2014 Health & Wellness Guide

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CONTENTS

H E A LT H & WELLNESS GUIDE Serving the LGBT Community of the Rocky Mountains since 1976 3535 Walnut Street, Denver, Colorado 80205 Phone: 303-477-4000 Email: info@outfrontonline.com Web: OutFrontOnline.com Facebook: facebook.com/OutFrontColorado Twitter: @OutFrontCO Instagram: /OutFrontColorado Out Front is published by Q Publishing, Ltd., a Colorado corporation and is a member of: Denver Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and Denver Drama Critics Circle.

9 • Mental Differentials

13 • Sex, Drugs, and Recovery

4 • Don’t Be THAT Guy: Top 5 No-Nos For Gym Goers

10 • Keep Calm & Rock (Salt) On

14 • Denver is in Our ELEMENT

5 • PrEP for Your Future

11 • My Boob Job, Myself

15 • All Smiles: Smile High Dental and Facial Spa

6 • Runnin’ Through My Mind

12 • Lets Talk STDs, Woman to Woman

7 • Kindness Through Cannabis 8 • Medical Marijuana?

Think About the Children!

A DM I NI ST RAT I O N PHIL PRICE / Founder, 1954-1993 JERRY CUNNINGHAM / Publisher J.C. MCDONALD / Vice President RYAN KING / Associate Publisher JEFF JACKSON SWAIM / Chief Strategist ED I TORI A L BERLIN SYLVESTRE / Editor ROB BARGER / Digital Content Manager KRISTIN ZIEGLER / Staff Writer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Lauren Archuletta, Kelsey Lindsey, Pieter Tolsma, and Mike Yost M A RK ETI N G / SA LES JORDAN JACOBS / Sr. Marketing Executive DUSTIN KRIER / Marketing Executive JAY DUQUE / Marketing & Events Coordinator A RT COLBY BRUMIT / Art Director COPY RI G H T & L I M I T O F L I ABILIT Y: Reproduction of editorial, photographic or advertising content without written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited. Advertisers are responsible for securing rights to any copyrighted material within their advertisements. Publisher assumes no responsibility for the claims of advertisers and reserves the right to reject any advertising. Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization in articles or advertising is not to be considered an indication of the sexual orientation or HIV status of such person or organization. Publisher assumes no responsibility for the loss or damage of materials submitted.

OPINIONS EXPRESSED are not necessarily those of OUT FRONT COLORADO, its staff or advertisers.

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17 • An Antidote to Alienation: The Friendly Visitor Program

DON’T BE THAT GUY! Kelsey Lindsey You’ve finally made it to the Matrix gym, and are getting your sweat on when you spy them: those people. Repeat offenders of every sin in the muscle-house Bible, gallivanting through their merry workouts with no regard for others. Don’t be that guy (or girl). Below are five offending behaviors to avoid while at the gym.

Top 5 no-nos for gym goers

Selfish Susan: Searching for two of the same weights is like searching for a serious relationship on Grindr when this lass is in the house. You can locate her by the nest of random weights, jump ropes, bosu balls, and yoga mats she has created around her, spilling across half of the stretching area.

Germy Gerome: This guy has just finished a grueling 30 minutes on the stair stepper, and is dripping like a July rainstorm. Finished with his workout, he heads to the sanitation wipes, only to pass them and head to the locker room.

It’s called cleanliness, people. Wipe yo’ stuff, yo.

Trainer Tom: Bicep curl: “You know, your elbows should be closer to your torso.” Crunches: “You really should support your neck with those.”

This guy thinks he’s everyone’s personal trainer, doling out advice whenever he spots “incorrect” form. Thanks, but no thanks. If I want someone to lecture me on my measly pushups, I’ll pay a pretty penny for that embarrassment.

Messy Manny: Making himself right at home, Manny has spread out every article of his gym bag on the single bench in the locker room. Don’t worry, he’ll free it up … as soon as he finishes his shower, steam, grooming, and cuticle care.

Flaunting Phoebe: She came here for one thing, and it ain’t exercise. Flaunting around in her pushup bra and spandex booty shorts, she exerts herself with a few stretches here or there, but doesn’t dare to mess up her perfectly

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applied face with any real exercise. You’ll want to kickbox her in her downward dog, but damn … that ass. 

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PrEP FOR YOUR FUTURE Lauren Archuletta Pre-exposure prophylaxis. (Say that five times fast. Or even once fast.)

This medical mouthful, also known as PrEP, may be hard to say, but it’s a term you should become intimately familiar with, especially if you’re at all concerned with HIV prevention.

Truvada is the new little blue pill making headlines across the world. This PrEP medication is used to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 infection for high-risk individuals, including men who have sex with men and heterosexual couples where one partner has HIV-1 and the other does not.

In the past two years, you’ve more than likely heard about Truvada and PrEP, but most people haven’t learned much about it. Why should you care? Simple: because it works. When taken regularly, the effectiveness of preventing HIV in men who have sex with men is upwards of 90 percent. Dr. Mark Thrun, director of HIV/STD prevention and control, and director of the Denver Prevention Training Center at Denver Public Health, calls Truvada a medical breakthrough and a huge discovery in HIV prevention.

“PrEP works,” says Dr. Thrun. “There is nothing else out there that is even remotely comparable to it.”

The numbers speak for themselves.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risk of HIV infection was reduced by more than 92 percent in gay and bisexual men who were given PrEP and took the once-a-day pill consistently. A study done by the National Institute of Health (NIH) found the drug to actually be 99 percent effective.

Among heterosexual couples, the risk of HIV infection was reduced to 62 percent in individuals who took the drug consistently. In men and women in HIV-discordant couples — in which one partner has HIV and the other does not — those who received PrEP were 75 percent less likely to become infected. PrEP reduced the risk of HIV infection by up to 90 percent in those who consistently took the medication.

“This means that people who are at risk of contracting HIV and take pre-exposure prophylaxis as part of their prevention regimen they are likely not going to get HIV,” Dr. Thrun says.

Despite PrEP’s proven success rates and a gleaming recommendation from both the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevention method hasn’t caught on with people yet.

“People just don’t know about it,” Dr. Thrun says. “What’s more is that very few medical providers are educating the communities about it.”

If you think you may be at risk for HIV infection, here’s what you should know: •

According to Denver Health, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is a preventative medicine that reduces the chance of becoming HIV-positive before being exposed to the virus. PrEP has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection when used consistently by individuals who are at high risk of HIV infection. In fact, PrEP has been found to be more than 90 percent effective at reducing HIV risk when used as directed.

•

PrEP is covered by most health insurance companies, including Colorado Medicaid.

•

Common side effects of Truvada include abdominal pain, headache, and decreased weight.

Contact your health provider for more information about how you can reduce your chances of contracting the HIV-1 virus.

For more information on PrEP and Truvada, visit DenverHealth.org.

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RUNNIN’ THROUGH MY MIND

Rob Barger It will come as no surprise to read that running is excellent for your health, but it may surprise you to learn how beneficial going on that extra-long jog is for your mental wellbeing. How? I’m glad you asked: Exercise releases endorphins, brain chemicals that produce feelings of happiness and euphoria. Exercise can even alleviate symptoms of long-term depression. There’s a possibility you learned this little fact from Legally Blonde, and if you’re too embarrassed to admit you gleaned it from that movie, you may now quote this article.

You’re welcome.

Running prevents cognitive decline. As our bodies age, so do our brains. Alzheimer’s and other degenerative diseases eat away at our brain cells, causing our brains to shrink. Running doesn’t cure the problem, but does protect the brain by giving the memory and learning center of the brain (the hippocampus) “armor.”

Pavement-pounding helps control addiction. Running releases dopamine, your brain’s “reward chemical,” which is released during

sex, drug use, and eating. Jogging can serve to distract alcoholics and drug addicts, and make them de-prioritize their dopamine release (at least for a short time.)

Jogging boosts your creativity. Getting your heart pumping boosts your creativity for up to two hours, and doing so outdoors will maximize those benefits. Looking for a creative way to boost that TPS report for work? Go for a run, and think of a new way to really jazz up the cover sheet.

Running improves your self-esteem. Turns out, you can be as fat as Jupiter and a good ol’ fashioned sprint around the park will have you striding like Adonis into work. Any physical fitness can boost your self-esteem regardless of size, sex, weight, or age.

Jogging increases relaxation and sleep.

Working out five to six hours before bed increases your body’s core temperature, which drops to normal a few hours later, giving your body the sensation of a sleeping pill, and kicking your sleep systems into gear. This can even work on people who have insomnia. So lace up, Denver, and hopefully I’ll see you out on the trail! 

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KINDNESS THROUGH CANNABIS Grinder company gives back with Giveware Kristin Ziegler It may start with hundreds of pounds of aluminum, but underscoring a day’s work at Herbware is an immeasurable amount of heart.

The company, which was incorporated in September 2013, makes grinders — yes, the kinds of grinders used while partaking in an herbal treat, such as cannabis.

And it’s cannabis, not marijuana.

“People can get frustrated with me when I correct them,” says Sean Lovato, co-founder of Herbware. He explains the change in language is part of a larger movement to destigmatize the use of cannabis.

“We are transitioning from something that is highly illegal and done by the dude in his mom’s basement to something perfectly normal and done by the mom in her kitchen,” he says. “This is a shift from counterculture to proculture.”

Lovato hopes Herbware is contributing to cannabis culture rebranding, while also standing out amongst competition.

Colorado’s legalization of cannabis has resulted in something of a new gold rush, or perhaps “green rush,” with dispensaries, cannabis bakeries, and related product-manufacturing businesses popping up on every corner.

“Colorado is at the forefront of this movement, and it is bringing us a lot of economic wellness,” he asserts. “And what is wellness? It is happiness, it is health, and it is an overall ability to function.”

And it’s Herbware’s commitment to wellness that makes this particular company so special in the rat race of reefer. Not only is the team at Herbware dedicated to making remarkably high quality, innovative products, Lovato and his team are passionate about giving back. “Giveware,” a special line of Herbware products, donates all of its proceeds to a 501c3 nonprofit, Realm of Caring.

Realm of Caring is committed to helping individuals with debilitating

illnesses find relief through the use of medicinal cannabis oil. The oil, called “Realm Oil,” does not contain the psychoactive properties usually associated with a cannabis high, and is used to treat a number of conditions from HIV/AIDS to multiple sclerosis to seizures. The alternative therapy has proven safe and effective for many adults and children alike, including 2-year-old Coloradan Jonah Allen. Allen was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in 2013, and his parents, in addition to seeking advice from a traditional oncologist, knew they had to find relief for their son no matter how unconventional or “taboo.”

Thanks to the oil provided by Realm of Caring, Jonah’s tumor has started to shrink and the toddler’s quality of life has improved considerably.

“Jonah used to walk before the tumor, and then he quit walking because of the tumor. He’s starting to take steps again,” says Patrick Allen, Jonah’s father. “He loves playing at his toy kitchen. He got to the point where he couldn’t stand at it by himself anymore, and now he can stand at it everyday with ease. Our hope is to see this tumor completely gone from the use of this oil.”

Jonah’s story also adds a personal layer to Lovato’s Herbware/ Giveware: He is an old friend of the Allen family.

“It’s all interrelated, and I was emotionally invested once we connected with the Realm of Caring,” says Lovato.

Lovato is excited to watch the cannabis movement evolve, and is looking to the future with his company successfully launching.

“Herbware, and Giveware, aren’t money making campaigns. They’re about engaging the community, about serving something bigger than myself,” he shares, passionately. “It’s been one heck of a journey!”

For more information on Herbware’s products, keep an eye on the company’s currently-under-construction website, herbware.com. To learn more about Realm of Caring, please visit theroc.us. Contributions can be made to Jonah Allen’s medical expenses through The Jonah Fund, ofcnow.co/jonah. 

MEDICAL MARIJUANA BY THE NUMBERS* O F 117,000 PATI ENTS WI TH M EDI CA L M A RI JUA NA ID

6 6 % AR E M ALE AN D 34% AR E F E M AL E. CAR DS ,

*Survey released April 30, 2014 by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

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42 I S T H E AV ERAG E AG E O F MED I CA L MA RI J UA N A PAT I EN TS .

307 MED I CA L MA R I J UA N A PAT I EN TS A RE U N D ER 1 8.

59% O F CO LO RA D O PAT I EN TS RES I D E I N T H E D EN V ER- MET RO AR EA. 800+ P H YS I C I A N S H AV E S I G N ED FO R CU R R EN T PAT I EN TS .

MEDICAL MARIJUANA? THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN! Don’t mind if we do.

Rob Barger One of the major arguments used across the world against the legalization of marijuana is the increased risk of use among children. But what do we say about children who benefit from the medical use of the drug?

One type of illness in particular makes children’s lives almost unbearable: Dravet Syndrome. Also known as Severe Myoclonic Epilepsy of Infancy, this disease is a rare form of epilepsy that begins in infancy. The afflicted spend their first year of life with prolonged seizures that may plateau or decline by their second year, should they survive the high incidence of sudden unexplained death in epilepsy, or SUDEP. Unfortunately, those with Dravet Syndrome never “grow out of it,” and will continue to seize throughout their life.

Many issues stem from constant seizures besides inherent risk of death: behavior and development delays, growth and nutrition issues, autonomic nervous system disruption (causing irregular body temperature

and sweating, among other unpleasant effects), and so much more.

Medical marijuana is effective when treating the symptoms of Dravet Syndrome, though many are uncomfortable administering medical marijuana to children. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta recently swayed his views to favor medical use of marijuana and cited the case of 5-year-old Charlotte Figi, whose treatment involves a medical marijuana strain high in cannabidiol and low in THC. Essentially, this strain filters out the marijuana’s “high” and affects the body in all the medically useful ways. Charlotte went from having 700 seizures a week to having one every seven days. She and 40 other children with Dravet Syndrome are being effectively treated with medical marijuana.

As it turns out, studies done on children with Dravet Syndrome are being used as arguments for the legalization of medical marijuana and the decriminalization of possessing the Schedule I drug, causing three states to legalize and eleven states to adopt pro-medical marijuana legislation in 2014. 

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S L A I T N E R E F F I D MENTAL

Rob Barger

Check out the mental health descriptions below, and if you match the criteria, make some steps to put your mind, body, and life back on track. Most of these conditions can be treated with drugs and/or therapy (emphasis on the and).

DEPRESSION: A mental health condition marked by loss of interest in enjoyable activities, thoughts of suicide, feelings of extreme sadness, eating/sleeping more/less, and/or loss of concentration. This condition can warp your sense of reality and make things seem worse than they actually are.

BIPOLAR: This mental health disorder can meet all of the criteria for depression one week and be followed by several days of what is called “mania.” A manic person is hyperactive, talkative, performs loud displays of action. Bipolar Disorder causes people to alternate between depression and mania and is sometimes referred to as “manic depression.” The periods of each are different for each person.

Mental health problems are abundant in society and especially affect marginalized groups, such as the LGBT community. A recent poll done by the National Health Interview Survey found that bisexuals have the highest rate of mental health problems. But mental health is a broad topic. How do you know if you truly have a brain sickness or if you’re just dealing with a lot of issues right now?

As someone who used to work in the mental health field, I found mental health problems abundant. Someone may fit the definition of depression for three months straight and then be fine due to some circumstance changing.

Someone else may experience those same symptoms, and not be able to overcome them without help of drugs and/or therapy. Everyone is different, and how one overcomes mental health issues is no sign of weakness or strength.

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ANXIETY: Anxiety has several disorders and is a blanket term. Let’s go with Generalized Anxiety Disorder for the moment, which is a mood disorder that causes chronic nervousness.

Many people with GAD find themselves “keyed up” and unable to relax. We all worry about money, health, and family, but those with GAD worry about those along with many other things with little or no reason to feel anxious about them. They’re convinced that things will generally go badly, and this sometimes prevents GAD sufferers from completing day to day tasks.

There are many and more mental health mood disorders than what I’ve mentioned here.

This was a brief overlook on the more common disorders you are likely to encounter either personally or interpersonally in your lifetime.

Remember: If you are thinking about hurting yourself or others, tell someone and get help now. Call your doctor, therapist, or a hotline (such as 1-800-273-TALK) right away. 

KEEP CALM & ROCK (SALT) ON Kristin Ziegler ‘Halotherapy’ (salt therapy) has come a long way from its none-so-glamourous origins in the salt mines of Poland and Russia to its modern day use as a healthful indulgence at swanky metropolitan spas.

One such swanky spa, located in Denver’s foremost up-and-coming hotspots in the Highlands, is Rock Salt Spa. Opening its doors just 19 months ago, the halotherapy center has fast become a relaxation destination number one for hundreds of clients.

“This is a new and fun therapy, and people are really intrigued,” says Denise Brummond, the founder of Rock Salt Spa. “I consider my customers leaders. They are exploring new ways to achieve better health.”

The soft-spoken Brummond carries about her a calm that is admirable in today’s culture of “get it done yesterday,” a peace she says she owes to her own experiences with halotherapy.

“I used to be very ‘Type A,’” she shared.

“Halotherapy has really helped me to relax.

I’m so calm, my family said I’m not even the same person.”

And finding your own peace isn’t the only benefit of this innovative therapy: halotherapy can possibly improve sinus issues, reduce snoring and episodes of sleep apnea, help circulation, and soothe inflammation.

Halotherapy is also great for athletic recovery, which Brummond credits for much of her business’s success so far.

“Colorado is so health-focused and active, and [halotherapy] is great for athletes. It can help them get bigger, deeper breaths, and regenerate faster,” she explains. “It really works at such a deep level.”

The treatment works by dispelling salt vapor into the air via a hidden machine and large salt lamps. Brummond says the healthful process is akin to “an epsom salt soak for the inside.” Each treatment session is 45 minutes in length and takes place in a relaxing room, complete with comfy white chairs for lounging and beautiful, amethyst-colored salt lamps.

The facility is quiet and peaceful, so much

so that many clients fall asleep during their sessions. But for those who might have a more difficult time relaxing, Rock Salt Spa also offers massage services in its salt rooms. The spa also plans to begin hosting restorative yoga classes sometime in August.

Ultimately, Brummond hopes that Coloradans are willing to explore what this unique therapy can do for their own health and well-being. From possibly reducing reactions to food allergies to boosting the immune system — Brummond offers a 50% discount for school teachers — the potential benefits from this therapy are endless.

“I feel like we give people diseases, diagnoses, and labels, and we allow ourselves to be defined by it, and that’s not good for our bodies,” says Brummond. “The beauty of this therapy is you do not need a diagnosis. Your body will be able to right its own wrongs.”  For more information on halotherapy, or to treat yourself to a session at Rock Salt Spa, please visit RockSaltSpa.com or call (303) 955-0061.

S U P P O R T ...without judgement I believe that all individuals, couples, and families should have a safe and affirming place to seek support without judgement, and I work to provide a space where differences are valued and accepted. My goal is to co-create a therapeutic process that gives my clients a say in their treatment.

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I am especially excited to offer quality treatment to the LBGT community. As a member of the community, I can provide both professional and personal insights to the unique challenges of being “out” in our world.

Heather Tousignant-Stanton, LCSW (720) 514-9226 Heather@AffirmingPsychotherapy.com AffirmingPsychotherapy.com 6795 E. Tennessee Ave., Suite 408 Denver, CO 80224

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MY BOOB JOB, MYSELF Kristin Ziegler Although I had been talking about it since getting shortchanged by puberty some years ago, only a few people knew I was taking the plunge and getting my boobs done.

It was difficult to contain, and hide, my excitement. Through scheduling the consultation, securing financing, and marking the date (the day after I took the LSATs, which was, admittedly, ill-planned), all I wanted to do was bombard my Facebook friends with “big boobie day” countdowns and updates.

But I didn’t.

I didn’t publicly share any bit of my pre-operation plastic surgery journey because, hailing from a women’s studies background, I assumed I would be lambasted. I can take heat, but I have heard all of the arguments a million times before and didn’t want to be crucified as just another bimbo who gave in and set us all back. “Patriarchy 1, Kristin 0,” I could imagine the comments reading. In fact, I had planned to keep the whole thing concealed forever until I was just overcome, by my experiences and excitement over my new body, a week later. I posted a picture of my engorged (I wish they’d stayed that big and swollen) breasts in a blue tank top, complete with a goofy-faced smile, on my Facebook page, and to my surprise, the feedback was genuinely supportive.

I had underestimated that, while I come from a women’s studies background, I count among my friends and acquaintances a number of people who identify as LGBT or queer and are well-versed in queer theory. The LGBT(Q) community understands how integral image is to identity (think of our icons such as the muscle daddy or lipstick lesbian), and I had to justify my decision to no one.

“The choice to have plastic surgery is a very personal one,” says Dr. Paul C. Zwiebel of the Zwiebel Center for Plastic Surgery located in Highlands Ranch. “But generally, what I think most people have in common is the desire to feel better about how they look. We often talk about self image versus body image, being how we see ourselves and how we might actually look. People want to look more like they feel.”

This is particularly important to LGBT patients, who might use plastic surgery to align their physical appearance with their inner gender identity and experience, or those who may be trying to recapture the youth they lost to time wasted in the closet. Both of those experiences are something Dr. Zwiebel sees often.

“I’ve been fortunate to have a number of LGBT patients in my practice,” he says. “And what is interesting is that this is a community with its own special characteristics and unique needs, but it boils down to what everybody is like. People all have personal needs and one of

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those needs is an environment where they feel comfortable expressing their desires and goals.”

And Dr. Zwiebel strives to create that comfortable environment for all of his LGBT patients, whether they’re a transgender woman or man seeking facial feminization or masculinization, or a gay man seeking fillers to create the more youthful face he feels he has on the inside. On the subject of that gay man, Dr. Zwiebel stresses that the stigma of men getting cosmetic procedures is lessening, and men should give themselves permission to feel good about appearance.

“I think that as our culture changes, what some people perceive to be the differences between men and women and concern for appearance is changing, as well,” he asserts. “I am seeing men come in increasingly frequently for a number of procedures. The most popular would probably be body contouring, like liposuction, around the trunk and the chest.”

Of course, when we talk about the LGBT community and plastic surgery, we often ignore the “L” and the “B” ladies. Cosmetic surgery — if the decision is yours and yours alone — can be an infinitely rewarding experience for anyone.

I, a queer-identified woman, had my breasts lifted and augmented because looking busty, blonde, flamboyant, and caricaturely feminine is just congruent with my authentic self. And to live authentically is everything. 

Is it common for women to pass along STDs through lesbian sex?

Bea Silver The short answer: Yes. Frankly speaking, too many lesbians and (bi chicks who are currently sleeping with women) don’t give enough thought to sexually transmitted diseases when they’re gettin’ down. Let’s remedy that and outline some of the nasties they can (pretty easily) pass along.

Bacterial vaginosis is basically an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in your most private of regions. (Hint: You want more of the good ones.) When the battle between good and evil is being won by the latter, you’re dealing with a gnarly case of stirrups, speculums, and antibiotics. Pass!

Chlamydia is passed on through vaginal, oral, or anal sex and is caused by the presence of a hideous little bacteria. The signs of chlamydia aren’t overt, but it can wreak havoc on a woman’s reproductive system. Antibiotics should be able to clear you up, but still …

Genital herpes sound like fun, right? (Ugh.) What’s worse is there’s no cure.

The symptoms usually show up as “fever blisters” around your lips and places below where you really don’t need a sensitive breakout. At all. Ever.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is actually pretty scary, as it can cause cervical cancer if untreated. There’s no cure for it, but a healthy immune system usually fights it off on its own. As well, two vaccines (Gardisil and Cervarix) can be given to women 26 and under to protect them against the types of HPV that cause cervical cancer.

But these aren’t all! Sexual contact between women can spread HIV, public lice, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, and syphilis as well. So how are they passed along?

L E T ’ S TA L

K

ST D s

O WO M A N T WO M A N

• • • • •

Skin-to-skin contact Mucosa contact (mouth to vagina) Vaginal fluids Menstrual blood Sharing sex toys

So, ladies … just like the guys, you should know your partner’s stats before you dive in. Practice safe sex with condoms on sex toys and/or dental dams if you’re unsure, but by all means: stay healthy and safe, and keep those nasties to an absolute minimum!  O U T F R O N T O N L I N E . C O M | H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S G U I D E 2 0 1 4 | 1 3

SEX, DRUGS, AND RECOVERY Kristin Ziegler Decaying teeth, body sores, erratic and dangerous behavior, the contraction of incurable disease, brain damage, violent withdrawals, and untimely death.

The battle wounds of addiction may look similar for many of its sufferers, but for its LGBT victims, the scars may run all the more deep.

“Rates of addiction are almost twice as high in the LGBT community than in the straight community,” says Steve D’Ascoli, project therapist for the Mile High Recovery project, an addiction recovery group serving gay and bisexual men and run through Mile High Behavioral Healthcare.

The reasons for drug use becoming a chapter of far too many of our stories as an LGBT people is, of course, layered and complex, but much of it boils down to discrimination and self-loathing.

Guy Mauriello, a Denver-based psychotherapist who counts LGBT issues and addiction treatment among his areas of expertise stresses that while he doesn’t want to generalize an entire population, the experience of being LGBT can leave one vulnerable to the possibility of addiction.

“I’m more concerned about the individual, and what they came into life with,” he explains. “We all have a physical and emotional blueprint.

And then we add the LGBT layer, and out of that can come the problem of self-hatred. The co-occurring disorders we see, such as depression and addiction, all really boil down to self-hatred.”

And that self-loathing, spurred by a society still not completely affirming of LGBT people, may not only lead to addiction as a way to drown out the loud and frightening noise of hatred, but judgement, by both the self and broader culture, can prolong addiction for LGBT people.

The community faces unique obstacles and challenges in seeking out appropriate care.

“You are already vulnerable when seeking treatment, and in the LGBT community, we are so used to being judged. [LGBT people with addiction] need to know they are in a safe environment,” says D’Ascoli.

And a “safe environment,” along with a holistic approach that treats the entire person and does not define a patient by his addiction, is exactly what D’Ascoli’s group aims to provide.

“We offer specific treatment to gay and bisexual males. It is a place where someone can come in and just be himself,” he says. “You are amongst your own peers. They get what you are, what you do, and who you love.”

And while the Mile High Recovery Project is open to any gay or bisexual man wanting to overcome addiction to any substance, D’Ascoli says the most rampant “drug of choice” is crystal meth.

“Gay men can be very sexual to begin with, and meth is a way to keep having sex 24/7,” he says. D’Ascoli notes that ecstasy and GHB are also popular for the same reason.

“Meth is a big one, because it’s associated with the bathhouses” Mauriello adds.

But meth isn’t the only drug plaguing the community.

“There’s more heroin than I have seen in 30 years,” Mauriello shares.

“But different personalities are attracted to different drugs. Some people want to float away with heroin, and some want to speed up with meth.”

And for the young members of the LGBT community, some want to stay pretty.

D’Ascoli says he’s witnessed a return to cocaine and alcohol by the younger generation, because they “have seen what meth did to the generation ahead of them.”

Still, addiction and the LGBT community is not hopeless — not by a long shot. Resources that are LGBT-sensitive and aware are increasing in number, and the LGBT community has an extra tool in facing down addiction: strength. Through all of the discrimination and self-denial and hatred, we are capable of being exceptionally strong, resilient, and brave people capable of so much.

“I would like [any LGBT person struggling with addiction] to realize that there is an intelligence within us that wants, and needs, us to succeed,” Mauriello expresses. “I believe we are all here to become better.

Always ahead, always forward, and always better.”  If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, please contact Mile High Behavioral Healthcare/Mile High Recovery Project at (303) 825-8113 or Guy Mauriello at (303) 370-9311.

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I might need help with substance abuse. Where in Denver can I go?

ARAPAHOE HOUSE Around since 1975, Arapahoe House empowers 15,000 individuals and their families each year to show alcohol and drug addiction the door through nationally recognized substance abuse programs.

ArapahoeHouse.org (303) 412-3818 MILE HIGH BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE With a mission to empower individuals to shape healthy, viable, complete lives and communities, Mile High Behavioral welcomes everyone who needs a helping hand with issues ranging from housing to help with drug abuse.

MileHighBehavioralHealthcare.org (303) 825-8113 SKETCHIN’ OUT Every Friday, the Center hosts a meetup that’s open and inclusive to LGBT persons who need support and direction in overcoming addiction to crystal meth.

GLBTColorado.org (303) 733-7743 FAMILY CENTERED MEDICINE While Peter Prutch’s practice isn’t specifically for substance abuse, he does have a few tricks up his sleeve that’ll help steer you in the cleaner-living direction you’ve been needing to go.

The right amounts personable and no-nonsense, he gets right to the point without that “rushed” feel of a normal doctor’s visit.

Facebook.com/ FamilyCenteredMedicine (303) 504-0600

DENVER IS IN OUR ELEMENT Pieter Tolsma I’ve spent a lot of time explaining what The Denver ELEMENT is all about, and how we’re trying to break down the walls of HIV stigma and substance abuse and I’ll be honest: It’s not as easy as you might think. We aren’t just another organization throwing condoms around and begging you to get tested (although condoms are great, and knowing your status is just basic self-care.) Our mission is actually bigger and broader: We want to engage the entire community, rather than fight to be memorable when you’re about to pull some lucky fellow.

First off, let’s talk basics. The Denver ELEMENT is a program of Mile High Behavioral Healthcare and is grant-funded by a few government programs that work with gay and bisexual men for the ultimate purpose of reducing the spread of HIV, which is awesome.

The slant in our programs is simply a greater engagement of the individual as a whole. Our youth program, Denver PIQUE, is for 18 – 24 year old gay/bi guys, and creates a social network to support the younger ones as they come into their own with substance-free activities and some HIV-prevention education. When so much in the gay community seems to involve alcohol, a chance to learn who you are and make friends without a drink in your hand is something everyone deserves.

Our Positive Impact program is for poz gay/ bi guys who have ever injected drugs. Sound

intense? It can be, but only because this population is essentially invisible and its needs are often ignored. The point of Positive Impact is to workshop disclosure skills so everyone can live more openly, honestly, and with less stress. (As anyone who has had serious health concerns knows, stress and anxiety are miserable.)

Last up is our Mile High Recovery Project, which is concerned specifically with holistic health for those who have struggled with injection drug use — primarily meth and stimulants.

But what does holistic health really mean? It means approaching care for the entire individual … to talk about stress, nutrition, community, and substance use rather than just the use alone.

What else? The Denver ELEMENT is currently working to expand its reach by adding a new program to take our services even further into the lives of the community through more pointedly addressing the emotional and interpersonal needs of those whose lives we touch. The end game is that the community is stronger and more empowered through our efforts.

Who is this “community?” The community is more than just the gay and bi men we meet; it includes their support systems, and those they love. We here at The Denver ELEMENT believe that the secret to self-improvement is to accept people where they are, show them how to enrich and protect their own lives and those of their support system, and finally teach how to give back to a world that loves and needs them.

Community is what we do. 

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ALL SMILES Dr. Raymond Frye knows how to bling it on Kristen Ziegler

feel that very joy and confidence — celebrities.

A dentist to the stars, Dr. Raymond has If beauty is pain, then the aches and icks of conrestored a number of grins for the glamorous ventional dentistry might have you believing a — including the pop songstress and gay icon perfect smile is the ultimate in beauty sacrifices.

Taylor Dayne.

But one Denver dentist proves you can have The two met at the Grammys, where Dr. the gorgeous choppers you’ve always wanted, Raymond’s line of tooth care goods, Bling Dental hold the pain.

Products, were included in the celebrity gift bags.

Smile High Dental and Facial Spa, and its “He said, ‘I think you are beautiful, but can founder Dr. Raymond Frye (but just call him we enhance anything?’ And I go, ‘Well, what do Dr. Raymond — “it just sounds friendlier”) aims you think?’ And he said, ‘You have big, beautiful to provide patients with a dental experience lips, and I want to get my hands around your that feels, indeed, like a spa treatment. From teeth a little bit!’” Dayne recalled in an interview fillings, restorations, and non-surgical root with an Oregon morning talk show. Dr. Raymond canals to porcelain veneers and teeth whitenwas once based out of Portland, where he earned ing, Dr. Raymond uses only the most innovative the affectionate nickname “Dr. Bling.” (yet gentle) techniques to give patients their So, whether you’re looking for a new, Taylor Dayne and Dr. Raymond dream smiles. comfortable, and revolutionary dental health “So many people have learned to hide their experience or want to “bling” out your smile with smile. It’s a shame. There are so many ways to dramatically improve the cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Raymond and Smile High will leave you wanting appearance of one of our most important features,” says Dr. Raymond. to flash those pearly whites — grinning from ear to ear.

“I love the joy it brings to see someone love their smile for the first time.”

Need more to chew on? Visit SmileHighDentalSpa.com or give Dr. And Dr. Raymond has helped those even in the harshest of spotlights Raymond a call at (303) 355-1645.  1 6 | H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S G U I D E 2 0 1 4 | O U T F R O N T O N L I N E . C O M

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AN ANTIDOTE TO ALIENATION

Earlier this year, the Denver GLBT Center launched the Friendly Visitor Program to combat the rising number of seniors living in seclusion, connecting elders with volunteers while enriching the lives of both.

Mike Yost “I feel a connection to the outside world,” says Dene Clark, who lives in an assisted care facility nestled in the suburbs of Denver. Once a week, Center volunteer Mark McCauley drives out to visit Clark — part friend, part confidant, part conduit to the rapidly changing landscape of gay rights.

“Living in a situation like this, I’m confined to a walker,” says Clark. “The fact that Mark is a volunteer at the Center gives me access to what’s going on, which I feel that every GLBT senior needs to be aware of.”

McCauley, who is recently retired, says he volunteers as a Friendly Visitor to give back to the community. “As you get older, you sort of disappear,” he explains. “Just looking at my own life and realizing how few degrees of separation there are between the situation I’m in, versus the situation that Dene is in, I guess I would hope that there would be somebody like that for me.”

McCauley began visiting Clark on April Fools’ Day (they both chuckle at the irony of their first meeting). Their correspondence quickly blossomed into a strong friendship. For one hour each week, they chat about politics, religion, and current events within the Colorado LGBT community, their discourse peppered with both thoughtful discussion and boisterous bouts of laughter.

“I’ve talked with Dene about plenty of things I would not feel comfortable with a lot of other people,” says McCauley. “It’s just as much an outlet for me as it is for him.”

And Clark, who worked as a reference librarian at the Auraria Library for 25 years, comes from the generation where silence was a matter of survival for the LGBT community.

“Everybody was closeted back in the ’50s, even in the early ’60s,” says Clark, who was born

in Iowa in 1931. Clark came of age at a time where there were no GLBT Centers to foster a strong network of support or community. It wasn’t until he was 33 that Clark, visiting San Francisco for a librarian conference, walked into a gay bar for the first time. “In my 20s, I didn’t know such things existed.”

This was in 1964, nearly five years before the Stonewall riots, nine years before the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality as a mental disorder, and 20 years before Berkeley, California became the first city in America to offer domestic-partnership benefits to city employees.

It’s because of his experiences as a closeted gay man that Clark feels a strong sense of duty to the next generation, contributing what he can to the Center to further its mission. “I really feel it’s important,” says Clark. “The younger generation doesn’t have the inhibitions and the phobias that people in my generation had, so I really want to make it easier for the younger generation to be out and about as you might say, and to feel comfortable in society.”

And it’s Center projects — like the Friendly Visitor Program — that could not happen without people like Janet Gilmore, who works with the Center’s Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) program as an AmeriCorps member.

“I have a heart for elders,” says Gilmore.

Since last October, she has been developing and managing the project, recruiting volunteers and working to eliminate the isolation and fear that too many GLBT elders experience.

“The need for this has been evident for a couple of years,” says Gilmore, adding that this urgency was identified by Project Visibility, launched by Boulder County Aging Services.

Compared to heterosexual elders, Project Visibility found that GLBT elders are twice as

“What a difference it has made in her life,” says Gilmore, “to have someone she could count on who would come to see her — especially for an hour.”

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likely to live alone, and four times less likely to have children to care for them. There are an estimated 1 to 3 million GLBT Americans over 65, with that number more than doubling by 2030.

In addition, the project also found that this isolation can lead to higher rates of depression, substance abuse, and even premature death.

“We understand that GLBT elders have a lot of fears if they’re in the care of some people who might not agree or like their sexuality,” says Gilmore. “Even if they’re not making big waves about it, they feel like they can’t say much.”

Before Gilmore launched the program, she began visiting a lesbian elder who was living in a nursing home. “I’ve been visiting her for two years,” says Gilmore, who spends many of those sessions reading to her from the book, “The Gift of Age” — a collection of lesbian biographical stories detailing individual life struggles and triumphs.

It’s because of these visits that Gilmore’s friend no longer looks over her shoulder in apprehension when talking about her past. “What a difference it has made in her life,” says Gilmore, “to have someone she could count on who would come to see her — especially for an hour.”

There are currently 14 seniors who are being visited by Center volunteers, and Gilmore hopes to increase that number. “This touches people,” she emphasizes. “And when you volunteer, you are engaged, you are part of the community, you enrich yourself as well.”

Those who know someone who could benefit from the program are encouraged to apply on the Center’s website, as are volunteers who are interested in making a positive impact in the life of an elder who might be struggling with loneliness.

“You’re able to make a contribution to somebody’s life,” says McCauley. “You can’t fix the world by yourself, but you do something, and you’ve got to start somewhere. It’s made a real positive change in both Dene’s life and in mine.”  For more information, visit ofcnow.co/fvp.

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