Addiction Archives - emotionally naked

Speaking at Millwood School this Thurs, March 21

:54 second Invitation!

Getting Comfortable with an Uncomfortable Conversation- Breaking the silence on mental illness and suicide

Thursday, March 21, 2019 from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM (EDT)

Millwood School – Robinson Hall
15100 Millwood School Lane
Midlothian, VA 23112

This is a community event! This presentation is about my journey to healing by dragging an unpopular topic into the spotlight, how parents can discern normal teen behavior from mental illness, the transitions that can cause problems for teens, and strategies for helping children build resilience.

Takeaways:
• What are the signs of suicide and how does someone … Read more... “Speaking at Millwood School this Thurs, March 21”

Signed a deal with a publisher!

My memoir, Diary of a Broken Mind, by Anne Moss Rogers and Charles Rogers, will be published in October 2019 by a traditional publisher, Beach Glass Books.

This book focuses on the relatable story of what lead to my son Charles’ shocking suicide at age twenty and answers the “why” behind this cause of death, revealed through my family’s story and years of his published and unpublished song lyrics. The last third of the book is a message of hope and healing.

Paperback will be first. Audio book six months later or so. And I have questions to ask you … Read more... “Signed a deal with a publisher!”

Breaking free of opiate pain medication

by Kimberly

I had brain surgery in 1999 for a brain stem tumor at Johns Hopkins and was in the hospital for a month. The doctors prescribed only Tylenol because they did not want my brain affected. I had to have my liver tested monthly because of how toxic Tylenol codeine is.

My doctor then switched me to Oxycodone and after a short time, I asked to be taken off that and the doctor prescribed Neurontin 600mg for nerve pain, which worked for a little while.

I had to keep increasing dosage to get the same effect and in two … Read more... “Breaking free of opiate pain medication”

Not staying quiet on addiction

by Stephani Morris

stephani

I am a 31-year-old single mother to a beautiful 8-year-old boy.

In 2016, I worked at a gym, competed in fitness competitions, was working to get my nursing degree, had experience working at Georgetown Medical School, worked in a local hospital as well as a doctor’s office. To top off my own successes, which I soon learned meant nothing, my son was diagnosed in 2015 with high-functioning Autism.

With the help of my family, I helped him get the therapy he needed, volunteered at his school, coached his sports, volunteered on his field trips, lobbied for rights … Read more... “Not staying quiet on addiction”

Bonding with others who’ve lost is therapy

Anne Moss Rogers; Jill Cichowicz; Omar Abubaker, DMD, PhD

So recently my friend, Jill Cichowicz, whose twin brother died from Substance Use Disorder, arranged a meeting with me and Omar Abubaker, DMD, PhD who lost his son to addiction as well. We talked about pushing forward our agenda on substance abuse education and how, we, as people who have lost someone precious to this drug epidemic can make a difference and educate people on this disease–starting with presenting it as a disease.

Dr. Abubaker is a seasoned speaker. As head of the VCU Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, … Read more... “Bonding with others who’ve lost is therapy”

If my loved one stops doing X and starts doing Y, all will be well

by Teresa McBean

#MythBustingMondays – Watching someone die a slow death as a result of an unremitting and cruel condition like untreated Substance Use Disorder is the WORST. It is frustrating, frightening, and trauma inducing.

All sorts of pro-addictive and anti-recovery thoughts will enter into the mind of loved ones. This is normal and expected but it cannot go unaddressed without serious consequences for all involved.

“If only she/he would stop using!” is an example of pro-addictive thinking that creates a certain mythology around how to deal with the disease. The myth is this: If my loved one stops doing … Read more... “If my loved one stops doing X and starts doing Y, all will be well”

I will always come get you

charles and mom

I remember telling my children this. “If you have had too much to drink, I will come get you and I won’t ask questions.” And I followed through with that.

But when Charles wanted me to come get him in that last phone call, although he didn’t literally say, “come get me,” I didn’t. At first this was a huge boulder to carry and I punished myself constantly for it. And while I have forgiven myself, it will always sting.

The disease of addiction and all of its chaos scrambled my brain. The fear of the disease consumed me … Read more... “I will always come get you”

#MythBustingMondays If your child is addicted, it’s because you didn’t put your foot down

Why was my child abusing drugs?

Was it because we didn’t punish enough, take away enough privileges or otherwise let our child know who was boss?

Maybe we coddled him too much, let him hang out with the “wrong friends,” or worked too much when we should have stayed home.

Or perhaps we didn’t go to church enough, get Charles more involved with activities, or do enough random drug tests.

The truth is, drug abuse and addiction happens to good parents, bad parents, happily married parents, divorced parents. It happens to working moms, stay-at-home moms, dad’s who are involved, dad’s … Read more... “#MythBustingMondays If your child is addicted, it’s because you didn’t put your foot down”

The drug dealer I thought I hated

by Jenny Derr

I attended a program at Godwin High School this week, which was organized by Project Purple, of which I am a member. The ORBIT program, which stands for Opiate Recovery By Intensive Tracking, is a Henrico County Sheriff’s office initiative, which serves to help inmates battling addiction to opioids.

This particular program is called In Plain Sight, and the residents of the program set up a typical teen bedroom on the stage and then ask members of the audience to come up and see if they can find the 50 items related to drug use, … Read more... “The drug dealer I thought I hated”

How did I get the courage to speak out about suicide and addiction?

suicide story charles rogers — This screenshot was a day or two after it posted. I only wish I would have screen-shotted the comments as those original ones are now lost. I found such comfort in reading all those other stories

Three years ago, I wrote this newspaper article following Charles‘ death. I’ve referred to it several times before.

Charles died by suicide June 5, 2015 and I started writing it in August of that same year. We were moving at the same time since the house sold four days before his death.

It took six months to write 1,200 words. Earlier versions were … Read more... “How did I get the courage to speak out about suicide and addiction?”