

Dr. Drew on Trauma, Addiction, and What’s Really Wrong with America | Sage Steele Show | EP. 67
5 snips Aug 6, 2025
Dr. Drew, a prominent physician and addiction specialist, shares his remarkable journey from medical school to media stardom. He discusses the profound impact of childhood trauma on addiction, emphasizing that it often serves as the hidden catalyst. Candidly addressing the mental health crisis in Los Angeles, he advocates for practical solutions and urgent intervention for the homeless. Personal stories enrich the conversation, revealing the role of empathy in parenting triplets during tough times. It's an insightful dialogue packed with empathy, challenges, and transformative lessons.
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Childhood Trauma Fuels Addiction
- Childhood trauma is the inciting influence and rocket fuel behind serious addiction.
- Emotional dysregulation and toxic shame from trauma drive adolescents toward substance use for relief.
Apply Trauma Therapy Post-Sobriety
- Avoid intensive trauma therapy immediately after sobriety; brain healing takes time.
- Implement trauma therapies after stable recovery phases to reduce toxic shame effectively.
Rebuild Custodial Care Infrastructure
- We must reinstitute custodial care for gravely disabled individuals on the streets.
- Build acute care and residential facilities to quickly stabilize and rehabilitate the severely mentally ill.