I don't think people realise how serious addiction is and that we have to be prepared to loose everything, absolutely everything, in order to recover. We don't necessarily HAVE to loose everything - but we've got to be PREPARED to do so.
Recovery has to becone THE PRIORITY in our lives. More important even than my children, my spouse, my career, my religion, my sport, my hobby, my finances....etc, etc. For if I loose my recovery I'm going to loose all those anyway. Today I'm going to committ to my recovery and do everything - absolutely everything - in order to achieve it, and to maintain it. And don't let PRIDE get in the way. Ask yourself "How important is it?" If it ain't life threatening, don't bother about it.
Rhoi'ch adferiad yn gyntaf, uwch POPETH yw'r nod er mwyn gwella o ddibyniaeth. Rhaid bod yn barod i golli POPETH er mwyn ei ddiogelu. Popeth.
Showing posts with label Adfer. alcohol. cyffuriau. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adfer. alcohol. cyffuriau. Show all posts
Saturday, 19 November 2011
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
FRANKIE COCOZZA
What happens when you take an impressionable teenager, propel him to the heights of national fame, applaud him for his talents as a singer, encourage him to think of himself as a latter day Keith Moon and leave him to the tender mercies of the tabloid press?
This week we all found out when the antics of eighteen year old Frankie Cocozza led to him being dropped from X Factor, the show that he had been a contestant in.
His behaviour finally became unacceptable when it was revealed that he had taken cocaine, but for weeks there had been a slew of ever more tedious stories about his alleged excesses. True to form, Simon Cowell was quick to drop Frankie when the revelations came to light.
The Sun newspaper reported him as saying: ''Frankie's blown a wonderful opportunity. It's very sad, but he has no one to blame but himself.''
To take Simon Cowell seriously (and it is likely he doesn't care whether we do or not) we have to ignore most, if not all the context of what has occurred, he seems eager to profit from the successes of his protégés, and all too keen to abandon those who are deemed to have failed.
Firstly, Frankie Cocozza has been consuming a powerful, addictive and frequently lethal drug in massively dangerous doses with the full glare of publicity upon him for weeks on end. The fact that the drug in question is alcohol relegates it in news value to a story about youthful exuberance and harmless fun.
Secondly, the publicity machine that surrounds Frankie and other teenagers like him facilitates much of his behaviour, in order to craft a certain persona, in order to guarantee column inches in the tabloid press, in order to boost the show's ratings, in order to please advertisers, Frankie must make a spectacle of himself.
The X Factor has shown us a degree of naked mercenary greed and selfishness, not to mention monstrous hypocrisy, that few other programmes have ever managed. The moment this admittedly foolish young man has become damaged goods, he is abandoned; there was no question that Simon Cowell, Gary Barlow or anyone else on the show might have felt slightly responsible about his wellbeing at all. To do so might have accidentally apportioned some kind of culpability to the show and the culture that surrounds it, lethal in these times; one only had to look to the example of the News of The World to see what happens when an organ of celebrity culture is held accountable for something.
But the X Factor should be held accountable for failing in its care of Frankie, and there is an interesting parallel thrown up by reality TV this week.
On Saturday, Frankie arrived at the show after having had one hour's sleep. He had been on a long drinking and drug taking bender. Any addiction professional (or layman for that matter) should easily be able to see powerlessness over substances writ large in this scenario; where were the responsible adults around Frankie, where was the guidance?
On Monday night, Junior Apprentice was broadcast, where Lord Sugar reluctantly had to fire yet another hopeful looking to start a business career.
The house where the contestants in this programme were staying was undoubtedly supervised (it was a spotless mansion in an exclusive part of Chelsea or some other salubrious location, with ten teenagers inside it, the chances that they were left to their own devices are next to none existent).
In this scenario, the duty of care that the production company has towards other people's precious beloved children is fulfilled, the idea that they are human beings and worthy of some degree of concern and safety, and not simply commodities to boost advertising revenue or ratings has been implicitly understood.
Why do we have these two different approaches to young people who generate entertainment for us in the two biggest shows on TV? In case of Junior Apprentice, drinking, inappropriate sexual behaviour or drug taking would destroy the show, but in the case of the X Factor, it positively makes the show.
We are left with two wreckages before us, firstly, the wreckage of a young man's life, he has left the X Factor, badly in need of treatment, publicly shamed. Whilst he is certainly not blameless, the true extent of the show's responsibility will no doubt be conveniently ignored.
The second wreckage is that of the state of public discourse about drugs and alcohol, once again a magic, invisible line has been drawn between the two, hiving drink off as a special exempt class of substance, not really a drug per se.
The effect of this is to help mythologise drinking for a whole new generation, and Frankie has unwittingly done this, propagating an unspoken but tacit message: "Don't do coke kids, but drinking is fine."
This week we all found out when the antics of eighteen year old Frankie Cocozza led to him being dropped from X Factor, the show that he had been a contestant in.
His behaviour finally became unacceptable when it was revealed that he had taken cocaine, but for weeks there had been a slew of ever more tedious stories about his alleged excesses. True to form, Simon Cowell was quick to drop Frankie when the revelations came to light.
The Sun newspaper reported him as saying: ''Frankie's blown a wonderful opportunity. It's very sad, but he has no one to blame but himself.''
To take Simon Cowell seriously (and it is likely he doesn't care whether we do or not) we have to ignore most, if not all the context of what has occurred, he seems eager to profit from the successes of his protégés, and all too keen to abandon those who are deemed to have failed.
Firstly, Frankie Cocozza has been consuming a powerful, addictive and frequently lethal drug in massively dangerous doses with the full glare of publicity upon him for weeks on end. The fact that the drug in question is alcohol relegates it in news value to a story about youthful exuberance and harmless fun.
Secondly, the publicity machine that surrounds Frankie and other teenagers like him facilitates much of his behaviour, in order to craft a certain persona, in order to guarantee column inches in the tabloid press, in order to boost the show's ratings, in order to please advertisers, Frankie must make a spectacle of himself.
The X Factor has shown us a degree of naked mercenary greed and selfishness, not to mention monstrous hypocrisy, that few other programmes have ever managed. The moment this admittedly foolish young man has become damaged goods, he is abandoned; there was no question that Simon Cowell, Gary Barlow or anyone else on the show might have felt slightly responsible about his wellbeing at all. To do so might have accidentally apportioned some kind of culpability to the show and the culture that surrounds it, lethal in these times; one only had to look to the example of the News of The World to see what happens when an organ of celebrity culture is held accountable for something.
But the X Factor should be held accountable for failing in its care of Frankie, and there is an interesting parallel thrown up by reality TV this week.
On Saturday, Frankie arrived at the show after having had one hour's sleep. He had been on a long drinking and drug taking bender. Any addiction professional (or layman for that matter) should easily be able to see powerlessness over substances writ large in this scenario; where were the responsible adults around Frankie, where was the guidance?
On Monday night, Junior Apprentice was broadcast, where Lord Sugar reluctantly had to fire yet another hopeful looking to start a business career.
The house where the contestants in this programme were staying was undoubtedly supervised (it was a spotless mansion in an exclusive part of Chelsea or some other salubrious location, with ten teenagers inside it, the chances that they were left to their own devices are next to none existent).
In this scenario, the duty of care that the production company has towards other people's precious beloved children is fulfilled, the idea that they are human beings and worthy of some degree of concern and safety, and not simply commodities to boost advertising revenue or ratings has been implicitly understood.
Why do we have these two different approaches to young people who generate entertainment for us in the two biggest shows on TV? In case of Junior Apprentice, drinking, inappropriate sexual behaviour or drug taking would destroy the show, but in the case of the X Factor, it positively makes the show.
We are left with two wreckages before us, firstly, the wreckage of a young man's life, he has left the X Factor, badly in need of treatment, publicly shamed. Whilst he is certainly not blameless, the true extent of the show's responsibility will no doubt be conveniently ignored.
The second wreckage is that of the state of public discourse about drugs and alcohol, once again a magic, invisible line has been drawn between the two, hiving drink off as a special exempt class of substance, not really a drug per se.
The effect of this is to help mythologise drinking for a whole new generation, and Frankie has unwittingly done this, propagating an unspoken but tacit message: "Don't do coke kids, but drinking is fine."
Monday, 9 May 2011
LAUNCH OF WALES' FIRST RECOVERY WALK - 120 days to go
Cardiff City Hall will be the focus on Tuesday 10th May at 11am for a launch event to mark 120 days until the start of Wales’s first ever Welsh National Recovery Walk in Cardiff and the official registration website – www.recoverywalk2011.org.uk - going live. The Walk is supported by the UK Recovery Federation, Cardiff County Council, the Lord Mayor Elect of Cardiff and the Welsh Assembly Government.
The 10th September U.K Recovery Walk Cardiff is going to be a day of celebration; a fun day and an unforgettably inspirational day as we put positive ‘faces and voices’ to recovery and become worthy advocates for the attractive reality of recovery. Around 2,000 are expected to parade around Cardiff City Centre to celebrate the fact people can, and do, recover from substance use disorders and mental health problems.
The date of the walk coincides with the successful Recovery Month in the USA which has inspired the Welsh walk organisers, and which promotes the benefits to society of effective treatment for substance use disorders and mental health problems
Wynford Ellis Owen, who chairs the event committee, said, “We want this Recovery Walk, the first in Wales, to be an event to remember! The US Recovery Month model which I admire lauds the contributions of good treatment providers, and spreads the positive message that prevention works, treatment is effective and people can and do recover. This is precisely what the Welsh National Recovery Walk embodies.
“Through this walk we hope to engage with the UK Recovery community, and reach out and generate greater support amongst family members, friends and supporters of those in recovery.
“The Recovery Walk is, in essence, a civil rights issue and will go a long way towards countering the considerable amount of prejudice, discrimination and stigmatization of people with addiction and mental health problems that still exists in society.
“There’s one thing we can promise, there’ll be a welcome second to none in the hillsides, in the Valleys, and throughout Wales for all those attending this first ever Welsh National Recovery Walk. It’s going to be an once-in-a-lifetime experience!”
To register for the walk and to receive further information, send an email to welshrecoverywalk@gmail.com or gobaithatgerdded@gmail.com.
Carwyn, another member of our organising committee writes:
Hello my name is Carwyn and I am on the organising committee of the UK Recovery Walk Cardiff. I am delighted that Cardiff, Wales’s fantastic vibrant capital city, is hosting this walk at the end of the summer. The walk will take in some of the city centre’s great landmarks such as Cardiff Castle and the Millennium Stadium. There are also beautiful parks nearby, lots of great shops and restaurants, museums and galleries; in fact everything you need for a great day out! We look forward to seeing as many people in Cardiff as possible in order to make the walk a great success. We are preparing to launch the walk’s excellent new website prepared and designed by Oskar. We hope that the website will provide all the information that you need to register for the walk, to find out more about the location and route of the walk and help you get to Cardiff and stay in the city if you need to.
The website address will be http://www.recoverywalk2011.org.uk/ so please check out the website for updates, information and registration details.
ENDS
For further information please contact Rhodri Ellis Owen at Cambrensis Communications on 029 20 257075 or Rhodri@cambrensis.uk.com
The 10th September U.K Recovery Walk Cardiff is going to be a day of celebration; a fun day and an unforgettably inspirational day as we put positive ‘faces and voices’ to recovery and become worthy advocates for the attractive reality of recovery. Around 2,000 are expected to parade around Cardiff City Centre to celebrate the fact people can, and do, recover from substance use disorders and mental health problems.
The date of the walk coincides with the successful Recovery Month in the USA which has inspired the Welsh walk organisers, and which promotes the benefits to society of effective treatment for substance use disorders and mental health problems
Wynford Ellis Owen, who chairs the event committee, said, “We want this Recovery Walk, the first in Wales, to be an event to remember! The US Recovery Month model which I admire lauds the contributions of good treatment providers, and spreads the positive message that prevention works, treatment is effective and people can and do recover. This is precisely what the Welsh National Recovery Walk embodies.
“Through this walk we hope to engage with the UK Recovery community, and reach out and generate greater support amongst family members, friends and supporters of those in recovery.
“The Recovery Walk is, in essence, a civil rights issue and will go a long way towards countering the considerable amount of prejudice, discrimination and stigmatization of people with addiction and mental health problems that still exists in society.
“There’s one thing we can promise, there’ll be a welcome second to none in the hillsides, in the Valleys, and throughout Wales for all those attending this first ever Welsh National Recovery Walk. It’s going to be an once-in-a-lifetime experience!”
To register for the walk and to receive further information, send an email to welshrecoverywalk@gmail.com or gobaithatgerdded@gmail.com.
Carwyn, another member of our organising committee writes:
Hello my name is Carwyn and I am on the organising committee of the UK Recovery Walk Cardiff. I am delighted that Cardiff, Wales’s fantastic vibrant capital city, is hosting this walk at the end of the summer. The walk will take in some of the city centre’s great landmarks such as Cardiff Castle and the Millennium Stadium. There are also beautiful parks nearby, lots of great shops and restaurants, museums and galleries; in fact everything you need for a great day out! We look forward to seeing as many people in Cardiff as possible in order to make the walk a great success. We are preparing to launch the walk’s excellent new website prepared and designed by Oskar. We hope that the website will provide all the information that you need to register for the walk, to find out more about the location and route of the walk and help you get to Cardiff and stay in the city if you need to.
The website address will be http://www.recoverywalk2011.org.uk/ so please check out the website for updates, information and registration details.
ENDS
For further information please contact Rhodri Ellis Owen at Cambrensis Communications on 029 20 257075 or Rhodri@cambrensis.uk.com
Monday, 25 April 2011
Mae sêr y byd cerddoriaeth Gymraeg, Bryn Fôn, Elin Fflur, Brigyn (Ynyr ac Eurig Roberts), Côr Hŷn Glanaethwy a Chôr Eifionydd wedi dod at ei gilydd er mwyn recordio cân er lles Yr Ystafell Fyw Caerdydd, y ganolfan Gymraeg ar gyfer adfer o alcohol a chyffuriau. Mae’r gân, Can y 'Stafell Fyw/The Living Room Song, wedi ei hysgrifennu gan y cyfansoddwr ac aelod o’r Tebot Piws, Alun ‘Sbardun’ Huws, ac wedi ei chynhyrchu gan Bryn Fôn.
Bydd y gân, sydd wedi ei recordio yn Gymraeg ac yn Saesneg yn Stiwdio Sain ger Caernarfon, ar gael i’w lawr lwytho o iTunes a www.sainwales.com o hanner nos 1af Mai. Bydd fideo’r gân hefyd ar gael i’w wylio ar wefan Yr Ystafell Fyw Caerdydd www.thelivingroom-cardiff.com/cymraeg ac ar www.sainwales.com.
Bydd y ganolfan Adferiad cymunedol, sy’n seiliedig yn 58 Richmond Road, Caerdydd, yn darparu man diogel, sydd ddim yn barnu, ac yn cynnig amrywiad o raglenni seico-gymdeithasol i bobl o ardal Caerdydd sydd yn gwella o broblemau camddefnyddio sylweddau dwfn a hirdymor.
Nid yw aelodau yn cael eu trin fel “pobl anffodus â phroblemau cyffuriau ac/neu alcohol hir-dymor” ond yn hytrach fel bodau dynol gweithredol â breuddwydion, gallu creadigol ac yn meddu ar fywyd i’w fyw. Bydd y ganolfan newydd yn cael ei hagor yn swyddogol ar yr 8fed o Fedi ac yn help i 'agor y drws i fywyd newydd' yn rhydd o ddibyniaeth. Mewn amser, bydd y gwasanaeth yn cael ei ymestyn i holl drefi mawr ledled Cymru.
Dywedodd Wynford Ellis Owen, Prif Weithredwr, Cyngor Cymru ar Alcohol a Chyffuriau Eraill, “Rwy’n ddiolchgar dros ben i bawb sydd wedi cymryd rhan yn y prosiect yma. Heb eu hymroddiad a’u brwdfrydedd, ni fyddwn ni wedi cyrraedd lle rydym ni heddiw. Mae cael rhestr mor drawiadol o sêr â’r un sydd gennym ni ar gyfer y record yma yn wych, ac rwy’n siŵr y bydd pobl wrth eu boddau pan fyddent yn clywed y gân ac y bydd hi’n rhoi’r siartiau ar dân!
“Bydd cysyniad y 'Stafell Fyw yn trawsnewid y driniaeth sydd ar gael i bobl sy’n ddibynnol ar alcohol a chyffuriau yng Nghymru. Bydd y pwyslais ar adferiad, yn hytrach na rheoli’r ddibyniaeth yn unig. Mae syniad y 'Stafell Fyw yn deillio o’r ffaith fod dim cymuned adferiad yng Nghymru. O ganlyniad, mae Yr Ystafell Fyw wedi ei sefydlu fel ffordd o roi ‘gwyneb a llais’ i adferiad a rhoi gobaith i’r rheiny sydd dal yn brwydro yn erbyn dibyniaeth. O fy amser yn America, fel rhan o Gymrodoriaeth Winston Churchill, dysgais ei bod hi’n hanfodol sefydlu cymuned adfer gref yn gyntaf, gan mai dyma’r llwybr gorau at lwyddiant i bawb sy’n delio ag adferiad.”
Ychwanegodd Alun ‘Sbardun’ Huws, “Mae 'Stafell Fyw Caerdydd yn achos gwych. Rydw i’n bersonol wedi cael profiad o frwydro yn erbyn dibyniaeth ar alcohol ac wedi bod yn gwella ers pum mlynedd ar hugain ac rwy’n gwybod pa mor anodd y gallai dod o hyd i gyngor a chefnogaeth fod. Rwy’n falch o allu helpu mewn rhyw ffordd."
Dywedodd Bryn Fôn, “Yn gyntaf oll mae hi’n gân wych ac roeddwn i’n fwy na bodlon cynnig fy nghefnogaeth. Mae cael lleisiau a thalentau ffantastig perfformwyr fel Elin Fflur, Brigyn, Côr Hŷn Glanaethwy a Chôr Eifionydd yn gwneud y recordiad hyd yn oed mwy arbennig ac rwy’n gobeithio y bydd yn codi llawer ar ymwybyddiaeth y 'Stafell Fyw Caerdydd.”
Meddai Dafydd Roberts, Prif Weithredwr Sain, “Roedd hi’n bleser cael croesawu cymaint o artistiaid talentog i recordio’r gân yma yn ein stiwdio, er budd yr achos teilwng hwn. Gobeithiwn yn fawr y bydd ymdrechion pawb yn sicrhau fod y gân yn codi ymwybyddiaeth o’r adnodd gwerthfawr hwn yng Nghaerdydd.”
Am ragor o wybodaeth cysylltwch â Rhodri Ellis Owen, Cambrensis Communications ar 029 2025 7075 neu rhodri@cambrensis.uk.com neu ewch i www.welshcouncil.org.uk.
Bydd y gân, sydd wedi ei recordio yn Gymraeg ac yn Saesneg yn Stiwdio Sain ger Caernarfon, ar gael i’w lawr lwytho o iTunes a www.sainwales.com o hanner nos 1af Mai. Bydd fideo’r gân hefyd ar gael i’w wylio ar wefan Yr Ystafell Fyw Caerdydd www.thelivingroom-cardiff.com/cymraeg ac ar www.sainwales.com.
Bydd y ganolfan Adferiad cymunedol, sy’n seiliedig yn 58 Richmond Road, Caerdydd, yn darparu man diogel, sydd ddim yn barnu, ac yn cynnig amrywiad o raglenni seico-gymdeithasol i bobl o ardal Caerdydd sydd yn gwella o broblemau camddefnyddio sylweddau dwfn a hirdymor.
Nid yw aelodau yn cael eu trin fel “pobl anffodus â phroblemau cyffuriau ac/neu alcohol hir-dymor” ond yn hytrach fel bodau dynol gweithredol â breuddwydion, gallu creadigol ac yn meddu ar fywyd i’w fyw. Bydd y ganolfan newydd yn cael ei hagor yn swyddogol ar yr 8fed o Fedi ac yn help i 'agor y drws i fywyd newydd' yn rhydd o ddibyniaeth. Mewn amser, bydd y gwasanaeth yn cael ei ymestyn i holl drefi mawr ledled Cymru.
Dywedodd Wynford Ellis Owen, Prif Weithredwr, Cyngor Cymru ar Alcohol a Chyffuriau Eraill, “Rwy’n ddiolchgar dros ben i bawb sydd wedi cymryd rhan yn y prosiect yma. Heb eu hymroddiad a’u brwdfrydedd, ni fyddwn ni wedi cyrraedd lle rydym ni heddiw. Mae cael rhestr mor drawiadol o sêr â’r un sydd gennym ni ar gyfer y record yma yn wych, ac rwy’n siŵr y bydd pobl wrth eu boddau pan fyddent yn clywed y gân ac y bydd hi’n rhoi’r siartiau ar dân!
“Bydd cysyniad y 'Stafell Fyw yn trawsnewid y driniaeth sydd ar gael i bobl sy’n ddibynnol ar alcohol a chyffuriau yng Nghymru. Bydd y pwyslais ar adferiad, yn hytrach na rheoli’r ddibyniaeth yn unig. Mae syniad y 'Stafell Fyw yn deillio o’r ffaith fod dim cymuned adferiad yng Nghymru. O ganlyniad, mae Yr Ystafell Fyw wedi ei sefydlu fel ffordd o roi ‘gwyneb a llais’ i adferiad a rhoi gobaith i’r rheiny sydd dal yn brwydro yn erbyn dibyniaeth. O fy amser yn America, fel rhan o Gymrodoriaeth Winston Churchill, dysgais ei bod hi’n hanfodol sefydlu cymuned adfer gref yn gyntaf, gan mai dyma’r llwybr gorau at lwyddiant i bawb sy’n delio ag adferiad.”
Ychwanegodd Alun ‘Sbardun’ Huws, “Mae 'Stafell Fyw Caerdydd yn achos gwych. Rydw i’n bersonol wedi cael profiad o frwydro yn erbyn dibyniaeth ar alcohol ac wedi bod yn gwella ers pum mlynedd ar hugain ac rwy’n gwybod pa mor anodd y gallai dod o hyd i gyngor a chefnogaeth fod. Rwy’n falch o allu helpu mewn rhyw ffordd."
Dywedodd Bryn Fôn, “Yn gyntaf oll mae hi’n gân wych ac roeddwn i’n fwy na bodlon cynnig fy nghefnogaeth. Mae cael lleisiau a thalentau ffantastig perfformwyr fel Elin Fflur, Brigyn, Côr Hŷn Glanaethwy a Chôr Eifionydd yn gwneud y recordiad hyd yn oed mwy arbennig ac rwy’n gobeithio y bydd yn codi llawer ar ymwybyddiaeth y 'Stafell Fyw Caerdydd.”
Meddai Dafydd Roberts, Prif Weithredwr Sain, “Roedd hi’n bleser cael croesawu cymaint o artistiaid talentog i recordio’r gân yma yn ein stiwdio, er budd yr achos teilwng hwn. Gobeithiwn yn fawr y bydd ymdrechion pawb yn sicrhau fod y gân yn codi ymwybyddiaeth o’r adnodd gwerthfawr hwn yng Nghaerdydd.”
Am ragor o wybodaeth cysylltwch â Rhodri Ellis Owen, Cambrensis Communications ar 029 2025 7075 neu rhodri@cambrensis.uk.com neu ewch i www.welshcouncil.org.uk.
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