Is it time to look more closely at the role herbs can play in treating people recovering from addiction?

Dr. Salil Joglekar & Dr. Tom O Brien will present this seminar on Herbal Medicine and it can help people in recovery from addiction.  The seminar will present herbal perspectives on the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction.  Dr. Salil Joglekar is an Ayurvedic doctor teaching and practicing Ayurvedic medicine in Pune, Inida.  He has a special interest in the treatment of liver problems.  Dr. Tom O Brien has a PhD in adult and community eduction, specializing in addiction rehabilitation.  He is also a 4th year student of Herbal medicine, with the Irish School of Herbal Medicine in Portlaoise.  He manages Sankalpa, an addiction rehabilitation centre in Finglas.  For more information; email tom@sankalpa.ie or phone 0860261240.

The seminar costs €25 and you can register and pay on the day.  The seminar will be held in the Ardmore Hotel, Finglas.  Click here for directions.

This is my first time writing for Sankalpa’s new garden blog and I am very excited!

Last week for the first time in 34 weeks it rained heavily in Finglas but this did not stop us from getting on with our work. There was plenty to do indoors. All the seedling needed watering, cosmos, calendula, sunflower, lobelia, cherry tomatoes, sage, peas, beans, this list goes on! For the participants this is considered a very important job and is completed without request.

Then we went on to the transplanting task at last, every week people were asking can we but them in bigger pot, can we, can we!! Elaine transplanted the calendula she had sown and went on to do the cherry tomatoes. Eddie was eager to do the Livingston daises he had sown earlier in April. We went through the steps involved in this process, taking great care to pick each seedling up with the cotyledon leaves (the cotyledons or seed leaves are the first leaves the seedling produces) after loosening the roots with a dibber.

All was going well until Eddie realises there was about 300 plus seedling needing transplanting. Of his own admission Eddie realised he may have over sown the daises. After transplant over 50 seedlings Eddie vowed to read the seed packet and follow the handouts more closely next time. The positive aspect that came from this experience was that Eddie’s concentration level went form sporadic to long lasting and determent.

Not every on is an in door person and Ian couldn’t wait to go out to earth up the potatoes, do a bit of weeding and review the bamboo he planted last week. It was great to see him out in the poring ran and his new wellies!

We had a new participant join the group, Pauline. I am always delighted when a new member joins the group. I hope Pauline will really enjoy her time at the garden and we can help Pauline achieve her goals.

Introduction

The Hepatitis C virus was identified in 1989. It is a viral agent. It is associated with both acute and chronic liver disease. In many cases people infected with Hepatitis C may not become ill. However, some people develop jaundice. When liver inflammation persists for longer than 6 months the illness is called chronic Hepatitis C. Symptoms tend to occur in cycles, you may have periods when you feel fine and then go through weeks when you feel absolutely exhausted.

Common Symptoms

1. Fatigue
This is the most common symptom reported by persons living with Hepatitis C. It ranges from mild to debilitating fatigue. it is important to state that the severity of fatigue is not related to the severity of the illness. The temptation on days when you don’t feel tired is to make up for lost time. Overdoing things and forcing yourself is not a good idea.

2. Pains and Aches
Many persons with Hepatitis C feel a variety of aches and pains. Chronic pain is itself a great stress.

3. Depression
Stressful life events like a diagnosis of Hepatitis C make life very difficult. Some people cope and find ways to get through the shock but others find it difficult to cope with and this can lead to depression.  this should not be ignored as it can take a terrible toll on a person and everyone else in the family. It is important to talk to your children and explain how you feel and reassure them that you are not angry with them.

Living with Hepatitis C changes your life and persons needs vary greatly. Information and education are vital to help you understand the illness and improve your quality of life. Counselling services can provide both practical and emotional support.

Steps to coping with Hepatitis C

1. Understand your history
It is helpful to get your own medical history straight. Understanding medical terms and test results can be confusing. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. The more you understand your condition the more you will feel in control.

2. Respect your emotions
It is not easy living with Hepatitis C. Anger, sadness and fear drain our energy. We need to find appropriate outlets for these feelings.

3. Learn to listen to your body
Pay attention when you feel tired.  Don’t push yourself through the tiredness. Rest as often as you need without feeling guilty.

4. Get help
The psychological dimensions of coping with Hepatitis C is now well recognised. Set aside time to talk to a skilled counsellor. These sessions will help you take stock and focus on your needs. You will learn how to talk openly and honestly, instead of storing up your worries.

5. Gather information
Significant progress in the understanding and treatments of Hepatitis C has been made over the years.  Keep yourself informed of developments. It will help you feel hopeful and in control.

6. Stay involved in your life
Don’t let Hepatitis C define who you are. Don’t let it engulf your life. Learn to relax. There are many good books, tapes and courses available. Pace yourself. Don’t overdo things. Avail of the support services, involve your family and friends, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

For more Information click here

Why not check out our new podcast, now available on iTunes!  At the moment there are two podcasts already recorded.  Tune in for more interested conversations with Dave and Tom where we will be exploring the role of community development in Sankalpa with Lisa.  We also hope to bring you an interview with Svetlana our yoga teacher about her experience of working with people in recovery.  We will be conducting interview with various people living and working in the Finglas and Cabra communities.

Click here to find us on sound cloud!

IRELAND has the highest number of heroin users per capita in the EU, according to the annual report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Deaths for those on methadone programmes also appear to be on the rise.

There were 9,264 people on the HSE methadone programmes nationwide at the end of October 2011. It is estimated that there are another 10,000 heroin users who are not currently on methadone.

Methadone, once viewed as a way to wean a patient off opiates, has now become a fact of everyday life for many former heroin addicts. Each person accessing a methadone programme costs the State an average of €2,714.52 a year.

Dr Chris Luke, an emergency medicine consultant at Cork’s University and Mercy Hospitals, has frontline experience of the dangers of methadone and believes the area needs further examination. “I retain a healthy scepticism about methadone as a treatment,” he said.

“We continue to see a significant number of deaths from methadone consumption. While methadone may be a very valuable maintenance treatment, and it allows people to live a more or less ‘ordi-

nary life’, it is traded on the black market by patients and users, and it does cause a lot of deaths. Methadone is potentially lethal. It’s frequently lethal. It’s a very dangerous drug in itself.”

He adds, “The medical profession and others did resist its introduction into Ireland. But lately there’s been a much more relaxed approach towards it, a significant increase in doctors who are enthusiastic about using it and who are trained and licensed in using it.

“There are many people who stay on methadone for years, sometimes decades, and it is not really a ‘curative drug’ and it’s very important that that is recognised. It’s one of the ingredients that are frequently part of a cocktail that bring patients to my door.”

Gardai say that methadone is generally traded when heroin is in short supply, and the seller can dictate the price.

There are 71 clinics offering methadone services, 23 of which are methadone dispensing clinics. But a majority — just under 66 per cent — of methadone users receive their medication in pharmacies.

In 2008, the Dublin City Coroner reported that in the drug-related inquests heard in his court the previous year, methadone had contributed to more deaths than heroin. Although there are no up-to-date statistics available, coroner Dr Brian Farrell confirmed last week that methadone remained a significant factor in the drug deaths he came into contact with daily.

Could gardening be the new cure for addiction?  Well in Sankalpa we are conducting some action research to see if using a spade can really help people in recovery from addiction!

What could be more beneficial for ones health whether you have an addiction to drugs, or shopping, than being out in nature at this time of the year?

The psychological impact of gardening is that it is considered a serene occupation, an oasis of calm, a grounding experience. The combination of the fresh air and the physicality of the tasks helps oxygenate the bloodstream and energize the physical body while simultaneously releasing endorphins involved with stress alleviation. Numerous scientific studies validate the calming effect of the garden by showing findings that reveal simply being in a garden lowers blood pressure.

The physical impact is such that gardening not only provides fitness via calorie burning and muscle toning activities but offers opportunities to improving strength, endurance and flexibility in legs, arms and hands. It has been show to help with hand to eye coordination and improved motor skills, not to mention that the process of gardening stimulates appetite and fosters a good night’s sleep. The later two being the key benefits to rehabilitation of the infirm, those in recovery or those coming to terms with trauma or cognitive difficulties.

Gardens stimulate, they engage all of our senses not just the sights, sounds and smells around us, but touch too; the textures of soil tell a story, and feeling; the emotional satisfaction of a harvest or a successful cutting as well as the deeper side in a sense of belonging or a realization of a spiritual connection or spiritual/emotional peace. Gardening can offer strides in the development of social and intellectual skills, especially those required for social inclusion or rehabilitation. Gardening involves personal initiative, personal effectiveness, a nurturing responsibility to living things. It can involve team work and encourage dialogue. It reveals our capacity to become involved and offers opportunities for accomplishment.  Gardening is also a form of self-expression; creativity builds confidence while enabling a healthy outlet for emotions.

Furthermore gardening can assist with fundamental skills like literacy (labelling a plant, reading seed sowing instructions) and numeracy (measuring planting distances, counting seeds) etc, building more confidence and self esteem.  While the spiritual and holistic side of horticultural therapy sees value in gardening as meditation. Many practitioners espouse how it quietens the conscious mind, allowing the subconscious mind to discover solutions to problems and negative thinking patterns. In the main those attracted to gardening are reflective, not always introverted outside the garden, but ‘considered’ inside it. Optimistic too, for you sow in hope to reap a harvest many months away. Part of the job description is positive thinking and to a degree lateral thinking too, when it come to ingenious ways to weed, water, control pests, time save etc.

Gardening makes one philosophical in outlook; we come to accept that not every seed germinates, not every slug falls into the trap, perfection is a myth, but we as a whole are flexible and undaunted and we happily adapt to circumstances beyond our control – the non germinated seed did not dislike me so much that it chose not to enter the world. It simply was not viable and a lot of things in life are not viable but wow look at how tall the ones that did germinate are now.

For more information click here

And for a laugh have a look at this video!

Former Minister, TD and Kerry man! Pat Carey has rejoined the board of Sankalpa and was appointed chairperson at the last board meeting.  Pat is well known in the Dublin North West area for his work as a local elected representative, TD and Government Minister.  Pat was a former minister for drugs and is well respected in communities throughout the country for his work in this area.  He has a strong sense of the need for community development, education and support for the most vulnerable of our society.  He has a wealth of knowledge and experience and we are delighted that he has agreed to serve as a board member and chairperson of Sankalpa.

We are delighted to welcome our other new board directors including; Brian Murphy, from Finglas whose experience and knowledge of addiction is extensive; Colm MacCarvill joins the board bringing with him a wealth of legal knowledge as a practicing barrister;  Daragh O Shea a former HR executive and alternative health practitioner and Michele Bibby a youth and community worker who lives in the local community.

By David Staunton, Project Worker at Sankalpa.

A seed of an idea is growing strong here in Sankalpa over the past two months.  I refer to the Sankalpa Recovery Group which takes place every Tuesday Afternoon from 3.00 to 4.30pm. The group is in response to people from the Finglas and Cabra area who have indicated their desire to become drug free.

Some individuals who have successfully participated in their personal programme here at Sankalpa and who saw a need for support on their journey forward, are also attending and have brought great wisdom, kindness and direction to the group.  The group members to date have drawn up their own guidelines on how they want to see it run and grow, and the ownership that has resulted from this self- managed, self -directed approach, offers both positivity and ownership to participants.

I have a lot of respect for anyone who finds the courage to attend a recovery group.  All the challenging steps which somebody has to take, days, weeks, months, maybe years weighing up the decision.  The courage in dialling a telephone number, speaking about how they are right now to someone on a phone, walking into the group for the first time, meeting other’s – both known and unknown, sharing in the group for the first time and hearing your own voice share feelings and emotions which have remained hidden for many years.  This is certainly no easy task and my heartfelt appreciation and admiration goes out to those who try.

And that is the point – it is about trying.  Trying something else, something different, something new.  It is about trying to develop new behaviours which will serve you well.  At Sankalpa, we believe that you will always know best, you will always know what it is that you have to do in order to become the person you have always wanted to be.  The best we can do is offer you support with this ‘new direction’, affirm you for both your achievements and your courage in trying.  Recovery will take as long as it takes, but Sankalpa and the participants of the Tuesday afternoon group are there with you every step you take on your path.

So, if you want to join us and see your own seed grow and prosper in the Sankalpa Recovery garden, we are right here, right now…

Where are you?

For more information, or to discuss confidentially how Sankalpa may support you, please contact David on 01 8302690 or email: dstauntonsankalpa@gmail.com or you are welcome to just drop in.

Pascal Donoghue TD for Dublin Central visited Sankalpa recently as part of our political awareness campaign.  Drug services have not aways spent enough time telling the story of the work they do.  Too often we take for granted that people understand the work of drug rehabilitation services.  We just get on with the work and believe that people are aware of what we do.  However this is not always the case and more and more services need to improve their relations with the media, politicians and other key stake holders.  We can not take for granted anymore that our politicians know what we are doing, we have a responsibility to ensure that they know.  Its a two way process, as the we can educate the politicians as to the work we do and the challenges we face.

Pascal arrived on his bicycle after getting lost on the Ballyboggan road.  However I was impressed with his mode of transport as a cyclist myself.  Pascal was friendly and warm to our service users and staff and after a brief meeting with myself, Pascal met with a number of participants to listen to their fears and anxieties around the cuts to CE and social welfare benefits.  The session was very engaged and Pascal was reminded by one of the participants ‘remember, we vote now!’.  And so goes out the reminder to all politicians that Sankalpa is raising the political conscientious of service users from Finglas and Cabra.  Too often politicians think that once their elected they can do what they want.  Sankalpa would like to promote a participatory democracy.  A democracy that is built on genuine participation.  Too often our citizens are excluded after the general election has ended and the votes have been counted.  Lets start changing that and call our politicians to account to us the voters on a regular basis.  Lets get more politically active!

Dr. Tom O Brien

Manager of Sankalpa

Niki De Brucker (22 years old), Kirsten Theeuwes (20 years old), Marijke Dirks (21 years old) and Iris Ceulemans (20 years old) who are all from Belgium visited Sankalpa as part of a visit to addiction rehabilitation services in Dublin.  The students are studying social studies and wanted to get a wider european perspective on rehabilitation.  They really enjoyed the visit and we enjoyed a gift of the world famous Belgian chocolates!  We hope they return!