One expert says tarot card reading for mental health can be helpful in ways similar to meditation.
Sometimes tools for managing mental health can be found in unlikely places — such as tarot cards.
According to Teen Vogue, some individuals are finding comfort and meaning in the cards, which contain pictures, words and symbols. Psychotherapist Jessica Dore is one such person. Each morning, Dore shares a card on her Twitter feed and discusses the implications and interpretations it may have in regards to topics like relationships, boundaries and guilt.
“The work that I do is really focused on trying to help people figure out what it is that they want, what is important to them, what are their values, and then also what is getting in the way of them moving in that direction,” Dore tells Teen Vogue. “There’s all these different ways of helping people see that for themselves through the tarot cards.”
Over past centuries, Teen Vogue reports, the way people utilize and read tarot cards has evolved. Some think they are a tool for divination, while others feel they can be used for understanding one’s world and circumstances.
Dr. Rachel O’Neill, a therapist with online therapy website Talkspace, says tarot card reading for mental health can be helpful in ways similar to meditation, such as being mindful and taking in the present moment.
“I think that there is so much space within tarot to find meaningful strategies that go beyond the card reading,” she says. “For example, looking at the card and just taking in what you are seeing, and even using it to practice acceptance without judgement. Be objective, instead of saying what does this mean, is this a bad card or a good card, just kind of accept the card and ask how is this personally meaningful to me?”
For Lisa Nwankwo, working the cards into her morning routine has helped her learn to reshape her thinking.
“To start the day I’ll pull a card to see how my day is going to go,” she tells Teen Vogue. “I use it for guidance. Based on the cards that come up, it might be something that is ‘negative’ like The Tower. Instead of thinking, OK, today is going to be a bad day, it just reframes how I am going to approach this day. It gives you a different perspective.”
Nwankwo adds that interpreting tarot cards can aid in self-confidence and ownership over circumstances.
“My advice is to really use tarot as a way of inquiry and not confirmation,” she says. “Ask a question like, where should I focus my energy for the day? Honestly the best ways to make an internal change towards your health and wellness is to feel like it is coming from you, with tarot you can have ownership over that because you are guiding yourself.”
A reduction in year-round drinking is one of the many benefits of going dry for the entire month of January, new research shows.
For some, saying no to alcohol for the first month of a new year is viewed as the ultimate way to reset — especially after the holidays.
Known as Dry January, this movement initially began as a public health campaign in the UK, Inverse reports. It has gained popularity in recent years, and new research from the University of Sussex indicates it holds a plethora of benefits for participants.
“The brilliant thing about Dry January is that it’s not really about January,” Dr. Richard Piper, CEO of Alcohol Change UK, tells Inverse. “Being alcohol-free for 31 days shows us that we don’t need alcohol to have fun, to relax, to socialise.”
The recent research involved three online surveys, Inverse reports. The first had 2,821 participants who agreed to take part in Dry January. The second survey involved 1,715 people in the first week of February. Then, the third involved 816 participants in August.
Of those, participants who completed Dry January and all three of the surveys were found to have something in common: They were drinking less in August. More specifically, Inverse states, their self-reported numbers indicated that their weekly days involving drinking decreased from 4.3 to 3.3. Their average consumption decreased from 8.6 units per day to 7.1, and they reported being drunk about 2.1 times monthly instead of 3.4 times.
But decreased drinking wasn’t the only benefit found among those who had completed Dry January. The research also revealed that 88% saved money, 71% experienced better sleep, 70% saw general health improvements, 67% claimed to have more energy and 58% saw a decrease in weight.
Organizations like Alcohol Change UK encourage people to participate in the month. Alcohol Change UK even offers free access to their Dry January app and continued support.
“The good news is that Dry January is the perfect training ground for helping you cut down from February onwards,” the website reads. “Cutting down permanently is, for many people, very hard, because habits are hard to break. Dry January is an excellent way of learning what your habits are and how to break them, enabling you to cut down longer-term. You can think of it as a bootcamp for drinking self-control.”
Despite the benefits, the research team raises the point that Dry January may be dangerous for some individuals. For heavy drinkers, quitting cold turkey can induce withdrawal, which involves symptoms like sweating, restlessness, insomnia, nausea, stomach cramps and hallucinations.
For such individuals, the team suggests speaking with a medical professional before taking part in Dry January.
The Netflix blockbuster has received some backlash for its portrayal of individuals with mental health issues.
If you read the news or take part in social media, you’ve likely heard of the new Netflix sensation Bird Box.
The film, starring Sandra Bullock, is classified as a psychological thriller and is based on a novel that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. The film is quite graphic at parts, and, according to Psychology Today, could have some underlying messages about mental health.
In a recent column, Shainna Ali, PhD, notes that some viewers have voiced that the movie should contain trigger warnings for certain parts. While Bird Box is rated R, implying there may be “adult themes, adult activity, hard language, intense or persistent violence, sexually-oriented nudity, drug abuse or other elements,” it’s not quite clear to viewers exactly what the film will entail.
“While this rating is a helpful, it’s rather broad and fails to include specific elements pertaining to mental health,” Ali writes. “A system designed to flag potential warnings for children is an excellent start, but adults are not immune to being affected by triggering themes as well. The current classification could benefit from specifiers pertaining to mental health trigger warnings for themes such as anxiety, trauma, self-harm, and suicidality.”
Some viewers, such as Twitter user @seraphfem, took to social media to voice their concerns.
“trigger warnings for bird box on netflix: suicide, self harm, gore. lots of blood, graphic depictions and sounds of death/suicide. suicide via oncoming traffic, building jump, self inflicted gunshot, self inflicted head bashing, and self inflicted stab wound to the neck,” seraphfem tweeted.
In addition to triggering scenes, Bird Box has also taken some flak for the way it portrays individuals struggling with their mental health.
“Bird Box has received criticism for perpetuating negative portrayals of individuals living with mental health concerns, specifically those who are hospitalized,” Ali writes. “Some hidden messages could be gathered as well, such as the inability for others to see the problem and the subsequent tendency to minimize the gravity of the problem.”
Additionally, Ali adds that the way the film is interpreted depends greatly on the life experiences of the viewer.
“Some people may experience triggers pertaining to their lived experiences, while others may not,” she says. “Some people may view the film as negatively depicting health disparities, while some may point to scenes that highlight positive portrayals. Some people may see a statement on the state of society, while others may feel a poignant connection to their own life.”
For my particular condition as well as other inflammatory chronic illnesses, alcohol can actually mess up your gut flora, which is where many diseases originate.
During graduate school—about seven years ago now—I was partying wildly. I was part of a theatrical show, which had me out late very often. Drinking was a sort of currency; it’s how we bonded, how we synced our feelings, how we operated. Alcohol was almost always used as a way to create our art; we believed the night was magical only if filled with wine and sparkling cava and fancy martinis. And I don’t blame us. We were young and energetic and in love with our lives.
But as someone with both serious education debt and a full-time job, it was hard to balance my copious drinking. Real life—the daytimes—were sober and slow, and my evenings were wild and loud and, yes, usually drunk. Too many mornings were impossible. Too many days I’d show up late. Too many conversations half-remembered, blurry, embarrassing.
And then my chronic illness kicked in. The official diagnosis was about a year ago, although I had been experiencing symptoms for years before that—and alcohol only ever made them worse, I’ve now realized.
Living with a Chronic Disease
I have ankylosing spondylitis (AS). It’s an inflammatory and degenerative spinal disease that causes immobility, disfigurement, and issues with my joints, eyes, stomach, and heart. Inflammation is the name of the game with this condition: my immune system attacks itself, leading to painful inflammation that, if left untreated, could prevent me from walking and moving in the future.
Before my diagnosis, “wellness” wasn’t even in my vocabulary. I didn’t sleep enough, I didn’t take care of my mental health, I didn’t stretch or work out often, I didn’t put clean foods into my body. And I certainly didn’t look at alcohol as a problem.
Around the time I hit my late 20s, I stopped wanting to be so wild, so I cut back on the partying and the drinking. I suffered from all sorts of AS-related symptoms—horrific pain, joint immobility, digestive issues, constant eye inflammation—which forced me into periods of rest. I realized that a life without all that alcohol was a better life. Not only was I sleeping more often, but my pain management was easier. I was able to quiet my mind, go inward, and find and develop tools to soothe myself. Life was better when I wasn’t filling my calendar with endless parties that were all centered around the idea of getting wasted.
I don’t regret my younger days and I don’t judge people who drink. I still adore a few glasses of wine here and there, but I have learned that alcohol is something that doesn’t necessarily contribute to a person’s wellness.
For me, and for many other people dealing with chronic illness, inflammation is our enemy and we must be proactive in preventing it. If alcohol plays a role in inflammatory processes, we need to know about it so we can make informed decisions about our health.
What Is Inflammation?
Inflammation is the body’s response to harmful toxins or infections. Acute inflammation is good. It protects you when you’ve got a cut by sending white blood cell soldiers to the area. Chronic inflammation is very bad. It creates a state of constant internal fighting.
According to the Canadian Institute of Health, “Despite its crucial role in protecting the body, inflammation can also be inappropriate and ‘misplaced’ leading to a wide range of chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and multiple sclerosis. Inflammation also plays an important role in the most common causes of death worldwide, including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic obstructive lung disease. Taken together, it is clear that inflammation contributes broadly to chronic illnesses.”
But what about less-than-chronic use of alcohol? According to Vincent M. Pedre, M.D. at mind body green, “Large amounts of alcohol can create intestinal inflammation through multiple pathways.” For my particular condition as well as other inflammatory chronic illnesses, alcohol can actually mess up your gut flora, which is where many diseases originate.
When I got serious about taking care of my body, I spent a lot of time learning about the potential factors that could make me worse. I didn’t want to give up on all pleasures in life, and I’m not practicing complete abstinence, but I have cut drastically back on alcohol. If I didn’t, my pain levels would be through the roof.
Learning to Take Care of Myself
Part of growing up and taking accountability has been making this one particular change. I now say no to “another glass of wine” more often than I say yes. I now have to decline nights out because my health is a priority. And I now try to create experiences that don’t center on alcohol. I won’t lie and say it’s easy—because it’s not. Our society loves alcohol and most social and work functions utilize alcohol as a lubricant and a sort of badge of bonding. But knowing what’s at risk is more important than ordering that fancy martini.
As a child of two people who suffered through addiction, I am aware of my own potential downfall when it comes to addictive behaviors. I try to be both cognizant and accountable when it comes to caring for my future health, and my body today.
Living with a chronic illness means constantly managing your output, your pain, your relationships, your doctor appointments (or lack of healthcare). Adding dangerous variables that could erase all that effort just isn’t worth it to me anymore.
Some people, especially those who live with chronic pain, use alcohol to self-medicate and manage their pain. We desperately need more advocacy and resources around this issue. According to Andrew Haig, MD, “Alcohol use must be understood in individuals with chronic pain, both because of the drug interactions induced by alcohol and because of the independent effect alcoholism has on disability and suffering.”
It’s not an easy road. I’m a writer who lives in New York City—a city known for its nightlife. Drinking is part of the culture here. And I can be fairly introverted. These are all things that drinking is rumored to help with: alcohol makes you more creative, more outgoing, more fun. Right?
In the end, the answer doesn’t matter, because today I choose my body. I choose my future. I choose to stay balanced and mindful. And when I do, my body responds in kind.
ARTICLE OVERVIEW:Benzodiazepines act on the brain by slowing down its activity. But they are one of the most abused medications in U.S. Check out the recent statistics on how many people abuse benzos and what the possible treatment options are here.
Benzodiazepines, commonly known as benzos, are pharmaceutical medications that are used for many mental issues such as panic attacks, seizures, or anxiety. Sometimes, they are used to manage alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Below is a list of the generic names of benzos, and well as their brand names:
These medications are classified as Schedule IV by the Controlled Substances Act [1] which means that they have a low potential for abuse and low risk of dependence.But, benzos can be really addictive, and dangerous medications. In fact, a NIDA study has found that these medications cause addiction in a similar way as opioids, cannabinoids, and GHB. [2]
Many researchers have come to understand that benzodiazepines have their own addictive potential. But there is still no strong movement to classify them as dangerous, even though they are.
Finally, it is important to know that benzodiazepines are part of a drug classification type known as “depressants” because they work to slow down the brain. Theyare divided into two main groups: tranquilizers and sedatives. Moreover, benzodiazepines can be divided according to the length of time they are active in the body, which is measured by the half-life of each medication:
1. Short-acting benzodiazepines. These benzos have a short half-life, which means they are processed more quickly, and leave the body faster.
2. Long-acting benzodiazepines. These medicines have a long half-life, which means they stay in the body longer because are processed more slowly.
Benzos can have a serious effect on your health.
Benzodiazepines Effects and Abuse
Benzodiazepines act directly on the central nervous system by binding with GABA receptors. This leads to slowing down brain function and relieving metal stress. In addition, benzos may produce euphoria, especially if used for a long period of time.And when you get high on benzos over the long run, benzos can put your health in serious risk.
But, when do you abuse benzodizepines?
Any use of benzodiazepines without a doctor’s recommendation is considered abuse. Also, if you take benzos in a way as not recommended by your doctor, this is considered abuse. If you crush, inject, chew, or snort benzos, you are abusing the drug. Some of the negative physical and mental side effects caused by benzo abuse include:
People who work with addiction report that benzodiazepines are rarely abused by their own, and they are not typically the first drug of choice. Usually, these medications are often used in combination with other substances.The most recent SAMHSA DAWN report shows that during 7 years, almost a million emergency department visits occurred due to combination of benzodiazepines with opioid painkillers, alcohol, or other substances. [3]
Alcohol, painkillers, and other benzos are the most common substances used in combination with benzodiazepines.
Why do people combine benzos with other substances? Some of the reasons people mix benzos with other drugs are to boost the effect of the two drugs together. Others believe that mixing prescription pills is a safer practice than mixing illicit drugs with alcohol or other substances. However, there are way too many risks and dangers connected with mixing benzodiazepines and other substances.The main dangers include:
1. Drug synergism.
When you use medications with similar effects, the final outcome you can get is drug synergism. Both substances can produce high, enhanced, significantly increased effects. Meaning that 2+2 won’t be 4, it may be 8 or 10, or even higher.
2. Increased risk of overdose.
Mixing any two substances increase the chances for fatal overdose. It’s hard to overcome an overdose on one substance, but imagine what could happen if you OD on two. Smaller amounts of two different substances are needed to cause suppressed breathing, and/or organ failure that can result in death.
3. Slow physical reactions.
Because of synergistic effects of both drugs, you may experience slow motor reaction, lack of coordination, and impairment.
4. Decreased cognition.
You may experience decreased cognitive ability because of the enhanced effects of the both substances. This can lead to impaired judgment that can put you in risky situations and bad decisions.
5. Increased potential for acute conditions.
Mixing benzodiazepines with other substances increases the potential for heart attack, stroke, seizures, psychosis, or suicidal tendencies.
6. Increased the risk for addiction.
Long-term abuse of mixing benzos with other substances increase the risk of drug dependence and addiction. Withdrawal from two substances can lead to fatal outcomes, and treatment is a must.
7. Increased risk of mental health disorder.
Prolonged polydrug use increases the probability to develop some mental health disorder such as depression, anxiety, or stress disorders.
Call us to discuss benzodiazepine addiction.
Benzodiazepine Abuse Statistics
There is a benzo problem in the U.S. So, if you’re facing an addiction, you are not alone. Take a look at these numbers and then give us a call to talk about getting out of the cycle. You don’t need to live with the need for benzodiazepines every day.
According to the 2017 National Survey of Drug Use and Health, about 5.5 million people aged 12 or older were current abusers of benzodiazepine tranquilizers,and 202,000 people aged 12 or older were current abusers of benzodiazepine sedatives.[4] This break downs by types of benzodiazepine as follows.
Moreover, the Surgeon General’s Report in 2015 stated that 18.9 million individuals misused benzodiazepines [5]:
6.1 million people misused tranquilizers such as Xanax.
1.5 million people misused sedatives such as Valium.
Additionally, the 2014 DAWN Report of 2014 found that people came to hospitals for overdoses in the hundreds of thousands. From 2005 to 2011,over 943K emergency department visits involved benzodiazepine overdose alone or in combination with opioid pain relievers, or alcohol, or other substances. The benzodiazepine-only visits happened among all ages:
174,998 aged 12 to 34
88,644 aged 35 to 44
150,780 aged 45 to 64
72,575 aged 65 and older
Finally, the CDC Report on Drugs Most Frequently Involved in Drug Overdose Deaths showed that about 6,000 overdose deaths involved benzodiazepines in 2014 including [6]:
4,217 people died from alprazolam overdose
1,729 people died from diazepam overdose
Are you using more and more?
Don’t wait until it’s too late.
Make the first step to recovery. Reach out for help and call us today.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Call us today.
How Does Addiction to Benzos Develop?
Benzodiazepines aren’t supposed to be used for longer than a week or two at any one period of time. This is because benzos trigger drug dependence.
When your body and brain adapt to the presence of the benzos as normal, you cannot function without them. The medication highjacks your brain and changes it.
Is this cycle real?
Yes.
One analytical study reported that about a third of people who use benzodiazepines for more than 6 months develop drug dependence and tolerance [7].Another study published in the medical journal, Addictive Behaviors, reports that more 40% of chronic benzodiazepine users become dependent. [8]
If you take benzo medications for about a month, it is very likely you’ll experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking them abruptly. Withdrawal is a sign that you have become dependent on the drug.Moreover, withdrawal symptoms can be very severe and uncomfortable. Always seek medical supervision when you want to quit a benzodiazepine.
Caught in a cycle? Addiction is treatable.
Treating a Benzodiazepine Addiction
Benzodiazepine addiction is a treatable condition.
First, you can safely quit these medications by enrolling into treatment program that follows tapering protocols.Tapering involves lowering benzodiazepine daily doses down gradually and slowly. Usually, it takes about 10 or more weeks to finally stop taking the medication. Check out the Ashton Manual to find more information on tapering schedules. [9]
Then, you can address the reasons why you use benzos. This is done through talk therapy. If you’re self-medicating for anxiety or depression, you can get to the heart of these issues. If you’re mixing benzos with other drugs, you’ll look at why.
Most people use drugs to feel better.
Rehabs teach us how to feel better naturally. Basically, we can feel healthy and happy without the need for mind changing drugs. Instead, we adapt healthier habits. This is the main goal of an addiction treatment program.
Inpatient programs are created for people who deal with severe levels of addiction, and can benefit from time away from a home environment. They live at the facility and are monitored 24/7. Also, this program offers constant medical care conducted by qualified addiction professionals.
Outpatient programs are designed for individuals with mild levels of addiction. These patients follow their recommended tapering schedule, and only come and go to the facility for few hours, several day per week.
You can quit benzos. Call us to begin treatment.
How to Beat a Benzodiazepine Addiction
Benzodiazepine addiction can ruin your life… but you don’t need to hit rock bottom! Take action today. Call us to discuss treatment options! We can help.
Give us a call to talk about how benzodiazepines are affecting you. You don’t need to suffer alone. Break through the silence and talk with a compassionate operator. We know addiction. We can get you help.
And, if you have any questions, please write to us in the comments section at the end. We try to respond to all real life questions personally and promptly.
According to Live Science, the Duke University study – published in the journal Epigenics – is the first to illustrate the correlation between THC concentrations in urine and viable sperm count.
Of the 24 participants – 12 of which were marijuana users and 12 of which were not – the sperm concentration in the latter group was twice as high as that of the former group. The study also noted epigenetic changes in sperm DNA among the former group – alterations to the “chemical tags,” as Live Science described them, that regulate gene expression.
The higher the concentration of THC in the test group’s urine, the more significant the changes to the sperm DNA, most notably in genes that help bodily organs reach their full size and for basic growth during development. A corresponding study on rats revealed a similar pattern in the same genes. However, such changes may not be permanent; sperm, damaged or not, are reabsorbed in the body if not ejaculated after 70 days.
As lead author Susan Murphy – chief of the Division of Reproductive Sciences in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke – noted, “The sperm DNA . . . is not mutated in the traditional sense” by marijuana, and “epigenic alterations can affect gene regulation without changing the DNA sequence.”
Ultimately, the study could not determine whether the changes to sperm count and DNA determined by their study had an actual effect on fertilization or offspring, but Susan Murphy suggested that damaged sperm could have an adverse effect if it resulted in a viable embryo. In that case, individuals who are trying to conceive should consider abstaining from marijuana use
“In the absence of a larger, definitive study, the best advice would be to assume these changes are going to be there [in sperm],” she noted. “I would say, as a precaution, stop using cannabis for at least six months before trying to conceive.”
Police in Glendale issued a statement which noted an individual who was with Burrous at the time of his death indicated that he had possibly suffered a drug overdose, and was administering aid when firefighters arrived at the motel. The 43-year-old who was a fixture at the CW affiliate since 2011, was a familiar face to Los Angeles television audiences, and colleagues expressed their condolences to his family via social media.
According to the Glendale Police report and a news briefing by Glendale Police Sgt. Dan Suttles, members of the city’s fire department responded to an afternoon call from the aforementioned male individual, who had contacted police to report that Burrous had passed out and was not breathing due to a possible overdose while both were at the Days Inn.
Suttles, who said that the individual “appeared to be a friend” of the news anchor, did a “good job of trying to render aid” when firefighters appeared at the scene. Burrous was given CPR and then transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The report noted that Glendale detectives are investigating the case, and while suicide appeared to be ruled out as a cause of death, they are currently awaiting a toxicology report from the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office. No additional details of the police investigation were available.
Burrous, whose family hailed from California’s Central Valley, joined the KTLA news staff after serving as a reporter and anchor at various locations across the United States, including KGET in Bakersfield, where he met and married fellow journalist Mai Do-Burrous, with whom he had a nine-year-old daughter.
As an anchor at KTLA, Burrous helped to expand its morning news programming to seven days a week, while also serving as correspondent for other telecasts, including coverage of the recent California wildfires. Burrous also hosted a regular segment titled “Burrous Bites,” which focused on restaurants throughout the state.
In a statement issued in the evening of December 27, KTLA President and General Manager Don Corsini and News Director Jason Ball wrote, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Burrous family. Chris loved sharing the stories of Southern California and connecting with our viewers. He will be remembered as a great journalist and a wonderful friend to many.”
The mother at the center of the case was using opioid painkillers and cannabis when she became pregnant in 2016.
A Pennsylvania court last week ruled that using drugs during pregnancy doesn’t count as child abuse, siding with a mother whose baby was taken by the state in 2017.
At the heart of the case is the question of whether a fetus counts as a child under Child Protective Services Law – and the state’s Supreme Court answered with a clear no in Friday’s opinion.
“The fact that the actor, at a later date, becomes a person who meets one of the statutorily-defined categories of ‘perpetrator’ does not bring her earlier actions — even if committed within two years of the child’s bodily injury — under the CPSL,” wrote Justice Christine Donohue.
David S. Cohen, the attorney representing the mother in the case, celebrated the decision.
“There are many states that have decided by statute to label this type of behavior child abuse, but the majority do not,” Cohen told The Associated Press. “We think that’s the right way to approach this, because this is a health issue and the worst thing you can do with a health issue is punish people. It drives people from treatment and it results in worse outcomes for everyone.”
The mother at the center of it all, who is identified only by her initials in court filings, was using opioid painkillers and pot when she got pregnant in 2016. She turned to medication-assisted treatments but relapsed just before giving birth in 2017, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
When the newborn started showing signs of opioid withdrawal, a local court granted emergency custody to the state.
Later, the juvenile court decided it wasn’t abuse – but the Superior Court reversed that decision. Two justices there asked the state’s Supreme Court to take a look at the case, worrying about the effects of punishing pregnant women who use medication-assisted treatment.
In last week’s decision overturning the Superior Court ruling, two justices dissented, writing that what should matter is when the injury shows up – not when the behavior causing it occurs.
“The facts in this matter more closely resemble neglect cases where the injury manifests at some point in time after the neglect as in cases of malnourishment from lack of food,” wrote Justice Sallie Mundy, “or suffering from a severe diaper rash from failure to routinely change diapers.”
Rocker Ryan Adams took to Twitter to announce that he’s been sober for two months.
Singer Ryan Adams, who was once married to actress Mandy Moore, celebrated 60 days sober on December 27. In a tweet, he expressed his appreciation for his situation.
“2018: you brought me to my knees,” he wrote on his Twitter post. “It turns out that’s where I needed to be: in prayer for everyone here or lost. In these trying times, God bless everyone struggling or on the path to empathy, kindness and recovery.”
Adams also attached a photo showing off his 60-day sobriety token.
He topped off his post with well wishes: “Keep the Faith. & may the Faith keep you. XO.”
The good news comes a few months after some Twitter drama with Moore. The actress tweeted that she married the wrong person when she married Adams in 2009, staying with him for six years before divorcing in 2015. Things got ugly when Adams replied.
“She didn’t like the Melvins or BladeRunner. Doomed from the start … If only I could remember the start lol,” Adams wrote in a tweet on October 10th.
A few days later, Adams woke up to the fact that participating in the drama wasn’t cool and issued a public apology.
“I apologize for my remarks. I was trying to be funny. But I have and will always choose to remember the amazing moments. It isn’t classy or ok lessen what was,” he wrote apologetically. “I am happy for everyone and doing my best.”
Later, on Thanksgiving, the tone of Adams’ tweets were more supportive, full of words of encouragements for those who may be going through the same thing he was.
“Today I am thankful for my sobriety, my friends & for the program & all the Jedi passing along wisdom,” he wrote. “I know people are struggling & alone on the holidays. But you are NOT ALONE. Everyday is a new opportunity to grow, to reach for the light. Keep the faith. You are loved. XO.”
The medication-assisted mental health and addiction programs were showing promising results, but are running out of time.
A federally funded experimental medication-assisted treatment program may be on its last legs, according to The Washington Post. The program, which has shown some promise in combating the opioid crisis in the year it’s been running, could dissolve as soon as March.
If the program disappears, up to 9,000 patients would suddenly find themselves without a program and around 3,000 clinic personnel would be out of their jobs, according to an analysis by the National Council for Behavioral Health (NCBH). Because the clinics have to give their workers a 60-to-90 day advance notice for termination, the clinics could see staff leaving to seek other jobs as soon as January.
Combating the opioid crisis has consistently been a bipartisan issue that both Democrats and Republicans have committed to working together on, but funding for the treatment programs was notably absent from Congress’ $8.4 billion budget that was passed in October. Speaking for the NCBH, Rebecca Farley David speculated that Congress got cold feet when they saw the projected cost of funding the treatment package: $520 million.
“There was a lot of concern in Congress about the overall cost of the package,” she said.
The program was conceptualized in 2014 through a set of standards, dubbed the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, and was set to receive two years of flexible funding. In its first year of service in 2017, the program served around 381,000 patients according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Now, the program is due to expire in Oklahoma and Oregon in March and Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, and New York in May.
These states are trying to come up with alternate avenues for funding, including Medicaid waivers or applying for grants to keep paying staff after the federal funds dry up.
It’s not just the patients and clinic workers that would suffer if these programs end. Law enforcement and the justice system also benefited from the program. If officers pick up intoxicated suspects, they cannot rely on these programs and instead have to take the time to drive the prisoner to an emergency room. Inmates being released from Niagara County jail relied on these programs to automatically continue treatment.
“When people fail to make that first appointment upon release, we’ve lost them,” said Deputy Chief Daniel Engert. “Their condition deteriorates, they reoffend, and then they end up back in jail, or worse, they end up dead.”
