Help! Or what does that mean?! Some resources...

In the past few weeks, I have had about twenty comments and emails from readers who have questions about getting "help". First of all, I am willing to put this in print, total abstinence is not for everyone. I am not sure of your individual circumstances but I am not judging anyone. The world would be a much kinder place if we focused on helping people be happy and healthy. If you are interested in learning more about "harm reduction", here is an excellent website http://www.harmreductiontherapy.org/ . The people who run this center are kind people who really believe in personalized goals. There are some excellent reading materials and links on here as well as information on books. For overdose prevention and drug eduction materials you can go here https://www.facebook.com/#!/DOPEProject

I, personally, am completely abstinent. I feel this works for me so I do not mess with it. In addition to 12 step websites, there is a wonderful website called Lifering. They have secular recovery. I am including a link to their workbook. You can print some of their chapters for FREE http://lifering.org/recovery-by-choice-workbook/ . I used these when I had a few years clean and found the relapse prevention tools basic but effective. you can also look on the www.SAMSHA.gov website for information on locating treatment in the US. They also have a methadone and subxone locator here http://dpt2.samhsa.gov/treatment/directory.aspx

I suffer from anxiety. Here is a workshop I did on self help for anxiety and depression http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTMWxwPb9Xk&list=PLuXsTQQ2Ec5oBPrinFurFFIqqidS1l7jx

I used to work at this place. They have prostitution related resoureces http://sagesf.org/

Finally, if you have a family member that sufferes from mental health issues, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill has many resources on their website. If you are looking for per support around mental health issues, see if there is a Mental Health Association in your area.

I hope these help.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Black Tar Heroin 10 questions answered

Image
I want to get this in one place. Here you go When was the film made? The film was made from Dec 1995 to Dec 1997. Originally the film was supposed to be for one year but I believe when HBO picked up the film they wanted two years. How were you picked for the film? Steven met a bunch of different people at the youth needle exchange. He wanted subjects that were slightly younger than me. He filmed a few other people  that never made it into the final film Were you paid for the film? No. I was not paid for the film. he bought me a hotel to stay in for a week and bought me lunch a few times. I think they left some money for me when I was in jail too. Documentary film makers, in general, don't pay their subjects. Was I friends with the other people from the film ? Sort of. I never knew Alice. I met Oreo when he was 15 or 16. He was VERY young when the film was made. His mom used to work the desk in one of the hotels I lived in. Jake and I used to hang out. At one point h...
Read more

Ben (revised)

Image
Ben was heroin addled fantasy from a time when I would rather be with someone that barely loved me than be alone. I had just been released from jail after six long months. I had been using in the jail up until the last 45 days. This is did not give me much time to construct any type of recovery. I had spent most my time of planning for things that would never happen. My first week in jail was spent recovering from surgery. When I was arrested, I had four large abcesses. An abcess is a place where bacteria gets under the skin and the flesh starts to rot. I had to have surgery on my arm. When I took of the bandage, I cried. Not because I was in the hospital, not because I was in jail. I cried because they had sliced open my tattoo! The horror of it all. I used to take a sterile needle and cut them open myself. Needless to say, my nickname was the abcess queen. When I was back on the streets, I felt hopeless. I gave up my homeless encampment living for a hotel with some financial ...
Read more

Jamie

   Being able to fall apart is a luxury many people don’t have. They carry their burdens until it breaks them.  Miss Jamie was one of the most aesthetically pleasing  women I had ever seen in my life. She simply glowed. When she entered a room, everyone had to stop to pay attention. She took that space over. Her smile was radiant. Her energy was infectious. She was a fireball of a human. Her petite frame was always draped with carefully selected skirts, dresses, and form fitting sweaters. She paired this with her signature plum lipstick and acrylics.  She always came late in the day, usually when I had the lowest energy. Yet, I never refused her entrance. I was happy to see her. Happy to listen to her while she held court in my desk area.      On this day, Jamie was wheeled into the clinic by a person I had never seen before. Instead of scrubs, he looked as if he had woken up on the streets. He looked left like a caretaker, more like a pe...
Read more