration the Answer for Repeat DUI? There was a fatal traffic accident in Oconomowoc, WI on April 25, involving a former orthopedic surgeon, Mark Benson, who rammed is large SUV into the rear end of a stopped car at an intersection, killing the driver, Jennifer Bukosky, her 10 year-old daughter Courtney Bella and her unborn child. In addition two other children in the car were injured. It was reported that Benson was under the influence of oxycodone; Ambien and Xanax. Religious Symbolism “Recovery is not complete until we become spiritual.” Those words began the presentation by Ashok Baldi, MD, at the 42nd annual Spring Conference of the Wisconsin Association of Alcohol and Other Drug Addiction. He added that healing does not come from doctors, healing “comes from the hand of God.” Drug Addiction’s Victims Addiction had its say on April 25, 2008. It was the end of a sad story that began in 1993, when orthopedic surgeon Mark Benson was leaving a basketball game with three of his children. He lost control of his car and slammed into am concrete retaining barrier. The police tested for alcohol, but not for drugs. Benson had a .07 blood alcohol level, below the legal limit at the time of .10. Three years prior he had crashed his car, sustained a herniated disk and was prescribed hydrocodone. By the time his 1993 accident happened, he was already well on his way to addiction. Addiction Crosses Generations It was supposed to be a fun day at the beach for Carlos and his family, with swimming, sand castles and maybe an ice cream cone. Everybody was there that day. His mom and dad and three older sisters were with him and they were all looking forward to a day of play, not a day for near death. Way Over the Line I’ll never forget the last time I saw my friend “Chuck.” He was in the hospital and went for a visit, having no idea how serious his condition was and certainly no idea that I would not see him again. We had worked together in the auto racing business for many years and I always like being around him, mainly because he was the life of the party. Unusual DUI, But DUI Just the Same I caught a glimpse of an unusual traffic stop on the news this last weekend. It seems a man was ticketed for DUI one evening for driving drunk…on his lawn tractor. He was spotted driving erratically on the sidewalk. The behavior wasn’t anything new, it just that he got stopped while on a tractor, doing no more than 10 mph. The news had some fun with it. Alcohol More Important Than Life As a baseball fan, I appreciate the film “A League of their Own,” starring Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna and Rosie O’Donnell. It’s the story about the women’s professional baseball league, which was started because major League Baseball feared that the leagues would have to shut down because of World War II. The story within the story is about Tom Hank’s character, Jimmy Dugan, who was selected to manage the team. Jimmy was still young enough to be playing, but his career was cut short due to injury, sustained after a night on the town. Potential Stolen Away There was every reason to believe that Bob was going to do well in life. He had a creative intelligence and an organized approach to his profession that enabled him to put together teams of people for his projects, and those projects were clearly high quality. He had been valedictorian of his university class, and while others were dreaming of their “dream” job, Bob was already sailing along. Family Matters Everybody knew that “Jerry” needed to get some help with his drinking. His routine of having a couple of drinks with the boys after work began to include several after dinner drinks as well. The change in him was gradual, but over time everybody knew something had to be done. Jerry had missed meetings with his daughter’s teacher, and had not attended a soccer game or dance recital in months. Alcoholism No Big Deal? The wife of George is so sure of herself. She proclaims with absolute certainty that compared to drug addiction, alcoholism is not a problem. There is no room for a dissenting opinion as she sweeps her husband’s drinking problem under the rug, as if he had never touched a drop. Do not take this woman on an African safari, because when the rhino charges, she’ll deny it. Way Over the Line I’ll never forget the last time I saw my friend “Chuck.” He was in the hospital and went for a visit, having no idea how serious his condition was and certainly no idea that I would not see him again. We had worked together in the auto racing business for many years and I always like being around him, mainly because he was the life of the party. Starting an ebay Business Starting an ebay business is not much different from starting any other kind of business. The same preparation steps need to be needed. You may not have office space, a storefront, a warehouse or anything other than your computer on the kitchen table, but if it’s a business you need to run it like a business. Starting an ebay Business Starting an ebay business is not much different from starting any other kind of business. The same preparation steps need to be needed. You may not have office space, a storefront, a warehouse or anything other than your computer on the kitchen table, but if it’s a business you need to run it like a business. Success is addictive The starting of Spring Training activities in Florida and Arizona were over shadowed by the recent testimonies before a congressional committee by Major League Baseball superstar Roger Clemens and his former trainer Brian McNamee concerning the Mitchell Report findings of steroid use. We don’t always think of steroids as being addictive, but addiction takes on many faces and professional athletes are lured by the potential upside of using an illegal substance.