Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/160317
6A Daily News – Wednesday, August 28, 2013 Opinion DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF The story of my addiction TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes letters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All letters must be signed and provide the writer's home street address and home phone number. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submitted will be considered for publication. Letters will be edited. 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Mine happened to be prescription medications. Addiction is like a beast when unleashed cares for absolutely nothing only to be fed. You become another person, one that in the throes of addiction doesn't even like or care for their own selves. That beast only wants to be fed. Anyone who has not experienced this cannot be the judge. We do not want to fall into the category of being a hypocrite. I had a very successful haircutting business that was built on God given talent and personality. I had tried several times to bring in another operator to take the pressure off to no avail as most people would end up waiting for me. Due to my work ethic and financial responsibilities I had basically married myself to my job. Eventually as I learned later, it led to severe burnout. So here's a chronology of events that led to my addiction; in 2000 I was involved in a couple of motorcycle accidents that trashed my foot and ankle. I got on pain management as I had to stand on my feet all day. In 2006 my doctor prescribed a medication that led up to my addiction. I netted 3 dui's in the process, case numbers NCR73256, NCR73257, and NCR73258, you can go look them up they're there, which was responsible for my incarcerated "vacation.'' I paid my debt. All common sense goes right out the window. I could write a dissertation on what I learned. It was exactly what I needed at that time. As I said before, the beast was out and only wanted to be fed. I lost my business because of it and had hurt some people along the way in which I am deeply sorry, not physically thank God, which is one of the dark sides of addiction. On that note, I humbly ask for forgiveness from those who can find it in their heart to do so. One of these days, Lord willing, I will be able to make amends for that. It does not help a person in addiction to be judgmental, you cannot manipulate through guilt, it will only drive a person farther into it and compound it might be a "relapse", but that is with a feeling of worthlessness. ok as long as they are commitYou can encourage and uplift ted, I stress committed, to getwith unconditional love. Fortu- ting their life in order. Sometimes, nately for me I have an indwelling sense of self Guest View unfortunately, the harsh reality is that worth. The proper attithere are people who tude is, and I think John Tony are wholly commitBradford put it best ted to that lifestyle when he was in prison and don't want to in London, "There, but change. All you can for the grace of God, go do sometimes is pray for them, I." With much love and people prayer really does work, as hatthat would not put up with that ing on them only helps them to kind of behavior, I've got my justify their lifestyle. Love is the priorities in order, and am not key. Love really does conquer taking any more of the medica- all. Not the touchy feely love, tion that caused so much tur- but a mature seasoned love. moil in our lives and am back to Once we have gotten over our the Tony that people enjoy own selves and quit being our being around. The beast is own worst enemy, then we can see through clutter to the person tamed thank God. So please don't be in the dark inside clearly, to help that brothabout this and use wisdom. Let er or sister that is hurting or in the person in your life know that trouble and needs that love. Like I said before, we have you love them but you can't be an enabler yet you still be inter- an innate human nature, and the only way to be able to rise active to a certain degree. For the first time in my life I above it and be able to begin to am happy where I'm at mental- bring that nature under control ly and spiritually. Of course and have that peace and calm in those always need improving, your spirit and that love in your but at least now I have a clearer heart is to be given a new nature path in front of me. Trying to where we can have the kind of rise above the drama of human love that can move mountains nature, living more for the and see a positive change in our moment, and basically learning life is only trough Jesus Christ. to be content regardless. Any Ask God for it, He'll answer. addict has to come to terms with And prey for me. their addictive nature and learn Tony Vallier lives in Red Bluff. to live with it. Sometimes there Vallier Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 1550 Humboldt Road, Ste. 4, Chico, CA 95928, 530-895-4217 STATE SENATOR — Jim Nielsen, 2635 Forest Ave., Ste. 110, Chico, CA 95928, (530) 879-7424, senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 5583160; E-mail: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Doug LaMalfa 506 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, 202-2253076. U.S. SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 3930710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary Why Obamacare is good for me I hate to say it, but ObamaCare has been good for me. Now, I know our economy is still struggling — Gallup says the unemployment rate just jumped to nearly 9 percent — and I know ObamaCare uncertainty is making many employers wary of hiring. But I also know that new opportunities exist for people like me who provide communications services for companies that now prefer to outsource much of their work — rather than hire full-timers. And my business is dandy. Few full-time employees are aware of it, but their benefits package — health, life, dental and disability insurance, "free" college tuition, workers' compensation insurance, 401(k) matching, etc. — is a costly thing to employers. It all goes back to World War II, when the government imposed wage and price controls. Companies were unable to raise wages. To attract good employees, they began offering health insurance. As the economy boomed after the war, powerful unions were able to demand ever-better health policies for their members — and companies attracted the best employees with "Cadillac" insurance benefits. That's when health-care inflation began to soar. Before World War II, health insurance had been designed to protect people against catastrophic events — most were high-deductible policies. People paid for doctor'soffice visits and prescriptions out of their own pockets. And because they spent their own money, they shopped around for the best care at the lowest possible cost. They helped keep the cost of care in check. But as millions of employees no longer had to pay directly for doctor's-office visits and prescriptions, costs began to soar. Add to this an aging population, medical innovations and the massive expansion of Medicare and Medicaid, and America was soon spending a rapidly increasing amount on health care every year — at a rate about two to three times higher than the overall inflation rate. But as health-care costs soared, the cost for companies to hire employees also soared. Consider that an employee who earns $70,000 in annual salary is probably costing his employer closer to $100,000 in total compensation — a number that is set to jump as ObamaCare is driving up insurance rates for Have you seen the complex form many. Employers can avoid these individuals must complete to make use of the costs, however, by not exchanges? Such an hiring full-time approach stifles the real employees — and by competitive creativity hiring part-timers, and efficiency that has temps or turning to serlong been missing from vices like mine. the American healthHealth reform could care system. have worked out so And so we are sadmuch better. dled with another garWhat I had hoped gantuan entitlement for was a program by that is puzzling private which the government employers and makestablishes some needing many of them ed guidelines, then Tom wary of hiring fullmobilizes the private timers — one reason market to compete — the high unemploymuch like the Medicare ment rate persists. Part D prescription Oh, well, the massive governdrug benefit for low-income seniors, a huge entitlement suc- ment disruption has been good cess story since it was passed in for some — consultants who help companies understand the 2003. Under Part D, seniors are free massive number of ObamaCare to choose among a variety of regulations, and people like me benefits, costs and plans offered who provide corporate commuby private insurers. According to nications services that full-time the Heartland Institute, employees used to. Medicare trustees estimated a Tom Purcell, a humor 2013 average monthly cost of columnist for the Pittsburgh $61 — when the actual costs are Tribune-Review, is nationally HALF that. ObamaCare offers some fea- syndicated exclusively by tures — state exchanges — that Cagle Cartoons newspaper encourage competition among syndicate. Visit Tom on the Web private insurers, but it is largely a at www.TomPurcell.com or ehim at command-and-control model mail always preferred by bureaucrats. Purcell@caglecartoons.com. Purcell