Good night....and Farewell.

Effective tonight, Saturday, October 30th, Recovery Radio signs off the airwaves.
  This extremely difficult decision was mandated by the increasingly more austere financial circumstances for Recovery Ministries, Inc., the 501 (c) (3) non-profit public benefit corporation that Bob and I formed a couple years ago to run the business side of our outreach effort. While Recovery Radio Show developed a constantly growing and extremely loyal and enthusiastic listening audience, fact is that we were unable to secure the level of commercial sponsorships and donations (both corporate and public) necessary to stay on the air. We sincerely thank TRIAD Treatment Center for believing in us, for believing in the power of Recovery, and for serving as our sole sponsor during the past several months. Without TRIAD, we would have been bumped off the airwaves even sooner.

We doubt that we will be able to heal the financial wounds that our organization has suffered, so in all likelihood we will not resume broadcasting the Recovery Radio Show in the future. But we will be examining all possible options that could breath new life into our mission of bringing the hope of recovery to those who need it.

Dr Steve

Between us, Bob and I have spent nearly half a million dollars ($500K) in the development and ongoing operation of Recovery Radio during the one and one-half years we've been in existence. Most all of this large sum represents Bob's and my personal contributions to Recovery Radio Ministries from our own family resources. For one, I do not feel distraught over the lost dollars and time I spent in trying to help other people. It was a joy to see those in pain and misery from the ravages of addiction finally find the joy of recovery. But although we never, ever saw this show as a source of personal wealth, we did hope that at some point it would at least pay its own expenses and sustain itself without the need for ongoing personal contributions by Bob and me. Unfortunately, both Bob and I are now completely tapped out with no savior in sight. We cannot continue a minute longer.

We would like to give major thanks to two people: First, our Executive Producer, Bruce Wicksell, for his steady and uncomplaining creative effort and his excellent production support. Bruce- You've been absolutely great. Thank you so much! And also to Cathy Stephens, our fearless and wonderful webmaster. Cathy- You're the third "ghost host" of Recovery Radio. You've been absolutely invaluable in the creation of our public image, and in running our mass communications division. Both our website and our e-newsletter, the FLASH!, are the unique creative "babies" of Cathy- you do such a great job, you don't complain, and you don't even ask for enough money to make it worth your while! Thanks so much again, Cathy.

Bob Munck

There are many others who deserve our sincere thanks and not necessarily in any special order: Melissa Stewart, our Director of Development who is the "networker non-pareiel"; Roger Marken, our dapper and mild-mannered pro bono corporate counsel who was so generous with his legal expertise; Greg Munck, the mellifluous "voice" of our recorded show-opener introduction and the voice of our advertisements and "liners"; Jeanne Groth, my bubbly wife and our long-time call-screener with the cheery voice and unique ability to handle zillions of calls simultaneously and yet with lots of fun, and also the female voice of our "liners"; Rick Ramirez, our second main call-screener, who preferred to spend his Saturday evenings with us rather than with the many women who wanted his time, too; Neil Nguyen, the charitable philanthropist and non-profit organizer who provided early cheer-leading support and donations-gathering expertise to Recovery Radio; the late Dave Morze, our early CEO who unfortunately was pulled away early on by other commitments, and who is now deceased (God Bless your Soul, Dave...we hope you're in a better place...); Michael Tomlinson, our first producer who patiently taught us the ropes about talk radio; Chuck Everts and Bill Peters of Everts Sound Studio, the peerless sound engineers at our first independent production studio in Laguna Niguel; Chandler Haynie and Brad Phillips, our more recent sound engineers at the KKLA Studio in Glendale; Clay Maxwell, our gregarious fill-in call-screener and the most energetic personality on the planet even without the help of stimulants; and finally, Norman and Helen Groth, my parents who live in Minneapolis, MN and listen to the show via the internet, and who are without question the most loyal and regular Recovery Radio fans ever!! Thanks so much for your guidance and unconditional support, Mom and Dad! I sure hope I've not forgotten anyone! If so, my humble, sincere apologies!!

Lastly, we thank our stations, both 99.5 FM KKLA in Los Angeles, and 1100 AM KFNX in Phoenix for their support and understanding as pertains to our reluctant but precipitant decision to leave the airwaves. Thank you in particular, Bob Hastings, General Manager of Salem Communications- Los Angeles, and Francis Battaglia, owner of KFNX News Talk Phoenix, for your kindness, generosity, and flexibility in accommodating our hasty departure.

Good night....and Farewell. Remember.....RECOVERY WORKS!!!


Co-Hosts and Principals, Recovery Radio Show

2. This week's show has been Cancelled
Questions about the topic may still be addressed to our office: 949.273.8490, or CONTACT US.

Alcoholism Among our Nation's Seniors- Retiring into Addiction

The twilight years are viewed by many as being that period of our lives following retirement during which we can pretty much do as we please. After four or five decades of being productive members of society, we can now kick back, travel a bit, enjoy our hobbies, watch our grandchildren grow up, and leisurely enjoy the remaining years of our life.

Unfortunately, for way too many older individuals, the latter years find them in failing health, losing their spouses to earlier deaths, and in many cases, finding that there's just not enough to do. They become bored silly. And depression sets in.

What to do?? Drink!! And they do.

Alcoholism is rampant among our nation's senior population. Estimates suggest that nearly 10% of those over the age of 65 may be classified as active, chronic alcoholics- just like the overall numbers for society at large. Go to any retirement community or senior village and check out their local Trader Joe's or Stater Brothers market: You will see a steady parade of seniors carrying out cases and bulk-buy bottles of booze, wine, beer, and just about anything alcoholic.

ER's are another interesting place to visit in retirement concentration areas. You'll see a steady parade of gurneys whizzing by, containing older people who've been brought in for falls, accidents, self-neglect, domestic violence (yes!), and acute presentations of alcohol-related diseases like alcoholic cirrhosis - all related to excessive and chronic use of alcohol.

Alcohol in many ways is to the senior population what methamphetamine are to the junior high school crowd: It's the most popular drug of abuse. Already, more than one-third of people over the age of 65 in North America drinks alcohol and 10% of them abuse alcohol. Reasons for this are many. For one, alcohol is legal, cheap, and easy to procure. Also, many people greater that 65 years old in 2006 come from a generation where illicit drugs were frowned upon and even looked upon with utter disgust. Yet, the fact that booze is a drug escapes them entirely, and they are then on their merry way to what in fact amounts to legal drug addiction. In coming years it is likely we will see greater numbers of seniors from the Baby Boom generation who have active addictions to prescription medications (which is already fairly common), as well as to illegal drugs such as marijuana and even cocaine!! 

Although alcohol and substance abuse is statistically at epidemic proportions among the elderly, it remains for the most part unreported, undiagnosed, or ignored. The reasons that substance abuse by our senior citizens goes undetected are varied, but most have to do with the fact they are no longer active in mainstream society and there is simply no one around to notice. Less than half of alcoholics over 65 are diagnosed, a Penn State study has shown, because often the telltale signs of alcohol dependence are masked by patient denial and seeming good health. The researchers found a substantial disparity between the prevalence of diagnosed versus self-reported alcoholism (1.9 percent versus 4.3 percent respectively) in that study- which itself likely is a gross underestimate. Fewer than one in five existing substance abuse programs in the United States offers services specifically designed for older adults, according to a University of Iowa investigation.

This week we will discuss alcoholism in our nation's senior population. We will ponder the numbers and percentages, and we will add up the economic and human cost. More importantly, we will discuss what is being done by our nation's social and public health policy-makers- to address this burgeoning problem. We will find out what makes treating alcoholism in seniors similar to treating it in the younger ages, and how it is different.

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Helping Older Adults Overcome Alcohol or Medication Dependence*

* This week I'm reprinting in its entirety a great article I pulled from the followiing website: http://www.agingandaddiction.net.  This is for a book written by Carol Colleran and Debra Jay, and published by Hazelden Publishing. This site and book are a great introduction to understanding the issues facing both the elderly who may suffer from either alcohol or prescription medication addiction, and for their grown family members, both spouse and children.

Older adults and senior citizens age quickly when suffering from alcoholism or addiction to mood-altering prescription drugs. They lose their health, their mental clarity, and their ability to live independently years earlier than other people their age.

Alcoholism begins the downward journey into illness, dependence, pain, and inactivity. Older adults who would otherwise enjoy grandchildren and family gatherings, becomes increasingly withdrawn, angry, and malcontent.

The good news is, older adults are more successful in treatment than any other age group. They can and do reclaim their lives.

The symptoms of alcohol and medication dependence can be different in adults fifty-five years old and over than in younger people. They often drink at home alone so no one notices the severity of the problem. Many older adults are retired, so they don’t have work related problems due to drinking. They drive less, so there’s less opportunity to get arrested for driving under the influence. So well hidden, the alcohol problem is sometimes mistaken for depression, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s Disease. But, over time, it becomes clear that alcohol or drugs are to blame.

No child wants to see an older parent deteriorate. No spouse wants to see the person they’ve shared their life with lose everything to alcohol or mood-altering medications. No grandchild wants to grow up without the special relationship only a grandparent can provide.

When the family can no longer deny the problem, and the aging alcoholic is losing the ability to live independently, everyone in the family begins to react. We’ve seen many “solutions” put in place by family members. A spouse attempts to control the situation by doling out a daily ration of alcohol or tranquillizers. An adult child goes through the house looking for hidden bottles and pours them out. Everyone takes turns babysitting the alcoholic so she doesn’t drink herself to death or burn the house down while intoxicated. They may begin to clean the house, pay the bills, do the grocery shopping. The keys to the car are taken away. All of these “solutions” take tremendous time and energy. But, none of them solves the problem for long.

Anyone facing an older adult’s alcohol or medication dependence must begin by separating fact from fiction. Identify myths and replace them with truth. Learn what works and what doesn’t. When everyone is committed to educating themselves about older adults and addiction, it is easier to make well-informed, cohesive family decisions. Our mission is to give you a place to start, including good beginning information as well as resources to help you further your education. With the right information, you are likely to be effective in helping your addicted older adult get well.

Again, go to http://www.agingandaddiction.net  to begin learning more about how to deal with this increasingly large problem in America today.

This is DrSteve, giving it to your straight!!
 

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Recovery Radio extends its deepest thanks to TRIAD Treatment Center, and its principal financial backer, Tony Vaughn, for it's loyal and enthusiastic sponsorship during the last few months of our show. We wish TRIAD well as it continues its goal of bringing NTR™ to the public. The world needs more prescient organizations like TRIAD who have the insight and vision to know that better ways to address the disease of addiction are now evolving, thanks to the wonders of modern medical science! Thank you, TRIAD!!

TRIAD, located in a convenient office location near John Wayne Airport in Orange County, CA provides addicts with the exclusive and proprietary NeuroTransmitter Restoration System (NTR™). NTR™ is an office-based outpatient medical treatment process that gives the newly-recovering addict a jump-start into Recovery.

NTR™ is a 10 day series of specially-developed and naturally-occurring intravenous amino acid infusions which helps the drug-damaged brain to heal much more quickly than normal upon cessation of drug use, including alcohol.

NTR™ does the following:

• markedly reduces or even eliminates drug cravings
• speeds up the return of normal brain function (speedier return of intellectual function; cognition)
• significantly eases the discomfort of the “detox” phase of drug and alcohol treatment

All three benefits of NTR™ are HUGE and cannot be overstated. In a word, NTR™ is revolutionary and will change the very approach to treatment of addiction. NTR™ likely will replace or supplant medically-assisted detox as the first step in the overall drug and alcohol treatment strategy. It is not a stand-alone approach and is best utilized by seamless incorporation into a 30-90 day inpatient or outpatient drug treatment program that also addresses the emotional and spiritual aspects of the disease of addiction.

Prior to NTR™, there were no truly effective medical approaches to the treatment of drug addiction. NTR™ heals the addict’s brain at the cellular and molecular level. The best we had for addiction treatment prior to NTR™was AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and other 12-Step groups, which addressed only the emotional and spiritual components of addiction.

There is no cure for drug addiction. There is only lasting remission, and only IF the addict addresses all three components of the disease of addiction. Adding the NTR™ treatment process at the "front end" and including it in a blended three-prong approach (medical, emotional, spiritual) greatly improves the likelihood of ongoing recovery. This blended approach may include formal rehab treatment as well, and should always include ongoing participation in a 12-Step group and getting a sponsor and using him/her. NTR™ is best viewed as a powerful medical tool that provides the addict with a “jump start into recovery”.

We know that addiction is a disease, not a moral lapse or lifestyle choice. It is a three-part disease which includes Medical, Emotional, and Spiritual components. All three elements of the disease MUST be addressed concomitantly in order to expect durable, lasting remission in Recovery.

NTR™ is the missing link in the recovery puzzle. For once, the addict can now address all three elements of the disease of addiction. NTR™ is step one. Rehab and 12-Step participation closely follows; the latter (12-Steps and sponsor) should continue for life.

The NTR™ experience at TRIAD Treatment Center is tailored to the individual addict. It is administered by specially trained clinicians in a comfortable outpatient clinic setting, under the supervision of Medical Director, Dr. Stephen Groth, or his colleague and associate, Dr. Neil Neimark. Dr. Neimark is a board-certified family practitioner with a strong background and understanding of both the disease of addiction, as well as medical approaches to treating it.

Interested parties may visit the TRIAD website for more information, or may call the TRIAD office to schedule a consultation appointment at the numbers listed below.

TRIAD is located at:

Triad Treatment Center
19742 MacArthur Blvd., Ste. 110
Irvine CA 92612.
Phone: 877.664.3550 (Toll Free) or 949.747.1978.
Website: www.tendaytreatment.com 
Email: info@tendaytreatment.com 

Note: Dr Steve has an interest in TTC and assists them in providing this valuable service to its clients.

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HAVE A QUESTION?
Bob and Dr Steve are always available to take your questions- or accept your comments and suggestions. We're not only available on-air on Saturday nights, but you can contact us ANYTIME, either by calling us at the office, or by contacting us via e-mail.  Office Phone: 949.273.8490  Email:  info@recoveryradioshow.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 office at 949.273.8490 M-F between the hours of 8A - 5P.

Yours very truly, and in sobriety,
Dr Steve, Bob, and the Recovery Radio Crew

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