Welcome to F.D.A. Children of Addiction

Welcome to F.D.A. Children of Addiction is a Twelve Step, Twelve Tradition program of women and men who grew up in addicted or otherwise dysfunctional homes. We meet with each other in a mutually respectful, safe environment and acknowledge our common experiences. We discover how childhood affected us in the past and influences us in the present. We take positive action. By practicing the Twelve Steps, focusing on and accepting a loving Higher Power of our understanding, we find freedom from the past and a way to improve our lives today.

How You Can Help

Most adults can support Children of addiction in three ways. First, you can provide children with age-appropriate information about alcohol, drugs and the disease of addiction. The most important messages for Children of addiction to hear from trusted adults are:

* Alcohol/drug dependency is an illness. It is not your fault that your parent drinks too much or uses drugs, and you are not responsible for correcting it.
* You can take care of yourself by talking with a trusted person and making healthy choices in your own life.
* Treatment for alcohol/drug dependency is available and can be effective in getting a parent with addiction on the road to recovery.
* You are not alone. You need and deserve services. There are safe people and places that can help you.

Second, you can teach children how to identify and express their feelings in healthy ways, especially by seeking out and speaking with "safe" adults. You can guide them toward educational support programs at school or in your community. Such programs can help them develop coping skills to deepen their innermost strength and resilience.

Third, and perhaps most important, you can take the time to develop a healthy adult/child relationship with a Children of addiction who needs you. Children who live in alcohol- and drug-dependent families learn not to trust adults. By offering your time and an open ear to provide assurance and validation, you can counteract much of that mistrust and make an immeasurable and positive impact on a child's life.

If you are in a position to influence the adults in the family, help them find a qualified professional who is experienced with intervention and can help them get the assessment and treatment they need to begin recovery. An actual family intervention only should be undertaken with a qualified professional who is experienced in the intervention process.

Understanding Children and Addiction

Children living in alcohol- or drug-dependent homes are regularly confronted with denial, shame and silence about their family experience. The unpredictability and irrationality caused by the addiction in the family often creates an atmosphere that is blaming, emotionally hurtful and sometimes physically unsafe. Children of addiction often feel obligated to take on the parental responsibilities. For many, this results in a loss of childhood.

Although some Children of addiction will outwardly exhibit negative behaviors that may alert the adults around them that there may be a problem at home, others work hard to succeed and please in spite of the stresses at home. Often these children do not have a balanced childhood, that may result in negative consequences for the future, including an increased risk of substance abuse problems.

Children and Addiction

Alcoholism and drug addiction is taking a toll on the American family. As a result, 8.3 million children in the United States, approximately 11 percent, live with at least one parent who is in need of treatment for alcohol- or drug-dependency. One in four children under the age of 18 is living in a home where alcoholism or alcohol abuse is a fact of daily life. Countless others are exposed to illegal drug use in their families.

The toll addiction takes on these children can be substantial. Children of addiction are at significantly greater risk for:

* mental illness or emotional problems, such as depression or anxiety;
* physical health problems; and
* learning problems, including difficulty with cognitive and verbal skills, conceptual reasoning and abstract thinking.

In addition, children whose parents abuse alcohol or drugs are almost three times more likely to be verbally, physically or sexually abused; and four times more likely than other children to be neglected. Strong scientific evidence also suggests that addiction tends to run in families. Children of alcoholics are four times more likely than non-Children of alcoholics to develop alcoholism or other drug problems.

What a child can do if a parent is on drugs

It is helpful to teach children some things to help themselves as they get old enough, if parents are on drugs.

Keeping safe

* Keep yourself safe; it is your parents' responsibility to keep themselves safe - you should never feel responsible for their burden as well.
* It's not the child's responsibility to take on parental duties such as cleaning or cooking (apart from normal chores).
* This does not mean children should not be caring and supportive but they need to understand that it is important to put their safety and well being first.

Talk to someone

* You don't have to cope on your own.
* Talk to an adult you can trust eg grandparents, teacher, priest, sports coach. It should be someone you feel comfortable and safe with, whom you trust and who cares about you.
* Even if it is a "secret" in you house, it is important for you to have support for yourself - this is not breaking trust.
* Talk to someone who has professional skills, such as a Kid's Helpline.

AIDS and hepatitis

* If you have a parent who is sharing needles with others, there is a risk of her getting AIDS, hepatitis B or hepatitis C.
* It may be useful to talk to your doctor about your risk of infection and whether you need to be immunized against hepatitis B.

Protect Children Of Drug Addicted Parents

To help and protect children of Drug Addicted parents; role of the children and their care-giver

It is important to help and protect children of Drug Addicted parents. When a child comes to you for help, you must make sure that the child understands that you are ready to listen if he/she wants to talk about something. To be on time and keep promises also signals that you are available and reliable.

Protect Children Of Drug Addicted Parents

In all situations where we meet children who in various ways signal that something is wrong, we must consider that their behavior can be an effect of having a parent who is an alcoholic. If a child is untidy and disorderly, this often has a deeper explanation than "that is just the way he is". The possibility of an alcoholic parent should exist within the back of your mind.

Many people who work with children are afraid to find out too much if they begin talking with the children about their home situation. They are cautious because they do not want to end up facing difficult choices, for example, having to contact the social service. The same fear can exist when it comes to talking with the children´s parents. People working with children may be cautious because they do not want to moralize, and instead tread very carefully. One reason for not interfering can be the belief that if you act, you will immediately be responsible for making the child happy or the parent sober. Many people are afraid of making the situation worse for the children or create a conflict with the parents.

People who have problems often search for someone who can help, and they search where the help most likely can be found, for example, at their pre-school or at a hospital. Above all, they are looking for someone they can trust. This person is not always the one who can give him/her the best help, but this person can carefully refer to someone who can. In this way, she/he functions as a model and guide how to find and get help. Being able to do this requires some knowledge about what kind of help the child can get, and above all that you have faith in the possibilities and resources of those you refer the child's problems to.

Whatever you choose to do, when a child comes to you for help, you must make sure that the child understands that you are ready to listen if he/she wants to talk about something. You can do that by listening carefully even when it does not seem particularly important. To be on time and keep promises also signals that you are available and reliable. It´s also important to explain and to talk to the child about everything you choose to do; for example, you should explain why the woman from the social services wants to talk to the child. That way the child gets a possibility to understand that these adults cares about him/her. It is very important not to go behind the child's back. You should carefully tell the child who you have been talking to and who you will talk to. You can also explain that you have met children with the same problem before. That way the child will not feel odd or strange and he/she may sometimes tell you even more.

The most important thing in working with the children from misuse environments is to help them to understand themselves, their reactions and their everyday life. You can do that by confirming their experiences and by helping them putting these experiences in the appropriate context. Through listening you relieve the children of their worries and their feeling of responsibility for their parents and brothers and sisters. It is of great value to the children to be a "reasonable adult" who is there for the children. This can mean that you become a witness, who the child can have an internal dialogue with.

When you work with families with misuse problems it is important to work with a comprehensive understanding. When you are planning your work with the family, three parts should always be considered; the misuse, the child and the parents. Therefore, different authorities have to collaborate to get as good results as possible. You must see all points of view (the parent's and the children's) and use all available expert competences; for example adult psychiatric services, rehabilitation clinics, social services and child and youth psychiatry services. You need to see the family as a system, where all members influence and are influenced by each other. Working with children and parents in misuse families is mostly about daring to see the problem. You must see the child's situation and how well parenting functions. This requires both closeness and distance; closeness in order to get close to both the child's and the parent's pain, and distance in order to see them both at the same time - i.e. seeing the family as a whole.

As a parent, you have a lot to give your child since you are the most important person in his or her life. It is never too late to start over!

* Help your child to learn what alcohol and misuse means. Tell him/her how the body reacts to alcohol and how alcohol influences emotions and the family. Talk about memory gaps and relapses - as objectively as possible.
* Explain to the child that it never is the child's fault that the adult drinks.
* Give the child permission to react. Try to put up with the child's anger, sorrow and disappointment. Explain that these are reasonable reactions to an unreasonable situation. If you are a sober partner, also give the child permission to react to you.
* Try to permit your child to tell others how the situation is at home. It is good for everybody to have someone to talk to. Also help the child to get in contact with relatives and friends. Help the child to get in contact with other children who live in misuse families.

This can be extremely painful. It can seem like a lot to request from a parent who lives in the middle of misuse, but it is important that you do your best. If this is not working, apply for help!

F.D.A. Day One Event

F.D.A. Day One Event

Sept, 7 Sunday 2008

There will be a auction as we ask players and teams from around the NFL, MLB, BOXING, MLS, NHL, PGA, ATP to send memorabilia





Auction to benefit children that are severely affected by those who abuse and depend on alcohol and other drugs. F.D.A. is dedicated to solving the problem of alcohol and drug abuse in all populations before it starts. We believe that through our leadership and use of research prevention strategies, the F.D.A. makes a significant difference in the well being of all segments of society. The F.D.A is a not-for-profit agency that serves the 1.5 million residents of Suffolk County, Long Island, New York.



Admission $10.00 Free Memorabilia at the door



Want to help or donate please email

FDA@FIGHT-DRUG-ADDICTION.COM

Sponsored By

FIGHT-DRUG-ADDICTION.COM

K & J Pork & Pasta

464 William Floyd Pkwy N.Y 11967

(631)281-7929

Recovery

Recovery

Recovery is not easy. Drug abuse impairs judgment and awareness. With the support and knowledge gained through counselors and leading edge alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs, an addicts power and ability to overcome their addiction increases. They begin to understand that they are ultimately capable of gaining control over their life and prevent a return to addicted behavior. But that almost always involves considerable despair, frustration and anguish along the way, not only from the symptoms of physical withdrawal but through the need for the individual to re-define themselves and their goals to prevent a relapse when they are back in the environment that the addiction developed.

Who is an addict

Most of us do not have to think twice about this question. WE KNOW! Our whole life and thinking was centered in drugs in one form or another, the getting and using and finding ways and means to get more. We lived to use and used to live. Very simply, an addict is a man or woman whose life is controlled by drugs. We are people in the grip of a continuing and progressive illness whose ends are always the same: jails, institutions and death.

Understanding Drug Addiction

Many people do not understand why individuals become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster compulsive drug abuse. They mistakenly view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a social problem and may characterize those who take drugs as morally weak. One very common belief is that drug abusers should be able to just stop taking drugs if they are only willing to change their behavior. What people often underestimate is the complexity of drug addiction—that it is a disease that impacts the brain and because of that, stopping drug abuse is not simply a matter of willpower. Through scientific advances we now know much more about how exactly drugs work in the brain, and we also know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing drugs and resume their productive lives.

What is drug abuse and drug addiction

Drug abuse refers to the use of a drug for purposes for which it was not attended, or using a drug in excessive quantities. Drug addiction is a state of physical or psychological dependence on a drug. Physical addiction is characterized by the presence of tolerance (needing more and more of the drug to achieve the same effect) and withdrawal symptoms that disappear when further medication is taken. All sorts of different drugs can be abused, including illegal drugs (such as heroin or cannabis), prescription medicines (such as tranquilizers or painkillers), and other medicines that can be bought off the supermarket shelf.

Drug Information

Heroin Information

Heroin is a highly addictive drug, and its use is a serious problem in America. Current estimates suggest that nearly 600,000 people need treatment for heroin addiction. Recent studies suggest a shift from injecting heroin to snorting or smoking because of increased purity and the misconception that these forms of use will not lead to addiction. Heroin is processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed pod of the Asian poppy plant. Heroin usually appears as a white or brown powder. Street names associated with heroin include "smack," "H," "skag," and "junk." Other names may refer to types of heroin produced in a specific geographical area, such as "Mexican black tar."

Health Hazards

Heroin abuse is associated with serious health conditions, including fatal overdose, spontaneous abortion, collapsed veins, and infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. The short-term effects of heroin abuse appear soon after a single dose and disappear in a few hours. After an injection of heroin, the user reports feeling a surge of euphoria ("rush") accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, a dry mouth, and heavy extremities. Following this initial euphoria, the user goes "on the nod," an alternately wakeful and drowsy state. Mental functioning becomes clouded due to the depression of the central nervous system. Long-term effects of heroin appear after repeated use for some period of time. Chronic users may develop collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, cellulites, and liver disease. Pulmonary complications, including various types of pneumonia, may result from the poor health condition of the abuser, as well as from heroin's depressing effects on respiration. In addition to the effects of the drug itself, street heroin may have additives that do not readily dissolve and result in clogging the blood vessels that lead to the lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain. This can cause infection or even death of small patches of cells in vital organs.

Reports from SAMHSA's 1995 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), which collects data on drug-related hospital emergency room episodes and drug-related deaths from 21 metropolitan areas, rank heroin second as the most frequently mentioned drug in overall drug-related deaths. From 1990 through 1995, the number of heroin-related episodes doubled. Between 1994 and 1995, there was a 19 percent increase in heroin-related emergency department episodes.

Meth Information

Methamphetamine is a powerfully addictive stimulant that dramatically affects the central nervous system. The drug is made easily in clandestine laboratories with relatively inexpensive over-the-counter ingredients. These factors combine to make methamphetamine a drug with high potential for widespread abuse.

Methamphetamine is commonly known as "speed," "meth," and "chalk." In its smoked form it is often referred to as "ice," "crystal," "crank," and "glass." It is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol. The drug was developed early in this century from its parent drug, amphetamine, and was used originally in nasal decongestants and bronchial inhalers. Methamphetamine's chemical structure is similar to that of amphetamine, but it has more pronounced effects on the central nervous system. Like amphetamine, it causes increased activity, decreased appetite, and a general sense of well-being. The effects of methamphetamine can last 6 to 8 hours. After the initial "rush," there is typically a state of high agitation that in some individuals can lead to violent behavior. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II stimulant, which means it has a high potential for abuse and is available only through a prescription that cannot be refilled. There are a few accepted medical reasons for its use, such as the treatment of narcolepsy, attention deficit disorder, and -- for short-term use -- obesity; but these medical uses are limited.

Cocaine and Crack Information

Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug of abuse. Once having tried cocaine, an individual cannot predict or control the extent to which he or she will continue to use the drug. The major routes of administration of cocaine are sniffing or snorting, injecting, and smoking (including free-base and crack cocaine). Snorting is the process of inhaling cocaine powder through the nose where it is absorbed into the bloodstream through the nasal tissues. Injecting is the act of using a needle to release the drug directly into the bloodstream. Smoking involves inhaling cocaine vapor or smoke into the lungs where absorption into the bloodstream is as rapid as by injection.

Health Hazards

Cocaine is a strong central nervous system stimulant that interferes with the re absorption process of dopamine, a chemical messenger associated with pleasure and movement. Dopamine is released as part of the brain's reward system and is involved in the high that characterizes cocaine consumption.

Physical effects of cocaine use include constricted peripheral blood vessels, dilated pupils, and increased temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. The duration of cocaine's immediate euphoric effects, which include hyper stimulation, reduced fatigue, and mental clarity, depends on the route of administration. The faster the absorption, the more intense the high. On the other hand, the faster the absorption, the shorter the duration of action. The high from snorting may last 15 to 30 minutes, while that from smoking may last 5 to 10 minutes. Increased use can reduce the period of stimulation.

Some users of cocaine report feelings of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety. An appreciable tolerance to the high may be developed, and many addicts report that they seek but fail to achieve as much pleasure as they did from their first exposure. Scientific evidence suggests that the powerful neuropsychological reinforcing property of cocaine is responsible for an individual's continued use, despite harmful physical and social consequences. In rare instances, sudden death can occur on the first use of cocaine or unexpectedly thereafter. However, there is no way to determine who is prone to sudden death.

High doses of cocaine and/or prolonged use can trigger paranoia. Smoking crack cocaine can produce a particularly aggressive paranoid behavior in users. When addicted individuals stop using cocaine, they often become depressed. This also may lead to further cocaine use to alleviate depression. Prolonged cocaine snorting can result in ulceration of the mucous membrane of the nose and can damage the nasal septum enough to cause it to collapse. Cocaine-related deaths are often a result of cardiac arrest or seizures followed by respiratory arrest.

Added Danger: Coca Ethylene

When people mix cocaine and alcohol consumption, they are compounding the danger each drug poses and unknowingly performing a complex chemical experiment within their bodies. NIDA-funded researchers have found that the human liver combines cocaine and alcohol and manufactures a third substance, coca ethylene, that intensifies cocaine's euphoric effects, while possibly increasing the risk of sudden death.