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Are you a professional or executive in need of a private and confidential addiction rehab?
Planning a residential rehab in Mexico is ideal for professionals and executives who need an extremely private & confidential admission over a relatively short period of time (2-8 weeks). It is a perfect environment for those who need absolute disconnect from their daily life & work routine, but want to start their path of recovery as a rehab vacation getaway. Read More...
Moffitt Wellness Retreat is an extraordinary 8,000+ square foot villa in the hills of the beach of Mismaloya and offers an ideal place for rehabilitation and recovery. This luxury personal and boutique drug & alcohol rehabilitation center is located in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and guarantees extreme privacy, confidentiality and first-class recovery assistance and care.
“I believe there’s a reason I survived so many years of addiction and I want to help others out of the darkness of addiction so they too - as well as their families and friends - can enjoy the life they deserve.”
Moffitt Wellness Retreat founder, Roy Moffitt, is celebrating his team’s success in 2014 with his commitment to a 100% increase in the number of successful treatments in 2015.
Moffitt Wellness Retreat is focused on internal and external healing rather than profits and losses. Roy’s own recovery prompted him to start Moffitt Wellness Retreat and no one is more passionate about helping others. Our goal is to celebrate life-long and enduring success stories in 2015 and we are making our luxury program even more affordable so that we can reach those that may not otherwise be able to afford it. Our guests have said that recovery is priceless but we recognize that cost is a consideration for many that need our help. So, we are going to forego any profits during 2015 so that we can help as many people as possible. Our goal is to cover our overhead and nothing more.
“There is nothing more rewarding to me than helping those suffering from addiction to regain their faith, hope and self-control. We credit our success to our holistic approach, which treats the mind, body and soul, in the beautiful setting of Puerto Vallarta.”
Our reward will come in the form of successful treatments and changed lives - that we will foster with those that we serve in 2015. Despite the reduction in price, Moffitt Wellness Retreat’s program remains the most comprehensive available - including: an emphasis on restoring physical, emotional, and spiritual health. The program includes:
There are so many different rehab programs to choose from where it can become difficult in selecting which rehab is right for you. So many people arrive to rehab and cannot wait to leave. They get trapped into thinking that there is a quick fix. How can any addict get much from the experience if they're only counting the days? I don't think you can have an open mind when you're miserable, hence the reason why I fell in love with our facility in Puerto Vallarta, MX.
Puerto Vallarta is a place where most people go for vacation, so to create a Drug & Alcohol Rehab at a beautiful destination was the perfect answer to give guests the ability to connect not only to their healing from addiction, but also to the beauty that is wrapped around them.
There will never be more then 4 guests at our facility. You will receive private, and individual attention and have the opportunity to experience the same things as you would on a vacation. Adventure Therapy, Counseling, Detox, Nutrition, along with a Personal Trainer is all a part of our program to get sober and healthy. The better you feel, and the more you are enjoying your experience, the better the chances are that you will keep an opened mind and learn much more about your addiction.
Relapse is talked about as being inevitable, but we believe that once you begin to enjoy being clean and sober, you will realize that life without drugs and alcohol is much greater!!!
It's time to leave all distractions and go on a wellness journey.
As I reflect on my life, I have come to understand that being an Alcoholic is a life that I never want to experience again. As I look into the looking glass, I can fully see the pain I put myself, family, and friends through. Through this deeper sense of past reality, I can't help but express the need to surrender before regrets begin to pile up and become to great to bear.
Recovery from alcoholism no doubt has it's challenges, but at this point in my recovery I am able to think more clearly and become connected on a different plane. You ask me, "Is life better?" SURE, my life and mind are more clear, but it IS different. You can definitely say my life has never been "normal', or whatever that means, and alcohol made me more comfortable in my skin and a little easier to exist in this crazy world for many many years, so I thought...
When people contact me with concerns about their addiction, I stress to them that not even "I" can say something that will make them shift, but I do tell them to be honest with themselves, and to remove the delusion of reality that they have created within their life. This is easier said then done, but I continue to guide them towards some glimmer of the truth, in hopes that they begin to reach out and do something before their regrets are built up to high. The more regrets, the harder it may become to stay sober for any length of time.
There is nothing we can do about the past, but there is always, I mean always, changes we can do within our present moment. Even when you think you see there is no way out, there are always small steps that can be taken towards healing. No step is to small. So please stop the chaos before there is to much pain. Don't create any more of a challenge within your recovery and begin to let go and let it take you into a magical ride into the beauty of the unknown.
Become Optimistic instead of Pessimistic. The fewer the regrets, the easier the Journey. You Got This! Dig Deep and deal with it now before it is to late! God Bless Everyone that is suffering. There is another chapter of life awaiting you, just turn the page and press on.
($14,000 ALL-INCLUSIVE PACKAGE)
1. Privacy, Privacy, Privacy
2. Sun & More Sun - It has a way to make you feel comfortable and at ease on even the hardest day.
3. Confidentiality - Medical Records will not be linked to your Native Health Insurance Record.
4. A Vacation Experience where your personnel wellness is number 1.
5. Beautiful landscape that mixes the mountains and ocean view into a surreal experience.
6. Mexican Cultural Experiences that can bring you into a more clear perspective.
7. Friendly Mexican Staff where even on your worst day they will make you feel right at home.
8. Experienced Medical Staff that do not pressure alternative pharmaceutical drugs as a Taper after the Medical Detox.
9. We are nested in the Bay of Banderas which is the birthing ground for Humpback Whales. Tours will take you into the sea where you can experience this miracle of life.
10. Adventure Therapy is limitless. You will be guided in experiences where your heart may open up to find a connection you never knew you had.
In the beginning stages of recovery we want to heal fast and now. This is a journey and an experience that we have to learn how to do with patience. We need to be fair to ourselves and allow the process to work in our life at a gradual pace. We cannot get upset with ourselves and with our support system if we feel we are not progressing as rapid as we would like. Remember, you didn't get here overnite, so take it easy, it will get better as long as you stay sober and keep your Recovery 1st. When you come into emotional pain, reach out and go to the gym, walk, meditate, or talk to a recovery coach, or a sponsor who has experienced the same difficulties, and let them guide you. Your ego will tell you that you are able to control your issues, and then before you know it you have relapsed. You need to let go of your control issues and let yourself be guided through the process of creating new healthy habits. Once you are able to heart fully connect to the brighter side of life, recovery will become a new lifestyle that you can love and enjoy.
If you are unsure if a Detox and Rehab Program is for you, please call our hotline to discuss at: 1.713.907.5632
-- Julia Allshouse CHHC, RYT-200 Operations Director 322-105-0981 www.moffittwellnessretreat.com
Being in Recovery is a different experience for all of us. For me, alcohol was a great solution to life's problems. It would calm my anxiety, wipe away the fears that stimulated my mind, and at the same time it was an escape from my reality. I believe the road of Recovery gives you the opportunity to go deeper inside the psyche and find what really brings us joy and inner peace. Those of us who have crossed into the depths of addiction found the addiction to be a best friend of sorts, a way of being so the substance could give us comfort. Without our best friend by our side, we now have to come to a place of understanding of what kind of 'void' that substance was filling. Why have I become so out of control, and what can I do to Overcome? 12-Step Meetings, Church, Fitness, Nutritional Changes, or Therapy? All the above or something much more? Whatever it is, our life will take a drastic change from the stimulus life we lead before, but once we find our alternative method(s) of positive healing, what we accomplish will surely be a different life, much healthier, more relaxed and hopefully a little calmer. We need to "let go" and no longer fight against our new path of existence. We need to no longer look at the mistakes weave made because the past is the past and the future has not been written. Learn to enjoy the journey of recovery. Meet new people, find what inspires you, take care of your body. After all we've survived! It's time to re-write your story.
Every CELL in your body has it's own INTELLIGENCE and is able to listen to what you are thinking, feel what you are expressing, and become what you are consuming.
One of the most known ADDICTIONS that TRANSFORM into CANCER is Cigarette Smoking & Tobacco Chewing, which can turn into lung, throat or lymph-node cancer. Alcoholism & Drug Abuse can turn into liver, colon/rectum, or pancreas cancer. Other types not mentioned here could occur as well. My intention is not to give a comprehensive list.
Besides Substance Abuse, repetitive negative thinking, and suppressing negative emotions such as anger, resentment, and hatred, and even milder emotions such as irritation, annoyance, or frustration can easily MANIFEST into ILLNESS. This illness can be physical, emotional, or spiritual.
When you are in a STATE OF BALANCE- mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically- illness simple can't settle in your body. Most people have not been taught how to deal with stress and negative thinking, and don't know how to live a BALANCED LIFE.
This is where MOFFITT WELLNESS RETREAT in LUXURY STYLE, comes into the picture. IT IS TIME to take 1, 2, 3, or even 4 weeks off to BRING BALANCE back into your life and not only BEST ADDICTION, but the possibility of cancer as well.
Your Wellness Journey can BEGIN by CALLING: 1-713-907-5632. Wether you need to heal from addiction or need to bring homeostasis back into your life, call today, you deserve to save your life.
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Julia Allshouse CHHC, RYT-200 Vikara Wellness Cel: (044) 322-105-0981 www.vikarawellness.com Certified Holistic Health & Overall Wellness Counselor
There are many aspects in one individuals life. One dimension can be that we are trying to overcome something from the past, present, or even from an idea of the future. This burden that some of us carry stays connected and roots into our very nature. It is something that no one can see, and it is something that only the seer of life can understand fully to the essence that the burden really is. It can take us into a spin and never hang us out to dry. The spinning and spinning, round and round the burden takes over and never let's go. Mentally we are anguished by the very nature of our existence, and we look for peace in all the wrong places.
Here, Now, Today, is the time to OVERCOME. To Overcome the feelings of Anguish. To Overcome Jealously. To Overcome Pain. To Overcome Uncertainty. To Overcome Anger To Overcome Confusion. To Overcome Fear. To Overcome the Pattern of Negative Thinking.
Call NOW to Speak with a Counselor: 1-713-907-5632
-- Julia Allshouse CHHC, RYT-200, Operations Director www.moffittwellnessretreat.com
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Only you can answer this question.
This may not be an easy thing to do. All through our usage, we told ourselves, “I can handle it.” Even if this was true in the beginning, it is not so now. The drugs handled us. We lived to use and used to live. Very simply, an addict is a person whose life is controlled by drugs.
Perhaps you admit you have a problem with drugs, but you don’t consider yourself an addict. All of us have preconceived ideas about what an addict is. There is nothing shameful about being an addict once you begin to take positive action. If you can identify with our problems, you may be able to identify with our solution. The following questions were written by recovering addicts in Narcotics Anonymous. If you have doubts about whether or not you’re an addict, take a few moments to read the questions below and answer them as honestly as you can.
“Am I an addict?” This is a question only you can answer. We found that we all answered different numbers of these questions “Yes.” The actual number of “Yes” responses wasn’t as important as how we felt inside and how addiction had affected our lives.
Some of these questions don’t even mention drugs. This is because addiction is an insidious disease that affects all areas of our lives—even those areas which seem at first to have little to do with drugs. The different drugs we used were not as important as why we used them and what they did to us.
When we first read these questions, it was frightening for us to think we might be addicts. Some of us tried to dismiss these thoughts by saying:
“Oh, those questions don’t make sense;” Or,
“I’m different. I know I take drugs, but I’m not an addict. I have real emotional/family/job problems;”Or,
“I’m just having a tough time getting it together right now;” Or,
“I’ll be able to stop when I find the right person/get the right job, etc.”
If you are an addict, you must first admit that you have a problem with drugs before any progress can be made toward recovery. These questions, when honestly approached, may help to show you how using drugs has made your life unmanageable. Addiction is a disease which, without recovery, ends in jails, institutions, and death. Many of us came to Narcotics Anonymous because drugs had stopped doing what we needed them to do. Addiction takes our pride, self-esteem, family, loved ones, and even our desire to live. If you have not reached this point in your addiction, you don’t have to. We have found that our own private hell was within us. If you want help, you can find it in the Fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous.
“We were searching for an answer when we reached out and found Narcotics Anonymous. We came to our first NA meeting in defeat and didn’t know what to expect. After sitting in a meeting, or several meetings, we began to feel that people cared and were willing to help. Although our minds told us that we would never make it, the people in the fellowship gave us hope by insisting that we could recover. […] Surrounded by fellow addicts, we realized that we were not alone anymore. Recovery is what happens in our meetings. Our lives are at stake. We found that by putting recovery first, the program works. We faced three disturbing realizations:
The ultimate weapon for recovery is the recovering addict.”
1 Basic Text, Narcotics Anonymous
This is NA Fellowship-approved literature. Copyright © 1983, 1988 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All rights reserv
Going to treatment for addiction can carry a lot of anxiety for everyone. Both for the addicted and their loved ones. The bridge from active addiction to recovery in a facility where the healing can begin is a very important step! It is also very eye opening to look at your life and wonder how did I get here? It was one of the things I asked myself, but I knew it didn't matter!
How I got here is just part of the story, moving forward is the key in doing this part in a healthy way, and the help of a therapist is a giant step. Most people that enter into a treatment center don't realize how bad their behavior has become and the effect it had on their life or their loved ones.
There's a big sigh of relief the second the decision is made to stop the chaos and begin a journey Drug and Alcohol free! Never, Never, lose hope in yourself or for a loved one battling addiction.
It is a very tough fight, and it is one that kills most people and ruins many life's. Embrace it! Be thankful for another shot at life and enjoy the process. It's not going to be simple but it's very rewarding!
As I tell everyone, there are thousands of recovery places to choose from, so make sure you do some research on your selection because this is the biggest step you will ever take!
What we have here at Moffitt Wellness Retreat is a Healing Community! A place where you simply learn how to live a Sober Life Style. This very skill will help you continue your journey of sober living once you return home.
How to Get Ready for Drug & Alcohol Rehab
The choice to go to Rehab can be a difficult decision. Below is a list of TIPs developed by recovering addicts at MW to help guide you in the beginning stages of recovery.
Tip #1 The Willingness and Disposition to Quit Suffering
Before you arrive, you need to come to a heartfelt connection with yourself and the desire to be open to the unknown and the willingness to let guidance take place.
Tip #2 Let Go of your EGO and the care of what others will Think.
Your decision for admittance will show how much you care about yourself and the others in your life you have affected.
Tip #3 Don't Binge
Binging will make it that much more difficult to restore yourself in a short amount of time after Detox.
Tip #4 Don't change your Dosing Schedule
One of the main benefits of medical detox, is that you have the care of health professionals that guide you through the process, and monitor your physical and mental health.
Tip #5 Rest
Start to get ready for your trip by drinking some tea, packing summer clothes, writing your thoughts and feelings in a journal and save to read when you return, walk in a park to reflect and prepare for your travels ahead to beautiful Mexico.
Tip #6 Establish a Support System
Confide your decision to friends and family that will support you and give you the guidance that you need in preparing for your trip. If you feel alone or just need extra support, call our Support Line at: 713.907.5632
The following is a list of notable people who have died from drug-related causes. Criteria for inclusion are death from overdose, death from organ-failure/illness due to or exacerbated by drug use, or death from suicide/misadventure under the influence of drugs.
The tragic loss of a renowned celebrity or athlete to a drug or alcohol-related death is an event that often leaves many unanswered questions. Famous and much-loved celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Heath Ledger have been the victims of such unfortunate circumstances. While many deaths may be due to misuse of illegal substances, these drugs are not always illicit - and an overdose may not always be intentional.
Death due to drugs can also be the result of mixing prescribed medications with other drugs (legal or illegal), alcohol, over-the-counter medications or even herbal supplements. Drug-drug interactions may also play a role in drug-related deaths. For example, the consumption of multiple central nervous system depressants, such as opioid pain killers, sedatives, hypnotics, or alcohol may lead to an unintentional overdose due to severely depressed breathing.
Mixing illicit, prescription or over-the-counter medications can be dangerous, and patients should always rule out drug interactions with their healthcare provider. The use of prescription medications with illegal drugs or alcohol can produce an unpredictable and fatal response, and many deaths due to such circumstances may have been preventable.
The following table outlines the death of notable celebrities and athletes who have had drugs or alcohol implicated in their deaths.
Philip Seymour Hoffman Actor Heroin overdose (unconfirmed) Illegal drug
Cory Monteith Actor (Glee) and singer Toxic mix of heroin and alcohol Illegal drug and alcohol
Lisa Robin Kelly Actress (That '70s Show) Multiple drug intoxication Illegal drug
Chris Kelly Rapper (Kris Kross) Fatal overdose, cocaine and heroin Illegal drug
Jeff Hanneman Musician (Slayer) Cirrhosis due to alcoholism Alcohol
Whitney Houston American singer, actress Drowning; complications of cocaine and heart disease; Flexeril, marijuana, Xanax and Benadryl also found in body but did not contribute to death Illegal drug
Michael Carl Baze Horse jockey Overdose; cocaine, oxymorphone (accidental) Mixed prescription/ illegal drugs
Derek Boogaard Canadian professional ice hockey player; left wing (New York Rangers) Alcohol and oxycodone overdose (accidental) Mixed alcohol and prescription drugs
Amy Winehouse English singer and songwriter Fatal alcohol poisoning; alcoholism Alcohol
Erica Blasberg American golfer (LPGA) Asphyxia; multiple drug overdose: butalbital, temazepam, alprazolam, codeine, hydrocodone, and tramadol (suicide) Prescription drugs
Andy Irons Surfer Cardiac arrest complicated by mixed drug ingestion (cocaine, methamphetamine, alprazolam, methadone) Mixed illegal and prescription drugs
Edward Fatu “Umaga” Samoan-American professional wrestler Hydrocodone, carisoprodol, diazepam (accidental) Prescription drug overdose
Michael Jackson American Pop Singer and icon Cardiac arrest, acute propofol intoxication; midazolam, lidocaine, diazepam, lorazepam also noted in autopsy report Prescription drugs
Billy Mays Spokesperson Heart disease possibly complicated by cocaine use Illegal drug
Christopher Bowman American figure skater Drug overdose: cocaine, diazepam, cannabis, alcohol (accidental) Mixed alcohol, illegal and prescription drugs
Heath Ledger Australian actor Combined drug toxicity due to oxycodone, hydrocodone, alprazolam, diazepam, temazepam, doxylamine (accidental) Prescription drug overdose
Scott Charles (“Bam Bam”) Bigelow American professional wrestler; World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Multiple drug overdose: cocaine, temazepam (accidental), possibly worsened by heart disease Mixed illegal and prescription drugs
Chris Mainwaring Australian Football Player Cocaine overdose (accidental) Illegal drug
Anna Nicole Smith American model, Playboy playmate, actress Combined drug toxicity due to chloral hydrate and benzodiazepines (accidental) Prescription drugs
Ike Turner Musician, bandleader, songwriter, producer Cardiovascular, lung disease complicated by cocaine overdose (accidental) Illegal drug
George Best Professional soccer player Complications due to alcohol abuse, alcoholism Alcohol
Eddie Guerrero Professional wrestler Cardiomyopathy, heart disease, possibly due to anabolic steroid use Anabolic steroids (speculated)
Steven Scott Bechler Major League baseball pitcher; Baltimore Orioles Heat stroke exacerbated by ephedra Alternative/herbal drug
Anthony Durante Professional wrestler Oxycodone or fentanyl overdose (accidental) Prescription drug overdose
Howie Epstein American bass guitarist (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) Possible heroin overdose; also reportedly using prescription antibiotics Illegal drug overdose
Elisa Bridges American model, actress Drug overdose: heroin, methamphetamine, alprazolam, meperidine Mixed illegal and prescription drugs
Douglas Glenn Colvin, aka Dee Dee Ramone American songwriter and musician (The Ramones) Heroin overdose (accidental) Illegal drug
John Entwistle English bass guitarist (The Who) Heart attack induced by cocaine Illegal drug
Darrell Porter American professional baseball player Cocaine overdose (accident) Illegal drug
Christopher Wiley Antley Horse jockey; 2-time Kentucky Derby winner Overdose; (clobenzorex, paroxetine, methamphetamine, carbamazepine) and trauma (accidental) Prescription drugs
Chris Farley Comedian, actor; Saturday Night Live sketch comedy TV show Overdose; combination of morphine and cocaine; complicated by heart disease; fluoxetine also in system (accidental) Illegal drugs
Peter Jackson Australian rugby player Heroin overdose (suicide) Illegal drug
Margeaux Hemingway American actress Phenobarbital overdose; suicide Prescription drug overdose
Kurt Cobain American singer-songwriter and musician (Nirvana) Gunshot wound to head; heroin and diazepam found in body (suicide) Mixed illegal and prescription drugs
River Phoenix American actor Heroin and cocaine overdose Illegal drugs
David Waymer American football player, NFLHeart attack, cocaine related Illegal drug
Paul Hayward Professional Rugby League Player; Newton Jets (Australia) Heroin overdose; contracted HIV in prison Illegal drug overdose
John Kordic Professional hockey player Lung failure complicated by unspecified drug overdose (possible anabolic steroid abuse) unknown
Abbie Hoffman American Political activist Phenobarbital overdose (suicide) Prescription drug overdose
Chet BakerJazz musician and singer, trumpet player, guitarist Accidental fall from hotel window; cocaine, heroin Illegal drugs
David Croudip American football defensive cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons Cocaine overdose (accidental) Illegal drug
Len Bias Boston Celtics second overall NBA draft pick (1986) Cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose (accidental) Illegal drug
Don Rogers Football safety in the National Football League (US), Cleveland Browns Fatal cocaine overdose (accidental) Illegal drug
Richard Burton Welsh-born actor Cerebral hemorrhage; possible complications due to alcohol, alcoholism Alcohol
Truman Capote American writer Liver disease complicated by phlebitis, alcohol and multiple drug intoxication Alcohol
David Kennedy Fourth son of Robert F. Kennedy; no profession Overdose of cocaine, meperidine, thioridazine (controversial, some say he was murdered) Mixed illegal and prescription drugs
John Belushi American actor; comedian; musician; Saturday Night Live comedy TV show Speedball overdose; a combination of heroin and cocaine (accidental) Illegal drugs
Jon Bonham English musician (drummer) and songwriter (Led Zeppelin) Asphyxiation due to massive alcohol consumption Alcohol1
John Simon Ritchie, aka Sid Vicious Musician (Sex Pistols) Heroin overdose (suicide) Illegal drug
Keith MoonDrummer (The Who) Clomethiazole overdose Prescription drug
Elvis Presley American musician, singer, actor, cultural icon Heart arrhythmia, possibly aggravated by multiple prescriptions (methaqualone, codeine, barbiturates, cocaine), speculated Mixed illegal and prescription drugs, speculated
Freddie Prinze Actor Self-inflicted gunshot; possibly under influence of methaqualone, cocaine (suicide) Mixed illegal and prescription drugs, speculated
Howard Hughes American business tycoon, movie producer and director, aviator, engineer, investor Kidney failure; possible complications due to chronic use of aspirin (high doses) and dehydration Nonprescription drug (not confirmed)
Bruce Lee Martial artist, actor, film director, pop culture icon Cerebral edema due to meprobramate, aspirin Prescription drug overdose
Jim Morrison Musician, singer, songwriter (The Doors) Heart failure; possible heroin or cocaine overdose (disputed) Illegal drug
Jimi Hendrix American musician and singer-songwriter Respiratory arrest, asphyxia due to alcohol and barbiturate overdose; vomit inhalation Mixed alcohol and prescription drugs
Janis Joplin American musician Heroin overdose Illegal drug
Judy Garland American actress and singer Barbiturate (Seconal) overdose; controversial if suicide or accident Prescription drug overdose
Brian Jones Musician (The Rolling Stones) Drowning due to alcohol and drug intoxication unknown
Jack Kerouac Author Cirrhosis of liver, internal bleeding due to alcohol use Alcohol
Brian Epstein English businessman; manager (The Beatles) Sedative overdose (accidental) Prescription drug overdose
Lenny Bruce American comedian Drug overdose: morphine (accidental) Illegal drugs
Eugene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb Football defensive lineman in the National Football League (US), Pittsburgh Steelers; professional wrestlerHeroin overdose (accidental)Illegal drug196331
Marilyn Monroe American actress, model, singer, sex symbol Barbiturate overdose (suicide) Prescription drug
Billy Holiday American jazz singer and songwriter Cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol; alcoholism Alcohol
Joseph McCarthy U.S. Senator Hepatitis exacerbated by alcohol, alcoholism Alcohol
Tommy Dorsey American jazz musician Choked himself while sleeping; unable to awaken due to sedative use Prescription drug overdose
Hank Williams, Sr. Country music singer-songwriter Heart failure, possibly alcohol, drug-related (accidental) Mixed alcohol and Illegal drugs (speculated)
Sigmund Freud Neurologist Physician-assisted suicide; morphine Prescription drug overdose
'Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.'
More than a hundred years after noted historian Baron John Acton coined the phrase 'power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely' scientists claim the saying is biologically true.
The feeling of power has been found to have a similar effect on the brain to cocaine by increasing the levels of testosterone and its by-product 3-androstanediol in both men and women.
This in turn leads to raised levels of dopamine, the brain’s reward system called the nucleus accumbens, which can be very addictive.
Addictive: Scientists have found power has the same effect on the brain as cocaine
Cocaine works in a similar way, which can have varied effects from increasing alertness, confidence, energy, feelings of well-being and euphoria, but also anxiety, paranoia and restlessness.
More...
Power has almost identical effects to cocaine and too much of it can produce too much dopamine leading to more negative effects such as arrogance and impatience.
The claims by Dr Ian Robertson may go some way to explain the outlandish and impulsive behaviour of city fatcats, tycoons and celebrities.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph today, he said: 'Baboons low down in the dominance hierarchy have lower levels of dopamine in key brain areas, but if they get ‘promoted’ to a higher position, then dopamine rises accordingly.
'This makes them more aggressive and sexually active, and in humans similar changes happen when people are given power.
'Conversely, demotion in a hierarchy decreases dopamine levels, increases stress and reduces cognitive function.'
He added that power has also been found to make people smarter because dopamine improves the functioning of the brain’s frontal lobes.
Submissiveness and dominance also give similar effects through the same reward circuits of the brain as power and cocaine.
By Khrystle Rea
“If you can’t change the circumstances, change your perspective.” ~Unknown
Sometimes it feels as if you are completely in control of your life, but when it comes to relationships there is always the other person.
In a relationship, you cannot be the puppeteer. People have their own emotions, behaviors, actions, beliefs, scars, wounds, fears, dreams, and perspectives. They are their own person.
How often have you wanted a relationship to be something that it is not?
How many times have you said a certain word or phrase in order to spark a specific reaction?
How much do you expect from this person? Do they fail you each and every time?
In healthy relationships there are certain expectations, like being treated well or being respected. Yet sometimes we find ourselves in relationships that don’t mirror what we anticipate to happen. We may feel hurt or used.
We cannot expect other people to treat us as we would treat them. We cannot assume anything or force change upon someone who clearly demonstrates he or she is stuck in his or her own way.
With eyes full of clarity, I am capable of changing the relationships in my life by adjusting my point of view.
I call my father a sperm donor. He gave me life but never showed up in my life.
My friends at school never knew I had a father because they never saw him. He missed all of the concerts and sports games. For the majority of my life, we didn’t talk. He didn’t acknowledge me—no birthday calls. I had no idea where my dad lived. Some days I was not sure he was still alive.
In high school, my dad limped back into my life. I could stop by his apartment and visit him when I wanted to. If I called him, he would pick up the phone. Things were changing between us.
Blindingly bright, his true colors revealed themselves the night before my high school graduation when I called to make sure he was coming. He said he couldn’t attend because he had to drive a friend to the airport. Cabs exist. His friend could have used one. I was angry, sad, and most of all, hurt.
Rejection from my father has been the hardest thing for me to accept. It is not easy to grasp the idea that someone who once loved me, adored me, gave life to me could turn his back and walk away so easily.
I could no longer take the feelings of disappointment.
These feelings were a direct result of what I was expecting from him:
Assuming he would respond to things as I would. Assuming he would care like I do. Assuming he thinks in a similar way as I do. I was living in a fantasyland of my hopes, dreams, ideas, beliefs, expectations, and assumptions.
I was hurting myself most.
For the protection of my emotional body, I changed my perception from what I hoped would happen to being open to experience whatever actually happens.
This shift didn’t occur immediately, but by following the five steps listed below I was able to come to peace with the type of relationship I have with my father.
Acknowledge the other person’s behaviors. Look at patterns and how they regularly treat you. Remember the feelings you had in the past. Don’t be fooled into believing things are different from how they are.
Many times we yearn for specific responses, like validation and approval. When we do not receive what we want, we may speak or behave in certain ways to try to elicit the desired reaction.
This type of behavior leaves us feeling empty when the other person does not react the way we hope they would. Remember, you cannot change anyone; it is up to them to change.
Throw expectations and assumptions out the door. Release the hopes, wishes, and dreams that things will change by detaching from the ideas.
Get out of the fantasy world by not hooking into the thoughts of what could be. Keep your mind from running into the future. Remain open to all possibilities by staying in the present moment.
It will be easier to follow the third step if you remind yourself of those who are there for you. They continue to be there because they care about you. Focus on people who make you feel loved, connected, cared for, and worthy. Reach out to them and reconnect.
Provide yourself with what you are yearning for (compliments, compassion, or encouragement). Only you know what you truly need.
Realize each moment you are being the best you at that time. Build self-confidence and strive to eliminate any doubts you have about yourself. When you feel shaky or alone, look in your eyes in the mirror and say, “I love you.” Nurture yourself. Feel the love you have inside of yourself.
Let go of your expectations of people and see how your relationship changes. And if you don’t feel differently about it or if it’s not benefiting you, you can always walk away. Your emotional state matters most. You cannot control other people, but you can make yourself happy.
In the 1960s, when my Dad got treatment, we all thought that once the alcoholic got sober, the rest of us in the family would sort of get better automatically. Normalcy would be restored and we could all go on with our lives as if addiction had never really been there. We weren't total idiots, that's what everyone thought. That's what a lot of people still think, in fact.
If you happen to think this, I will save you a lot of time and heartache. It's not true. It's not true because addiction is not only about addiction, it's about emotional and psychological trauma. People who use drugs and alcohol are often times attempting to numb disturbing emotional and psychological pain that they don't want to feel.
How Addiction Leads to Trauma
Living with addiction often results in cumulative trauma that deeply affects family members. When addicts are using they are, for all intents and purposes, out of their minds. Their behavior mimics that of an variety of psychiatric disorders ranging from manic depression, to full blown psychosis in which the addict is totally out of touch with reality. To see the father you love turn into a raging, abusive monster, the mother who cooked you your favorite dinner become a raving lunatic, or simply disappear behind a closed door by 9:00 pm or the child you have raised and adored turn into someone you cannot recognize, is nothing short of terrifying. They look at you as if they never loved you, never knew you...as if you are simply in the way of what is really important to them, namely their drug of choice. The out of control and unpredictable nature of these behaviors can make family members feel helpless, enraged, and as if their sense of reality is being turned inside out and upside down. In short, it's traumatizing.
How Trauma Leads to Addiction
Living with the kind of unpredictable and damaging behaviors that surround addiction, often challenges our sense of a normal and predictable world. It undermines our trust and faith in relationships and their ability to nurture and sustain us. In interferes with our ability to communicate our needs and have them heard or to listen to another person communicate theirs. It is, in other words, traumatizing. Over time this "cumulative" trauma (it's never just one time in the addicted home, right?) can engender trauma related symptoms such as depression, anxiety, hypervigilance, low self worth and somatic disturbances (head and body aches, chronic tension and so forth). These symptoms, if they go untreated in family members, can become full blown PTSD. They can lead to all sorts of life, learning, health, psychological and relationship complications and yes, you guessed it, a desire to self medicate. This is how the insidious baton of addiction gets handed down through the generations. Addiction engenders trauma symptoms and trauma symptoms engender addiction. Even if family members do not become alcoholics or drug addicts themselves, they are at increased risk for other forms of self medicating (food, sex or money, or hybrid combinations of two or three). They are also at increased risk for other types of trauma related symptoms. Who needs to locate an "alcoholic gene"? Understanding the trauma set up makes intergenerational dysfunction or "passing down the pain" clear enough as to make a gene only proof of what we already know.
When the Addict Gets Sober Why Isn't the Whole Family Better?
The addict sobering up is only the first step in healing. Whether that's because the addict was numbing emotional pain from living in a painfilled family or because the family has now become traumatized by living with addiction is more or less a moot point. It's the old chicken and egg story, which came first doesn't matter any more. Everyone in an addicted family system needs to get help and the sooner they get it, the sooner the family can start to heal. If this kind of healing doesn't take place a few things might happen:
The addict may relapse.
The family may break up or polarize.
The sober addict may have to leave the family in order to get and stay sober.
The family may find a new "problem person" or "symptom bearer" to take the focus off the family illness.
Because the addicted family becomes slowly sicker, they may experience one of their members going into recovery up as an assault to their now (or maybe always) dysfunctional equilibrium. They may silently collude in "not changing", in maintaining their sick status quo. Having an "addict" in the family is a great way for the rest of the family to ignore their own state of emotional health. There is always someone to blame the family pain on. Namely, the addict. But when the addict gets sober, the family is left with their pain which they need to take responsibility for and work through whether it preceded addiction or was a direct result of living with addiction or, more likely, a very uncomfortable combination of both. After all, happy, well adjusted and well related people don't tend to want to drown their pain with drugs and alcohol, something was likely engendering that pain to begin with.
What if the Addict is Divorced, Leaves or Dies; Then Isn't the Problem Over?
Out of sight is unfortunately not out of mind. The unconscious of the family system is shared by all. Family dysfunction is sort of like a rash, it moves around the body of the family and reappears, in another location hot, red.....demanding to be scratched or soothed. But it is still the same virus whether it appears as a bump, series of lines or a fiery patch. The tentacles of trauma reach deep into both the body and the mind, they become part of us. If they remain unconscious they can shape and impact further ways of relating and life choices. They are just as likely to get worse not better on their own.
Recovery Can Grip A Family Too
Getting better is just as easy as getting worse. Healing is also cumulative. The pay offs of recovery are as easily quantified as symptoms of decline. Some "symptoms" of recovery are: enhanced self esteem, renewed energy for life, increased emotional literacy and emotional intelligence, increased emotional sobriety and balance and an ability to make healthier life choices. Awareness is a powerful tool and safeguard. Life will still be challenging, it always is, but with help and awareness, family member's energy will be freed up to meet their own challenges rather than unconsciously throbbing from festering or turgid wounds from the past that are constantly bleeding into the present and future. Though admitting our need for recovery can feel like walking through a wall, once we walk through it we discover that the wall was a wall of fear, a mental construct, a dark imagining of our own making. On the other side of that wall is a new kind of freedom and self possession, a new lease on life.
