We are making some changes about when and at what time we meet. For example, we might dump Monday night meetings in favor of Saturday mornings. Let us know what you think.
For January and February we are changing to first and third Saturday mornings just because both of the scheduled Monday dates fall on holidays. Also, at our next meeting on 1-20-07 (Saturday) we are experimenting changing the time of the meeting from 9:00 AM to 8:00 AM. This would allow us to finish our meeting by 10:30 AM instead of 11:30 AM. Please let us know your opinion of what days and what times we should meet. We are listening. You can post here or call me at 412-247-6365 to register your opinion.
Meeting date and time changes
Posted by:Lloyd Woodward--Monday, January 08, 2007
Books
Posted by:Ken Sutton--Sunday, January 07, 2007
I have had several books recommended to me in the past couple of weeks that I want to share with you. What books have you read that you have found helpful and would like to share with others? Please leave a comment or drop me an email with a full review and I will post it. Note - the links are to Amazon.com. If you buy used books you can get all three of these for less than $10, two of them are less than $1 each. We do not have any financial relationship with Amazon.com.
The first book “70 x 7 and Beyond: Mystery of the Second Chance” by Monty Christensen, Roberta L. Kehle was recommend by a parent at the group this week. She gave it to her child as a Christmas present and said it was well received and served to spark some interesting discussion.
The second book is “Back in Control” by Gregory Bodenhamer. The PSST group has used this book in the past and I was curious about it. The author, a California PO, shares his tips and wisdom for controlling difficult children. His solutions are elegantly simple and easy to put into practice. Worth the read.
The third one is a book that I wish someone had given me when I first learned my child was an addict, “Addictive Thinking” by Dr. Abraham J. Twerski the founder and medical director emeritus of Gateway Rehab. Twerski shares the wisdom he has gained in a way that answers so many questions for parents.
HOPE
Posted by:Ken Sutton--Friday, December 22, 2006
(This was written by John Clayton a member of the Bridge to Hope Family Support Group. The group meets 7 PM every Wednesday in the Donor Hall Conference Room at UPMC Passavant Hospital - all are welcome)
The Bridge To Hope, the name we have chosen for our family support group, says a lot more than those four monosyllables would imply. The key word, of course, is “hope.” The second most important word is “bridge.” Our “bridge” can be very helpful moving us from a dark place to one of light and resolve...or said another way, hope. But what exactly is “hope,” why do we need it, how do we acquire it, and how do we advance beyond it? And what does our “bridge” do to move us in the right direction?In order to better understand exactly what hope is, and why we need it, let’s look at words that describe the opposite of hope.
Some that come to mind are: despair, pessimism, discouragement, abandonment, desperation, condemnation, ruin, cynicism, emptiness, disaster, helplessness..... and on and on the list goes. None of the descriptions of the opposite of hope are appealing in any way, and they are especially unappealing if they last for any appreciable length of time. On the other hand, when applying synonyms for the word “hope,” such as confidence, expectation, trust, desire, anticipation, encouragement, cheer, reassurance, and courage, we can appreciate the positives of hope. When looking at “hope” vs. “hopelessness,” it becomes obvious that without hope in the face of adversity, the forces that can lead to our physical and mental destruction can be overwhelming and victorious over us if we are not vigilant against them.
So ok, we agree that having hope is a good thing. We can also agree that without it, we can languish forever in the murkiness of depression and victimhood. But when it is all said and done, “hope” is really just a feeling.....a feeling that what is wanted will happen. Very few positive things ever happen though, just because we “feel” a certain way. Those feelings have to be backed by actions that support the feeling. For example, we can hope that our next vacation will be in Hawaii, in February, basking in 85 degree temperatures on a peaceful beach attached to a posh resort while our friends are all shivering in sub-zero weather. That hope can be a very joyous feeling as we imagine ourselves free of daily pressures and relaxing in an idyllic atmosphere. But for that vacation to actually become a reality, there are a few things we have to do to make it happen, such as save up some money, make airline and hotel reservations, arrange for a rental car, and so on. These steps all support our hope.....and without them, the hope for that great vacation will never materialize.
Likewise, as we all hope for the recovery of our addicted loved ones, there are steps we must take to make sure that our hope is not hollow and without merit. We all know what those steps are.....avoid enabling, end co-dependency, force the addict to face the consequences of his or her choices, move on with our own lives, help other families similarly situated, share experiences with others, support the rehabilitation process, celebrate achievements along the way, and press on....always forward....never backward. Those steps are most often much easier to know and say than to actually do....but absent most or all of these actions, hope doesn’t stand a chance of fulfillment. This is where our “bridge” comes in.
It is difficult to do the things that absolutely have to be done in order to achieve our hoped-for positive outcomes. These requirements are unintuitive, require discipline and stamina, strength and tenacity and they are hard to plan and execute; but they are made easier by the support and encouragement of others who have been forced to make the same sacrifices and exert the same energy toward the realization of their hopes. I contend that “hope” loves company and that misery does not have a monopoly on that principle! The genuine empathy of others, combined with the sharing of plans and events that have been successful, can be a constant reinforcement to the hopes of every member. Our support group also provides a social outlet that helps us overcome the feelings of loneliness, isolation and ostracism that often accompany a family member’s addiction. The group is also a “reality check” for its members, providing programs, speakers, leads, conversation, reinforcement and other stimuli to keep “hope” on track for success.
Hope, then, is in fact, a necessary ingredient in the realization of our true objective: the recovery of our loved one. The natural tendency of any family is to experience the opposite of hope, especially during the earliest phases of the problem. Bridging the abyss of despair, pessimism, discouragement, abandonment, desperation, condemnation, ruin, cynicism, emptiness, disaster, and helplessness to reach the shore of confidence, expectation, trust, desire, anticipation, encouragement, cheer, reassurance, and courage is a necessary and important process, because without that bridge and its resulting rescue from the abyss, we will be able to accomplish nothing, neither for ourselves nor for our loved one. The Bridge To Hope attempts to facilitate this transition week in, week out, year in, and year out. In the same way that a goal is a dream with a plan, HOPE is a wish with substance. Hope is not a destination….the destination is our loved ones’ recovery, achieved by undertaking the difficult tasks and actions that keep hope alive!
Read More......
ACT 53 Information for Allegheny County, PA
Posted by:Ken Sutton--Thursday, December 21, 2006
ACT 53 – The Short Version. You can use the legal system to force your child into a drug and alcohol treatment program without it resulting in a criminal record for your child. More details follow but it is fairly easy to do and trained professionals will support you in the process. To get the process started call 412-350-3952.
This is the official overview of the ACT 53 process. More information can be found here.
History
Allegheny County has multiple systems in place to offer help and guidance to teens, their families and friends. The health and welfare of children and teens has always been a top priority in Allegheny County. The implementation of ACT 53 in 1998 was a new way to offer help to parents of teens who are struggling with drug and alcohol problems. ACT 53 of 1997 addresses the involuntary commitment of minors into drug and alcohol treatment against their will.
ACT 53 Overview
ACT 53 is a groundbreaking law in the state of Pennsylvania. Previous to the enactment of ACT 53 in 1998, there was no method for parents to convince teenagers to receive help for drug and alcohol problems, unless the teens were willing to attend treatment. ACT 53 has bridged this "gap" in our systems and is providing treatment services to many teenagers who would have previously fallen through the proverbial crack.
Each county was assigned the task of setting up its own policy and procedures to implement ACT 53. Allegheny County established a very successful ACT 53 procedure due to an excellent collaboration between Allegheny County Juvenile Court and Allegheny County Department of Human Services, Drug and Alcohol Services Unit.
Criteria
If a parent/legal guardian feels that their child has a drug or alcohol problem, and the child is unwilling to participate in a treatment program, the parent/legal guardian is to contact the County Drug and Alcohol Services Unit. The parent/legal guardian must be a resident of Allegheny County and the child must be between the ages of 12 and 17. An adolescent care manager will screen the case for its appropriateness and then guide the parent/legal guardian through the ACT 53 process.
Procedure
The ACT 53 process is completed within four to six weeks. First, the parent(s) should contact the ACT 53 office and discuss their situation with a case manager. Second, the parent/legal guardian will be responsible to attend two court hearings. The first one will be to petition the judge to hear their case and the second court hearing will be the presentation of the parents' case and the placement decision for the minor. A drug and alcohol professional before the second hearing will complete a comprehensive assessment. The assessment, the parents/legal guardian's case, and the child's "side of the story" will all be presented to the court at the second hearing. The child will be assigned legal representation by the court. The parents/legal guardians are permitted to have legal representation, but the law does not require it. The judge will hear both sides of the case, and the drug and alcohol assessment and recommendation. He/She will render a decision for treatment or not based on the evidence presented to the court.
Third, If the child is found in need of treatment, a court order will be written and arrangements will be made for the child's treatment to begin as soon as possible. The law states that the parent/legal guardian is financially responsible to find funding for this child's treatment, whether it is public or private funds. The court accepts no financial liability or custody for this child.
The success of this program is evident in three unique areas. First, we are able to offer treatment services to teenagers who are unable or unwilling to ask for help. Second, the majority of these teens are headed for "the system", becoming either delinquent or dependent. Using the ACT 53 process allows parents and professionals to help these kids before they reach that point. Third, Allegheny County has implemented one of the only successful ACT 53 processes in the state of Pennsylvania. The parental relief found when they know their children are safe in treatment and the success of the teens themselves reflect why this law was enacted, why it is important, and why we must continue to support its processes.
If you would like more information concerning the ACT 53 law, policies or procedures, please contact the Allegheny County Drug and Alcohol Services Unit at 412-350-3952.
Drugs and the brain
Posted by:Ken Sutton--Monday, December 18, 2006
(this was written by Margie Modro, MS,CPS Western Psychiatric Clinic & Institute of UPMC Presbyterian Drake Annex)
Most adults realize that adolescence is a time of transition. What has also been discovered by neuroscientists is that the brain of adolescents are less developed than previously believed. Adolescence is literally a time when a child is becoming , but is not yet, an adult. These discoveries have many implications for the use of alcohol and other drugs during this developmental period. The more parents understand what is happening during this critical period of brain development, the better they will be able to respond to the needs of their children.
There is lots of information available to help parents become better informed. A good starting point is Bringing the Power of Science to Bear on Drug Abuse and Addiction from the NIDA web site. An excerpt from the full article follows....
". . .This is how the memory of drugs works: The yellow area on the upper part of the second image is the amygdala (a-mig-duh-luh), a part of the brain’s limbic system, which is critical for memory and responsible for evoking emotions. For an addict, when a drug craving occurs, the amygdala becomes active and a craving for cocaine is triggered.
So if it’s the middle of the night, raining, snowing, it doesn’t matter. This craving demands the drug immediately. Rational thoughts are dismissed by the uncontrollable desire for drugs. At this point, a basic change has occurred in the brain. The person is no longer in control. This changed brain makes it almost impossible for drug addicts to stay drug-free without professional help. Because addiction is a brain disease.. . "
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