by Don Holman
Don provides current events updates regarding national policy on the addiction and opiate crisis in the US
On October 7, 2018 I attended the FED UP Rally at Freedom Plaza in Washington D.C. FED UP is an advocacy group that focuses on keeping the Pharmaceutical Companies and the FDA accountable for their part in creating the Opioid Crisis and ensuring that they do not continue on the same path. The Rally each year in D.C. is an opportunity for those who … Read more...
This is a program we have worked to get funded since 2016. And while I’ve spent three years trying to bring it to Virginia, Jasmin Vassileva Phd has spent seven years. VCU Institute of Drug & Alcohol Studies and Beacon Tree Foundation are behind the grant.
This will be the first study in the U.S. on this intervention.
Preventure is an evidence-based prevention intervention included in the first-ever US Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health.
The intervention is associated with 30-80% reductions in alcohol and drug use in adolescents in schools at 3-year follow-up. It … Read more...
by Don Holman
Don provides current events updates regarding national policy on the addiction and opiate crisis in the US
The title of this post is meant to be somewhat facetious since many people I talk to are not aware of what the ONDCP is, what they do, or even what the letters in the acronym represent. If you are familiar with the ONDCP you can skip through the next three paragraphs since they are copied directly from Whitehouse.gov:
“The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) works to reduce drug use … Read more...
by Courtney Nunnally
My name is Courtney and I’ve been in recovery from heroin addiction for five and a half years.
Addiction can happen to anyone and believe a lot of my issues stem from my childhood. When I was four years old my brother was killed in an accident then my mom was killed in an accident when I was five. My dad was an alcoholic and avoided dealing with these issues, which made me unable to deal with them, as well. He was somewhat detached as a father, which led me to seek attention in other ways.
by Don Holman
In future posts, Don will be offering current event updates regarding national policy on the addiction and opiate crisis in the US
My proudest accomplishment in life is being a Dad to Kristen and Garrett. On 2/9/2017 that accomplishment took a tragic hit with the loss of my son Garrett. From that point on in my mind, no matter what I accomplish or acquire in the time I have left, I have lost. So, I had the choice of throwing in the towel and giving up, putting it behind … Read more...
The second coping strategy is “Write”
After Charles died, others didn’t seem to want to talk about him. Or let me talk about him. I kept wondering, “Why can’t I talk about my son?”
So two months after he died, I started writing an article for the newspaper about his death. We had just moved out of the house where he had grown up because it had sold four days before he stunned us by killing himself.
He died June 2015. I started writing August 2015. The first version was sloppy and pointless but I kept writing it, revising it, … Read more...
The first one is “Get some exercise.”
While I was editing that video, I felt like blowing something up. Actually, I just wanted to blow up iMovie. Other times of the year, I have a little more patience.
Karla Helbert, a grief expert, will be co-authoring many of these posts.
This is for anyone who is coping with adversity– loss of a child or other loved one to suicide or overdose, someone else’s substance use disorder, your own mental illness, SUD, or thoughts of suicide.
Some of you don’t want to get out of bed, … Read more...
NPR has issued a Student Podcast Challenge and I thought it be great if at least one of the student podcast entries was about mental illness, suicide or drug addiction/abuse. When students speak up on a topic, it gets noticed.
The Contest is a podcast submission contest includes 5th – 12th grade teachers who can submit an audio file created by their student(s) for an opportunity to (a) have NPR and/or station reporters come to their school to meet and interview them and their student(s) and (b) have the winning podcast discussed in a news segment that will appear on … Read more...
XS-3XL, Blue, White, Gray. Unisex and Women’s Slim fit. Shirts and sweat shirts are here.
I am doing t-shirts and sweat shirts to remember lost loved ones who died from Substance Use Disorder. It is any death related to addiction including overdose, accidents, death from a medical issue brought on by SUD (e.g. hepatitis) and even addiction-related suicide. If you want your loved one remembered and that name added to the back of this shirt, fill out the form below.
It’s free to have a name put on the shirts but only names added to the form will … Read more...
When I saw 12:48am on my phone with your mom’s name on it, I knew there had been a tragedy. She was one of the first people to call me after Charles’ suicide three years ago and I never wanted her to be in this club, too.
Mike, I would have thought when you wore “Charles socks” or one of his shirts I shipped to you after his death, those things would have protected you from this ending. But that’s not how it works, is it?
You meant so much to my boy and even … Read more...
People search in google when they want information. Sometimes they type in, “my son died from overdose,” or “kill myself after my daughter’s suicide,” “my girlfriend killed herself,” “I relapsed and no one loves me,” “bipolar suicide attempt,” “my father killed himself,” “2 years clean” and so on.
Every day this happens. They search on Google, Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Yahoo, Bing, and even smaller search engines. All are in search of connection that you provide with your emotionally naked stories and wisdom.
People will sometimes search by your child’s name if they know that child has died. And … Read more...
This photo is from Thanksgiving in 2013. I have fond memories of this family get together.
This year, one is in LA for Thanksgiving and the other in heaven. Every holiday, is a harsh reminder of who’s missing.
Thinking of all of you today.
When Charles admitted he had an addiction to an opiate, my attendance at support group had lapsed.
Because the house was going on the market in the spring, every minute was needed to get the house in shape to sell. Chaos had moved back into our lives and my instincts were telling me we’d need the money from the home sale to help Charles although we didn’t yet know about the addiction. So far, we’d spent over $250k on wilderness, therapeutic boarding school and regular boarding school.
Once he said, “Mom, I think I need help, I’m addicted to opiates,” … Read more...
Adapted from a presentation
Even if your child is not predisposed to addiction or drug abuse, one of his or her friends is likely to be. Creating a culture of prevention starts in your home. These are just a few steps to minimize the risk in your family.
This is not a “cure” for those who have the disease but helps prevent those who are from not becoming addicted early which increases their risk of early death
Normalization of drugs – It’s important to recognize that drugs are normalized in our current culture.
Those of use … Read more...
by Tom Bannard, CADC, MBA
As Thanksgiving approaches, we in the recovery community have so much to be grateful for, but this season can also be challenging for many in recovery and their families. Twelve years ago, my family choose to cancel their holiday celebrations to visit me in a rehab facility. I am so grateful they chose to fight my disease with love and support.
Many of our Rams in Recovery and others in the Recovery Community will be celebrating their first or second holiday season as people in recovery which presents unique challenges and opportunities.
For some, connecting … Read more...
