High While Clean presented by Recovery Ecosystem

The world of addiction, and specifically that world of using something that can land you in prison creates a world where you take risks and create enemies with the very people that are supposed to be, as the motto reads, to serve and protect. The addiction with illicit drugs, and again, as I have stated before, is currently being identified as a disease according to the American medical association and American psychiatric association. This is the only disease that I have been able to find that requires you to have committed a crime to acquire this disease. What happens in that world of being dependent on something that is illegal itself causes many to do things that I will admit are true crimes such as robbery, burglaries, and mayhem to support a habit that continues to get very expensive. A person who I would have identified as an enemy while on drugs, and of course I know longer view this way, is an advocate for those battling addiction. We are now on the same team.As we all know, addiction isn't prejudice, doesn't discriminate, or only occur among certain professions. Sure, if you are in sales and your product for sale is heroin, yeah, a good chance that profession can land you in addiction easier than some. have had a wonderful opportunity to interview and meet with different people in different professions, including a judge. Well, the judge never had a drug problem but became a good friend of mine during my time in recovery. I will say that the profession of my guest today doesn't surprise me, as certain areas of law enforcement will need to gain trust of dealers and probably need to test the drugs themselves which can lead to addiction. I have heard many stories about federal agents with the DEA who got hooked on drugs. The irony in this is that they fall into the realm of using drugs in their normal scope of practice giving them a great excuse to use drugs. I could have seen myself, if I hadn't acquired all those felonies, joining a group like that just for the immunity.

Transgender is an umbrella term for persons whose gender identity or expression (masculine, feminine, other) is different from their sex (male, female) at birth. Gender identity refers to one's internal understanding of one's own gender, or the gender with which a person identifies. Gender expression is a term used to describe people's outward presentation of their gender.Gender identity and sexual orientation are different facets of identity. Everyone has a gender identity and a sexual orientation, but a person's gender does not determine a person's sexual orientation. Transgender people may identify as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or none of the above.Are You confused yet. It can be confusing but the bigger question I propose is how judgmental are you or why does it really matter or how does this affect your life? Can a biological male be a lesbian? If this question seems crazy, then your probably not that different than many people out there and probably because you're unaware of this paradigm. This paradigm says that a transwoman can count as a lesbian; and that many do.Though precise statistics are unavailable, many transwomen are exclusively female-attracted. Prior to transition, they're what we would ordinarily call heterosexual, or straight: males attracted to the opposite biological sex. When transition occurs, this pattern of attraction usually persists. But, for some, it's unacceptable to now think of themselves as straight – for this carries with it a lingering connotation of manhood, now rejected. Hence some transwomen self-identify as lesbians. Stay tuned for my guest today, Sophie White who is an actress, producer, director, etc., and fits this exact category. Lets get high today. No better time than now. My name is Eric McCoy and welcome back to high while clean. What people don't understand causes hatred for reasons that I can't personally understand because, to me, this is what makes life exciting. Our journey can be confusing at times and the sad part, is that much of this hatred that others have for those they don't understand are just as confusing for those who are dealing with it. What I find fascinating, and this will make a little more sense once I introduce my guest today; are those individuals filled with judgement and condemnation that say things are choices meaning that they at some point in time struggled with the very thing and made a choice to go the other direction otherwise they wouldn't be able to say that. I am very excited to introduce my guest today and who has dealt with the very same dilemma that my son has struggled with. My son, as I have mentioned numerous times on my show was born a female and transitioned to a male and I also have my dear friend Lona Currie, the transgender mentor and also my co-host of “walk a mile in my shoes.” Sophie WhiteSophie white has been in the entertainment industry for many years in lots of different roles and it wasn't long ago that she officially came out as a transgender. She is that picture of courage in living in a world that is becoming more excepting but still not to where we would like things to be.

Getting off and staying off drugs can be challenging, especially for those of us who dive in so deep that your body and mind become dependent. For many of us, that is only a piece of the challenge we are going to face as we are stamped with a stigma where our government will make sure we are held back.I want everybody listening to remember that know matter where you have been or what you have done, we can do anything we want if we are willing to fight for it. IF we are arrested, put in prison, and released back into society with all of the same temptations we had before; what can we do. Today's episode is going to discuss this topic.

As many know my story, I first entered this crazy world of recovery very young, at the age of 16 after getting arrested twice and choosing rehab instead of juvenile prison. That was the first of many and aside from not thinking I really had a problem, my crazy mind somehow said that I won't take it seriously until I am fully physically dependent and lose everything. Didn't exactly say that to myself, but it is what I did.Most of us, especially when we are younger, believe that life is going to be boring, it is going to suck, and I will never find enjoyment in life. It was a belief I carried that drugs, particularly meth, gave me confidence, pleasure, and I was more likeable. None of this was true because as I title this high while clean, pleasure comes from me. After many years of destroying my body, I learned first hand that what I was actually doing was slowly but surely taking all of those positives I felt meth gave me. As times passed, I became less confident, pleasure eventually faded, and I was far from likeable as I developed the very same symptoms as antisocial personality disorder.The lies I told myself was killing me. Life did suck getting loaded but I will also admit that life did suck when I was newly sober as the damage I caused made all of those negative things I mentioned worse. Deep depression, I hated myself worse than others did, and I was far from confident. I struggled as I fought to stay clean. I eventually followed direction as I was told that “all I needed to do was to get a sponsor, work the steps and go to meetings. “They helped as I gained a network of people, but I became stagnant at times. I didn't feel that I was getting everything I needed to become happy, confident, and truly stable. I needed more. I worked hard on myself with self-esteem, caring about myself and finding all those things I felt meth gave me, clean and sober. I found highness while clean. My guest today, is someone I would loved to have found in my early years of recovery because it possibly could have made life a lot easier as I had to fumble around to figure these things out. Amy Guerrero is a trauma-informed recovery coach, sober herself, and founder of Thrive In Recovery, which is to help heal trauma, help individuals find success, and create healthy relationships with people. I see her as someone working at times, to help people learn just the basic life skills that fail to be taught in treatment programs. Recently, Amy launched Bridge To Trust, a complimentary 3-day interactive experience designed for repairing relationships, heal dysfunctional family dynamics, and experience a deeper connection.

What does recovery mean and is it the same for everybody? My idea of recovery needs to be a personal journey because without a personal interest by the individual, it means absolutely nothing. We are all unique individuals with different likes, dislikes, goals, and dreams; so why would we have someone else tell us what that looks like for them. Some know my story as abstinence is the only possible way it will work for me and because I want to be stable, happy, and secure; that only option fits within my goals. Periodically I come across people and organizations that strive to identify each person as an individual and see what they can do to help them even though it may not even fit within the realm of there goals. Thinking outside the box requires unique minds and I think today we are going to meet a representative from an organization that seeks to offer this assistance. Stay tuned for Donella Cecrie from purpose of recovery Hello everyone. This is Eric McCoy and I am looking forward to getting high on High While Clean. The greatest failure in the treatment industry stems from the poor aftercare that is either provided and in many cases not provided at all. Clinicians fail their clients by not following our main goal of planning for their discharge the moment they walk in the doors. When discharge plans are done, most create a plan that has nothing to do with what the client actually plans on doing but instead what the program wants them to do. 90 meetings in 90 days, get a sponsor, go to this outpatient program. This plan created by the clinician and many times without the assistance of the client. They then meet with the client and tell them what they are going to do. The client then signs it just to get out the door with as little conflict as possible and has no intention on doing many of those things. Just to be clear, this isn't everybody across the board. There are great clinicians in the industry and the plan works for some. But what about those that it doesn'tMany programs will not learn from this because they identify the client as just not following the plan that was set. I have a hard time putting all the responsibility on the client since it is our job ethically to always look out for the best interest of the client. What does that mean? I have an answer which I will get to.Nothing excites me more when I find an organization and specifically individuals in an organization that answer that question I just asked regarding our ethical duty. Look out for the best interest of our client. Many believe it is to tell them that they need to do what they outlined because it works. Works for who? For me to tell a client in a professional environment what they need to do because it worked for me and what my goals and dreams are for them is unethical. Who's life is this we are talking about. My guest today is Donella Cecrie from purpose of recovery.Purpose of recovery, which is currently located in Orange County, CA. that connect with local, state, and national recovery communities to support long term recovery.There mission is to TO BRIDGE THE GAP, HIGHLIGHT SERVICES, AND CREATE A NETWORK OF RESOURCESFOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO HEAL, STABILIZE, AND CREATE GROWTH IN RECOVERY. There is a recovery rally coming up on SEPTEMBER 25, 2021which we will learn about.

Everybody has a story and this podcast is always seeking out new insight, information, perspectives, and opinions. Everybody has a story. My life is an open book and gladly share with the world my pain, my suffering, and anything that I feel someone can relate to and/or help someone. Many years ago, during my drug abusing days, I was lost. Despite many of the arguments that these drug abusers just want to get high, and want to live this irresponsible life that will kill you any day, they are wrong. I wanted out. I wanted to be free from that nightmare. I hated myself, my life, and wasn't able to see a future. Some of us start young in life while others wait some years to begin. Either way, it doesn't look good for anything or anybody. Stay tuned for my guest today. He is an author of “The Naked Guy in the Attic.” and has a powerful story of hope.Drug abuse has many faces and it can be hard to pick them out until it is tyoo late. Having worked with many people over the years; you come across some who didn't embrace this demon, or to even go darker, sell their soul until later in life. For those who can say that they started young as I did, it wasn't usually the same reason we started as those who began later in life. I started to self-medicate depression, felt a pleasure that I never thought existed, it gave me confidence, more outgoing, and it masked all of my fears and feelings I wasn't comfortable with. For those later in life, it was usually a major event that triggered the desire to try it. This way they could numb or avoid the pain. The similarities that we all had was that it worked, or at least seemed to work in achieving what we thought we needed. Now solving it in the world of drugs is not the way most think of as a solution but pushing it far enough way to forget about it or not feel anything about it.For my listeners who haven't experienced the horrors of chemical dependency, I am fighting hard against the stigma and am working to get people to understand the grip it takes. As words can hardly describe the power; I have a guest today who fits the face of a powerful meth addiction that began later in life and it was triggered by a major event.Methamphetamine, for those that haven't used it, creates a powerful illusion that life is perfect, the drug induced pleasure is so powerful that you can't even imagine there is a problem with it until it is too late. How can you argue that energy, focus, pleasure, and confidence are bad. Feelings go away and emotional pain no longer seems to matter. As you continue using the drug, tolerance builds, requiring more of the drug until you have walked out of homeostasis into a new norm called allostasis. Allostasis requires the drug to keep moving and without it, you are completely incapable of functioning at all. Did I know that this would happen when I started? No. I felt that this solution would last forever. Did all of my education in school teach me this. No. In school; I was taught, just say no. What was I to say no too? Energy, focus, pleasure, and confidence. We continue to fail our people. Fear tactics without real education tells us nothing.

on May 12, 2021, Oliver “Ollie” Taylor, a 17-year-old trans male, was kidnapped and shot in Oregon. This was the 26th reported violent death of a transgender or gender non-conforming person in 2021.Why?These victims were killed by acquaintances, partners or strangers, some of whom have been arrested and charged, while others have yet to be identified. Some of these cases involve clear anti-transgender bias.Why?I don't understand the reasons, but it is clear that many perpotrators of hate live in fear and don't have the ability to think for themselves which I am going to explain. My guest today is a transgender male who hosts an amazing podcast which he will tell you about. Please stay tuned. My name is Eric McCoy and I am getting ready to get high. I almost seem to get a little more brazen in my declaration of getting high as bold and no shame in my game. I am looking forward to the day that I can declare this but feel no need to explain what I mean. Today I am not. If this is your fist time listening, watch or listen to our other videos and you will gain an understanding of what I am talking about.For those that know me, I have very little, if any care about what people think of me. This hasn't always been so but through many years of learning to care and to love myself, that doesn't seem important anymore. I am about to say something that I rarely ever say because I never think about it but I don't define myself as racist and have no hate or dislike for anybody because of physical qualities, your appearance, color, gender, sexual orientation, etc. By me saying that, I sound racist and anybody that has to clarify that, they typically are. There is a reason I am discussing this which I will get into in a moment.Hatred and in the context I am discussing regarding racist qualities is one of the greatest insights related to weakness. My book, “Pain, Failure and Misery are the Stepping Stones to success covers an enormous amount of information and even goes way beyond substance abuse. In one chapter, I delve into personal power and thinking for oneself and not through the minds of others. It is clear that hatred is taught as young children that have never been brain washed by a parent can sit in a room with all nationalities, races, genders, and colors with no conflict nor thought on differences. By looking at that, we have mindless people that can't think for themselves full of hate. We could also look at hatred within agendas. Religion's by many of those that practice, are grounded within judgement and hatred. My interest in discussing this is leading to my guest who is a trasnsgender man who I am proud to call my friend. I see a man of courage. For many transgender people, living openly can be its own act of defiance in a society that continues to set rigid cultural norms for gender identity and expression.Transgender people face stigma surrounding who they are from an early age. Often rooted in inaccurate beliefs and politically-motivated attacks on transgender identities.Transgender people face devastating levels of discrimination and harassment in the workplace.Transgender people are especially vulnerable when it comes to accessing social services and health care, including finding doctors who respect and affirm their identities.We can go on and on regarding inequalities such as family issues, legal equality in the definition of hate crimes, and even facing disproportionate rates of poverty and homelessness in the United StatesLona Currie, my guest is the host of a podcast called Recovery Soul food.Since I don't care what people think. He is my friend and partner as we fight for what we believe in. Lona, thank you for coming on today. Education is so important, especially as ignorance and hatred go hand in hand. I was curious on you growing up. As many of my listeners know and we talked about this on your podcast, my son was born a female. Many people out there believe that this is a choice that you make. How do you respond to that.

The pain that families face is something that isn't thought much about by the loved ones who abuse drugs. Those that use have lost full control of themselves but sadly have full control over the emotions and even behaviors of those that love them. Parents sacrifice their time, energy, and existence to focus on another person and raise them to the best of their ability. Unfortunately, the person that has been focused on tends to lack any appreciation and feels entitled as what I define in my book as the ability to metaphorically “nail the parents to a cross for an excruciating sacrifice.” Not all stories end in tragedy. I was able to step out but for many years, I thought and I am sure my parents wouldn't have been surprised if they had to bury me. I am very excited to introduce my listeners to an amazing woman who dealt with that fear of losing her daughter.

Substance abuse is a worldwide issue that has hit every country in one way or another. It is estimated according to a World Drug Report, released in 2020 by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Sobriety refers to a decision to stay away from alcohol but in the context of the recovery world today is used interchangeably with any substance use. The reasons why people make this decision varies across the board and as a counselor in the substance abuse field, I am always curious on those reasons because that motivation will literally make them or break them. Whatever brought you to that decision is perfect in the beginning but as I have said many times that people get sober because of what they do not want but stay sober because of what they do want. My decision today to stay off of drugs and alcohol have nothing to do with not wanting to go to prison, or not wanting to lose my family, or not wanting to lose my health; my decision today is because I want to be happy, I want to be secure and stable since all of those don't wants no longer exist. I am not facing prison, loss of family or health although I would quickly face that pain again if I did use but today, none of that is real. Just as I could say that I wish I had this or could have had that. Would have could have should have. That is me stepping outside of reality. What is real is what I do have. I do not live in regrets but instead in gratitude and appreciation. It also feels much better.As this podcast has brought about new friends all over the United States and Canada; today we are even going a bit further. I was thinking earlier about my drug use and how the world was very small during those days. Orange County California was my entire world but obviously I knew there was more; I didn't care because there was no purpose in my life to look any further than Orange County, which is a very small county within the state of California, only about 790 square miles. I know live In Los Angeles County which is well over 4 times that size at over 4000 square miles. I also border San Bernardino County which is our largest county at over 20,000 square miles.Now if you wanted to look at population. San Bernardino county is five times larger than Orange county but has less people since so much of it is just huge vastness of sandy desert. Ok, back to what I was getting at. In these days of being clear headed and actually doing productive things, the world has become a lot larger and we are going to the UK. Janey Lee Grace is an author, commentator, and is the popular holistic co-host on Steve Wright in the afternoon on BBC Radio 2. She is the author of five books on Holistic living including the #1 Amazon best seller Imperfectly Natural Woman and currently writes columns for many magazines, and runs training workshops and consultations on Media Breakthrough for holistic businesses. Everything I see about Janey is a busy woman. She hosts a podcast called alcohol free life, gave a TED talk, sobriety rocks-who knew ! and runs The Sober Club inspiring others to focus on optimum health and wellbeing underpinned by sobriety. Her newest book is Happy Healthy Sober: Ditch the booze and take control of your life.that around 269 million people used drugs worldwide in 2018. It is estimated that around 107 million people worldwide fit the criteria for alcohol use disorder with 14.5 million of those in the United States. What does it look like in other areas of the world. We are going to find out today and meet a woman across that great Atlantic Ocean. Her name is Janey Lee Grace.

I love my country and what this country stands for. I truly appreciate what I have today. In 2002, when my journey into recovery began, I would never have even imagined that what I have today was even possible in having and becoming who I am was even someone I would ever find. I am at peace with things and I believe it stems from my ability to just roll with the punches today. I appreciate the freedom that I have but freedom doesn't come free and freedom requires sacrifice. For those that feel you don't have all of the freedom you desire all of the time, think about this quote I read from a sergeant in the military: He said to the recruits in boot camp. “Think of it as you temporarily giving up some of your freedoms so that others can have theirs.”What are you sacrificing? John F. Kennedy's inaugural address inspired people to see the importance of civic action and public service. He said “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country,” This challenged every American to contribute in some way to the public good.Please stay tuned for my guest today, who is a man of sacrifice. His name is Richard Kaufman and I am honored to thank him for his service to us.During my tumultuous teenage years, I had an epiphany to join the military because I had no goals or vision for my life.I was traveling from Oregon back to California with some friends and the other group I was with had mechanical failure in their 1960's Volkswagen bus. I was approached by some naval recruiters and just blew them off. Once I reached California, I decided that I was going to do it. My father was a radiomen on a destroyer during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. I wanted to join the navy. It didn't work out the way because at that time they were very picky on who could join And having been arrested five times by that age, active duty wasn't possible. My recruiter told me that once I finished boot camp in great lakes Illinois and my school as I joined the CB's, construction ballions which was in Port Heueneme CA that I could request active duty, so I did. He was wrong. My military career was short lived and actually, I could say that I absconded from my monthly duty because I returned to the same life I was living on drugs, running around with the grateful dead, I wouldn't have passed a drug test. I was able to slide through with a medical discharge because I had a grand mall seizure in 1994 that I was able to use as the reason I did not make it. but I gained an enormous appreciation for the military.Our military watches out for us everyday and when something goes wrong, they are ready. In 2001, and so many of us remember that day of September 11 we were attacked with 2996 people dying between the planes, bystanders, Twin Towers, and the pentagon. That is 593 more people that died then the last major attack on our land. December 7, 1941. The Japanese attack on pearl harbor.

I question many things which has helped me in many occasions but have also harmed me at times. I think outside the box which has allowed my creativity to offer new possibilities and has opened the door in me helping people at times. I am a sceptic by nature but I have to be careful in judging The faith of Christianity is not a story that was written of hopes and dreams with the mindset of wanting to live forever. This fear of death that eternity is a place of nothingness because I would have created a different story. I realized after really studied it that it is a story requiring strength, courage, and a much tougher life compared to the atheistic view. A story of Paul, who in our definition today was a serial killer of Christians that eventually changed his mind and then suffered for many years because of his faith in prisons. So I guess I am stating that these are people stronger then those that don't believe in God.I also came to realize that everybody has doubts at times and as I mentioned on the podcast with Joe Potosi, that faith is just not giving up.If I look into something whether it be a person, place, situation, or problem with a skeptical mind and only looking for the problems in it and not being open to any strengths. Then my mind is already made up for it to fail. For many years of my life, I worked hard to find everything I could to prove the non-existence of God. With that mindset and I see this with many atheists who attempt to do this, already have their mind set up since they aren't even leaving the door cracked for the existence of God. Today's episode is going to be a little unique because I am going to begin this by speaking briefly about a topic that I do not discuss in detail. Something that is personal to me, and this is because of my guest today. Before anybody runs as I mention the word God, open your minds and just listen to the message as one thing we can't dispute if you believe in it or not. That The bible is by far the most inspirational book ever written. I have read the entire bible a couple of times and really studied it, mostly because I had a lot of time on my hands while sitting in-custody. I even considered at one to become a pastor because what I saw within that book, was my story being told. And whether you like it or not; many of the principles and tools that guide us in recovery. The first being humility.Humility is what will save us in this world. Jesus Christ came for the sinners and not the righteous. Humility. It is a story of strength. Certain things stuck out to me the bible and one was In first CORINTHIANS It saidNo temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. In then it said When you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.Meth amphetamine, my drug of choice, I gave it a name that is a biblical name even before I believed in the message of that ancient book. The devil. It was a temptation but at the same time is a temptation common to all humankind, especially today. That temptation, even though it felt that the power was greater then I could bear, had a way out. I also can't dispute that for the first time in my life when I found a way out was when I made a statement and then asked a question with the help of a priest in jail. God I don't believe in you but if you are there to help me find you. I believe that my atheistic view in life stemmed from my lack of interest in believing in a power that was going to condemn me to an eternity of something ugly because of my dependency on drugs which I felt had no way out. As I read that book, it dawned on me that every character from Adam and eve in the Old Testament with the first sin to Paul in the New Testament had asked the same question we all ask at times. Where is this loving God that is supposed to care for me?How am I supposed to live this Godly life and there is no way I am going to walk through those pearly gates with the things I have done or even the thoughts that run through my mind at times. If anybody is curious on what the Bible says about that, maybe you should read it. Why do bad things happen to good people? There are answers within that text.

I want to thank everybody for deciding to get high with me on High While Clean and my name is Eric McCoy. Debating has been something I have enjoyed over the years and a highly debated topic refers to our minds desire to correlate a cause with a belief that it has created a specific effect. More commonly said, cause and effect. Cause and effect has a basses in a fallacy to logic because we can't always prove without a reasonable doubt that one thing completely caused the result of another. I could easily argue that a plane crashed causing the death of the passengers as easily arguable but what about events happening in a persons life causing them to make poor choices later. These are arguments used in courts to get reduced sentences for convicted murderers by arguing that childhood events led them to make the choices they made in the future. But I also couldn't argue that this wasn't the case because just as it is almost impossible to prove cause and effect, it is just as impossible to disprove it because we would have to be able to take all factors into consideration that we can't see such as the genetic makeup, possible variables regarding their character, traits, personality, and even mental health. Were mental health issues present before the occurrence.This has been a tough year for many of us, as I can hardly imagine not knowing someone or knowing of someone who has died as it is estimated at over 600,000 deaths.It is estimated as over 80,000 deaths of drug overdoses in 2020. Financial hardships for many and for those of us in recovery; discomfort, pain, immense sadness, and in some cases unbearable anger can cause a battle within us that I like to call those whispers of Beelzebub and benefactor, the kindly helper. My guest today has been on our show before and actually back when I first started this podcast. Joe Potosi, who is the author of when the dust settled, between a rock and a hard place. He had sent me a message with a topic that I think is perfect, especially during these times, and can probably be highly relatable to many.Cause and effect/ Relapse prevention sits at the core to this idea because we plan for things that will happen, might happen or could happen. Sometimes to plan for the unexpected. When does it become too much, This obviously depends on the person. I am really glad Joe reached out to me because it really sounds like he is hurting and it is highly admirable that he is willing to share this story.Joe, thank you for coming on today. Tell us a little about your last year.

My guest today is someone I met a few times a couple of years ago as I was working to get him involved the program I was the director of. But, as the director, and not the owner, I became entangled in a battle between providing great services and money. When I think about treatment, I get troubled by all of this emphasis put on evidence based practices. Many programs promote evidence based because it sounds good to those seeking treatment and in most cases, those seeking treatment for someone else.The National Alliance on Mental Illness defines an evidence-based practice as one that has been researched scientifically or academically. The exercise has been proven effective and replicated by at least two or more studies. Also, the evidence-based practice must integrate both medically-based research along with individual patient values and the experiences of the clinical providerSome common mental health and drug abuse treatment methods that are considered EBPs are as follows:· Cognitive Behavioral Therapy· Exposure Therapy· Functional Family Therapy· Assertive Community Treatment· Dialectical Behavior TherapyEach of these methods has been proven effective through a range of clinical settings, but one of the most effective and well-known EBPs is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT. non-evidence based practices rely on the rapport between the clinician and the patient, and less on the scientific evidence of the practice if there is any. This type of exercise is highly individualistic. Traditional treatment methods tend to heavily rely on the patient's individual preferences and the therapist's personal experiences with the treatment method. In some cases, clinicians may find their own experiences in the medical field to be more reliable than EBPs. When it comes to non-evidence based treatment methods, the patient's thought processes and preferences are the most critical factors to the treatment process.Since most people coming into treatment are seeking to work on a problem that they don't think they have and learn from someone they don't think they will learn from, how is an evidence based approach like CBT, really going to be effective? It won't be, unless you can get that person motivated, inspired, and excited about new possibilities. Creative people, with new ideas are who I believe are setting the stage for the greatest success we see in working with those struggling with substance abuse. Unless I can get someone interested in what we are doing, evidence based approaches will have no value.

The pleasure part of the brain, also called the nucleus accumbens is being manipulated by the drug that is causing that pleasure or reinforcing chemical. This is the same reinforcing neurotransmitter that is released causing us to desire food or water when we are hungry or thirsty. The desire for food and water must be stored somewhere in our memory so we can recall what was needed to quench the thirst or satisfy that need for food. Without the memory, none of this would work. If our body was dehydrated and we had no recollection of how to satisfy this, we would be in trouble. This is where the amygdala comes into play. This is the part of the brain that stores our emotional memories. All of those memories that we need to recall for survival. As meth was my drug of choice. Meth became that chemical which altered the functioning of my brain which told that part of the brain of survival that this is what will keep me alive. Glutamate the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter has engrained that message into my memory. Just as we crave food when we are hungry, I now am craving that drug as this is what is going to keep me alive.This memory doesn't immediately go away when you get clean. You can be off the substance for 6 months with the amygdala reminding you that you are missing something. A lot of times this happens when you see something that reminds you of it or, in some cases, when you wake up in the morning. The greatest tool that I used was to stay busy.

Something that I have found to be soothing, is cracking a joke at my own expense. I've defused a lot of awkward social interactions by poking fun at my past mishaps (of which there are plenty!). I'm definitely not alone in this, either: Strange as it may sound, many of us are happiest when we can laugh at our past misfortunes and turn them into amusement.How easily you can do so will depend in part on your disposition. Before trying it, first figure out what you think is funny and surround yourself with more of it. When it's time to laugh at yourself, be prepared for an unpleasant task: You need to list the things you don't maybe like about yourself — maybe you're actions in the past. science has started to see the value in self-mockery, too. Psychology researchers have discovered that self-deprecating humor has an unintended side effect: It happens to improve our health.A study published in "Psychology and Individual Differences," stated as people who regularly poke fun at themselves exhibit greater levels of emotional well-being. As my life story is out there, for the most part, let us make fun of me and tell you a story that I don't normally run out and tell people and it is the story of my transformation into a woman.During my meth use, well, life was a joke, but as in “Pain, Failure and Misery are the Stepping Stones to success,” I tell the story of my girlfriend at the time who became so paranoid and fell into that meth induced psychosis. It was at this time where she became a nightmare. There is nothing greater then getting high and being told that I am with the FBI or the DEA and cops were everywhere. The police had surrounded our complex, or so I was told.One night around 2am, she was peeking out the vents in the ceiling. We were in a two story town home with a loft on the second floor. This loft had air vents where you could see outside and the surrounding complex. After hearing this for hours, I started to question my reality a little. Shit, maybe cops are out there How do I know? If I said they weren't, does that make it true. Maybe she is right? After she convinced me of the possibility, I decided to check it out but if they were looking at us; I didn't want them to see me. My girlfriend couldn't go out either. What do we do. Its 2am, we should be asleep and if the cops saw us up and roaming at 2. That was a bust.I sat there and we thought about. Seriously considering the need for someone to go out but not us. We don't have anybody. It hit me. I came up with the most brilliant idea possible. I needed a disguise. I figured in my btilliant meth induced thinking that they would never figure out it was me if I became a woman. They would never know that a 6'3” female walked out of the same apartment and as I assumed that cops lacked intelligence I guess. No way they would even consider the possibility. After patting myself on the back for my great plan, I Shaved my face, jumped in the shower, shaved my legs. This was a master piece at work. After removing my hair, owe and my armpits. This wasn't the dead show days with woman and hairy armpits. We had the full set up. Wig, make-up, finger nail polish, dress, and formed these perfect boobs with socks. My girlfriend and I sat down, put on makeup. Just two girls doing makeup. During thatg time, I became an actor in many roles and I believed that this was going to give me an Oscar. I went all in with my role. I looked in the mirror and thought. I hot and I am ready to hit the town. I tried to put on her heels but they were quite a bit small as I tried to cram my feet in. So I had to walk barefoot and was worried I would tear my pantyhose. My goal was to prove her wrong or, if I was wrong to fool them into believing some tall random girl came out of the apartment because. I never figured out that part but it didn't matter. I walked downstairs stepped outside and began walking the complex. I walked around probably 25 minutes when I decided that she was wrong once I reached the main road outside this complex. I turned around and started returning to our place. It wasn't but a few steps away from that road, a police officer pulls up. He stops, gets out of the car and I hear, excuse me sir.I thought sir, I looked left, I looked behind me and thought, well at least he isn't talking to me. Excuse me sir. I kept walking. Excuse me, you in a dress. Now I knew he was talking to me since there was no other person in a dress. I turned and he asked me what I was doing. I had to think on toes for this answer. Obviously responding with, trying to prove someone wrong in that cops are surrounding the complex wasn't probably the best answer to give. I looked at him as my brain was churning. I couldn't think of anything so I said whatever came out first. He obviously knows that I am a man dressed as a woman wandering these streets at, had to be around 4am or so. What do you say? What could possible be a good answer? I looked at him and I said, this is what I do. He then asked what? Wow. Why these tough questions? These almost seemed more difficuklt to answer then explaining the theory of relativity. You know? Prostitution? Do I look like a prostitute? He looked, yes you do. You got runs up your pantyhose. I look down and couldn't believe this happened. I was mad. We can send people to the moon but can't create panthose that doesn't do this. I wasn't dure what he was saying after this because this really pissed me off. I was so worried when I left the house this was going to happen. It is embarrasing when this hasppens. At some point he was almost in my face as he obviously realized that what he was saying was much less important then my pantyhose and yelled. Are you a prostitute? So I explained to him that I was in the process of transitioning and I was getting ready to have surgery and fully transform my manly body into a beautiful woman. I am scared of surgeries, I hate pain, and couldn't sleep. I don't think he blieveed me but he told me that he recommended I return to my condominium. So I did. I quickly tried to walk with a feminine prance. I don't know what that meant. I go to the place I was staying and got to the door. It was locked. I didn't have a phone on me and where would I have put a phone. I was a sexy woman in a dress. So I quietly knocked. Nobody came. I started knocking louder and finally I heard her coming to the door. The door opened as I felt a relief and then that relief disappeared. The place we were staying was with a couple and the guy answered the door. He also recognized me which I couldn't understand. He said, what the fuck are you doing? Again, another question that was so hard to answer. Why was everybody asking mw these tough questions. I told him, just checking things out. In a dress, he said. This was the peak of strangeness. Yeah, what is wrong with wearing a dress. It is freeing, not constricting. He rolled his eyes and I went upstairs. I got up to the loft where I found her and told her that nobody was watching us but I did have a cop of accusing me of being a prostitute but it wasn't because we were being watched. I also told her that nobody bought that I was a woman. I was offended he called me sir. I am not a sir. I am not a prostitute. I am a morally, upstanding woman that would never take payment for sex. What kind of woman does he think I am. She looked at me, shook her head and said can I have my panties back.That was my life. Weird things become a brew while on meth. I have learned in sobriety, I can do those same things sober.

The pain I experienced in my life that was the greatest motivator was being arrested, my physical health was declining, family refused to support my behaviors, and my friends were either dead or in-custody . I was the lone soldier on January 3, 2002 when I was taken back into custody. Micah isn't doing a life term so will get out of custody but the question that comes in my mind. Will Paul, my guest being serving a life sentence as a result of Micah's actions and be imprisoned by fear or a day to day battle of trying to protect his son.

I wrote a chapter called our youth are in trouble and explored the failures of our educational system, question Tarasoff and introduce a crazy idea of teaching our kids how to think for themselves

Repetitive compulsive behavior's is our topic today. Some disorders are classified as impulse control disorder while some have their own classification such as eating disorders. Just so we don't confuse impulse-control disorders with obsessive compulsive disorders, I want to explain the different definitions. Impulse-control disorder is unable to resist an impulse that is harmful to the person involved in the behavior or others but started out as pleasurable. Also, there may be a rising sense of tension or arousal before committing the act, followed by gratification, pleasure, and then guilt over the consequences of the behavior.Obsessive-compulsive disorder is engaging in a repetitive activity not for pleasure but to reduce anxiety caused by obsessive thoughts.

A number of studies have found that sugar affects the brain's reward system, the same area of the brain implicated in the response to addictive drugs This reward system helps humans survive.Food is a natural reward, and sweet foods and drinks stimulate this system, causing you to eat more food.The most common foods associated with addictive symptoms are those high in added fats or added sugars.Sugar can also cause the release of endogenous opioids in the brain, which leads to a rush that may cause future cravings.Eating sugar regularly alters your brain so that it becomes tolerant to it, causing you to require more to get the same effect.The average American consumes 22–30 teaspoons of sugar every day. This is considerably more than the recommended maximum, which is 6 teaspoons (about 24 grams) for females and 9 teaspoons (about 36 grams) for males.Therefore, if your diet is high in added sugar, reducing your added sugar intake can cause withdrawal symptoms.

Chapter 16 of Pain, Failure and Misery are the Stepping Stones to Success. I began all chapters except one with a poem to present the premise of that chapter with creativity. I believe that this is a great intro to Kenneth. You have the power to decide your fate.Time is of the essence, so don't be late.Pain is your lesson and is a promise to be,While misery is a choice, so let yourself free. Anger will get you to want to give up.“I'll show you I swear” will sadly erupt.Why would you do this, not sure what you gain?You're hurting yourself and causing the pain Nixon was the one who declared “war on drugs.”Is heroin or meth an alive violent thug?It isn't the drug that's the enemy or abuser.We are at war with our sick and often dying user. Think of your thoughts—are they moving you forward,Or are they creating a world that's backing you in a corner?Once I decide that I can't stay clean,I am destined to relapse and return to the scene Pain is your friend, although it might sound strange.It gives us a sign when we fall out of range.How would you know if you stepped on a nail?Unless pain gave a warning and caused you to wail. Emotional pain seems harder to tolerate.Its hurt and fear that's so hard to compensate.Why do we numb those gifts of emotions?You will lose happiness in the deepest of oceans.The next lines are yours, so give this a try:Just jot down your pain in a song or a rhyme.Give it a twist with a positive spin.We are trying to turn your pain to a win.Your message today, I believe can inspire and give hope to those that may feel lost. I want to begin with your pain, before we set the stage for your success.

Is it healthy to not allow our young children to experience pain as we hear stories of eliminating speech classes so they don't feel too much anxiety? Maybe, as I am fighting to open up discussion about things that aren't comfortable talking about with my listeners or at high schools such as substance abuse, sex, or suicide awareness. Do we wait for our kids to experience these when they turn 18 and not have their parents to help them understand work through their stress? They go to college and have drugs put in their face and told how cool they are? This is precisely where the story of Buddhism started and it was with a loss of innocence. A young who had been raised in a life of royal ease, shielded from the misery and cruelties of the world outside the palace gates, distracted by sensual pleasures and luxurious living. But one day he saw the real world and it shook him to the core. He saw people suffering from sickness, old age and death; and was disturbed that this was our fate. He came across a holy man, and discarded his family, fortune and kingdom in pursuit of the path of liberation. The major question that he sought to answer was: "How may suffering be ended?" He wandered, meditated, studied with various teachers, and attained high states of consciousness; but he did not find the answer to his question. He tried everything he could think of, almost to the point of death by starvation, and nothing. He finally sat under a bodhi tree, and eventually attained enlightenment; he became the Buddha -- the Awakened One. He had ascended through various stages of meditative awareness, he had seen all of his past lives, and he had seen directly into reality, into the nature of existence and the causes of suffering and rebirth. He pondered whether to try to teach these insights, so subtle and difficult to grasp to others. Finally he decided that at least some of the people would be able to understand; perhaps more importantly, they could be shown the path to arrive at these insights themselves. He gave his first sermon to a few disciples and then continued to wander and teach for the next forty-five years, until his death at the age of eighty. Stay tuned as my guest today is going to bring the east to the west and we are going to learn how “Perspective” leads to inner peace, contentment, and fulfillment. Maybe, learn how to eliminate suffering and find a cure for the pain of human existence as this was Buddhas main concern.

What does it mean to be your truly authentic self? Humanistic psychologists would say that by definition, authentic people possess a number of common characteristics that show they are psychologically mature and fully functioning as human beings. They... 1. Have realistic perceptions of reality. 2. Are accepting of themselves and of other people. 3. Are thoughtful. 4. Have a non-hostile sense of humor. 5. Are able to express their emotions freely and clearly. 6. Are open to learning from their mistakes. 7. Understand their motivations. If behind what a person says and does is a defensive and self-deceptive approach to life, then no matter how passionate and committed they are to a cause, ultimately they are not being true to themselves. Authenticity is ultimately about those qualities that show healthy non-defensive functioning and psychological maturity. Those are the qualities we need to look for. When you commit to being your authentic self, you start to learn what truly makes you happy. Fidelity is characterized by the ability to commit to others and acceptance of others even with differences. Identity crisis is the result of role confusion and can cause the adolescent to try out different lifestyles.