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Ode to the Junk Yard

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A turn key, a gizmo, some powder to mix

A spoon and a filter, then cook your own fix

Then tighten the turn key, a vein will appear

Now stick in the spike and lets ride out of here.

_

This new world you’ve entered, there’s

nothing that’s real

But your mind it is numb, and no pain

can you feel

Then you walk round all day with

one thing on your mind

‘Where will I get money for that fix

the next time?

_

Then your body starts sweating, but

you’re feeling the cold,

You’re addicted to drugs and your habit

grows old,

What you thought you could handle

is out of control,

And now to the Devil you would

sell your own soul.

_

A ten bag, a twenty, a napp for your high,

By the needle you live, and by it you’ll die,

You won’t be remembered and what will

they say?

That was only a junkie who OD’d today.

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Written by;

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D.O.F (2011)

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Faith Hope and Captivity

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I do not wish to see my faith go by.

So there’s no Rush

to meet my faith…..

even if it means beyond the gate

I try not to fight

against the tide…..

So with each moment I Ride

Each day is a moment of Fact

So there’s no rush to go beyond the Gate.

Each day make me free…

because of my philosophy

Is it such a bad faith.

Written by:

_

DOF (2011)

Laughter seems to have a curative effect on all forms of illness and disturbance. It is being used to help patients with problems as diverse as depression, high blood pressure and cancer. It is hypothesized that laughter stimulates the immune system. Psychotherapists have begun incorporating humor in the treatment of mental and emotional disorders.

Cognitive Effects of Humor

When we are open to humor, we seem to change our mind set from a serious, rational and objective view of reality to a more playful and creative one. Instead of seeing one view of things we are willing to turn things around and upside-down to see other perspectives. We are able to see that no matter how serious things seem, there is always another view. This more flexible way of thinking gives us relief from our cognitive “ruts” and stereotyped negative thinking.

Emotional Effects of Humor

Humor is associated with pleasurable emotions such as joy, lightheartedness and playfulness. We feel like children again when we laugh. We become more spontaneous, open and less defensive. The unpleasant emotions of anger, sadness and anxiety are incompatible with this spirit of playfulness and we are released from their grip when we enter our fun zone.

Biological Effects of Humor

Humor seems to interrupt the stress response and the arousal pattern of the autonomic nervous system. Laughter opens up breathing, stimulates the immune system and increases tolerance to pain. The result is a decrease in stress hormones and an increase in healthy antibodies. Laughter is indeed the best medicine.

Get Funny

Open yourself to humor. Adopt the funny life style and share it with others. Read and tell jokes. Watch humorous movies and television. Stimulate your amuse system. Get serious about humor.

This post is dedicated to the memory of Eugene Finane who died suddenly on Monday 16th May 2011.  Eugene was on our team for a year and was due to start a new role as a project support worker.  He ran a men’s group in Sankalpa with great skill, compassion and professionalism.  He had just completed the Merchants Quay course on addiction and was hungry to learn more  and to help others in what ever way he could.  He was also very involved with the support group “Unmarried and Seperated Parents of Ireland (www.uspi.ie).  May he rest in peace.

Help Sankalpa win  Just click here and vote for The Pharm! and then tell your friends!

‘The Pharm’ is a short film that explores the problem of Valium addiction in Finglas, Dublin.  The Pharm is currently in post production!  Keep an eye on www.sankalpa.ie for details of up coming viewings.  If you are worried about your dependency on Valium please consult your GP.

The History of Valium Use

Introduced in 1963, Valium became one of the most widely prescribed tranquilizers over the next 10 years.

Valium had certain benefits over other competitor’s tranquilizers. While all of them worked on the limbic system, the part of the brain that regulates emotions, Valium was less bitter in taste, could be formulated in smaller doses, and provided relief without the expected side effect of drowsiness. Part of Valium’s appeal lay in the belief that it was non-addictive and, unlike other tranquilizers, was almost impossible to be taken in a lethal dose by a suicidal person.

By 1974, Valium represented 81 percent of the tranquilizer market in the United States. However, at this same time, the media presented what they considered rampant abuse of Valium, stating that only about 10 percent of prescriptions for Valium written in 1974 came from mental health professionals and 60 percent to 70 percent of Valium prescriptions came from the family doctor, gynecologists and pediatricians. The media also noted that a disproportionate number of prescriptions were given to women over 30 to control so-called “free-floating” anxiety.

In 1975 when tranquilizer usage in the United States reached its highest level, Valium also began to appear as an illegal “street” drug and became integrated in the American culture through movies and plays. Celebrity usage became apparent when an autopsy report found Valium in Elvis Presley’s system when he died in 1977.

In 1979, awareness was raised again through coverage of the Senate subcommittee hearings during which several well-regarded physicians testified on the dangers of Valium. The Food and Drug Administration forced Hoffman-LaRoche, the manufacturer of Valium, to include the caveat in its medical-journal advertisements for Valium as well as in the information provided to physicians stating that “anxiety or tension associated with the stress of everyday life usually does not require treatment with an anxiolytic drug.” This warning went into effect in the summer of 1980.

A 1981 report stated a possible link between Valium use and the rapid growth of cancer cells which had a greater impact on the drug’s popularity with the general public than the subcommittee meetings. However, a research study completed in 2005 showed that over 60 million prescriptions for Valium were written by American doctors and that 1.8 million Americans abused tranquilizers.

For more informaiton see: http://www.valiumaddictionhelp.com

Since 1977 the Centre has been delivering a range of educational, creative, recreational and activity programmes aimed at targeted users with the aim of encouraging them to reach their potential and enhance their social and personal development.

The Cavan Centre is located near Ballyjamesduff in county Cavan and is open on a year-round basis.

I came through on the end of March and to be honest, I was in a bad way, but I had my arm. The MRSA ate a lot of my flesh but I’m a lucky one, I nearly died twice.

My brother Mark got on a course and told me about it and I saw so interested as the name is Sankalpa so I looked it up on the web site and had a talk with Tasha. I asked my brother to get an application form which he did and I filled it in. 3 weeks later I received a call from Sankalpa and got an interview which I went to and got a chance to change my life.

I’m in Sankalpa about 2 months now and I’ve started to drop on my phy which I will reduce 5ml each month. This place has opened my eyes to a different way of life. I really enjoy my days here as it’s well run and my goal is to leave here clean and have a better life as 2010 is going to be my year. I’m doing computers that I really like and I’ve made a lamp that I was so proud of.

I’ve to travel a good bit each day to get here and it’s worth it. The staff are very helpful and if you’re having a bad day and need to talk they will listen.

Well at the moment I’m doing very well and most of that is down to Sankalpa. I still attend hospital appointments but one thing to say is I had a slip and nearly died and it will never happen again.

I’m not in Sankalpa that long but I hope to complete the course and be free of phy and live my life as a normal person.