On the Fence

Not everyone will understand your recovery but as long as you are fully off the fence and admit that you need help you can receive it. Honesty, Open-mindedness, and Willingness the three "must haves" for recovery. It took what it took to get me where I am and by remembering the hurt and pain I can continually grow from it. Every experience in life shapes our character whether it be good or bad, it effects us. It is our perspective and outlook on the hard times that make us stronger.  So if you are on the fence still figuring out if you should go one way or another, remember what got you to that fence. Also know that the other side is filled with amazing opportunities and great life experiences. I have enough drunk stories for a life time but now I have a life that is worth way more than just a story. My life is filled with adventures I can remember!! haha Imagine that!

 Once I made the conscious decision to choose recovery and fully work a program my life changed for the better. For a long time I tried to hold on to those old ideas that maybe one day I could be normal and drink like a respectable lady. Or once I got out of this legal situation I will be better and everything will start working for me in the right way. It was my old thoughts and very close-minded outlook that wanted me not to change. Because lets face it change can be scary and that fear kept me sitting on the fence for a long time. The truth of the matter was that I wanted control of everything and everyone but it was the disease that had control of me.

Recovery has given me a life that I can be proud of. It has shown me a new outlook on things which used to be harmful for me. I no longer have the ability to judge anyone. You can never tell what someone else is going through and by no means compare yourself to them. "The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel."-Steve Furtick  I absolutely love that quote and it is so true! Who knows what someone else has going on in their life but we happen to know all the details of ours.

All I can say is what worked for me and that recovery works. Progress not perfection, every day I can choose to live to the best of my ability or squander it away in a bottle. That is right today I have a choice! At one point it wasn't a choice it was the only option. Having the ability to do the next right thing is just amazing! When I go and do things for other people I don't scream it from the roof tops, I do it because it is the right things to do. Of course in the process it makes me feel a little better too, but that's just a plus not the reason behind why I do it.

http://wellness.uncc.edu/collegiate-recovery-community-crc/your-support-needed

Get Excited about your RECOVERY!!

 COME CELEBRATE WITH US!!

THE DATE HAS BEEN CHANGED TO THE 28th and will be the last Friday of every month. 

UNC-Charlotte CRC

Days, Months, Years, everyone is welcome to come celebrate!! 

Online drug trade?

WSOC News had an interview with our first graduate of UNC-Charlotte's Collegiate Recovery Community!! The interesting information on drug trade on the internet is just astounding.

Hillary Belk's Interview

By Nate Stewart

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — 

There's a new concern about illegal activity happening on social media sites like Facebook. Investigators said people in the area are using the sites to deal illegal drugs.

Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are some of the most popular social media sites, but Shanda Bostian, she says her son used them to deal drugs.

"Hurt. Just hurt. I didn't want to believe my son would do something like that," said Bostian.

Bostian said she started noticing changes in her son Steven: behavioral problems, bad grades, and violence.

"Then I started seeing signs of drug use," said Bostian.

She said she had no idea the extent of her son's addiction, and new business, until she stumbled upon his Facebook account.

"When I opened his inbox messages there were hundreds and hundreds of messages of drug transactions between him and other students," she said.

Bostian said she saw evidence that her son was dealing OxyContin, Xanax, cocaine, and Ecstasy through the social media site. The messages she showed us detailed drug deals, shipments, and even drop-offs on school property. Agents said it's a problem exploding across the Charlotte area.

"It opens up borders," said William Baxley with the DEA in Charlotte.

He said e-trafficking, as he calls it, is on the rise.

"So instead of going to unsafe neighborhoods, the buyer can, from the safety of their home, use the social media to purchase drugs without exposing themselves to the elements they traditionally would," said Baxley.

He said cartels and criminal organizations use social media to reach a large network of potential buyers. He said drug dealers feel the online community is safer than using a cellphone.

"Almost every investigation that we do now touches on the social media on some aspect," said Baxley.

A search warrant we found backs up Baxley's claims. The warrant said a man named Alfredo Alejo, a prisoner at a prison in Georgia, was using Facebook to recruit couriers and coordinate trips, trafficking heroin from California into Charlotte. The warrant said the DEA, CMPD and Mint Hill Police were able to seize 9 pounds of black tar heroin in Charlotte after Alejo placed the order over Facebook.

"It doesn't surprise me that it has moved into this arena," said Hillary Belk, a recovering drug user.

She's now clean, working with UNC-Charlotte's Collegiate Recovery Program to teach students about drug abuse.

"I wasn't OK with me," said Belk.

She's now using her new opportunity to educate students on addiction while provide a safe place to hang out and foster sober friendships. She's also doing the majority of her work, online.

"You can use social media to do the opposite, and that is to move forward the idea that you are not alone," said Belk. "We can use this as an opportunity to continue to counter act it and educating and letting the public know that there is a message of hope out there."

But for parents like Bostian, the reality is tough, sending her son off to rehab and now boarding school, just to keep him offline and off drugs.

"It was the worst thing I've ever went through," said Bostian.

She hopes other parents take notice of what could be going on online.

"I don't think parents are aware of it or if they are aware of it they want to ignore it cause they don't want to have to face it," said Bostian.

The DEA said the online purchase of drugs exposes people to a number of dangerous situations. They said ultimately the buyer does not know exactly what they're getting.

If you or someone you know is seeking help recovering from drugs or alcohol, there are a number of ways to seek treatment for drug abuse in our area.

---

The collegiate recovery program at UNC Charlotte supports college students who are in recovery from addiction of any kind. They offer weekly 12 step meetings (alcoholics anonymous, narcotics anonymous and Al-anon), seminar classes on recovery issues, advisement, peer mentoring, as well as $1,000 tuition scholarships for those who have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and at least 6 months of sobriety. 

 The Dilworth Center in the Dilworth neighborhood helps adolescents, young adults, and adults deal with chemical dependency. They also have relapse prevention programs and on-site drug screening. According to their website, "the adult, 40-session treatment program offered by the Dilworth Center is designed to deliver effective and intensive chemical dependency treatment in a manner that allows participants and their families to continue their work and home routines."  You can find more information on their website. 

 The McLeod Addictive Disease Center has dozens of treatment and educational programs ranging from alcohol abuse to adult substance abuse and methadone programs. According to their website, "McLeod Center offers methadone and substance treatment for opiate dependence in eight outpatient treatment programs across Central and Western North Carolina, with locations in Boone, Charlotte, Concord, Gastonia, Hickory, Marion, Monroe, and Statesville." There's more information on their website.

Found on:

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/special-reports/9-investigates-social-media-drug-trade/nbsQG/

HAVING FUN IN RECOVERY!

Here is the truth… I had a lot of fun in active addiction. I laughed, I played, I joked, I met people, and I traveled. I found new insights on life, on the world, and on myself. I will never be the guy to act like drugs and alcohol was not a good time.

I will let you in on a secret. My social life in recovery is way more fun.

I don’t say this to come across pretentiously while sitting in a corner and pointing at all the people enjoying their drinks. They are free to drink, I don’t judge. I simply wish to portray the message to people, that the social life I have built in recovery, is more enjoyable than the one I had in addiction. It doesn’t even matter if people believe me or not. This is just how it is for me.

Let me be clear. When I mentioned the good time I had in active addiction, there comes a point where the fun stops. That point where recreational use turns into addiction. The fun is over, all there is left is anxiety. That feeling at 3 a.m. when all you can do is sit on the edge of your bed and stare at the wall. That feeling when you are getting your morning coffee, looking at all the people around you going about their day. I remember watching these people and wondering, “why do I feel this way? What do these people know that I don’t?” That part was not fun. It sucked.

My social life now is filled with subtle joys. My social life no longer consists of nights out, but rather a collection of moments that give me a life. Work, the dog park, the gym, reading a book and meeting a stranger, this is my new social life. I am a human, I am a social being. Why is it that we think social lives only happen on nights and weekends? It’s just not that way anymore. When building a social life in recovery, I have learned to enjoy all the moments. For me, I still go out, I can still go dancing, I can still do all those things. What’s important for me is to double check my intentions. If my intentions for going out are good, then I have nothing to worry about. Sometimes I can even trick myself, but the truth is I don’t struggle with that much. Life is meant to be enjoyed. I didn’t get sober to be bored.

The real blessing is something bigger than all of the details of our daily lives. The real joy is that now I am free to be myself. I can laugh, I can introduce myself to people, I can dance, I do all of the things I was too scared to do before. Now that I have my recovery, I have discovered an identity. It is so much easier to be social and to interact with other people when you better understand who you are. I still have insecurities, don’t get me wrong, but I find myself worrying less and less about what people think of me. I used to constantly second guess myself. Should I have said that? Do I look silly right now? Am I acting awkward? It was all fear. I still get nervous around people, but that fear no longer cripples me as it used to.

I am 100% honest and heartfelt in telling you that I have way more fun in sobriety than I did in my addiction. If for no other reason, it is simply because sobriety has given me the courage and the choice to do whatever it is I want. I am free to do whatever makes me happy… and that is a lot of fun.

By Tim Stoddart, Founder and Head Writer at Sober Nation.

http://www.alternativesintreatment.com/blog-page-posts/building-a-social-life-in-recovery/

Check out the FIX

http://www.thefix.com/content/sober-fix-dresner2081

The Fixes We Chase in Sobriety

Now that you're sober, it's time to sleep around, shop and guzzle on sugar. Or meditate and get a massage. Meet the good, the bad and the fugly of sober fixes.

The author deciding . . . Photo: Adam Hendershott

By Amy Dresner

07/25/13

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• What to Pack for Rehab
• I Was 13th-Stepped (And I Kind of Liked It!)
• Which Sex Addiction Program Do You Belong In?
• How I Learned to Meditate
• Are You a Food Addict? Take This Test

For us recovering alcoholics and addicts, it often seems like we never really stop trying to get that “fix.” I'm wired in some basic way to want to elude myself, escape my feelings. This did not go away when I got sober. On the contrary, once I put down booze and drugs, I discovered endless new and creative ways to temporarily alter myself. I don’t think I’m alone. It’s the dreaded “whack-a-mole” syndrome, wherein you put down one addiction only to have the disease rear its ugly head in another form. It’s no surprise, then, that many people with a decent amount of time sober end up in other 12-step programs as their “fixes” get out of hand (see: OA, NA, DA, GA, SLAA, etc.). I’m in AA and dabbled for a bit in SLAA. Here's my list of some of the dicier fixes I've tried—followed by some of the healthier options.

Right now, I enjoy blowing big billowy clouds of nicotine vapor into the faces of small children in public.

Sex: Known in SLAA/SA as “two-legged dope.” As soon as I got sober this time around, reeling from a devastating divorce, this was my go-to. I ran from my newly emerging feelings into the beds of B-list actors, C-list comics and the requisite drummer. The “high” of going to meet a new lover had the same heart-pounding, finger-trembling anticipation of going to meet the dope man. Even if the sex was bad—as it usually was—it was still a welcome, if brief, respite from the overwhelming sadness, boredom and emptiness of early sobriety. Impulsive frequent “sexcapades” can wreak havoc as surely as drugs and booze—physically (creepy STDs, unwanted pregnancies) and emotionally (compromising marriages, causing shame). And like booze and drugs, you build a tolerance and have to keep upping the ante. So, if you find yourself chained to a radiator wearing a clown mask (no judgment), or you date a guy who requires lederhosen, you might want to proceed with caution. Sometimes, if I need a release and want the flood of endorphins without the complication of another horny person, I masturbate. To quote Woody Allen: "Don't knock masturbation. It's sex with someone you love." There are actually a lot of health benefits to flogging the dolphin or roughing up the suspect. So, unless that’s one of your “bottom lines” in SLAA, have at it.

Self-Injury: I fell into the ranks of 13-year-old Goth girls when I picked up “cutting” early in my most-recent sobriety. Like a true novice, I cut where people could actually see (mostly my wrists) and I still have faint scars. I showed them to a friend once, and he proceeded to play tic-tac-toe on my arm with a pen to show the extent of my stupidity. I wanted people to know the extent of my emotional pain, as dramatic and self-indulgent as that sounds. But I soon discovered that cutting can be a powerful anesthetic and high. It is a “natural drug,” because as soon as you take that swipe with the razor blade, natural endorphins are immediately released. There is a sick relief in seeing one’s own blood, as any recovering junkie will attest.

Shopping and Gambling: I still spend hours on eBay, adding endlessly to my “watch list”—'80s rock tees, vintage hooker boots and Alexander Wang handbags. I’m always on the hunt for the next cool bargain. And as most of the items go up for “auction,” there's that added thrill of “bidding”—which I guess is akin to the excitement of gambling. Now that I've joined the ranks of the proletariat and am struggling to be “self-sufficient through my own contributions” (don’t ask how that’s going), I don’t have much money to buy things. So if you see me in new pair of Current Elliott jeans, I’ve probably been living on Kashi for a week. There’s only so much money to go around. I’ve never been a gambler, mostly because I never ever win. Gambling is based on intermittent reinforcement (you win some, you lose some) and the flood of adrenaline you get when doing it. Often referred to as the “hidden illness,” it can be disastrous. Just take a visit to some of the seedy toothless wig-wearing casinos in downtown Vegas to see where you could be heading.

Caffeine and Nicotine: Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. AA/NA meetings are notorious for their chain-smoking and coffee-swilling. You can even find an unknown meeting solely by the cloud of cigarette smoke and plethora of styrofoam cups. When I’m not guzzling five-shot iced soy lattes, you’ll find me perusing the supermarket aisles, hunting for energy drinks, soda and yerba matte. If you imbibe enough, you can actually spin above your looming depression and convince yourself that your jittery angst-filled buzz is happiness. Unfortunately, if you overdose on these weird energy drinks (especially the ones withTaurine) you can find yourself in the ER with heart palpitations or a seizure. It’s actually happened to me. The problem with these energy drinks is that they haven't been regulated by the federal government as “beverages.” So use in moderation or not at all. Most people don’t put down the smokes till they have some substantial clean time. My own sponsor told me to wait till I had a year, but I switched to e-cigarettes a few months ago. I am still ingesting nicotine and, like a true junkie, I always look for the cartridges with the highest percentage of the drug, but at least my hair and breath smell better. As the pharmacological and psychological characteristics that determine tobacco addiction are similar to those that determine addiction to cocaine and heroin, it’s no surprise that so many ex-addicts smoke. If you want to get “smober,” go check out Nicotine Anonymous. Right now, I enjoy blowing big billowy clouds of nicotine vapor into the faces of small children in public.

Food: Ever heard of “sober body,” the voluptuous shape we take thanks to the 20 pounds we pack on when we first get sober? Even as the bloat abates for drunks, they can turn to sweets to replace the voraciously desired sugar that was in the booze. Us cokeheads and junkies will “put down the spoon and pick up the fork,” and fatten up like Thanksgiving turkeys. I’m sure all the late-night fellowship at greasy diners don't help. It’s a scientific fact that when we consume sweet and high-fat foods, serotonin is released. You don’t need to tell me and my stash of Toblerone and maple bacon kettle chips any of that!

Medication: The comedian Rick Shapiro once said, “I’m on more drugs than when I was on drugs!” At five months sober, I was on six different psychotropic medications. With two decades of mental illness under my belt, anytime I took a dive—even though it was totally normal to be on a mental precipice as I was in treatment for the sixth time, going through a divorce, broke and homeless—I was sure I was heading back into some depressive abyss from which I would never return. I was damned if I was going to find myself in yet another psych ward, drinking shitty decaf in a flimsy green gown and doing puzzles. I would show up to see my shrink, disheveled and crying, and we would add yet another medication to my regime. I could hear my poor liver cry out as my doctor wrote a new script. I could not let go of the idea that this final pill would be the answer to all my problems, that I would finally feel normal without having to do any work. It never happened. (Note: if you have a mental disorder and take your medication as prescribed and it is helping you, please keep on. I am not suggesting anybody get off their meds. I am solely telling my story.) It was only once I topped out on all the possible meds I could take, that I retired my purple “Rx drugs are my life” t-shirt. My apologies to the pharmaceutical industry, as their stock, no doubt, took a dip.

Love: There is nothing like the high of being in love—the companionship, the acceptance, the shared expenses, that special somebody who will fuck you even if you haven’t brushed your teeth. Unfortunately this is something that just “happens” to us, if we’re lucky, a few times in our lonely, pathetic lives. For addicts, it can be hard to accept this love as it conflicts with our ingrained self-hatred. However, anything that creates feelings of pleasure, for me, can quickly become addictive. Love is not exempt. Go to a Love Addicts meeting and see for yourself.

Facebook: Whether it’s posting a funny comment that gets 52 “likes,” judging other people’s selfies or trolling for new love connections, Facebook can be addictive. It’s a virtual reality and a total time-suck wherein you can interact with strangers in your underwear from the safety of your room, face dotted with zit cream, and be whoever you want. Ever seen Catfish? You can get in flame wars with people you don’t even know, or flirt-a-thons with people you’d like to know. You can spy on your ex (if he/she hasn’t blocked you yet) and feel jealous about other people’s pretend lives. Talk about comparing your insides to other people’s outsides. But in the end, you are alone with your computer and the ability to put your insane thoughts into cyberspace at the press of a button. Restraint of pen and tongue out the window. Think I’m exaggerating?

Haloween & Talks from TEDx

This is your brain and this is your brain on drugs! lol j/k but these pumpkins had me laughing so I thought I would share!

TALKS FROM TED!


Sarah Nerad- Investing in Recovery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtpx0EJHzeI#t=160




Lessons from the mental hospital- Glennon Doyle Melton

Glennon Doyle Melton is the author of the New York Times Bestseller, CARRY ON, WARRIOR, founder of http://www.momastery.com, and creator ofhttp://www.monkeeseemonkeedo.org. 
Glennon believes that life is equal parts beautiful and brutal, and writes about the "brutiful" she finds in marriage, motherhood, faith, addiction and recovery. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHHPNMIK-fY

The Anonymous People viewing here in Charlotte!!!!

TONIGHT!!!





There are still tickets available!!!


http://gathr.us/screening/5613

Repel for Recovery!

Hey Everyone!!

It is just crazy how things fall into place, especially when my recovery is first. Just a few years ago I felt like there was no hope. My entire world was crashing in around me. Everything I knew of was going horrible and I was all alone. Come to find out everything was mainly in my head. My messed up thinking and rationalizing the most obvious bad decisions. My using and drinking put me into places where I thought I would never be. Fast forwarding a few years later, here and now. I'm in college, clean and sober, part the first Collegiate Recovery Community in NC and working with people in recovery. Who thought this drunk would be flying out to California tomorrow to repel off the side of the W Hotel in Hollywood?? Not me!! That is for sure! I couldn't have told you what the future held back then. Now I know there is hope, even when you feel helpless and worthless, there is help. I felt so alone in a room full of people. I thought being alone was better that people seeing the true me. Today I get to help others or should I say they help me more than I help them. I get to be surrounded with people who truly understand what I am feeling. Being in college and in recovery is such an amazing concept! Just the opportunities that have been sent my way, all the people who I have met, everything has gotten so much better! Just remember you are not alone if you are struggling with this disease. There are tons of people willing and able to help. For me asking for help was the hardest thing I had to do and still to this day can struggle with trying to do everything all by my self. I have learned through trial and error asking for help is totally worth that minute that I might feel uncomfortable. After that minute it seems everything I was either worried about or stressing over is just turned over, or explained

in a very simple way for me.

A friend sent this to me and I thought I would share!

The Over the Edge Repel Event in Hollywood!!

http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/ChelseaSchmidt/hollywood-over-the-edge

 Anna David's Webpage (one of the Celebs who will be repelling with us) She also goes to colleges and speaks on recovery

http://annadavid.com/speaking/

Contact us:

http://wellness.uncc.edu/collegiate-recovery-community-crc

Many faces one voice:

http://manyfaces1voice.org/

Faces and Voices of Recovery:

http://www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/

The Anonymous People viewing in Charlotte NC: GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

https://gathr.us/films/the-anonymous-people

The Anonymous People trailer:

http://vimeo.com/64948005

Young People in Recovery:

http://youngpeopleinrecovery.org/

National Youth Recovery Foundation:

http://nationalyouthrecovery.org/

Addiction

Standing Tall for Recovery

 We made it on the front page of UNC Charlotte's web page!

http://www.uncc.edu/spotlight/2013/spotlight-standing-tall-recovery

 Its amazing to see that students are becoming more aware of recovery on our campus! 

Yesterday was The Center for Wellness Promotion's big October event, OctSober Fest! Students came out to participate in the fun and games, while of course learning about health and wellness. There were tables set up on sexual health, relationship health, nutritional health, recovery and alcohol awareness. Along with fun and games thanks to Venture, Rec Services, GAMMA, RSA, Scarowinds, the Police Department and many more. Thank you to everyone who came out to volunteer and participate!!! It goes to show how much fun can be had without drinking or using drugs. Back years ago I would have told you that the idea of doing anything without a drink would have been crazy. Now I know that everything is so much better without it!

The support from other students is such a huge part in my recovery and education. I'm really not sure how I would still be here, in college, without these amazing people helping me. School has not been easy this time around but I believe that all good things come with challenges. The second chance and opportunity was given so freely to me, now is my time to put down the footwork and ask for help when it is needed.
I'm not sure why asking for help can be the hardest part of using the tools, but for me that phone can be so heavy when it is time to pick it up. Even writing an email to a Professor to get help. There are so many resources here on campus that are available! Why can it be so difficult to just utilize them?

Knowing what needs to be done and actually doing it is the difference between staying the same and changing. Change is necessary for my continual recovery. We must remain teachable! Everything we go through helps us learn and grow. I am so grateful that today I can see when things need to change and have amazing people who are willing to help. The support I receive is just so amazing!

Today I am grateful. Today all I can do is my best and sometimes by best is poor. Either way all I can do today is try! One day at a time, one moment at a time, one second at a time. I am a young person in long-term recovery, a college student, a employee, a daughter, a girlfriend, and most of all a friend. I can be all these things if my recovery comes first! Balance helps to maintain everything and finding that balance has been the hardest thing for me lately. This to shall pass. I know the sayings but sometimes its hard to see. You just have to believe!

Break or Not

Hello!!

Happy Thursday! Some might call this the beginning of the weekend. Here at UNCC we have our fall break this coming up Monday and Tuesday. The sound of doing nothing! Just kidding I've got exams that next week and even though we are out of school the university is still open so all meetings will still be here on campus.

I was looking up some things on recovery and came across this gem! Thank Tim!!
http://www.sobernation.com/being-young-in-recovery-whats-it-like/

That was an amazing trip! I got the privilege of meeting some amazing people and reuniting with ones I hadn't seen in awhile. The crazy part is all these young people are recovery advocates and work locally and nationally to let people know the Recovery Works!

Just thinking of all the people I have met in my short time in recovery just astounds me! There is so much I never knew I could accomplish and be a part of! Super excited for this month! 

Tons of events are going on! Check them out!!

http://wellness.uncc.edu/calendar

Procrastination is not the key

 Hello Everyone!!

Sometimes being a student can be stressful. Deadlines and classes and work. Where does our recovery fit in all this? I've always been told my recovery must come first or everything else will be lost. Well truth is it won't be lost I will freely give it away. My license, my car, my friends, my job, my education, and my willingness. All these things will be exactly where I leave them weather it is in the hands of a police officer, a junk yard or just a waste of a good person.  Today I know I'm far from perfect and that it's progress not perfection. I also know that my laziness and old habits like procrastination or perfectionism can creep back up at any moment. Especially when I am not spiritually fit. Little things that I hardly consider, tend to be the biggest contributors to those old character defects coming back. Reading a daily meditation, exercising, going to a meeting, getting sleep, eating a healthy well balanced diet are those little things that make a BIG difference.

I think when I was told to always say yes when asked to do something in recovery I might just have taken it to the extreme. Haha funny an addict who takes things to the extreme! Sometimes it OK to say no! Overwhelming and overworking your body leads to breakdowns. Not only will your brain not function properly but you will be no use to yourself or others. Being a college student pulling all nighters, pushing things back to the very last minute, surviving on coffee and nicotine, I understand. There has to be balance in recovery, school, work, study time, and personal time. I'm still working on this balance and find myself getting better but at least I know that a drink or a drug is not going to make anything go away. For so long I used to cover up all the messes I was making. Now I see the mess and am trying to figure out how to clean it up, and sometimes it takes awhile to learn these new habits. I truly think all the craziness and events that are happening around me are there for a reason. I just have to keep telling myself it's Progress not Perfection!!

Thought this was pretty helpful :)

Please let me know if you have any questions or advice for the recovering student.

Help Support Recovery and join the cause!

https://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/ChelseaSchmidt/hollywood-over-the-edge

I found this article about Collegiate Recovery and wanted to share!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/education/edlife/a-bridge-to-recovery-on-campus.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Powerlessness

It is amazing to know people Support Recovery!

The N.O.P.E. (Narcotics Overdose Prevention Education) candlelight vigil and Rockin' for Recovery went so well!!

 There was a good amount of people who made it out to Support Students in Recovery! It's very positive to know that other students on our campus are supportive to those in recovery. The rocking raised awareness about Recovery and helped new students to learn that we are there for them.

Other organizations on and off campus came to support and Rock with us! Thank you to Everyone it truly means a lot!

Thank you to everyone who came out or stopped by!! We all can make a change by letting others know there is always HOPE!







Our speaker and new found friend shared her story before the NOPE Vigil. Hearing the perspective of a mother who had lost her college age son to drugs was all to familiar.  I had the pleasure of introducing Deanna Uhler, a very strong woman who chose to overcome her nerves and share her experience, strength, and hope with us. I opened by sharing some letters that were written by Alex's(Deanna's son) friends after his passing. It really puts in perspective of why we do what we do. By telling her story in hopes of helping others she also brought awareness to this epidemic harming our youth all around. By educating people we hope to help others receive the proper treatment and care in all aspects of the continuum. Recovery being the piece that was missing for so long.

Her message was very strong, there was not a dry eye in the room. By telling her story she touched souls and helped so many people. Thank you Deanna! You are truly an amazing woman! We are here if you need anything.

The voices of Eden Choir sang so beautifully. It was very amazing that they were there.

https://www.facebook.com/voicesofeden

To remember the souls lost to addiction and overdose we held the candlelight vigil.

The Voices of Eden sang another song while we prayed for those who have been lost.

Know that Addiction is a disease just like cancer is a disease the loss of a person from one or the other should be treated the same. The sigma that is placed on Recovery makes it harder. Recovery is very positive and should not be a shameful thing.



If you are struggling and don't know what to do we here at The Center for Wellness Promotion in the Collegiate Recovery Community. Student Health Center Room 121. If we can not help you personally we can find out who can.

Center for Wellness at UNCC
https://wellness.uncc.edu/

N.O.P.E.
http://www.nopetaskforce.org/candlelight-vigils.php

If you are find someone who is overdosing or passed out and are afraid to get them help because calling for help might get you or them in trouble.  Please know that the 911 Good Samaritan law has been passed in NC as well as other states and you are protected. Please save a life the consequence of losing a child, sibling,  parent, or friend is way worse. DON'T HESITATE TO GET HELP!

911 Good Samaritan Law
http://www.drugpolicy.org/911-good-samaritan-fatal-overdose-prevention-law

Ikea supporting the CRC
http://inside.uncc.edu/news/item/ikea-provides-more-furnishings-collegiate-recovery-community

Remembering those who have been lost

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Police chief remembers his son

By Brian Uhler
Guest column

Alex Uhler is shown in July.

Brian Uhler

Editor's note: South Lake Tahoe police chief Brian Uhler's son, Alex, died last week. He has asked that this be shared with the community.

I thought it of value to write colleagues in public safety about my son so you might recognize our important role in helping families and people with addiction problems. I do not ask for specific action but hope you seek to make a positive difference in your own way when the opportunity comes.

Alex was the rare sort of person, having a pure and good heart who truly cared about others even more than he did about himself. Those who met Alex casually would know him as a highly regarded student at Queens University where he worked on special projects involving gene mutation and the probable pigmentation of the eyes on dinosaurs. One professor recently wrote, "I'll remember Alex for his unending curiosity and his wonderfully dry wit." He added that Alex "had a love of learning that was unsurpassed by his peers." He explained that he liked Alex for his "sharp mind, his interest in science, his interest in issues of the world, but also for his unassuming manner."

When he was about 10 years old, I was driving past a homeless man holding a sign "hungry, please help." Alex asked, "daddy, can we give him some money?" To this, I explained, that giving him money will just lead to him buying beer or something. Being quick of mind, even at this young age, Alex said, "well, can we buy him a hamburger then?" Touched by his sweet nature, I said "sure, son," and we helped that homeless man with a burger.

As a boy scout, Alex would take special care of the younger scouts. He would never belittle or make fun and was known to help the "underdog" without second thought.

One day, about two years ago, Alex came home beaming that he had just eaten 10 tacos at Taco Bell. When I asked, he explained that he was driving in San Francisco and he saw a man trying to push his broken-down Cadillac from the road. The man couldn't push hard enough so Alex stopped his car and offered a helping hand. When they finished, the man unexpectedly and insisted that Alex take $20 dollars for his kindness. Alex immediately rewarded himself with as many Tacos that he could eat.

Growing up, Alex was always a great helper, ever ready to help lift something or participate in a project. I came to respect his intellectual abilities many times over. Typically, I would be struggling with a problem and Alex would glance at it, without any effort at all, and say, "maybe you can..." Sure enough, more often than not, his suggestion would be right. When he was young, I would tend to dismiss his ideas, but as I progressed in life, I learned that I should listen to Alex.

His sharp mind and amazing ability to recall information was very clear to people who knew him well. You could ask Alex a question about some obscure fact and chances are he would recite an answer like he was reading it from a textbook. As we who were closest to Alex have come to know, his brilliant mind was often racing and restless. Even as a young child, he found it difficult to go to sleep. His mother and I would take turns laying with him combing our fingers through his hair until he would drift off to sleep.

Many years ago, when Alex was young, he said, "Mommy, I think there's something wrong with me." We didn't think much of it because every visible indication was that Alex was fine (good grades, scouting, sports, etc). Later in life, we learned that Alex struggled with anxiety that was most troubling when he was alone. As a family we helped him in many different ways. Unfortunately, each time we did things to help Alex, we unintentionally burdened him with an inner conviction and determination that he would not hurt us more.

This is what led Alex to conceal his addiction to virtually everyone. I believe with all my heart that he didn't want to be the cause of anyone's pain, let alone those he loved most.

On the day the photo was taken, Alex and I started the hike at about 5 p.m. We took a little less than three hours to make it to the top. At first, he took the lead, boldly making progress up the mountain. Each time I'd fall a little behind, Alex would stop and wait patiently. This happened a couple times, then he stopped and fell in behind me. After about an hour of more hiking, I asked, "Hey, buddy, you staying back there so you don't make your old man feel bad, right?" He said, "Yeah, dad, something like that." Later that evening, it got cold, we got lost and had only cell phones to light the way. At one point, he said we should find shelter and wait for daylight. Stubbornly, I refused. Now, I'd give anything to huddle with my buddy on the side of a cold mountain.

Specific Information about the memorial service to be held this Sunday will be forwarded later. The family asks that no flowers be sent. Instead, a donation in Alex's name to a Queens University scholarship fund will be appreciated. This information will be forthcoming.

— Brian Uhler is the chief of the South Lake Tahoe police and fire departments.

Deanna Uhler, Alex's mother will be our guest speaker at the Candlelight Vigil at the Student Union for the Candlelight Vigil.

Rockin' for Recovery!

Rockin' for Recovery

Come out and support recovery!!

TODAY!

4-7 pm at the Student Union

Followed by the NOPE Candlelight Vigil

 The vigil is to remember the hundreds who have died from substance related incidents and to show support for families and friends. This event also recognizes those who are suffering from the disease of addiction. Support your fellow 49ers by attending!

Remember you are not alone! There are people all over to help and support you on your journey of recovery.


https://www.facebook.com/pages/UNC-Charlotte-Center-for-Wellness-Promotion/173795386055127

Just for Today

       Today has been a bit crazy. Remembering where I was back 12 years ago. Sitting in a chair at school thinking what was playing on TV was just a movie, not a live news cast from here in the U.S. Probably still in a drunken stupor from the night before. Even at a young age I still manged to have no control over my disease. I felt I could hide when I was drinking before or during class. The complete insanity in my head. Today I am much clearer! It feels good to feel true emotions and realize what they are coming from. I pray for those people who were in NY and those families who were touched by the tragic events.  It is a fact that stress and trauma can trigger the disease of addiction.  Knowing my triggers was one great step in my recovery. Being able to talk about my past and present with another person. Getting a real perspective on my screwed up thinking.  

How We Cope: What Do Addiction Rates After 9/11 Tell Us?

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/09/09/how-we-cope-what-addiction-and-recovery-rates-after-911-tell-us/#ixzz2ecFfZeqs


If you are feeling like you are all alone and there is no other way.  You are not alone! I am here to say it can get better! It does get better!! People can live a life of Recovery! We offer a few different kinds of meetings here on campus.  We also have a safe place where you can go talk to people who have been through similar experiences (SHC room 121.) Addiction is a deadly disease. I've seen people who never made it out. It hurts to know that the disease of addiction is nondiscriminatory and non-bias, but there is hope!

My life has never been so filled with so many amazing opportunities.  Sometimes it can get overwhelming but I have to remember my problems are "problems of privilege." For example I've got an exam tomorrow and still feel like I know absolutely nothing about the subject. The problem of privilege would be that I'm privileged enough to be in school. Not everyone has that opportunity! I need to be grateful for this second chance recovery has given me. Sometimes I can just get caught up with things that are really not even an issue. That is where my friends in recovery come into place and set my crazy thinking back and bring me back to the moment I am in. 

Every Wednesday night SHC(Student Health Center) CRC room 121 we have game night for those in recovery and those who support recovery. This is to bring a little stress relief and fun into our recovery! Being in Recovery is fun! Haha I thought there was just going to be a bunch of boring people when I was first sobering up. Come to find out, a lot of what I thought was very wrong. My outlook on life was very skewed I now can see that a lot more clearly. Come stop by and join in on the great fun we have!

As a good friend always says "Thank you for baring with my sharing"

Young People In Recovery
http://youngpeopleinrecovery.org/

UNCC CRC
http://wellness.uncc.edu/collegiate-recovery-community-crc

Faces and Voices of Recovery
http://facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/about/

Free adiction Hotline
http://www.freeaddictionhelpline.com/