Desert Messenger

26 www.DesertMessenger.com February 15, 2017 5 things to know if someone you love is addicted to painkillers maybe just liberal). I don't know what "box" to put John in; he is really one-of- a-kind. Let's just say he is to the far, far, far left. When the war started in Iraq, John hung an upside-down American fl ag in his store window. That REALLY upset a lot of people, don't 'cha know. A dead coyote was thrown at the door of his shop. John was interviewed, and there were letters to the editor and arti- cles in a lot of local, as well as national, newspapers. Soon the police chief and two of his deputies came a knockin' on John's door. They told him to take down the upside-down fl ag. Noticing the holstered guns they carried, he did, but not without protest. Soon the ACLU was involved -- maybe a hint of a lawsuit. Seems there was a freedom- of-speech issue here. The police chief was quoting a law that was obsolete years ago. To make a long story short, John had a perfect right to display the fl ag upside-down, but he didn't put it back up. I don't know why. (Sometimes you just get weary of fi ghting battles for what you believe in; I know I do.) Now a very large peace symbol hangs in the window. I asked John whether he thought the fl ag issue hurt his busi- ness. Of course, there's no way of know- ing, but he thought it might even have HELPED his business. There are a lot of alternative-culture people around here, as well as right-wing, coyote-throwing, rednecks. The day I met John, I was heading to the Great Sand Dunes National Monu- ment for a few days of camping; so I said good-by to him, but not before we agreed to go roller skating in the park when I got back. (I bought roller blades for myself a few years ago as a birthday present. I thought it a fi tting gift for someone my age -- kind of an I'll-show- you-how-young-I-am, in-your-face de- fi ance of fast becoming a "senior." The skates are under the bed in my camper in a box I've never opened. I've been in Alamosa more than a month now, and the roller blades are still in the box, but there have been walks by the lovely wetlands along the Rio Grande River at sunset, the Farmers' Market on Saturdays where the smell of fresh roasting chilies fi lls the air and organic produce abounds, to John's mom's for dinner and canasta (Mother's love me), the free fi lm series (The Prisoner) at the college on Thursday evenings, shared vegan meals, and a trip to view the fall color in the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountains, just to mention a few. My original ending to this story said: "I don't know how to end this story; perhaps it has no ending, so I will just close with: to be continued." But it has ended, as I am leaving Alamosa on Sat- urday to pursue more adventures with one-of-a-kind, unique, and amazing people. (SIGH) ~*~*~*~*~*~ Serendipity: pure luck in discovering things you were not looking for. "Her whole life is lived as if she stumbles upon fortunate discoveries each and every day…and not even looking for them!" ~Mike Scharnow ~*~*~*~*~*~ Jane's book is WANDERINGS: Living the Ordinary Extraordinarily (Stories from the Road). For an update on Jane's travels and writing, visit her website (janefi nley.com) and/or read "Traveling with Gypsy Jane" and "Po- ems from the Road" in The Desert Mes- senger (desertmessenger.com) begin- ning March 5, 2014 (contact: janefi nley@yahoo.com). GYPSY FROM PAGE 15 (StatePoint) Fifty-two people die ev- ery day from opioid overdoses na- tionwide, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 12 million U.S. residents used prescription painkillers non- medically in the past year. Unfortunately, even a small dosage can depress respiratory function, and these drugs can be especially dan- gerous when combined with other common substances like alcohol and sleeping pills. What's more, prescrip- tion drug abuse can be addictive, and even lead to heroin use. If you love someone who may be ad- dicted to prescription painkillers, here are fi ve things the National Safety Council says you should know. 1. Addiction is a chronic disease that affects the brain. Addiction, like heart disease or diabetes, leads to increas- ingly poor health, and can be fatal if it's not effectively treated and man- aged. People who suffer from addic- tion still have self-worth and should be treated with dignity. Unfortunate- ly, shame and discrimination prevent many individuals from seeking treat- ment. Recovery can be achieved in many different ways and all recovery efforts should be celebrated. 2. Medication Helps. Opioid and her- oin addiction cause a chemical imbal- ance in the brain, which medication can help repair. There are three ma- jor medications typically used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan that includes counseling and partici- pation in social support programs: Buprenorphine, methadone and nal- trexone. Buprenorphine and metha- done diminish the effects of with- drawal and cravings restoring brain chemistry. Naltrexone blocks the eu- phoric effects of opioids and heroin. Buprenorphine and naltrexone can be administered by health care pro- viders. Methadone is delivered in specialized clinics. 3. Traditional treatments aren't al- ways effective. Recovery is a lifelong journey. Unfortunately, some tradi- tional treatments focus on quicker fi xes like attempting it alone or by going cold turkey, which ultimately can be detrimental. Indeed, rates of relapse and overdose are higher for people who have gone through 30-day treatment programs, and 56 percent of people who leave treatment centers relapse within the fi rst week. How- ever, medications, can offer longer- term solutions, and are often less ex- pensive than in-patient treatment. If traditional substance abuse programs haven't worked, consider medication. 4. Support is critical. A failed cycle of detox and inpatient therapy, then relapse, can leave a person feeling hopeless. This is why support is criti- cal. Doctors and treatment counsel- ors are important, but even more so is a well-informed support group of family and friends. "Addiction is not a broken arm that can be fi xed. It's like being on a per- manent diet with a piece of candy star- ing at you every day," says Avi Israel, a survivor advocate who lost his son after battling a prescription drug ad- diction. He advises friends and fam- ily of patients to, "Know the signs of addiction. Don't judge. Throw tough love out the window. Love. But love with structure." 5. Understanding addiction is crucial. Both patients and their friends and family should understand that ad- diction is a disease, and know what is needed to manage it. "My son had Crohn's disease, and I knew everything about that. I wish I had known as much about addiction," says Israel. There are more options than tradition- al 30-day-treatment programs and 12- step programs. In addition to medica- tion, there are support programs like SMART recovery, which provide at- tendees with tools based on the latest scientifi c research, as well as a world- wide community with self-empower- ing, science-based support groups. A road of recovery is paved by many people – not just those in recovery. With the right support systems in place, a successful and sober life is possible.

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