August 2021
Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States. The latest statistics show that 14.0% of all adults (approx. 34.1 million people) currently PAGE 1 Paula smoked cigarettes.
WHY PEOPLE START SMOKING & WHY IT’S HARD TO STOP Most people who smoke started smoking when they were teenagers. Those who have friends and/or parents who smoke are more likely to start smoking than those who don’t. Some teenagers say that they “just wanted to try it,” or they thought it was “cool” to smoke. The tobacco industry’s ads, price breaks, and other promotions for its products are a big influence in our society. The tobacco industry spends billions of dollars each year to create and market ads that show smoking as exciting, glamorous, and safe. Tobacco use is also shown in video games, online, and on TV. And movies showing people smoking are another big influence. Studies show that young people who see smoking in movies are more likely to start smoking. A newer influence on tobacco use is the e-cigarette and other high-tech, fashionable electronic “vaping” devices. Often wrongly seen as harmless, and easier to get and use than traditional tobacco products, these devices are a way for new users to learn how to inhale and become addicted to nicotine, which can prepare them for smoking.
THE POWER OF THE ADDICTION About 2 out of 3 of people who smoke say they want to quit and about half try to quit each year, but few succeed without help. This is because they not only become physically dependent on nicotine. There’s also a strong emotional (psychological) dependence. Nicotine affects behavior, mood, and emotions. If a person uses tobacco to help manage unpleasant feelings and emotions, it can become a problem for some when they try to quit. Someone who smokes may link smoking with social activities and
many other activities, too. All of these factors make smoking a hard habit to break. In fact, it may be harder to quit smoking than to stop using cocaine or opiates like heroin. In 2012, researchers reviewed 28 different studies of people who were trying to quit using the substance they were addicted to. They found that about 18% were able to quit drinking, and more than 40% were able to quit opiates or cocaine, but only 8% were able to quit smoking.
NICOTINE IN CIGARS: People who inhale cigar smoke absorb nicotine through their lungs as quickly as people who smoke cigarettes. For those who don’t inhale, the nicotine is absorbed more slowly through the lining of the mouth. This means people who smoke cigars can get the desired dose of nicotine without inhaling the smoke directly into their lungs.
NICOTINE IN SMOKELESS TOBACCO: Smokeless tobacco delivers a high dose of nicotine. Nicotine enters the bloodstream from the mouth or nose and is carried to every part of your body. Nicotine in smokeless tobacco is measured in milligrams (mg) of nicotine per gram (g) of tobacco. It’s been found to vary greatly, for instance as much as 4 to 25 mg/g for moist snuff, 11 to 25 mg/g for dry snuff, and 3 to 40 mg/g for chew tobacco.
NICOTINE IN E-CIGARETTES: The e-liquid in all JUULs and most other e-cigarettes contains nicotine, the same addictive drug that is in regular cigarettes, cigars, hookah, and other tobacco products. However, nicotine levels are not the same in all types of e-cigarettes, and sometimes product labels do not list the true nicotine content. JUULs typically have a significantly higher amount of nicotine per puff than some other types of e-cigarettes and cigarettes. Because of this, JUUL and JUUL-like products may be more addictive than other types of e-cigarettes. Paula Crane Center PAGE 2
By Bernice Taylor-Davis
Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from DEEP DEPENDENCE God. 2 Corinthians 3:5 Five for Fighting is the stage name of a recording artist who soared to popularity after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He sings the song “Superman (It’s Not Easy)”, a ballad that imagines what it must be like to be a superhero. Yet he struggles with the inadequacy of his strength to cope with the world’s complexities. People seemed to identify with the song’s theme. Real life proves we are insufficient to battle the overwhelming burdens that confront us. Even those who want to be self-sufficient can’t manage life in their own strength. As followers of Christ, we have a resource that even Superman could never claim. In our relationship with God, we find a sufficiency for life that can overwhelm our inadequacies and enable us to live victoriously. This was Paul’s encouragement to our hearts when he wrote to the believers at Corinth. He said, “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5). That makes all the difference in the world. Left to ourselves, we are forced to live with the reality that we can never be adequate to grapple with life, But with a deep dependence on God’s strength, we find all we need to navigate the storms of life in this turbulent world. We must experience our weakness to experience God’s strength.
GOOD TROUBLE
When John Lewis, an American congressman and civil rights leader, died in 2020, people from many political persuasions mourned. In 1965, Lewis marched with Martin Luther King Jr. to secure voting rights for Black citizens. During the march, Lewis suffered a cracked skull, causing scars he carried the rest of his life. “When you see something that is not right, not just, not fair,” Lewis said, “you have a moral obligation to say something. To do something.” He also said, “Never, ever, be afraid to make some noise and get in good, necessary trouble.” Lewis learned early that doing what was right, to be faithful to the truth, required making “good” trouble. He would need to speak things that were unpopular. The prophet Amos knew this too. Seeing Israel’s sin and injustice, he couldn’t keep quiet. Amos denounced how the powerful were oppressing “the innocent and taking bribes and depriving the poor of justice in the courts,” while building “stone mansions” with “lush vineyards.” Rather than maintaining his own safety and PAGE 3 Paula Crane Center
comfort by staying out of the fray, Amos named the evil. The prophet made good, necessary trouble. But this trouble aimed at something good—justice for all. “Let justice roll on like a river!” Amos exclaimed. When we get into good trouble (the kind of righteous, nonviolent trouble justice requires), the goal is always goodness and healing.
Heavenly Father, if I’m left to myself, I’ll likely play it safe, stay comfortable, keep quiet. But I know that You might ask something different. Help me discern what to do to honor You. ASK YOURSELF: Where do you sense the Holy Spirit might be prompting you to make some good trouble? How can you discern the godly way to do just that?
THE STORY: There was once a boy who was growing up in a very wealthy family. One day, his father decided to take him on a trip to show him how others lived who were less fortunate. His father’s goal was to help his son appreciate everything that he has been given in life. The boy and his father pulled up to a farm where a very poor family lived. They spent several days on the farm, helping the family work for their food and take care of their land. When they left the farm, his dad asked his son if he enjoyed their trip and if he had learned anything during the time they spent with this other family. The boy quickly replied, “It was fantastic, that family is so lucky!” Confused, his father asked what he meant by that. The boy said, “Well, we only have one dog, but that family has four– and they have chickens! We have four people in our home, but they have 12! They have so many people to play with! We have a pool in our yard, but they have a river running through their property that is endless. We have lanterns outside so we can see at night, but they have the wide open sky and the beautiful stars to give them wonder and light. We have a patio, but they have the entire horizon to enjoy–they have endless fields to run around in and play. We have to go to the grocery store, but they are able to grow their own food. Our high fence protects our property and our family, but they don‘t need such a limiting structure, because their friends protect them.” The father was speechless. Finally, the boy added, “Thank you for showing me how rich people live, they’re so lucky.”
THE MORAL: True wealth and happiness aren’t measured by material belongings. Being around the people you love, enjoying the beautiful, natural environment, and having freedom are much more valuable. A rich life can mean different things to different people. What are your values and priorities? If you have whatever is important to you, you can consider yourself to be wealthy.
Their words spun like a cyclone, Howling through the dark of night, Promising acceptance, If you gave up all your light, But block your eyes my darling, You are not a brittle stone, This storm cannot elude you, For you're more than blood and bone, You're deeper than the ocean, Both unstoppable and free, And nothing can control, The wild intentions of the sea, So when they try to shape you, Slip like water from their palms, For wind should know it's reckless, To disturb the ocean's calm, You have the right to be here, Every right to what you feel, And the wind can howl forever, But the ocean will not kneel, So do not let them change you, Send your waves out far and wide, And let them learn the hard way, That you can't command the tide.
DID YOU KNOW: Women’s Equality Day, which commemorates the August 26, 1920, certification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that gave women the right to vote. Congresswoman Bella Abzug first introduced a proclamation for Women’s Equality Day in 1971. Since that time, every president has published a proclamation recognizing August 26 as Women’s Equality Day. Paula Crane Center PAGE 4
AWARENESS DAY AN INSPIRED IDEA International Overdose Awareness Day was initiated in 2001 by Sally J Finn at The Salvation Army in St. Kilda, Melbourne. Every since 2001, many community members as well as government and non-government organizations have held events to raise awareness and commemorate those who have been lost to drug overdose. In April i2021, the Center for Disease Control has estimated that the number of people in the USA who had WORLDWIDE FACT died from According to the most overdose recent World Drug in the 12Report, an estimated period to 585,000 people died as the end of a result of drug use in September 2017. 2020 came Opioids account for to a total the majority of drugof 90,237. related deaths and in This makes most cases such deaths the imporare avoidable. tance of Source: The United Nations this day Office on Drugs and Crime so direly (UNODC) ‘World Drug Report 2020’ important.
PAGE 5 Paula Crane Center
GOALS International Overdose Awareness Day is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember without stigma those who have died and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind. The campaign raises awareness of overdose, which is one of the world’s worst public health crises, and stimulates action and discussion about evidence-based overdose prevention and drug policy. The campaign acknowledges the profound grief felt by families and friends whose loved ones have died or suffered permanent injury from a drug overdose. International Overdose Awareness Day spreads the message about the tragedy of drug overdose death and that drug overdose is preventable. The goals of International Overdose Awareness Day are: ▪ To provide an opportunity for people to publicly mourn loved ones in a safe environment,
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
some for the first time without feeling guilt or shame. To include the greatest number of people in International Overdose Awareness Day events, and encourage nondenominational involvement. To give community members information about the issue of fatal and non-fatal overdose. To send a strong message to current and former people who use drugs that they are valued. To stimulate discussion about overdose prevention and drug policy. To provide basic information on the range of support services that are available. To prevent and reduce drugrelated harm by supporting evidence-based policy and practice. To inform people around the world about the risk of overdose.
North America continues to experience the highest drug-related mortality rate in the world, accounting for one in four drug-related deaths globally, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports.
WHAT IS AN OVERDOSE? An overdose means having more of a drug (or combination of drugs) than your body can cope with. There are a number of signs and symptoms that show someone has overdosed, and these differ with the type of drug used. All drugs can cause an overdose, including prescription medication prescribed by a doctor. It is important to know the right amount and the right time to take your medication. It is also vital to know what drugs should not be mixed, and to seek help if you feel you are not in control of your drug use.
Paula Crane Center PAGE 6
The surprising reason why piercings are so addictive By Cory Stieg
P
iercings can be psychologically "addictive," in the sense that many people will continue to see how far they can push their limits once they start getting them, says Stephanie HutterThomas, a professional body piercer and PhD candidate studying the psychology of body art. "After conquering the anxiety of successfully receiving and healing that first body piercing, it becomes more exciting to choose the next one," she says. "The more exposure we have to a particular chosen event or stimuli, the less frightening or outrageous it seems because we slowly become desensi-
You've probably heard someone who has a few piercings or tattoos express that getting one makes them want to have more. They're addictive, they might say, but talking about addiction in any form is way more nuanced than just saying you like doing something.
tized." There's no real research that intense, particularly stress and pain, shows that people are physiologically your brain releases endorphins, she dependent on getting body piercsays. Endorphins then interact with ings, so Hutter-Thomas suspects that your body's perception of pain, simipeople are more likely drawn to the journey After conquering the anxiety of or process. "From my perspective, it becomes successfully receiving and healing more a matter of purthat first body piercing, it becomes suing or maintaining a sense of personal idenmore exciting to choose the next one. tity, rather than a pathology like addiction," she says. lar to the way opioids (like morBut there is a lot going on inside phine or oxycodone) would, she your brain when you get a piercing, says. "Unlike prescription medicaHutter-Thomas says. When your tions, natural activation of our body experiences anything physically body's opiate receptors doesn't lead
S e v e n s ig n s you m ig h t b e “ obs Body art is unique, it is special to you and your body. Many people find the piercing process a type of self-therapy. Piercings can be a way to feel good about yourself and a way to express your inner creativity. This list is a fun way to know if you are addicted to piercings!
Americans reported having more than one piercing other than the earlobes. In the past 8 years this number has jumped significantly, as body modification has become more accepted in society.
1. YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE
walk into the piercing parlor to get your piercing, and you walk out with the next one in mind!
PIERCING: According to Pew Re-
search center in 2010, 8 percent of
2. YOU’RE ALWAYS PLANNING YOUR NEXT PIERCING: When you
3. YOU HAVE AN ONGOING PROJECT WITH YOUR PIERCER: You know you are in the piercing shop quite a bit when you are working on a long-term piercing project. This is usually when you have a bigger design in mind, this takes patience, correct body jewelry and specific placement.
4. WHEN YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A PIERCING “FUND”: When you are
to physical dependency." Is pain in itself addicting? HutterThomas compares it to some of the "psychologically complex" practices within the S&M community
asts describe the feeling after getting one as release and relaxation, she says. "Some people seek out a piercing procedure as a form of self-therapy, allowing them to release Some people seek out a piercing stress." Of course, not everyone feels procedure as a form of self-therapy, this way about their piercings, allowing them to release stress. and for many people, it's just a way to (like choking or spanking). "Pain express themselves. Hutter-Thomas allows us to experience pleasure by says that someone's intentions for presenting adequate contrast for our getting a piercing often dictate the brain," she says. "Pleasure may feel type of experience they'll have getnice, but it doesn't make us happy ting it. "A person choosing a new without something painful to compiercing after spending their time pare it to." Many piercing enthusidiligently contemplating and prepar-
ing for it will often have a more positive experience during the procedure," she says. But, if you're just doing it because your friends are all doing it, she says you might not have as great of a time. Having a solid intention for getting your piercing also means you probably won't regret it, and may pay a little more attention to cleaning the area properly than someone who just got a piercing in haste, she says. What you do with your body and how many piercings you get is entirely your choice — and if it feels good doing it, power to you. Walking away with a new piece of jewelry is just an added bonus.
s e s s e d ” w i t h b ody p i e r c i n g s saving up for new jewelry and new piercings with a savings dedicated to new body modifications!
5. WHEN YOU'RE ON A TEXTING/ CALLING BASIS WITH YOUR PIERCER: You know you love pierc-
ings when you are texting or emailing your piercer with new project ideas and jewelry options.
6. YOU ARE A PART OF MULTIPLE PIERCING GROUPS ON FACE-
BOOK/ OR FOLLOW PIERCING BLOGS: These groups keep you up
to date on trending piercings and new looks. These groups can be a variety of learning groups/ Association of Professional Piercer Groups/ and places where you can show off your new jewelry!
7. YOU ARE CONSIDERING BECOMING A PIERCING APPRENTICE: This takes a lot of thought,
money, and time! If you are truly in love with piercings and the piercing process, you may be talking with your professional piercer about a possible apprenticeship. With any piercing it is important that you do your research beforehand. Finding a quality piercer is extremely important for the health and longevity of your piercings.
STEP 2 OF THE 12 STEP PROGRAM I love all of the 12 steps of AA and NA, but step two is the one that gives us hope. With step two we learn that we are not alone, and that something greater than ourselves can help to conquer addiction and despair. Becoming a sober person, free of your addictions means a restoration to sanity. In AA and NA we learn that by working the 12 steps the restoration is happening in part because addiction and it’s accompanying insanity are not controlling our lives anymore.
STEP 2: A POWER GREATER THAN OURSELVES
All of the words of the 12 steps are very specifically chosen, which is another thing I really love about working with them. The second step doesn’t say “We came to believe in a power greater than ourselves” it says “We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” That’s the beauty–we are invited to begin to think about what our higher power can be. The emphasis is not on who or what the power is, but on what the power can do for us. The group of AA itself certainly qualifies as a power greater than ourselves (our fellowship is in the millions and always growing) as do the spiritual principles contained in the 12 steps. The awareness and understanding that we can’t recover alone and that we need some kind of help is really the lesson at this point in recovery. The spiritual principles that are the foundation of this step are open mindedness, willingness, faith, trust and humility. It really doesn’t matter whether we have any idea of how this power greater than ourselves is going to help, just that we come to believe it is possible.
Other people’s experiences with faith can provide hope to those who are still unsure of their own spirituality. Look for the light coming on in the eyes of your peers. Watch them gain motivation from a Higher Power and better their lives while recovering from drugs and alcohol. Their example can lead the way as you investigate a Higher Power for your own spirituality. When they speak of their past transgressions, it is almost impossible to think of them in those adverse situations. Someone who has fully taken Step 2 can help someone else who is struggling with their own conception of a Higher Power. For someone to develop faith, they must discover a Higher Power on their own terms. Still, the love and support of the group can be essential to help them discover their spirituality.
STEP TWO OF 12 STEPS: “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”
STEP TWO QUESTIONS As part of a recovery process it’s really helpful to ask and answer important questions pertaining to step two; questions about insanity coming to believe, a power greater than ourselves, restoration to sanity and spiritual principles: ▪ Did you make insane decisions as a result of your addictions? ▪
Do you have any fears about coming to believe in something greater than yourself?
▪
What does “we came to believe” mean to you?
▪
What experiences have you heard other recovering addicts share about their process of coming to believe and have you tried any of them in your recovery/life?
▪
Do you have a problem accepting that there is a power/powers greater than yourself?
▪
What evidence do you have a “higher power” is working in your life?
▪
What are some of the things you consider good examples of sanity?
▪
What changes in your thinking and behavior are necessary for your restoration to sanity?
▪
Why is having a closed mind harmful to your personal recovery?
▪
How are you demonstrating open-mindedness in your life right now?
▪
What fears do you have that are getting in the way of your trust?
▪
What do you need to do to help let go of the fears?
▪
Are you seeking help from your sponsor, going to meetings and reaching out to other recovering addicts? If so what are the results?
STEP TWO IN OUR LIVES I have come to believe that by being in the fellowship of AA and NA, with the aid of the 12 steps, that I can walk through the painful times in recovery knowing that an end is near, this too shall pass and there is always light at the end of darkness, as I stay clean and continue to work the steps. But it’s important to remember that step two, like all of them, is a process, not an event. As a southern California native I’ve come to believe in all kinds of things that are energetically spiritual, where there are parallels in each to sobriety and they complement each other beautifully. Surfing and sobriety as a combination is mind blowing. It just doesn’t get much better than standing on top of a wave in the vast and powerful blue water, looking out over the horizon and enjoying the ride…sober. Life and sobriety are kind of like surfing; sometimes there are is a lull and gentle waves, other times the crashing ferocity of huge swells! Both require patience, humility, and presence, forgiveness and a faith or trust in something uncontrollable, and much bigger than me.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference, living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; taking this world as it is and not as I would have it; trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen.
In college, I lived in the same dormitory as a very bright, funny young woman. She would pass out cookies to everyone on the floor. Her smile and easygoing demeanor made her someone you could talk to. She listened to me stress out over what major to choose, what classes to take. I became decent friends with both her and her boyfriend my freshman year. They appeared to be a happy pair with similar interests and personalities. At the end of the year, I found her weeping in the common floor lounge well past midnight. The lights had been turned off, and she had obviously tried to hide the fact that she had come there to cry. I sat down next to her and asked her if she wanted me to leave. When she said I could stay, I told her she could talk to me if she wanted. The words tumbled out. Her parents were very upset with her. They had just found out about her agnostic boyfriend. They couldn’t believe she would date someone who didn’t PAGE 11 Paula Crane Center
“IT IS NOT know whether God existed. Her parents knew he was going to hell and didn’t want their daughter to have anything to do with him. She was crying, not only because of her parents’ anger but because she believed them. She didn’t know how she could devote herself to someone who couldn’t be with her forever in the afterlife. She loved him but didn’t know if she could make this ultimate sacrifice. Here I saw someone tormented by a spiritual reality that she felt she had no control over, where rules were at once predetermined and if broken, had severe eternal repercussions. Although I did not believe in exactly the same rules as she did, in that moment, I admitted to myself that I too felt bound by spiritual teachings that I had never questioned. As she cried on my shoulder, I learned a valuable lesson that would continue to take shape over my young adult life. You might think I learned that spirituality is unnecessary, but I didn’t. I have never wavered in using faith to comfort and strengthen my resolve in times of both joy and sorrow. What I did come to realize, though, is that no one can decide my spirituality for me. I could decide my own spiritual rules. I didn’t have to stick to one prescribed notion of how the world worked but instead could listen and learn from what other people believed and decide for myself.
THE ANSWER THAT ENLIGHTENS, BUT THE QUESTION.” That meant the rules were not fixed, but quite the opposite. Every other aspect of my life – my formal education, my social experiences, my career knowledge, my parenting style – required critical thinking and occasional revision, so why should spirituality be any different? The idea that spirituality could mature and change stayed with me throughout my young adulthood. I saw it when a well-meaning Christian devoted a few weeks trying to convert my atheist, not to make my cousin a better person, but because he couldn’t comprehend how a “nice guy” like my cousin could not believe in God. This lesson continued to solidify when I left rural America for Japan, immersing myself within a nation that did not prescribe to the spiritual beliefs I had growing up. It grew as I saw the complexities of life, not in black-and-white, but in grayscale, and many of the things I believed as a child couldn’t neatly fit into boxes and stereotypes. I know not everyone reading this may agree with me. Spirituality by definition is personal, and for some, that may mean the opposite of growth and change. It may mean accepting a set of rules, a book of faith, or unchanging standards. I certainly have family members that live this way. They are good people, I love them very much, and I would not take their spirituality
— DECOUVERTES
from them. But if spirituality is personal, then this is my personal take, for better or worse. I believe in spiritual growth. I do not see having an ever-changing spirituality as a weakness. It doesn’t mean I don’t have core beliefs that never change. I do have those because I have decided that some rules should not be broken. But it also means that I can take my life experiences, and the experiences of those around me, to inform my life view. That the world may be more complex than my thin brain-slice of it or even larger than an organization’s authoritative opinion. By continuing to ponder and analyze new ways of thinking about the world, I am a better person today than I was yesterday, both to myself and everyone else around me. I can’t remember what I said to comfort my college friend as she sat weeping on the dormitory couch, but if I had the chance again, I would tell her not to blindly accept that someone else has all the answers for her. That if she searched deep down, she could find an answer not only from her parents but from the world around her and from herself. I wouldn’t encourage her to stay with her boyfriend . Honestly, that outcome is less relevant than the realization that she has control over how she believes, even in matters of faith.
A spiritual awakening is not usually pleasant. Often it feels like confusion, frustration, anger, sadness, grief, or being “out of place.” A spiritual awakening can be uncomfortable & challenging because it’s an intense time of personal growth.
But despite how difficult it may feel, you’re not going crazy; you’re evolving.
Paula Crane Center PAGE 12
WAYS TO EASI LY I NTERACT WITH NEW PEOP LE There has been many an occasion where I 4. MAKE OBSERVATIONS have found myself in a room full of peo- In order to make the first move when interacting with ple I don’t know, trying to work up the new people, try making an observation about the situacourage to start a conversation with a tion you are currently in. You can comment on whether complete stranger. it is busy or quiet, the weather, the music, the beauty of Research shows that people really are hap- the place you are located, literally anything you can pier when they talk to strangers, even when think of that will break the ice. This can be a really they predict they’ll hate it, but many people don’t find good conversation starter. it easy. I know I found it a challenge when I first found 5. ASK GREAT QUESTIONS myself in this situation. Sometimes I still find it difficult Most people love to talk about themselves. Have a list of even now after all this practice. great questions up your sleeve that you can ask, to find When you find yourself having to speak to people you out more about them and to get a conversation started. haven’t met before you can experience feeling shy and Make it all about them. Ask open-ended questions to unsure how to break the ice or maybe you feel lost for find out as much as you can about the words and wondering what to say. other person, encouraging them These are the tips I discovered to help Right now, someone you haven’t to talk at length as opposed to make your interactions more effecbeing limited by a shorter anmet is out there wondering tive: swer. what it would be like to meet 1. SMILE someone like you. 6. LISTEN INTENTLY This sounds very simplistic but if ~ Unknown We often listen with intention rayou get used to smiling at everyone ther than actively listening. We you come into contact with, it makes might listen with the intention to ask the next you appear so much more welcoming question or to give our view on what is being said. Try and open to engage in conversation. If listening with such deep interest that you have no other you smile at the people you meet, it is motive than to purely just hear what the other person is much more likely That they will start chatting to you. saying. Let them carry on speaking until they have com2. MAKE EYE CONTACT pletely finished what is on their mind. Great listening If you feel shy around new people, you may find yourskills take some practice to master, but once you are a self avoiding eye contact. It can feel too intense and a great listener it will make you much better equipped to bit intimidating. Looking someone in the eyes makes interact with others, as people love feeling listened to. you appear more friendly, and confident. It helps you understand what the other person is thinking and feel- 7. EMBRACE REJECTION The feeling of being rejected is one of the worst feelings ing. It also ensures you are putting your focus on the we can experience. If we feel that our presence is not other person, which means you come across as more wanted or we are not welcome, it can cause us to feel engaging. hurt. When the rejection is from a stranger that we have 3. DISPLAY POSITIVE BODY LANGUAGE only just met, there are a couple of ways to deal with it. Notice your body language. Do you appear welcoming? The first is to conclude that it isn’t personal. Most peoDo you look like you are open to being approached and ple are happy meeting new people, but some aren’t, we for people to start a conversation or are you closed off can’t change that, we can just accept it. The second is to to interactions with others? The more positive and open learn from it. Not every interaction we have with a new body language you display the more you will attract oth- person will go well. Don’t sweat it if it doesn’t, just ideners to initiate a conversation with you. tify what went wrong and keep practicing. PAGE 13 Paula Crane Center
A giant ship’s engine broke down and no one could repair it, so they hired a Mechanical Engineer with over 40 years of experience. He inspected the engine very carefully, from top to bottom. After seeing everything, the engineer unloaded the bag and pulled out a small hammer. He knocked something gently. Soon, ,the engine came to life again. The engine had been fixed! 7 days later the engineer mentioned that the total cost of repairing the giant ship was $20,000 to the ship owner. “What?!” said the owner. “You did almost nothing. Give us a detailed bill.” The answer is simple: Tap with a hammer $2 Knowing where to knock and how much to knock: $19,998 The importance of appreciating one’s expertise and experience….because those are the results of struggles, experiments and even tears. If I do a job in 30 minutes it’s because I spent 20 years learning how to do that in 30 minutes. You owe me for the years, not the minutes.
THE LOVE OF MONEY IS A ROOT OF ALL KINDS OF EVIL. As I was driving home from the office, I saw a minivan proudly displaying a bumper sticker Some people, eager for that read “Money money, have wandered Talks: Mine Says from the faith and pierced Good bye.” I think themselves with a lot of people can many grief. relate to that senI Timothy 6:10 timent. Much of our living is spent acquiring and using money, which doesn’t last. The stock market crashes. Prices go up. Thieves steal other’s goods. Things wear out and break down, requiring the acquisition and expenditure of more money to replace what has been lost. The temporary nature of material wealth makes it a poor bargain in the search for security in an insecure world. Money is much better at saying goodbye than it is at sticking around. Nowhere does the Bible say it’s wrong to have money or the things that money can buy. Where we lose our way is when money becomes the driving purpose of our lives. Like the rich man and his barns (Luke 12:1321), we end up pursuing the accumulation of things that eventually will be forfeited---if not in life, then certainly at death. How tragic to live our entire lives---only to end then with nothing of eternal worth to show for our labors. To paraphrase Jesus’s words, it is much better to be rich toward God than to work for treasure that can’t last. Treasures in Heaven are laid up as treasures on earth are laid down. Bernice Taylor-Davis
Paula Crane Center PAGE 14
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
“They told me in the last rehab I had been to, ‘If you relapse, come back in. All you are doing is changing your clean date,’ What I heard was, ‘You can take drug vacations, just come back in.’ What I forgot —what I had to learn yet one more time — was that when I start, I cannot stop. I have a disease; it is chronic, fatal if not treated, and it kills indiscriminately.” FRANK A.
in use is “very risky.” Recent trends indicate that heroin use is increasing for young adults 18 heroin is years of age and older. As heroin usbeing considered. ers get younger and younger, education about the dangers of the drug MYTH #1: HEROIN IS becomes more important and needs LESS DANGEROUS WHEN to be introduced at a younger age. SMOKED OR SNORTED. While it is true FACT: Heroin is a deadly, highlyMYTH #3: METHADONE IS that heroin is one of the addictive drug, regardless how it is MORE HARMFUL THAN most harmful drugs in the world, used. HEROIN. many false notions exist. That bad The only risk-factor that is diminFACT: Over the years, there has been information can hurt people, just like ished when snorting or smoking the a backlash against the most popular Frank A. Heroin addiction was robdrug vs. injecting is the reduced risk form of heroin addiction treatment, bing him of his freedom, his joy, his of HIV transmission through an inmethadone. Although both heroin dreams for the future. It nearly fected needle. However, given that and methadone are both drugs per se, snatched his last breath. But he users under the influence of heroin methadone is safer by nature because turned the tables on this deadly ene- lose much of their rational thought it is prescribed and administered by my. You can too! Script a happy end- while under the influence, dangerous medical professionals in a controlled ing for your life. sex habits may still likely occur. environment. Taken orally, it reaches Take Time to Learn the Facts of the MYTH #2: HEROIN IS A DRUG the brain slowly. The “high” that ocMatter curs is diminished compared with ABUSED ONLY BY OLDER People need to know the facts. They DRUG USERS. other routes of administration. Furneed to know the truth about heroin FACT: For many years a large perthermore, withdrawal symptoms are and its addictive nature. centage of heroin users were aged 30 minimized. Used since the 1960s to Some of the most common misconor older, but that number is changtreat heroin addiction, it remains an ceptions about heroin addiction are ing. excellent treatment opaddressed here, along with what is Heroin users are beginning to skew tion. Methadone produces minimal true. Hopefully this can help guide younger, despite the research indicat- tolerance and alleviates craving and people into making wise choices if ing that 8 out of 10 teens think hero compulsive drug use. PAGE 15 Paula Crane Center
The fact that methadone itself, another opiate, is also addictive makes its use controversial as a treatment for heroin addiction. When used to ease withdrawal off of heroin, dependence on methadone can form. Methadone is comparable to heroin in producing painful withdrawal symptoms. However, methadone users are able to participate fully in society and can hold down a job, participate in family life, go to school, etc., without the psychological or emotional impairments associated with heroin use. MYTH #4: HEROIN USERS BECOME ADDICTED INSTANTLY. FACT: While heroin is considered to be the most addictive street drug, users do NOT typically become addict-
ed to the drug after a single use. Often starting out with prescription opioid misuse, it takes months to become physically addicted to heroin (a street drug that many users find more readily accessible than prescription drugs). If addicted, withdrawal symptoms during detox tend to be severe. The pleasure derived from heroin’s activation of the brain’s natural reward system promotes continued drug use. Repeated exposure to this drug induces the brain mechanisms of dependence. This leads to daily drug use to avert the unpleasant symptoms of drug withdrawal. Further prolonged use produces more long-lasting changes in the brain. This, in turn, may under-
lie the compulsive drug-seeking behavior and related adverse consequences that are the hallmarks of addiction. MYTH #5: ABSTINENCE IS AN APPROPRIATE TREATMENT OPTION FOR HEROIN ADDICTION. FACT: As much as a heroin addict may want to quit using, the fact is that very few individuals can quit on their own accord. To quit heroin use, entering an experienced and reputable drug rehab program is essential.6Programs at facilities like some of our local centers, where a caring, highly-trained staff provides all phases of the heroin rehab, offer a safe environment for
OF H EROI N ADDICTION How has heroin addiction become the problem it is today? Where did the drug come from, and why has is spread so far from its roots? This brief history of heroin addiction can help you better understand the drug and why you or a loved one may struggle with abuse or addiction. HEROIN’S ORIGINS Heroin’s origins lie in opium. Opium has been around for centuries, even millennia. It’s been used in medical settings and, of course, for its euphoric and recreational properties. The Atlantic reports that in 1803 scientists discovered, and then learned to refine, morphine.1 Morphine is opium’s active ingredient. Shortly after this refinement process was found and perfected, companies began to market and sell the drug for every thing ranging from bronchitis and tuberculosis to, “diarrhea, insomnia, psychosis, pneumonia [and] alcoholism.”
Opiates were becoming big business. After the successful making and marketing of morphine came the discovery of heroin. The U.S. National Library of Medicine says: “Heroin, in pharmacological studies, proved to be more effective than morphine or codeine. The Bayer Company started the production of heroin in 1898 on a commercial scale.”2 Dependence and addiction were discovered soon after, but heroin wasn’t banned from medical use until the 1920s. Once medical production ceased, smuggling began. People could no longer get the drug legally, so they looked to other sources and other countries. Heroin was no longer a cure-all. Scientists, medical professionals and politicians were beginning to realize this drug was causing more problems than it was solving. They were beginning to acknowledge addiction and its scope and reach, but they didn’t understand the science behind it. Paula Crane Center PAGE 16
JULY STATS FOR THE CRANE WEBSITE STATS thecrane.org Site Sessions: 252
JULY 2021
JULY 2020
Contacts
330
Contacts
222
Unduplicated Contacts
102
Unduplicated Contacts
41
Direct Reach
152
Facebook.com
28
Google.com
60
Other
SOCIAL MEDIA REACH JUNE 2021
SOCIAL MEDIA REACH JUNE 2020
9
GOOGLE STATS 1,830 People Found Us On Google
Facebook Reach
13,699
Facebook Reach
5,370
Asked for directions
14
Instagram Reach
2,888
Instagram Reach
5,303
Called directly
38
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT At The Crane, we believe in showing Individuals downright, unfiltered FUN in recovery. We’ve recently had a dynamic art class headed by our Director, Ava Gale and co-headed by our Office Manager, Robin that had the group learning to receive compliments from their peers that described positive innate qualities of themselves. We’ve been on numerous nature trail walks at Reynolds Park and The International Beach of Clayton that carried over into “Recovery at the Park” led by both of our Peer Specialists', Bernice and Donald. Our weight training classes resumed with our special in house trainer and Serenity Keeper, D. Brown that had the participants toning up all over and excited to get back to the weights. The first hands on cooking class since the pandemic started back up, led by our Office Manager, Trakell Fears. Students learned how to prepare a Southern classic that’s both price friendly and scrumptious: hamburger steak, smothered in onion gravy topped with fried onions on a bed of beef flavored rice…..To top it all off, we’ve enjoyed our Friday morning breakfast cafés that’s Included salmon croquettes, bacon, ham steaks, omelets, waffles, and any other tasty breakfast treats you can imagine. Don’t miss this month’s activities, kept on our weekly calendar at thecrane.org. Be there, instead of just hearing about it next time!!
Computer classes return on Thursday August 12th at 1:30 pm if you are interested in brushing up on your skills or need to learn some new tricks that you’ve never done before to have you more efficient. Double Trouble Meetings, a combination of mental health and substance use disorders, are held every Friday in person at The Crane starting at1 pm. Peer Support Meetings are held Monday through Thursday at 2 pm and Fridays at 2:30. These groups are led by our Certified Addiction Empowerment Recovery Specialists, Ms. Bernice and Mr. Donald If you are a renter and having trouble paying your rent, utilities or other housing costs, visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for resources to help navigate various financial hardships related to the pandemic. Just select your state and county of residence for a direct link to assistance in your area. CARES Warm Line is available every day of the year from 8:30 am until 11 pm. We are here to help. Call: 1.844.326.5400
Fall Festival COMING TO THE CRANE OCTOBER 2021 Are you afraid of things that go bump in the dark?
the Crane
DBHDD