Addiction: A Guilford Family's Story

Here is the first of a three-part series on youth battling addiction, WNPR introduces you to the Harmons family of Guilford. This appears to be a very factual look at kids becoming addicted in a family, how the family finds out and what they can do about it. If you are dealing with kids and addiction (or drug abuse) I suggest that you read this entire series. 

I find this first of the series full of facts that a lot of parents don't know--for instance, 60 percent of the drugs kids get are GIVEN to them by friends or relatives--mostly siblings. Parents and communities are so very worried about the dealer down the street--so much so that they make laws increasing penalties for "selling" drugs near a school ground. News flash--dealers selling drugs by schools is almost a non-issue!  Less than 20% of kids gets drugs from dealers--and very seldom start by buying from dealers. Their brothers, sisters, aunts, parents, friends...and even doctors are the ones who get them started.



Read the series...its full of useful facts and information is the place to begin. correct information--not scare tactics.

Addiction: A Guilford Family's Story | WNPR News: "Tim's father, Justin, said, "I don’t think we realized what a serious problem it was until he nearly died." 

The Harmons had heard that members of his swim team had been experimenting with drugs. "We thought he was experimenting," Justin Harmon said. "We believed it was at the level of marijuana. "

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Spring Break Can Be Deadly

Although you can' do much about your kids participating in Spring Break antics--they make their own choices after all, you don't have to bank roll it if you don't agree--think about wht you give your son or daughter money for--especially if they have trouble with alcohol and other drugs--Spring Break is no longer just a break from school for a bit of relaxation--it is almost exclusively a drinking, drug, and sexual overindulgence.

Spring Break Can Be Deadly: "Today college spring break no longer resembles a 1960 movie with Connie Francis singing "Where the Boys Are" on the beach. It's more like watching an MTV bikini contest or an episode of "Girls Gone Wild."

These days, spring break presents a wide variety of dangers for college students targeted by marketing efforts that promote dangerous drinking and sex."

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Activities for Children | 12 Steps 12 Stories

Trying to share the 12 steps with your kids? Here is a book that helps you with the message. I thought it was worth sharing. Beside the workbook--there is a resource section of kids books (for kids in alcoholic families) and a section on activities you can do with kids from 6 to 12.

Activities for Children | 12 Steps 12 Stories: "Introduce Your Children to the 12 Steps
Explore the Spiritual Messages of Recovery
Create Open and Healing Family Discussions"

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Four Circles Recovery Center March 2014 Newsletter

Four Circles Recovery has a great little newsletter where they share personal stories (as well as other recovery news). You might like to read JAANA's story of intervention and treatment.

Four Circles Recovery Center March 2014 Newsletter: "My Journey began January 11, 2012, when I walked into a circle of 
loved ones with letters. As you probably guessed, I walked into an intervention. At first, I wasn’t willing to go to treatment. I knew I wanted to get off of drugs, but had no idea that treatment was the answer.  I had a two year-old daughter that I did not want to leave and was paralyzed with fear. However, I ended up going to treatment. Little did I know, I was going to wake up the next day to the best experience that would save my life."



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LETTER: Addicts aren't immoral

Its important to remember that although drug addiction is a disease--people don't want to become drug addicts and ruin their lives your life and their kid's life--it is a disease of choice--ie they pick up that drug. BUT do they have a choice about making the choice? I didn't before I knew I was an alcoholic addict...once I knew it was a disease, I stopped picking up. But when I wanted to stop smoking (also an addiction)--it took me 10 years of constant trying.



I have no idea why I quit alcohol and speed but the tobacco was so much longer. I didn't want to smoke when pregnant--I didn't want to spend the money--I didn't want to smoke in front of my daughter but I did. So do addicts want to use in spite of everything--usually not. Why do they do it? Its a disease. Its hard to recover. Most of them die. Usually they don't want to die---here's a letter about this I foudn and want to share.

LETTER: Heroin, prescription drug crisis getting out of hand | lehighvalleylive.com:

People must take their heads out of the sand and acknowledge this problem. Drug addicts suffer an addictive disorder — they are not depraved, immoral persons bent on self-destruction. Many were introduced to highly addictive prescription drugs as treatment for medical conditions.

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Doctors are key source of narcotics for riskiest users

Its a shame really--because doctors do want to help people and they don't want to hurt them. So in their attempts to help--they often prescribe pain meds or anxiety meds to try and help with symptoms--they are busy, they have other patients to get to and it its just so darn easy to "stop the pain right now" with a pill. And then you have the abuse and dependency follows...Doctors don't get up in the morning and say--"I hope I get 3 people addicted today.." We know they don't. but they do get people addicted--it is just so darn easy--here is a new study that explores this--in the LA Times. Worth reading

Doctors are key source of narcotics for riskiest users, study says - latimes.com: "Doctors are fueling the epidemic of prescription drug addiction and overdose and represent the single largest supplier of these drugs to chronic abusers, according to a government study published Monday."
The finding challenges the conventional wisdom that the epidemic is caused primarily by abusers getting their drugs without prescriptions, typically from friends and family.

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ManyFaces1Voice & The Anonymous People Film

This is going to be so much fun! thank about getting a group of folks together, have dinner, popcorn and sit and watch this film. It's all day (on demand) and FREE for one day--this Sat March 1st. You're goig to want to watch it and its better watching it with friends.

ManyFaces1Voice & The Anonymous People Film: "On March 1st, the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, a founding partner of the ManyFaces1Voice call-to-action campaign, will host a free online stream of The Anonymous People via the Hazelden Social Community: www.hazelden.org/social (You must join the online community to watch, but joining is free).

On that day, people from all over the world will watch The Anonymous People, which will be accessible for online streaming for 24 hours (12AM to 11:59PM EST on 3/1/14). As an added bonus, the film’s director, Greg Williams, and other key subjects from the film, including Hazelden’s William Cope Moyers, will have a dialogue about recovery advocacy during a live chat that begins at 5 p.m. EST"

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