1. THIS WEEK'S SHOW- FOOD ADDICTION- More than a just a     big appetite 2. STRAIGHT TALK FROM THE DOC:  CRAVINGS 3. THOUGHT FOR RECOVERY- WHAT I HAVE LEARNED 4. SECRET LIVES OF WOMEN: FEMALE ALCOHOL, METH,     SEX ADDICTS NEEDED FOR TV DOCUMENTARY SHOW 5. MARKETING AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES     WITH RECOVERY RADIO 6. SIGN UP FOR THE FLASH! 7. ARCHIVES- LISTEN TO PAST SHOWS 8. RECOVERY RADIO A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORG

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1. THIS WEEK'S SHOW: SATURDAY, June 17th, 2006
    Summer Hijinx

FOOD ADDICTION- More than a just a big appetite

Pam M. before and after her weight loss.

Food addiction is much more than simply consuming large amounts of food. It's about obsession, craving, compulsive behavior, denial, loss of self-control, low self-esteem, depression to the point of suicidality, biochemical and neurotransmitter imbalances in the body and brain, and much, much more. In a nutshell it's an addiction. And it's a HUGE problem for millions of Americans.

Behavioral addictions, or "process addictions" such as food , sex , and gambling addiction share a common patho-psycho-biology whereby a highly exciting or pleasurable behavior ignites in the brain a stormy release of neurotransmitters in the pleasure center. It makes us feel GOOD! This accumulation of dopamine and other neurotransmitters in the pleasure center is the final common pathway of all addictions, be they behavioral or chemical. In the case of drugs, it's an ingested molecule resembling naturally-occurring neurotransmitters that creates this rush. In the case of behavioral addictions, it's our own adrenaline. Some have likened behavioral addictions to "getting drunk on our own brain chemicals".

Terry K. before and after his weight loss.

Addicts of any type will use their compulsive behavior ("acting out") or drug ("drinking" or "using") to smooth over rough times in their lives, and as a crutch for dealing with the realities of life. Soon, the compulsive behavior becomes all consuming. In the case of food addiction, this means obsessing, lying, stealing, hiding, hoarding, purging, planning; all the same types of specific addictive behaviors that are seen in drug or alcohol addicts. Low self-esteem due to altered body image is almost always a direct result, but this rarely leads to change of behavior in and of itself. It only worsens the depression. Food addicts are powerless over food and eating.

Food addicts can be either large or small; rarely are they "normal" unless they are in recovery. Those who are small are either anorexic, bulimic, or both. Eating disorders encompass a wide spectrum of issues, and for all practical purposes they may be equated with the term "food addiction".

One additional commentary must be noted about food addiction: Eating food is not only a normal behavior, it is essential for life. Therefore, in distinction from drugs and alcohol, food or sex addicts do not eliminate their 'drug of choice'.  Rather, they learn to CHANGE their eating behaviors or sexual behaviors, because they cannot simply eliminate them.

This week we will be joined by special guests Pam M and Terry K; both of whom are members of Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous, or FA. FA is a wonderful 12-Step self-help organization that adapts the 12-Step concept addiction recovery that was developed by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) back in the 1930's. The 12-Step principles as adapted to food by FA have helped hundreds of thousand of food addicts. Overeaters Anonymous (OA) is another 12-Step recovery organization for food addicts and which has also helped many people.

There are more similarities than differences between these two organizations but some food addicts will prefer one over the other for personal reasons. Just as with sex addiction, there are various ways to define several of the essential recovery concepts, such as "sobriety" or "abstinence". It is here that we see the differences. By way of comparison only, in the area of sex addiction, there are fully 6 different 12-Step recovery organizations; all are excellent.

Pam and Terry will share their stories, and will tell us how they each found recovery from their food addictions. They will tell us a little bit about FA, how it came to be, and how to find FA meetings near you. They will describe what it is like to go from hopeless, helpless demoralization, to happiness, good health, and emotional well-being. A key accompanying benefit of recovery from food addiction is an often dramatically more attractive and "proportionate" body, reflecting in physical terms what really is a more fundamental change in their minds, in their emotional states, and in their spiritual well-being. They will also help us answer YOUR questions about food addiction.

More information about FA can be found by going to the FA website: http://www.foodaddicts.org/index.html

Additional food addiction recovery websites:
Overeaters Anonymous can be found at http://www.oa.org/index.htm 
Food Addicts Anonymous (FAA) can be found at http://www.foodaddictsanonymous.org/


Don’t miss this exciting and highly informative show! Live!! This Saturday night, June 17th 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!!

Craving is what happens when one has had an experience that one cannot forget, and wants to have it again. Craving is the bane of all addicts who seek sobriety. Craving has caused more relapses than any other factor in recovery.

What really does it mean to Crave? To crave is to obsess constantly, to think solely of something, and to pursue it at the expense of all other things. Drug highs create craving afterwards; the desire to have it once again. The more intense the high, the more intense the subsequent craving for it. Therefore, alcohol or marijuana may cause cravings on the scale of 3 out of 10; crack cocaine and IV speed might cause a 12 out of 10.

Craving is very real; it is not simply a matter of mind over matter. Once the brain experiences a euphoric high, the memory of that high is hard-wired in the brain. It cannot and will not forget that high, and it will want that drug again.

How does an addict seeking recovery deal with cravings? For most, it’s a matter of putting enough time behind one to allow that imprinted drug euphoria memory to fade into history. Some very fortunate people suddenly lose “the obsession” for no apparent reason; this is a gift for which all addicts pray.

Medical science has sought for decades to find medical solutions to the craving problem. Recent advances have occurred: PROMETA and NTR or “neurotransmitter restoration” are two extremely exciting protocols that seem to indeed reduce or eliminate cravings. PROMETA works for alcohol, speed, and cocaine’ NTR seems to work for all drugs of addiction. Suboxone, a relatively new synthetic opiate used primarily for detoxing opiate addicts, also has been used successfully for “maintenance” treatment, and appears to largely suppress cravings for getting high on opiates.

My opinion: If you are a chronically relapsing addict struggling to stay sober, consider PROMETA, NTR, or Suboxone. They will help!!

This is Dr. Steve, giving it to your straight!! 

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 Recovey can use to enhance their own Recovery. We reprint this week's Thought for Recovery here:

"What I Have Learned..."
   - anonymous

Introduction by Bob Munck:  Everyday I receive e-mails that spell out advice, corrections and appreciation for the Recovery Radio Show. This one came to me from a friend in recovery. The author is unknown, but the message is a timeless piece of writing that got me to think of how grateful and humble that I am in recovery today and that God is in my life on a daily basis because every morning, I pray and ask him to be in my life, my family's life and in all my friends' lives. I wish nothing but the best of God to all of you that read this message by an unknown author who truly must be our Friend.

I am proud to be Your friend!!
Thank you and God Bless you,

Bob Munck

Make sure you read all the way down to the last sentence, and don't skip ahead.

"What I Have Learned..."

I've learned....
That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned....
That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

I've learned....
That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned....
That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned...
That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned....
That the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?

I've learned....
That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I've learned....
That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I've learned...
That love, not time, heals all wounds.
 

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:

• a "functional female alcoholic"

• a female methamphetamine addict

• a female sex addict.

The letter I received from “The Secret Lives of Women” producer follows:
READ MORE >>>

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).

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