Since Right Now

Pondered with our usual lack of reverence and/or qualification:

Substance Use Disorder, Semantics and Stigma

Harm Reduction / http://harmreduction.org

Moderation Management / http://moderation.org

SMART Recovery / http://www.smartrecovery.org

Is the use of hallucinogens—specifically psilocybin—a good idea in the interest of pursuing one’s spirituality as it relates to one’s recovery?

Clip: The Breakfast Club, 1985, Universal Pictures

Ep. 1502

Recover, Rewind, Review

Clean and Sober

In which Jeff, Matt and I discuss the 1988 Michael Keaton rehab/12 Step classic then finish with an extended discussion that covers the 12th Step, the 11th tradition and anonymity in recovery.

Referenced:

Atuk. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atuk) The screenwriter, Tod Carroll’s unfilmed, and supposedly cursed, script. It’s taken the lives of at least three well-known substance-abusing actors.

Jerry Stahl. Writer of both screwball, illegal alien sitcom, Alf (http://youtu.be/Eo5tBDXyQno)and his autobiographical story of his heroin addiction—and Ben Stiller tragicomic vehicle—Permanent Midnight. (http://youtu.be/LF5I7Tcrgq0)

All clips from the film Clean and Sober / 1988 / Warner Bros.

With the exception of “My name is John…” clip from Dear John (TV) / 1988 / CBS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dear_John_(U.S._TV_series))

Tell A Friend…Seriously, Tell A Friend.

Thanks for sticking with us while we took a couple of weeks off to deck our halls, roast our chestnuts and dash through snow laughing all the way. (And, no, none of those are euphemisms.) I toyed with making a withdrawal reference but it seemed a bit too lazy and probably not that funny and two of my NY rezzies are to be less lazy and more funny. And besides, I know you missed us.

The important thing is that we're back and back and talking recovery with a new episode of the Since Right Now Pod.

• The in-studio SRN Crew of Jeff, Matt and Chris—that's me—catch up and chat about resolutions and the challenges we faced and wonders we witnessed during this past Season of Joy, Merriment and Crushing Anxiety.

• I think we start making plans to put on a pop-up dry bar here in the STL

• We talk about the smoking elephant in the rooms: smoking in recovery

• Jeff and Matt (AA) help Chris (non-AA) work through some Step 4 and Step 9 questions with some 12 Step advice

• Oh, and Chris gives a shameless, but genuine, plug for his new favorite chilly B, Q Ginger Ale , and Jeff gives Chantix another ringing endorsement

• And a whole load of shite about inferiority complexes, self-loathing and the generally dickish behaviour of our pasts. Whee!

• Marilyn will join us (ir)regularly beginning with Ep.1502.0 to cast a ray of light over these somber proceedings

Please visit http://www.sincerightnow.com/pdcst for full show notes w/ links.

"No matter where you go, there you are." — Buckaroo Banzai*

Jeff and Chris are joined by episode 22's Matt and episode 16's Marilyn for a super fun square table discussion about isolation and addiction.

*Okay, Confucius said it first but…whatevs.

Jeff and Chris welcome (back) their long-time friend from a stint in the wild. In Matt's story relapse is indeed a part of recovery.

REFERENCED

Legal drugs / How powerful synthetic drugs will upend drug markets globally / Washington Post / http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/12/02/how-powerful-synthetic-drugs-will-upend-drug-markets-globally/

MUSIC

https://soundcloud.com/djfmdotcom

IMAGE

Hindenburg crashing / 1937 / Associate Press / public domain via Wikimedia

Just two dudes talking about sobriety and recovery and trying to figure out what it all means.

REFERENCED

You're in recovery if… / Addiction & Recovery News / https://addictionandrecoverynews.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/youre-in-recovery-if/

Nalmefene / Middle-Class Drinkers to be Given £3 Daily Alcohol Pill to Reduce Binges / International Business Times (UK) / http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/middle-class-drinkers-be-given-3-daily-alcohol-pill-reduce-binges-1476688

(DSM-V) Revised Criteria for Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders / Psyche Central / http://psychcentral.com/disorders/revised-alcoholsubstance-use-disorder/all/1/

IMAGE

CBD / 2012 / Kevin Ho / CC via Flickr

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kevho86/

MUSIC

https://soundcloud.com/djfmdotcom

Jeff & Chris talk about being sober during the Holidays.

Our new segment, 100% Volume by Alcoholics (with Marilyn Spiller of WakingUpTheGhost.com), has been postponed until a later episode.

Referenced

#addictionchat “Recovery-full Holidays” / @LEAFcouncil

Blackout Wednesday / Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackout_Wednesday

Q: Does alcohol cook off in food preparation? A: It’s complicated.

http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blalcohol12.htm

Zevia Sparkling Celebrations / Whole Foods

https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/shop/FFX/2369/15725

Manischewitz (makers of Manischewitz kosher wine) / Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manischewitz

In his riveting visit with us, the deeply-thoughtful and erudite Jon G. takes us to and through his recovery up to this point and gives us a glimpse behind the decks as a DJ in recovery.

REFERENCED

Sober And Sold-Out: Dance Club In Sweden Cuts Booze For A Night / NPR

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/09/28/352279829/sober-and-sold-out-dance-club-in-sweden-cuts-booze-for-a-night

Jump-Start Your Workday With an 8 A.M. Rave / NYT

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/13/nyregion/daybreaker-an-alcohol-free-morning-dance-party.html?_r=0

Last Man Standing / DJ FM

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/last-man-standing/id872537517

ACOA / Adult Children of Alcoholics

http://www.adultchildren.org

White Chip (“Surrender” Token) / AA

http://www.woodenurecover.com/AA-White-Chip--Plastic-Token_p_119583.html

Holly Glenn Whitaker / Hip Sobriety

http://www.hipsobriety.com

Oxford House / Self-Help for Sobriety Without Relapse

http://www.oxfordhouse.org/userfiles/file/

IMAGE

[Radio tower?] / ca. 1927 / Harris & Ewing / public domain via Library of Congress

Joe, who got sober in his teens and is about to celebrate his 38th year of sobriety this month, is a man of many hats and talents. Joe’s a recovery trailblazer in the vanguard of those actively working to shape the fast-evolving recovery landscape. Through his Recovery Dogs imprint, Joe recently published Beyond Belief: Agnostic Musings for 12 Step Life. He joined us days before he’s set to be the opening speaker at the inaugural We Agnostics and Freethinkers International AA Conference.

Referenced:

“Whatever course you decide upon there is always someone to tell you you’re wrong.” / Ralph Waldo Emerson / from November 3 entry in Beyond Belief

http://thinkexist.com/quotation/whatever_course_you_decide_upon-there_is_always/14528.html

Beyond Belief: Agnostic Musings for 12 Step Life / Joe C. / Rebellion Dogs Publishing

http://rebelliondogspublishing.com/beyondbelief

We Agnostics and Freethinkers International AA Confernece / November 6-8, 2014 / Santa Monica, CA

http://waftiaac.org

Chapter 4: We Agnostics [PDF] / The Big Book / Alcoholics Anonymous

http://www.aa.org/assets/en_US/en_bigbook_chapt4.pdf

Jon Kabat-Zinn / Founding Executive Director of the Center for Mindfulness / U Mass Medical School

http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/about-us/people/2-meet-our-faculty/kabat-zinn-profile/

James Christopher / Founder Secular Organizations for Sobriety

http://www.sossobriety.org/james%20christopher.htm

Teens with ADHD More Likely to Have Substance Abuse Issues / Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/teens-with-adhd-more-likely-to-have-substance-abuse-issues/

Fast Minds: How to Thrive If You Have ADHD (Or Think You Might) / Dr. Tim Bilkey

http://www.timbilkeymd.com

Image:

Duke on the Crater's Edge / 1972 / NASA

Waking Up the Ghost? I’ll let Marilyn explain:

“… the first time I heard that expression, I was sitting on a deserted island in the Exumas, with a jaundiced Bahamian named Sands. I think it is also the first time a Bahamian man has ever refused a free drink. What Sands meant, was that the icy beer I offered would lead to another, and another and another; it was safer to keep the Ghost in check by not drinking at all.”

A year and a half into her recovery Marilyn shares some insight on keeping the spirit(s) at bay.

Referenced

First Among Equals / Marilyn / Waking Up the Ghost

http://wakinguptheghost.com/first-among-equals/

Land of the Lotus Eaters

http://www.heritage-history.com/?c=read&author=langjean&book=odyssey&story=troyland

Darth Vader (Anakin Skywalker)

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Anakin_Skywalker

Alan Carr’s Easyway To Stop Smoking

http://www.allencarr.com

International Drinking Guidelines (Note: I had this wrong. It’s actually 1-2 drinks/day for women in much of the world.)

http://www.icap.org/table/Internationaldrinkingguidelines

2.5 Million Alcohol Related Deaths Worldwide — Annually

https://ncadd.org/in-the-news/155-25-million-alcohol-related-deaths-worldwide-annually

Image

Drinking Tea in the Blitz / photographer unknown / 1941 / via Retronaut

Music

DJ FM

https://soundcloud.com/djfmdotcom