The language we use has a direct and profound impact on those around us. The negative impacts of addiction stigma can be reduced by changing the language we use about substance use.
By using compassionate and respectful words in place of negative ones, you can make it easier for someone to speak up, feel heard and understood, and receive help.
How can we help reduce the cycle of stigma?
Listen with compassion and without judgement, so that a person who uses drugs feels heard and understood.
Speak up when someone is being treated disrespectfully because of their substance use.
Use "people-first" language:
Replace "junkie", "addict", "user" with "a person who uses drugs" or "a person with a substance use disorder."
Replace "former drug addict" with "a person with a lived experience" or "a person in recovery."
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Mother who lost son to addiction shares struggle in memoir
www.njherald.com
HARDYSTON — Mary Burns watched her son Eric struggle with mental illness and drug addiction throug...Alcoholism is the silent pandemic that will kill more people than coronavirus
Alcoholism is the silent pandemic that will kill more people than coronavirus
www.telegraph.co.uk
The Government has announced plans for calorie labelling on booze – where's the concern for the ef...In the UK, around 7,700 people die of alcohol-related liver disease every year. It’s a preventable condition that is continuing to increase in the UK. Read more about how alcohol affects the liver here: alcoholchange.org.uk/alcohol-facts/fact-sheets/alcohol-and-the-liver
Two months into our relationship she found me overdosed on the bathroom floor. When most women would run, she stuck by my side. She held my hand as a ventilator pushed air into my lungs. She held my hand as I clung to life. She loved me before I knew what love was. She loved me before I loved myself. I put her through hell for a year, but she never left. We’ve been together for 6 years now. The first year was terrible, but the last 5 years I have been sober. Yesterday, I held her hand and asked her to be my wife. She said YES!
#TheAddictsDiary
From dying in the streets from a heart infection, to sleeping in my car starving for days at a time. To being turned away from the hospital and left to die because they wouldn't treat me, to abandoned by everyone and everything, I found the strength to get clean, get treatment at a different hospital, get the heart surgery I needed, and from there I stayed clean even though I was still homeless. It's been a rough ride but it's now been six months since then! I've come so far. Yesterday I finally moved in to a shared house and my own little space and bought myself some nice things for it! I'm so happy. I thought I would be dead by the end of the year last year. But I'm thriving more than ever. It's cool to be back to living.
#TheAddictsDiary
New evidence is revealing that addiction is a brain disease and not a lifestyle choice , learned behaviour or bad habit. It is vitally important that the public and health services alike to start accepting this.
Modern addiction medicine now recognizes that substance dependency of any kind is a chronic neurological disease process of the brain that features lowered dopamine and glutamate neurotransmitter levels and for most alcoholics and addicts ,this brain dysfunction was present long before any substance was ever tried.
The presence of long-term THIQ deposits discovered some years ago in the brains of heroin addicts, sedative abusers, and alcoholics /(Tetrahydroisoquinalone- THIQ is a byproduct of incomplete aldehyde dehydrogenase metabolism) was first discovered in the brains of ethyl alcohol addicts by Dr. Virginia Davis in Houston . The finding of THIQ in both alcoholics and heroin addicts is attributed to the work of this Texas cancer researcher who examined the neurochemical levels in brains and amazingly, found the formerly only heroin-addiction-associated substance in all addicted brains examined.
As more research is done in the field of addiction medicine, models of neurochemical bases of addiction in the future may also highlight lowered levels of GABA as the disease progresses in the brain.
Studies suggest that alcoholism and depression feed each other. The latest evidence also suggests that genetics are responsible for both conditions. [2013 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention].
Clearly, the science of addiction is in its infancy, and could use far more resources and help in halting and reversing addiction. In the meantime, mortality remains high. Relapse is now considered a normal part of the disease cycle, and we continue to lose addicts who don’t relapse on a substance or overdose, due to brain chemical dysfunction - many commit suicide. Drink/drugs fed the dopamine and returned levels to normal. Quitting means low dopamine and living life with a brain screaming for this crucial chemical – likened to feelings of starvation,
~ "It waits. It lays in wait for the time when you think, 'It's fine now, I'm OK.' Then, the next thing you know, it's not OK". ~ Robin Williams.
Comment on Facebook New evidence is ...
Interesting but doesn’t account for people who stop using and thankfully stay in recovery
Over-the-counter codeine could be banned as fears of UK opioid addiction crisis grow
Over-the-counter codeine could be banned as fears of UK opioid addiction crisis grow
www.telegraph.co.uk
Common painkillers such as co-codamol, co-codaprin and Nurofen Plus could become prescription onlyPublic Health England issues rare alert over illicit prescription drugs
Public Health England issues rare alert over illicit prescription drugs
www.theguardian.com
Surge in tablets sold as benzodiazepines, used to treat anxiety or insomnia, linked to hospitalisati...In a family with healthy relationship dynamics, the bond between siblings can be incredibly strong. You love your sibling and depend on them as a friend, a confidant and a person who understands your life perhaps better than anyone else because of your shared experiences.
When addiction impacts your brother or sister, however, the relationship can become confusing and painful. Learning how to deal with an addicted sibling is one of the hardest puzzles out there, especially when it’s someone you looked up to or idolized at one point.
MY NAME IS COCAINE
(ANON)
My name is Cocaine - call me Coke for short.
I entered this country without a passport.
Ever since then I've made lots of scum rich.
Some have been murdered and found in a ditch.
I'm more valued than diamonds, more treasured than gold.
Use me just once and you too will be sold.
I'll make a schoolboy forget his books.
I'll make a beauty queen forget her looks.
I'll take renowned speaker and make a bore.
I'll take a mother and make her a whore.
I'll make a schoolteacher forget how to teach.
I'll make a preacher not want to preach.
I'll take all your rent money and you'll get evicted.
I'll murder your babies or they'll be born addicted.
I'll make you rob and steal and kill.
When you're under my power you have no will.
Remember my friend my name is " Big C ".
If you try me just one time you may never be free.
I've destroyed actors, politicians and many a hero.
I've decreased bank accounts from millions to zero.
I make shooting and stabbing a common affair.
Once I take charge you won't have a prayer.
Now that you know me what will you do ?
You'll have to decide, It's all up to you.
The day you agree to sit in my saddle.
The decision is one that no one can straddle.
Listen to me, and please listen well.
When you ride with cocaine you are headed for hell !!!
Emotionally Unavailable People Share These 10 Confusing Traits
Emotionally Unavailable People Share These 10 Confusing Traits
bit.ly
Plus, how to know if the emotionally unavailable partner in the relationship is you.We’re often our own worst critic, which can make us feel bad about ourselves. Being kind to yourself is important and beneficial to your mental health.
Being a COA is a thing!
From Toby 🙏😍
How I helped my brother become sober
He had been drinking everyday since he was of legal age – about fifteen years.
Developed social, communication, sales, and emotional skills before I did it.
Helped him become ready to get help.
Let him begin to take responsibility little by little on his own. Watching to see what worked.
Did only the essential other stuff for support and encouragement until he could take it on again. – like driving him to meetings.
Patiently waited as he developed skills, emotional stability, and then began to look for more.
Began talking with him about self-improvement, what pain (emotional or physical) was he turning away from to cover with alcohol? <The most important
Then anything else that he may need such as emotional support, distraction (entertainment), exercise,
About his relapses – I honestly didn’t care if he relapsed, well I did care but I wasn’t attached to it. Maybe that is being nonjudgmental. (We just reviewed what happened – He talked about what he was doing and how he felt. I listened and offered direction when I could).
Or just being company to my brother.
Continually double checking each part of his life, watching for anything else he may need.
He has been sober for over ten years now.
Comment on Facebook 321623108037071_1374343709431667
I believe relapse is part of our addiction not recovery and if we're lucky enough to get back from a relapse we can learn so much about ourselves. I wouldn't have put it on my family to support me through my early recovery because it wasn't pretty. Major respect for this man to have been there every step of the way for his brother. Shows the love and bond they must have for one another 🙏❤️
As the Narcotics Anonymous (NA) world convention cannot take place this year, we’ll be flying the flag for recovery remotely with our latest challenge event, Moving Forward: Hull to Cairo - from Thu 6th August to Sun 6th September. If you haven’t signed up to #ForwardH2C yet, now’s your chance.
Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to help those in need of vital services turn their lives away from addiction and crime.
Here’s how you can do your part: bit.ly/FH2CEvent
Timeline PhotosNHS Inpatient Units (IPUs) are medically managed detox services that also deal with complex physical, mental health and behavioural issues and provide 24-hour nursing care to those with acute substance misuse issues.
With only 5 remaining units in England, 4 of which are members of NHS SMPA and NHS Inpatient Network (IPN), there is already a postcode lottery in terms of access for patients to these vital services.
Read more in our blog: zcu.io/RQTH
#KeepTheFewNHSIPUs
To continue from four weeks ago, I can report that I am supporting more families than ever before. The number of young people who need support under 20 years old is growing by the week. No longer are young people experimenting with cannabis and staying there, they are moving on to drugs such as ketamine, ecstasy, speed, magic mushrooms, LSD and PCP. PCP (Phencyclidine) is a mind-altering drug that can lead to hallucinations (a distortion in a person’s perception of reality). It is considered a dissociative drug, leading to a distortion of sights, colours, sounds, self, and one's environment. Also known as Angel Dust). As a recreational drug, it is usually smoked, but may be taken by mouth, snorted, or injected. It may also be mixed with cannabis or tobacco. Users are known to become violent and can be very unpredictable.
I am also supporting families where young people are becoming addicted to gambling and gaming. One 10 year old has run up a £27,000 debt on his mother's credit card (which was how he got "found out").
So many people think it won't happen to them. Addiction takes no prisoners. It does not matter what colour, race, religion, social class or background. If it is going to get you, IT WILL.
Parents call me shouting, swearing, screaming down the phone to help them. If it was my children I would be shouting, swearing and screaming down the phone.
As parents we can be lost as to what to do. There is help out there. I try and point people in the right direction. I can NOT do the work for the person in trouble. I can give them the tools and the rest is up to them.
Please remember the facts:
1 in 6 teenagers who try cannabis become addicted (CANNOT get up in the morning without rolling a spliff. CANNOT go to bed at night without rolling a spliff.
9 per cent of teenagers who smoke cannabis will go to heroin in time.
I will share a story of a young person who was expelled from school for smoking cannabis. He swore blind to me that he had not smoked weed, but someone was trying to get him in trouble.
I asked him: "What do you want from me?" He told me: "Get me back in school. I have to do my GCSE's".
I promised him that if he did a drug test and it was negative I would fight tooth and nail to get him back into school. After he supplied me with a sample, I asked him: "Am I going to find anything?" He looked me square in the eyes and said he had never used.
The test results were:
Cannabis POSITIVE
Cocaine POSITIVE
Heroin POSITIVE
Fifteen years old and the chances of him stopping now are very slim. His parents are looking at possibly twenty years of him using ... that is of course, if he lives that long.
Our patients with addiction often feel little more than ‘animals’ in the pharmacy — we must change
Our patients with addiction often feel little more than ‘animals’ in the pharmacy — we must change
www.pharmaceutical-journal.com
When preregistration pharmacist Ismael Ali made strong connections with patients with addiction in h...Rachel Bannister on struggling with addiction: “You just need a hand to hold to see you through” - The BMJ
blogs.bmj.com
The enduring stigma around addiction has long been a problem in our society. But Rachel Bannister wr...Perth housing charity authorised to provide life-saving opioid overdose blocker - The Courier
Perth housing charity authorised to provide life-saving opioid overdose blocker - The Courier
www.thecourier.co.uk
A Perth housing support project has become one of the first non-addiction services in the country au...Families reunite as north-east addiction service re-opens its doors to visitors | Press and Journal
Families reunite as north-east addiction service re-opens its doors to visitors | Press and Journal
www.pressandjournal.co.uk
Residents at a north-east addiction recovery service have been reuniting with their families as lock...So important to set personal boundaries especially in a family impacted by addiction 👍🙏
Comment on Facebook So important to set ...
Absolutely! I learnt the hard way......becoming codependent with my wife’s drinking
'Unprecedented' deaths of five homeless people in Dublin in one week
'Unprecedented' deaths of five homeless people in Dublin in one week
www.thejournal.ie
A task force is being promised to find “immediate solutions”.Rachel Brady: three things they don't tell you about taking time off drinking | Alcohol Change UK
Rachel Brady: three things they don't tell you about taking time off drinking | Alcohol Change UK
alcoholchange.org.uk
In this blog, Rachel Brady tells us three of her favourite things about not drinking.Ten Percent of Americans Drink Half the Booze
Ten Percent of Americans Drink Half the Booze
www.smithsonianmag.com
America has a lot of moderate drinkers, and a few really heavy onesOn June 18th, 2009 I made a decision that would forever change my life. In the early afternoon I jumped off a local freeway overpass, was struck by an 18 wheeler, and was drug down the highway. A long period of severe depression, hopelessness and addiction led me to a moment of feeling I had no other option but to end my life. I was desperate to escape the pain I felt, the sadness, the anxiety, and the fear that no amount of help could save me. I am one of the lucky ones who made it out alive. In a desperate attempt to save my life, I reached out for help. My expectations of success were nearly non-existent, but I gave it a chance. The most valuable gift I have been given other than my life back, is the certainty that feelings will always either change or pass. Sometimes it may seem time is standing still waiting for a feeling to change, the wait is worth it. You don't ever have to attempt suicide over a feeling. You never have to use drugs over a feeling. Finally feeling freedom from your despair, and finally feeling blessed to be an important addition to this existence, this freedom surpasses elation. Please, always reach out. Saving your life will be the best decision you ever make. #TheAddictsDiary
Education Education 🙏
Families urged not to smuggle drugs into prison as visits resume
www.irishtimes.com
Inmates unable to secure drugs during lockdown are now at risk of overdosing🙏8 years ago today I lost my friend Joe Fehrenbach to a lethal dose of heroin. Joe was a veteran of the Iraq War and a local 638 Steamfitter. I met Joe at a treatment center 8 and a half years ago and we hit it off. Since his passing, I've watched the daughter he left behind grow up without her dad. Since his passing, I've watched the wife he left behind go through life without her husband. Since his passing I've watched the parents he left behind go through life without their son. Since his passing, I've watched his sister go through life without her little brother. Since his passing, I've slowly watched the same fate strike many families here on Long Island. Since his passing, I've had to hear from his wife how even though I was a lot younger than him he looked up to me. Since his passing, I've tried relentlessly every day of my life to be more like him, because the truth is that I actually looked up to him. 5 years ago his wife sent me a necklace as a gift. I lived in 42 different places since he passed, used drugs in 5 states, and lost every article of clothing, and personal belonging that I owned along the way. Somehow the necklace always stayed on my neck. Somehow I survived all of that. Somehow, I think Joe had something to do with all that. I love you, Joe, thanks for always being my Angel. #TheAddictsDiary
Timeline Photos💔 When a person struggles with drug or alcohol abuse, they are likely to struggle with mental health issues and physical problems, both short-term and chronic issues. They are also likely to cause suffering for their loved ones, including spouses, parents, children, friends, and other family. People who struggle with substance abuse problems are likely to behave differently when they are intoxicated versus when they are sober; they may say or do hurtful things, and they are likely to take serious risks with their life, such as driving while intoxicated. These behavioral problems can cause intense worry and fear in loved ones.
Most people are surely familiar with marijuana, the drug that epitomized the hippie culture way back in the 1960s and 70s. Now, more than half a century later, marijuana is still being widely used and is even legal in many states in America as it has proven medical uses. One undesirable offshoot of the marijuana trend, however, is the conception of a laboratory-made version known as synthetic cannabinoids. Reports about synthetic marijuana use first appeared in the U.S. in 2008 and by 2011, incidents reported to poison control centers attributed to these drugs rose by more than 200%.
Popularly known as K2, Spice, Snax, and Kronic, these are sold in the form of dried plant materials that users put in a pipe or roll in a joint. Users then smoke them just like real marijuana. The effects are said to mimic the effects of cannabinoids such as feelings of euphoria, relaxation, and heightened awareness. Other users also add these in tea and food. Another discreet method that is increasingly becoming popular is placing the liquid form of synthetic marijuana in a vape pen or e-cigarette device because it tricks other people into thinking that you’re only smoking flavored nicotine.
Because so many people are now using K2, a lot of users are unaware that this is a dangerous drug. One misconception is that it is not harmful because it is not the real thing, however, the reality is that this drug is horrifyingly dangerous. Here are five alarming facts that you should know about synthetic marijuana.
1. K2 contains an unknown mix of chemicals up to 100 times more intense than real marijuana
K2K2, Spice, and other synthetic marijuana drugs are often called “fake weed”. This is because they often come in the form of dried plant materials resembling real marijuana. This class of drugs was initially created by scientists for research purposes. These scientists then published the production methods in scientific journals and drug manufacturers saw this as an opportunity and used the information to make their own versions that they could sell for recreational use.
As the name suggests, this is not the real thing. The plant materials are sprayed with a mix of chemicals that mimics the effect of THC. However, the danger is that you never really know what toxic chemicals are in these drugs. The chemicals are also up to 100 times more intense than the THC in authentic marijuana which makes it dangerous for users who may not realize that they are already taking in too much.
2. K2 can cause seizures
According to research from Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, using synthetic marijuana heightens the risk of experiencing seizures compared to users who were only exposed to marijuana. This conclusion was reached after reviewing emergency department records across the United States, Additionally, using synthetic marijuana with stimulants can increase the odds of seizures by at least 3 to 4 times.
3. K2 could be present in contaminated CBD products
K2 Synthetic MarijuanaCBD products are increasingly becoming popular in the U.S. as a wellness product. CBD or cannabidiol is also a compound found in marijuana, but unlike the other compound THC, it does not create psychoactive effects. However, it has been discovered that there are CBD products that are contaminated with K2.
A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that fifty victims in Utah were poisoned by CBD products that actually contained synthetic cannabinoid like K2 instead of CBD. This illicit practice is often done by product manufacturers who want to save money and trick the consumers by putting synthetic marijuana. Because CBD products are not currently regulated, it is very difficult at the moment to really know whether the CBD products you are buying actually contain the beneficial CBD compound. Some manufacturers of marijuana edibles also use K2 instead of putting marijuana.
4. You can overdose on K2
A lot of marijuana users are convinced that it is not possible to overdose on marijuana, this idea led users to believe that this is also true for fake weed. Since the chemicals in K2 are more intense, users accidentally overdose from taking it. In Connecticut, more than 100 people overdosed from taking K2. They were either found collapsed, unconscious, or semiconscious. Other effects that were observed were difficulty breathing, rapid heart rate, and vomiting.
5. It can cause serious illnesses and even death
Synthetic cannabinoids have also been found to cause serious side effects such as coma and severe bleeding. There were hundreds of severe bleeding cases that were reported in 2018 caused by the use of tainted synthetic marijuana. There were also deaths attributed to the use of K2.
[Via Anaheim Lighthouse]
Joe Duffy Liveline: Mick's 15 year old son Alex tragically died in in May. He had taken nitrous oxide (also known as 'laughing gas') and died some time later. - "My whole world fell apart." - 'There are people burying their children over a drug that's as little as a fiver.'
www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/nitrous-oxide-drugs-dublin-tallaght-18368442
@joeliveline
#liveline
Drug and alcohol relapse advice and how to avoid relapsing
Drug and alcohol relapse advice and how to avoid relapsing
changegrowlive.org
What is a relapse? It doesn't have to be the end of your recovery from an addiction to drugs or alco...Fall in use of "party drugs" as more Britons turn to alcohol in lockdown
Fall in use of "party drugs" as more Britons turn to alcohol in lockdown
www.theguardian.com
European-wide survey finds that drug users in UK are turning away from ‘stimulants’ such as coca...We have heard of people drinking more during the #Covid19 lockdown.
Below are the symptoms of alcohol dependency. This poster is available for download for free with other resources at inclusion.org/resources/ #BeAware
👀take a look👀
#NHS #FridayFeeling #alcoholawareness
Hedges' 24hrBounceathon
www.justgiving.com
Help Lorraine Hedges raise money to support Winchester Churches Nightshelter"You can't change lonely with a bottle of wine" | Alcohol Change UK
"You can't change lonely with a bottle of wine" | Alcohol Change UK
alcoholchange.org.uk
17 June marks the beginning of Loneliness Awareness Week, so in this blog Mark explores the complica...'I'm using more coke and ecstasy in lockdown'
'I'm using more coke and ecstasy in lockdown'
www.bbc.co.uk
One user says their intake has increased, amid warnings of a drugs "binge" as restrictions ease.How London Has Changed Over 25 Years, Through the Eyes of a Drug Dealer
How London Has Changed Over 25 Years, Through the Eyes of a Drug Dealer
www.vice.com
Eric survived a tough childhood to run cocaine sales in a string of north London pubs and bars. Alon...Upset by a Loved One's Addiction? 4 Steps to Take | Allies in Recovery
Upset by a Loved One's Addiction? 4 Steps to Take | Allies in Recovery
alliesinrecovery.net
To help a loved one find treatment for drugs or alcohol you must understand your own feelings and le...Fall in alcohol consumption 'stalls'
Fall in alcohol consumption 'stalls'
www.bbc.co.uk
Adults in Scotland still drink on average 19 units per week - five more than the recommended maximum...Rehab demand rises among city's homeless
Rehab demand rises among city's homeless
www.bbc.co.uk
The NHS drugs support service says more than 200 homeless people want to overcome addiction issues.Police reveal how virus lockdown identified ‘cuckoo’ drug dens
Police reveal how virus lockdown identified ‘cuckoo’ drug dens
www.ipswichstar.co.uk
Coronavirus lockdown restrictions have revealed drug dens which police did not know existed.Drug Abuse And Bullying: Everything You Need To Know
Drug Abuse And Bullying: Everything You Need To Know
family-intervention.com
Bullying is a problem all over the United States, and prolonged bullying can eventually turn a victi...Use of nitrous oxide or 'hippie crack' on the rise during pandemic
Use of nitrous oxide or 'hippie crack' on the rise during pandemic
www.thejournal.ie
A teenage boy died after inhaling the gas in Dublin last month.'I wasn't a gangster, just a kid from Shropshire': how drugs gangs are exploiting lockdown
'I wasn't a gangster, just a kid from Shropshire': how drugs gangs are exploiting lockdown
www.theguardian.com
My team is seeing ever-younger children being recruited to county lines drugs trade during the pande...Nearly a third of UK public drinking more alcohol than usual during the pandemic
Nearly a third of UK public drinking more alcohol than usual during the pandemic
www.kcl.ac.uk
Nearly a third of people (29%) are reporting that they have drunk more alcohol than they normally wo...Gambling addiction linked to crimes – insidetime & insideinformation
Gambling addiction linked to crimes – insidetime & insideinformation
insidetime.org
Gambling addiction linked to crimes Inside Time Reports 8th June 2020 0 Crimes including theft, frau...