Today, September 1, kicks off the month-long series of awareness and prevention events that mark the 2009 National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month. All month long, various charity walks, open air concert, guest speakers, and festivities will celebrate the value of recovery and rally to spread the message that help is available today for those who suffer from the illness of addiction.

One such rally is the “South Florida Rally for Recovery,” which takes place September 12, 2009, in Downtown Miami, Fl. The rally is a day-long event, sponsored by the recovery social-networking site: intherooms.com, and includes food, charity, sharing, and most of all, the spirit of addiction recovery.

Right now, the South Florida Rally for Recovery is asking for the help of the recovery community to support the event. The idea is to raise money for recovery scholarships that would equal the distance of the charity walk, 5 miles, if quarters were laid down end to end to complete the route.

The event envisions thousands making the cause possible and asks that people in recovery, along with their friends and family members, spread the word about the event. Currently, the charitable walk asks for a donation of $9.00 to participate, which includes entrance to the day long scheduled festivities and speakers, and also includes entrance to the evening concert featuring Eric Burdon and the Animals (House of the Rising Sun).

Regardless of whether you can make the event or not, the South Florida Rally for Recovery encourages people that want to take part of National Recovery Month to donate anything they possibly can, be it a penny or a million dollars; every little bit helps fund the recovery scholarships awarded as part of National Recovery Month, which provide addicts the life-changing treatment they require.

Every day, Holistic Health Magazine.com’s John Hollis hosts the two-hour “Holistic Lifestyles Radio Show.” The show covers a slew of topics but regularly highlights addiction recovery.

Just yesterday, August 20, 2009, the radio show had guests Ron Tannenbaum and Ken Pomerance, who are the founders of one of the biggest social-networking websites for people in recovery called IntheRooms.com.

One of the things mentioned, to give an example, was how much the tone and discussion about recovery has changed in the last 25 years since Ron and Ken began the process.

They mentioned how people in those days were very discreet, and how many people thought of addicts as people who lived under bridges in the “BAD” part of town.

They went on to say how much the general attitude has changed, and how the internet has made it much easier for people to have sincere conversations about their addiction comfortably.

They summed it up by saying that the face of addiction is much more realistic and open now. The addict is no longer seen as the guy under the bridge, but rather, as everyday people from a neighbor, to a family member, a co-worker, or a best friend.

The show went on to discuss how social-networking sites specifically geared towards people in recovery, such as intherooms.com, has brought people together across fellowship lines (AA, NA, GA, OA, MA, etc) and given them a place where they can get together between fellowship meetings and discuss their worries, fears, insecurities, accomplishments, health, feelings, mental state, etc.

For anyone interested in hearing more about Holistic Health Magazine.com’s “Holistic Lifestyles Radio Show,” check out the following link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/HolisticHealthTalk

The radio show’s daily schedule is as follows: Monday – Friday (2 p.m. to 3 p.m.);
Saturday (4 p.m. to 6 p.m.); and Sunday (9 p.m. to 11 p.m.).

Holistic Health Magazine was founded 25 years ago by Keith McManus, Founder and CEO. Originally the magazine could only be found in print, and its circulation was limited to South Florida.

In the years since, Holistic Health Magazine is still going strong, in-print, with national circulation to more than 182 book sellers but has also expanded to an online version, HolisticHealthMagazine.com, which has received much success since its inception.

The Magazine’s philosophy can be summed up perfectly by the words of its founder Keith McManus who said:

“There is nothing that matters more to me than making a positive difference to uplift the lives of others in any way possible…Holistic Health Practices…lead me to spearhead a magazine…that connects incredible people from all over the globe…making a true difference in people’s lives…”

IntheRooms recently announced that their concert, as part of the day-long National Recovery Month event, will be headlined by “Rock N Roll Hall of Famers” Eric Burdon & the Animals.  For those who may not be familiar with the performers, Eric Burdon & the Animals, they are best known for their 60’s super hits, “The House of the Rising Sun” and “We Gotta Get Out of This Place.”

As it stands, the event is scheduled to begin at 8:30am with a 6K walk for charity that will circle the Macarthur Causeway of South Beach.  After that, all participants will return to home base at Bicentennial Park (Downtown Miami) for some early afternoon speakers, children’s activities and food.  Finally, the evening will be capped off with a headlining performance by Eric Burdon & the Animals.

For those interested, the South Florida Rally for Recovery will take place on September 12, 2009.  Participation to the event will cost $9.00 and will include entrance to the concert.  All proceeds raised by the event will go to the Intherooms, not-for-profit, recovery foundation, which raises community awareness on addiction recovery, helps fund treatment programs, and also awards treatment scholarships.

Beginning today, Monday June 29, 2009, any Facebook member will be able to download an IntheRooms.com application that will personalize their profile by displaying their personal recovery time and the collective recovery time of ITR members, which already totals more than 100,000 years. The idea was to bring IntheRooms into Facebook to promote recovery and encourage people to join and get help with their addiction.

The cool new app will have an option that allows friends in Facebook to access the registration page of ITR. Currently, IntheRooms is one of the leading social networking websites for people in recovery. It now has 50,000+ members worldwide and is growing everyday. One of the things that makes IntheRooms so unique is that it transcends all fellowship boundaries. No matter whether in NA, GA, OA or SA, anyone can join, set up groups, make friends in recovery and help support one another.

I was recently turned on to the “Changing Lives Foundation” website (changinglivesfoundation.org) by a fellow writer in recovery, so I thought I would check it out. After clicking through the site and reading the different sections, I found it very informative, as it is all about recovery, and maintains a very positive attitude about the recovering individual’s personal power to overcome their addictions.

The “Changing Lives Foundation” notes its mission on the website: “Changing Lives Foundation is committed to bringing to the public clear and concise information on substance abuse, drug addiction, alcoholism and compulsive behaviors. Perhaps more importantly, we focus on how individuals and families recover from these problems.”

The site was founded by, recovering addict/author/counselor, Joe Herzanek and his wife Judy. Interestingly enough, Joe has personal experience with recovery, as he now has over 30 years of abstinence from substances; this knowledge is really reflected at the Changing Lives Foundation website.

Additionally, Joe Herzanek continues to be an active member of the recovery community; he currently counsels recovering inmates, their family members and others in the community. He has also written his popular and effective recovery book titled, “Why Don’t They Just QUIT?.” For more information on Joe and his book “Why Don’t They Just QUIT?,” visit the official website at: www.whydonttheyjustquit.com

The South Florida Rally for Recovery and the InTheRooms foundation would like people to donate artwork to the foundation, so it can auction it off on eBay to raise funds for the South Florida Rally for Recovery.

Recovery Arts will be fielding any emails from possible donators who want to give for the great cause. Please send us a message anytime through June to: ernestosthompson@gmail.com. IntheRooms plans to have the ebay auction promptly after June, so please send any inquiries before then.

All funds raised from the charity auction will go towards the South Florida Rally for Recovery, which IntheRooms will be hosting September 12, 2009 at Bicentennial Park (Downtown Miami) as part of National Alcohol and Recovery Month.

The event will include a 5k walk around the Miami Beach area, food, guest speakers, a free concert, and much more. For more information, please visit the official website at: Rally for Recovery

For those who don’t know, IntheRooms.com is a recovery networking website dedicated to connecting people in recovery all over the world with online support on the web.

“What got me started on putting my photography to use in recovery was my search for one of those tear off 365 day calendars about AA. After searching for a few years and not having any luck, decided maybe someday I would make one. So I started by sending photos with AA sayings to friends. This expanded to my own website and a daily “Sober Inspiration” email every day.”

“What I have found along the way is how it influences my sobriety. I “try” to go daily to our “Attitude Adjustment” AA 6 am meeting. I listen for those nuggets when people talk about being sober. At last count I am up to about 700, and adding daily, so I have lots to work with. It gives me purpose in sobriety to pursue my passion for photography. I especially like macrophotograpy. It gives me a chance to have a close-up view of recovery, to see the little things that escape our daily struggles. The things I overlooked when loaded.”

My motto is:
Sights from my camera with Insights about recovery – together we can stay sober.

Charlie G Story – Pt. 2

When I got to the hospital, a doctor (It would turn out to be Robert Cullen, head of pediatric neurology) came out and told me that Joy had been dead when found by her mother, but that the police and paramedics had been able to get her heart beating again. She still was not breathing on her own and she had suffered massive brain damage from the lack of oxygen. He then went back into the operating room.

After countless hours (I do remember homicide detectives questioning us because Joy was not suppose to make it, and then going to get the chair), we were allowed to see her.

My beautiful, blonde haired, blue eyed daughter, who I had just spent the day laughing and playing with, YESTERDAY, lay unmoving on the bed. Joy was in a coma. A bolt had been drilled (drilled!) into her head to ease and monitor the swelling of her brain. Over the next few weeks a hole was cut into her throat and a tube inserted so a machine could breath for her and her stomach was cut open, a tube inserted and then stapled shut, so liquid food could be poured into her to feed her. After a couple of months, finally, Joy came out of the coma.

It would have been better if she’d stayed sleeping.

Joy was now in a vegetative state, blind, deaf and paralyzed as her body struggled with the erratic signals it was getting from her brain. Dr. Cullen and 2 other neurosurgeons asked us to sign a no-code, allowing Joy to die. They said she had only erratic electrical signals coming from her brain stem and she could lay like that for 30 or 40 years.

At first Becky and I both disagreed, we were sure we could get her to ‘wake up’.

I rubbed hot and cold wash clothes on her arms and legs, telling her “This is hot Joy” or “This is cold, honey”. I dipped a q-tip in sugar water and lemon juice, rubbing it on her tongue. I took colored gels from a spotlight at work and shined different colored lights in her eyes, telling her what each color was. I read every medical book and journal on neurology I could; even finding an experimental drug that was being used on brain damaged patients in Europe, to open new neuro pathways. Her doctors agreed to try it, saying, “Why not?”

It didn’t help.

Blank Canvas (Creating A New Life) is an inspirational documentary film that follows six women who use the medium of art to push through their struggles with substance abuse and recovery. According to the official website at www.blankcanvasmovie.com, the film promises a “transformational journey,” but one that is, “both tragic and triumphant.”

The six artists in recovery featured in Blank Canvas (Creating A New Life) come closer to understanding their sensitive characteristics, which pushed them into addiction, but also embrace the same emotional spirit to understand themselves as artists and work towards their recovery. According to the official synopsis, “We discover an inspirational community of artistic support that grows around six women.” It also hints that “not everyone survives.”

Blank Canvas (Creating A New Life) received acclaim at the Women’s Film Festival (San Francisco) when its director, Ashley Phelps, who is also in recovery, received the award of “Best Emerging Film Maker” for the documentary film. In the most courageous manner, Phelps not only decided to make this provocative film but also appears in it as one of the six artists in recovery whose interviews and artwork are featured.

We were lucky enough, recently, to have Ashley Phelps share her thoughts on Blank Canvas with us:           
“I hoped to make a film that talked about addiction and recovery from a more personal angle, in order to counter the stigma associated with substance abuse. By relating the struggle to the human condition in a more general way, and talking about recovery through artistic creation, I hope to demystify the process and encourage those who are seeking help.”

I recently came across a website called “Recovery Self Help Project.” I thought it was pretty cool because it uses the wikipedia format, so people whom known about recovery can add to the articles and aid those seeking recovery information. The article most recent published, “How to Stop Drinking,” gives a comprehensive overview of all the approaches to stop drinking.

Basically, the article is broken into the following section (each with an in-depth analysis):
Pt. I: What you need to know before you try to quit drinking; Pt. II: Health and the Medical profession; Pt. III: Different approaches to stop drinking; Pt. IV Creating a personal plan to stop drinking––some questions to help you.

I thought the article was excellent because it presented the whole spectrum of alcoholism, and the approaches to overcome it, in an unbiased way. Personally, I sided with the part of the article that spoke about alcoholism as being more than just an addiction; the fact is that alcoholism is usually the symptom for a greater problem that is often spiritual or emotional.

Really, the 12 step program of the AA fellowship really helps the alcoholic in recovery to begin focusing inwardly so the healing of these problems can commence and a full recovery achieved.