Author: Christy Weeks

Gratitude and Addiction Recovery

Posted on by Christy Weeks

The month of November is “gratitude month” whereby people indicate one thing they are grateful for every day of the month. The volume of people thinking about what they are grateful for has seemingly grown with the advent of social media – when friends see their friends posting about what they are grateful for on Facebook, it prompts them to do the same.

In addiction treatment programs and 12 step programs, gratitude is one of the many cornerstones that help people recover. Everyday people are encouraged to think about what they are grateful for and the simple praise for not picking up a drug or a drink each day goes a long way. After all, many in recovery can recall a time when they had no choice, when each day they tried to abstain from abusing their substance of choice but by nightfall they were in the grips of addiction yet again. Being able to go even just one day without succumbing to one’s addiction is a lot to be grateful for.

Drug and alcohol rehab and 12 Step programs engrain gratitude within those recovering because it becomes the anti-venom of negative and dismal thinking that can spark someone to pick up a drink or a drug. By taking a moment to reflect on all the great things in life, it nullifies the poison of negative thinking. Often addicts use negative thinking to manufacture an excuse to pick up a drink or a drug, gratitude offers the excuses to not pick up a drink or a drug.

While people sanction days like Thanksgiving or months like November for gratitude, those in addiction recovery make this a daily reflection – and it pays off. Several studies correlate gratitude and good health, including a study in Personality and Individual Differences that analyzed 1,000 people between 18-80. It concluded that gratitude improved one’s physical health because it drastically improved psychological health. Those with psychological well being are more likely to engage in activities that improve physical health such as exercising or seeing a doctor when they are sick. This naturally allows people to sustain well being which is the opposite of addiction, which perpetuates self-destruction and deteriorating physical health.

Gratitude is just one of the many tools and gifts of sobriety, that have multifaceted positive effects on one’s overall condition. For example, when addicts are in gratitude together, many recognize that the positive turn their lives have taken is indeed part of their own work, but they also credit it to others that have helped them and to a divine intervention as well. Gratitude is therefore a spiritual and social emotion that can improve relations – after all, everyone is attracted to those that behave graciously. This in turn fosters social support and interaction that relieves stress and depression which is essential in the sustenance of sobriety. The many gifts of gratitude are just one thing to be grateful for. What are you grateful for?

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Drinking Energy Drinks in Recovery

Posted on by Christy Weeks

Speculations about the harmful effects of energy drinks have been growing in recent years and the spotlight is now on Living Essentials, the company that makes Five Hour Energy drinks.

This week, the New York Times reported on the Food and Drug Administration’s investigation of 13 deaths and 32 hospitalizations blamed on the consumption of Five Hour Energy. The drink, which comes in a shot form, contains 215 milligrams of caffeine among other ingredients like taurine and phenylalanine. It is not clear yet if the deaths were a direct result of Five Hour Energy, as the FDA warned, “It is important to note that submitting a serious adverse event report to the FDA, according the agency itself, is not construed by FDA as an admission that the dietary supplement was involved, caused or contributed to the adverse event being reported.” Skeptics say it is improbable that the ingredients in Five Hour Energy were the culprit in the deaths or hospitalizations but studies have revealed the asscoiated health risks with consumption of such drinks.

Despite these reports, a growing sober trend is the consumption of energy drinks instead of alcohol when “going out” on the town – or going anywhere. While most energy drinks are banned from addiction treatment programs, many addicts in early recovery jump on the bandwagon of consuming copious amounts of Red Bull, Five Hour Energy shots and the like. Some hardliners say that these drinks are “mood altering” and therefore don’t support the code of abstinence. Others say that these drinks give them they energy they need while in post acute withdrawal, or for life in general, after years of bodily damage from which they are still recovering.

While physical recovery is a large part of recovery writ large, studies reveal that these drinks are doing little to help with recovery or with energy. In fact, there are known health risks associated with energy drinks that are antithetical to helping addicts recover, they include:

1.) Greater Risk of Drug Abuse and/or Relapse

According to a 2010 study in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, students who consumed energy drinks in the second year of college were at greater risk of prescription drug abuse, such as the use of stimulants like Adderall, in their third year of college. Similarly, for those in recovery from alcohol or drug abuse who consume energy drinks, the effects from ingredients like phenylalanine may mimic stimulants such as Adderall or cocaine, which may “trigger” them into using. For the addict, consumption of such drinks for chemically induced energy may not be “enough” and they become at risk of relapse.

2.) Impaired Cognitive Function

According to a Live Science article, energy drinks can impair cognitive function when consumed in excess. The study reports that while 40mg of caffeine improved student performance on a reaction test they were given, students who drank an excess of 80 mg, such as a can of Red Bull or shot of Five Hour Energy, had poorer performance on the same test.

Such studies are particularly important for those in early recovery to consider, especially those in post acute withdrawal whose cognitive functions are just beginning to heal. With the growing trend of people attending 12-Step meetings with super sized energy drinks in tow, they may want to consider how such drinks impact their recovery. It is no wonder many drug rehab centers have prohibited the consumption of such drinks, because while there is only speculation so far on the deaths from Five Hour Energy and other said detriments of energy drinks, it just isn’t worth the risk – especially when one is just re-starting their lives.

Marijuana Legalization and Addiction Treatment Providers

Posted on by Christy Weeks

Colorado has voted to legalize marijuana, but now how will that translate into day-to-day life and will it mean for addiction treatment providers? So long as the federal government defers to Colorado state law, anyone 21 and older can legally possess up to an ounce of marijuana outside of their homes. They can also grow six plants in their homes – where they can have more than an ounce if the plants are harvested. Legal possession isn’t determined by residency – when stores begin selling marijuana, which could be as soon as next year, out-of-staters can purchase it. They just can’t bring it over state borders, because similar to how alcohol or helmet laws vary from state to state, individuals are subject to state law once they leave Colorado.

Since Federal agents have a full plate, coming into Colorado to arrest someone for an ounce of marijuana is unlikely. They are more likely to have what the Governor John Hickenlooper calls “passive accommodation” over individual small-scale possession of marijuana. But as Governor cautioned voters: “Don’t break out the Cheetos or the Goldfish too quickly.” Because it will be a month or more before the law is official and even longer before state officials draft all the tax rules, regulations and state codes for Amendment 64.

While many are equating the legalization of marijuana to the end of prohibition, it is unknown how this will impact addiction treatment admission statistics. As most treatment providers know, the old adage “marijuana isn’t addictive” isn’t true. Addiction treatment centers across the US get their fair share of admissions for those seeking treatment for marijuana dependence. Even 12 step programs like Marijuana Anonymous show that there is powerlessness over the substance. In addiction recovery, no matter what the substance/drug of choice is for an addict, those that are serious about their recovery abstain from all mind and mood altering substances, including marijuana – even if it is legal. That is because a secondary drug can always lower inhibitions and lead an addict back to their drug of choice or because the biochemical makeup of an addict’s brain allows any substance to “wake the sleeping dragon” or their dormant addiction.

There are a few ways in which the legalization of marijuana can impact treatment admissions. First, because it is legal, youth may be more apt to trying it. There are a handful of reports that coin marijuana a “gateway drug,” and studies that show teens who use marijuana are more likely to end up with more substance abuse problems later in life. Second, those who are recovering from addiction to another substance may use the legalization of marijuana as a reason to use it, which can bring on a full-blown relapse. Third, while alcoholics can avoid bars or the smell of alcohol, its difficult for recovering marijuana addicts to avoid the thick mass of pot smoke – which may have a triggering effect. Lastly, those who may have never tried marijuana because it was illegal may opt into trying it and develop dependence, just as many did with alcohol after prohibition ended.

Although these are negative projections, they are important considerations for treatment providers – who may want to look into the efficacy of their current marijuana dependence programs or any special treatment protocols for marijuana addiction and incorporate them into their youth, young adult addiction treatment and adult treatment programs.

Harmony Foundation is an affordable addiction treatment center in Colorado that can help men and women recover from addictive disorders such as marijuana dependence. 

New Treatment Component for Legal Professionals

Posted on by Christy Weeks

Harmony is proud to support the addiction recovery process for members of the legal profession. As a leader in the field of addiction treatment for 40 years, Harmony Foundation has seen that drug addiction and alcoholism affect upwards of 10% of the population. The rates of addiction are even higher among legal professionals, as the American Bar Association estimates 15% to 20% of lawyers suffer from substance abuse and chemical dependency.

Larry Dubin, a professor of law at the University Detroit Mercy School of Law, says that addiction often begins when lawyers are in college when they are exposed to the actual lifestyles of attorneys – including substance abuse. Dublin states that students are also conditioned to hide their personal reactions and emotions and often have to represent clients or positions that may not gel with their own belief systems or moral constitution. Such pressures implicit in the profession can lead to substance abuse problems as the substances help further mask the emotional lives of lawyers.

Harmony Foundation recognizes that legal professionals are concerned that disclosing their addiction may cost them the respect of their clients and peers and possibly their licenses. Fortunately, over the past 30 years services have risen to meet the needs of professionals who are facing issues with chemical dependency or co-occurring disorders. Evidence based evaluation and treatment programs that work with professional monitoring agencies have achieved remarkable success. Treatment programs that work with professional programs have reportedly lower incidence of relapse (less than 3% relapse rate per year) and professionals are able to transition back into the workplace and preserve their careers. 

Harmony supports and collaborates with such programs including the American Bar Association (ABA) Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP), the Colorado Lawyer Assistance Program (COLAP) and Colorado Lawyers Helping Lawyers (CLHL) and the Colorado Supreme Court Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel.

The Colorado Lawyer Assistance Program (COLAP) helps members of the legal profession (including law students) who suffer from physical or mental disabilities that impair their ability to practice, including substance abuse. They offer various confidential services such as interventions, aftercare services, monitoring services and peer support group meetings.

Colorado Lawyers Helping Lawyers, Inc. (CLHL) is a peer driven program that offers support, education and referrals for those who are facing substance abuse problems. The overarching goal of the program is relapse prevention and providing a confidential safe space for legal professionals to disclose their challenges with addiction.

Harmony understands the stress, strain, exhaustion, and isolation of the practice of law and the depression, anxiety, and addiction that can follow. This has sparked the creation of a specialized addiction treatment component for lawyers and other legal professionals, that is premised on the need for confidential and professional treatment.

Harmony Foundation’s treatment component for Legal professionals helps them cope with their addiction and learn skills to maintain a lifetime of sobriety. The 30-day (and variable) comprehensive treatment for legal professionals uses the evidence based Bio-Psycho-Social, 12-Step Residential Treatment Model. By overcoming the reservations and fear associated with admitting they have an addiction, legal professionals are able to regain their lives both professionally and personally in the confidential setting of Harmony’s private campus, nestled in the Rocky Mountains near Estes Park, Colorado.

New Movie Portrays a Pilot Facing Alcoholism and Criminal Charges

Posted on by Christy Weeks

Flight, a movie about an alcoholic airline pilot premiered in Los Angeles last night. Denzel Washington plays the main character who is a manipulative and dishonest alcoholic pilot. Despite this, he is able to land a plane in the midst of a brutal storm successfully and is coined a hero until later when the media gets wind that he was drunk while landing the plane.

In an interview, Denzel Washington explains that his character attempts to be abstinent from alcohol but then ends up drinking after he learns he may face prison time. Denzel says he hopes that the film will touch anyone who has been impacted by alcoholism or addiction.

The choice of an airline pilot struggling with alcoholism and addiction is a stark reality for thousands of US airline pilots, as the most common mental health problem amongst pilots is alcoholism. By 2004, there were 2700 reported incidences of pilots in the US seeking treatment for alcoholism, a relatively low number considering there are nearly 150,000 pilots in the US and The National Institute for Alcoholism Research estimates that alcoholism affects five to eight percent of all pilots.

However, the number of pilots seeking alcoholism treatment have increased since the creation of a special FAA program known as the HIMS Program (Human Intervention Motivation Study). This program was created because few pilots would self identify as alcoholics out of fear of losing their licenses and ultimately their careers. In order to fix this significant safety problem for the airlines industry, the FAA prompted co-workers, flight attendants and co-pilots to identify flight crewmembers with potential substance abuse problems without fearing that they would be ending their colleagues’ careers. It also incentivized pilots to seek help without fear of losing their licenses or jobs. Without a program that allows pilots to seek inpatient addiction treatment and holds their positions until they can return to work, their substance abuse would likely remain hidden and impede upon the safety of airlines.

Once pilots are identified or self-identify as having substance abuse problems, they take a medical leave of absence and spend a minimum of 28 days in an inpatient residential facility. An intensive outpatient program follows inpatient treatment along with daily participation in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), an AA sponsor and a pilot peer sponsor. The pilot may return to flying after the FAA medical division has issued a special medical certificate verifying treatment and evaluation.

This program has had high success rates. For example, United Airlines reports a 76% recovery rate amongst their recovering pilots. In 2004, 1,875 special certificates were approved for pilots treated for alcoholism in the HISM Program and the relapse rate among program participants was approximately 10 percent over a three-year period – far lower than average relapse rates, which are 40-60% According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Harmony Foundation in Colorado offers specialized addiction programs for professionals seeking treatment. Our alcoholism treatment program and drug addiction programs can help airline pilots, among other professionals seeking addiction treatment, begin their journey into recovery.

Current Generation Said to Have the Highest Addiction Rate

Posted on by Christy Weeks

The current generation has the highest addiction rate than any other group – ever. And painkillers are the culprits, as oxycontin addiction, codeine addiction, opana addiction and vicodin addiction are all on the rise.

According to Richard Miech, a professor of sociology at the University of Colorado, Denver, the current generation’s abuse of prescription pain medications is “higher than any generation ever measured.” In fact, it is 40% higher than the previous generation.

Here are some alarming statistics from a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health:

  • Emergency room visits related to prescription painkiller abuse have increased by 129% between 2004 and 2009
  • There have been 3 times as many accidental overdoses resulting in death between the 1990s and 2007
  • There has been a 500% increase in those seeking addiction treatment in drug rehab centers, especially addiction rehabs for young adults, between 1997 and 2007
  • The number of hydrocodone, oxycodone and similar legal prescriptions in the US have increased from 40 million in 1991 to 180 million in 2007.
Why the addiction rate is rising

With greater availability of prescription drugs comes a greater propensity for addiction and accidental overdose. The current generation’s access to oxycodone, and similar highly addictive opiate products, is unprecedented and they are often getting them from friends and family members. Miech warns that accessibility of these prescriptions is underestimated, asserting, “Most people recognize the dangers of leaving a loaded gun lying around the house. What few people realize is that far more people die as a result of unsecured prescription medications.”

The current generation is comprised of adults and young adults referred to as “generation X” and “generation Y.” Although many are filling up emergency rooms, the good news is that they are also seeking addiction treatment. Reputable addiction treatment centers like Harmony Foundation are responding to these admissions by creating specific programs catering to young adults and adults with opiate addictions. Through specialized programs including detox, therapy and support groups, young adults and adults addicted to pain killers have a real chance at sustaining life long sobriety – and potentially lowering the historically high rate of accidental overdoses.

Dangers of Drinking: University of Colorado Graduate Shot After Trespassing

Posted on by Christy Weeks

Zoey Ripple, a recent University of Colorado graduate has been in headlines recently after she was shot in the hip by the owners of a multi-million dollar home she broke into while drunk last May.

Ripple’s sentencing was held last week where she pleaded guilty to first degree criminal trespassing. Ripple got into the house through an open screen door at around 3:30 am on May 23rd. After homeowners Doreen Orion and Timothy Justice screamed at Ripple to leave, they fired a shot into her hip when she ignored them and continued to walk into the room.

Ripple’s attorney Colette Cribari told the judge last week that she may have been under the influence of a date rape drug like rohypnol because she had no recollection of the event or even how she got to the house. Rohypnol is considered a date rape drug because of high potency and its ability to cause strong amnesia once ingested. While Ripple wasn’t tested that night for drugs, she was for alcohol which was 3 times the legal limit according to authorities.

Taking this into consideration, the judge deferred Ripple’s sentence and her entire charge could be dropped if she abstains from alcohol and out of trouble for the duration of her 18 month probation. According to Boulder County District Attorney, there are about 12 to 15 cases each year of college students under the influence of alcohol wandering into someone’s home, but not all have a bullet wound as a constant reminder of their drunken mishaps.

Reflecting on the incident in court last week, Ripple said, “Really scary things can happen and it’s important to keep your bearings about you.” She also asserted that she has abstained from alcohol since the incident and plans to move to Peru after probation. “I need to continue to remind myself that this doesn’t define me. I know who I am,” she said.

It is true that “we are not our behaviors” when we drink. In other words, what we do while drunk is often not who we are authentically. But the behaviors that come out, like Ripple’s break-in, are examples of why over consumption of alcohol can be so dangerous. The number of deadly accidents that occur each year because of alcohol consumption are astronomical. Sometimes that extra drink someone takes while already tipsy or drunk is enough to push them into a blackout or dangerous situation. While many have setbacks, like Ripple, some can have more dire, lifelong and life-threatening consequences.  

This is especially true of the untreated alcoholic. While Ripple has abstained from alcohol because of the incident, some are unable to abstain and continue to drink despite negative consequences. If you or a loved one has suffered negative consequences from drinking and yet continue to drink, the affordable Colorado addiction treatment and alcoholism treatment programs at Harmony Foundation in Colorado can help.


Alcoholism and Even Moderate Drinking Can Cause Arrhythmia

Posted on by Christy Weeks

A new study published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal looked at 30,000 adults in 40 countries with a median age of 66 and found that just a few drinks of alcohol can put someone who suffers from diabetes and heart disease at risk for arrhythmia.


During an arrhythmia the heartbeat becomes irregular, beating too slow or fast. For those with heart disease and diabetes, an arrhythmia can be life threatening as the heart may not be able to pump enough blood to the body. The lack of blood flow can damage the brain, heart, and other organs. Particularly, those with arrhythmia are at higher risk of stroke. The study followed subjects in two research trials who had congestive heart failure and high blood pressure. They found those who drink more, but still moderately, had higher rates of atrial fibrillation, which causes arrhythmia.

This study was published just as the company who manufactures the drink Four Loko came under fire in a lawsuit over a New Jersey man who blamed the drink for giving him an arrhythmia. Four Loko is known for being dangerously intoxicating as each can contains 12% alcohol and was once caffeinated. The beverage contained four ingredients – alcohol, caffeine, taurine and guarana until the FDA forced the manufacturer to drop the stimulants from the product. The man pursuing a lawsuit claimed that the 2 and ½ cans of Four Loco he consumed caused his heart arrhythmia.

Often, when people (like the New Jersey man) consume more than the recommended amount of alcohol, health consequences follow. Sometimes it is hard to determine if the abuse of alcohol is the root cause of health problems or just exacerbated by consumption. It is estimated that 1 in 6 people in the US have a drinking problem. One of the greatest indicators of problematic drinking is continuing to drink despite health consequences or drinking despite current health conditions, like diabetes and heart problems, that contraindicate drinking.

Ten other signs of alcoholism, alcohol abuse and problematic drinking include:

1.    Drinking despite harmful consequences to one’s health, work, social and family relationships
2.    Drinking alone
3.    Becoming violent or depressed when drinking
4.    Becoming hostile or dishonest when asked about drinking
5.    Having an inability to control drinking – being unable to stop or reduce alcohol intake
6.    Making excuses to drink or manufacturing dramatic situations to have an excuse to drink
7.    Missing work or school or having inhibited productivity in work or school as a result of drinking
8.    Stopping activities like going to the gym or church because of alcohol consumption
9.    Trying to hide alcohol from friends, family and even health care professionals
10.  Neglecting to eat or eating poorly – rationalizing spending money on alcohol but not on food or other necessitates

If any of these behaviors resonate with you or a loved one or your health has been impacted by drinking, the alcoholism treatment program at Harmony Colorado can help.

College Students are now Using Alcohol Enemas

Posted on by Christy Weeks

Over the past few weeks “alcohol enemas” have received wide media attention following an incident at the University of Tennessee involving a fraternity student. The student was in critical condition (but has since been released) last weekend with a blood alcohol level of 0.40, which is five times the legal limit and can result in death by alcohol poisoning.

According to the Knoxville, TN Police Spokesman Darrell DeBusk, “Upon extensive questioning, it is believed that members of the fraternity were using rubber tubing inserted into their rectums as a conduit for alcohol as the abundance of capillaries and blood vessels present greatly heightens the level and speed of the alcohol entering the bloodstream as it bypasses the filtering by the liver.”

As often seen with substance abuse, the tolerance level  for the substance increases and abusers attempt to get their high through a faster mechanism. The slowest administration is through oral ingestion and the fastest is through intravenous transmission. The alcohol enema serves just like an IV, as it goes directly through to the blood stream. According to Aaron White from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) the use of enemas “makes it all the more dangerous, because your body can’t reject the toxin &hellipsis; When you do it rectally you may still throw up, but there’s nothing to throw up here. It’s kind of like a point of no return once you put it in there that way.”

Alcohol enemas were otherwise unknown to many, including the Chancellor of Student Life at UT who said, “Shock would be an overstatement … I myself have never heard of what has been alleged.” Although alcohol enemas may be unheard of, the general problem of underage drinking is well known across college campuses throughout the US. It is estimated that 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 experience alcohol related deaths, according to the NIAAA. These deaths can include alcohol poisoning or injuries such as car accidents or falls.

What can start out as casual drinking for your adults can soon turn into alcohol abuse and dependence with dangerous consequences. Harmony Foundation has seen this within its own admissions – with an increase in young adults from across the US, both in and out of college, who have suffered the negative and often unintended consequences of alcohol abuse.

If you or a loved one suffers from substance abuse, Harmony foundation can help through our addiction treatment programs and our specialized treatment tracks for men, women, and college age young adults.

September is Recovery Month

Posted on by Christy Weeks

Road to Recovery, Recovery Month


The month of September is known as Recovery Month with various events that commemorate and promote the treatment of and recovery from substance abuseand mental health disorders. The goal of Recovery Month is to impact the general discourse about mental health and substance abuse, advocate for more services for these disorders and to celebrate recovery and addiction treatment professionals.

In the past, the influence of popular media on general public perception has stigmatized mental health and substance abuse disorders a negative and shameful. This was recognized 23 years ago by addiction treatment professionals who started Recovery Month as a way to honor those who worked in the field of addiction treatment. Recovery Month then evolved in 1998 to celebrate those in recovery and it evolved last year to include those with mental health disorders. 
Since Recovery Month began, public awareness and understanding substance abuse and mental health disorders has grown. One way this has been effective is equating the disease of addiction with cancer. From this perspective, people realize they wouldn’t shame someone who had cancer, discourage them for seeking treatment or caution them from telling their loved ones or peers about their ailments. In this light, if people are going to great lengths to face one of the most difficult diseases to recover from, their efforts should be celebrated rather than stigmatized.
Because mainstream media can impact public discourse on addiction, it is important to have visible events throughout Recovery Month that re-shape the negative perception of substance abuse and mental health disorders. Recovery Month celebrations are routinely done by sharing stories with others such as neighbors, friends and colleagues as a way to educate the public about living with and recovering from a substance abuse or mental health disorder. Their shared stories and celebrations show that addiction does not discriminate, that it can impact the rich and poor alike, regardless of race, gender, age or sexual orientation. The stories of treatment professionals and those in recovery reveal how and why recovery works, as SAMSHA explains, “There are millions of Americans whose lives have been transformed through recovery. These successes often go unnoticed by the broader population; therefore, Recovery Month provides a vehicle to celebrate these accomplishments.”
Those in recovery should rightfully be depicted as triumphant heroes walking through one of life’s most difficult encounters. Their investment in their own recovery is positive essential to their general health and well-being and that of those around them. They are living testaments that treatment does indeed work and enables them to lead amazing lives, as the best versions of themselves. By shifting the discourse, Recovery Month is a tribute to those in recovery and treatment service providers and spreads the message that recovery is common and possible. If you are a loved one is interested in recovery from a substance abuse or mental health disorder, Harmony Colorado has effective treatment programs that can help you begin your journey.