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WELCOME TO
THE Recovery Radio FLASH! |
Week of June 1, 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....
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Our newsletter is a free, weekly update on what's
going on here at
Recovery Radio Show and includes valuable
reso urces
and tools for any
one affected
by the disease of addiction.
SUBSCRIBE
HERE >>> |
1.
THIS WEEK'S SHOW: SATURDAY, June 3rd,
2006
Summer Hijinx
WOMEN AND METH: A Troubling Trend
 Fact:
Government figures indicate that women make up less than
one-third of people addicted to most drugs of abuse including
alcohol (1:3). For meth the ratio is very close to equal
(1:1).
This startling statement tells us two things. First, there are
fewer women addicts than men. Second, and much more
importantly, methamphetamine is a HUGE drug addition problem
for women and its effects are disproportionate on women as
compared to other drugs of addiction.
Why are there significantly fewer women than men addicts in
the US according to government statistics? And, perhaps more
importantly, why is the ratio of men to women in treatment for
meth addiction close to parity (1:1)?
The answer to the first question is that it is simply not
true!! There are just as many women addicts as there are
men addicts. This misleading statistic relates in part to
the stigma surrounding women and drug abuse. Simply stated,
society says it's not "OK" for women to be addicts. Because of
this stigma fewer women will admit to being an addict in the
first place, and fewer women therefore will end up enrolling
in drug treatment programs. Most drug treatment centers with
mixed gender client populations have roughly twice as many men
enrolled as women.
Also, many women "work" in the home, where there are no
employee drug testing programs, no "drug-free workplace"
policies, and no forced drug addiction treatment referrals
when drugs or alcohol become a workplace problem.
But what about the second part? Why is the drug addiction
treatment ratio for meth close to 1:1 rather than the
prevailing 1:3 that exists for all other drugs of abuse?
Why would gender difference factors no longer apply when it
comes to methamphetamine addiction?
Additional facts are helpful in understanding the answer to
these latter questions. According to a U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services report released in May of 2004, over
45 percent of the patients admitted to state-licensed
treatment centers for care in 2002 who said meth was their
primary drug were women.
By contrast, women made up only 33 percent of cocaine users,
31 percent of heroin users and 24 percent of marijuana smokers
admitted for treatment, according to the Treatment Episode
Data Set.
Meth use overall unquestionably is also up, according to
various indicators. For example, the number of people admitted
for treatment for meth addiction rose from 1 percent of the
total of all those entering treatment in 1992 to 7 percent of
the total in 2002. This is a rise of about 700%!!
And the number of meth labs busted nationwide has risen
steadily over the years, according to Justice Department
figures.
 Methamphetamine
is a natural drug of addiction for women. Women use meth
for three major reasons: to lose weight, to obtain the energy
they need to face their many tasks both inside and outside the
home, and because it battles the depression that many women
have. But meth is a terrible and highly addictive drug,
and it takes women down to such a serious and extreme degree
that they still end up seeking treatment, regardless.
"The drug addresses several issues that are central to many
women, as well as the pressures brought to bear on women, both
inside the home and outside the home," said Dr. Glen Hansen,
director of the Utah Addiction Center and a senior adviser
with the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
"It's got a triple benefit," he said. "You lose weight, and as
we know to be beautiful you have to be emaciated. On top of
that, you feel like you've got energy. And then the euphoria
that comes with it. You view the world as being much more
positive, and certainly view yourself much more positively.
You feel like, 'I can do anything, I look great.' Those are
the reinforcing effects of the drug. But those effects go
away."
"That feeling of being able to do anything is gradually
replaced by the feeling that everyone is against you, your
husband is cheating on you and your neighbors are plotting
against you", Hansen said.
"And in moderate to high doses, meth can affect the brain,
creating the same kind of damage seen in victims of
Parkinson's disease", he said.
This week we will take a look at women and methamphetamine.
We will parse out the reasons why meth is such a strongly
attractive drug of addiction for women. We will examine the
best ways to approach women meth addicts to get them into
treatment. Finally, we'll discuss the most effective treatment
strategies for treatment women meth addicts.
Don’t miss this exciting and highly informative show! Live!!
This Saturday night, June 3rd, 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!!
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2.
STRAIGHT TALK FROM THE
DOC by Dr Steve
“Detox”- Rational Choices
 There’s a
physical price to be paid for chronic drug use; we develop
tolerance to the drug over time, and when we stop using drugs,
regardless the reason, we go into withdrawal. It is horrible.
Detox, or “detoxification”, is by definition the process of
ridding one’s system of drugs. It is here that the addict pays
the piper, physiologically speaking. During this time, the
drug-altered neurotransmitter receptors are gradually returning
to their “pre-drug” state. During detox, we experience just the
opposite of our drug-induced ‘highs”; we feel absolutely
miserable. With some drugs, withdrawal can be deadly, as in DT’s
of alcohol withdrawal.
What are our options? First, there’s “cold turkey”. This
is basically simply letting detox occur without any
intervention. This is NOT to be recommended. With alcohol, detox
can be deadly, people DIE from the DT’s. Gradual tapering is
another option; this generally is done under medical supervision
because the discipline required to stick with the tapering is
nearly impossible for the addict to maintain. Often, various
medications are given as well, to replace the drug of addiction
with a safer one while gradually tapering it down. An example
would be to give valium to an alcoholic, and taper it down over
2-4 days. Suboxone for opiate addicts is another good example.
 The
final option is to use a technique where the brain is induced to
shift into its “repair” phase, so as to more quickly return the
drug-altered neuroreceptors back to normal. Examples of this are
PROMETA™ and
NTR™, or
Neurotransmitter Restoration. What these do is essentially to
speed up the time required for complete healing and return of
the brain to "normal". It is in this area that some of the most
exciting developments in medical approaches to addiction
treatment are occurring.
My opinion?? Medical Detox USED to be the procedure of
choice for Detox. New advances such
NTR or PROMETA will
soon replace them.
This is Dr. Steve telling it to you Straight!!
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3.
WOMEN NEEDED TO SHARE THEIR STORY ON
CABLE TV PROGRAM “SECRET LIVES OF WOMEN”
TV Show seeks “functioning” female addicts for on-air
documentary series
(alcohol, meth, sex)
 Women’s
Entertainment Network (WE) is a cable television channel
whose focus is on women: their lives, their interests, their
jobs, their hobbies, their joys, their sorrows, their
problems- EVERYTHING and anything that appeals to the female
gender.
I recently received a phone call from one of the producers of
the WE show “Secret
Lives of Women”, which is in its second season and airs on
Tuesday evenings at 10:30P in those cable system areas that
carry WE. They are looking for 3 women who might be willing to
be interviewed for an episode of this “real-life” documentary
series (NOT “reality TV”!!). The show chronicles the actual
lives of women in various situations and who are facing
various significant or unusual challenges, “demons”, or other
special issues of concern.
They would like to find three women who would be interested in
sharing their lives as being:
The letter I received from “The
Secret Lives of Women” producer follows:
READ MORE >>>
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4. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY- 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:
"Psalm 23: Personal Reflections" by Bob Munck
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, [a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my
life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
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Psalm 23 is usually read at the Grave side during funerals
held in honor of the dead, but I think this is a beautiful
Love message from our Lord and Creator for the really meant
for the Living. Here are my own thoughts, annotated and listed
adjacent to the individual verses as I reflect upon it:
The Lord is my Shepherd -
"That's Relationship!"
I shall not want - "That's Supply!"
He makes me lie down in green pastures, - "That's
Rest!"
He leads me beside quiet waters, - "That's
Refreshment!"
He restores my soul. - "That's Healing!"
He leads me beside quiet waters, - "That's Guidance!"
For His name sake - "That's Purpose!"
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death - "That's Testing!!"
I will fear no evil - "That's Protection!"
For you are with me; - "That's Faithfulness!"
Your rod and Your staff they comfort me - "That's
Discipline!"
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my
enemies. - "That's Hope!"
You anoint my head with oil - "That's Consecration!"
My cup overflows - "That's Abundance!"
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of
my life - "That's Blessing!"
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord - "That's
Security!"
Forever - "That's Eternity!"
Let's face it; the Lord, our God, LOVES you...and He loves you
MORE... than YOU...love YOURSELF!!
I thought this was Very special, just like YOU!!!
REMEMBER: What is most
valuable to us in this world is not the THINGS we possess, but
the PEOPLE who have come into our lives!
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5.
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).
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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.
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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 |
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