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Alcohol Marketers Target Youth
Here’s part of a piece from an HIV/AIDS blog with information that we’re all probably vaguely aware of, but which bears repeating: While the popularity of various illegal substances rises and falls, alcohol consistently remains the granddaddy of recreational drugs. New forms of alcoholic drinks began appearing in the 1980s, first with wine coolers and…
A LifeRing Keeper: When Relapses Keep Happening
Here’s a recent posting from LSRmail, the first and largest email group in LifeRing. It’s a response to a member who wrote in after experiencing another in a series of brief relapses. It’s a fine example of the type of response that comes from our online venues. Hi xxxxx, It’s good to ‘see’ you again,…
Medicare, Medicaid to Cover Screening for Alcoholism, Depression
Here is news that may be of interest both to older readers and ones with older relatives and friends. It’s from the medpagetoday.com website. The article does assume that alcohol abuse is a “disease,” which some may find off-putting. WASHINGTON — Medicare will pay for annual screenings for alcohol misuse and depression, the Centers for…
A Vaccine against addiction?
It’s years in the future if it ever happens, and alcohol and marijuana present special problems that prevent them from being included even in the current research, but w0rk is continuing on efforts to create vaccines that prevent drugs like heroin or cocaine from having much, if any, effect on the user. Such a vaccine…
LifeRing Recovery and Procrustes
A LifeRing supporter recently posted to another website a good description of what sets LifeRing apart. Writing to the forum of www.psychcentral.com, a poster identified as Willcat wrote: In ancient Greek mythology there was a roadside bandit named Procrustes who had a bed in which he forced all travelers to lie. Those who were shorter…
Book Review: After the Crises …Second-Nature Sobriety by K.M. Cusack
A LifeRing convenor, K.M. Cusack, has written a book that brings together many themes that will be familiar to those who have been involved with LifeRing meetings. Even the chapter headings will be recognizable from discussions: Barriers to Change, Relentless Self-Honesty, and Commitment, for example. These and other topics are discussed along with revealing insights…
Letter From Pelican Bay Prison
LifeRing offers an”e-mail pal” program for people who can’t or prefer not to be involved with our face-t0-face groups. Read about it on this page: E-Mail Pals. One of our members exchanges emails with a person looking for some help and offers support, information and, we hope, friendship. Many, many addicts are very isolated and…
“To Drink, or not to Drink, That is the Question … “
Below is a version of Shakespeare’s most famous soliloquy from Hamlet, revised by Richard, a longtime member of LifeRing and a stalwart of its email groups. If Hamlet were wrestling with addiction, along with his other pressing woes, the Bard might have given him these words to speak: To drink, or not to drink–that is…
Former Obama Official Offers His View of Recovery
In an appearance in New Zealand, President Obama’s former deputy drug “czar” Tom McLellan made some interesting points about “recovering” addicts. He was quoted at voxy.co.nz as commenting on the myth that nobody fully recovers from addiction: “The fact is about half the people who get treatment for serious addiction relapse in the first year. That’s…