Celebration of Success - August 25 Alumni Day

On Thursday August 25th, 2011 at 12:30 pm, the Orchard invites all Alumni to our second annual Celebration of Success! Come be part of the fun, food and fellowship. There will be a BBQ lunch, upbeat music, outrageous games and tons of hilarity. "We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness", is one of the AA promises. Recovery is freedom. Recovery is fun... and if you are not having fun, you are not doing it right! There is a lot to celebrate when we walk free from addiction. Bring back good, positive and funny memories. Your story is a powerful tool to inspire and engage, as well as a great opportunity to enlighten the lives of others.

Orchard alumni and staff will get together for a fun-filled afternoon of golf at the Bowen Island Golf Course on Thursday, September 22nd at 1:00pm sharp. The course is beautiful and only nine holes. It is suitable for all levels of golfers including beginners. The format will be "best ball". A team will consist of four players. Details of "best ball" will be provided at the golf course. This is a just-for-fun tournament for all levels of golfers! Prizes will be awarded for silly accomplishments. This golf tournament will be a blast!

GOLF COSTS Golf ................ $40.00 Club Rental ..... $17.00 Power Carts .... $18.00 Push cart ........ $ 4.00 Note: Club rentals are limited We will car pool from the Orchard to the golf course.

The Orchard Recovery Center, along with Writers In Treatment, is proud to announce the highly-anticipated Canadian debut of the Reel Recovery Film Festival (RRFF) October 21-23, 2011 at Vancouver's District 319 event venue.

"We are honoured and excited to be part of this groundbreaking festival," says The Orchard's AnnMarie McCullough. "Los Angeles hosted the RRFF in 2009 and 2010 so Vancouver was the perfect choice, since we're often referred to as 'Hollywood North.'"

The Reel Recovery Film Festival promises to not only alter the way attendees view addiction and recovery, but to celebrate the creative minds currently redefining substance abuse and rehabilitation.

Whether you are a novelist, screenwriter, cinephile, addict or a part of the remaining two per cent of the population- prepare to share an honest experience with a healthy mix of perspectives: entertainment icons, top therapists and total strangers, all with one commonality - an appreciation for the journey through addiction and the resulting lessons learned.

Betty Ford (1918-2011)

On July 8th, Betty Ford died at the age of 93. Mrs. Ford will be remembered for her fearlessness in speaking her truth regardless of public opinion. She was a leader of the Women's Movement and was unafraid to comment on any topic, regardless of its controversy. After a Ford family intervention in 1978, Betty tackled her alcoholism and pill addiction and parlayed her own successful recovery into the creation of the Betty Ford Clinic, a leading center in the battle against alcoholism and other chemical dependencies. Betty received a mastectomy in 1974 to battle her breast cancer, and her open discussion of the surgery and healing process shed light on a taboo issue and helped other women gain the courage to pursue treatment and was the catalyst for more medical research into the proper treatment of the disease.

Ford's recovery from alcohol and pills took place at Long Beach Naval Hospital, and the experience was chronicled on her influential memoir, A Glad Awakening.

The Betty Ford Clinic has treated over 90,000 patients, but Ford's contributions to the fight against alcoholism and addiction has led to many more success stories than only those of her particular business. Her personal recovery helped open a dialogue on these life threatening illnesses and has been paramount to the evolution of all aspects of drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

We at The Orchard can only hope to follow in her footsteps.

-Luke Winckler

Zopiclone

Zopiclone, also known as Imovane, is a drug often intended as a "less addictive" alternative to benzodiazepines. Zopiclone is a tranquiliser that depresses the Central Nervous System. Unfortunately, the body adapts to this tranquilisation and, as a result, can become addicted to the substance. Zopiclone is a Schedule IV controlled substance in the United States under the Controlled Substances Act. It is part of a group called "Z drugs". It is intended for use as a sleep aid for those with insomnia, with additional anti-axiety effects through depression of the CNS. It effects short term memory and motor skills. A publication in the New Zealand Medical Journal referred to Zopiclone as "a benzodiazepine in disguise". A World Health Organization assessment of Zopiclone drew similarities between Zopiclone and Benzos in their chemical interactions with the CNS, their toxicity and their withdrawal effects.

Zopiclone can also cause changes in taste perception, hallucinations, nightmares, agitation, aggression, irritability, confusion, depression, nausea, vomiting, and an increase in respiratory viral infections.

Zopiclone dependence/addiction has been found to be prevalent among users who already have underlying issues of addiction ("a history of drug abuse") or mental health problems like depression, leading to abuse by polydrugusers, which is extremely dangerous due to Zopiclone's interaction with other drugs or alcohol. A Swedish study (Johansson et al. 2003) found that alcoholic patients were much more likely to be dependent on legal psychotropic drugs than their non-alcoholic counterparts.

Those who abuse the drug report that it provides a sense of euphoria (after a phase of "fighting off" lethargy). Memory loss and loss of motorskills is common with high doses, with the potential for hallucinations.

Like other controlled substances, Zopiclone has medicinal benefits. However, the increasing frequency of its abuse is cause for attention, and it is important to raise awareness of its addictive potential. Zopiclone should only be used as prescribed.

-Luke Winckler

Marijuana

The number of addicts seeking treatment for marijuana use has increased both nationally and internationally in recent years. While remaining fair in our judgments and aware of both sides of the debate concerning marijuana use, our experiences at The Orchard with those seeking treatment for marijuana addiction make it clear that local culture may be closed-minded to the problems that marijuana can and does cause for many of its users. The stigma of marijuana as a creative outlet and a bohemian accessory glamorizes a substance that for many can be detrimental to a fulfilling life. Simply because marijuana causes addiction at lower rates than alcohol or heroin does not mean that it should be seen as harmless. It isn't. Clinical studies have shown psychological dependence on cannabis and distinct withdrawal syndromes, although physical dependence on cannabis is yet to be proven. Additionally, heavy marijuana users have been found to also suffer from depression, schizophrenia and personality disorders at rates higher than users of other drugs. While one of the basic laws of statistics is that correlation does not necessarily imply causation, these parallels are certainly alarming and worth heavy consideration. A common conclusion of some studies is that while marijuana use does not cause these psychological disorders, it can be the impetus for an earlier onset of mental health problems and an elevation of the disorders' symptoms. In laymen's terms, the main conclusion is essentially that marijuana does not cause problems itself, but that it brings problems to the surface to those who were already at risk.

One of the least debated side effects of marijuana is its effect on brain tissue and decreased memory function. Studies have conclusively shown long-term abuse of marijuana to cause damage to the hippocampus and amygdala regions of the brain. Heavy marijuana abusers have reported that the drug not only causes physical problems, but also negatively effects "measures of life achievement" such as social life and career status.

A 2009 study by "Monitoring the Future" found that 5.2% of 12th grade students reported daily marijuana use and a decreasing sense of disapproval towards marijuana use. Widespread use of marijuana by youth is indicative of the perception our culture has towards marijuana, its stigma as a safe drug, and the degree to which it is engrained in local everyday life.

Withdrawal symptoms can include restlessness, depression, and irritability. One of the reasons for the increasing dangers of marijuana abuse is the increasingly potent levels of THC in marijuana. According to the University of Mississippi, average THC levels in cannabis samples between 1975 and 2007 have increased from 4% in 1983 to 9.6% in 2007.

While it is certainly true that some may be overzealous in their persecution of marijuana use, it is much more common to find that people are either unaware of or choose to ignore marijuana's negative effects. They exist, and we must acknowledge them.

-Luke Winckler

Big Book Passage of the Month:

"We never apologize to anyone for depending upon our [Higher Power]. We can laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness. Paradoxically, it is the way of strength. The verdict of the ages is that faith means courage. All men [and women] of faith have courage."

12 and 12 Passage of the Month:

"Creation gave us instincts for a purpose. Without them we wouldn't be complete human beings. If men and women didn't exert themselves to be secure in their persons, made no effort to harvest food or construct shelter, there would be no survival. If they didn't reproduce, the earth wouldn't be populated. If there were no social instinct, if men cared nothing for the society of one another, there would be no society. So these desires - for the sex relation, for material and emotional security, and for companionship - are perfectly necessary and right, and surely God-given. Yet these instincts, so necessary for our existence, often far exceed their proper functions. Powerfully, blindly, many times subtly, they drive us, dominate us, and insist upon ruling our lives… Step Four is our vigorous and painstaking effort to discover what these liabilities in each of us have been, and are… By discovering what our emotional deformities are, we can move toward their correction. Without a willing and persistent effort do to this, there can be little sobriety or contentment for us. Without a searching and fearless moral inventory, most of us have found that the faith which really works in daily living is still out of reach."

Interventions

Through intervention the addict is given the opportunity to enter treatment that could be life-saving.

Intervention is usually undertaken because the family is tired of watching a loved one destroy her or him self. The drug or alcohol addicted person is often the last one to know her or his condition. Denial can be thought of as an acronym for Don't Even Notice I Am Lying.

Addicts actually believe their own lies -- that's the delusional nature of drug and alcohol addiction. There are the same negative consequences in all areas of their lives.

Most often the families bring in the interventionist as a last resort. They've tried everything else from giving the addicted person money, to imposing restrictions, to hiring him or her in the family business, to letting him or her live in the basement, etc. These are enabling behaviors and do nothing to help the addict.

The actual intervention is the result of extensive planning. The first step is to find when a bed will be available at a drug addiction treatment center. Those who will be involved in the intervention are sent details of the process to make sure they are all "on the same page." A two-hour pre-planning meeting is set up with all participants (except the addict) in attendance. This involves education about addiction and an explanation of what happens in treatment.

The pre-planning meeting is often a very cathartic and therapeutic experience for family members. Addicts tend to compartmentalize their lives. They will always take one person, whom they identify as a "softie," and get them to enable their habit. For example, "I haven't eaten in three days. Please give me some money. Don't tell Dad." (The money is spent on drugs or alcohol -- not food.) People are amazed to learn that others in the group have heard the same stories and lies.

At the pre-planning meeting the family members agree to write letters expressing their love and concern for the addict. Each letter ends with: "I want you to seek help today" and may also outline consequences if the person does not go to treatment (e.g., "or you will not be allowed to keep working in the family business").

The interventionist vets the letters and meets with the group just prior to the intervention to plan logistics. The intervention will come as a surprise to the addict. For those participating, the intervention is emotionally draining.

The interventionist is not emotionally involved and, therefore, cannot be manipulated by the addict.

At the intervention each participant reads his or her letter. This is a very emotional process. People often see family members cry for the first time ever. The people involved in the intervention are those whom the addict respects and will listen to. Those with whom the addict has a bad history are not invited.

The addict is being asked only to consider how his or her behavior has affected others. She or he is not given an opportunity to respond. The family has prepared a suitcase and she or he is off to treatment. The addict will resist but the interventionist will be firm.

Because the interventionist is not emotionally involved he will not back down. It's crunch time -- the addict goes to treatment or suffers the full consequences of his or her behavior. In most cases the addict will have a moment of clarity and will go to treatment.

It's a great moment when an addict accepts help. Intervention works because the family then recognizes the problem. They can now start to work on overcoming the trauma in the family caused by the addict and his or her behavior.

Daryl Samson
Program Director, Orchard Drug and Alcohol Addiction Center

Random act of Kindness of the Month:

The next time a homeless man or woman asks you for money, not only offer to buy them food and/or a drink, but also take two or three minutes to talk to them. A couple of dollars or a sandwich may not mean as much to them as your showing that you actually view them as a human being worth spending time with.

Applying the Steps:

About a year ago a classmate was telling all of us involved in a group project together that she had just been hired to become a flight attendant on a high-class airline. Her job would involve flying between Vancouver and Abu Dhabi, spending free time in an all-expenses paid apartment on top of a $10,000 a month salary.

While the other group members congratulated her, I sat quietly. I found myself overcome with a sense of annoyance. Why was I only making $10 an hour when a girl a year younger than me was about to make over a hundred grand in a year? Why not me? What did she do to get so much more than me other than being born attractive?

Sometimes these negative thoughts come over me without warning. I am not a perfectly spiritual being in tune with the universe and enlightenment. I sometimes get resentful, sometimes live outside of gratitude, and sometimes feel annoyed by this world and the people in it.

Luckily, I had recently completed Step 10. I was able to recognize the negativity of my thought process and try to correct it. I was being self-seeking, and I knew that this was wrong. I was feeling that the world should give me something, rather than me giving something to the world.

When good things happen to someone, I need to be happy for them. If I am a positive-thinking human being, and can feel genuinely happy to see others succeed, I will see positive things happen in my life and I will myself be on the road to success.