Criminal Thinking Deterred

It sounds pretty ominous. Kids are starting earlier, such as middle school, in doing drugs and joining gangs. But, as our guest, Lloyd Lewin Director of Outreach & Schools, Boys & Girls Club, Kenosha WI, tells us, there is hope.

"Yes, they are starting younger," Mr. Lewin says, "but if educate them, have parental involvement, and work with the schools, we can steer them away." The BGC has partnered with several organizations and now provides drug addiction and gang involvement prevention.

Tony Moore and Mr. Lewin discuss the desire of kids to belong to something and that by high school they can be resistant to change. Yet, the club and its leaders present a positive way to succeed and stay away from drugs and gangs. No child is sentenced to a life of addiction or gangs. There are better ways, but it takes work (and funding) to get it done.

"A person's whole life can be embedded in nicotine use," says our returning guest, Dr. George Kolodner, from Triple Track Treatment. Dr. Kolodner discusses the four smoking triggers and the types of therapy and support groups that can help addicts end their dependency on smoking.

Relapse, of course, can occur, but if a patient continues with the treatment program, they can recover and quit smoking entirely.

Dr. Kolodner and Tony Moore also discuss the dangers of vaping and the surprising role coffee plays in smoking cessation.

If you are a smoker or know a smoker who wants to quit, there is hope. This podcast is for you.

Too often, substance abusers are treated for their addiction but not treated for their mental health. So, once they return home sober, they are still haunted by their mental health issues. Then, they hear voices or experience other severe mental health issues and to treat it, they return to the substance they were abusing.

Our host, Tony Moore, discusses this terrible, never-ending cycle and how it can be broken. The stigma of mental health issues can impede people from getting treatment. Tony tells about how mental health and substance abuse treatment go hand-in-hand.

Please join Tony Moore (⁠mooreandassociates.biz⁠) for this important podcast.

"Smoking is no longer cool," says our guest, Dr. George Kolodner, Founder/Medical Director, Triple Track Treatment, Washington, D.C. "However, it is still highly addictive and the pain from quitting smoking can be the toughest."

Dr. Kolodner tells how smoking cessation has been proven to work. However, they have to battle the wealthy tobacco companies. Tony tells him how he had to stop smoking but it took much longer than drugs or alcohol.

There is also a fascinating discussion about process addictions and oral fixations. We will definitely have Dr. Kolodner back for future episodes!

Tony also told us about the upcoming "Minority Mental Health Awareness Month" event.

Brandon Morris returns to promote a huge event for youth and parents in the Kenosha, Wisconsin area. The "This is My Story: Empowerment Speaker Series" event this coming Memorial Day weekend.

"Young people need to ask for help early and often," says Brandon. "May is 'Mental Health Month,' which is the perfect time for this event."

He and Tony also discuss how parents may miss the tell-tale signs of a child being depressed or suicidal. Kids also need to volunteer in their community and help others. They can share their skills and give to others.

"Fentanyl has been killing people!" said our guest, Darren Taylor, a substance abuse counselor and recovering addict (24 years) from Racine, Wisconsin.

He tells Tony about how self-care was a major factor in his recovery. Darren also discusses the difference, and it is huge, between abstinence and recovery. They are NOT the same. Mental health assessments are also essential in treating the whole person.

This is a fascinating and important podcast, especially if you are a drug addiction counselor. Darren and Tony have time-tested advice for you.

Darren can be found at www.jaminracine.com.

Our guest, Dr. Galen C. Nelson, PA-C, is a Physician Assistant in Beloit, WI. He is an expert on drug addiction and the fentanyl crisis that is killing so many Americans.

Dr. Nelson tells Tony how fentanyl is fifty times more potent than heroin and one hundred times more potent than morphine. He and Tony discuss the signs of fentanyl use and the keys to preventing people from using it and becoming addicted to it.

Dr. Nelson can be reached at pagcnel@gmailcom or [email protected].

"We don't want to be in pain," said guest, Guida Brown, from Guided by Guida. Thus began a spirited discussion on fentanyl. Over 72,000 people died last year from using fentanyl.

Unfortunately, "harm reduction" has become the catch-all phrase for everything. Guida and Tony talk about opioids and fentanyl and how it is so potent in making you feel good temporarily. Then the pain returns.

Guida does have a solution to the epidemic and it starts in schools. If you have a fentanyl problem in your community, we highly recommend that you listen to this podcast.

Guida Brown lives in Kenosha Wisconsin with her family. She is the author of a blog, 4 Cs of Addiction.

Podcast host, Tony Moore, begins the New Year in "encouragement mode". He uses the analogy of his basketball team where the students buy into the goal of winning a championship by making the sacrifices it takes to achieve it. Tony enjoys being a basketball coach because he enjoys seeing his players sacrifice and win.

Life is the same for a substance abuser. They can prepare for the storm of getting and staying off substances by making the necessary sacrifices for a higher goal outside of themselves.

Tony discusses the tree in the Bible that weathers the storm. He says that you cannot do it yourself. You need professional care. In his book, he talks about the "Four P's." He has been clean and sober for thirty years and you can do it, too.

"If I can't take care of myself, I can't take care of my kids." Scott Durkin returns to tell Tony about his life since going sober. He tells of how getting caught by his kids doing drugs was much worse than even getting arrested by the cops.

Since becoming sober in 2017, Scott has learned to live in gratitude on a daily basis. He tells of the childhood trauma that negatively affected him. One big change he made was to take a parenting class. He learned something that every parent should know and gives much credit to Tony Moore and his therapy team.

Hear Scott expound on his drug addiction recovery experience. He didn't do it alone and he is driven to remain sober for the rest of his life. You can do it, too.