|
 |
|
WELCOME TO
THE Recovery Radio FLASH! |
Week of May 4, 2006 |
Welcome...to the
FLASH! This weekly e-newsletter will keep you informed of what's
new at Recovery
Radio Show...and
at Recovery Media, Inc., our affiliated service corporation. We
are dedicated to taking the hope of RECOVERY to you, your
family, and to all persons afflicted with- or affected by - THE
DISEASE OF ADDICTION. There IS a better way....
|
Our newsletter is a free, weekly update on what's
going on here at
Recovery Radio Show and includes valuable resources and tools for any
 one affected
by the disease of addiction.
SUBSCRIBE
HERE >>> |
1.
THIS WEEK'S SHOW:
SATURDAY, May 6, 2006
-
April Pot
Pourri
PRESCRIPTION DRUG ADDICTION- THE GREAT
PRETENDER
 Prescription
drug addiction is the among the fastest-growing types of
addiction in America today. Betty Ford, the former First Lady
and wife of former President Gerald Ford, was the first public
persona who came to admit her own dependence upon prescription
drugs. To her credit, this once-hidden form of addiction has
“come out” into the open. It has emerged literally from the
kitchens and living rooms of America and into mainstream drug
and alcohol treatment centers like that of her own namesake,
The Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, CA.
 Vicodin,
Oxycontin, Percodan, Valium, Xanax, and Adderal are just a few
examples of prescription medications that are abused by
addicts. Often, prescription drug addiction begins with a
legitimate medical problem that results in the addict being
given a valid prescription for a potentially addicting
medication, such as any of the foregoing drugs. When used in a
non-addict, these medications are usually helpful,
appropriate, and safe. In a known addict, or in a person with
“addiction genes” and addictive tendencies, such drugs are
often abused from the very start of their use. Instead of
taking 2 pills every 4 hours, the addict will take 4 pills
every 2 hours. Before you know it, they are out of control.
Once the first legitimate prescription runs out, the Vicodin
or Xanax prescription drug addict will call the doctor back
for a refill. And another. And another, and another, and
another- until the doctor finally sees what is happening and
ends that source of supply to the new addict. Unfortunately,
the doctor often is simply disgusted with “being taken”, and
is only too happy to rid their practice of this patient. They
often do not take this perfect opportunity to intervene with
the budding addict and direct them to obtain help with the
disease of addiction. Instead, the new addict establishes a
toehold on his or her addiction, and will slowly dig deeper
and deeper into their addiction for many years until they
finally hit a deep bottom.
The next step for the new prescription drug addict will be to
switch doctors, then to start seeing MANY doctors; none of
whom know that their patient is seeing 8-10 physicians for the
same “problem” and for the same prescription- all filled at
different pharmacies. Multiple ER visits for vague “pain” or
anxiety problems like toothaches, migraine headaches, and the
like, are another common ploy.
Later, the more seasoned prescription drug addict will have
the brilliant idea (after having seen a prescription being
written in their presence literally hundreds of times) that
perhaps he/she can find or counterfeit some doctor’s
prescription blanks and write their own prescriptions. Or,
that they could call in their own telephone orders to
pharmacies, masquerading as a physician. Trouble with the
police and jail time usually ensues.
 Early in
prescription drug addiction, the addict may truly believe that
he or she has found the answer to their problem when they
first tried their Vicodin, Oxycontin, Xanax, or Adderal. They
LOVED the feeling. They kept coming back. It was easy to
believe that because the prescription was written by a doctor
for a legitimate medical problem, that it is “OK”.. Also, that
since these are high-quality and pure pharmaceutical
preparations, that they bear no comparison to street drugs
like heroin or smokable opium. In other words, if they are a
Vicodin or Oxycontin opiate addict, somehow this is not quite
as bad as the heroin addict who shoots up intravenously.
WRONG!!!! This is pure denial at work!!! A prescription drug
addict who uses Vicodin or Oxycontin is no different than a
street heroin addict. They are both opiate addicts, yet
society tends to look at the two through entirely different
lenses. Denial is one of the most interesting and mysterious
characterizing aspects of the disease of addiction.
 This
week we will explore Prescription Drug Addiction. We will
define what it is, and describe how it often starts. We will
explain that it is no different than any other type or form of
addiction, regardless that the substances used are legitimate
medications with legitimate medical uses. We will find that
many prescription drug addicts in fact have dual diagnoses,
complicating their addiction management, but better explaining
why they came to manifest the disease of addiction, and
specifically, prescription drug addiction. We will acquaint
our listeners with
Pills Anonymous
(“PA”), a wonderful 12-Step organization that was formed to
address exactly the type of addict mentality that is brought
out in prescription drug addicts.
Don’t miss this exciting and highly informative show! Live!!
This Saturday night, May 6, 6 – 8P Pacific Time on
99.5 FM KKLA Los Angeles and 10 other cities…and…streaming on
the web. Our show call-in number is 888/995-5552 for your
questions and comments. Remember….. RECOVERY WORKS!!!
|
|
|
|
2.
STRAIGHT TALK FROM THE
DOC by Dr Steve
MEDICAL APPROACHES TO
ADDICTION TREATMENT- INTRO
 The recent
arrival of PROMETA™
for the medical treatment of alcohol, meth, and cocaine
addiction represents a major advance in the medical approach to
the treatment of addiction. Until now, medical interventions
have had limited efficacy, at best.
PROMETA™ uses a combination of prescription medications
plus nutritional substances to decrease drug craving, hasten the detox process, and to speed up return of cognitive function.
Probably the best way to look at this is as a “jump
 start” into
recovery. An amino acid-based treatment protocol called
Neuro
Transmitter Restoration, or
NTR™, has also been around for
nearly 20 years, and appears to do much the same thing as
PROMETA™. Long-term maintenance of sobriety clearly is
dependent upon ongoing participation in group psycho-social
behavioral therapy, ie the 12 Steps.
What is the basis for these promising new medical treatments?
How do we put them into proper perspective? I will discuss these
topics in the coming weeks here in Straight Talk From The Doc.
Addiction at its core is threefold disorder. It is a malady of
the body, mind, and spirit. In order to address it adequately,
all three aspects of this ubiquitous disease must be addressed.
The mind and spiritual aspects have to date been the only ones
successfully treated, through the 12-Step processes such as
Alcoholics Anonymous. The 12-steps lead to emotional healing, as
well as development of a sound spiritual connection and
grounding. While the 12-steps represent the most effective known
treatment for addictive disorders, the long term sobriety rate
is disappointingly low. It is difficult to measure, but is
thought to be in the order of 20% sobriety for greater than 1
year.
 PROMETA™
and NTR™ are two processes that appear to be truly
groundbreaking medical treatment approaches to the disease of
addiction. Both are thought to provide the necessary milieu in
the brain for the drug-altered brain cells to shift into their
“reparative phase”, and to return their damaged or altered
neurotransmitter receptors to a more normal “pre-drug” state.
My opinion?
PROMETA™ and NTR™ represent major breakthroughs in the
medical treatment of addiction.
Next week: Dr. William Hitt and his interesting ideas!
This is Dr Steve, giving it to you straight!!
 |
3.
THOUGHT FOR RECOVERY- by BOB MUNCK
 Each week
on our show this past year, Bob has shares his "Thought for
Recovery", a unique personal reflection meant to inspire those
of us in Recovery. This is from a man with 15 years of
personal sobriety, and with many years of recovery leadership.
He has seen and heard it all. He has sponsored hundreds of men
during that time. Bob's "Thoughts" will focus on pearls of
wisdom that all alcoholics and addicts in Recovery can use to
enhance their own Recovery. We reprint this week's Thought for
Recovery here:
How Does One Best Start One’s Day?
by Bob Munck
 We should begin our day with a positive mental outlook, no
matter what is happening in our life. We can train ourselves
to look for the best in ourselves and in others.
We should first look outwards from ourselves, and acknowledge
God, and to pray and meditate that He is in charge of our
life.
During a time of difficulty or pain, we have choices. We can
choose a "doomsday" attitude that will constantly replay all
of our negative thoughts and sink us into Depression. Or, we
can step back and find that one good thing in ourselves or
others that will start our day right. We may be hurting with
pain, and our day may appear hopeless and dark. But God and
Recovery each guarantee to us that we are equal to the day
ahead; that even in our pain there is always at least one good
thing in our life.
We have the power of choice that will guide our own fate. We
can change even the most difficult and hurtful situations with
an attitude of hope and positive expectation.
If we approach each day with a prayerful heart; our positive
self will give us a different and very much better approach to
our troubles.
Dear God I pray today that you will help me find the one
good thing that I need to know in my life. Please Help me let
go of all my fear and negativity. Amen
|
4.
MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES
WITH RECOVERY RADIO
Recovery Radio Seeks
Show Sponsors
 The
Recovery Radio Show is more that just a radio show.
We are a comprehensive set of resources for addicts and their
families. Our uniqueness is that each week we reach hundreds of
thousands of addicts and their families who are still
suffering…over 500,000 people each week. We do this in many
ways, the most obvious of which is over the airwaves every
Saturday night in Los Angeles and 10 other cities,
coast-to-coast.
In addition, we will soon be publishing “California Together”,
a monthly newspaper targeted at the recovery community
throughout Southern California. We will be publishing this in
partnership with Bill and Barbara Brown, publishers of “Arizona
Together”, which periodical has been meeting the needs of
the Arizona recovery community for over 15 years. The two will
be sister publications.
We maintain one of the most popular “recovery radio” websites in
the world! Both Google and Yahoo have rated ours to be #4, and
this after only 6 months of existence! That is phenomenal, and
testimony to the fact that we are “doing something right!” Our
weekly e-newsletter, the FLASH! reaches many people each week as
well, with timely updates on what is happening with Recovery
Radio and the recovery world in general.
Future projects include an “800 HELPLINE”, the HOW Program USA
“recovery scholarships”, Fourth Step Workshops with Bob and Dr
Steve, and “The Art of Recovery- Southern California” recovery
community annual convention.
What does this all mean? It means that those organizations whose
business is related to recovery and/or recovery products have a
unique opportunity to engage- at the ground-floor level- in an
extremely effective marketing alliance with The Recovery Radio
Show.
Ours is a highly-targeted audience. We reach over 500,000 people
each week (conservative estimate). Approximately 60% of our
callers are family members or loved ones of an alcoholic or
addict who NEEDS RECOVERY. They are looking for solutions to get
their loved on into recovery. About 30% of our callers are from
addicts or alcoholics who are IN RECOVERY, and want and need
recovery-oriented products.
More so, ALL of our listeners are learning more about a
societal problem that in reality affects essentially every
single person in this nation. Addiction is by far the #1 public
health problem in the nation today, costing our society over $4
Billion/year. It is long overdue that our nation accepts
addiction for the medical disease that it is. We are doing our
part to effect that change.
If you are with a business or organization that might benefit
from a marketing relationship with Recovery Radio, please
contact us. We will be happy to discuss the many ways that you
can benefit from joining our team…and at the same time help AND
benefit from our growing fan and listener base.
CONTACT US
if you would like to explore sponsorship or marketing
opportunities with Recovery Radio Show. Toll-Free:
866.334.0471., ext. 102 (Bob), or ext. 111 (Dr Steve).
|
HYTHIAM, Inc. continues as our partner and sponsor!!!
 We
are pleased to announce that
HYTHIAM, Inc. continues to
partner with Recovery Radio as one of our sponsors!!! Purveyor
of the new and extremely exciting methamphetamine treatment
protocol called "PROMETA"
(TM), Hythiam was founded in 2002 and is located in Los Angeles.
The PROMETA (TM) protocols are currently being evaluated in a
large placebo-controlled, random, double-blind clinical study.
Results thus far are VERY promising. BUT...this radical approach
to the once dismal treatment of "speed" addiction- which likely
will revolutionize the world of addiction treatment- is
available to addicts NOW!! Hythiam also has PROMETA (TM)
protocols for cocaine and alcohol, too!! For more information,
call (866) 426-3741, or visit
www.overcomeaddiction.com. |
|
LISTEN TO
PAST SHOWS!
 Miss
one of our shows? No problem!! All shows are
archived for easy listening in the comfort and
convenience of you home or office. All you need is your computer
and a browser; that's all there's to it. Also, you may download
any or all of our shows to your iPod or other mp3 device for
even more flexible listening. We at Recovery Radio want to make
it E-Z for you to get the tools, tips and solutions that YOU
need. 24/7. Our shows may also be heard "LIVE" every Saturday
night by going to our website HOME page and clicking the "LISTEN
HERE" button.
Audio
Archive Here
RECOVERY RADIO
A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
The
Recovery Radio Show is organized as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit
public benefit corporation under the IRS tax code: Our Mission
is to provide education about addiction to our fellow human
beings, and to do what we can to allow those still suffering to
get into recovery. If you, or your company, would like to make a
tax-deductible donation to the RRS, you may do so with our
profound thanks and appreciation by clicking on the link above,
or by going to the "DONATE" button on our website on the
HOME page. Or, you may call our very own Melissa Stewart at
866.334.0471 M-F between the hours of 8A - 5P.
|
|
That's it for
this week....Join us this Saturday Night, won't you?????.....6-8
Pacific Time...on-air, or on the web.
Yours very truly, and in sobriety,
Dr Steve, Bob, and the Recovery Radio Crew |
|
|
