Stress and peer pressure are big issues with teens which could result in feelings of anxiety and depression, or worse, substance or alcohol abuse. School is complicated with all the peer pressure involved. And so, as parents, we need to give them the support they need as they walk their way through life. Oftentimes, parents are very focused on getting their kids better, but they're not doing anything to support themselves. What if there was a program that provides holistic support to both parents and teens? Well, the good news is there is – and it doesn’t cost anything to get the resources that you and your kids need. On today’s episode, Duane speaks with Kim Bemis of Gobi, a comprehensive educational platform that provides the first online drug and alcohol prevention and early intervention programs for parents and their teenagers that you do together. Gobi is dedicated to helping middle and high school teens and their families rethink their relationship with drugs and alcohol. Gobi is a platform for teens and parents to navigate difficult conversations about substance misuse. It helps teens get the skills needed to handle stress, peer pressure, and substance abuse, and it helps parents support their teenagers who might be struggling with it or are experimenting with it. In this episode, you will hear: Providing support to parents and teens What the 21-day program entails Why parents and teens are required to take walks together A focus on building skills to handle stress and peer pressure Common challenges of kids who walk through their program Motivational listening and interviewing with parents Prevention vs. intervention Key Quotes:[11:33] - "We all think that we should let our teenagers go and grow up, but we actually need to pay a little more attention to them."[13:35] - "We don't talk about how evil substance use is; we focus on building skills."[16:20] - "What I really hope is that we can disrupt the cycle for some of these kids and give them a different way of handling some of these pressures and ideas so that they don't end up being addicted."[18:29] - "Of the 65% of the kids who complete the program, 70% say they're willing to consider reducing or eliminating their substance use."[19:29] - "The hard part is getting the teen to talk to you." [21:04] - "Oftentimes, parents are very focused on getting their kid better, but they're not doing anything to support themselves."[24:25] - "We encourage parents to have a conversation with their kid about rules and consequences… The clearer you are about that messaging upfront, the less likely your kid is going to use.”Subscribe and ReviewHave you subscribed to our podcast? We’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.If you really enjoyed this episode, we’ve created a PDF that has all of the key information for you from the episode. Just go to the episode page at www.theaddictedmind.com to download it.Supporting Resources:NovusMindfulLife.comwww.gobi.supportEpisode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether it's divorce, job loss, addiction, or being the spouse of an addict, we're all going through recovery from something. We can make our own path – and that’s what recovery is all about. You’ve just got to learn how to pick up and move on. On today’s episode of The Addicted Mind Podcast, Duane speaks with certified recovery and family addiction coach, Dana Golden, who talks about living on the other side of addiction. She shares what it was like living with a partner struggling with addiction and how she found her own freedom through that.Growing up, Dana's dad had a process addiction – gambling, sex, alcohol, you name it. From that, she learned some very maladaptive behaviors to cope with, which she carried over later on with her other relationships, including her then-husband. She eventually got sick and tired of being sick and tired. Having been brought up with the idea that she needs a man, she finally understood that her whole recovery journey was all about advocating for herself and celebrating her independence as a woman.Fast-forward to today, Dana and her ex-husband have come full circle, having co-authored the book “Addiction Rescue: The NO-BS Guide to Recovery,” and maintaining a great relationship, now as business partners and certified recovery coaches, helping other families heal.In this episode, you will hear: Going into a cycle of dysfunctional relationships How her ex-spouse gambled everything away Learning how to separate the person from the addiction How she came full-circle with her ex-husband Setting boundaries for yourself What happens during an intervention Key Quotes:[04:30] - "I thought by dumping his cocaine down the toilet, or emptying his bottles of booze in the sink that I can control his use... I quickly learned I wasn't going to cure him and I needed to cure me."[06:56] - "Just like an addict that's sick and tired of being sick and tired, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired."[10:31] - “We can make our own path and that's what recovery is all about. We have to recover from everything in life, whether it's divorce, job loss, addiction, or being the spouse of an addict. We're all in recovery from something.”[13:44] - "It doesn't matter how many times you fall down, it's just about picking yourself up again, and how many times you can get up – because anything's possible."[18:45] - "Relapse is a part of addiction... every time there's a relapse, it's an opportunity for growth."[20:55] - "Boundaries are so important. And before you can set them, you have to know that it's a boundary you can keep."Subscribe and ReviewHave you subscribed to our podcast? We’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.If you really enjoyed this episode, we’ve created a PDF that has all of the key information for you from the episode. Just go to the episode page at www.theaddictedmind.com to download it.Supporting Resources:NovusMindfulLife.comwww.DanaGolden.comwww.liferecoverycoach.com Email: dana@danagolden.com Addiction Rescue: The NO-BS Guide to Recovery by David Marlon and Dana GoldenFind out what maladaptive role you've taken on in your relationship: www.danagolden.com/quiz. Episode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of The Addicted Mind Podcast, Duane speaks with Sarah Michaud, clinical psychologist and author of Co-Crazy: One Psychologist's Recovery from Codependency and Addiction: A Memoir and Roadmap to Freedom. One of the reasons Sarah published a book on codependency is that after working with patients and clients for the last 30 years, Sarah noticed that a lot of them were recovering addicts and alcoholics.In her book, Co-Crazy, Sarah shares her own story as well. In 2006, Sarah married a guy, who was 15 years sober, and thought he was the man of her dreams. Unfortunately, he ended up relapsing after getting surgery and getting into the opiates.The major underlying issue for a lot of recovering addicts is unresolved codependency. Codependent behavior comes out of fear and addiction comes out of fear or unresolved feelings. For an addicted person, there’s all that rationalizing, minimizing, and denial happening. It’s the same process for the codependent as well.How do you then recover from codependency and addiction? Today, Sarah discusses how focusing on yourself and understanding your own needs and wants first, is the way to find peace and freedom in your life – not sacrificing yourself for someone else's addiction.In this episode, you will hear: Codependency and addiction How codependency becomes progressive Focusing on yourself to get better The consequences of codependency Reconnection to the self Confronting the discomfort and being with it Key Quotes:[02:47] - “Codependent behavior comes out of fear, and addiction comes out of fear or unresolved feelings."[06:17] "Many people who are codependent don't have an addiction. They're just preoccupied with their partner's lives."[10:36] "Until I realized that I had to focus on myself to get better, and start figuring out what I needed, I couldn't change the situation."[11:37] "The biggest fear is the person dying… the delusion is that you're controlling the other person's behavior."[15:17] “The consequence of codependent behavior is that the people around us start to believe they can't take care of themselves.” [32:47] "If you can confront the discomfort and be with the discomfort, there might be a spike of intense bodily sensations. But if you set the boundary that is for longer-term comfort, then you're not going to have to experience it.”[36:45] “Check in with yourself even if it's five minutes a day and say, “What do I want? What do I need? What works for me?” because recovery is all about getting more in touch with yourself.”Subscribe and ReviewHave you subscribed to our podcast? We’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.If you really enjoyed this episode, we’ve created a PDF that has all of the key information for you from the episode. Just go to the episode page at www.theaddictedmind.com to download it.Supporting Resources:Co-Crazy: One Psychologist's Recovery from Codependency and Addiction: A Memoir and Roadmap to Freedomwww.amazon.com/Co-Crazy-Psychologists-Recovery-Codependency-Addiction/dp/1736720430Episode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of The Addicted Mind Podcast, Duane talks with keynote speaker, author, executive coach, and humanitarian, Ron Kardashian. Author of the book, 30-Second Solution: Transform Your Body, Business, Relationships, and Life in Just Seconds at a Time, Ron discusses how making micro-changes in your life can change your brain and live the life you want. We all can change that narrative – and in changing that narrative and that belief system, we can change our life. Ron’s career started as a national strength and conditioning specialist; in other words, he was a personal trainer. His word of choice is Kinesiology, which is basically the study of human movement, and so, it was natural for him to fall in love with health and fitness. Ron played sports all the way through high school, and it landed him his own private practice in California. By the time he was 25, Ron had made it to the NFL consulting for professional athletes.One day, a gentleman from the San Francisco 49ers asked for his help. And what began as this in-depth study on human behavior and human performance from a mental standpoint has ultimately launched Ron's career as an executive coach for the last 20 years. Eventually, his practice moved into coaching business leaders, ecumenical leaders, heads of government, and heads of state.At that time, Ron was also suffering from his own addictions. And so, it was a three-fold quest to be healed, to become a practitioner, and to help other people.In this episode, you will hear: The correlation between success and personal development Hiring someone to trust Knowing yourself better through deep introspection Education - a very important element in addiction recovery Understanding the law of neuroplasticity The power of investing in yourself Choosing to be a better person in our micro-decisions Key Quotes:[04:38] - “As you unpack human behavior, you find the underlying root cause connected to traumas people go through... then the drug of choice is birthed because they're trying to learn coping mechanisms to smother these feelings and behaviors." [05:43] "The path of self-discovery is the home of the human soul in that we are on a personal quest to become better me's."[06:13] "The most wealthy people and the most successful people all have personal development as a core value."[07:28] “The side effect of a traumatized person is that you become very reclusive… if you can't find somebody that you trust, you can hire someone to trust.”[21:22] "The worst thing that human beings can do is hide areas they need to disclose, you have to get it out. It's a toxic poison."[24:16] "When somebody takes time to invest in themselves, it substantiates value. It sends a message to the brain that says, ``I am worthy."[32:50] - “These 30-second choices to choose an excellent spirit will transform your thinking and transform the lives of other people. It's very powerful.” If you really enjoyed this episode, we’ve created a PDF that has all of the key information for you from the episode. Just go to the episode page at www.theaddictedmind.com to download it.Supporting Resources:Websites:https://leconfidant.com/www.ronkardashian.com Books: 30-Second Solution: Transform Your Body, Business, Relationships, and Life in Just Seconds at a Timehttps://www.amazon.com/Ron-Kardashians-30-Second-Solution-Relationships/dp/0757315852 Getting In Shape God's Wayhttps://www.amazon.com/Getting-Shape-Gods-Way-Fitness/dp/1599793628 Podcast: Higher with Coach Ron Kardashianhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/higher-with-coach-ron-kardashian/id1570716544 Episode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Addicted Mind podcast, Duane interviews Dr. Ursula Whiteside, a clinician, researcher, and trainer in the area of suicide prevention. Ursula struggled with her suicidal thoughts throughout her life, and in 1999, she moved to Washington state to learn from Marsha Linehan, the creator of DBT (dialectical behavior therapy). Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in some age groups and is more prevalent than car accidents, homicides, and breast cancer. Beyond these statistics, it is estimated that 10 million Americans every year have suicidal ideation. The exciting thing is that this overwhelming emotional crisis that can lead to suicidal ideation is not sustainable in the brain for more than 48 hours. So while people are within this timeframe, it often feels like things will always be this bad and that there is no hope. While it might not be helpful for them to think that they might feel this way for a couple of days, it might be beneficial for them to know that they will only feel this way for a couple of days at most. When Ursula talks with someone amid their suicidal ideation, she tells them to wait until this suicidal period passes before deciding to act on their ideation. There are a few simple things that someone in an overwhelming emotional crisis can do: (1) try to describe what is happening, (2) practice mindfulness by being in touch with your emotions, and (3) submerge your face in cold water for 20 seconds at a time for 3-5 minutes. For friends and family members, it can be helpful to know how to respond to their loved one’s thoughts and feelings. The best way to support them is by listening to them, taking care of them, and just being there for them. Suicidal thoughts are not uncommon, especially during adolescence, and in addition to DBT and ongoing conversations with your physician, the Now Matters Now website is an excellent resource for learning how to cope with difficult emotions and how to get through an overwhelming emotional crisis step-by-step. Ursula wants everyone struggling with suicidal thoughts that you can make plans for things to be different. You don’t have to believe your thoughts, and you can reach out for help in navigating these. Links:https://depts.washington.edu/uwbrtc/our-team/marsha-linehan/https://www.dbsalliance.org/ Connect with Ursula:https://www.ursulawhiteside.org/https://www.nowmattersnow.org/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you train your brain to improve your sleep, better your health, and possibly abolish your tolerance for alcohol, drugs, or other things you might be struggling with?According to today’s guest, Dr. Andrew Hill, peak performance coach and the founding director of Peak Brain Institute, one of the most insidious things about brain and mind-stuff is that we feel like things are not going to change, and that is just not true. The brain shift happens – it's not a question of if, but how.Peak Brain Institute is a gym for your brain. It is a brain optimization company across life stages for some people. Neuroscientists help people take control of their own neuroscience the same way your favorite personal trainer at your gym helps you learn how to move through transformation goals.Also known as brain training, most forms of neurofeedback are a passive form of operant conditioning, but in an involuntary form. It’s essentially taking something you're not usually aware of. For instance, they’re raising information from the brain waves or blood flow up to a level where the brain can interact with it. Dr. Hill emphasizes the use of the brain, not the mind. Hence, it’s different from the classic biofeedback techniques such as the use of relaxation therapy.Neurofeedback is an option for you to help with your brain, and studies show its positive impact on people dealing with issues pertaining to anxiety, stress, alcohol use, and drug use. On this episode, Dr. Hill talks about what's going on and what's happening in the brain as this process is unfolding so you can gain a better understanding of your brain, what makes up who you are, and how you can change or improve that. In this episode, you will hear: Biofeedback versus neurofeedback How your brain is trained to achieve your goals How brain mapping works The differences in results with eyes closed versus eyes opened The impact of brain training on physical fitness How neurofeedback impacts people with alcohol and substance issues Key Quotes:[04:46] "Neurofeedback is biofeedback, or a form of control, shaping, or exercise of stuff in your brain.” [04:55] - "All neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback, but not all forms of biofeedback are done in the brain."[07:53] - “It's mostly involuntary because you can't feel your beta waves or your theta waves. But after about three or four sessions, you get this lingering effect that tends to show up for a couple of hours to about a day. It tends to impact the resources you have trained like your sleep, stress, and attention, and you get noticeable changes."[10:00] - "Your brain is mostly an electrical and mechanical machine... and the resources of your brain are roughly the same."[11:35] - "There are some things that emerge in the EEG that are almost diagnostic, or that are at least useful."[21:41] - "Other brains with similar complaints and similar goals don't respond the same way when you start doing neurofeedback. And so, you have to be very aware of the actual person's experience."[32:08] - "If you do a few weeks of neurofeedback, you abolish the tolerance for cannabis."[39:21] "One of the most insidious things about brain and mind-stuff is that we feel like things are not going to change, and that is just not true. The brain shift happens... It's not a question of if, it's how."If you really enjoyed this episode, we’ve created a PDF that has all of the key information for you from the episode. Just go to the episode page at www.theaddictedmind.com to download it.Supporting Resources:Peak Brain Institutehttps://peakbraininstitute.com Episode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Teenagers are normally withdrawn. But once you see some shifts in behavior or probably a liquor missing from the liquor cabinet, these could be red flags that your young adult is struggling with addiction.On today’s episode of The Addicted Mind Podcast, Duane speaks with Maks Ezrin, certified recovery coach and co-founder of Youth Prevention Mentors, and shares what they’re currently doing to help mentor young adults so they don’t fall into the trap of addiction – striking addiction before addiction strikes.Maks had his own experience with early addiction. Born and raised in New York City, Maks was living with his loving parents and pretty much had everything life had to offer. But wanting to be perceived as the cool kid in the bunch, Maks pretty much began partying and experimenting with drugs and alcohol at 13 years old. And by the age he was 15, he tried cocaine and ecstasy. By college, Maks was doubling down on substance abuse. His four years of college involved daily use of marijuana and Xanax then all of the other maladaptive behaviors came with it. Maks was practically living a double life because his parents knew nothing about it. He was compartmentalizing all these different pieces in his life that were giving him tremendous anxiety and angst, feeding into his addiction. Until one day, he woke up in the back of an ambulance and was still in denial that it was caused by an overdose. Eventually, Maks came across Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) through his friend who introduced him to it. Over the course of three months, he was using substances and going to meetings until it wasn't fun anymore. He was tired of lying to himself and the people around him who truly wanted him to get better. So on September 24, 2016, he made the full leap into the program.In this episode, you will hear: Maks’ story of addiction and recovery A feeling of being not enough Developing maladaptive behaviors along with the addiction Getting introduced to AA The birth of Youth Prevention Mentors  How YPM provides support to young adults Signs your kids might be struggling The inverse cult of adolescence Breaking the stigma around mental health Key Quotes:[05:17] - "That's a big part of my story being perceived a certain way to kind of fill the void of not being enough."[10:42] - "I didn't have the foresight or the ability to look inward and kind of focus on, you know, what's really making me feel this way and how is this affecting my actions."[21:30] - "This disease takes people and it does not discriminate."[26:03] - "I didn't get the support that I needed and it led to an existence of chaos and overdose and substance misuse – and that doesn't need to be you. Let me give you some education." [28:03] - “When working with young adults, you have to take on the family.”[29:26] - “We create a life team around the family so that they feel support from all angles, and that there's that united approach of - we all know what direction we're going and we're all being held accountable by our separate parties.”[38:43] - "There's nothing wrong with meeting someone to get some help for your mental health or struggle with addiction."If you really enjoyed this episode, we’ve created a PDF that has all of the key information for you from the episode. Just go to the episode page at www.theaddictedmind.com to download it.Supporting Resources:Youth Prevention Mentorswww.youthpreventionmentors.com Instagram: @youthpreventionmentorsEpisode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How has music played an impact on your life? In addiction treatment, there are various ways you can do to get the help you need or get to that place where you can find healing for true recovery to happen – music, being one of them. On today’s episode, Duane speaks with John Dillon – a singer and songwriter, radio producer, guitar maker, and author – to talk about his latest album, Hope Road: From Addiction to Recovery. John shares his story of finally finding sobriety and spiritual growth through the 12-step community and what led him to share his hope and wisdom through his music. It's interesting to hear John talk about how he tracked his own recovery through his album. John decided to write this album and share it with others who may still be struggling and who need more hope in their life so they can ultimately achieve recovery.John learned how to play the guitar at 13 years old. Growing up in the 60s, which was the hippie generation, John was a rebellious teenager. And back then, drugs and alcohol were part of the music scene. Seven more years later, the drugs and alcohol were not fun anymore. Then in the 80s, he just became addicted to cocaine. There was also a time when John joined a spiritual community in New Mexico, which gave him a sheltered life, without drugs and alcohol for eight years. Once he left that path, the drugs and alcohol started to creep back into his life again. John’s divine intervention came in the form of a run-in with the law, where he ended up getting pulled over by cops who found a bag of cocaine inside his car, along with an opened bottle of wine. At that point, he was ready to surrender and got into the 12-step program.In this episode, you will hear: John’s love of music His addiction to cocaine Going deep into his spirituality From being sober to coming back to addiction Living a double life Running in with the law as the start of his surrender process His 12-step journey How music played a role in his recovery A walk through some tracks in his album Key Quotes:[16:55] - "Music has been a very important part of my life, all through these ups and downs."[22:59] - "There's a certain magic about music. It carries a message in a way that can reach people more directly, more powerfully than the spoken word."[24:30] - "All my life I've there have been little pieces that are starting to make sense."[27:49] - "Being grateful and sharing gratitude is a real key to my sobriety."[28:45] - "It doesn't matter what your religion is, there's a way to get better."[30:18] - "The drug is just the beginning, then you get to dig in deep and find out what were the causes and conditions, and what things you can change and how you can change them."Subscribe and ReviewHave you subscribed to our podcast? We’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.If you really enjoyed this episode, we’ve created a PDF that has all of the key information for you from the episode. Just go to the episode page at www.theaddictedmind.com to download it.Supporting Resources:Get John’s album on www.hoperoadmusic.com (on a "Pay What You Wish" basis) Book: The 20-20 Creativity Solutionhttps://motherjonesinheaven.com/product/the-20-20-creativity-solution-book-by-john-dillon/Episode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that in some states, in two weeks after someone is released from incarceration, they are up to 127 times more likely to die of a drug overdose than the general population? On top of that, over two-thirds of people incarcerated are struggling with substance use disorders. On today’s episode, Duane speaks with Victoria Garrow, co-founding member of The Lookout Project, a nonprofit founded by five college students at the University of Michigan. Victoria explains the reason behind that big overlap between incarcerated people and overdose deaths, as well as their harm reduction approach to addiction treatment and recovery – one overdose response kit at a time.Victoria also shares her own experience with addiction in her family, losing her mother to a drug overdose when she was still 13 years old, and the impact it had on her, eventually turning that experience into founding The Lookout Project. Their hope is that people will be on the lookout for an overdose, especially among incarcerated people once they get out of prison.The antithesis of treatment is isolation. We saw it during the COVID-19 pandemic when many people were dying of overdoses and the rate of addiction was escalating – mainly because they were completely alone. Through these harm reduction approaches, more people can get access to services despite using drugs. This allows for human interaction, kindness, and connection, thereby, taking away some of the stigma surrounding drug use and welcoming people who use drugs into a space that lets them feel they deserve to be alive.In this episode, you will hear: The big overlap between incarcerated people and drug overdose Why people coming out of incarceration are so vulnerable to overdose How Narcan works for emergency treatment Getting funding for The Lookout Project How the project overcame its struggles in the midst of COVID What’s inside an overdose response kit How to spot an overdose The importance of testing fentanyl in drugs The harm reduction approach to addiction treatment Key Quotes:[04:41] - “In the two weeks after someone is released from incarceration, they're up to 127 times more likely to die of a drug overdose than the general population."[08:20] "The reason why people coming out of incarceration are so vulnerable to overdose is that after being incarcerated, drugs are leaving their system. They're forced into detox and through that process, their tolerance is dropping way down."[09:04] "When those opioid receptors in the brain are full, that actually halts breathing. And so, the Narcan is able to push those opioids out of the receptors and allow breathing to return again."[10:14] "Our hope is that people will be on the lookout for an overdose... or when someone is incarcerated, looking out to when they aren't going to be incarcerated anymore and thinking about how they can prevent overdoses for themselves and also people in their lives."[25:07] "Recovery is any positive step towards change and improvement in one's life... it could just be testing your drugs and using clean needles and making sure you have Narcan with you."[26:11] "Having these harm reduction approaches where more people can get access to services despite using drugs allows for human interaction, kindness, and connection.”If you really enjoyed this episode, we’ve created a PDF that has all of the key information for you from the episode. Just go to the episode page at www.theaddictedmind.com to download it.Supporting Resources:The Lookout Projecthttps://www.lookoutproject.org/ Email: victoria@thelookoutproject.org Episode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot of people who come in and seek treatment for addiction are carrying complex trauma from growing up in a narcissistic family structure. And for a lot of people who have grown up in narcissistic families, it can be hard to see the patterns that are there. Everyone has a level of healthy narcissism. We all see things through our lens to some degree. The narcissist, however, has pathological levels of self-involvement and he or she experiences fundamental developmental deficits early on in life.On today’s episode, Duane speaks with Julie Hall, author of “The Narcissist In Your Life: Recognizing the Patterns and Learning to Break Free,” to talk about narcissism. Released in December 2019, the book aims to examine narcissistic personality disorder and how it affects the people close to a narcissist. Julie does an excellent job of breaking it down and pulling the pieces apart so people will have more clarity around this type of disorder.An educational writer, poet, and journalist, Julie comes from a narcissistic family as well. While working on her memoirs, she came to realize that narcissism had been a major theme throughout her life, so she shifted gears and began to write specifically about narcissism. This became part of Julie’s healing process.Julie has a popular blog called The Narcissist Family Files, and you can find the articles that she writes regularly in Psychology Today. She also has articles in The HuffPost and various other places on the internet. In this episode, you will hear: What motivated Julie to write the book The narcissistic family The traits of a narcissist Addiction and narcissism Coming out of the denial mechanism Why you need to be careful when seeking a therapist The importance of educating yourself about narcissistic personality disorder Key Quotes:[03:14] - "There are differences unique to a narcissistic family as opposed to an alcoholic family or an addicted family."[13:23] - “Addiction is a huge part of this whole narcissistic family system... people coming out of families like this are dysregulated themselves, and they are carrying complex trauma."[16:20] - "The first step is coming out of denial, taking a hard look at that origin family and those parents, and being willing to acknowledge the ways in which they hurt us and couldn't love us."[17:26] - "Some have had a series of failures with therapists who didn't understand the realities, narcissistic abuse, trauma, what that looks like and what that feels like."[17:41] - "The narcissistic personality will not take responsibility for their behavior. They will not self-reflect. They will not acknowledge fault or flaw, or any kind of behavior that hurts other people, and they don't have that empathy. They don't care."[20:49] - “The narcissist is really operating with different rules, there's a different playbook. And it's important to recognize that and be aware of that to protect ourselves. It's a grieving process.”[21:29] - "Children who grow up in narcissistic families have the same brain scan as war veterans."If you really enjoyed this episode, we’ve created a PDF that has all of the key information for you from the episode. Just go to the episode page at www.theaddictedmind.com to download it.Supporting Resources:Julie’s website and blog: www.narcissistfamilyfiles.com Books Mentioned: The Narcissist In Your Life, Recognizing the Patterns and Learning to Break Free by Julie HallThe Narcissistic Family: Diagnosis and Treatment by Robert M. Pressman and Stephanie Donaldson-PressmanEpisode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices