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WELCOME TO
THE Recovery Radio FLASH! |
Week of June 8, 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
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1.
THIS WEEK'S SHOW: SATURDAY, June 10th,
2006
Summer Hijinx
THE "BEHAVIORAL" ADDICTIONS: No different from drugs and
alcohol
 Gambling, food,
sex, work, exercise, shopping- these are but several of the
more common examples of the so-called "behavioral", or
"process" addictions. Most people think of drugs and alcohol
when asked to define the disease of addiction. But in fact,
many behaviors or "processes" acted out in a compulsive and
obsessive manner can create the same dopamine rush that drugs
and alcohol create in the pleasure centers of the brain.
Many who are not familiar with the disease of addiction
question how sex, food, or gambling addiction can be
considered to be a bona fide addiction. They often laugh at
the suggestion. These are at best "lifestyle choices" or bad
habits, they contend. This is simply not true. Brain scans of
sex and gambling addicts show the same changes in these
behavioral addicts brains as are seen in those of drug
addicts: basically, the excessive accumulation of dopamine in
the pleasure centers of the brain. The only difference between
the two types of addiction is that a behavior or mental
process rather than a drug stimulates the abnormal dopamine
accumulation.
 Drugs (including
alcohol) cause their euphoric affects by mimicking the action
of endogenous neurotransmitters such as GABA, serotonin,
endorphins, norepinephrine, and many others. Depending on the
drug in question, they may affect one or more of these
neurotransmitter systems. But regardless which
neurotransmitter system it is that is affected, the end result
is an increase of dopamine in the pleasure centers of the
mid-brain. Euphoria, or feeling "high", is the result. In
behavioral addicts, it is not a drug which does this, but
rather, an exhilarating experience or activity that causes
direct release of the brain's own dopamine. The result is the
same.
"Acting out" is the term used to describe behaviors or
"processes" that are considered addictions. Acting out is
analogous to the term "using" as applied to drug addiction.
Behavioral addicts exhibit patterns of overall behavior that
are no different from those of drug addicts.
 Behavioral
addicts' describe "highs" and withdrawal symptoms that are no
different from those caused by drugs. Behavior patterns
surrounding their addictions likewise are no different from
drug addicts': they obsess upon their "acting out" (using) ,
they plan their "acting out" in advance, they hide their
"acting out" behaviors, and they lie about it to others close
to them. And most importantly, they continue "acting out"
their addiction in spite of negative consequences; their lives
spin out of control due to "consequences" that include but are
not limited to financial, poor job performance, and family
relationship deterioration. Suicide is an all-too-common end
result of gambling addiction, although less so with the others
listed here. Denial is inevitably present; just like with
drugs and alcohol.
Treatment of behavioral addictions generally requires
participation in 12-Step support groups as well as individual
therapy. Medications usually do not play a role, except in
limited situations. Sharing with peers is thought to be as
important and powerful a tool as any aspect of treatment of
behavioral addictions. Modifying rather than completely
eliminating such necessary and normal human functions as
eating and sex adds yet another element of complexity to
treatment of food or sex addiction.
 Interestingly, sex
addiction is one of the most common dual-addictions which tend
to "pop up" in otherwise sober drug addicts after they have
completed treatment for drugs or alcohol. Likewise, a person
who is addicted to one drug or behavior is very likely to
cross over to other types of drugs or addictive behaviors,
underlining the medical-genetic concept of the disease of
addiction , i.e., that addicts are "hard wired" to be addicts.
In coming weeks we will take a closer look at several specific
behavioral addictions. On June 17th we will discuss Food
Addiction and will have as our guests two members of FA- Food
Addicts Anonymous. This will provide an excellent example of
how behavioral addictions manifest themselves, and how they
can be treated. Later in the month, we will have as our guest
an anorexic eating disorder addict, showing the other side of
food addiction disorders. This past February we did a 5 part
special series on Sex Addiction; these shows are available for
listening on our ARCHIVES page.
Don’t miss this exciting and highly informative show! Live!!
This Saturday night, June 10th 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. 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:
SURRENDER IS NOT RUNNING by Bob Munck
 I finally
admitted that I could not win the battle of Addiction on my
own. Eventually I began to accept the critically important
fact that my dependence on God could help me achieve what had
always seemed to me to be impossible. I realized I must stop
running. I realized I must stop fighting. For the first time,
maybe in my whole life; I began accepting God. And for the
first time, I began to be really free. Never did I realize
that it doesn't matter what kind of person that I think I am
when I'm running away. What DOES matter is what I think of
God.
I yearn to know the freedom that comes with surrender to God;
that most important kind of surrender which means neither
"giving in" nor "giving up". Rather, it is the type of
surrender which means "giving over" my will to the will of
God. Like a “street fighter”, worn out and weary from
spiritual disorder and mayhem, I wish to stop hiding,
fighting, lying and running. May I strive to find peace in
surrender, and in the knowledge that God wants me to be whole
and healthy. If I do, He will show me the way.
Dear God, I pray that I may first surrender, then find
serenity and finally, to find peace.
May there be more of you.
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4.
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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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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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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