Leslie Glass's Blog, page 275

Suicide Deaths Are Often ‘Contagious.’ This May Help Explain Why

From Time:

In the wake of any high-profile suicide, public health experts steel themselves for the aftershock. Suicide contagion, the phenomenon by which exposure to one suicide death can trigger suicidal behavior in others, is well-documented but poorly understood.

A recent study published in the journal Society and Mental Health adds to the knowledge about why suicide contagion occurs. And it spotlights a common mistake that people may make when a community experiences suicide: normalizing these deaths.

“When there’s an unexpected death, people take notice,” says study co-author Seth Abrutyn, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of British Columbia in Canada. “They try to make sense of what’s happening.” And when they do, Abrutyn says, community members may unwittingly contribute to suicide contagion.

For the study, Abrutyn and his colleague Anna Mueller embedded in “Poplar Grove,” a pseudonym for a wealthy, predominantly white suburb in the U.S. with an unusually high youth suicide rate. At least 16 current or recently graduated high school students there have died by suicide since 2005, the paper says. Three distinct “suicide clusters,” or related strings of suicide deaths, have been identified in Poplar Grove, and each one involved at least one “high status” young woman who was academically, socially and extracurricularly successful.

For more than two years (during which time three new suicides occurred) the researchers conducted dozens of in-depth interviews and focus groups in the community to learn about the roots of suicide contagion. They interviewed 98 Poplar Grove residents who knew someone in the community who had died by suicide, as well as 20 young people who had lost a loved one to suicide but didn’t have a connection to Poplar Grove.

They noticed two distinct patterns. Outside Poplar Grove, most people mentioned mental illness as the primary catalyst of suicide. But within Poplar Grove, a striking number described a community-wide culture of academic, athletic and social pressure that they believed was responsible. (Many mentioned mental illness as well.)

“It just kept coming up,” Abrutyn says. “That was the story that everyone was sticking to,” whether they were asked about recent suicides or those that had occurred years ago. Many young interviewees also said they felt this pressure themselves.

There is some value in broadening discussions about suicide beyond mental health issues alone, Abrutyn says. Suicide deaths rarely have one singular cause, and blaming every suicide death on mental health conditions could contribute to stigma around these diagnoses, Abrutyn says. But Poplar Grove’s collective narrative of linking a high-pressure environment to suicide may have inadvertently contributed to suicide clusters, Abrutyn says.

When young people start to equate suicide with a way to escape a common problem or experience, it can seem like an increasingly viable and understandable option, he says. “It makes suicide applicable to kids who are also experiencing that problem,” he explains — especially when kids who seem to “have it all” die by suicide. “[Other students think,] ‘If their struggles led to this, then perhaps this is a way of expressing the distress that adults aren’t seeing or hearing or picking up on.’”

Poplar Grove, a tight-knit, affluent community with an academically rigorous high school, was the perfect breeding ground for this pressure narrative, Abrutyn says. But while other schools or communities might develop slightly different explanations for suicide, he says it’s likely that every group has a story of some kind. No matter the details, the result could be the same: making death by suicide seem like an understandable response to a shared issue.

“There are more Poplar Groves in the United States,” Abrutyn says. “It’s really more chance that there aren’t more of these cluster sites than anything. It’s really one high-status suicide away from potentially changing the story in that community.”

Abrutyn’s study comes just a few weeks after two students in Parkland, Fla. — at least one of whom survived the mass shooting there last year — died by suicide just days apart, in an apparent example of suicide contagion. The successive suicide deaths of famed designer Kate Spade and chef Anthony Bourdain last year also contributed to fears of suicide contagion because they were broadcast and publicized so widely. Researchers estimate that the 2014 suicide death of actor Robin Williams contributed to a 10% increase in suicides over the following four months.

Research has shown that media coverage of high-profile deaths like these can contribute to suicide contagion. But when done properly, and when paired with an appropriate community response, it can also be a way to dispel potentially dangerous thought patterns about suicide, Abrutyn says.

“There is some suggestive evidence that narratives or stories about resilience have potentially positive protective effects,” Abrutyn says. Than can mean “telling the story about kids who have actually pulled through these struggles, and [emphasizing that] there are ways to get help,” rather than only memorializing or glamorizing those who have died by suicide. Schools and community figures should also give clear and non-inflammatory information about suicide, the authors write. Finally, it’s important to avoid stigmatizing psychological pain, and instead encourage those who are struggling to seek help.

If you or someone you know may be contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. In emergencies, call 911, or seek care from a local hospital or mental health provider.

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Stress Tied to Heart Disease, Especially in People Under 50

From NYTimes By Nicholas Bakalar  Someone with a stress disorder was 37 percent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those in the general population.

Stress may increase the risk for heart disease, especially in younger people.

Researchers writing in BMJ used Swedish data on 136,637 people diagnosed with stress-related disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder, acute stress reaction and others. They compared them with 171,314 unaffected siblings, and with 1,366,370 people in the general population without a stress disorder diagnosis. They tracked their health for up to 27 years.

After controlling for physical and mental health history, age, sex, income and other factors, they found that a person with a stress disorder was 29 percent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than a sibling without a stress disorder, and 37 percent more likely than those in the general population. The risk was even greater in the first year after the diagnosis — 64 percent higher than a sibling, and 71 percent higher than the general population.

The association between stress and cardiovascular disease was especially strong for people under 50. How different kinds of stress make you sick.

“Our study included only people with a diagnosed stress disorder,” said the lead author, Huan Song, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Iceland. “But people with depression and anxiety are also at higher risk for cardiovascular disease. In fact, anyone with stress is at higher risk, but here we focused on people with acute stresses and severe psychiatric reactions to them.”

 

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Anne Hathaway: Choosing To Stay Alcohol-Free Before My Son Is 18 ‘Isn’t A Moralistic Stance’

From People:

Anne Hathaway is setting the record straight about her no-alcohol rule.

In a new cover interview for Modern Luxury, the 36-year-old actress and mother of one opened up about comments she made on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in January, where she said she was going to refrain from drinking while her son Jonathan Rosebanks, 3, “is living in my house.”

The decision, she says now, is a logistical one completely based on how she feels after she drinks, Hathaway told the magazine, as opposed to a “moralistic” choice — and certainly not one she’s projecting onto anyone else.

“I didn’t put [a drink] down because my drinking was a problem; I put it down because the way I drink leads me to have hangovers and those were the problem,” said The Hustle star. “My last hangover lasted for five days. When I’m at a stage in my life where there is enough space for me to have a hangover, I’ll start drinking again, but that won’t be until my kid is out of the house.”

“But, I just want to make this clear: Most people don’t have to do such an extreme thing,” Hathaway clarified. “I don’t think drinking is bad. It’s just the way I do it — which I personally think is really fun and awesome — is just not the kind of fun and awesome that goes with having a child for me. But this isn’t a moralistic stance.”

In her January interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Hathaway admitted she doesn’t “totally love the way” she drinks, explaining that Jonathan was “getting to an age where he really does need me all the time, in the mornings.”

“I did one school run one day where I dropped him off at school — I wasn’t driving, but I was hungover,” the Oscar winner recalled. “That was enough for me. I didn’t love that [experience].”

“Another reason I don’t want kids,” joked DeGeneres, 61. “I’m not quittin’ drinking!”

Hathaway spoke to PEOPLE in January about the challenges of balancing work and motherhood, especially “when you play characters that are isolated.”

“I just did one this summer. My God, she was such an island, and it’s a little harder because I’d be holding [Jonathan], but I felt like I wasn’t really giving it to him,” she said.

And although it can be easy as a mother to criticize yourself regarding your availability for your children, Hathaway explained, “I try to be nice to myself.”

“I’m not big on mommy guilt. I just don’t really do it unless I really, really, really, really, really need to,” she added.

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5 Tips To Stop Resentments

I never thought about resentments before addiction came into my life. That doesn’t mean I didn’t have painful feelings about a variety of family issues over the years. But resentment, as the driving motivation for emotional nuclear war, was not on my radar.

Now, like all families on the recovery journey I understand how resentments can become the major catalyst for a broken heart. Why is dealing with resentments so important in recovery? Because addiction makes everybody really mad. Nobody is immune to the passions of feeling wronged by something or somebody. And often it’s the people we love the most who make us the maddest. And often they are the ones we believe have hurt us the most. Who did what to whom? Maybe everyone did. It’s almost impossible to tease out the truth when resentments take over.

The Rallying Cries Of Resentment Are Statements Like:

How could you do that to me?
How could you hurt me so?
If you loved me you’d stop (whatever behavior I don’t like).
How could you talk to me that way?
How could you be so insensitive to (fill in the blank)?
If you really loved me, you’d be a whole lot nicer in absolutely every way.

Components of resentment include anger, bitterness, dislike, hatred, antipathy, offense, umbrage and bile. It’s excruciating to obsess about all the ways someone has done you wrong, and just as painful when resentments come at you like knives in a magic show. But real resentment knives leave real wounds. Harboring resentments is one of the worst poisons on earth. It can literally kill you and the ones you love.

“Nothing on earth consumes a man more completely than the passion of resentment.” Nietzsche

Giving up your resentments is the ultimate cure for family relations. It would be ideal to be able to say to someone you love: You hurt me, but I forgive you. Or I hurt you, and I’m really sorry. And have those apologies stick so that you can move on. But that can’t always happen. Resentment can be a hydra headed syndrome that rears its ugly head over and over, creating havoc each time it surfaces.

Part of the human condition is that people hurt each other, whether they intend to or not. Hurt happens. A lot. But healthy living is being resilient about the barbs of life and moving on. You can control what you do when hurt happens. Here are some things we’ve heard work when negative emotions get out of hand. Remember if you’re in danger, get help right away. And the only changes you can make are in yourself.

What To Do About Resentment
1. Create A Safe Place For Yourself

If you’re super mad or someone is super mad at you. Take a serious break. Separate from whoever or whatever is bugging you. Literally, get away if you can. Make a no fly zone where the dance of hate can’t go.  Stop the phone calls, angry texts, or whatever bombs are coming in.

2. Be Grateful

The very best antidote for resentment is the continual practice of gratitude. When somebody is giving you trouble, see the incident in relation to the rest of your life, especially the part that is good and for which you could be grateful.

3. Break The Hamster Wheel Habit

It can be very hard to stop reliving every detail of perceived wrongs and the misery that goes along with it. But you can choose not to clutter your thoughts with resentments that can definitely become a habit, even your primary way of thinking about the world. Remember the hamster wheel of obsessing absolutely never does any good, and is likely to bring a lot of harm in the end.

4. Stop Taking Offense

It’s only by taking offense that you can be afflicted with resentments.  Only you can decide not to be made uneasy by what others do, whether they intend to hurt you or not.

5. Be The Decider of Your Own Fate

No one ever wants to say goodbye. But if you have been permanently pegged as the scapegoat, and offending agent, in a relationship. If the pileup of resentments  against you gets too painful to bear, leaving may be the only path to your emotional safety. But don’t leave without first trying Author Julian Germain’s advice, “I teach people how to treat me by what I will allow.”

Another axiom we like is: If you are brave enough to say goodbye to a behavior that isn’t working anymore, life will reward you with a new hello.

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How College Students Can End Up In Vicious Cycle Of Substance Abuse, Poor Academics, Stress

From Newswise:

One negative behavior such as substance abuse or heavy alcohol drinking can lead college students toward a vicious cycle of poor lifestyle choices, lack of sleep, mental distress and low grades, according to new research.

“We used a robust data-mining technique to identify associations between mental distress in college students with substance abuse, sleep, social behaviors, academic attitude and behaviors, and GPA (short-term and long-term as reflective of academic performance),” said Lina Begdache, assistant professor of Health and Wellness Studies at Binghamton University. “Positive behaviors such as abstinence from substance use, studious attitudes and responsibility toward work and family are reflective of a brain chemistry profile that supports mood and maturation of the prefrontal cortex of the brain. The latter matures last and supports impulse and emotional control as well as rationalization of thoughts.

“Interestingly, we identified potential cyclic behaviors that associate with severe mental distress that are linked to a change in brain chemistry that supports substance abuse, poor academic attitude and performance, poor sleep patterns, and neglect of family and work. The novelty of these findings is that we are proposing, based on the neuroscience of these behaviors, that one action may be leading to another until a vicious cycle sets in.”

A total of 558 students from different U.S. colleges completed an anonymous survey on academic performance, daytime sleepiness, substance use and mental distress. Low mental distress in college students was associated with no substance abuse, responsible attitude toward learning as well as good academic efforts, high GPA (of above 3.0) and limited daytime sleepiness. Mild mental distress correlated with borderline work neglect and with a marginal negative association with grade-point average. Severe mental distress correlated with substance abuse (including excessive alcohol drinking), extreme daytime sleepiness, poor academic attitude and low GPA. This change in the direction of associations may reflect the neuroanatomical and neurochemical changes triggered by these factors that eventually contribute to mental distress. The results demonstrate that manageable lifestyle factors contribute to mental health in college students, which become potentially cyclic events that may impact academic performance.

“These factors that are associated with mental distress in college students are controllable factors, meaning that proper education of students may reduce risk of mental distress on college campuses, which is on the rise,” said Begdache.

Begdache said that “it is important for young adults to recognize that one behavior may lead to a domino effect. For instance, using drugs recreationally, abusing alcohol or using “study” drugs not only affects brain chemistry but may affect diet and sleep, which may further alter brain function and brain maturity. Reduced brain maturity increases impulsivity, reduces emotional control and cognitive functions as well as GPA, eventually increasing mental distress with a potential long-lasting effect,” said Begdache. “Brain maturity is a window of time and negative stimuli leave a permanent mark. Higher impulsivity and increased mental distress further support drug use, and a vicious cycle sets in. Luckily, we also identified a virtuous cycle; when young adults follow a healthy lifestyle (diet, sleep and exercise), they are more likely to avoid drugs and alcohol, which supports a normal brain maturity, which is then reflected in a higher GPA and responsible attitudes toward learning, work and family. These vicious or virtuous cycles have a long-lasting effect on brain function, so it is crucial that young adults are aware of the potential harm or benefits of their own actions.”

Begdache and her team will next look into the effect of alcohol binging, gender differences in attitudes and mental distress.

“The rationale is that the brain morphology and connectivity between men and women is known to be different and that alcohol metabolism is also different between males and females,” said Begdache.

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What Is Mindfulness Can It Help You?

From Health

The Zen-sounding buzzword midnfulness is everywhere these days, from Instagram hashtags and coffee mugs to medical schools and firefighter training.

But what is the definition of mindfulness, exactly? And why is practicing mindfulness good for you? We asked experts to explain what the term means and how you can incorporate it into your life.
What is mindfulness?
“Mindfulness is a way of moving your focus and attention into the present moment without judgment,” explains Lara E. Fielding, PsyD, a psychologist in Beverly Hills, California who specializes in mindfulness-based therapies and is the author of Mastering Adulthood: Go Beyond Adulting to Become an Emotional Grown-Up.

Being mindful is more important and trickier than it sounds. “As humans, our minds are wired to time-travel,” Fielding tells Health. “We can imagine future outcomes and also go backward in time to remember, and try not to repeat, past mistakes.”

These are great abilities to have, sure, but “our mind can get stuck on both of these roads,” says Fielding. “Just like your car can get stuck in the mud.”

Practicing mindfulness gets you back on the present track, and it holds your mind there.

While you may think that sounds inefficient—don’t you have a million other things to think about?—“research shows we spend 47% of our day distracted and thinking about things other than where we are,” says Fielding. “Thinking too much about the future causes anxiety, worry, and stress. People who time-travel to the past tends toward depression.”
What to know about mindfulness
First, it’s not really a new trend. “Mindfulness has been practiced in the East for centuries and was systematically used in the West in the mid 1970s to help people with chronic pain,” Mónica M. Alzate, PhD, assistant professor of family and community medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, tells Health.

There’s proof it works, too. “After several decades of research, we now know that the continuous practice of mindfulness affects changes in the brain areas responsible for emotional regulation, memory, concentration, and learning,” says Alzate. “It also decreases stimulus in the amygdala where responses of stress, fear, and anxiety are formed.”

Mindfulness itself is not the same as meditation, though some people think that practicing mindfulness and mindfulness meditation are synonyms. Confusing mindfulness with visualization and relaxation is common, too. “Mindfulness is not a relaxation technique,” says Fielding. “It’s not spacing out, it’s not just taking a break, it’s not self-soothing. It’s simply a cognitive skill.” In fact, she adds, “you can be mindful and uncomfortable.”

To practice it, you don’t have to sit like a monk or be in any special position. “People can benefit from infusing mindfulness practices into their daily routine: from taking a shower, how they drive, to how they talk or play with their children,” Alzate says. While you’ll see the most benefit from a regular, formal practice, “you can start with techniques that are weaved throughout your day,” she adds.
How to practice mindfulness
There’s more than one way to practice mindfulness training, so if you try one exercise and it doesn’t resonate with you, don’t give up. “Be open to learning and practicing different techniques,” Alzate says.

If you’re a beginner, Alzate recommends trying one of these:

Five senses exercise. Decide which of your senses you want to focus on for five minutes. For instance, if you choose “sight,” you’ll focus on five objects around you that  you’ve never paid attention to before. Choose “hearing,” and you’ll hone in on five distinct sounds. You can do this exercise while practicing abdominal, or diaphragmatic, breathing, which helps your body relax. Inhale slowly through your nose, allowing both your chest and lower belly to rise. Exhale, and repeat.

Body scan exercise. Close your eyes and scan how your body feels, starting from the crown of your head all the way to your toes. Long, slow exhales through your nose will help you relax you more. You can take 5 minutes to do this exercise, or as long as half an hour.
Get the most out of mindfulness
As you practice clearing your head, remember these pointers:

Actually do the practice. “We can read, listen to books, and watch videos about mindfulness all day long, but that’s not going to help if we don’t actually practice it,” Alzate says. And don’t save these exercises only for times of stress. This training can help your brain get used to how you’ll react in moments of high pressure, she explains. (Plus, who learns well in times of stress?)

Go easy on yourself. One of the principles of mindfulness is compassion. “This means we won’t judge ourselves when we don’t practice as we intended to, or as often, or as long,” Alzate adds. “Accept that it happened, accept that it may take longer, and try again next time.”

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Regular Cannabis Users Require Up To 220% Higher Dosage For Sedation In Medical Procedures

From Science Daily:

Patients who regularly use cannabis may require more than two times the usual level of sedation when undergoing medical procedures, according to a study published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.

Researchers in Colorado examined medical records of 250 patients who received endoscopic procedures after 2012, when the state legalized recreational cannabis. They found patients who smoked or ingested cannabis on a daily or weekly basis required 14% more fentanyl, 20% more midazolam, and 220% more propofol to achieve optimum sedation for routine procedures, including colonoscopy.

“Some of the sedative medications have dose-dependent side effects, meaning the higher the dose, the greater likelihood for problems,” says lead researcher Mark Twardowski, DO, an osteopathic internal medicine physician. “That becomes particularly dangerous when suppressed respiratory function is a known side effect.”

A lack of research, due to cannabis’s status as a schedule 1 drug, combined with its sudden widespread legalization, makes Dr. Twardowski concerned about other unforeseen issues.

“Cannabis has some metabolic effects we don’t understand and patients need to know that their cannabis use might make other medications less effective. We’re seeing some problematic trends anecdotally, and there is virtually no formal data to provide a sense of scale or suggest any evidence-based protocols,” says Dr. Twardowski.

He says colleagues in nearby emergency departments have noticed more patients reporting with complaints of chronic nausea, a symptom that can occur from regular cannabis use. He also says that colleagues in anesthesiology have noted patients requiring much higher dosages for general anesthesia and higher rates of post-op seizures.

These types of recurring stories prompted Dr. Twardowski and his colleagues to gather real data.

Potential for more insight

Cannabis use in the United States increased 43% between 2007 and 2015. An estimated 13.5% of the adult population used cannabis during this period, with the greatest increase recorded among people 26 and older, according to the study.

As more states legalize medical and recreational cannabis, there is also greater potential for meaningful data collection. Not only are more patients using cannabis, but more are also now willing to admit cannabis use than in the past, which increases the likelihood that they will be forthcoming when questioned by a medical professional.

Adding specific questions regarding cannabis use to patient intake forms is the first step to acquiring useful information that influences patient care, according to researchers.

“This study really marks a small first step,” says Dr. Twardowski. “We still don’t understand the mechanism behind the need for higher dosages, which is important to finding better care management solutions.”

Dr. Twardowski’s team is developing a follow-up study on differences in requirements for sedation and anesthesia as well as post-procedure pain management for regular cannabis users versus non users.

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Indicators of despair rising among Gen X-ers entering middle age

From Science Daily Indicators of despair — depression, suicidal ideation, drug use and alcohol abuse — are rising among Americans in their late 30s and early 40s across most demographic groups, according to new research led by Lauren Gaydosh, assistant professor of Medicine, Health and Society and Public Policy Studies at Vanderbilt University. These findings suggest that the increase in “deaths of despair” observed among low-educated middle-aged white Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) in recent studies may begin to impact the youngest members of Generation X (born 1974-1983) more broadly in the years to come.

The study, The Depths of Despair Among U.S. Adults Entering Midlife, appears in the American Journal of Public Health. Gaydosh’s co-authors are Kathleen Mullan Harris, Robert A. Hummer, Taylor W. Hargrove, Carolyn T. Halpern, Jon M. Hussey, Eric A. Whitsel, and Nancy Dole, all at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In 2016, U.S. life expectancy began to decline for the first time in nearly a quarter-century, and researchers theorized that this was driven by a marked increase in deaths due to drug overdose, alcoholic cirrhosis and suicide among middle-aged whites with low education or in rural areas. At the time, this was explained by a unique triple-punch of worsening employment prospects accompanied by a declining perception of socioeconomic status and an erosion of social supports for this group. But studies to better understand those mortality trends did not definitively show that low-income rural whites were actually experiencing more despair than other groups.

“What we wanted to do in this paper was to examine whether the factors that may be predictive of those causes of death — substance use, suicidal ideation and depression — are isolated to that particular population subgroup, or whether it’s a more generalized phenomenon,” Gaydosh said.

To do so, they turned to the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, or Add Health, directed by Harris at the University of North Carolina, which tracked the physical and mental health of thousands of Americans born between 1974-1983 from adolescence through their late 30s and early 40s in 2016-18.

“We found that despair has increased in this cohort, but that increases are not restricted to non-Hispanic whites with low education,” Gaydosh said. “Instead, the increase in despair that occurs across the 30s is generalized to the entire cohort, regardless of race, ethnicity, education, and geography.”

While patterns of drinking, drug use and mental health symptoms varied across races and education levels — whites were more likely to binge-drink in adolescence, while Hispanics and African Americans of all ages were more likely to report depressive symptoms, for example — the trends were broadly the same. Adolescence was, perhaps unsurprisingly, a rocky time for everyone, followed by a period of improvement in their twenties. By the time the teens were in their late 30s, however, indicators of despair were trending back up across the board, and in some cases were higher for minority populations than they were for low-educated whites or rural adults.

Gaydosh and her colleagues say these findings should be cause for concern, as they suggest midlife mortality may begin to increase across a wide range of demographic groups. “Public health efforts to reduce these indicators of despair should not be targeted toward just rural whites, for example,” she said, “because we’re finding that these patterns are generalized across the population.”

Story Source:

Materials provided by Vanderbilt University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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Welcome To Kinkatopia: A Place Of Recovery And Honey Bears

Let me set the usual scene for Kinkatopia and my recovery… It’s 8 in the evening, and the party is about to begin. I look to the main room and see a thin, brown flash of tail skate across one of the ropes. The tail disappears into a hide box, attached to the ceiling. They are waking up, and the festivities are going to start. But the partying about to take place is far from the shenanigans I used to participate in. This nocturnal play is void of alcohol. Hold the sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll. Bring in the kinkajous!  

Who knew Kinkatopia would be my story of recovery and Honey Bears?

My name is Alexandra, and I am a sober woman in recovery. I enjoy cooking, nature, travel, and horror movies. I’m covered in tattoos, piercings, and scars. I like to work out and watch documentaries about serial killers. When I was little, I WAS Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz.” Seriously though, I would only answer to Dorothy. I am accountable and my compassion carries a double-edged sword. Resilience and discipline are among my strongest attributes. Oh yeah, and I love animals. I absolutely love them. 

Many animals, like humans, can’t survive without a rescue and a recovery

I’m not only sharing all this with you to introduce myself, but also as a reminder that I am a multidimensional individual—a multifaceted diamond, if you please. As any good alcoholic, I can easily become obsessed with the things that make me feel good and fill the void within my soul — or so I think. For me, one of those things is animals. Among many others: food, sex, body modification, exercise. I strive for balance and hold a constant reminder that my recovery comes first. This is the only way I am capable of functioning.  

How did I learn how to find that balance in recovery? It was a process 

I am the CEO and founder of Kinkatopia — the first and only kinkajou-specific nonprofit haven in the world. It kind of sounds like a fetish-related utopia, right? Well, it’s my kind of a paradise. In simplest terms, a kinkajou (aka “honey bear”) is an exotic mammal related to the raccoon. Kinks are often confused with monkeys and resemble a cat-sized, brown bear with a super long tail. They are high-energy, independent, and intelligent bears of mischief. I adore every part of caring for them. 

But, if putting myself and balance first doesn’t happen, things fall apart 

A few years back, I thought I was at the top of my game. I was running a successful captive wildlife and exotic animal organization that organically manifested into an animal of its own. It was an extraordinary rise and being on it was magical. Looking back, I think feeling successful after active addiction was a high in itself. It also became all-encompassing, and the animals and business became my Higher Power. (At this point in my life I struggled with an HP that was greater than me, but that’s a story for another day.) I lost sight of my well-being and eventually went back to old habits. They say if you “go back out” you’ll “lose everything overnight.” I lost everything in a matter of 13 hours … or so I thought.  

Redemption comes in different forms for each of us

What I didn’t know — then — was that this bottom was a turning point for rebirth. I was blessed with the opportunity to rebuild my character, discover various passions, find spirituality, and most importantly, to establish a foundation for long-term recovery. This painful and incredible growth process has allowed me to appropriately pursue my dream of helping animals — as long as I put myself first. I’m doing things differently with Kinkatopia and witness the results every day. I am forever grateful to have been graced with the chance to start again.  

Just like with getting sober and finding recovery, it’s OK to stumble. Entrepreneur Colette Werden says it best:

“It’s OK if you fall down and lose your spark, just make sure that when you get back up, you rise as the whole damn fire.” And I assure you — I’ve been fueled by a smoldering tenacity for both my recovery and kinkajou calling. 

Please join me on this blazing journey of speaking my truths, while sharing my unusual world with you. Welcome to Kinkatopia.  

Peace, love, and kinkajous.  

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10 Things That Can Happen To Your Body When You Give Up Alcohol

From Insider:

If you’ve ever given up drinking alcohol, you likely felt different; research has shown that organs including the skin and liver get healthier when you stop drinking.

To find out how the body reacts when we give up alcohol, INSIDER consulted experts in gastroenterology and nutrition. Here’s what they said.

Giving up alcohol can support brain-tissue growth

People who consistently drink large quantities of alcohol can develop a deficiency in thiamine, or vitamin B1. Vitamin B1 supports the growth of tissues in the body, including brain tissue, which means a deficiency can contribute to memory problems.

However, research has found that not all alcohol-related brain damage is permanent. Human brains can grow new neurons into adulthood, and, according to a study conducted at the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, abstaining from chronic alcohol consumption can also foster the growth of new brain cells.

Your liver will be healthier

It’s common knowledge that alcohol is bad for your liver. Excessive, long-term drinking can harm the organ, which transforms glucose into fat before distributing it around the body. If someone drinks more alcohol than their liver can handle, fat can collect in the liver and it can become inflamed and permanently scarred.

Cutting out alcoholic beverages can reduce your chance of developing liver disease.R

Eliminating alcohol can improve the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut

According to Niket Sonpal, an adjunct assistant professor of clinical medicine at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, alcohol can disrupt the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut, causing illnesses such as thyroid disease and immunity issues.

“When we have more than three drinks within a two-hour period, we are compromising our gut health,” Sonpal told INSIDER. “While a glass of wine or beer with dinner may be OK, we start to see more damage when people binge drink and, of course, when there’s full alcoholism.”

The higher your blood-alcohol content, the less control you have over your body.Skye Gould/Business Insider



It can improve overall digestive health

By removing alcohol from your diet, you can reduce the likelihood of developing acid reflux and gastritis, or stomach inflammation.

“The digestive system works hard to eliminate alcohol (a toxin) from our system,” Sonpal said. “So when we cut out alcohol we are allowing the digestive system to better convert the food and beverages we consume into fuel, energy for us to function optimally.”

You might sleep better

Habitual drinking or even occasional heavy drinking can interrupt your sleep cycle. When you drink before bed, you’re more likely to spend time in non-rapid-eye-movement sleep rather than in the more restorative rapid-eye-movement sleep.

“Alcohol may seem to be helping you to sleep, as it helps induce sleep, but overall it is more disruptive to sleep, particularly in the second half of the night,” Irshaad Ebrahim, the medical director at The London Sleep Centre, told WebMD. “Alcohol also suppresses breathing and can precipitate sleep apnea,” or pauses in breathing that happen throughout the night.

Giving up alcohol can help your skin clear up

Alcohol, a diuretic, dehydrates the body. Other dermatologic ramifications range from inflammation and an increased risk of rosacea to nutrient deficiencies that can affect the skin.

But if you stop drinking, you won’t see results overnight. After a day, you’ll likely still experience the effects of dehydration, including blotchy skin. According to Sonya Dakar, a celebrity aesthetician and the founder of the Sonya Dakar Skin Clinic, it could take a week for your skin to look dewy and healthy again.

Because staying alcohol-free for extended periods of time will increase the health of your liver, your liver will be able to better help your skin.

“Over one year of not drinking alcohol, your liver will be healthier and better at detoxifying your body,” Tess Mauricio, a board-certified dermatologist, previously told INSIDER. “The healthier you are, the more beautiful your skin looks, so our skin will be more healthy and glowing.”

It’s easier to make informed eating choices when you’re not drinking

Drinking alcohol lowers our inhibitions, allowing us to make less informed food choices. It’s common to fill up on liquid calories and carbs after a night out because alcohol doesn’t keep us full.

“When we drink, it tends to make us lose our motivation or remember our why for our healthy choices,” Whitney Stuart, a registered dietitian and the founder of Whitness Nutrition, told INSIDER. “When we’re not making those decisions, we have a clear mind, and we clearly know when we’re hungry and can clearly hear our body’s hunger signals without drinking.”

Cutting out alcohol can help you lose weight

If you’re trying to slim down, eliminating alcohol could help you keep the pounds off.

“Alcohol does act like a fat once it’s been metabolized,” Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietitian and the author of “Read It Before You Eat It,” told INSIDER. “Part of losing weight is also looking at a healthier lifestyle. A lot of people don’t consider the calories in alcohol again because they’re not chewing, because it doesn’t seem like it’s rich and fatty and buttery.”

While not every alcoholic beverage is equally caloric, the calories in mixed drinks such as martinis and daiquiris can add up.

People who give up alcohol briefly tend to drink less in the long term

A study sponsored by the BBC found that heavy drinkers who gave up alcohol for a month were more likely to reduce their drinking when the month was up. However, lighter drinkers who participated in the study returned to their previous drinking patterns.

The post 10 Things That Can Happen To Your Body When You Give Up Alcohol appeared first on Reach Out Recovery.