Five Common Signs of a Drug Overdose

FOREVER 27 CLUB

(musicians who overdosed at age 27)

* Jim Morrison - heroin overdose

* Janis Joplin - heroin overdose and alcohol

* Jimi Hendrix - sleeping pills and wine 

Forever 27 Club: Musicians who died at the tender age of 27

According to the Centers for Disease Control, drug overdose now ranks as a leading cause of preventable death, second only to car accidents.

Many times a drug overdose is accidental.  A night of partying turns into a night of accidental overindulgence leading to an overdose.  An  overdose is the use of a substance in a toxic amount.  Below are five common signs to watch for if you think a person is having an overdose: 

1. CHANGE IN VITAL SIGNS: The vital signs are temperature, pulse rate, breathing rate and blood pressure.  Vital signs can be too high or too low - or not at all.

2. DROWSY OR CONFUSED: A person who has become intoxicated may become confused or drowsy.  If they are overdosing they may fall asleep and into a coma.  Some people will die from passing out, throwing up and choking. 

3.  HOT OR CLAMMY SKIN:  Touch the skin - check for coolness, sweaty skin, or hot and dry.

4.  CHEST PAIN: Pain in the chest could be a problem with the heart or lungs.  There may be difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath.  Breathing could be rapid, slow, shallow or labored.

5. ABDOMEN PAIN:  Nausea and pain in the abdomen may occur with an overdose.  The person may vomit or have diarrhea.  There may even be throwing up of blood or blood in the stool. 

Overdoses are preventable deaths.  Be aware and call for help if you think someone you know is having a sign of possible overdose.  Never be afraid to call emergency help. You may save a life.

More Famous Overdoses:

Model Anna Nicole Smith - pill overdose

Musician Sid Vicious - heroin overdose

Actor Heath Ledger - prescription pills overdose

Singer Whitney Houston - prescription pills
Singer Michael Jackson - acute propofol intoxication 

For more information on substance abuse and addiction check out: www.stages2change.com

Recovery and Latch Key Children

Microwave Explosion

I opened the microwave to heat up a tamale and cheese.  As I opened the door, my eyes got wide and my thoughts of horror turned into angry words. "What happened! Who did this!" I screamed at my 7 year old son and husband lounging in his recliner. The story unfolds . . . .yesterday I was out of town at a meeting.  My husband had carpal tunnel surgery on his hand. After they got home, my husband fell asleep in the recliner.  

My son was hungry and decided to make his own dinner.  He found a can of spaghetti in the pantry and placed it in the microwave.  The spaghetti exploded. 

Learning to cook is a life skill.

When I looked into the microwave this morning, in addition to seeing dried red spaghetti on all the walls I did see some wipe marks where there was an attempt to clean up the mess.  This morning my son said,  "Mama, it is ok because I made another spaghetti . . . and this time I took the metal top off." 

Many kids today are cooking for themselves when their parents are not available.  Parents may still be at work when their children get home from school.  A "latchkey kid" is a name given to a child who comes home to an empty house.  Sometimes children are left home alone while parents run an errand.  

How old must a child be to be left home alone? 

According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, "Supervision of children is basic to the prevention of harm. Adequate supervision means an adult caregiver is accountable for the child's care.  Although, there is no Texas law that defines a specific age at which a child may be left home alone, there are several factors that should be taken into consideration when deciding how closely to supervise a child, including:

• the age, emotional maturity and capability of the child;
• layout and safety of the home, play area, or other setting;
• neighborhood circumstances, hazards, and risks;
• the child's ability to respond to illness, fire, weather, or other types of emergencies; and
• whether the child has a mental, physical, or medical disability.

The number of children left unsupervised, the accessibility to other responsible adults, the length of time or frequency with which the child is left alone, and the child's knowledge of the parent's whereabouts are additional relevant factors."

Learning to cook and care for oneself is a part of growing up.  Adults are given the responsibility of training children.  As children mature, they are able to take on more responsibility and develop healthy life skills. 

www.stages2change.com

War on Drugs - 40th Anniversary

40 Million Arrested 
for Drug Charges

The 40th Anniversary of the War on Drugs is Friday, June 17th. 

Blocks of Cocaine

President Richard Nixon declared the War On Drugs in 1971.  
He told the general public, "Drug Abuse was the number one public enemy in the United States."  Congress was instructed to provide legislation and money to set the War on Drugs in motion.Since 1971, there have been over 40 million people arrested and charged with drug offenses.  

Asian Heroin

The (NPR) National Public Radio created a timeline of the War on Drugs.  They included famous Drug Lords like Carlos Lehder, co-founder of the Medellin cartel, Colombian King Pin Pablo Escobar, Convicted drug trafficker and Panamanian Gen. Manuel Noriega.   The question is . . .has the War on Drugs been effective?  Some say yes and some say no.  Whatever you may say . . . The war still rages.  


I am wondering if 40 million individuals have been arrested for drug offenses, how many families have been scarred through the impact of drugs.  

If the War on Drugs is not the answer - what is?  How can we take a stand against drug trafficking, drug abuse, drug crime and stand for positive change - change that creates healthy individuals and families . . . .what are your thoughts?

To read the NPR article check out: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9252490

To learn more about overcoming addiction check out my website at: www.stages2change.com

Three Sets of Rules for Healthy Communication

Communication: Moving from Disrespect to Respect

Couples can learn how to have healthy communication.

Does your conversation with your spouse ever sound like this:

Husband, "Honey, I am home."

Wife, "Great! Today is trash day."

Husband. "I just got home, I want to rest before I take out the trash."

Wife, "I did not say you needed to take it out NOW."

Husband, "YOU just said  'it is trash day' which means you want me to take it out!"

Wife, "No, I was just reminding you - I did not want to forget."

Husband, "What's for dinner?"

Wife, "I am not your slave!  I just got home 15 minutes ago - maybe YOU could pick something up for dinner on the way home."

Husband, "Geez, you are moody - is it PMS again?"

Wife, "Go watch the news and leave me alone!"

Husband, "Women!"

Coming home from work is a transition time.  It is a time when a person goes from the pressures of the work day to the relaxation of the evening.  When a person comes home from work, they are often tired and hungry.  A transition time is needed to allow the thoughts of the work day to slip away.  Husbands and wives may have different pressing needs at the end of the work day.  This transition into the evening hours may not always go smoothly.  

I know, because I had this issue with my spouse.  My husband and I had moved from communicating kind pleasantries to attacking each other with a regular stream of disrespect.  We misunderstood each other.  He would say something and I would read into his words thinking he meant something else.  Instead of communicating we had begun to defend ourselves, which led to constant disrespect.

The disrespect had increased to the level where we needed to go to a marriage counselor to help us understand each other.  

Counselor Mary was a great mediator.  The first thing she did was let us vent all our frustrations.  She would listen to my husband and his stories and complaints.  Than she would listen to my complaints and hurts.  After about three visits, she gave us a tool to help us begin to have healthy communication.  She even made us practice this tool in her office. We learned how to respect each other.  Counselor Mary helped us to see we were not each others enemies.  She helped us to see we had a communication problem that could be corrected.  She gave us a tool to use that has helped us to respect each other again. Perhaps this tool will help you as you seek to communicate with someone.  It helps if both understand how the Speaker Listener Technique works.  Here is the tool she gave us:

Couples can move from disrespect to respect.

Speaker Listener Technique

First - Rules for the Speaker

1. Speak for yourself, don't mind read.

2. Keep statements brief. Don't go on and on.

3. Stop to let the listener paraphrase.

Second - Rules for the Listener

1. Paraphrase what you hear.

2. Focus on the speaker's message. Don't rebut.

Third - Rules for Both

1. The speaker has the floor.

2. Speaker keeps the floor while the listener paraphrases.

3. Share the floor.

I am a addictions and recovery counselor.  My counseling is designed to help a person to learn how to move through the process of change from an unhealthy lifestyle into a healthy lifestyle.  

If you have a question on communication or living a healthy life - please send me an email. 

www.stages2change.com

Blackout Number 999

Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired

I don't know how I got here.

My weekend started out with plans for a great time.  Friday night - Happy Hour with friends.   Half price drinks, free munchies and cute girls.  Saturday - a day in the park, drinking beer, hanging out with friends, and playing Frisbee with my dog.  Saturday night - a date and a concert. After the date, the night is still young - so off to a club to listen to more music.  Alcohol, cocaine, more alcohol, cocaine, lots more alcohol . . . when I awake I do not know where I am or how I got here.  

I have been having "so much fun" in my blackout - that I do not remember:

* Throwing up on myself

* Getting into a fight 

* Having my car towed

* Losing my way home

* Sleeping in the alley next to a bunch of trash

As I replay the weekend events . . . I remember thinking I was ready for a GREAT weekend.  I believed I was in total control.  I have crossed limits with my partying in the past.  This time I did not think I would go "over the limit."  

Truth is, I have never had a limit.  

I party like a rock star . . . . until I pass out.  I have been doing this for years.  And I have been thinking I can "handle it." 

I cannot "handle it."  Many times I have woken up and not remembered the night before. I have blackouts.  This time it was different.  This time I woke up in the streets and I had no recollection of how I got there.  Where was my car?  Did I drive myself or get a ride?  Who was I with? Did I hurt anyone? 

I woke up alone with people passing me by on the streets.  I felt like dirt.  

I asked myself, is this the kind of life I want?  

My head hurts. I have barf on my shirt.  

I do not remember how I got here.  

I am sick and tired of being sick and tired . . . is there any way out? 

Will this ever end?

I remember it is Sunday . . . Grandma is in church today.  

People are praying on Sunday. 

I cry out to God in my desperation . . . . 

"Jesus Help me!"

If you can relate to this story, and are ready to make a change, there is hope and there is help.  For more information on addiction or to set up a free consultation check us out at:

www.stages2change.com