Have you ever heard of magic mushrooms? People have used these mushrooms for various reasons over the years. Whether to medically treat themselves or ignore their personal problems by getting high, people have realized the potential they can have on the human body. Read on to learn more about the health benefits of micro-dosing magic mushrooms and the risks involved.
What are Magic Mushrooms and How are They Used?
Magic mushrooms are psychedelic substances that can make a person feel high. As stated by Wired, these mushrooms are illegal substances that make a person hallucinate. Since the government deemed them in the Schedule I category of drugs, this means they aren’t suitable for any medical reason. Yet, places like Oregon and Denver are trying to legalize them as a treatment for certain illnesses. Most people abuse these mushrooms for recreational purposes, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of so much more.
What is Micro-dosing and How Can it Help?
Have you ever heard of micro-dosing? You might have heard the term from your doctor or on the news lately since some people are benefiting from micro-dosing certain drugs. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, micro-dosing is when a person takes a much lower dose of a psychedelic substance. This means you would only have to take .1 to .5 grams of magic mushrooms to get the therapeutic effects without having to succumb to a full “trip” with a regular dosage.
Some people do take magic mushrooms recreationally, which has given this psychedelic substance a negative reputation as being bad for your health. However, some people are now using this micro-dosing as a way to help relieve some of their mental disorders. As reported by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, unlike receiving the usual “high” from the full dose, micro-dosing only gives you the slightest drug effect. This means you will experience an increase in the following:
- Focus
- Creativity
- Productivity
- Mindfulness
- Social skills
- Analytical skills
- Positive Mood
- Memory
- General well-being
These effects are more psychological and could make you feel more like yourself again. Especially if you are plagued with depression or other mental disorders. The possibility of being more socially active could be enticing enough for people to give it a try.
What Mental Disorders are Micro-dosing Magic Mushroom Testing for?
Since taking magic mushrooms has been illegal for a long time, there isn’t a whole lot of evidence of the potential it can have on people’s mental health. Since there are so many places legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, this could be the next wave of utilizing natural drugs for health conditions. As stated by Wired, some studies prove magic mushrooms can help relieve the following mental health conditions:
- Cluster headaches
- Suicidal thoughts
- Addiction
- Treatment-resistant depression
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Pain
This is excellent news for those who experience depression, but none of your antidepressants or other prescriptions seem to work. Or you might be tired of trying to find the right one.
If this psychedelic drug becomes legal, then you might have a better alternative. This could save you from experiencing all those side effects from using various antidepressants with no positive results. You might want to consider micro-dosing magic mushrooms when they become available to you.
Substance Abuse Vs. Treatment: Will Micro-dosing be a Gateway to an Addiction?
While there is some positive evidence of micro-dosing these magic mushrooms, you might have to face the possibility of drug abuse. Similar to taking pain pills, a person could easily fall prey to taking this substance to feel better. What might start out as something healthy, can end in abuse and addiction if you aren’t careful. The temptation to explore the “high” might have you taking more than is recommended for curbing depression or other condition you are using it for.
According to Wired, there is evidence to show that psychedelic drugs have a low risk of addiction or abuse. This doesn’t state that it’s a given fact magic mushrooms won’t cause it to happen if you take it for too long. A person might like those trips too much, especially if there aren’t any “bad trips” associated with their drug intake.
Someone who takes magic mushrooms recreationally might not be able to stop upping the dose to continue having that incredible high they like. So, if you start to take these magic mushrooms, be careful of abusing it.
It could lead you to become addicted to the drug despite evidence that it’s usually not an addictive drug. You shouldn’t let any research allow you to make poor decisions. Don’t continue to waste your money buying more and more magic mushrooms to keep feeling those effects it can give you. No drug is worth spending your time on merely feeling good when life gets hard. You should live your life without the influence of mind-altering drugs wreaking havoc on your life.
When Getting Help is Needed: Active Addiction
If you find yourself addicted to these mushrooms, know that there are rehab treatment options to help you. Research various inpatient and outpatient rehab facilities in your area that will match your financial needs.
Inpatient or detox centers might be perfect for your circumstances if you are actively addicted to magic mushrooms. It can be hard to stop no matter how hard you try, so you might need a detox center to help you get sober. You really shouldn’t detox the drugs out of your system without medical attention anyway. Drugs can affect people in different ways, so you never know what kind of complications that can arise.
Magic mushrooms might sound enticing to those who are suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts. However, with so little research done on these psychedelics, there isn’t enough evidence to say for sure that they are healthy for you long-term. The risk of addiction is another pitfall for trying to treat yourself medically. If you end up addicted to magic mushrooms, don’t let it rule your life. There are treatment options for everyone, you just have to be strong enough to look for it. You can’t fix yourself on your own, so don’t hesitate to fight your way back to sobriety. Seek help today! Give us a call now to get connected with a treatment center and get your healthy life back once more!
Change is hard, period. If recovery were easy we would have done it a long time ago. We all know that recovery is hard, however, some people have harder experiences than others.
Addiction affects the mind, body and spirit. This all-encompassing disease gets us off track mentally and in life. How to function normally and healthfully has to be relearned and this is no easy task. It takes time, energy and patience, not to mention some guidance and support.
Combating addiction starts with treatment; either inpatient, outpatient or 12-step program. Treatment must address the whole person, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA). This means that during any formal treatment program and after, you consider all aspects of your mental and physical health as well as spirituality. Mental health issues such as depression and PTSD need to be addressed in addition to the addiction problem in order for you to get on the right track.
Heal your Mind and Body
Addiction hijacks your brain, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH). This means that not only do you need to get the drugs out of your system and recover your health, but also need to relearn healthy ways of thinking and acting.
Healing from addiction can take a long time. Even when you have gotten through the toughest parts, you still may not be back to normal. Post-Acute Withdrawal Symptoms (PAWS) can last for weeks, months, even a year.
Remember that you are a valuable human being and take what you need to recover in a healthy manner. Pushing or shaming yourself may backfire and lead to a relapse.
Meditation, exercise, healthy eating, and plenty of sleep are in order. Your needs are different than anyone else’s; maybe you need more exercise and sleep, while the next person needs to meditation and focus on regaining much needed nutrients. Whatever the case, listen to your body and do what it needs.
Patience – Rome wasn’t Built in a Day
You quit drugs and alcohol so why isn’t your life full of the promises of recovery yet? Well, it takes time. Be patient with yourself and your recovery. This may mean that you make plenty of mistakes in sobriety, however, as long as you stay sober you will continue to make progress.
The only thing that will set you back now is to go back out using your drug of choice. Even the mistakes you make are building blocks to the stronger foundation and better you that you’ve been working for.
You can’t expect yourself to spend years in addiction and then turn it around in recovery in a day. Be patient and trust the process. All with long-term sobriety know how difficult it is to endure early sobriety.
From people not trusting you, 100 roommates, PAWS, and feeling like you work hard all day every day and have nothing to show for it. You are not alone. Many in early sobriety remember watching the clock feeling as though time had stopped and all that existed was a constant sense of panic and negativity.
Breathe and realize that you are doing the work you need to become the better you. If you stick with sobriety, your life will become better than you can imagine.
Boredom
In active addiction, sometimes, there is a sense of constant panic and anxiety, over supply of drugs/alcohol and relationship meltdowns. By contrast, sobriety can seem down-right boring at times.
Change takes time, patience and hard work. No one likes change, but in times like this it is absolutely necessary. When you look back after obtaining some time sober, you will like where you are compared to where you have been.
One of the bigger contributors to relapse is boredom. Early sobriety requires that you learn ways of entertaining yourself, otherwise, you may reach a point where the monotony of everyday life becomes unbearable.
Find activities that you enjoy and throw yourself in them. Even great pastimes may pale in comparison to the extreme highs of drug and alcohol abuse, however, those roller coaster emotional and mental swings are not sustainable for long periods of time.
Practice, not Perfection
If at first you don’t succeed, try again. This age-old idiom is especially true when it comes to addiction. No matter how much time you have, perseverance is the name of the game. No one comes into life with an instruction manual. We learn as we go and pick ourselves up when we fall. There is no mistake so great that warrants you to give up trying to do better. Nothing.
One of the 12-step sayings “Practice, not perfection” is how you should view your life. You will probably not do everything right the first time, but keep coming back and you will get there. Life is not about being perfect, but doing the best we can with the tools and the time we have while we are here.
Some days you will be a difficult human being to be around. You may even destroy some friendships. Though this seems alarming, as long as you do what you think is right and taking advice from others, then you are doing your best.
When in doubt reach out to those in the sober community and ask for help. The first times you lean on another person, the situation is difficult. We are not accustomed to trusting others, let alone relying on them in active addiction. However, people who have been in the program a little while have been where you are and understand. Find a sponsor and cling to this person if you have less than a year in recovery. You may think you know what your sponsor will say before you call, but you don’t.
Telling yourself you can do it alone or you don’t need to bother your sponsor is simply not true. This is your disease saying that you don’t need the strong bonds and trust in another person when, in fact, you do.
Take the leap of faith and immerse yourself in the sober community and 12-step program around you. You will recover and your future will be beyond imagining if you remain open-minded and willing.
This year is a special year.
It is the ten year anniversary of saving lives, healing families.
Ten years of progress and not perfection.
TEN YEARS of embracing those who have found the courage to reach out for their addiction.
This article will be like nothing you have ever read. This article is about the 10 years of accomplishments, progress, struggles, and recovery for our patients and for our employees. This article is about a handful of people deciding to help those struggling with an addiction and actually doing something about it. This article is about the people that make saving lives and healing families a reality and not a slogan.
Hi, I am an employee at A Better Today Recovery Services (ABTRS).
It is true, I am employed at A Better Today Recovery Services and I have been given the opportunity to write their ten-year anniversary article. Not because it is my job, but because I am here, I am involved, and all the years I have worked here, I have had the opportunity to watch them develop. I have witnessed the best and the worst and through it all, I will be honest with you, I love this place. The best part is, I get to tell you about it and why.
Who is A Better Today Recovery Services? How Much Have We Grown in Ten Years?
In 2009, a group of people united for a cause. To save lives and heal families. I was not there, but I know a couple of them who were and are with the company today and the stories they’d recollect pull at my heartstrings.
They started with ten beds, a small office suite, and their personal phones. Ten opportunities to lend a hand at someone’s rock bottom, ten beds to offer the dope sick, 10 families to educate and offer hope. But that was all they needed to change a slogan of saving lives and healing families to a movement of change.
Given those ten chances to change lives, they decided on their core beliefs as a company:
- Patient-focused care that is comprehensive and effective.
- Medical professionals that are passionate and dedicated like themselves, but thorough and masters of their craft. They needed to focus on the whole person- mental, physical, social-not just the drug of choice.
- Treatment plans that are tailored to the individual and their needs. Trauma therapy if needed, anger management if needed, special diets if needed. They had to be able to help everyone, no matter their past or special needs. The founders believed that addiction can affect anyone of any social status. It was important that they did not turn any out reached hand away. It was important to help everyone.
- Lastly, the treatment that they wanted to offer to their patients had to be balanced with evidence-based treatment modalities and practices from group support methods like AA, Smart Recovery, and Faith-based Celebrate Recovery.
With the ambition, passion, and those core beliefs, those ten opportunities became 20 in 2011 and by 2018, ABTRS would have a total of over 170 beds.
It fills my heart with joy, it brings tears to my eyes, it fuels my passion to save lives and heal families to say that as of May 2019 we have treated over 4,000 people who were struggling with alcoholism or drug addiction.
I must say it again, over 4,000 people have walked through our doors and received treatment that changed their lives, opened their minds to a life more than their next fix, told them that their life had more potential than being chained to their active addiction lifestyle.
4,000 people with families, children, and now futures.
Patient-focused Care and Passionate Therapists
When it comes to drug and alcohol treatment, knowledge and experience is so important.
Not only do you have to have the college courses, the licensure, and the credentials, you must have the experience with those who struggle with addiction, the patience to respect progress on an individual level, and the heart to hold someone up when they feel down.
Our therapists have all of that. The dedication and passion that our therapists have tends to come from their own experience with addiction and the journey of recovery. Their own journey empowered them to go back to school and find a career in substance abuse treatment to help others live fulfilling lives like themselves.
Many believe it becomes a calling and find such satisfaction watching people recover and rediscover their passion for life after their active addiction. ABTRS supports their journey and their ambition. ABTRS offers our therapists to make videos of their knowledge, educate their patients about Substance Use Disorder (SUD), and let their voice be heard about what makes them passionate about working in drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
Running Effectiveness Studies on ABTRS Treatment in 2015
Even though I was not there when ABTRS was established, I was present for the 2015 effectiveness of treatment study. I worked closely with the research and development department to properly display the data on the website. The purpose of this research was to determine if our approach to substance abuse treatment was effective and where we could improve.
AT ABTRS, our R&D Department maintains the highest professional and academic standards when gathering, analyzing, and reporting treatment outcomes for our patients. Throughout 2015 the ABTRS R&D Department gathered and analyzed post-treatment outcomes for our 2014 patients and compared them against an off-cited and highly esteemed medical study analyzing treatment efficacy and outcomes in opiate addicts. Substance abuse treatment success rates at ABTRS easily surpass that bar:
- Based on a sample of 128 ABT patients, 30 days after treatment ABTRS patients were 52% more likely to be entirely abstinent from intoxicants.
- 60 days after treatment – a period wherein the techniques and strategies developed during treatment have begun to be put to the real test – ABTRS patients were 138% more likely to be entirely abstinent from intoxicants than the opiate addicts.
- In other words, in a similar size sample, the number of ABTRS patients completely abstinent from intoxicants was more than twice the number of opiate addicts abstinent from opiates-alone 60-days post-treatment.
- 90 days after treatment ABTRS patients were 129% more likely to be entirely abstinent from intoxicants.
- At 6 months after treatment – the interval conventionally and professionally considered most important in assessing treatment episode outcomes – ABTRS patients were 100% more likely (i.e. twice as likely) to be entirely abstinent from intoxicants.
We were so proud to know that of those 4,000 people that opened their minds to our approach to treatment, a majority of them would and are maintaining their sobriety. If our treatment was as effective as the data was reported, then we must continue to improve. We must help our patients in their first year of sobriety find confidence, stability, and a community that would accept them without judgement and support them through thick and thin. ABTRS had work to do if we were going to take patient-focused care to the next level.
A Better Today Recovery Services Expansion & Development
Detox Center Certification
ABTRS has always wanted to offer comprehensive care from A to Z. From the moment they call us, we wanted to provide detox to aftercare. As of 2019, ABTRS has gotten our detox center certified as a Behavioral Health Inpatient Facility – Subacute – and are currently providing comprehensive care for all our patients. Our addictionologist Dr. Carlton, M.D. can now be with our patients from the beginning to the end and that is important to a patient who needs the best care from the moment they decide to put down the bottle or dump their stash of drugs. But the detox certification was just the start.
Independent Living for ABTRS Patient
When I toured the apartment complex for ABTRS new Independent Living Program, I felt empowered to tell the world, I wanted this to change drug and alcohol abuse aftercare from the moment I stepped into the community center. It broke my heart to hear how hard it was for people in recovery to be qualified for an apartment without paying outlandish amounts of money. Because of their criminal backgrounds, or drug history, apartment complexes will refuse to house them. They are forced to find residency in establishments that are surrounded by drug abuse and criminal activity and charge people in recovery an arm and a leg to get back on their feet.
So, I ask, how in the world are you supposed to start a new life free from triggers and drug abuse activities if you can’t find a place to live?
How are you supposed to maintain sobriety if you are constantly asked by the drug dealer sitting outside your place if you wanted to get high?
Ridiculous!
So ABTRS invested in a small apartment complex for housing and began to develop a community that would focus on maintaining sobriety with you. We didn’t just stop at judgment-free applications, we wanted to offer services that would help develop life skills and give people confidence in their future in recovery, so we offered all these services:
- Living Arrangement: Fully furnished apartments for $165.00 a week, including food, transportation, and moving forward resources with promissory note opportunity.
- Transportation: Provided by staff or bus pass arrangements for medical, meetings, job searching, and MAT medication routine.
- Developing Life Skills: Cooking classes, academic resources, career exploration, and social activities.
- Sober Social Event Calendar: ABTRS Alumni hosts Pizza Karaoke every other Friday, learn to cook with Chef Jesse on Sundays, Youfit Gym Pass, and Alumni events.
- Recreation, Games, & Entertainment: Ping-pong table, billiard table, barbecue patio, TV in every apartment, theater style movie lounge, & outdoor fireplace.
- Career & Education Resources: Aptitude tests, 200 trade programs with Maricopa Community College, resume workshops, and GED training & testing.
Industry changing, patient-focused, a place where second, third and even fifth chances are possible. But then again drug and alcohol addiction rehabilitation should be this way.
It should be about the patient’s stability in life.
It should be about developing a community that supports their new lifestyle in recovery.
It should be about saving lives and healing families and with A Better Today Recovery Services, it is.
Employing Those in Recovery: Making Money Without Slinging Dope
This one is close to my heart. I know I will tear up talking about it. I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with the people that are recovering from drug and alcohol addictions. I get to listen to their stories and watch them grow and become productive members of society. So many times have I watched people who would have been refused employment because of their active addiction history find a job at ABTRS and become what they always wanted to be.
Nurses, therapists, students, scientists, mothers and even business owners because someone believed in them first. I’ve done flashcards off the clock with them, I have reviewed science homework, discussed philosophy topics for school, and developed resumes with them. With ABTRS it is about unselfish support for a better future.
The Non-profit Alumni Program
One of ABTRS goals was to establish an alumni program that felt like family. During active addiction, some people lose their family members along the way due to drug seeking behaviors and relationship neglect. It was important for ABTRS to let every patient know that there was a family out there that they could belong to if they needed one. A sober community family that was free of judgement and led by example.
Thus, ABTRS alumni was born.
A nonprofit organization that had fun, stayed sober, offered support, and provided solutions in moments of crisis. Developing alumni events and building a community that knew what you were going through was the main goal. An alumni program that was developed by alumni and ran by alumni. The birth of this nonprofit is history, the progression of the alumni program is what legends are made of:
- Hiking & Camping Trips at Lake Havasu
- Feeding the Homeless Community Service Events
- Breakfast Buffet’s for Inpatients
- Saturday Bowling Leagues
- Ice Cream Social Fundraisers
- Paintball Alumni vs Staff Events
- Alumni Pizza Karaoke at the Recovery Community
Just to name a few.
True Story One: Unity Over Tragedy the Opioid Crisis
I have to tell you a story.
I have to tell you about a mother’s phone call. This one was not a patient or a loved one of our patients, but that doesn’t matter, what matters was she called us.
She called us asking for printed material to display at her son’s funeral. I know because I handled the call personally. You could hear the sadness in her voice when she explained that her teenage son had overdosed on heroin.
So young and full of promise, the mother had found her son in his room lips blue with a needle next to him. My heart broke for her and hearing the pain in her voice compelled me to act.
She wanted to display several different treatment center brochures on a table at her son’s funeral. She wants to spread treatment awareness because her son never had the opportunity to get sober.
Not only did I send the printed material she asked for, on behalf of ABTRS I sent a beautiful flower arrangement for the funeral with a heartfelt note. Flowers will never replace the loss of a loved one to addiction, but it can help a loved one smile during their grieving and sometimes a smile is all that it takes to remember who was lost, not how they passed. After that moment, ABTRS not only wanted to save lives and heal families, but unite, collaborate with other treatment centers about treatment, overdose, and aftercare.
It wasn’t enough that we are doing something right, we wanted the whole industry to do right by those who need it the most.
Business to Business: Fighting the Opioid Crisis Together
Many things set ABTRS apart from other treatment centers. What sets us apart is becoming less of a focus. It is not that we don’t want to be the best and provide the best because we do. That is just who we are, but what is becoming more important than ourselves and our company is the opioid crisis.
There is no denying that the ongoing opioid crisis in America is a serious matter. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, figures of the opioid epidemic reached epic proportions as more than 47,000 Americans died due to opioid overdoses involving prescription painkillers, heroin, fentanyl, and/or synthetic opioids in 2017.
Unfortunately, opioids are some of the most addictive substances out there, and it doesn’t help that they are so commonly used in the healthcare industry. Although there are potential solutions to the opioid crisis, including but not limited to legislation and treatment options for those suffering from opioid addiction, there is always more to be done.
ABTRS began to reach out to other treatment facilities about how we could unite in providing a solution. We went to Tucson to learn from their weekend family programs, we talked to state funded treatment centers to find those who didn’t have insurance the treatment they need, we went to Art of Recovery Expos because other treatment center were going to be there talking about the opioid epidemic, we went to Human Resource conventions asking HR Directors to consider treatment over termination for employees, we reached out to teachers and nurses to offer free outpatient services because they deserved the help we had to offer, and of course, we talked to 10,000 beds non-profit organization to provide free treatment for those in need.
We realized we all had a common goal.
It was about saving lives, not about the number of blogs, web pages, phone calls, and insurance companies that we are affiliated with.
It wasn’t about state insurances verses private insurances.
It is about the people that were alone with their disease, being sick and tired of being sick and tired with their addiction. It was about finding struggling addicts a place to get their lives back.
To break the sigma associated with addiction and substance abuse treatment.
For once it was about the people. This leads me to my next true story.
True Story Two: Humility & Unconditional Support
This true story needs to be told. When you hire people in recovery you must look passed what they have done and always look at who they are now and what they are capable of now they are free from their addiction.
Some use ABTRS as a steppingstone to nursing, counselors, accountants, and business owners. Some give back to their community and become involved in sober community careers and drug and alcohol treatment.
Unfortunately, some journey’s in recovery involve relapse and when one of our own relapses, all heart’s ache for them. I have had the pleasure of witnessing staff bringing AA meetings to those who have relapsed, visiting hospitals to show support, support in finding a detox center or treatment again, and write letters on behalf of others for CPS custody battles and criminal record appeals. I have witnessed such wonderful acts of kindness, celebrations of sobriety, and support to friends and family of staff when they need it the most.
I have witnessed rock ceremonies for those who leave and move on to bigger better things and company potluck’s to unite departments that do not normally collaborate. Sometimes it is the little things that matter, but more importantly there is spirit, spirit behind a motto that define’s A Better Today to it’s core.
Saving lives, healing families.
Overall Message: Saving Lives and Healing Families Because it is About the Patients
I’m not going to fool you, there are treatment centers out there that are all about the money. With every business industry there will always be a company out there that is just not as good as they need to be because they are worried about making a quick buck. That is why it is so important to do research on finding the right treatment center. But when you do, when you find that place that suits the needs of the patient and empowers them in their sobriety. It is where true recovery begins, it is where people get second, thirds, fifth chances at a life worth being proud of.
Even though ABTRS may have struggled along the way, the heart and the spirit of this company will forever and always be saving lives and healing families. Right now, as you read this article, someone’s son or daughter is overdosing on opiates. We know because we are currently in an opioid epidemic, but that is not the only thing worth mentioning.
Right here at ABTRS, someone is getting out of detox with high hopes that they will never touch their drug of choice again.
Right here at ABTRS, someone is graduating from inpatient treatment and moving to an independent living condo because they know we will help them find a job and help them maintain their sobriety.
Right here at ABTRS, there is someone reaching out to us for help because they are tired of being sick and tired.
Yes, there is a substance abuse problem in the world today, but at ABTRS there are solutions, guides, and mentors that will welcome those who want to change their life by freeing them from their addiction.
The best part is, I got to witness a slogan turn into a movement, to witness people from all walks of life transform into the person they wanted to be, and to witness a community demonstrate humility and kindness free of judgement or compensation.
Happy 10 year anniversary ABTRS!
Congratulations on saving 4,000 lives and healing 4,000 families!
There are many people who see addiction as something that is never under their control. They spend their lives with vices that break down their minds, bodies and personal relationships. Some don’t even think they have a problem, nor do they know where or how to seek help.
What is a 12-Step Program?
It was 1935, in Akron, Ohio. Bob Smith and Bill W., both sufferers of Alcoholism, had been in contact with the Oxford Group. This group showed values in living spiritual lives and avoided alcohol. After Bob Smith and Bill W. met, they came to realize that alcoholism was a disease. This is when they decided to start a group to help others clean up their lives. Alcoholics would meet regularly as a coalition to stop their destructive ways. This group was called Alcoholics Anonymous, or A.A.
After 4 years of success, in 1939, Bill W. wrote and released a book that explained the core values and methodology that was Alcoholics Anonymous and the Twelve Step Programs. This caught the eye of many publications and Alcoholics. In, 1950 it was recorded that there were now more than 100,000 recovered Alcoholics world-wide. Alcoholics Anonymous continued to grow and expand.
Over 200 different addiction programs were sprouted by the A.A. seed; Narcotics Anonymous, Crystal Meth Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, and Gamblers Anonymous were a few of them. All of which follow a similar twelve-step program to aid in the recovery of those suffering from their addictions.
The addicts who join these anonymous groups follow the steps provided, and with the help of their Mentors, they all seek recovery. But it is not an easy process. As it is so difficult to recover from one’s addictions, there are times when addicts find themselves relapsing.
Finding Faith After Active Addiction
The main idea behind the Twelve Steps Programs is finding support in your journey in recovery. The first step suggests letting a Higher Power or God assist them in their recovery. Step 2 in the Alcoholic Anonymous recovery model is: Come to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. This can be very difficult. Some addictions stem from personal loss, grief or as a coping mechanism. Many people often seek to self-medicate when they experience something traumatic. In addition to seeking their vices, these events have been known to cause some to lose their faith and to blame a higher power for their situation. This makes it hard for those people to allow themselves to be vulnerable to a higher power, or God, again.
In other situations, Atheists have a hard time with this because their beliefs cause them to dissociate with religion. A higher power can be hard to find when your core beliefs tell you otherwise. For those struggling to find a God, it can be difficult, but not impossible. The goal is not to find a God, but to seek something higher than themselves to aid them in recovery. During an interview with a man, who chose to remain anonymous, he explained how this was a step he could not follow.
“I’ve done rehab on 3 occasions. First time… was a 12-step program and I didn’t find that effective at all because I’m not religious… I do not like or use any 12-step programs so I can just say that I don’t find them appealing because they’re religion-based and that makes me uncomfortable and I don’t agree with the method… As far as faith, I am completely non-religious, so I believe a lot of my strength has come from within. “- Anonymous Addict who attended Narcotics Anonymous.
Step 4 and 5: Moral Inventory and Admitting Wrongdoings
The 4th and 5th steps of Alcoholics Anonymous can be the hardest. After a higher power has been found, it’s time to do some soul searching. Step 4 of the A.A. model is as follows: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Admitting to oneself that they have a weakness can be the hardest thing. Although very difficult, it is crucial in recovery to do this. Taking inventory in one’s life is what will assist in recovery and help with relapse.
In addition to the 4th Step, Step 5 can be equally as hard. Step 5: Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. This is difficult for most as it can be hard to confront the fact that they have wrongdoings. Coming to an understanding of who they are, were and will be after addiction is difficult. This has the potential to cause a relapse. The reason is that the memories and feelings of wrongdoing can cause one to want to escape again. The easiest way to escape reality is through their addictions.
Step 9: Making Direct Amends
The 9th step of Alcoholics Anonymous is: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Sometimes confronting one’s past can be seriously difficult. Addictions have been known to hurt not only the user, but those around them. Owning up to past mistakes is hard. Apologizing and making up with them is even harder.
There can be feelings of guilt or shame when addressing those that have been affected by the mending process. People aren’t always going to forgive, and this can lead to relapse. Knowing that they caused permanent unforgivable damage if a very hard realization. The addicts have also known to be shamed or attacked during recovery by those who’ve experienced the hurt. This is a very good time for to reach on the ones sponsor for guidance.
Advice and Guidance: You are No Longer Alone in Your Journey in Recovery
Once the addict has decided to go to a meeting or seek recovery they are not alone. Sponsors and recovery addicts alike are there for support. It can be a difficult thing to grasp that everyone at these meetings are there to support one another. In order to have a steady recovery it is vital to surround oneself with a strong support system. It is important to keep people around that have your recovery in mind and look to aid in recovery.
If 12 steps do not work for the addict, there are different ways to seek recovery.
Cannabidiol is a cannabinoid derived from the marijuana plant. Most people don’t know a lot about CBD. It often gets a bad rap because people assume that it is causes the same psychoactive results that THC does, but that isn’t the case. CBD has been shown to be very effective at treating numerous conditions and is now legal in all fifty states. Use the following guide to learn more about CBD so you can make an informed decision about taking it.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol is a natural alternative to traditional pharmaceutical treatments commonly used in the medical field. It’s been shown to effectively treat epilepsy, PTSD, symptoms of OCD, anxiety, multiple sclerosis, arthritis and many more conditions. The chemical components of CBD are by nature anti-anxiolytic making it great for stress and anxiety relief. It is also anti-inflammatory to decrease physical pain throughout the body.
CBD can be taken in many different ways. You can ingest it through pill form or through foods that have been infused with CBD. You can also inhale it using a vaporizer or apply it topically through salves or lotions. You may have to try a few different ways of using CBD before finding the one that best suits you.
There are many different types of CBD on the market and knowing the difference between them is important. The most common types of CBD are Full spectrum, broad spectrum, distillate and CBD isolate. The full spectrum CBD contains all parts of the plant to provide users with all of the different benefits available to them.
Full spectrum CBD does contain trace amounts of THC. Many of the other cannabinoids within the plant that have been shown to be beneficial are also in the full spectrum CBD. The amounts of THC within the full spectrum CBD doesn’t cause psychoactive results. It’s often viewed as the best option when it comes to CBD because of all of the nutrients it contains.
Broad spectrum’s similar to full spectrum CBD except the THC is filtered out so that it contains no THC at all. It still contains all of the terpenes, phytocannabinoids and phytonutrients that you want, without the THC that may make you leery.
CBD isolate is a very pure form of CBD. It contains no other cannabinoids. The only thing that the isolate contains is CBD. There are some studies that have shown that CBD isolate isn’t as effective as broad spectrum or full spectrum. This is because the other cannabinoids within the full and broad-spectrum work together to improve absorption and effectiveness of the CBD.
Distillate is a very pure form of CBD. The difference between CBD isolate and distillate is that distillate contains certain cannabinoids that are cherry picked. This is commonly used by individuals who have allergies to certain cannabinoids, but not others.
Can You Fail a Drug Test While Taking CBD?
Many people are leery about taking CBD in any form because they assume that it will cause them to fail a drug test. They think that because it’s derived from the marijuana plant, they will automatically fail for marijuana use if they are tested. This is a fair fear to have because there are some CBDs on the market that can cause you to fail a drug test. CBD isn’t an FDA regulated substance. This means that the claims made on the bottles may not always be true. The FDA doesn’t go behind the manufacturers and verify their claims, so many make outlandish claims in an effort to sell more of their product.
It’s important to note that the structural makeup of THC and CBD are very similar. If the product you purchase has higher levels of THC than listed on the bottle, there is a good chance that you could fail the drug test. It’s best to choose a CBD that has been verified by an independent lab. An independent lab has no direct ties to the manufacturer of the CBD. This ensures an accurate evaluation will be done. When an independent lab evaluates the CBD a certificate of analysis is created that you can check. Look for the closely levels of THC found in the CBD and avoid it if any are found.
How Can You Protect Yourself?
If you feel that CBD is the right treatment option for you, but you are leery about failing a drug test, take steps to protect yourself. Get a medical marijuana card if they are available in your state. Even though you won’t actually be using marijuana, you’ll be covered if THC shows up on your drug test. Consider talking to your doctor. Let him or her know about the conditions that you feel would be well treated by CBD.
Many doctors view CBD as a healthy treatment option for their patients and will write letters to employers stating why their patient take it. Don’t be afraid to talk to the HR department at your work before you start taking the CBD. Let them know that your doctor feels it would be a great treatment for you and what their policy is on it. You may be surprised to know that many companies are completely accepting of CBD use. If you are really fearful about failing a drug test, you could just drug test yourself at home on a regular basis. This will give you peace of mind that you are not taking in more THC than you think you are.
Finally, you also need to take the CBD in reasonable doses and do research before trying any brand. Check for the certificate of analysis and take small doses when you are first starting any CBD to see how it affects you.
CBD’s Move Forward
Since it is so difficult for CBD consumers to find quality products, it’s important for changes to be made in CBD manufacturing. There are currently no punishments in place for manufacturers who make false claims on their products. They amount of cannabinoids in their products don’t have to factual at all and many don’t contain nearly the amount of CBD that they claim.
Regulations need to be put in place to ensure that consumers are getting what they pay for when buying these products. CBD is so effective at treating different medical conditions that it is now a key ingredient in an epilepsy medication. Because of the many benefits of CBD, consumers need to ban together to have legislation created that protects their rights. Product testing and transparency of all ingredients within the CBDs should be mandatory. This will ensure that manufacturers knowingly creating unsafe products can be held accountable.
CBD is beneficial to so many people in so many different ways. Taking the time to talk to your doctor to determine if it could be right for you could be life changing. He or she can help you narrow down, which option they feel is the safest and most effective. Do plenty of research before choosing the brand you want to try to ensure it’s safe and proven effective. You may have to try taking CBD in a few different ways before finding the right one that works best for you.
There are almost 30,000 homeless and underserved men, women, and children in Maricopa county. Mental illness, addiction, and poverty are among the top contributors to this problem. A Better Today Recovery Services (ABTRS) is reaching out to these homeless and underserved people to offer them a hot meal, experience, strength, and hope.
Of all things that a person needs to learn in recovery, staff at ABTRS know that humility and giving back is one of the essentials. It’s about being of service to those who need it most.
Equipped with a vision, ABTRS began the search for a community organization to help establish an outreach where the recovered and newly recovered can make a real difference. Scottsdale First Baptist Church opened their doors to ABTRS, welcoming not the only the ABTRS alumni program, but those who are currently in treatment. Around 8-10 alumni, patients, and staff members gather together to feed 60-100 people each week.
Patients who are currently completing the ABTRS treatment program can also volunteer to attend. They spend the evening not only serving food but sitting together with the men and women they serve. It’s more than just handing someone a hot plate. It’s about getting outside of one’s self. Whatever it is a warm hug, random conversation, or guidance for an addict still in the grips of use.
The idea is to be a beacon of hope for those who desperately need recovery or are going through difficult life circumstances. At the end of the day, ABTRS wants these people to leave feeling grateful, refreshed, and renewed – believing that they can better their situation.
ABTRS patients are encouraged to participate in the outreach program with alumni, because the experience is that much more valuable to those in early recovery. One gentleman who was struggling with his newfound sobriety was at high risk for relapse. The experience of helping others put him back on the course for long-term recovery and he is now thriving at ABTRS.
For the ABTRS alumni and patients, the simple act of giving sparks inspiration and hope for their own journey of recovery. During active addiction, they experienced a life with nothing to give back to others. Now in recovery, the realization that they do have something to give back to world around them hits them. Realizing that they are where they are today because others poured in love, time, and care to help them and meet them right where they are. The hope is that they will continue to find ways to pay it forward long after treatment and make acts of service an ongoing part of their lives.
Because so many people who are homeless struggle with addiction, the ABTRS team is equipped with resources and places that can help with treatment including scholarships.
Approaching a stranger who is struggling and sharing experience, strength, and hope can be intimidating and even scary for some. Regardless, recovery from drugs and alcohol is about learning how to be uncomfortable and realizing that when you’re uncomfortable, it means you’re growing by stepping out of your comfort zone.
ABTRS’s vision for community outreach doesn’t stop here. ABTRS patients, staff, and alumni have big goals when it comes to doing more outreach.
