SOBRLife Launches a New Website! - Shop Now
Going to a seminar this week, I heard about the number of adolescents falling to a plummeting death because of Fentanyl. Fentanyl has become the new drug on the streets. The synthetic opioid is made to look like oxycontin but is put into other drugs in your area. Fentanyl can be added to heroin, methamphetamine, and others. Fentanyl is a pharmaceutical drug that is used for pain management. This drug is known to be 50-100 times stronger than morphine. Furthermore, this drug seems familiar to adolescents and has been known to cause many deaths. Many adolescents are unaware that this drug only takes a few milligrams to cause an overdose. Number of deaths From 2019 to 2020, the number of deaths in adolescents tripled. The average range for adolescents using Fentanyl is from age 10 to 14. The record number of overdoses in 12 months went to 104,288. The part of Fentanyl that grabs adolescents’ attention is how their bodies react. Side effects of fentanyl Today there are more and more adolescents who are experimenting with drugs. These adolescents enjoy the side effects. Fentanyl has been known to cause complete body relaxation, pain relief, and sedation. Then there is confusion, and they lose the idea of where they are. Adolescents become nauseous, vomit, and have respiratory distress. What happens now? Adolescents tend to fall asleep and what seems like a peaceful sleep is far worse. Most adolescents think their friends are sleeping because they are snoring. What happens is that these friends leave their friends, and their breathing gets shallow; they turn blue and have a drug overdose. Parents need to be familiar with Naloxone; this medication can save your child’s life or even the next adolescent who has a drug overdose. This medication comes in spray or injectable. It is easy to use and can be picked up from most pharmacies. Some areas will have training on how to use Naloxone. Both you and your child should know how to use this medication. You never know when you might need it. Help educate your children about all drugs, especially ones that are silent killers. References Christensen, J., CNN (2022). Middle-school children fall prey to fentanyl overdoses. CNN News. https://cnn.com/2022/02/18/health/fentanyl-fatal-overdose-middle-schoolers/index.html Written by: Melissa Pena
Going to a seminar this week, I heard about the number of adolescents falling to a plummeting death because of Fentanyl. Fentanyl has become the new drug on the streets. The synthetic opioid is made to look like oxycontin but is put into other drugs in your area. Fentanyl can be added to heroin, methamphetamine, and others. Fentanyl is a pharmaceutical drug that is used for pain management. This drug is known to be 50-100 times stronger than morphine. Furthermore, this drug seems familiar to adolescents and has been known to cause many deaths. Many adolescents are unaware that this drug only takes a few milligrams to cause an overdose. Number of deaths From 2019 to 2020, the number of deaths in adolescents tripled. The average range for adolescents using Fentanyl is from age 10 to 14. The record number of overdoses in 12 months went to 104,288. The part of Fentanyl that grabs adolescents’ attention is how their bodies react. Side effects of fentanyl Today there are more and more adolescents who are experimenting with drugs. These adolescents enjoy the side effects. Fentanyl has been known to cause complete body relaxation, pain relief, and sedation. Then there is confusion, and they lose the idea of where they are. Adolescents become nauseous, vomit, and have respiratory distress. What happens now? Adolescents tend to fall asleep and what seems like a peaceful sleep is far worse. Most adolescents think their friends are sleeping because they are snoring. What happens is that these friends leave their friends, and their breathing gets shallow; they turn blue and have a drug overdose. Parents need to be familiar with Naloxone; this medication can save your child’s life or even the next adolescent who has a drug overdose. This medication comes in spray or injectable. It is easy to use and can be picked up from most pharmacies. Some areas will have training on how to use Naloxone. Both you and your child should know how to use this medication. You never know when you might need it. Help educate your children about all drugs, especially ones that are silent killers. References Christensen, J., CNN (2022). Middle-school children fall prey to fentanyl overdoses. CNN News. https://cnn.com/2022/02/18/health/fentanyl-fatal-overdose-middle-schoolers/index.html Written by: Melissa Pena
Rebuilding your life after rehab can be challenging, so take the necessary steps to help you start fresh. Recovering does not just require you to quit your addiction, you’ll also need to change your habits, mindset, and social circles as well. After rehabilitation, almost everything will require change. Gathering a support network, getting your finances in order, practicing self-care, and setting new goals are just a few of the many ways to help you get your life back on track. There may be a few bumps in the road, but staying positive and continuing to grow will only benefit you in the long run. If you’re wondering what’s next, below are four helpful ways to start fresh and continue on your sobriety journey. Gather a Support Network Building a supportive network of people around you is one of the best ways to help you stay accountable. Whether you navigated outpatient or inpatient treatment, you more than likely had support from others in the same program. After treatment, it may be more challenging to face the triggers, stressors, and temptations alone. This is why it’s crucial to have a supportive group of people that you can trust and lean on. Before you took the steps to gain back control of your life, you may have not had the best circle of friends. If they’re not supportive of your recovery, you may want to consider finding a new group of friends that are trustworthy and cheer you on. Making amends with those you’ve hurt is also a great step in your sobriety journey. When struggling with your sobriety the most, you might want to consider exploring resources to help you through the tough times. A great resource to download is a sobriety app as an additional tool for strengthening your recovery commitment and assisting you during your weak points. This interactive app helps reduce relapse and allows you to monitor your success along with personal development. The last thing you want is to be alone during tough times, so building a supportive circle and finding the necessary tools to help you is key. Get Your Finances in Order According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drugs interfere with the way neurons send, receive, and process signals via neurotransmitters. Drugs can alter important brain areas that are necessary for life-sustaining functions and can drive the compulsive drug use that marks addiction. For this reason, people may spend most or all of their money purchasing drugs or alcohol. When starting over, learning how to be financially stable and smart with your money is vital. Start by creating a weekly and monthly budget. This could include things like groceries, transportation, hobbies, and entertainment. Monthly items to include in your budget are insurance, phone bills, subscriptions, debt you might owe, and rent or mortgage payments. If your current living situation is not helping your sobriety, you may want to consider moving to a new place. This can feel overwhelming especially if your current financial situation is not the best. Start by being realistic about what you can afford. The first step is to estimate how much you can afford to pay for a house. To determine your price range, enter your location, yearly income, monthly debts, and how much money you have for the down payment and closing costs into a mortgage calculator. Knowing your budget and sticking to it will make the process of searching for a new home much easier. The last thing you need is to add more stressors to your daily life, so getting your finances in order is important to help you become more financially responsible. Practice Self-Care Now that you’re sober, it’s important to find new ways to keep yourself motivated, nurtured, and happy. Practicing self-care is one of the most beneficial things you can do in your sobriety journey. It’s also a great way to help you prioritize your mental and physical health. Eating healthy, getting plenty of rest, and setting new routines for yourself are all great ways to help your physical and mental health. You should also explore new hobbies that you enjoy, such as yoga, painting, music, baking, cooking, reading, or journaling. Journaling for your mental health is a great way to write down your feelings, thoughts, and worries to help you better understand them more clearly. It can also help you gain back control of your emotions and improve your health. To avoid temptations, try avoiding social gatherings or outings for a while. Instead, do things for yourself such as cooking a nice meal, going for a walk, watching a new series, or taking a relaxing bath. Prioritizing yourself is the first step to taking care of yourself and taking back control of your life. Set and Accomplish New Goals To help hold yourself accountable, try setting goals to accomplish and big milestones to work towards. By having something in your life to look forward to, you’ll feel a sense of achievement and accomplishment once you get close to reaching your goals. Bucket lists are also a great way to keep yourself motivated by working towards exciting things that you hope to do someday. Although you may want to achieve every goal right away, it’s important to take each day one step at a time. Accomplishments won’t just happen overnight and will take time to work towards. Although things take time, don’t forget to celebrate every accomplishment with your support network, loved ones, or even find a group celebration location near you. For more help with your recovery management, find a sober coach to help guide and improve the quality of your life.
Rebuilding your life after rehab can be challenging, so take the necessary steps to help you start fresh. Recovering does not just require you to quit your addiction, you’ll also need to change your habits, mindset, and social circles as well. After rehabilitation, almost everything will require change. Gathering a support network, getting your finances in order, practicing self-care, and setting new goals are just a few of the many ways to help you get your life back on track. There may be a few bumps in the road, but staying positive and continuing to grow will only benefit you in the long run. If you’re wondering what’s next, below are four helpful ways to start fresh and continue on your sobriety journey. Gather a Support Network Building a supportive network of people around you is one of the best ways to help you stay accountable. Whether you navigated outpatient or inpatient treatment, you more than likely had support from others in the same program. After treatment, it may be more challenging to face the triggers, stressors, and temptations alone. This is why it’s crucial to have a supportive group of people that you can trust and lean on. Before you took the steps to gain back control of your life, you may have not had the best circle of friends. If they’re not supportive of your recovery, you may want to consider finding a new group of friends that are trustworthy and cheer you on. Making amends with those you’ve hurt is also a great step in your sobriety journey. When struggling with your sobriety the most, you might want to consider exploring resources to help you through the tough times. A great resource to download is a sobriety app as an additional tool for strengthening your recovery commitment and assisting you during your weak points. This interactive app helps reduce relapse and allows you to monitor your success along with personal development. The last thing you want is to be alone during tough times, so building a supportive circle and finding the necessary tools to help you is key. Get Your Finances in Order According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drugs interfere with the way neurons send, receive, and process signals via neurotransmitters. Drugs can alter important brain areas that are necessary for life-sustaining functions and can drive the compulsive drug use that marks addiction. For this reason, people may spend most or all of their money purchasing drugs or alcohol. When starting over, learning how to be financially stable and smart with your money is vital. Start by creating a weekly and monthly budget. This could include things like groceries, transportation, hobbies, and entertainment. Monthly items to include in your budget are insurance, phone bills, subscriptions, debt you might owe, and rent or mortgage payments. If your current living situation is not helping your sobriety, you may want to consider moving to a new place. This can feel overwhelming especially if your current financial situation is not the best. Start by being realistic about what you can afford. The first step is to estimate how much you can afford to pay for a house. To determine your price range, enter your location, yearly income, monthly debts, and how much money you have for the down payment and closing costs into a mortgage calculator. Knowing your budget and sticking to it will make the process of searching for a new home much easier. The last thing you need is to add more stressors to your daily life, so getting your finances in order is important to help you become more financially responsible. Practice Self-Care Now that you’re sober, it’s important to find new ways to keep yourself motivated, nurtured, and happy. Practicing self-care is one of the most beneficial things you can do in your sobriety journey. It’s also a great way to help you prioritize your mental and physical health. Eating healthy, getting plenty of rest, and setting new routines for yourself are all great ways to help your physical and mental health. You should also explore new hobbies that you enjoy, such as yoga, painting, music, baking, cooking, reading, or journaling. Journaling for your mental health is a great way to write down your feelings, thoughts, and worries to help you better understand them more clearly. It can also help you gain back control of your emotions and improve your health. To avoid temptations, try avoiding social gatherings or outings for a while. Instead, do things for yourself such as cooking a nice meal, going for a walk, watching a new series, or taking a relaxing bath. Prioritizing yourself is the first step to taking care of yourself and taking back control of your life. Set and Accomplish New Goals To help hold yourself accountable, try setting goals to accomplish and big milestones to work towards. By having something in your life to look forward to, you’ll feel a sense of achievement and accomplishment once you get close to reaching your goals. Bucket lists are also a great way to keep yourself motivated by working towards exciting things that you hope to do someday. Although you may want to achieve every goal right away, it’s important to take each day one step at a time. Accomplishments won’t just happen overnight and will take time to work towards. Although things take time, don’t forget to celebrate every accomplishment with your support network, loved ones, or even find a group celebration location near you. For more help with your recovery management, find a sober coach to help guide and improve the quality of your life.
Written by: Dwane Myers Good day to all the people across the world. I found this topic Interesting to me because all this can bring and outcomes. Well for being my first time in recovery it feels weird not to be in a relationship. Some days it feels so alone I want to go back to my old days. Prayers kept me focusing on myself. What I have seen in my early stage is that people come into programs and want these girls but then girls a find someone new and then they out of luck. It is not easy when you have few months sober. There are a lot of people that feel they need a relationship whether it is to use that person, because they actually care or for the pleasure. I have been there and done that's and witnessed all these things. It's misery to the self and others that are trying to stay focused. people chase women and then they regret it. Relationships are hard too and headache's in the beginning. Isolation to not knowing what to do and to not be alone we need that caring person in our lives. First year in sobriety was not too hard because my recovery came first, but also didn't have women problems. We as human beings we Injure people when we jump into relationships because now we forget about our recovery and life. It's all about her, or him that the focus goes into. I have seen lots go back out and use because of quick breakups or lose friendship relationships because some people care about their life and don't want to go backwards to the old self. I needed to gain some courage, be honest and aware that the feelings from the other person were mutual and that they were willing to wait which showed me that they were serious. My suggestion to anybody who is ready or think they are ready to be in a relationship early in their recovery to think before acting and ask for help what you should do. I believe in you and you are worthy as long as you happy and pray things will work out for how they work out. Thank you everybody for taking the time to read.
Written by: Dwane Myers Good day to all the people across the world. I found this topic Interesting to me because all this can bring and outcomes. Well for being my first time in recovery it feels weird not to be in a relationship. Some days it feels so alone I want to go back to my old days. Prayers kept me focusing on myself. What I have seen in my early stage is that people come into programs and want these girls but then girls a find someone new and then they out of luck. It is not easy when you have few months sober. There are a lot of people that feel they need a relationship whether it is to use that person, because they actually care or for the pleasure. I have been there and done that's and witnessed all these things. It's misery to the self and others that are trying to stay focused. people chase women and then they regret it. Relationships are hard too and headache's in the beginning. Isolation to not knowing what to do and to not be alone we need that caring person in our lives. First year in sobriety was not too hard because my recovery came first, but also didn't have women problems. We as human beings we Injure people when we jump into relationships because now we forget about our recovery and life. It's all about her, or him that the focus goes into. I have seen lots go back out and use because of quick breakups or lose friendship relationships because some people care about their life and don't want to go backwards to the old self. I needed to gain some courage, be honest and aware that the feelings from the other person were mutual and that they were willing to wait which showed me that they were serious. My suggestion to anybody who is ready or think they are ready to be in a relationship early in their recovery to think before acting and ask for help what you should do. I believe in you and you are worthy as long as you happy and pray things will work out for how they work out. Thank you everybody for taking the time to read.
Today we are going to talk about how homelessness affects people with addiction. I have been a part of this stage of my life just as crowds of people in this world. It is really a tough situation especially when your mental stage of life is gone. A lot of times it starts at childhood and trauma. Growing up in pain and on a destructive path usually then by teenage years the mental health is already messed up. When suffering and pain kicks in mental health is far gone and life starts changing. Peer pressure is involved which leads to the drinking or using. For me it was alcohol, and it took control for 20 years and I lost everything. It made me cheat, lie all the time, manipulate, and do a lot of uncomfortable things. The addiction breaks you into pieces and then there is nowhere to look or go. Not wanting to get help because the mental health is telling you to keep using or drinking. Homelessness affects in a lot of aspects because there is nowhere to go but the streets or shelters. The addiction especially if it is bad takes away everything and now it's a lost. I was homeless because of my addiction to alcohol, and I had a real problem where I couldn't stop drinking nor wanted the help. I was on the streets for 3 months in and out of people's houses, shelters where I couldn't manage life due to my mental stage. I was insane and that drink made me not have anything but to be a loser. It was cold and hard out there and that made me want to drink more. They say if you want to get better you will chase that better. If you want to continue using or drinking, you will. To the youth out there I know it's hard to deal with addiction and homelessness, but you are all worthy and can make better decisions today. Life is not easy but people like me and a lot of others care and are here to help and work with you. Once you catch yourself at a place that you feel alone and have nowhere to go reach out for the help. If you are struggling with addiction, try to get help there are people who are here and there to lend out a hand. Alcohol and drugs are damaging lives today and there are so many homeless people because of this addiction. This addiction is deadly and being homeless can lead to that also. I know today there is a way. If I found a way and my addiction to alcohol was deadly there's hope for you today. We all fall and sometimes we need that different mindset to move forward in life and get out of our own ways. I pray and hope that I can be help to anyone today and so grateful to be a part of recovery. Written by: Dwayne Myers
Today we are going to talk about how homelessness affects people with addiction. I have been a part of this stage of my life just as crowds of people in this world. It is really a tough situation especially when your mental stage of life is gone. A lot of times it starts at childhood and trauma. Growing up in pain and on a destructive path usually then by teenage years the mental health is already messed up. When suffering and pain kicks in mental health is far gone and life starts changing. Peer pressure is involved which leads to the drinking or using. For me it was alcohol, and it took control for 20 years and I lost everything. It made me cheat, lie all the time, manipulate, and do a lot of uncomfortable things. The addiction breaks you into pieces and then there is nowhere to look or go. Not wanting to get help because the mental health is telling you to keep using or drinking. Homelessness affects in a lot of aspects because there is nowhere to go but the streets or shelters. The addiction especially if it is bad takes away everything and now it's a lost. I was homeless because of my addiction to alcohol, and I had a real problem where I couldn't stop drinking nor wanted the help. I was on the streets for 3 months in and out of people's houses, shelters where I couldn't manage life due to my mental stage. I was insane and that drink made me not have anything but to be a loser. It was cold and hard out there and that made me want to drink more. They say if you want to get better you will chase that better. If you want to continue using or drinking, you will. To the youth out there I know it's hard to deal with addiction and homelessness, but you are all worthy and can make better decisions today. Life is not easy but people like me and a lot of others care and are here to help and work with you. Once you catch yourself at a place that you feel alone and have nowhere to go reach out for the help. If you are struggling with addiction, try to get help there are people who are here and there to lend out a hand. Alcohol and drugs are damaging lives today and there are so many homeless people because of this addiction. This addiction is deadly and being homeless can lead to that also. I know today there is a way. If I found a way and my addiction to alcohol was deadly there's hope for you today. We all fall and sometimes we need that different mindset to move forward in life and get out of our own ways. I pray and hope that I can be help to anyone today and so grateful to be a part of recovery. Written by: Dwayne Myers
How did you realize you were an addict? I met a game warden who searched my car. His words were to tell my dealer to stop selling me drugs, or I would lose everything I worked for. A year later, I was in the process of losing my home, my car was undrivable, CPS was in my life, and I lost my business. Addiction can be genetic but also a learned behavior at home. How was your childhood? Were you in a home where drug use, alcohol abuse, or abuse happened? Addiction is also a disease that destroys everything we encounter. Addiction causes home conflicts, missing work, and even health problems. These drugs today are controlling and life debilitating. Addiction does not just affect the drug abuser, but it affects the whole family. I had become the most heartless, cold, irritable, and unrecognizable addict. What was I thinking or doing with my life? Today the word is called recovery. I was ready to regain control over my life. I wanted to be in the right state of mind and health. I was prepared to learn what happened to me as a child and deal with this trauma. Today, my recovery comes first before anything else. I attend Celebrate Recovery, which is a 12-step program that is Christ-centered. I work through the steps, attend step studies, meet with a sponsor, and attend two meetings weekly. I realized I had no healthy coping skills. Today, I have healthy coping skills. The skills I gained were reaching out when I am struggling, journaling, and even sitting with my emotions. Sitting with these feelings has not been easy, but I can say I do not self-medicate anymore. Have you found a program that works for you? What coping skills do you use? Today, I have control of my life and a family who loves me. If you would like to reach out to author, please do so on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/melissalynngary2021 Written by: Melissa Pena
How did you realize you were an addict? I met a game warden who searched my car. His words were to tell my dealer to stop selling me drugs, or I would lose everything I worked for. A year later, I was in the process of losing my home, my car was undrivable, CPS was in my life, and I lost my business. Addiction can be genetic but also a learned behavior at home. How was your childhood? Were you in a home where drug use, alcohol abuse, or abuse happened? Addiction is also a disease that destroys everything we encounter. Addiction causes home conflicts, missing work, and even health problems. These drugs today are controlling and life debilitating. Addiction does not just affect the drug abuser, but it affects the whole family. I had become the most heartless, cold, irritable, and unrecognizable addict. What was I thinking or doing with my life? Today the word is called recovery. I was ready to regain control over my life. I wanted to be in the right state of mind and health. I was prepared to learn what happened to me as a child and deal with this trauma. Today, my recovery comes first before anything else. I attend Celebrate Recovery, which is a 12-step program that is Christ-centered. I work through the steps, attend step studies, meet with a sponsor, and attend two meetings weekly. I realized I had no healthy coping skills. Today, I have healthy coping skills. The skills I gained were reaching out when I am struggling, journaling, and even sitting with my emotions. Sitting with these feelings has not been easy, but I can say I do not self-medicate anymore. Have you found a program that works for you? What coping skills do you use? Today, I have control of my life and a family who loves me. If you would like to reach out to author, please do so on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/melissalynngary2021 Written by: Melissa Pena
When I was pregnant the last time, I was in a full-blown addiction. I was more worried about getting my next fix than the unborn child in my stomach. I was in a self-destructive mode and was not concerned with the growing baby. I had no idea what my addiction was causing my unborn baby. Today, I know that my addiction affected my baby’s life. Babies affected by addiction Addiction is rising, and babies are born with severe illnesses because a mother chooses to use drugs. Do you ever wonder how many mothers use drugs during their pregnancy? The annual amount of mothers using while pregnant ranges from 120,000 using marijuana. There are 95,000 using alcohol, while 49,000 use illicit drugs. In 2003 there were 5,000 babies born dependent on drugs. By 2013 there was an increase to 27,000 babies born dependent. Every drug, alcohol, and tobacco product we put in our bodies while pregnant affects the unborn baby. Addiction effects to babies If you stop for a second, do you wonder how these babies’ lives will be affected throughout their lives because of addiction? There is a chance that some babies will never make it into the world because of miscarriage or stillbirth. What happens to the other babies that do make it? There are chances that babies will be diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). At least 21,732 were diagnosed with NAS in 2012. How about fetal alcohol syndrome? A mother who takes the chance to use drugs is taking the opportunity of letting their unborn baby be born with developmental problems, low-birth weight, and behavioral problems. These effects do not stop here; there could be congenital disabilities to the circumference of their head and mouth, lip problems, and organ failure. Effects do not stop there; babies can have organ failure, skin problems, and holding the right body temp. Conclusion Let me stop and say that if you’re using and pregnant, there is help for you. You are not alone in this walk. Your baby’s life depends on you turning your life around. Let us stop the rise of babies being born addicted to drugs. Center for Disease Control & Prevention (2019). Addiction and Pregnancy: A Guide for Mothers.https://cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/substance-abuse/substance-abuse-during-pregnancy.htm Written by: Melissa Pena
When I was pregnant the last time, I was in a full-blown addiction. I was more worried about getting my next fix than the unborn child in my stomach. I was in a self-destructive mode and was not concerned with the growing baby. I had no idea what my addiction was causing my unborn baby. Today, I know that my addiction affected my baby’s life. Babies affected by addiction Addiction is rising, and babies are born with severe illnesses because a mother chooses to use drugs. Do you ever wonder how many mothers use drugs during their pregnancy? The annual amount of mothers using while pregnant ranges from 120,000 using marijuana. There are 95,000 using alcohol, while 49,000 use illicit drugs. In 2003 there were 5,000 babies born dependent on drugs. By 2013 there was an increase to 27,000 babies born dependent. Every drug, alcohol, and tobacco product we put in our bodies while pregnant affects the unborn baby. Addiction effects to babies If you stop for a second, do you wonder how these babies’ lives will be affected throughout their lives because of addiction? There is a chance that some babies will never make it into the world because of miscarriage or stillbirth. What happens to the other babies that do make it? There are chances that babies will be diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). At least 21,732 were diagnosed with NAS in 2012. How about fetal alcohol syndrome? A mother who takes the chance to use drugs is taking the opportunity of letting their unborn baby be born with developmental problems, low-birth weight, and behavioral problems. These effects do not stop here; there could be congenital disabilities to the circumference of their head and mouth, lip problems, and organ failure. Effects do not stop there; babies can have organ failure, skin problems, and holding the right body temp. Conclusion Let me stop and say that if you’re using and pregnant, there is help for you. You are not alone in this walk. Your baby’s life depends on you turning your life around. Let us stop the rise of babies being born addicted to drugs. Center for Disease Control & Prevention (2019). Addiction and Pregnancy: A Guide for Mothers.https://cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/substance-abuse/substance-abuse-during-pregnancy.htm Written by: Melissa Pena