The Addicted Mind Podcast

On today's episode, Duane speaks with Jan Winhall, the author of Treating Trauma and Addiction with the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model: A Bottom-Up Approach. Jan's book is a combination of over 40 years of working with trauma and addiction and reflecting on how to bring an embodied approach to addiction treatment.  We currently understand trauma and addiction from more of a top-down cognitive approach. For example, the DSM, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, sees it through a pathologizing lens. When Jan started her work, she was fresh out of graduate school where she got assigned to run a group for young women who were incest survivors. Early on, it taught her how to understand addiction through the nervous system. As feminist therapists, they were very curious about using new models because they felt the current models were misogynistic. Instead of helping women feel empowered, they did the opposite. They were shocked to see how these women who were viewed as victims of violence were actually being pathologized, getting admitted to hospitals, and being put on medications. This led to the basis of the Polyvagal model which asserted that their responses weren’t maladaptive; rather, their responses were adaptive in maladaptive environments.Today, Jan explains how our nervous system influences our behavioral choices and how we perceive the world and our situations. She also teaches how we can use the felt sense with the help of others to create a sense of safety in our lives. With that sense of safety, we will be able to choose more strategic behaviors that lead us to become our best selves. In this episode, you will hear: How the dual system of the vagus nerve works The Polyvagal model explained What happens when the body gets stuck in freeze Other blended states in the nervous system How to develop felt sensing practices to heal from trauma How the state we’re in determines how we experience the world Key Quotes:[03:52] - "It was shocking to see how these women that I viewed as being victims of violence were really being pathologized."[06:49] - “All of these behavioral addictions and substance abuse stuff were ways that we're helping them to numb they kind of got that on some level.”[09:05] - "Our autonomic nervous system is the part of us that watches to see if we're safe. And if we don't feel safe enough, then we move into that flight-fight place in the sympathetic branch."[09:24] - “The dorsal branch of the vagus nerve simultaneously helps you and kicks in when you're in a big trouble by shutting everything down in the body.”[10:42] - “Our bodies have this way of protecting us when we really need to shut down. The problem is that we get stuck there.” [12:40] - “You can see when someone gets triggered, the traumatic experience becomes as fresh as if it was happening right now.”[17:32] - “Through the practice of felt sensing, you're learning slowly, over time, how to feel safe enough in your body to connect with your feelings and let go of dissociating, and numbing, and being more and more and more present with yourself.”[21:32] - “To take responsibility, you have to be present and you have to be gentle with yourself.”[24:53] - "How we feel, how we experience the world is determined by what state we're in."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:https://janwinhall.com/Episode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today’s episode, Duane speaks with Dr. Karol Darsa about how to recognize trauma as well as some of the first steps you need to take to deal with trauma. Karol is the author of the book, The Trauma Map: Five Steps to Reconnect With Yourself. She dives deep into how trauma impacts us in our everyday life as well as what we can do to deal with our traumatic histories so we can heal and feel better.If you have struggled with some trauma in your past, hopefully you will get a lot of insights from this episode as Karol shares her professional wisdom on recovering from trauma. A licensed psychologist for 23 years, Karol found herself repeating certain information over and over again. She realized what was really missing in a lot of people's minds was the understanding of what trauma is and what it does. Maybe they knew what trauma was but didn't understand that it could impact them to the degree that it was impacting them. Many people think trauma only applies to people who have been to war or were sexually abused. They don't consider other things to be trauma. However, trauma can also result from smaller incidents when people didn't even realize they felt traumatized. Hoping to explain the basics of trauma and how it works, Karol decided to write the book, The Trauma Map: Five Steps to Reconnect With Yourself. Karol also noticed an overarching characteristic of self-blame among her clients who were dealing with trauma. They were quick to judge themselves much more than they should. Therefore, Karol also wrote the book as a great tool for minimizing self-blame.In this episode, you will hear: What trauma is What the different types of trauma could look like Why the power of positive thinking sometimes backfires for people Recognizing relational trauma How trauma causes you to disconnect from your body Why people find it difficult to face painful situations Dismissing your feelings means a lack of self-acceptance How to eliminate self-blame Key Quotes:[03:49] - “What was really missing in a lot of people's minds is really the understanding of what trauma is, and what it does.”[04:57] - “The power of the positive thinking, sometimes that actually backfires for a lot of people.”[05:56] - “Many people think trauma means if you been to war, or maybe if you were sexually abused, but other than that, people don't consider other things as trauma.”[06:31] - “Trauma is a situation where it's so overwhelming that it makes you feel powerless, basically unable to cope.”[07:13] - “The most common trauma that people minimize is relational trauma.”[09:30] - "In the relational traumas, reactions don't function that way. People have to be able to look at their symptoms and recognize it."[13:50] - "We have a limited capacity to actually face painful situations. As human beings, we all are that way."[17:17] - "One of the problems of dismissing feelings or putting things away or dismissing our body is that we are ultimately not accepting who we are."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 Trauma MapEpisode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We cannot overstate the impact this pandemic has had on our healthcare providers. When you think about all the stress and pressures these front-liners are going through day in and day out, you can see how a lot of aspects are playing in that are leading to clinical burnout and, ultimately, addiction. Yet, we need to recognize that this is just a part of a larger system that's going on in the individual.On this episode, Duane talks with clinical psychologist Michael Tkach as he shares about addiction and other issues that healthcare workers are facing during these COVID times. A clinical psychologist by training, Michael is the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Behavioral Health Officer for Affinity Empowering, a technology-based solutions provider that supports overall health and wellness endeavors and that has also become a major provider of COVID-19 testing.Michael recently conducted research on medical care providers who are providing care to individuals diagnosed with terminal illnesses. What was highlighted in the research was a sense of powerlessness. These providers have no power to change the course of the etiology of the disease and they’re left with no other option but to simply manage the disease. Michael was drawn into the mental health field after growing up in a neighborhood with a high prevalence of addiction as well as death by suicide. He eventually ended up at Hazelden Betty Ford for postdoctoral residency and then later came on staff there holding a variety of different roles. Today, Michael shares his expertise and wisdom about addiction treatment and how we can help individuals struggling with addiction, especially our frontline healthcare workers who are working so hard to provide the best care they can under extremely difficult circumstances. If you're a healthcare worker out there struggling, please reach out for help so you can get the support you need. In this episode, you will hear: Looking at addiction from a much larger scope Clinical burnout caused by a sense of powerlessness The perfect storm of many social supports not being there The lack of social support when people are looking to reduce stress and disengage How alcohol sales have increased during the pandemic The overlapping Venn diagram of prevalence between traumatic experiences and substance use Getting in-person support vs. virtual support Key Quotes:[05:23] - "The way that I approach addiction and addiction treatment is how all of those factors coalesce and come into a single point to affect the individual rather than trying to be reductionistic." [09:26] - “When we start looking at what happened with COVID and how places were overwhelmed, what you started seeing is that clinical burnout that goes along with that feeling of helplessness.”[13:39] - "A lot of times, we think of addiction as a disease state that really thrives in isolation, people have shame. They hide it, they want to downplay how much they're using."[14:38] - “During the beginning of the pandemic, globally from April to June of 2020, alcohol sales increased over 34% to the year prior.”[18:15] - “There are those traumatic experiences where people are talking about loss, they're talking about those experiences and those pressures to keep going that leads towards burnout.”[18:25] - “There is this overlapping Venn diagram of prevalence between traumatic experiences and substance use."[23:53] - “As much as we love to think that therapy is therapy and supportive support, it is a different skill set to do it virtually than to do it in person.”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:Affinity EmpoweringEpisode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Entrepreneurs and high-performing individuals are highly persistent and driven. Oftentimes, they are in control as they push themselves to success. They look really good on the outside. However, when they have an undercurrent of hurt and pain that is never expressed or paid attention to, they’re also likely to numb out from the pain through alcohol, drugs, sex, or something else.Let’s add to that the fact that drinking is pretty normalized in Canada, the US, and Western Europe. It’s even more normalized in many businesses as their way of closing deals. Unfortunately, we need to understand the progressive nature of this disease.On today’s episode, Duane speaks with David Greer, an entrepreneur, author, and coach who shares about his own recovery journey, specifically from the perspective of being a successful entrepreneur. David was a high-functioning alcoholic who had a difficult time recognizing that he had an issue with alcohol. For decades, he was in denial because he had it all together on the outside. His moment of clarity came to him one evening while sailing on the Mediterranean under the stars. He feels that his higher power touched him at that very moment.David has been in recovery for over 12 years now. For the last six years, he has been a business coach and a facilitator of strategic planning who works exclusively with entrepreneurs. He decided to break his anonymity from the 12-step program and come out publicly to help other entrepreneurs who are running successful businesses and also struggling with alcohol or addiction so they can move to the next level.In this episode, you will hear: Drinking being normalized in certain cultures and in business Sailing through the Mediterranean Sea The moment David’s higher power touched him Hiring a coach on his 50th birthday David’s three biggest fears His breakthrough moment of admitting he was an alcoholic The #1 characteristic of entrepreneurs Why self-care is very critical as entrepreneurs Hiring a coach versus a consultant Navigating through challenging social situations when you’re early in recovery Key Quotes:[06:16] - “Drinking is normalized in Canada, in the U.S., and Western Europe. But then, in a business context, in many cases, I think it's even more normalized like it's the lubricant to close deals.”[08:43] - "I was in denial for decades because I just had a massive capacity to drink and not show a lot of adverse effects."[22:40] - "The bottom line is I don't like negative feelings... and my three biggest fears are I'm not good enough... it's my fault...and who do you think you are – to deserve a great life?"[26:08] - "I'm uncomfortable with crying because that wasn't allowed in the household that I grew up in."[27:59] - "People ask me, like, what's the number one characteristic of entrepreneurs? And my response to that is persistence."[29:04] - “There's three parts to your life… when you're setting goals for yourself for the year or the quarter – career/finances, business; your life, your relationships, your significant other, your family; and then in the middle is yourself.”[31:20] - "There's a whole myth that to build a successful business, you have to be a workaholic."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:www.coachdjgreer.comDavid’s book: Wind in Your Sails: Vital Strategies That Accelerate Your Entrepreneurial GrowthEpisode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's episode, Duane speaks with spiritual leader and author Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati. In her book Hollywood to the Himalayas, she shares the journey of her transformation from trauma and abuse to healing and freedom. Her hope is to bring people into the natural state of freedom, peace, and joy and, ultimately, free people from suffering, pain, and addiction.Although Sadhvi has written other books on her teachings, she reveals that this was the first time she shared her actual full story – uncensored, raw, deep, vulnerable, honest, and genuine. She decided to write the book after seeing how critical it is to bridge spirituality and humanity at this time when too many people are in the throes of human struggle, including addiction.Sadhvi grew up in Hollywood. She lived a privileged life, had access to the best education, and graduated from Stanford University. And yet, as everyone with addiction understands, something was bubbling beneath the surface. At an early age, Sadhvi dealt with sexual abuse and abandonment and, as a result, was yearning for love and approval. While she was succeeding beautifully in every external way, inside she felt like she had done something wrong and there was something wrong with her. Addiction became her go-to stress response and it never occurred to her that she could be free.At the age of 25, Sadhvi went to India and had an extraordinary spiritual awakening experience. It was unexpected, unanticipated, and unsought for on any conscious level. From that moment on, she knew she was one with all of the Divine creation and the rest of her life began. In this episode, you will hear: Sadhvi’s journey through addiction and spiritual awakening Letting go of pain and the identification with pain Practicing to keep the mind on track How we become slaves to our thoughts What forgiveness means The two arcs of the book, Hollywood to the Himalayas Key Quotes:[03:18] - “It seems so critical today that we bridge spirituality and humanity.”[16:02] - “The dilemma with using psychedelics to get there is you have to just keep using them, which of course does not benefit anyone when you substitute awakening for addiction, and instead of freedom, you end up a slave.” [18:10] - “What to do comes really naturally once you have an experience of who you are. The dilemma for so many of us is we don't know who we are and so we don't know what to do.”[20:03] - “The most extraordinary lesson has been that our freedom is our highest goal… and the question always is – is this pain, is this grudge, is this identity – is it worth my freedom?”[20:43] - “We act like thoughts run the show. We act like we are slaves and the thoughts are the master.”[23:46] - “Forgiveness says regardless of what you have done to me, regardless of what your anger, ignorance, fear, confusion, your patterns, regardless of what those made you do to me, I still deserve to be free. That is my birthright.”[26:55] - “Regardless of how stuck you feel, you can be free. You have that veto power."[29:10] - “You're not your body any more than you are your car. Your car is a vehicle that takes you places. Your body is a vehicle. It's what the soul is using on this particular leg of the karmic journey, but you're not the body."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:Hollywood to Himalayas: A Journey of Healing and TransformationEpisode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today’s episode, Duane speaks with Michelle Chalfant, host of The Adult Chair Podcast, about being our best selves by sitting in the adult chair and how our adult self can help us navigate all parts of our trauma, inner child, and ego. Michelle gives practical advice that can help you move forward in your life in a way that will create meaning and purpose. A therapist and coach, Michelle currently does coaching certification and workshops based on the Adult Chair Model, which was a culmination and combination of several teachers she has worked with over the last 25 years.The Adult Chair Model is a manual for life. It helps you learn how to feel your emotions, something that many of us have not been taught to do well. Michelle says that a lot of us know how to be physically healthy and have a good understanding of that. However, when it comes to emotional health, humans aren't great at it. Learning how to live as a healthy adult is the touchstone of The Adult Chair Model. When you begin to live with compassion, boundaries, and empowerment, and when you’re connected to your emotions instead of reacting to them, you become an emotionally healthy adult and the most authentic version of yourself.Growing up, Michelle was part of an Italian family and was raised with alcoholism all around her. She recalls moments in college when she felt unhappy and even had suicidal thoughts. As her way of escaping from pain, she resorted to three things: smoking pot, drinking, and overeating. After consulting a psychiatrist, she got diagnosed with depression and was given four days’ worth of medication. Three days later, she stopped taking the meds and decided to find another way to heal herself. In this episode, you will hear: Her addiction and recovery journey from depression Turning towards the pain and learning how to feel your emotions How to become friends with your emotions Your body as your navigation system Checking in with your inner child Key Quotes:[03:20] - “The Adult Chair Model is a manual for life.”[03:40] - “A lot of us know to be physically healthy… but when it comes to emotional health, humans aren't great at that.”[14:46] - “You can only take people as far as you've gone.”[15:29] - "It's pausing life temporarily and then you hit play again the moment all the effects wear off, and all of a sudden, you're back in it and the pain is right there again. You have to turn toward the pain."[15:48] - “You've got to get to know your pain and we have to learn how to feel our emotions. And that is something human beings are not taught well how to do.”[19:20] - “You've got to go in there and let those feelings come through."[22:30] - “I found that I had to become friends with my emotions.”[26:54] - "When we tune into the body, we realize it's a navigation system for us and it tells us when we're off, when we're on, when we're okay, and when we're not okay."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:https://theadultchair.com/The Adult Chair PodcastEpisode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There are a lot of negative consequences that can come from behavioral addictions. They include everything from financial problems to legal repercussions to health issues. Whether it’s gambling, gaming, sex, or pornography, it’s important to understand why some people are susceptible to certain behaviors. In fact, the same mechanism that influences chemical addiction could be responsible for behavioral addiction as well.On this episode, Duane speaks with Amanda Giordano, a licensed professional counselor and associate professor at the University of Georgia, who specializes in addiction counseling both in chemical addiction and behavioral addiction. Amanda is the author of a clinical reference book titled A Clinical Guide to Treating Behavioral Addictions. Today, she imparts her expertise in this field, explaining how the changes in the brain associated with behavioral addictions are actually very similar to the changes associated with chemical addictions. In other words, instead of becoming addicted to a chemical that originates outside of the body, the body is addicted to the release of its own neurochemicals (dopamine in particular). Once the brain’s reward system is activated, it releases neurotransmitters which can become very difficult for some people to abstain from as they become their primary means of regulating their emotions.Hence, for some susceptible individuals, a rewarding behavior can become an addiction where there’s a loss of control over that behavior. The behavior is continued despite negative consequences and it becomes compulsive for that individual. They experience cravings or a mental preoccupation with the behavior when they're not engaging in it. In this episode, you will hear: How a rewarding behavior can become an addiction Different types of behavioral addiction Resetting the brain takes time The 4 C’s of addiction The behavior becoming the salient part of their life Proven effective methods of treatment Factors that influence the susceptibility to behavioral addiction Positive reinforcement vs. negative reinforcement The three circles technique to identify the warning signs Key Quotes:[04:24] - “There are changes in the brain associated with behavioral addictions that are very similar to changes associated with chemical addictions.”[06:37] - “Instead of becoming addicted to a chemical that originates outside of the body, we're really becoming addicted to the release of our own neurochemicals.”[09:29] - “The brain can reset, but it takes time… It takes a little bit of time for the brain to reset and to again, start functioning the way it did prior to the start of the addiction.”[14:42] - “There are a lot of negative consequences that can come from behavioral addictions, everything from finances to legal repercussions to health issues.”[17:25] - “The chronic elevation of dopamine tricks the brain into thinking this must be a really important activity and must be necessary for my survival.”[30:26] - “If we can find alternative, healthier, more adaptive ways to regulate our emotions, then we might not need to turn to some of these problematic behaviors.”[42:13] - “Isolation, shame, and secrecy are some of the weapons that addiction uses to keep us silent and keep us sick."Supporting Resources:Email: amanda.giordano@uga.edu Amanda’s blog: https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/amanda-l-giordano-phd-lpc  A Clinical Guide to Treating Behavioral Addictions:https://www.amazon.com/Clinical-Guide-Treating-Behavioral-Addictions/dp/0826163165Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5):https://www.amazon.com/Diagnostic-Statistical-Manual-Mental-Disorders/dp/0890425558Irresistible by Adam Alter:https://www.amazon.com/Irresistible-Addictive-Technology-Business-Keeping/dp/1594206643Episode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sophie Aghdami is an addiction recovery coach in Australia. Today, she shares her own story of recovery from alcoholism as well as how a particular parable helped change her whole perspective on recovery, find success in healing, and create a thriving life. Sophie grew up in Switzerland and the UK and moved to Australia just two years ago. Her drinking started as an early teen. In the UK, it’s a cultural thing to start drinking early or at least be around it a lot. It was just the norm for Sophie. She also worked at a pub surrounded by people who were always drinking and, as she went through university, she stayed in that line of work.Sophie then started managing restaurants. She loved this job but it was very stressful and the hours were long. As a result, drinking became her coping and stress-release mechanism. She began drinking earlier and earlier in the day until it became her brain's reaction to cope with stressful situations.Eventually, Sophie realized that drinking was no longer a fun option for her but a necessity to kickstart her brain to face the day. It was then that she got out of the restaurant industry. Unfortunately, she still found herself stuck in alcoholism afterward.Finally, after a compassionate conversation with her brother, she decided to go to a five-week rehab in Thailand which was life-changing for her. Soon after, she found her calling as an addiction recovery coach. In this role, she not only helps others but also assists herself in her own recovery.In this episode, you will hear: When Sophie realized she had a drinking issue The pivotal moment when she decided to go to rehab Removing herself from a toxic environment How she found her calling as a recovery coach The parable that inspired Sophie to name her coaching company Recovery starts when you start feeding the good wolf  Breaking down recovery into smaller steps and celebrating each tiny thing The need for support, especially in the early stages Key Quotes:[02:14] - "In the UK, it was a very cultural thing to start drinking very early, or at least be around it a lot."[05:43] - "In the restaurant industry, and especially alcohol, it's so socially acceptable. It's perceived as just doing something really fun."[17:24] - “When I was feeding my bad wolf, the relapses would begin or the addiction just continued.”[17:30] - “​​Feeding the good wolf, releasing that shame, giving ourselves compassion, love, having a connection, all of those things that I mentioned from the parable – that's where recovery really starts to strengthen and we're able to maintain it.”[20:03] - “To think of the bigger things that started being added in, over time, was too overwhelming so I ended up not doing anything. So I thought the best thing to do is do something tiny, and celebrate that tiny thing."[22:23] - "Courage is there so just try and reach out and step out of that dark place. There will always be someone there to help because the support is necessary."[24:57] - "When we build up the strong wolf, things like self-compassion do get stronger."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:www.thewolfyoufeed.com Episode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today’s episode, Duane talks with Charlie Gray about his journey of hope and resiliency through his toxic relationship with vodka and the one thing that allowed him to stay sober.In his memoir, At Least I’m Not The Frog: A Zany Memoir of Alcoholism & Recovery, Charlie Gray tells his story of being a recovering alcoholic sharing his experience of addiction, relapse, and recovery.Living as a high-functioning alcoholic for 11 years, his plan was to keep his job, make some good money, and just drink his way through. This went on until, physically, he could no longer do so. The way he puts it is, “You can only drink a gallon and a half of vodka every day or so for so long before even a young man's body begins to shut down.” The root cause behind such a behavior was his early childhood trauma from losing his mother. He was so focused on creating a life of purpose in honor of his mother that he never dreamed addiction would be something on the table for him. But then began 11 years of a toxic relationship with vodka.Charlie attended a number of treatment centers across the country. Over the years, he had gathered all of the tools necessary for recovery. He was receptive to advice on what to do to better himself; he just didn’t implement it. However, when the body says no more and your pain is too great, there comes a point when you decide to do something. One day, Charlie just woke up ready to receive the love and the message from his higher power that if he would just spend a little time trying the practices he had learned through those years, he would stay sober. And so, that’s what he did.In this episode, you will hear: Dealing with the loss of a mother The brain as a powerful tool for coping The huge disconnect between the heart and the head Charlie’s decision to use the tools he learned to stay sober A daily struggle to not succumb to the craving How writing has helped him recover Key Quotes:[04:36] - “I was so focused on creating a life of purpose in honor of my mother that I never dreamed that addiction would be something on the table for me.”[05:54] - “Your brain is such a powerful tool without you knowing it."[09:47] - “Thinking that you can control it – that's another great example of how clever our minds can be and the rationale they can create when you have proven 1000 times that you cannot control it.”[12:39] - “You can only drink a gallon and a half of vodka every day or so, for so long before even a young man's body begins to shut down."[20:38] - "It really wasn't until about a month or two after I'd been sober, that I began writing, and that is how I was able to stay sober through the rest of the pandemic.” [24:14] - “A lot of terrible things have happened to me. But I overcame them and I'm not the frog.”[32:57] - "Keep trying that even when it feels like you're never going to find your identity or you're never going to find your sobriety, it is out there."Supporting Resources:At Least I'm Not The Frog: A Zany Memoir Of Alcoholism & RecoveryEpisode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Duane speaks with Robert Kanter, an international recovery advocate addressing the opioid epidemic. Today, he talks about his advocacy work with the opioid epidemic. He also tells his own story of recovery from alcohol and substance use disorders and how his daughter's struggles became the genesis of his advocacy work.In 2020, overdose fatalities hit 93,000 in the US. This was a record-breaking amount with COVID exacerbating the existing opioid crisis. It was an epidemic within the pandemic. Just to give you context of how serious this problem is, Robert says that we lost more people last year to overdose fatalities than we lost in the entire Vietnam War.Robert is in recovery from alcohol use disorder and substance use disorder and has now been sober for many years. Three years ago, his daughter almost overdosed on opiates and heroin, locked in an apartment with a drug-dealing boyfriend. Now, she just celebrated three years of sobriety.As a father, Robert felt completely powerless to do anything. This was a big part of what pushed him into the advocacy work he does now: helping other families who are in the same situation as he was. Hear more about his passion for getting the word out there and how he’s working to hold some companies and individuals accountable who are responsible for this opioid epidemic.One of the reasons this podcast exists is to change that stigma around addiction. Robert coming on the show today to talk about this brings a human face to it all.In this episode, you will hear: How the opioid epidemic started and who’s responsible The pill dumping in West Virginia as a landmark trial The role of the FDA in this whole crisis The Portugal model of harm reduction How people struggling with addiction are dissociated from their families  The role of the media in reversing the epidemic Key Quotes:[02:25] - "There were 88,000 overdose fatalities in this country. It was revised up to 93,000, which is a record because you have the perfect storm of the pandemic, and you have fentanyl on the street...an epidemic within a pandemic."[03:19] - "We lost more people last year to overdose fatalities than we lost in the entire Vietnam War."[04:14] - “It's not like people are just going to stop being addicted. Money has to be there for treatment programs." [05:14] - “My vote for the real entity that really caused the epidemic is the Food and Drug Administration because they are the gatekeepers. They're the ones that are supposed to protect the American public.”[11:05] - “It's a step in the right direction. If these other lawsuits go through quickly, now, the money for treatment around the country is really starting to open up.”[20:56] - “You have to have the media and a consistent basis, covering the positive things that are happening."[23:43] - "We understand your pain and your suffering. And we have resources for you. And we have resources for your families. This is a family illness, the people we hurt the most are the people we love the most."[30:32] - "The more people that lose loved ones, the more these people are then going to get involved and really understand what happened. That's one of the unfortunate silver linings of all this."Supporting Resources:Faces & Voices of RecoveryEpisode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.