Dual Diagnosis

Dual Diagnosis:

So many times people are diagnosed with a variety of mental illnesses. The fear of being honest with a medical professional is overwhelming and people are not reporting to their Doctors that they are abusing street drugs, alcohol or prescription medication. This is a severe problem and knowing the truth about dual diagnosis is so important in order to give hope to those who suffer and the families that love them.

2/3 of the patients checking-in to receive substance abuse treatment display signs of dual diagnosis (Falls-Stewart & Lucente). Dual Diagnosis is when a person suffers from a form of mental illness and they also abuse chemicals (alcohol included). The biggest misconception is assessing the person to have a certain mental illness that is being induced by the chemical being abused; unknowingly due to dishonesty.

If a person truly has a mental illness, the sickness will display itself early in age – usually around 18-22 years old, sometimes even younger. Substances can also make mental illnesses surface later in age. Substances cause behaviors that are very similar to several different mental illnesses.

The only way to really tell if someone is truly mentally ill is to allow the person to detox from the substances that they are abusing and then make an assessment that is beneficiary to their needs. In most cases their mental issue behaviors are caused by the substances and will completely go away once the substance has completely left their system.

Dual diagnosis is a tricky and sensitive issue. Most addicts want to diagnose themselves, prolonging their disease, not knowing that the substances they are using; cause 99% of their problems. It can take 3 days to 8 weeks to fully detox and give a proper diagnosis to ones health issues.

It is so sad to watch people suffer from dual diagnosis while they are their disease; the good news is that there is a solution! In the Washington Post there is a very informative, yet sad article about a guy name “Danny” who severely suffered from dual diagnosis. Read this article to help bring awareness in order to help prevent this sad story from happening again:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/07/27/ST2009072702451.html?sid=ST2009072702451

Will Legalizing Marijuana Help the Economy?

The debate is on! Much like the legalization of alcohol boosted the economy in the late 1930's, various groups are looking seriously at legalizing marijuana to boost the economic crisis of today.
What are the pros? What are the cons?
The pros are that, indeed, there is money to be made for the federal and state governments if marijuana is legalized and taxed. In fact, big money.
However, one element that is being clearly ignored is the issue of substance abuse directly related to marijuana use.

Marijuana-addiction.net states:
"Marijuana side effects wreak havoc on the brain when the drug is used habitually. The natural chemical balance of the brain is disrupted affecting the pleasure centers and regulatory systems. The ability to learn, remember and adapt quickly to changes is impaired by marijuana use. Depression often occurs with marijuana usage, which feeds into the cycle of more drug use to treat the pain created by drug use. This cycle of addiction is very powerful and users soon find that they cannot stop using the drug even if they want to."

So, perhaps the legalization and taxation of marijuana would stimulate the economy, but so do cigarettes, alcohol and prescription pain medication, all of which have caused huge negative consequences.

As a country, we need to really think this one through. Is it worth it? Is it best for our nation's youth in the long run? What are we communicating to our children... that for a price, we are willing to sacrifice their future?

More often than not, even when the direct of effects of marijuana use do not result in negative consequences, it can easily be labeled as a "gateway drug". Numerous recovering addicts have pegged their initial innocent use of pot to lead to more dangerous and more addictive drugs such as methamphetamine, heroin and the list goes on.

Marijuana... at least it's not crack. Or is it?

Paula Admits Drug Abuse and Treatment

If you are anything like me, you noticed Paula Abdul's seemingly weird and erratic behavior on American Idol in past seasons. I figured she was either just a little odd or more probable, she was taking some type of medication that resulted in her "interesting" behavior on the show.
In a recent Ladies Home Journal interview, Paula has admitted that for the first time in 12 years, she is no longer dependent on prescription pail killers. (Side note: go Paula!)
There are a couple things about this interview I'd like to bring to the surface. First, Paula states that she never taped a show under the influence of medication. However, what is common knowledge within the addiction and recovery community is that drugs and alcohol have lasting effects. Perhaps a person is not under the direct influence at any given time, but their behaviors and tendencies often have changed due to the consistent use of the drug. This may, not for sure, be the case for Ms. Abdul.
One of the reasons Paula gave LHJ for her ongoing use of prescription medication was to deal with chronic pain as a result of being diagnosed with a condition known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome. She mentioned that she didn't want to be "counted out" and continued to take the painkillers in order to keep up with hectic shooting schedules and commitments. This sounds about right. Once a person is dependent on a drug, it often seems impossible to be without it due to both the withdrawal symptoms they may suffer by quitting and also the time involved in starting a program of recovery.
Fortunately, Paula checked herself into rehab and is on the straight and narrow this season. Every drug, whether legally prescribed or not, will eventually take it's toll. Dependency on anything, especially drugs and alcohol, becomes often more debilitating than the condition it was originally prescribed for.
Kudos to Ms. Abdul to realizing there was a problem and taking the steps necessary to deal with it. She has become a shining example to us that there is always help and hope for an addict willing to recover.

Success Story and Thank You

Fabian was an intervention that Ken Seeley did for the A&E show,"Intervention".
Here is what Fabian says, in his own words...

"It has a been a long road to recovery. I'm here to be of service. It is possible. I used to shoot up daily. I was officially hooked. Thanks to an INTERVENTION by Ken Seeley I find myself with more confidence.
Don't get me wrong I'm still fragile and have some shitty days but it gets better. We have a disease, in unity we can fight it. Alone you will eventually will only lead to doom. Discontent, feeling suicidal is a terrible roller coaster of misery. I live in Sober Living in Venice, CA with available beds. I'm here because I care for the suffering addict.

Ken,
Words will never be enough for the gratitude and patience you offered. I ranted, fought my sobriety. Thanks to you and the Lord I'm in a better place. "

FABIAN

Below, watch a clip from the episode of "Intervention" featuring Fabian.

Interview with Ken Seeley, Interventionist

Click here to listen to the BHC Journal's exclusive interview with Ken Seeley, interventionist. He speaks about his personal recovery from his near-death addiction that has motivated him to save the lives of others.

In The News: Suboxone Played Role in Wisconsin Death of Teen

Apr. 1, 2009--Investigators suspect that a lethal combination of alcohol and a prescription drug -- Suboxone -- likely played a role in the death of a 19-year-old freshman found dead Monday in a dorm suite at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, according to a university official and a Milwaukee County medical examiner's report.

Suboxone is the same drug that may have been taken by Whitefish Bay teen Madison Kiefer, who died March 1. It is used to treat heroin addiction.

Two UWM students -- a man and woman -- have been arrested in connection with the death of Luke David Murphy of New London, whose girlfriend found him unresponsive in her dorm room Monday morning, according to university spokesman Tom Luljak and the medical examiner's report.

Both students were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, Luljak said.

The man who was arrested was in custody Tuesday night at the Milwaukee County Jail, according to jail records. The woman was released by UWM police Tuesday but ordered to meet with the district attorney's office, Luljak said.

The students also could face discipline from the university, Luljak said.

Murphy's death follows the Feb. 21 death of Ali MarieRaddatz, also a UWM freshman, who died after consuming alcohol and prescription drugs at an off-campus party.

Murphy's cause of death will not be known until the results of a toxicology report are received in the coming weeks, Luljak said. Murphy's family couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday.

According to the medical examiner's report regarding Murphy's death:

Murphy's girlfriend told investigators that Murphy watched basketball and drank alcohol at a friend's house on Sunday.

She told investigators that Murphy took pills while at the house. Investigators believe he may have taken Suboxone.

The report says Murphy received a text message Sunday night that said, "How crazy do you feel?"

Murphy's girlfriend told investigators he seemed high when he arrived Sunday night at her room in Sandburg Hall. He brought a bottle of beer, a half-bottle of juice and a bottle of vodka that was about one-eighth full, the report says.

Murphy's girlfriend told investigators he didn't seem completely intoxicated, but she said he was "intoxicated, tired and slow acting."

Murphy passed out in her bed and began "snoring loud, like he was somewhat gasping for air," she told investigators. Murphy often snored, but his girlfriend said she was concerned because he was also drooling.

Murphy's girlfriend found him unresponsive about 5:15 a.m. Paramedics were called, but Murphy was pronounced dead at 6:17 a.m., according to the medical examiner's report.

Luljak said administrators have been in constant communication with employees at the university health center, and administrators are meeting "to discuss how we can communicate the tremendous risks that are present when people abuse alcohol and drugs."

"This is an enormous tragedy and one that the university administration takes very, very seriously," Luljak said.

Particularly concerning to officials is information from the campus' health and wellness center suggesting that employees have seen an increasing number of freshman students arriving at the school with drug and alcohol issues, Luljak said.

"I think it is a reflection of what's happening in the high schools and even in the junior high schools around the state," he said. "It is a problem that does not begin when students come to college. Sadly, many of them have been experimenting with drugs and alcohol before they arrive."

Prescription drug abuse has increased on college campuses across the country in recent years, but UWM officials have not seen a spike in Suboxone abuse, said Paul Dupont, a clinical psychologist and counseling director at the university's Norris Health Center.

"Many students, whether it's high school students or college students, view (prescription drugs) as safer than illegal drugs because these are prescribed. In some students' minds, they can't be that dangerous."

But prescription drug abuse is extremely dangerous, especially when the drugs are combined with alcohol, Dupont said.

"When you mix alcohol and narcotics or tranquilizers, they multiply each other's effects, thereby dramatically increasing the risk of overdose," Dupont said.

Suboxone, a narcotic, has been prescribed with increasing frequency, increasing the potential for abuse, said Carlyle Chan, a professor of psychiatry at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

The Promises of Alcoholics Anonymous

If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and selfpity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us—sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.

Like most addicts and alcoholics, when I first thought about putting the drugs and the drink down, I wanted to know one thing: what's in it for me?
Enter The Promises taken from pages 83-84 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. These pages were the answer to my question and over the years, I have found them to be true. Looking back, they materialized right before my eyes.
Although beginning a program of recovery is tough and even unpleasant at times, these promises are the reason that people stick it out and stay around. These promises have taken me through some very difficult times and as they say, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, they will always materialize if we work for them.

The Beginning of AA, as narrated by Bill Wilson, founder

Bill Wilson, founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, narrates the story of the beginning of AA.

Ken Seeley Addresses His Eating Disorder Using 12 Steps

The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are not simply a way to quit drinking. Rather, they are 12 steps that when implemented on an ongoing basis result in a new way of life. It would make sense, then, that these 12 steps can be used for any unmanageable behavior.
Ken Seeley has been in recovery for over 19 years. He has decided now to start a video blog that will document the progress he makes as he deals with his eating disorder using the 12 steps.

Check back often for updates on Ken's progress.

Dear Ken...

Here is yet another reason that we at Intervention911 continue to be the hand of help...

Dear Ken:
One week ago my family and I cried out for help and your staff was there to field the call. I contacted the number I saw on your web site and Jeffrey Seltzer answered.

I am sending you this message to thank you for this service. Words alone cannot express my appreciation for Jeffrey Seltzer and the job he did. His passion for helping families in their time of need was overwellming. He matched our case with the perfect interventionist who was the perfect man to help us in our time of need.

Today, my sister is getting the help see needs at Whiteside Manor in Riverside, CA. I can't say enough about your entire staff. They help perfect strangers in their most difficult times. They are forever part of our family.

Thanks again and God Bless

Choose Your Bottom

There is nothing worse than watching a family member struggle with addiction. They simply are not the same people we once knew. As family members watching the tornado of destruction they create everywhere they go, we are familiar with the stealing, string of constant lies and excuses, the anger and the frustration. Above all, we feel helpless to do anything. We have cried, screamed, prayed, and lectured until we are blue in the face. However, there is a way to stop being helpless and start making positive choices for our loved ones. Enter the intervention.
An intervention is not a lot of things: it is not cornering the addict and trapping them into submission, it is not forcing them to go to treatment, it is not a situation that involves blame, criticism or shame. It is a structured, professionally guided, unified show of support and love by a group of people who care too much about the addict to continue to love them to death or to let them die. What's more, it is a way of the family of addicts to take back the power they have lost to help their loved one. Keep reading...
The pure and simple fact of the matter is that every addict or alcoholic is going to hit bottom. A lot of people think that in order to allow the addict to do that, the family has to sit back and watch them suffer until the bitter end. Not so. By being a part of an intervention, the family and interventionist is going to be providing the addict with three things: the gift of recovery, the chance at a new life lived in sobriety and a safe bottom. The keyword is safe.
Take Johnny for example: his family is a wreck. They have been watching him abuse heroin and opiates for years. They have prayed many many times for Johnny to end up in jail or for something so drastic to happen that it creates what will be his "bottom". Unfortunately, it's not really going as planned. Johnny has gone from having a wife and child with a decent job and a car to crashing on couches, sometimes seeing his daughter and leaving his wife with what seems like her only option, divorce. Johnny has overdosed, lost his job and clearly, his life is out of control. One would think that any number of these things would prompt Johnny to see that he needs help to stop abusing drugs and to reach out to get that help. Although Johnny's parents try to do the right thing, they aren't helping. They have bailed him out of jail after he promised to go to rehab, they have been assisting his wife with money to keep Johnny's bills paid and until last month, they were helping Johnny make his car payment. When Johnny needs somewhere to go, his parents will let him crash at their house, all the while hoping he is coming there to get clean.
It is obvious to most that Johnny is not being impacted by the continual loss of the things in his life that used to mean so much to him. It is time for an intervention. The real problem with random bottoms is that we don't get to choose what that bottom will be. It could be a car accident, a fatal overdose, a life lived in prison as a result of a drug related crime, and the list goes on. By participating in an intervention, the family is standing together and saying "we will not help you with your illness any longer, we will only help you in your wellness." Healthy boundaries are set by the family and the addict is presented with this "safe bottom" in a loving, kind way. Each interventionist works with the family to develop a custom strategy for guiding Johnny to the right choice, that choice being treatment. In the end, the choice will be Johnny's alone, but the simple effective way it is presented to him as a result of a professionally guided intervention allows Johnny to see that this option truly is the best option.
If you have a friend or family member that has an addiction, my condolences go out to you. It's definitely not a fun place to be. However, you do not have to sit back and wait for a bottom. Take some control back and give "Johnny" the best gift he'll ever get.

It Didn't Happen Today

As I've blogged about before, I tend to struggle with living in the present. I find myself worried about the future a lot, especially in stressful times, instead of turning my concerns over to God as I have been taught.
So, I went to my homegroup last Friday and was listening to someone talk about this very topic. What she said was that sometimes at the end of the day, it's very helpful to remember that all those worries and concern DIDN'T HAPPEN TODAY. If I'm worried about losing a job, for instance, I can remember that it didn't happen today. All those bad things that are maybes and could happens and might happens DIDN'T HAPPEN TODAY.
What's more, the real lesson that was reiterated to me again was that when I actually take the right action and go to a meeting, I seem to hear exactly what I need to hear. It always ends up that way.

Suboxone: Miracle drug or more of the same?

As you may have heard, there is a new drug that is being used nationwide to assist opiate addicts with their withdrawal symptoms while trying to kick their habit. Buprenorphine hydrochloride, better known by its brand name, Suboxone, is a narcotic that is available for prescription from a regular doctor, as opposed to methadone, which is available only at approved clinics.
What does it do? In simple terms, it alleviates the addict from typical opiate withdrawal symptoms such as body ache, nausea, cravings, insomnia, cold and hot sweats and many other absolutely horrific symptoms. Sounds great, right? Yes and no.
Yes, this is a wonderful new drug when used properly, but like any other narcotic, if misused and abused it too can become addictive.
It is extremely important to remember that opiate addiction is no simple matter. Opiate addicts are still in need of intensive inpatient treatment, with or without Suboxone. The problem we are seeing with this new miracle drug is that doctors are freely prescribing Suboxone to opiate addicts with no program of treatment to go with it. When this happens, not only does the addict transfer addictions from opiates to Suboxone, but many times they are combining this new drug with their already out of control addiction to heroin, Oxycontin, etc. One may see proof of this in the headlines from Google News:

"They allege he stole the prescription medication Suboxone from a residence in Lisbon earlier this month."

"Suboxone is an opiate therapy drug, and “what we’re finding is, just like methadone, it is being widely diverted and sold, just like methadone,” Crandall said, adding that one “can” get high off it."

"Police tell the Patriot-Ledger of Quincy that they raided the home at about 5 p.m. Tuesday and arrested 56-year-old Janet Evans and seized 70 small bags of heroin, Suboxone and Seroquel pills, marijuana, and a small amount of cocaine with a street value of about $1,500."

"Michael Wellman, 48, pleaded guilty to the three charges involving the prescription drugs Vicodin and Suboxone. He was arrested after police investigated the death of Aundrea Benson, 20, who died of a drug overdose in October."

This new epidemic was brought to my attention because as of late, I have been working with a plethora of families who are reaching out to Intervention 911 seeking advice and guidance about a loved one who is on Suboxone, but still seems to have a flourishing addiction. This is because Suboxone is not a miracle drug. Although the withdrawal symptoms may be alleviated for a time or the addict is not using nearly as much of their drug of choice, their addiction and the sickness that accompanies it is still alive and well. This drug is not an effective replacement for treatment and must be used ALONG WITH a program of recovery. Otherwise, we will continue to see what we are seeing now: prolonged addictions and no realistic, life of freedom in sight. A life lived dependent on any chemical is a life lived in bondage.
Our goal at Intervention 911 is to help families free themselves and their loved ones from the ties of addiction. This doesn't mean finding a less harmful alternative to opiates, it means getting to the core of the problem and dealing with the issues that are causing the addict to continue to use.

Ken Seeley Speaks the Truth About Intervention

Interventionist Ken Seeley explains intervention & what families should do to help addicted or alcoholic family members. Our treatment centers have all the tools you need to help your family member stop drinking or doing drugs.

Dear Ken...

A note from a family member we worked with, which speaks to the effectiveness and overall positive results that were created by doing an intervention.

I would just like to thank Ken for his support and dedication to his
job. It is 5 months since our intervention with Ken and I am proud to
say my husband has been in treatment for 14 days. Ken brought me the
education I needed, the best treatment facility and a caring ear to listen.
Thanks to Ken, my sons will get their father back and I will have my
husband back. Ken is a credit to his profession and the compassion and
support he gives a client goes above and beyond. His dedication to
helping others is amazing. I will always be grateful and advise anyone
who doubts the power of an intervention, then you haven't had it
done by the best. Everyone has a bottom and Ken helped me through that
process. What is the other alternative, death? Ken keep doing what you
do best, one intervention at a time.

Restoration Through Recovery

I look at recovery in the same sense I look at restoration. Allow me to explain.
My sponsor, whom I adore, is thorough. My stepwork involves typically ten typed pages of work. Not all sponsers sponsor this way but mine does. As I go through these steps I am seeing a very clear thread come to fruition. This is the overall thread of restoration.

As I've heard a wise man say, "This is not about making a bad man good. This is about making a good man well." This is incredibly true. Addicts and alcoholics, whether born with a predisposition to addiction or not, were not born to be bad people. The process of becoming addicted and allowing that addiction to become the most important and sometimes the only priority in life is par for the course for an addict. We were born to be well, born to be whole and born to be happy. Anything that veers away from that original design is not part of the original design. The life of an addict is like building a monument. Each resentment, each painful experience in life, each time we are shorted our end of the deal is like placing a brick in the monument. There comes a time when the monument is so big and so daunting it seems insurmountable. Enter hopelessness.
Drug and alcohol treatment is the first step toward loosening the bricks of this monument. With each step taken in honesty and right motives, we are removing a rock from that wall and allowing ourselves to be accessable to the good that lies ahead if we continue walking in recovery.
My sponsor has made it clear that by working the 12 steps, we will find our "true selves" and let go of the "false selves" that addiction has created. I hear families I work with talk about how their loved one just "isn't the same ___________ we used to know." They are right. Only through progressing in sobriety will we find out exactly who we were meant to be. By the time we get sober, the wall between who we are and who we were meant to be is extraordinarilly large.
Once we get into recovery, there are very simple steps that must be taken on a regular basis to keep the monument from being formed again. In addition to working with a sponsor, going to meetings and participating in service to others, there are little things that can have a big impact in the quality of our lives. These things, in my opinion, consist of holding onto anger, negative self talk, ungratefullness and self pity. Each time we pick up the brick of negative confession (speaking negative things about ourselves, our lives or otherwise) we are building our monument. Each time we refuse to see the good that we have in our lives because we are more comfortable in our misery, we are placing a brick in the wall.
Even in sobriety, the wall can become so insurmountalbe, we feel hopeless and even angry. Nothing is so scary as a hopeless sober alcoholic or addict. It simply should not be. We have been restored. We are in recovery. These things alone are a testament to the goodness at play in our lives.
Building a monument of negativity will do much: it will cut us off from peace, it will steal our joy and will make us inaccessable to the "sunlight of the spirit". This sunlight is what allows us to see the good in our life, the good in others and the good works taking place as a result of no longer being spiritually bankrupt. See, through recovery, we are no longer living in the darkness of addiction. There is light, and not just as the end of the tunnel. We no longer have to live in the tunnel at all. By relieving ourselves of the fear, shame, hate and other character defects we discover in ourselves, we are becoming reachable and teachable to our Higher Power and the blessings He so desperately wants to impart to us.
Leave the bricks alone! They will build a monument that cuts us off from the goodness in the world and the gratitude we are to have for this new life we've been given. Take positive steps, create solid positive bricks and build on the foundation that we are creating in our sobriety. Declare positive affirmation, speak positive words and take a moment each day to reflect on the things you are grateful for. Simple? Yes. Tedious at times? Yes. Powerful? Bet on it.

The Reality of Meth

This poem was written by a recovering meth addict years ago. This is the reality of the drug and if you or a family member have a problem with meth, please call us right away. This addiction is not going to go away on it's own and needs serious treatment to assist the addict with reclaiming a life of freedom in recovery.


Hello, My Friend

I destroy homes. I tear families apart.
I take children and that’s just a start.
I’m more valued than diamonds, more precious than gold.
The sorrow I bring is a sight to behold.
If you need me, remember, I’m easily found.
I live all around you, in school and in town.
I live with the rich, I live with the poor.
I live just down the street, and maybe next door.
I’m made in a lab, but not one like you think.
I can be made under the kitchen sink, or in your
Child’s closet, even out in the woods.
If this scares you to death, it certainly should.
I have many names, but there’s one you’ll know best.
I’m sure you’ve heard of me. My name’s Crystal Meth.
My power is awesome. Try me. You’ll see.
But if you do, you may never break free.
Just try me once, I might let you go.
Try me twice and I’ll own your soul.
When I possess you, you’ll steal and you’ll lie.
You’ll do what you have to, just to get high.
The crimes you’ll commit for my narcotic charms
Will be worth the pleasure you’ll feel in my arms.
You’ll lie to your mother, you’ll steal from your dad.
When you see their tear, you must not feel sad.
Just forget your morals, and how you were raised.
I’ll be your conscience. I’ll teach you my ways.
I take kids from parents. I take parents from kids.
I turn people from God. I separate friends.
I’ll take everything from you, even your good looks and
Pride. I’ll be with you always, right by your side.
You’ll give up everything. Your family, your home.
Your money, your friends, you’ll be all alone.
I’ll take and I’ll take till you’ve no more to give.
When I finish with you, you’ll be lucky to live.
If you try me, be warned. THIS IS NOT A GAME.
If I’m given the chance, I’ll drive you insane.
I’ll ravage your body. I’ll control your mind.
I’ll own you completely. Your soul will be MINE.
The nightmares I’ll five you when you’re lying in bed,
And the voices you hear from inside your head.
The shakes, the sweats, and the visions you’ll see.
I want you to know, these are your gifts from me.
By then it’s too late, and you’ll know in your heart,
That you are now mine, and we shall not part.
You’ll regret that you tried me. They always do.
But you came to me. Not I to you.
You knew this would happen. How many times were you told?
But you challenged my power. You chose to be bold.
You could have said “no” and just walked away.
If you could live over, now what would you say?
My power is awesome, as I told you before.
I can take your mother and turn her into a whore.
I’ll be your master, you’ll do as I say,
Even when I tell you to go to your grave.
Now that you’ve met me, what will you do?
Will you try me or not? It’s all up to you.
I can show you more misery than words can tell.
Come, take my hand. Let me lead you to hell.

A Solution for Video Game Addiction

Just because an addiction is uncommon or not taken seriously doesn't mean that it isn't just as painful and destructive. Enter Video Game Addiction and yes, there is help.

One of the issues that I've encountered more than once in working with families who have a loved one in the throws of addiction is an addiction to video games. Some people may not consider this a real issue and that it cannot possibly affect someone in the devastating ways that drugs and alcohol do. Not so. In fact this particular addiction can present problems that do not occur in cases involving drugs and alcohol.
First, video games are a form of entertainment and most people know they can be very attractive, possibly relaxing and incredibly entertaining. However, anything, let me say again, anything that is causing someone negative consequences, yet they continue to take part in the behavior, is not healthy and should be examined further. The families I've spoke with while working for Intervention 911 have told me about their loved ones losing jobs, losing friends and significant others as well as watching their finances slowly but surely go down the drain. The unfortunate aspect of video game addiction is that it is not highly regarded as life threatening and so treatment options for this addiction are very few and far between. I would consider anything life threatening if the addict is choosing to partake in the activity instead of shower, eat or even sleep.
Intervention 911 has a solution for this rare but still very serious condition. The In-Home Treatment that is offered is an excellent option for treating this type of problem. Basically, the program of treatment we provide is one where the treatment comes to famiy and the addict. It involves the same types of therapy and education that one could expect from a large facility, yet the treatment itself is tailored for that particular addict alone. It is as private as the family and addict desires, yet is very effective at treating the problem at the source in the very situation in which it takes place. Family groups, one-on-one therapy, meditation, life skills and intensive work on the source of the problem takes place. Guiding the addict in re-entry into society is crucial to the success of this and any treatment program.
I very seriously urge anyone who feels they may not be well suited to the group dynamics, travel or being away from one's job or responsibilities for the length of a treatment program to call us to discuss our Intensive In-Home Treatment Packages.
Don't waste another day. The solution starts here.

Video Introduction to Intervention911 and Ken Seeley

Emotional Sobriety

I sat in a meeting last night and listened to a wheelchair bound man talk. He didn't talk about how much it sucked for him to be handicapped, which he has been for over 17 years, or how much harder it is to stay sober without the use of his legs.
No, he spoke in depth about emotional sobriety.

That's the thing: life without drugs and alcohol is great, really it is. But without a solid program of recovery and spirituality in place, it simply will not be all that it can be. In fact, it may be downright miserable. Recovery is not about putting down the drink or the drug. That is only the beginning. Recovery is about getting inside of yourself, finding out what plagues you and dealing with the issues that make you want to run from reality. Once you can look at those issues and start to walk through them, leaving guilt, anger and blame along the path as you go, the real healing begins. Without a good program of recovery, an addict is left with themselves, and they are still suffering from the sickness. The substances are merely a symptom of the problem and left untreated, that problem will rear its ugly head again and again.
As I listened to "X" speak about emotional sobriety it dawned on me, as it has before, that if this were just about drugs and alcohol, 12 step meetings would be sparse, but they are not. You can walk into a meeting of AA or NA or the like and it will likely be packed. It will be packed with some people who are struggling to stay sober. The majority, though, are people who are struggling with regular life problems. As addicts, we behaved in ways that were shameful, bitter and unhealthy. As addicts in recovery, we are given the option of living differently. We have the choice to use the same survival mechanisms that we used in our addiction or use new ones where we don't get to hurt other people in the process.
That is what emotional sobriety is about. Being clean and sober isn't enough. Being clean and sober within one's heart and mind is more than enough. Getting there demands honesty and hard work.
This same man who was speaking last night once told me: "AA is not for people who need it, not for people who want it, but for people who are willing to work their ass off to get it."