“BALK, BALK, BALK” or “BWOK, BWOK, BWOK?”

             

                I am a carnivore.  I love animals, they are tasty.  In particular, I prefer chicken, turkey, and cow.  I am not a big pig fan but will eat the occasional hotdog at the ballpark, if necessary.  I don’t, however, wish to see animals hurt or tortured (disclaimer so you’ll read the rest of the article).  However, in order to eat, something must die whether it is vegetable or animal.  Thankfully, it’s not me!

                What might carnivorous activities have to do with recovery you ask?  Well, let’s see if I can make that connection in the next three paragraphs!  As mentioned previously, I have an affinity for chicken.  There is nothing like a chicken sandwich from a famous fast food retailer (ahem…Chik-Fil-A) with some fries and an ice cold drink!  But on a deeper level, our little feathered friends can be helpful to our recovery.          

                Whenever someone is teased about lacking intestinal fortitude (i.e. guts) to do something, they are often labeled a “chicken”.  You know, it’s the whole ‘Chicken-Little-the-sky-is-falling,-I-am-a-wuss’ scenario.  Furthermore, some folks go as far as including sound effects such as, and forgive the rough translation, “bwock, bwock, bwock!”  It is even more effective if said sounds are accompanied by a wing flipping action (hands tucked with thumbs attached under the armpit and flipping wildly back and forth…kids get permission from your parents before trying such a dangerous behavior)  much like the bird that is being imitated!  These sounds are immediately understood by the accused.  They indicate weakness and ‘wussi-hood’ (a term I made up for this article that one does not want applied to oneself to be sure as it indicates complete, pathetic weakness)!

                Much like the proverbial “bwock-ing” accompanying fear of the unknown, the A.A. Big Book teaches that most addicts, before they enter recovery “balk”, that is, reject, refute, or argue with the suggested 12 Step approach to long-term sobriety.  It says, “At some of these we balked.  We thought we could find an easier, softer way.  But we could not” (Big Book, p. 58).  This “balk” is much like that “bwock” not only in sound but in meaning.  Just as someone might “bwock” with fear at the thought of skydiving, so to; many addicts “balk” in fear at the effort it takes to get clean.  “Balk-ing” is really just excuse-making.  It is a way to get out of owning your responsibilities and being held accountable to your actions.  In a word, it’s chicken. 

                You might be thinking, “Yeah that’s funny and all but you try kicking an addiction.”  You’re right.  It is funny!  And you’re right that kicking an addiction is no joke.  But here’s the catch, it’s not you that is chicken, rather, it is the addict within you who is afraid.  It balks like a true Chicken Little because it is scared of how good the 12 Steps are and how effective they have been in the lives of sober addicts all over the world.  So the next time you don’t feel like doing something your sponsor suggested, or going to a meeting, or anything else recovery-related, just remember to kick your inner chicken.  Tell him that he’s done for and you’re not going to be a victim to his poultry pandering any longer.  Because after all, chicken is white meat and white is the color of surrender.  Time for ‘Chicken Little’ to quit while he’s behind!

                 While this article is a bit tongue in cheek, we at The Coleman Institute take alcohol and drug abuse very seriously.  If you or someone you love needs detox services from alcohol, opiates, benzos, methadone or suboxone, please call Jennifer at 1.877.77.DETOX (33869).  Let us help you get clean and stay clean! 

"Calgon - Take Me Away?"

Some of you may remember the commercial from the 80's where a tired housewife escapes to her sanctuary in the bathtub from the toils of the day and says enthusiastically, "Calgon!  Take me away!" imploring the popular bath salt to relieve her stress and pain.  I remember thinking nothing of that commercial but just a silly advertisement as a kid.  Now, I can't believe that it could be anything more than that.  That's right, the drug game is changing once again.  Anything to get high, right?  Read on.

First, let me be very clear, this article is NOT in any way, shape, or form trying to bring slander against the Calgon brand or product line.  It was merely a way of introducing a discouraging development in the use of drugs because people can relate to the name as a popular bath salt.  That being said, it appears now that 'bath salts' are being abused by people to get high.  Who would've thought a good, helpful product like bath salts that are meant to smooth the skin and sooth sore muscles would become a catalyst for getting high!?!

Apparently that is just the case!   Nora Volkow, M.D. , Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse says in an article on their website that bath salts are, "the newest fad to hit the shelves (virtual and real), is the latest addition to a growing list of items that young people can obtain to get high. The synthetic powder is sold legally online and in drug paraphernalia stores under a variety of names, such as "Ivory Wave," "Purple Wave," "Red Dove," "Blue Silk," "Zoom," "Bloom," "Cloud Nine," "Ocean Snow," "Lunar Wave," "Vanilla Sky," "White Lightning," "Scarface," and "Hurricane Charlie." The main culprit are the ingredients mephedrone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) which when snort can cause a high. 

Unfortunately, this dim reality turned deadly this past week when a man who was high on bath salts attacked another man in Miami in a crazed frenzy as a reaction to the drug he snorted.  The details of the attack are too gruesome to mention here and more importantly are not what is important as much as the reality that people are still trying to find new ways to get high.  Yes, addiction is real.  Yes, people are always going to look for new ways to get high.  Yes, we have to be part of the solution and not the problem.  But, can't we just take a bath with bath salt for goodness sakes! 

Our thoughts are with the people of Miami affected by this attack, the victim of the attack, as well as the attacker, because this, of all incidents, shows how drugs can take a person and make them do things they would never do if they were sober.  Addiction is a complicated disease that makes people do horrible things.  That doesn't make them horrible people.  It makes them sick people in need of help.   

If you or someone you love is in need of detox from opiates, alcohol, benzodiazepines, methadone, or suboxone, please call Jennifer at 1.877.77.DETOX (33869)

Prescription Medication Abuse is Still Drug Abuse

Prescription medications make a world of difference--even between life and death--for individuals around the world.  Yet, many of these same prescription medicines are subject to abuse when they are in the wrong hands.  Like recreational drug abuse, prescription medication abuse can cause not only legal problems, but major health risks as well.

There is a lot of misinformation about prescription drugs and their relative safety.  Some teens, and adults, operate under the belief that taking prescription medications for recreational purposes is safer than using street drugs.  This is not the case.  In fact, prescription medication abuse may, in some cases, be significantly more dangerous.  Some of these drugs are distributed only under a doctor's care because misuse of them can cause major problems, and may even be fatal.  Even something that seems as simple and harmless as taking a friend or relative's prescribed medication can have long-term consequences.

Another bit of erroneous information is that prescription drugs are not addictive.  While some prescribed medications can be used safely over a long period, others are highly addictive after only a short use.  These addictions are likely to lead individuals into prescription medication abuse, and possibly into less than legal ways to supply the addiction.   Doctors, and regulators, are well aware of the potential for abuse of certain medications, and are not likely to hand out prescriptions for them without reason.

Some of the most widely abused prescription medications are pain relievers and relaxers, or depressants.  Terms like OxyContin, Valium and Xanax have entered everyday language, and made their way into books and popular culture, often as jokes.  Their uses are well-known, as well as some of those that abuse them. Yet, prescription medication abuse is no joke. It's a wide and growing problem, and an increasingly dangerous one.

The Coleman Institute is committed to helping people get clean and stay clean from prescription drug abuse.  Our state-of-the-art treatment protocols are safe, effective, and delivered in a timely fashion so you can get back to living in a relatively quick manner.  If you are someone you love needs help getting from from prescription drugs such as Xanax or Klonipin and/or opiates, alcohol, methadone, or suboxone, please don't hesitate to call Jennifer Pius at 1.877.77.33869 (DETOX) for more information.  We're waiting to help you help yourself!  

Thoughts as Triggers

One of the more difficult aspects of recovery is that we are regularly assaulted by thoughts that make using seem more appealing.  Unfortunately for an addict, these thoughts can be intrusive in the early days of recovery.  Indeed, for some people, they don't subside for quite some time.

Thus, a crucial part of recovery is staying in tune with these thoughts, and recognizing which of them has the potential to act as a relapse trigger.  A relapse trigger can briefly be defined as anything that makes relapse more likely.  While it may seem obvious that thoughts are a necessary prerequisite of relapse, thoughts as triggers is an important area of investigation that everyone in recovery must pursue.

Often, this inquiry involves taking an inventory of one's thoughts and determining which have the emotional power to act as triggers.  Frequently the thoughts that are most likely to lead us to relapse are those that cause an emotional reaction in us, although that reaction doesn't necessarily need to be negative.  In fact, many of us are just as inclined to relapse after very happy thoughts as we are due to very negative thoughts.  The desire to celebrate after a happy thought can be very strong.

The key to avoiding the influence of thoughts as triggers is to be very aware of which thoughts are likely to affect us in that way.  Maintaining a level emotional response to thoughts can then allow us to process any thought in a rational manner.  To attain this level of equanimity, however, often requires the assistance of a counselor.  After you complete your detox at The Coleman Institute, our commitment to aftercare is put into action by finding the right counselor for you in your local area.  Getting the assistance of individual or group counseling can help you to identify emotionally-charged thoughts, and to process them with others before they lead to relapse.

If you or someone you love is struggling with an addiction to alcohol, opiates, benzodiazepines, Methadone, or Suboxone and need detoxification services as well a solid, workable aftercare program to remain sober, please call Jennifer at The Coleman Institute at 1.877.77.33869 (DETOX)

Good Recovery Habits Need to Offset Bad Addiction Habits

One of the worst things about suffering from an addiction is that, when the dust settles the addict feels like they are alone.  This can lead to an awful lot of bad habits because they do not really know how to snap out of the funk they are in.   There is also the simple fact that an awful lot of the drugs that someone can get addicted to were born out of bad habits themselves.  Maybe you started off just having a beer with dinner every night.  Maybe that beer eventually graduated to a glass of wine after dinner while you were watching television or reading the paper.   Eventually you were drinking too much, at the absolute worst times and you couldn't stop.

The bottom line is that almost all addictions started from one habit or another.   While getting kicking the habit of the actual drug or alcohol use is the first step, sobriety will have a short stay if you don't get yourself to embrace recovery habits that will lead to better and healthier habits.  This doesn't mean that you should stop doing everything that reminds you of drinking or smoking or whatever addiction you suffer from. If you had a beer with dinner, it's completely unrealistic to try and stop having dinner altogether.

What addicts need to do is find recovery habits that overshadow the negatives.  The first part of this process is understanding that as an addict, you are, in fact, not alone.  The best habit you could possibly get into is to seek treatment on a regular basis.   Some addicts might need to seek treatment such as counseling or inpatient long-term care.  Others benefit from psychiatry to address underlying mental illness that exacerbate the addiction.  Still others benefit from facilities such as the Coleman Institute that are dedicated towards helping an addict start over through a safe, outpatient detox procedure followed by Naltrexone Therapy.  Regardless of individual treatment modalities, common wisdom says all addicts and alcoholics can benefit from attendance at local AA or NA meetings on a daily or at least weekly basis.  The key, is that these habits have to be something that truly become second nature.  The recovery habits have to be things you do because it feels good, natural, and is sobriety-enhancing. Once you've gotten into those habits, real recovery can take hold.

If you or someone you love is in need of detox from substances such as opiates, alcohol, benzos, methadone, or suboxone, please don't hesitate to call Jennifer from The Coleman Institute at 1.877.77. DETOX (33869) to schedule your appointment today!

Important Notice: Naltrexone Relieves Suboxone Post-Acute Withdrawal Symptoms

I recently saw a patient who we detoxed off Suboxone about 2 years ago. He is staying clean and doing very well – He feels very happy, has a new career, is getting on well with friends and family. But, he has been plagued with Post-Acute Withdrawal Symptoms (PAWS). Interestingly, his symptoms virtually went away when he started back on Naltrexone.

The patient felt well after he detoxed off Suboxone, but he noticed that when his implant wore off he became fatigued, couldn’t sleep and felt physically tired.  He said it didn’t feel like depression (“it felt more physical than that”), but his doctor wanted to treat him for depression.  He also had other post-acute withdrawal symptoms including sneezing attacks and cold chills.  He saw his doctor who tested him for a variety of things, and tried him on a variety of medicines but nothing helped him.  His symptoms improved somewhat but he continued to feel very tired and fatigued.  After about 18 months, he was searching on the internet when he found reference to the fact that some people have persistent post-acute withdrawal symptoms when they come off Suboxone.  Some of these people respond well to taking Naltrexone.  So, about 6 months ago, my patient called on the phone and we started him on Naltrexone tablets. Within 1 hour he was feeling like he was 18 years old again.  He said he had so much energy and felt so good that it scared him.  His feelings of high energy lasted about 5 days, but then settled down into what felt like normal energy.  He has felt pretty good ever since.  One day he forgot his Naltrexone and he started to feel bad again, but he felt normal again as soon as he resumed his Naltrexone.

I have heard from other doctors who have patients who have had similar experiences – the patients stopped opiates, had persistent mild sub-acute withdrawal symptoms, and then the withdrawal symptoms were relieved by Naltrexone.  Of course, we use Naltrexone routinely after our detoxes, and most of our patients feel very well very quickly.  Most of our patients have virtually no cravings.

It is hard to understand exactly why Naltrexone could relieve these post-acute withdrawal symptoms, but I have a couple of thoughts.  Naltrexone binds tightly to the opiate receptors in the brain, and prevents other opiates from attaching to them. Perhaps, because Naltrexone blocks these receptors it forces the brain to more quickly increase its production of natural endorphins, and this increase in endorphins is what relieves the fatigue and other symptoms.  Perhaps, the Naltrexone binding fills the receptors up, so that they are not “looking for drugs” – cravings and withdrawal symptoms go down.  Perhaps, filling the receptors up with a blocking drug allows the number of receptors to go back to a normal state – a process we call “Down Regulation” – and when there are a normal number of receptors, patients feel more normal.

Whatever the mechanism, it is helpful to remember that if patients are suffering with persistent withdrawal symptoms after they detox off opiates, they may benefit from Naltrexone.

Ticket to Treatment

We see many clients who have made up their mind to stop using opiates or benzos and are ready to get into a good treatment program.  Unfortunately, they are either unable to stop using opiates on their own, or their urine is still screening positive for benzos.  Many benzodiazepenes  have metabolites that stay in the urine for an extended period of time.

If you or a loved one is ready to stop using opiates, but become too physically ill…or you have tried to stop using benzos…consider coming to The Coleman Institute. We can help a person detox off short acting opiates such as dilaudid or oxycodone or hydrocodone in a mere 3 days.

If it were easy to stop using opiates, more people would be in treatment.  We know it is difficult not only to get off, but to stay off these pain killers.  The naltrexone implant prevents cravings by blocking the opiate receptors for up-to-12 weeks.

We have relationships with several treatment facilities that depend on us for helping their patients get clean so they can start the journey of recovery with a clean slate.  In addition we also detox people off of methadone, suboxone, and alcohol as well!  Please call us if you have any questions and are ready to get clean and stay clean!

Joan R. Shepherd, NP