Oscar! It’s Time To T.K.O. Addiction

Beating addiction may just be the biggest and longest fight of boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya’s life. With all the physical abuse he has endured in his profession, a profession that has an element of serious injury and pain, it is amazing that Oscar is not an out of control junkie! Oscar De La Hoya is defending his infidelity caused by primarily alcohol abuse and drug intoxication. He says he cheated on his wife but we’re not talking about Tiger Woods here. Okay, we all know that's the wrong argument.

Ironically, career wise, Tiger and Oscar have a lot in common. They are both masters of their game and they both know how to overcome the odds under extreme pressure. But when alcohol and drugs start to cloud a champion’s reality, or anyone else’s for that matter, anything can happen. And when it does, it has nothing to do with reality.

History shows that alcohol and drug intoxication result in what drug prevention experts identify as “high risk behavior.” While effects of drug abuse and alcohol abuse infiltrate human ability to reason, cheating, crime and even violence, lie in wake for some more than others. These behaviors are often a fleeting thought and become more premeditated and actionable as the volume of consumption increases day by day as well as over time.

Oscar points out that he had a lot of emotional pain over his mother who had passed and that he felt unloved, which is why he wandered outside of his marriage to find the love he craved for. This is not okay and it never will be. But we can take it further from here and bedevil Oscar or Tiger all we want. But that will not help either of them get on the right track.

Looking back is not the way to recovery. Thoughts of suicide and thoughts of serious failure and giving up are not a road to recovery. It is only a road to sadness and depression because we end up realizing that we can’t turn back the clock. Hey, people make mistakes! It happens. When you’re intoxicated the mistakes just keep on happening. It’s called addiction and we have to stop making excuses.

We must take action by quitting to use the substances that cause our behavior. If we stop, our behavior too will stop and eventually blame will be something of the past for us, left far behind like a tiny object in our rear view mirror. We must let those we hurt heal by distancing ourselves and doing everything we can to overcome our shortcomings. We must save ourselves first. Then we can help others. Blame is useless, even if we deserve it. It will not save us.

God Speed Oscar!

Five Years From Now Nominated For CBS Most Valuable Blogger Awards

Thanks CBS!!!

Help People Who Want To Change

Proposed Federal Law:

Addiction Rehabilitation and Protection Act of 2011

Revision 1

Prevents often fatal relapse and punishes drug dealers

and those aiding drug dealers

from selling drugs to men and women in treatment

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – Alexandra Datig is calling for nationwide support of a Federal law which would protect men and women struggling form addiction who are either in treatment or have completed treatment for recovery from addiction. The proposed law would protect men and women in recovery from drug dealers and those who aid drug dealers.

Datig, a business and public affairs consultant is also the founder of the addiction recovery website www.fiveyearsfromnow.net. She is recovering from a 13-year, life threatening drug addiction and has a successful recovery of more than 12 years.

Datig says: “It is often said in recovery that ‘help is for those who want it, not for those who need it.’ With The Addiction Rehabilitation and Protection Act of 2011 we are lessening the burden on concerned families and friends, making it easier for people who are trying to beat addiction to ask for the help they want.”

Proposed Federal Law:

Authored by: Alexandra D. Datig, August 11, 2011

Proposed Title and Text: Addiction Rehabilitation and Protection Act of 2011

The Legislature finds and declares:

a.) The Addiction Rehabilitation and Protection Act of 2011, criminally punishes drug dealers and those who aid drug dealers, from selling addictive and illegal substances to men and women who are in treatment or re-enter society from drug rehabilitation management facilities. Women and men trying to find recovery are most vulnerable and susceptible to relapse in his or her first two years of sobriety and do not have the ability to withstand his or her social triggers of addiction, causing serious harm and fatal relapse. The human toll has been well documented, showing during and after addiction rehabilitation, addicts are dying at a far more rapid rate from relapse, when compared to first-time use, because drug dealers and those aiding drug dealers have not been put on notice.

(Five Year From Now 2011,

http://www.fiveyearsfromnow.net/Hollywood_RIP.html )

b.) The legislature shall enact The Addiction Rehabilitation and Protection Act of 2011 as a Federal law, mandating criminal action and fines against any individual who knowingly sells or furnishes or aids in furnishing addictive substances, of any kind, to a man or a woman who is either in treatment or has documented proof of having completed a rehabilitation program to treat and overcome substance abuse. The Addiction Rehabilitation and Protection Act of 2011 shall also serve as a Three Strikes model for drug dealers and those who aide drug dealers, who re-offend selling addictive substances to any man or woman in recovery and shall follow the model of ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and protect men and women recovering from addiction in his or her first two years of recovery. The Addiction Rehabilitation and Protection Act of 2011 mandates court ordered drug rehabilitation and education programs for drug dealers and those who aid drug dealers with selling drugs to men and women recovering from addiction; and imposes a minimum five-year prison term, for the first offense and a ten-year term for the second offense, as well as appropriate and reasonable fines.

# # #

Amy Winehouse RIP

We have to get better at understanding the social triggers of addiction. Amy Winehouse created some of them with her song “Rehab.” It was funny back then, but today no one is laughing. Amy Winehouse is dead at the age of 27. Clearly she did not have the will to want to save herself. But this is how addiction ends. It ends exactly where the addict wants it to end; six feet under.

Addiction targets all people; rich or poor. In recovery it is often said that one of the main qualifications to enter a successful recovery is the admittance that we are losing in life, because we are. There is a lot of shortsightedness going on in the mind of the addict, but also in those who are watching and contributing. We are often called “losers” and are not willing to give those power who try to pull us down by admitting they are right, by admitting we are losers, by acknowledging we have a problem. We can’t see that this is our only hope. Our hypocritical accusers are often addicts who think they can “handle their high.” But it is also those people who keep us in the vicious cycle of addiction, as addiction among many other things, is a social problem.

Amy, like so many other talented music icons thought her talent was not enough. She empowered herself with substance abuse and it dismantled her piece by piece. It doesn’t matter in the end what people think of an addict. Shaming and blaming does not fix the problem nor does it change the devastating and deteriorating physical condition of an addict. Asking someone with a serious addiction like that of Amy Weinhouse to shape up in a few months is like asking someone with broken legs to get up and walk. Before we can help any addict we must understand what this condition does to a human being.

RIP Amy

Republican Craig Huey loses congressional race to Democrat Janice Hahn, but there is something far more disturbing going on.

Congressional Candidate Craig Huey is a nice guy. I met him last night and I must say he was everything we need right now both in local and national government. He cared about the people, about their lives, he looked you in the eye and smiled and when he spoke about the issues. Though I did not agree with him on everything, he spoke with conviction.

I did not vote for Janice Hahn last night, though my Democratic friends probably thought I should have “for the sake of the Party.” But some things never change, simply because they can’t. Janice Hahn wants to tax marijuana. She wants to regulate and control it and look the other way on the great harms it would cause. For me that was too big of a liability. For many of my fellow party members this did not matter.

They knew, Janice Hahn knows government. She knows how to take care of unions and fat cats. She will spearhead job growth and she will hit the ground running. Yes, she will know how to do her job, there is no doubt in my mind. At the end of the day however, we have to show that we have principles that cannot be broken. And even though I have known Janice Hahn since 2002 and even believe she will be a good Congresswoman in many respects, I will no longer be a fan or a supporter of hers.

As for the Democratic Party, I wonder what else they will do “in the interest of the Party.” Supporting drug dealers seems to be a trend they are taking in some parts of California. To say the least, I am disappointed. I am disappointed in my party and I am disappointed in Janice Hahn. For some, Janice Hahn may be a light at the end of the tunnel. The party may not see the significance and long-term consequence supporting drug dealers. It’s not a solution or a light at the end of the tunnel; it’s an oncoming run-away train.

Why I will not be voting for Janice Hahn July 12, 2011

It goes against my conscience and it is not in the best interest of our youth to elect Janice Hahn for Congress. The people should not vote for someone who is riding on the message of breaking federal law to get elected to a federal post!

I have been acquainted with Janice Hahn since 2002. I have campaigned for her brother James Hahn for Mayor of Los Angeles and always held her in high esteem. But last year I learned something about Janice Hahn that has made me not want to support her in her effort to run for the 36th Congressional District.

In 2010, I launched my campaign to defeat Proposition 19, the measure that attempted to legalize marijuana for recreational use in the State of California. This measure, had it won, would have made marijuana legal for taxable sale and consumption under state law ONLY, not federal law. I remember visiting Janice Hahn in Pasadena at a fundraiser for her race for lieutenant governor and asking her about her position on Proposition 19. I explained to her that when I was a teenager at the age of 16, I was given marijuana and was raped. After telling her my story, Hahn still did not enthusiastically oppose Prop. 19. and danced around every question I had. I found this not only hurtful, but also odd since the lieutenant governor of the state of California also sits on the Board of Regents making decisions in the best interest for students. Drug legalization is not in the best interest of students.

I have been recovering from a 13-year drug addiction for more than 12 years. My addiction started with marijuana and lead to devastating consequences in my life. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) in 2007, illicit drug use cost the U.S. $198 Billion dollars in public health and public safety costs. Legalization would double, even triple that number.

Three days before the November 2010 election, Janice Hahn went before the press and pledged that the State of California would be first in line to tax recreational marijuana and that SHE would see to it. THIS WAS IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW!

Janice, I thought we were friends! I guess there’s a reason you did not ask me for my endorsement or support. On that day I was shocked to learn that Janice Hahn had so little regard for the year-long effort many hard-working Californians, including U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein had made. Senator Feinstein whom I admire for having been campaign co-chair of No on Prop. 19.

Now the constituents of the 36h Congressional District, of which I am a resident, are being asked to vote for Janice Hahn and elect her to a federal post as Congresswoman. As a registered Democrat, I will not be voting for Janice Hahn.

Gang Intervention Money Controversy Not Over Yet: MyFoxLA.com

A True Saint Has Left Us: Betty Ford Has Died

Betty Ford was a pioneer in recovery from addiction. She moved mountains were no one dared. She saw solutions where no one cared to look and she left us all with a comforting feeling that there is help for those who suffer from addiction.

Betty knew, that there is a flourishing life after addiction if we want it. By her example she made it clear that all the negative stigma addiction leaves behind, could be forgotten if one made a big enough difference. Betty made that difference all over the world.

The recovery and prevention establishment has lost a great icon who championed a second chance at life, like no one could. May we all aspire to take her example and be motivated to make the changes she has. Betty Ford was 93.

Charlie Sheen has never been able to overcome Adversity

I am no stranger to adversity. I am no stranger to addiction. I am also no stranger to overcoming BOTH. Looking back, which I often do to keep my ego in check, I have to be completely honest with myself about getting loaded. Simply put, I loved it. And if someone could tell me and prove to me that doing drugs, drinking and smoking were going to improve my behavior, make my life better, improve my relationships, my job performance, increase respect from my peers and strengthen my spiritual condition, I might change my mind about using. Yes, if drug abuse, alcohol addiction and all that goes with it would increase the quality of my life, I would be the first in line ready to indulge. But the reality is that my life, my health, my behavior, my relationships, respect from my peers, my job, my spiritual condition and most of all my own self-respect would all deteriorate if I was a casual drug user and alcohol drinker. Been there, done that. Learned that lesson, THE HARD WAY. The only thing worse than having to learn these things the hard way is having to learn them the hard way TWICE or even worse; more than twice, like Charlie Sheen.

Charlie Sheen's reality is clouded by adversity and addiction, where he simply cannot see that he has been going too far, for too long and the lifestyle of addiction has him down for the count…and I hope that this is only for now.

Right now I see him as someone who has lost his way and I pray he will find it again some day. When you lose the respect for all you have tried to aspire to be, insult your own audience, your own boss and co-workers, your family and friends, come out swinging with self-entitlement, bias and hatred against everything and anything like Charlie Sheen has, we can’t help but wonder how is this all going to end or continue? Been there. Done that. It’s not an easy fix.

Charlie Sheen’s condemnation of A.A. is par for the course. It is often said that the arguments against A.A. are better than the ones for it. After 12 years of my own sobriety, I have learned people still attend A.A. in record numbers and listen to the stories of those who have found success in recovery. And yes, there are always new faces.

And then, to my amazement there was the ultimate faux pas by Dr. Drew Pinski when he said on TMZ that Charlie Sheen is “right” about the 5% success rate of A.A. It’s true, not many people make it in A.A., but to hear Dr. Drew validate this fact by telling an out of control addict he is right, has a negative impact. Where does Dr. Drew send his patients after they leave the Pasadena Recovery Center? I respect Dr. Drew for his dedication to recovery, but in this case I don’t think the message he was sending was appropriate.

Most who walk through the doors of A.A. do not understand the meaning and lessons of the 12 Steps. I too have found them difficult to grasp, but after a while understood what they were designed to do. A.A. is not perfect. No recovery program is. Addiction is a very powerful thing, just ask the loved ones of those who have been through it. People are not perfect. So with a powerful force like addiction, and imperfect people, one is simply not going to find a perfect program. But, for those who work it, it does work, and it does work wonders--rather than listen to Charlie Sheen, or validate him, why not ask someone with, say, five or more years sobriety who has been through the program and does find it nothing less than a lifesaver?

A.A.’s message of recovery will live on and people will keep going back to A.A. to search for the self he or she wishes to reclaim. After all, it’s a personal journey. Yet, getting down on your knees and asking God to remove your shortcomings is not the kind of hope most seeking recovery are looking for. Admitting we are powerless over addiction and can no longer manage our lives is also something we are not comfortable with in early recovery. No one wants to be rendered “damaged goods”, useless or incomplete. Been there. Done that. - But we have to start somewhere if we want our life back and we must surrender at least the part of ourselves that we are fighting, the part that is destroying us with addiction. We must change our way of thinking; we have no choice if we want to live a long and healthy life.

Charlie Sheen is now burning his bridges in front of him, before he can cross them. The signs are not good for progress and the example he is setting for other young people is abominable. He is not alone in his pain, he chooses to be. He sees the world as he wants it to be and setting a good example seems to be a boring notion.

One thing is for sure, recovery is anything but boring and it can be as liberating as we want it to be. Hey, life’s what you make it! So what’s next for Charlie Sheen? Hopefully a brand new, healthy start that begins with an apology to his audience. An apology to those who are getting sober in A.A. and are holding on for dear life while struggling to make ends meet. A reality check on how many Americans who used to watch “Two and a Half Men” are frustrated because they can’t find work and have trouble putting food on the table while Charlie Sheen, a millionaire, is on the radio putting the less fortunate down. Most Americans who do have jobs would get fired if he or she acted out even one episode of trouble we’ve been hearing about from Charlie Sheen over the last ten years.

It’s time for an apology. It’s time to deal with the adversity and start clearing the path for a new and better life that is filled with good health and real independent self-love. Charlie Sheen, I wish you this the most as I do for every addict who has lost his or her way.

Alexandra Datig, Sober 12 Years

EMINEM knows being sober is WORTH IT!

EMINEM has just won a Grammy for his album "Recovery", an album about addiction. A HUGE victory in the fight against addiction and proof that getting sober is WORTH IT!

Charlie Sheen: Getting Sober is not easy

Charlie Sheen decided to rehabilitate his addictions from his home. This is either a bad idea of someone who doesn’t understand recovery fully, or Charlie doesn’t think he’s got that bad a problem and getting sober at home won’t be a big deal. As they say in recovery, it’s for those who want it, not for those who need it.

Going back home has its problems and it is not the best place to start over. As a matter of fact, in Charlie’s case, it’s probably the worst. Reminders are everywhere, party friends stop by, the phone book filled with temptations is right at ones fingertips and the home likely has a full liquor closet and maybe some drug paraphernalia squirreled away somewhere (probably with something in it). In other words, the social triggers are everywhere and that is the worst environment for someone who is serious about getting sober.

Chances are when a hardcore addict like Charlie Sheen (I’m not pointing fingers here, I was one too) gets confronted with getting clean; his attitude about it is that everyone else has the problem, not him. That’s not unusual, it is how we respond to those who want to change us. Looking at it from the addict’s perspective, Sheen is having the time of his life, making a fortune, living a quality of life most could only dream of and most importantly, he sees the world through the eyes of a addict. That means he can’t really feel what he is doing to himself and enjoys it. That is until he has to come down from using. Then the pain starts.

There is a reason why addicts go to 90 meetings in the first 90 days, are asked not to be in a romantic relationship in the first year, are asked to live in a home free from intoxicants and are asked to have a sponsor to talk to several times a day. It’s what keeps you sober. The reason is also that we go through a lot of pain. Let me be clear, A LOT. This pain is our body trying to feel something again because through the addiction, we have not allowed our body to feel anything real for so long that now we realize what our addiction has done to us. Many of us cannot deal with the pain in the beginning and we relapse so we don’t have to deal with these feelings. At this point, we can only hope Charlie will learn to make the right decisions for his life.