VOLUME IX / SEP 2013
Two Dreams is a wellness program led by Andrea G. Barthwell, MD, FASAM that provides individualized care for those who dream of recovering a healthy lifestyle.
NOTE FROM DR. B.
As we move forward on our path to recovery, I wanted to highlight the Ninth Step with The Ninth Step Promises from Alcoholics Anonymous 3rd ed., pg 83-84
- We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
- We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
- We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.
- No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.
- That feeling of uselessness and self pity will disappear.
- We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
- Self-seeking will slip away.
- Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
- Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.
- We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
- We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
VOLUME IX / SEP 2013
Two Dreams is a wellness program led by Andrea G. Barthwell, MD, FASAM that provides individualized care for those who dream of recovering a healthy lifestyle.
NOTE FROM DR. B.
As we move forward on our path to recovery, I wanted to highlight the Ninth Step with The Ninth Step Promises from Alcoholics Anonymous 3rd ed., pg 83-84
- We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
- We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
- We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.
- No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.
- That feeling of uselessness and self pity will disappear.
- We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
- Self-seeking will slip away.
- Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
- Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.
- We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
- We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
STEP OF THE MONTH
#9: “Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.”
In the preceding step of making a list of people we harmed, we took a step towards acknowledging that our addiction has caused pain. In step 9, we move forward—by making the direct amends wherever possible. This can be one of the hardest steps, as it forces us to face our past demons and rehash painful experiences. However, this is one of the most liberating steps—as our acknowledgement and initiative to be forgiven helps strengthen us and move us towards recovery. Before we can vocalize our condolences, we must first make a list of those we have hurt in order to reach out to them. We then must take the step to apologize to those we have wronged—either by phone call, letter or in person. This step reveals a part of our character—that we can acknowledge being wrong, in addition to wanting to rightfully change.
We also must put others feelings before ours, by realizing that hashing up painful memories may only injure others even more. We must not put the weight of our guilty conscience before the wellbeing of others, if we believe we have hurt them too much already. Most importantly, we must make amends to ourselves, realizing that we are capable of change. It is through this self-reflection and self-amendment that we can move forward and continue to right our wrongs.
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
MDMA Glamorized by Celebrities, Cause of Deaths
As we have featured in our social media, “Molly” is a dangerous drug that has been glamorized by celebrities. This dangerous drug has been the cause of recent deaths at summer concerts, causing a dehydrating effect on users. This drug has been referenced in many songs like Trinidad James’ “All Gold Everything” where he says “Pop a Molly I’m sweatin” and Miley Cyrus’ “We Can’t Stop” where she sings about “Dancing with Molly”. Molly is not a “friend”, but a foe with devastating consequences.
Drug Use Among College Students
While bath salts have gained large coverage at a southeastern university, reports show that usage of synthetic cathinones was extremely rare in comparison to Marijuana usage, prescription stimulants and pain killers. 6.5% of surveyed college students even reported consuming “purple drank” as opposed to 1.1% of respondents using synthetic cathinones. In other studies, low rates of usage have also been reported amongst high school and college students.
COMMUNITY
As many know, September is National Recovery Month. Following this theme of recovery, Two Dreams Chicago kicked off their first Networking event with Caron Treatment Centers at Maggiano’s Oak Brook and Eggsperience Chicago on a commemorative day of unity—September 11. About 25 health professionals gathered at each catered event in order to speak about their practices and to make lasting connections with other addiction professionals. Two Dreams will continue its collaboration with Caron during the next year, hosting both networking and education series in Chicago. On October 31, Two Dreams and Caron will launch their first education series with guest speaker Kenneth Thompson, MD. Dr. Thompson’s lecture is entitled, “Addiction Treatment—Removing the Barriers to Longterm Recovery”. CEU credits (including SW credit) and CME credits will be offered for attending physicians and health professionals.
THE 3P’S
mental peace – physical well-being – personal productivity
Mental Peace
Oftentimes, it’s very easy for us to forget about one element of our lifestyles that keeps us going: sleep. With the changing seasons and shifts into other chapters of our lives, it is important for us to keep our healthy sleep cycles. At Two Dreams our Sleep Hygiene Program is part of our core philosophy. We believe that recovering healthy sleep patterns is essential to long-lasting recovery.
Here are some tips to help you sleep soundly during the night:
1) Sleep in a dark, well-ventilated room. When we sleep in a stuffy room with a lack of air circulation, it can oftentimes be hard for us to fall asleep and remain hydrated. When we fall asleep overheated, it’s common to wake up with a throbbing headache from dehydration. This makes for a difficult start the next day!
2) Make an agenda of what you would like to accomplish tomorrow. As many of us are constantly multitasking throughout the day, it can be difficult for us to fall asleep with restless thoughts. We must assure ourselves that we will be productive the next day, and that worrying will not aid our future endeavors. We must get in the cycle of reminding ourselves, “I have done all that I possibly can today. I have made a list of what I must accomplish tomorrow. Now is my time to sleep so I can rejuvenate my body.”
3) Without fail, turn off all electronics—your cell phone, laptop, tablet—any form of LCD screen. LCD screens trick your body into believing it is daytime, which foils your plans to fall asleep. Even that seemingly-soothing alarm clock with the emitted blue LCD light can disrupt your sleep schedule!
For More Information on Our Sleep Program
Physical Well Being
Recipe: With the leaves on the trees slowly changing colors, we inevitably adapt our recipes. Here is a delicious recipe we love from BBC Good Food—Roast tomatoes with pesto. This is a perfect meal for in between summer and fall, and a delicious side dish to accompany grilled chicken or lamb. For this recipe, you will need six simple ingredients:
- 6 large ripe tomatoes
- 50g fresh basil
- 25g toasted pine nuts
- 2 garlic cloves
- 100ml olive oil
- 25g freshly grated parmesan
Using a food processor, blend the basil, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil. Cut the tomatoes in halves and pour thin layer of mixture on top. Then, sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Cook in over for 20 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Physical Well Being
Once again with the transition into autumn, we find ourselves reorganizing elements of our lifestyles. A major way to experience a fresh start is to reorganize our homes. In a recent article from ABC News, Pun-Yin gives recommendations to achieving Feng Shui in your home. Simply put, Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art that focuses on life improvement through rearrangement of the home. Some major tips from Pun-Yin include the following:
1) Allow fresh sunlight and air into your room each day—make sure you open all of the blinds in your house and crack the windows to optimize air flow.
2) Use oven and stovetops frequently—this is a way to cook healthy meals and save money while doing so. Additionally, using this part of the room will energize the area, making it a more welcoming place in your household.
3) Remove the clutter! Make sure you don’t have piles of shoes blocking your entryway, or too many stacks of books in an unorganized fashion. Feng Shui emphasizes simplicity for a clear mind—reducing the heaps of unnecessary materials in your home will better your focus.
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