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Listen without ads on patreon: www.patreon.com/dopeypodcast Summary: This week on Dopey Greatest Hits, Dave marks the eighth anniversary of Chris O'Connor's death with a powerful replay about relapse, survival and the people addiction takes from us. Before the original episode, Dave reflects on his own recovery, restraint of pen and tongue, missing meetings and the uncomfortable truth that two things can be true at once. He also reads a brutally honest email from James D. DeHart about coming within seconds of buying meth after three years away from hard drugs. The original episode opens with Dave remembering Chris and listening back to the early years of Dopey—the jokes, interruptions and ordinary moments that preserved their friendship. A clip from Episode 100 becomes painfully prophetic as Dave and Chris casually discuss what their relapses might look like and whether either of them could die. Then Dopey legend DJ recounts the complete anatomy of his relapse after nearly two years sober. A new job and relationship slowly replaced meetings, sponsorship and honesty. Social drinking followed, then a drive past his old Detroit dope house. Within weeks, he was smoking crack and fentanyl daily, hiding drugs from his girlfriend and falling out in bathrooms. After mixing fentanyl, Suboxone, tequila, cannabis gummies and Ativan, DJ entered precipitated withdrawal and landed in a Detroit hospital. He left in undersized hospital scrubs and socks, found his way back to the dope spot and spent the day smoking crack and fentanyl in a blackout. He lost his clothes, wandered barefoot through Detroit, handed his debit card to a stranger and eventually surfaced dirty, disoriented and barely alive. His family found him, and he eventually returned to treatment. The episode also includes a classic exchanges between Dave and Chris, followed by a moving conversation with Chris's former sponsor, Dylan. They discuss sponsorship, psychedelics in recovery, the dangers of building a life and then neglecting the recovery that made it possible—and the authenticity, curiosity and independence that made Chris unforgettable. All that and way more! on this Ghosts of ChrisMiss Past episode! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Listen without ads on patreon - www.patreon.com/dopeypodcast SUMMARY This week on the Dopey Total Replay, Dave returns from his summer hiatus and previews the family's Pacific Northwest adventure, the upcoming Patreon Zoom, and the big decision facing DopeyCon: Friday night at the SVA Theatre or Saturday at the old church. Then we travel back to Dopey Episode 37 for a classic conversation with Dave and Chris. They talk about sponsorship, working the steps, honesty, spirituality, and the strange miracle of one addict helping another. Dave tells the story of Jerry Garcia using a radio interview to summon drugs after the Grateful Dead's package went missing in Philadelphia, plus tales of John Lennon's psychedelic excess and Paul McCartney's alleged plan to smuggle Owsley acid inside camera equipment. Things get progressively dopier as Dave remembers stealing fried chicken and vodka at a company party, while Chris describes shooting cocaine in Anguilla, hallucinating benevolent Rastas hiding in the bushes, chasing an imaginary car around an abandoned house, and eventually being rescued from Saint Martin by his brother. Finally, Dave recounts smuggling six bundles of heroin into Jamaica, burning through nearly everything, passing out on Valium during a press trip, and repeatedly sneaking into first class while withdrawing on the flight home. Beneath all the insanity, Dave and Chris reflect on the possession of addiction, the freedom of sobriety, and the strange comfort of no longer needing drugs to feel safe. Stay strong, Dopey Nation, and fucking toodles for Chris. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Listen without ads at 8$ a month or up on patreon: www.patreon.com/dopeypodcast SUMMARY This week on Dopey Greatest Hits, Dave officially declares July to be Allman Brothers Month and revisits one of his favorite interviews—with Duane Betts, guitarist, songwriter and son of the legendary Dickey Betts. Before the interview, Dave talks about his lifelong love of “Blue Sky,” reflects on a difficult Patreon Zoom and reminds himself of one of recovery's hardest lessons: restraint of pen and tongue. Papa Smurf contributes an incredible story about selling mushrooms in an Allman Brothers parking lot, getting grabbed by undercover cops and escaping after an oblivious hippie accidentally distracts them. A listener named Jeff also shares a disastrous Phish adventure involving craft beer, moonshine, cocaine, getting lost outside the venue while “Maze” played in the distance, wandering through a locked campground and receiving a possession charge that ultimately introduced him to AA. Then Dave sits down with Duane Betts for an intimate and wide-ranging conversation about growing up inside the Allman Brothers family, touring with his father, living at Cher's Malibu home, learning guitar on the road and finding his own musical identity. Duane opens up about Hodgkin lymphoma, discovering Dilaudid after surgery, the Malibu party scene, Molly, cocaine, crack, black tar heroin and a gram-a-day opiate habit. He recalls smoking heroin-and-cocaine speedballs, flipping a car after scoring drugs, waking up beside a friend who had overdosed and nearly dying after a massive cocaine hit. He also describes arrests, drug court, treatment, Suboxone, relapse, touring with Dawes and eventually finding lasting recovery. Now more than seven years sober, Duane talks about meeting his wife in Jackson Hole, staying grounded through music, hiking, yoga and connection, and continuing the Allman Brothers legacy through his solo work, Palmetto Motel and the Allman Betts Family Revival. It is a story about rock-and-roll history, inherited addiction, devastating loss, recovery and finding a life filled with music, gratitude and purpose. Allman Brothers month continues! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
FULL EPISODE ONLY ON: www.patreon.com/dopeypodcast STRAIGHT AI SUMMARY: This week on Dopey Tuesday, Dave checks in fresh from another brutally sweaty workout with his new trainer, who thankfully traded emo music for N.W.A. and Biggie. Dave talks about embracing the Dopey fitness challenge, surviving leg day, walking miles in the summer heat, and learning a little humility while trying to get back into shape. Since he's banking episodes before heading out on vacation, Dave changes things up by reading the Just For Today meditation on humility and reflects on what it means to accept getting older, staying teachable, and laughing at himself. Then come the classic Dopey stories. James D. Hart sends in an unforgettable tale from his crack-smoking days in Cleveland, where his favorite dealer—nicknamed "400"—fronted him more and more drugs until James eventually disappeared owing him exactly $400, making for one of the funniest addict coincidences imaginable. Dave follows with a voicemail from longtime Dopey Nation member Amy, who recalls taking what she thought was cocaine after a night of ecstasy at a Lower East Side club, waking up alone after closing time, and walking across Manhattan as the sun rose—one of those strange, lonely New York mornings only addiction can produce. Finally, Dave teases an exclusive Patreon interview with Workit Health's Max, diving into medication-assisted recovery, recovery stigma, and why the conversation around Suboxone and recovery still needs to evolve. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
NO ADS on PATREON: www.patreon.com/dopeypodcast This week on Dopey! Dave opens in a reflective mood before vacation, trying to practice gratitude while also admitting how ridiculous and uncomfortable it feels. He gives thanks to the Dopey team, Dopey Nation, the people who helped with the film festival, and talks about being sober, scrambling to get shows done, House of the Dragon, and crying on the Long Island Railroad while watching the Knicks finals mini movie. Then Dave gets into revenge, resentment, recovery, redemption, and the dangerous romance of “getting back.” He plays a wild voicemail from a Scottish Dopey listener coming off opiates, who tells a story about buying a house, snorting heroin before move-in day, doing coke, champagne, and Ritalin while moving furniture, crashing a van, watching his friend get arrested, and then finishing the move on a days-long stimulant binge. Then it's a classic Dopey replay with Michael Todd, former bassist of Coheed and Cambria. Michael tells the story of going from prescription painkillers on tour to OxyContin, heroin, shooting coke and dope, leaving the band, rejoining clean, relapsing, smuggling heroin across the country in Gobstopper boxes, robbing a pharmacy in Massachusetts, getting arrested, losing the band for good, dealing with cancer, shame, probation, relapse, Suboxone, and surviving a suicide attempt. It's one of the rawest Dopey conversations ever: rock stardom, addiction, shame, survival, recovery, and Dave's newly coined phrase — radical gratitude. PLUS MORE!!!! MORE! MORE! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
My friend Ryan Rogers returns to the podcast for our third conversation. He's an addictions counselor in Texas, host of Reality Therapy, and now the author of two books — The Woke Mind and his new release, The Carpenter's Recovery, a Christian guide to 12-step recovery. We start with what's being called "gas station heroin": a chemical called 7-OH, extracted from kratom, that's roughly thirteen times stronger than morphine and sold legally next to the 5-Hour Energy drinks at the checkout counter. Ryan walks me through how legal loopholes have produced a generation of accidental addicts, including church kids and high-conscientiousness adults who'd never touch illegal drugs. I share my own "little old lady" story — how my elderly mom was given a 10mg THC gummy by her stoner massage therapist — as a warning to anyone navigating this new landscape with vulnerable elders. From there we go into cannabis-induced psychosis, cannabis use hyperemesis disorder, fentanyl displacing heroin, and what's actually working in addiction treatment. Ryan explains why he wrote a Christian recovery book and why naming Jesus in AA meetings still gets people shut down. We close on the state of the therapy field: woke ideology, AI psychosis, the rise of niche experts over licensed therapists, and why "live your truth, king" is the worst possible response to a client telling you they're about to relapse.Follow Reality Therapy podcast | Follow Ryan on X @ryanmcrogers[00:00:00] Start[00:02:06] Gas Station Heroin: What Is 7-OH?[00:05:55] Kava, Feel Free, and Designer Drugs[00:11:25] How 7-OH Hits the Opioid System[00:14:30] The Little Old Lady THC Gummy Story[00:25:30] Methadone vs. Suboxone for Detox[00:35:56] The Carpenter's Recovery: A Christian Approach[00:40:32] Why AA Pushes Back on Christianity[00:48:15] Reality Therapy and the State of the Field[00:53:42] AI Psychosis and the Future of Therapy[00:58:40] Tough Love and "Live Your Truth, King"[01:04:30] Honoring Who Teenagers Are BecomingROGD REPAIR Course + Community gives concerned parents instant access to over 120 lessons providing the psychological insights and communication tools you need to get through to your kid. Now featuring 24/7 personalized AI support implementing the tools with RepairBot! Use code SOMETHERAPIST2026 to take 50% off your first month.PODCOURSES: use code SOMETHERAPIST at LisaMustard.com/PodCoursesPRODUCTION: Looking for your own podcast producer? Visit PodsByNick.com and mention my podcast for 20% off your initial services.MUSIC: Thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude & permission.ALL OTHER LINKS HERE. To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
- 118 escuelas bilingües en PR Gobierno dice tiene superávit de 635 millones No hay break para sacar a la Junta dicen los expertos - El Nuevo Día Legislatura propone que CRIM tenga que publicar propiedades por embargar para que se puedan poner en el mercado de compra de vivienda - El Vocero Informe federal advierte que reconstrucción eléctrica de PR está demasiado segmentada - Noticel Vivienda contrata a jefe de OGPE bajo FEI - Jay Fonseca PR Siempre innovando y con los mejores beneficios, MCS Personal Directo te ofrece cubiertas accesibles para que cuides de tu salud y la de los tuyos.Con una amplia red de proveedores de más de 15,000 médicos de libre selección. Reembolso de hasta $40 mensuales por membresía a un gimnasio o por un entrenador personal debidamente certificado. Asistencia en el hogar para servicios de cerrajería, plomería y electricidad de hasta $350 por evento hasta 4 veces al año.¡Únete HOY a la gran familia de MCS!¡Salud que completa tu vida! Llama al 787.945.1259 y oriéntate.Endoso pagado#mcs#incluyeauspicio Abel Nazario niega gestiones con agricultor y cuadrarle reunión con gobernadora - Noticel Menos conserjes escolares, supuestamente 40% menos - El Vocero La semana que viene se va jefe de fiscalía federal - El Nuevo Día Sujeto trató de meter 356 pastillas de Suboxone a la cárcel federal - El Nuevo Día Más cargos contra sujeto que era asesor legislativo y a la vez empresario por los donativos legislativos a quebrada Margarita - El Nuevo Día Guerra por contratos de seguridad en el gobierno - El Nuevo Día Irán despide hoy al Ayatollah Ataques de Rusia contra Ucrania dejan 30 muertos - Reuters Gobernadora pide explicaciones la Junta de libertad bajo palabra - El Vocero Archivada querella contra Ferraiuoli - El Vocero Canadá tendrá sus NBA en juego que PR no tendrá a Alvarado - Metro 2,295 muertos por terremotos de Venezuela Se espera mega bajón de precios del petróleo, Citi dice que a 60 el barril - Bloomberg Peligroso químico en aeropuerto de Aguadilla Se casa Taylor Swift y Travis Kelce - Washington Post • ⁃ Trump chotió plan de Israel para matar nuevo liderado de Irán
FILM FEST TIX: https://buytickets.at/thedopeyfoundation/2216905 PATREON: www.patreon.com/dopeypodcast workithealth.com/dopey This week on Dopey Wednesday,! We begin with a Father's Day rant about dads texting each other, calls his father Alan live on the show, argues about masculinity, the Knicks championship, post-Knicks withdrawal, the Dopey Film Festival, and whether Seymour is allowed to come. Dave also reads Patreon and Spotify comments about Todd's sister Allie, Todd's apartment, Dopey socks, and listener reactions. Then the episode shifts into a live Workit Health/Dopey event with the great Amy “Dopey Dres” Dresner, author of My Fair Junkie. Amy talks brutally and hilariously about long-term recovery when life does not magically become beautiful: losing her father, mother, and cat in a short period of time, checking herself into a psych ward with ten years sober, surviving suicidal ideation, epilepsy, seizures, brain meds, isolation, grief, and the nightmare comedy of American healthcare. Dave and Amy get into harm reduction, MAT, 12-step recovery, writing through trauma, being funny in the middle of misery, shame, forgiveness, isolation, suicidal thoughts, and why connection is still the only real way out. It's classic Dopey: funny, dark, honest, messy, sad, useful, and somehow hopeful. All that and more on a weird new dopey! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Film Festival: https://buytickets.at/thedopeyfoundation/2216905 Patreon: www.patreon.com/dopeypodcast This week on Dopey Greatest Hits,! Dave dusts off one of the biggest episodes in the show's history as the Dopey Patreon votes Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe to the top of the poll. Before the interview, Dave celebrates Ray Brown's legendary “Home Sweet Heroine,” reflects on working Step Eight with a sponsee, and shares another gratitude story involving his father. Then Jules the Cocaine Bear delivers a classic disaster tale involving cocaine, drunken party crashing, a switchblade, British police, and a miraculous escape from drug charges. Kimber King joins the show to react to comments from her replay episode, discuss Wednesday Zoom antics, laugh about bizarre drug combinations, promote Safe Spot, and celebrate the Knicks' championship run. The two revisit old stories and joke about everything from meth vapes to foot fetishes and Suboxone flavors. The centerpiece of the episode is Dave's epic conversation with Nikki Sixx. Nikki discusses twenty-plus years of sobriety, fatherhood, moving to Wyoming, writing The First 21, and how creativity replaced addiction. He opens up about childhood trauma, being introduced to drugs at an early age, selling “chocolate mescaline,” discovering heroin, and surviving the darkest years chronicled in The Heroin Diaries. Nikki reflects on Mötley Crüe's forty-year journey, his friendships with Aerosmith and the Rolling Stones, the monster of addiction that never dies, and why he continues to share his story in hopes of helping others. The interview finishes with a rapid-fire rock and roll quiz before Dave signs off after his dog nearly attacks an Amazon delivery guy. PLUS MORE!!!!! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Kratom is being sold like a simple plant, but the way it's packaged, concentrated, and marketed in 2026 can turn it into something much closer to an opioid problem hiding in plain sight. We're taking you through a practical, clinician-friendly update drawn from a talk I gave to local therapists and drug and alcohol counselors, especially as the political and regulatory landscape shifts and bans and enforcement efforts expand in places like California.We break down what kratom is (Mitragyna speciosa), why it can feel stimulating at low doses, and why higher doses bring opioid-receptor effects that can lead to tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal. We also cover what kratom overdose can look like, why mixing kratom with fentanyl, alcohol, or THC raises risk, and why naloxone still belongs in the conversation even when the data is often limited to case reports.Then we get real about how people actually encounter kratom today: smoke shop “strain” menus, euphoric promises, and an online retail experience that's faster and easier than getting medical care. The most important update is potency. Extracts are changing the game, and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) may be sold under the kratom label while acting like a far more powerful opioid. Finally, we lay out treatment pathways we use in addiction medicine, including comfort meds, tapering, Suboxone or methadone, and long-acting injectable buprenorphine (Sublocade/Brixadi) that can help some people step down without a brutal withdrawal.If this helped you understand kratom, share it with a colleague or a friend, subscribe for more practical addiction medicine, and leave a review so more people can find the show.To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.comTo see the podcast's ranking on millionpodcasts.com: https://www.millionpodcasts.com/addiction-medicine-podcasts/
These are some absolutely precautionary Suboxone stories...
Welcome back to this week's episode of Trudge Report. Thank you for supporting the show.We kick things off going around the horn with some long-awaited sunshine for the Ohio boys. Danny celebrates his 42nd birthday, softball season, new jobs, grilling weather, and a few proud parenting moments as the guys share updates on family life. From there we take a detour into Dave Matthews Band weekend. Corey and Shawn recap the concert experience, rare songs, setlists, and the disappointment of missing a longtime favorite. This leads into a spirited discussion about the juncture where music and politics meet, and if this should even be the case. Do musicians have a right to use their platform on stage however they want for their political views or should they just play music and rock out? How much political rhetoric is too much or any at all? We then shift into the recovery segment and pick up where last week's conversation left off. The guys take a deep dive into Vivitrol, Suboxone, maintenance medications, and the difference between staying alive and finding lasting freedom through a spiritual experience. We discuss whether recovery tools can become crutches, the role of personal responsibility, and what it actually means to address the underlying problem rather than simply removing the substance. At the end of the day helping people stay alive long enough to find a better way remains something we can all stand behind.Without action, gratitude is just a pleasant emotion - anonymousDon't forget to like, share, rate, and download the podcast on all of your listening platforms. Check out and subscribe to our YouTube channel, @trudgrereportpod, for other content surrounding sports and trending topics. Trudge on good people. Contact the Guys:Instagram: @trudgereportpodFacebook: Trudge ReportTikTok: trudgereportpodYouTube: @trudgereportpod
Single Payer Radio Dr Murphy Suboxone 5-29-2026 final by Forward Radio
Dr. Pat Murphy is back with more information on using Buprenorphine (Suboxone) for Opiate Addiction and the need to change the prescribing rules for Physicians in Kentucky through legislation.
LISTEN WITHOUT ADS ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/dopeypodcast Summary: Dave opens the show talking about Susan's eighth birthday and the family trip to Music on the Mountain in Ludlow, Vermont for the Phoenix and Divided Sky festival featuring Karina Rykman, Eggy, Anders Osborne, Daniel Donato, Natalie Cressman, Jennifer Hartswick, and members of Dogs in a Pile. Dave talks about trying to get the entire crowd to sing Happy Birthday to Susan and gives updates about Patreon, Narcan and fentanyl test strip giveaways, YouTube support, and the upcoming Dopey Short Film Festival sponsored by Mountainside Treatment Center. Dave reads a heartbreaking email from a listener celebrating nearly 60 days sober after quitting freebase coke, Xanax, and Suboxone while grieving the loss of his beloved dog Hesh. Dave reflects on his own fears about losing Winnie and spirals into thoughts about mortality, dogs, and a brass Winnie lamp he bought Linda for her birthday. Ben Croxton calls in with a classic IV Dopey story involving Googling “where to buy heroin in Atlanta,” instant meth psychosis at a job site, a dude hiding in a closet all day, and a cocaine-induced hallucination involving a kangaroo and imaginary police cars. The main interview features Keta Lauren and quickly becomes one of the darkest and most powerful Dopey stories in recent memory. Keta talks about growing up in extreme poverty in Northern California with a schizophrenic addict father and alcoholic mother, bouncing through foster homes, fighting constantly, and eventually landing in California Youth Authority “gladiator school.” She recounts horrific trauma including her father accidentally causing a house fire that killed four of her siblings after leaving a candle burning while gambling. Keta describes getting kidnapped while hitchhiking at age 11, doing meth as a child, surviving brutal YA prison fights, a devastating ATV accident that nearly killed her, and eventually falling into LA drug culture, sex work, heroin addiction, and trafficking. She explains how manipulation, survival, and trauma blurred together while trying to escape dangerous situations and abusive relationships. The conversation shifts toward recovery as Keta talks about finally hitting an emotional and spiritual bottom after years of heroin and meth addiction. She describes seeing herself deteriorate physically and mentally, eventually surrendering and finding treatment after a religious TV preacher bizarrely spoke directly to her situation. She later discusses relapse, AA and NA, psychedelic healing with psilocybin and ayahuasca, bipolar disorder, trauma therapy, and her belief that recovery can take many different forms. The episode closes with Trinity from the Beach reflecting on the interview playing a vulnerable acoustic cover of “Good So Bad” while apologizing for missing Dopey Zoom to record it. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Andy Sheehan (KDKA) joins the show to discuss "Suboxone. "Addiction and prisoners
Investigative reporter Shoshana Walter has spent a decade uncovering how America's $53 billion rehab industry exploits the people it claims to help. Her debut book, Rehab: An American Scandal, follows four people through a system of unpaid labour, unregulated programs, and treatment that fuels relapse. "Just because people aren't dying doesn't mean they're not still suffering, doesn't mean their families and communities aren't still suffering." In this episode with Mark Labberton, Walter reflects on the human cost of America's failed treatment system. Together they discuss court-ordered rehab as unpaid labour, the deadly paradox of thirty-day programs, faith-based facilities exempt from oversight, racial disparities in the opioid crisis, the treatment gap for mothers, and why recovery capital and low-barrier care offer a more promising path. Episode Highlights "If indentured labour could be considered a form of addiction treatment in the US today, then how common is that? What does the rest of our treatment landscape look like?" "Someone who goes to a thirty-day program and finishes it is much more likely to overdose and die in the year following treatment than someone who didn't complete that program at all." "Without that recovery capital, it's almost as much of an obstacle as the addiction itself." "Our treatment system is not serving the people the way that it should. And we could be helping people so much more than we actually are." "That exploitation is not transformative." About Shoshana Walter Shoshana Walter is an investigative reporter for The Marshall Project covering criminal justice, health care, and child welfare, and the author of Rehab: An American Scandal (Simon & Schuster, 2025). She was lead reporter on the podcast American Rehab at the Center for Investigative Reporting. A 2018 Pulitzer Prize finalist, she has won the IRE Medal, the Livingston Award, the Knight Award for Public Service, and the Murrow Award. Based in Oakland, California. Learn more and follow at shoshanawalter.com and @shoeshine on X. Helpful Links and Resources Rehab: An American Scandal (Simon & Schuster, 2025) simonandschuster.com/books/Rehab/Shoshana-Walter/9781982149826 Shoshana Walter's website shoshanawalter.com The Marshall Project themarshallproject.org/staff/shoshana-walter American Rehab podcast podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal-presents-american-rehab/id1539955572 Show Notes America's rehab crisis: a $53 billion industry failing patients Court-ordered participants making products for KFC, Popeye's, Walmart—without pay Faith-based programs exempt from licensure, barred from providing medical care "That exploitation is not transformative." Sixty thousand people a year performing uncompensated labor in rehab Thirty- to sixty-day insurance limits fueling relapse and overdose "Someone who goes to a thirty-day program and finishes it is much more likely to overdose and die in the year following treatment." Chris Koon: eighty hours/week of manual labour, compensated with a pack of cigarettes April Lee: could only access treatment by getting herself arrested Accidental overdose: leading cause of death among pregnant and postpartum women Dr. Larry Ley: early Suboxone prescriber arrested by the DEA Wendy McIntyre: lost her son to overdose, became a reform crusader More than one million US overdose deaths since the epidemic began Racial shifts in overdose from white communities to black and brown communities Recovery capital: community, housing, job training as foundations for change "Without that recovery capital, it's almost as much of an obstacle as the addiction itself." Bridge Clinic at Highland Hospital: low-barrier model keeping people in care Mobile distribution, street medicine, peer navigators "We could be helping people so much more than we actually are." #RehabAnAmericanScandal #OpioidCrisis #AddictionTreatment #RecoveryCapital #HarmReduction #InvestigativeJournalism #Suboxone #ShoshanaWalter Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary.
DopeyWood Tickets: https://www.showclix.com/event/dopeywood-2026 FULL SHOW ON PATREONL www.patreon.com/dopeypodcast ON THE TEASER: Heart Attack Doug AGAIN! For a chaotic Tuesday episode filled with tangents about music, meetings, and listener feedback. The tone shifts when Dave reads a detailed email from a listener addicted to 7-OH, a potent kratom extract sold in gas stations. What starts as a mild experiment quickly escalates into full dependence, with increasing tolerance, daily use in the hundreds of milligrams, financial strain, secrecy, and failed attempts to quit—even with Suboxone. Dave and Doug react with concern, noting the growing number of similar stories and questioning how such substances are widely available. They emphasize treatment, honesty, and community support, while pushing back against stigma—highlighting that addiction can take many forms, regardless of the substance. LISTEN TO THE WHOLE THING ON PATREON! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
A Life Built on Lies, Addiction, and Broken Trust with Tony Johnson | The Hopeaholics PodcastIn this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Tony Johnson shares his raw and unfiltered story of addiction, manipulation, crime, prison, and recovery, opening up about growing up with childhood neglect in Seattle, getting shot, chasing money and power through drug dealing, and spiraling into Xanax, pills, and heroin. He speaks honestly about living a double life filled with lies, burning bridges, stacking felonies, losing relationships, and hitting rock bottom before his adopted mother's tough love and a life-changing Narcotics Anonymous meeting pushed him toward recovery. Tony also discusses accountability in behavioral health, the dangers of fentanyl, rebuilding trust, faith, and using his past to help others escape addiction, delivering a powerful message about responsibility, redemption, and choosing a new path when everything feels lost. Throughout the conversation, he reflects on the mindset that kept him trapped in addiction, the importance of honesty in recovery, and the daily discipline required to stay sober and grounded. This episode highlights the reality of consequences, the power of community, and the role of faith and purpose in long-term recovery.#thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarieJoin our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record', exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholicsBuy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.comVisit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.comIf you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps:00:01:07 - Tony Johnson introduction and welcome to the podcast00:02:05 - Love language and words of affirmation discussion00:11:28 - Childhood neglect and first exposure to weed in Seattle00:21:50 - Getting shot and deciding to chase money and power00:22:25 - Trauma from drug dealing and discovering Xanax00:28:08 - Getting ran over and becoming addicted to pills and heroin00:29:14 - Felonies stacking up and going to prison00:31:01 - Marriage destruction, prison time, and Suboxone charges00:32:00 - Adopted mom's tough love and rock bottom realization00:54:19 - First Narcotics Anonymous meeting and feeling at home00:55:15 - Addiction mentality and making amends in recovery01:09:20 - Responsibility in behavioral health and fentanyl crisis message01:10:40 - Closing thoughts and sharing God's message
Bryan's story starts in New York, where skateboards, weed, and the raw energy of rebellion shaped his early identity. But what looked like typical teenage experimentation quickly became something others labeled as “a problem.” In the height of the 90s and early 2000s, Bryan was sent away to behavior-modification boarding programs meant to “fix” kids like him. Instead of changing him, those experiences carved in a deeper belief: something is wrong with me.That belief followed him straight into addiction.Oxy was the first opiate that hooked Bryan, and what came after was years of chasing a feeling he could never quite catch again. Methadone, Suboxone, cross-country moves between New York and San Diego, and eventually crack cocaine all became part of the cycle. There were moments that looked like escape, traveling through national parks, falling in love, even a trip to Italy, but the obsession to use never loosened its grip.After a suicide attempt brought him to his lowest point, Bryan found himself back where it all began: using again.But on April 1, 2022, something shifted.At a long-term medical treatment facility, Bryan finally found the space, structure, and willingness that allowed recovery to take root. Today, he's an active participant in a twelve-step program and living proof that even the longest detours can still lead you home.This episode is about mislabeling, survival, and what happens when someone finally stops trying to fix themselves and starts learning how to live.DM me on InstagramMessage me on FacebookListen AD FREE & workout with me on Patreon Connect with me on TikTokEmail me chasingheroine@gmail.comSee you next week!
Today is Part Two of our interview with NodPod member, Joey Rakisits. Joey's story is SO inspiring - he did the rounds of alllll the things dope fiend, modifying cars, getting involved in criminal activity, staying in motel rooms, basically running amok in all the ways we addicts can run amok - and now he's CLEAN! Multiple prison terms, county time, again - ALLL the things. Today we pick up Joey's story with a near fatal overdose and his ultimate journey to get to a suboxone clinic with two therapists that changed his life. Clean now since September 20, 2021, we hope you enjoy Joey's episode at much as we did! The article about the homicide is HEREDM me on InstagramMessage me on FacebookListen AD FREE & workout with me on Patreon Connect with me on TikTokEmail me chasingheroine@gmail.comSee you next week!
In this episode of the Very Dental Podcast, Alan sits down with Dr. Tiana Hall at the 2026 Voices of Dentistry meeting in Gilbert, Arizona, to explore the unique world of correctional dentistry. Tiana shares her transition from private practice and volunteer work to her current role as a prison dentist in Utah, explaining how the move helped her navigate professional burnout by trading administrative stress for a predictable schedule and a collaborative medical environment. The conversation dives into the clinical and logistical realities of working behind bars, from managing patient security and "speed-walking" through the campus to the specific challenges of treating rampant decay and "Suboxone mouth" caused by medication-assisted treatment. Join the Very Dental Facebook Group using one of these passwords: Timmerman, Paul, Bioclear, Hornbrook, Gary, McWethy, Papa Randy, or Lipscomb! The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us! I'm a big fan of the Bioclear Method! I think you should give it a try and I've got a great offer to help you get on board! Use the exclusive Very Dental Podcast code VERYDENTAL8TON for 15% OFF your total Bioclear purchase, including Core Anterior and Posterior Four day courses, Black Triangle Certification, and all Bioclear products. Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you'll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code "VERYSHIP" you'll get free shipping on your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time! The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist! Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products! CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you'll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!
Millions of people are addicted to opioid pain medication. Some use medication-based treatment for their addiction. But that has created a divide in the world of recovery. We listen to an excerpt from the latest Us & Them, exploring the difference between an early medication called methadone and suboxone, which is often used now. The post The Differences Between Methadone And Suboxone, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Listen without ads at www.patreon.com/dopeypodcast Dopeywood 2 tickets https://www.showclix.com/event/dopeywood-2026 Today on Dopey Wednesday! Dave (still shaking off a cold, snowed in on Long Island) pays tribute to Larry (“Crosstalk Larry”) — a beloved meeting guy who recently passed away. Larry was a kind, positive soul who yelled “keep coming!” at every meeting's end, welcomed newcomers, collected the basket for personal contact, showed up in hospitals and court, attended three DopeyCons and the Margaret Cho show, and lost his son to murder years ago. Dave reflects on missing Larry's kind heart and vows to try to be kinder. Lots of Spotify Bob talk! The main talk is a powerful, emotional return with Kevin Jack McEnroe (author, former nightlife figure, son of Tatum O'Neal). Kevin opens up about his family's addiction legacy: Tatum's lifelong struggles (childhood coke from Ryan O'Neill, celebrity enabling, stroke/coma in 2020), Ryan's estrangement, Kevin's own heroin/coke/vodka spiral, liver failure, treatment, Suboxone, and the infamous Christmas visit where Tatum smoked weed in the hotel room while Kevin was newly sober. He shares the deck-the-halls-with-mom's-Suboxone story, codependency/survivor guilt, boundary-setting (“I can't keep convincing you to live”), and how the stroke/facility humility saved her life. Kevin reflects on being a bad liar, ring secrecy with Fern, Sergio the blind heroin dealer, and how recovery brought peace, blended-family wedding moments, and hope. All that and MORE! on a brand new Wednesday episode of that good old Dopey Snow - i mean show. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Show intro and theme music return Ross McCoy joins on the couch Dan warns mics are hot before going live Podcast gear vs traditional radio console Old Yamaha NG-166CX-USB mixer in studio Raising faders slowly to avoid pops and ego boosts Hosts wanting louder mics for control Avoiding over-modulation and rough faders Radio mic on off buttons and forgetting to flip them Purpose and criticism of cough buttons Extra hardware in the signal chain hurting audio Tom coughing on air joke Athlete representing another country at the Olympics Eileen Gu competing for China despite U.S. upbringing American born skier with Chinese mother Alleged 6 million payment and citizenship questions Debate over loyalty vs financial incentive Athletes switching countries for better qualification odds Comparisons to paid World Cup teams like Qatar Pro sports money moves vs Olympic idealism Hypothetical selling out to another country Character rant about fiat currency vs gold Joke about tipping with a worthless dollar Taking foreign money framed as capitalism Media framing silver medals as failures Hostile coverage and death threats debate Would you move for 6 million Social media rewarding money driven controversy Influencers chasing cash and outrage Buying Olympic medals as investments joke Medals not solid gold and ribbon quality complaints Human rights criticism vs athletes taking money Precious stones vs gold value debate Diamonds and artificial scarcity comparison Curling cheating controversy over double touching the stone Canada vs Sweden slow motion replay dispute Any force is force argument Rules matter even if impact is tiny Intent vs accidental second touch debate Denial despite video evidence Calm nations arguing apocalypse joke Elite athletes controlling micro movements Hypothetical micro spins and huffing to influence outcome Uri Geller micro movement reference Curling stones sourced from Ailsa Craig granite Unique dense water resistant granite claims Artificial scarcity and monopoly jokes MLB special mud myth comparison Rare materials vs marketing hype debate Caller confirms rarity and 600 per stone estimate Robot test comparing Olympic vs cheap stones Tradition of curling resisting change Ram Dave Boat Gambling Invitational March 31 Port Canaveral Hosted on Victory Casino Cruise Sponsors Mo DeWitt, Pyro Spot, Elite Vintage Apparel, Marshall Bone Construction 25 entry includes meal, dessert, drink voucher, free drinks while gambling, 20 slot credit Contact Ross McCoy to reserve Gambling begins shortly after leaving port Chef Ed pushing tater tots onto menu Praise for Victory Casino Cruise food Gambling addiction and chicken salad jokes Prep kitchen below waterline Music break and Ram leaves to catch boat BoJack Horseman praised but very dark Stranded boat memory eating Subway during fight Lethal Weapon nostalgia and Speed rewatch Kids finding older action movies slow Shower and counter sex jokes Paying handyman in Suboxone bit Facebook Marketplace reactions on listings Laugh emoji as vigilante justice against flippers Not caring if buyers resell for profit Re gifting etiquette without drama Camping chair left at swim class and claimed Finders keepers joke Stop drop roll discussion and viral fire clips Gasoline prank jumping into lake speculation Teen fireball stunt burning hair and hand Lying about barbecue accident Friend could have gone to jail if filmed Another stunt burning legs Reflection on chasing attention with danger Jackass style content saturation Father son stunt content idea Hesitation to post TikTok content Plug for Ross McCoy interviews BDM show perks and appreciation Upcoming hip surgery anxiety and recovery plan Fear of temporary leg issues after surgery Schedule changes and fake drama joke Uncertainty about returning next Wednesday ### Social Media [https://tomanddan.com](https://tomanddan.com) [https://twitter.com/tomanddanlive](https://twitter.com/tomanddanlive) [https://facebook.com/amediocretime](https://facebook.com/amediocretime) [https://instagram.com/tomanddanlive](https://instagram.com/tomanddanlive) Tom & Dan on Real Radio 104.1 Apple Podcasts: [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-corporate-time/id975258990](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-corporate-time/id975258990) Google Podcasts: [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2Fjb3Jwb3JhdGV0aW1lL3BvZGNhc3QueG1s](https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2Fjb3Jwb3JhdGV0aW1lL3BvZGNhc3QueG1s) TuneIn: [https://tunein.com/podcasts/Comedy/A-Corporate-Time-p1038501/](https://tunein.com/podcasts/Comedy/A-Corporate-Time-p1038501/) Exclusive Content [https://tomanddan.com/registration](https://tomanddan.com/registration)
Send a textIn this deeply honest and illuminating conversation, host Andrea Atherton welcomes special guest Tyler Blandin, a substance abuse counselor with over 20 years of professional and personal recovery experience. Together, they explore one of the most misunderstood truths in addiction treatment: you cannot force someone into recovery. With compassion and clinical insight, this episode unpacks the painful reality individuals face when they desperately want change. Tyler shares how true transformation begins with willingness, and how attempts to control or coerce often deepen shame and resistance rather than inspire healing.Andrea and Tyler also address the vulnerable question so many quietly ask: How do I know if I'm an addict or alcoholic? They clarify the difference between problematic use and addiction, discuss the emotional and behavioral markers that often go unnoticed, and demystify how programs like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous actually work. Together, they gently dismantle common misconceptions about 12-step recovery, revealing the spiritual, communal, and accountability-based foundations that have helped millions find lasting sobriety.This episode also courageously confronts the cultural punishment model still embedded in how society responds to addiction. Andrea and Tyler examine the stigma surrounding medication-assisted treatment, particularly the shaming that can occur in some recovery spaces for those taking Suboxone. They explore how self-help communities can both save lives and, at times, unintentionally perpetuate harm. If you have ever loved someone struggling with addiction or questioned your own relationship with substances, this conversation offers clarity, hope, and a call toward more compassionate recovery pathways.Tyler Blandinhttps://emotionalnightmarespodcast.buzzsprout.com/30-minute Consultation with Andrea https://www.andreaatherton.com/booking-calendarAndrea Atherton Websitehttps://www.andreaatherton.com/Love Anarchy Websitehttps://www.andreaatherton.com/podcasthttps://loveanarchypodcast.buzzsprout.comLove Anarchy Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/loveanarchypodcast/Andrea Atherton Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/andreaatherton-17/
Ever wonder why fast food ads look so different from the food you get from the drive thru? You're not the only one feeling deceived. In fact, some consumers may actually be eligible for reimbursement. In this episode of Cut to the Chase: Podcast, host Gregg Goldfarb is joined by attorney Anthony Russo to expose how fast food giants may be misleading consumers through deceptive advertising. From burgers that appear up to 35% larger in ads to questionable ingredient and labeling claims, Russo breaks down the class action lawsuits targeting companies like Burger King, Arby's, Hardee's, and even major candy brands. This conversation exposes the most popular food styling tactics, the legal "eye test," and consumer protection laws that are holding corporations accountable. Whether you're curious about class actions, false advertising, or your rights as a consumer, this episode will give you a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most high-profile lawsuits in fast food history. What to expect in this episode: Details on class action lawsuits against Burger King, Arby's, Hardee's, and others The "eye test" standard courts use to evaluate misleading advertising How food styling can become deceptive What class certification means and how consumers could be compensated Why most false advertising cases never make it to court How fast food lawsuits are reshaping consumer protection law How false advertising lawsuits could change the way food is sold in America Russo's work beyond fast food, including major mass tort cases like Suboxone litigation Stay tuned for more updates, and don't miss our next deep dive on Cut to the Chase: Podcast with Gregg Goldfarb! Subscribe, rate, review, and share this episode of the Cut to the Chase: Podcast! Resources: Visit Anthony Russo's website: https://therussofirm.com Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-j-russo-jr-9124656 This episode was produced and brought to you by Reignite Media.
In this episode, Zac sits down with Release Recovery's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Michael McCormick, for a candid, nuanced conversation about one of the most controversial questions in recovery: can drugs ever help sobriety?Together, they break down three major categories of medications – benzodiazepines, stimulants, and opioid medications like Suboxone, methadone, and Vivitrol – and explain how each works in the brain, why they can be both lifesaving and dangerous, and how clinicians decide, case by case, when medication is part of recovery and when it becomes a risk.Dr. McCormick challenges black-and-white thinking about “being sober,” addresses the stigma many people face in the rooms of recovery, and shares how careful monitoring, individualized care, and real behavioral change are essential if medication is used at all.This is not a pro-drug or anti-drug episode – it's an honest, clinically grounded exploration of the gray area where medicine, addiction, and recovery meet.Connect with Zachttps://www.instagram.com/zwclark/https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c 746b96254/https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclarkhttps://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553https://twitter.com/zacwclarkIf you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery:(914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com@releaserecovery
In this Ask Me Anything episode, Zac kicks off 2026 by answering real questions from the community about sobriety, recovery, and mental health.Zac shares honest, grounded insight on topics people are often afraid to ask about – including California sober, medication-assisted treatment like Suboxone, dry January, cravings, acceptance, and whether a relationship with alcohol can ever truly change. He breaks down why recovery isn't one-size-fits-all, why community and purpose matter more than labels, and how autonomy plays a critical role in lasting change.The conversation also speaks directly to partners and loved ones: how to support someone in sobriety, how to recognize when drinking may be a problem, and why taking care of yourself is essential when someone you love is struggling.If you're sober, curious about sobriety, supporting someone else, or just trying to make sense of it all, please give his episode a listen.If you're struggling, you don't have to do it alone.Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclarkIf you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery
Mr. Joe speaks about substance abuse, and his intense addiction with Suboxone. He delves into the concept of optimism, and how he struggles with negative thoughts. Please support Mr. Joe, as I continue along on my lifelong podcast journey… https://donate.stripe.com/bIY7vS00WaFfdrydQR Mr. Joe has also started microdosing therapy and highly recommends SoulCybin. They have an incredible selection of products and blends! Be sure to visit… https://soulcybin.org/mrjoebp and enter coupon code MRJOEBP to save 15% off your order right now! Additionally, if you would like to browse some amazing chocolate bars, various strains of mushrooms, and dozens of other microdosing products, visit PolkaDot by clicking Mr. Joe's personal link… https://gasstash.com/ref/1000/
In Rehab: An American Scandal (Simon and Schuster, 2025), Pulitzer finalist Shoshana Walter exposes the country's failed response to the opioid crisis, and the malfeasance, corruption, and snake oil which blight the drug rehabilitation industry. Our country's leaders all seem to agree: People who suffer from addiction need treatment. Today, more people have access to treatment than ever before. So why isn't it working? The answer is that in America—where anyone can get addicted—only certain people get a real chance to recover. Despite record numbers of overdose deaths, our default response is still to punish, while rehabs across the United States fail to incorporate scientifically proven strategies and exploit patients. We've heard a great deal about the opioid crisis foisted on America by Big Pharma, but we've heard too little about the other half of this epidemic—the reason why so many remain mired in addiction. Until now. In this book, you'll find the stories of four people who represent the failures of the rehab-industrial complex, and the ways our treatment system often prevents recovery. April is a black mom in Philadelphia, who witnessed firsthand how the government's punitive response to the crack epidemic impeded her own mother's recovery—and then her own. Chris, a young middle-class white man from Louisiana, received more opportunities in his addiction than April, including the chance to go to treatment instead of prison. Yet the only program the judge permitted was one that forced him to perform unpaid back-breaking labor at for-profit companies. Wendy is a mother from a wealthy suburb of Los Angeles, whose son died in a sober living home. She began investigating for-profit treatment programs—yet law enforcement and regulators routinely ignored her warnings, allowing rehab patients to die, again and again. Larry is a surgeon who himself struggled with addiction, who would eventually become one of the first Suboxone prescribers in the nation, drawing the scrutiny of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Together, these four stories illustrate the pitfalls of a system that not only fails to meet the needs of people with addiction, but actively benefits from maintaining their lower status. They also offer insight into how we might fix that system and save lives. More of Shoshana's work: - Her reporting on hospital drug testing - Her reporting on moms reported to child welfare authorities for taking medication-assisted treatment during pregnancy - The American Rehab podcast Emily Dufton is the author of Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America (Basic Books, 2017). Her new book, Addiction, Inc.: Medication-Assisted Treatment and America's Forgotten War on Drugs, will be released next year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
In Rehab: An American Scandal (Simon and Schuster, 2025), Pulitzer finalist Shoshana Walter exposes the country's failed response to the opioid crisis, and the malfeasance, corruption, and snake oil which blight the drug rehabilitation industry. Our country's leaders all seem to agree: People who suffer from addiction need treatment. Today, more people have access to treatment than ever before. So why isn't it working? The answer is that in America—where anyone can get addicted—only certain people get a real chance to recover. Despite record numbers of overdose deaths, our default response is still to punish, while rehabs across the United States fail to incorporate scientifically proven strategies and exploit patients. We've heard a great deal about the opioid crisis foisted on America by Big Pharma, but we've heard too little about the other half of this epidemic—the reason why so many remain mired in addiction. Until now. In this book, you'll find the stories of four people who represent the failures of the rehab-industrial complex, and the ways our treatment system often prevents recovery. April is a black mom in Philadelphia, who witnessed firsthand how the government's punitive response to the crack epidemic impeded her own mother's recovery—and then her own. Chris, a young middle-class white man from Louisiana, received more opportunities in his addiction than April, including the chance to go to treatment instead of prison. Yet the only program the judge permitted was one that forced him to perform unpaid back-breaking labor at for-profit companies. Wendy is a mother from a wealthy suburb of Los Angeles, whose son died in a sober living home. She began investigating for-profit treatment programs—yet law enforcement and regulators routinely ignored her warnings, allowing rehab patients to die, again and again. Larry is a surgeon who himself struggled with addiction, who would eventually become one of the first Suboxone prescribers in the nation, drawing the scrutiny of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Together, these four stories illustrate the pitfalls of a system that not only fails to meet the needs of people with addiction, but actively benefits from maintaining their lower status. They also offer insight into how we might fix that system and save lives. More of Shoshana's work: - Her reporting on hospital drug testing - Her reporting on moms reported to child welfare authorities for taking medication-assisted treatment during pregnancy - The American Rehab podcast Emily Dufton is the author of Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America (Basic Books, 2017). Her new book, Addiction, Inc.: Medication-Assisted Treatment and America's Forgotten War on Drugs, will be released next year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies
In Rehab: An American Scandal (Simon and Schuster, 2025), Pulitzer finalist Shoshana Walter exposes the country's failed response to the opioid crisis, and the malfeasance, corruption, and snake oil which blight the drug rehabilitation industry. Our country's leaders all seem to agree: People who suffer from addiction need treatment. Today, more people have access to treatment than ever before. So why isn't it working? The answer is that in America—where anyone can get addicted—only certain people get a real chance to recover. Despite record numbers of overdose deaths, our default response is still to punish, while rehabs across the United States fail to incorporate scientifically proven strategies and exploit patients. We've heard a great deal about the opioid crisis foisted on America by Big Pharma, but we've heard too little about the other half of this epidemic—the reason why so many remain mired in addiction. Until now. In this book, you'll find the stories of four people who represent the failures of the rehab-industrial complex, and the ways our treatment system often prevents recovery. April is a black mom in Philadelphia, who witnessed firsthand how the government's punitive response to the crack epidemic impeded her own mother's recovery—and then her own. Chris, a young middle-class white man from Louisiana, received more opportunities in his addiction than April, including the chance to go to treatment instead of prison. Yet the only program the judge permitted was one that forced him to perform unpaid back-breaking labor at for-profit companies. Wendy is a mother from a wealthy suburb of Los Angeles, whose son died in a sober living home. She began investigating for-profit treatment programs—yet law enforcement and regulators routinely ignored her warnings, allowing rehab patients to die, again and again. Larry is a surgeon who himself struggled with addiction, who would eventually become one of the first Suboxone prescribers in the nation, drawing the scrutiny of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Together, these four stories illustrate the pitfalls of a system that not only fails to meet the needs of people with addiction, but actively benefits from maintaining their lower status. They also offer insight into how we might fix that system and save lives. More of Shoshana's work: - Her reporting on hospital drug testing - Her reporting on moms reported to child welfare authorities for taking medication-assisted treatment during pregnancy - The American Rehab podcast Emily Dufton is the author of Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America (Basic Books, 2017). Her new book, Addiction, Inc.: Medication-Assisted Treatment and America's Forgotten War on Drugs, will be released next year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/public-policy
In Rehab: An American Scandal (Simon and Schuster, 2025), Pulitzer finalist Shoshana Walter exposes the country's failed response to the opioid crisis, and the malfeasance, corruption, and snake oil which blight the drug rehabilitation industry. Our country's leaders all seem to agree: People who suffer from addiction need treatment. Today, more people have access to treatment than ever before. So why isn't it working? The answer is that in America—where anyone can get addicted—only certain people get a real chance to recover. Despite record numbers of overdose deaths, our default response is still to punish, while rehabs across the United States fail to incorporate scientifically proven strategies and exploit patients. We've heard a great deal about the opioid crisis foisted on America by Big Pharma, but we've heard too little about the other half of this epidemic—the reason why so many remain mired in addiction. Until now. In this book, you'll find the stories of four people who represent the failures of the rehab-industrial complex, and the ways our treatment system often prevents recovery. April is a black mom in Philadelphia, who witnessed firsthand how the government's punitive response to the crack epidemic impeded her own mother's recovery—and then her own. Chris, a young middle-class white man from Louisiana, received more opportunities in his addiction than April, including the chance to go to treatment instead of prison. Yet the only program the judge permitted was one that forced him to perform unpaid back-breaking labor at for-profit companies. Wendy is a mother from a wealthy suburb of Los Angeles, whose son died in a sober living home. She began investigating for-profit treatment programs—yet law enforcement and regulators routinely ignored her warnings, allowing rehab patients to die, again and again. Larry is a surgeon who himself struggled with addiction, who would eventually become one of the first Suboxone prescribers in the nation, drawing the scrutiny of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Together, these four stories illustrate the pitfalls of a system that not only fails to meet the needs of people with addiction, but actively benefits from maintaining their lower status. They also offer insight into how we might fix that system and save lives. More of Shoshana's work: - Her reporting on hospital drug testing - Her reporting on moms reported to child welfare authorities for taking medication-assisted treatment during pregnancy - The American Rehab podcast Emily Dufton is the author of Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America (Basic Books, 2017). Her new book, Addiction, Inc.: Medication-Assisted Treatment and America's Forgotten War on Drugs, will be released next year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/drugs-addiction-and-recovery
www.patreon.com/dopeypodcast This week on Dopey! Dave opens the episode feeling sick, dreading his upcoming dental implants, and joking about painkillers, nitrous, and Tylenol PM. He congratulates longtime dopes Margaret Hernandez (36 years sober) and Mattie Veach (recovering from cancer surgery), prays for the Knicks, and introduces guest RJ Elizarraz, co-host of Against All Odds with Rachel Slocum and founder of Oak Forest Recovery.Before diving in, Dave reads Spotify comments from the Brace Belden episode — about therapy, high memories, Suboxone, and more — gives shoutouts to listeners, and pushes the legendary Dopey socks. He jokes about how each platform reacts differently: Patreon loves him, Reddit hates him, Facebook doesn't care.He plays an old Miles Davis clip about Charlie Parker doing drugs and sex in a taxi while eating fried chicken, and finds the recovery moral in it — acceptance is the key. A listener named Nathan from San Francisco sends a disgusting classic: at 12 he cooked and ate his own poop hoping it would make DMT. It didn't. He puked, got bullied, overdosed, and finally got sober. Dave laughs, calls it top-notch Dopey storytelling, and awards him socks. Then comes the main interview with RJ Elizares. They record in RJ's Westlake Village home — complete with an infrared sauna, cold plunge, and jade crystal massage bed. RJ also runs a marketing agency for medical clients and has a 13-year-old daughter.RJ tells his story:Grew up in Westlake, straight-edge nerd playing video games and paintball.Swore he'd never do drugs, then caved at 15 after a best-friend betrayal.Smoked weed with his stepbrother, laughed hysterically at Maury Povich, devoured frozen peas, and instantly became “the stoner.”Started selling weed and stealing paintball gear; pulled off a heist from an optometrist's back-room store until his stepbrother turned him in for the reward.Skipped school, bribed attendance clerks with weed, got caught high at a parent meeting, expelled.At continuation school, excelled while high, manipulated teachers, and got expelled again for lying.Ran away on a dirt bike, sold weed full-time, then transferred to another continuation school where a rival stabbed him in the arm with a pencil for “selling on his turf.”Graduated early by testing out, kept selling, moved out, and lived off weed money.With his girlfriend (later the mother of his daughter) did ecstasy, coke, Xanax, mushrooms, pills — everything but heroin.She overdosed on ecstasy and stopped breathing before being revived — a turning point moment.
This Week on Dopey! Dave opens with a cocaine-barroom parody and rolls into updates: DopeyCon afterglow, Spotify/iTunes comments, LA travel nerves, and sponsor shout-outs. Listener Archie checks in with a salvia-in-underwear saga; another listener writes about rock-salt shrooms and missing the Dead's final Jerry show; “Chip” reports nearly a year sober and reflects on denial. Then Brace Belden (Truenon) sits down in Dave's new DIY studio for a sprawling hang: meetings vs. therapy, analysis and trazodone dreams, the weird science of memory, and a brutally honest tour through sex + drugs (boofing Suboxone film, poppers, Whippets/“galaxy gas,” meth, DMT, Quaaludes, coke dick, Hunter Biden-level decadence). They spar on politics without picking teams (meetings in “Trumpy” rooms, why rhetoric isn't the whole story), react to the Charlie Kirk assassination video, and play a relapse thought experiment (weed→benzos→opiate math vs. “new Research Chemicalss”). They close with Chrome-mags diplomacy drama, a rapid-fire “this or that,” Truenon live show plugs, and Dave's mural/Patreon notes before the end of another edition of that good old Dopey Show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Alan discusses the significant differences between his intensive, abstinence-based path to recovery in 2002 and the current standards of addiction treatment. Prompted by renewing his DEA license and taking a required CE on opiate prescribing, Alan contrasts his successful, disruptive model (therapy and 12-step programs) with the modern focus on Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), such as buprenorphine (Suboxone), and harm reduction. He grapples with his past skepticism of these newer methods but shares a patient's story and discusses the Sinclair Method (using naltrexone for alcohol recovery) which have opened his mind to various effective ways of getting well. Alan invites listeners to discuss these evolving approaches in the Very Dental Facebook group and the smaller, recovery-focused group, Dentists That Don't. Some links from the show: Drink Your Way Sober, by Katie Herzog The Sinclair Method Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook," "Gary," "McWethy," "Papa Randy" or "Lipscomb!" The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us! -- Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you'll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “VERYDENTAL10” you'll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time! -- The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist! -- Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products! -- CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you'll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!
dopeycon tix:https://buytickets.at/thedopeyfoundation/1765668Patreon:www.patreon.com/dopeypodcastA new kind of Dopey! A kinder, Gentler Dopey? Me and New Yorker Rock Critic, Amanda Petrusich sit down to discuss recovering from grief. Amanda lost her husband suddenly during covid from a random seizure. Hear how Amanda got through it raising their one daughter, Nico alone. Plus some of Amanda's experiences covering Phish, Aerosmith, Nick Drake, Bob Dylan and more!Plus Ben Croxton's shooting story(but not how you think), a horrible kratom death, and me basking in the adulation of being included in Rolling Stone Magazine! Plus a bunch of other stuff - all here!Also More on this Dopeycon Eve's offering of the good old Dopey Show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Statistics show about 60% of inmates have a substance abuse disorder, yet drugs are commonly smuggled inside U.S. jail facilities, contributing to overdose deaths in custody. And when jails have treatment options like methadone and Suboxone, there often aren't enough to go around. Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd reports from a jail in Albuquerque, New Mexico.And, Richard Graham died of an overdose in a Louisville, Kentucky, jail. As his family mourns the loss, they're looking for answers. And so is the city; In 2022, Louisville Metro Council launched an investigation after a spike in overdose and suicide deaths. O'Dowd talks with Richard Graham's family and Louisville jail officials about why overdoses are so common and what can be done to curb them.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
This Week on Dopey! We are joined by Oro Recovery Medical Director - Dr. Jason Giles! We also read old comments and hear from a few dopes in the dopey nation. Then Dave interviews Dr. Giles—twice board-certified in addiction medicine (via ABAM then ABPM), previously board-certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine, and a recovering opioid addict. He grew up in Santa Monica with a severely alcoholic father, fell into the second-wave ska/mod scene (Vespa, sharkskin suits, amphetamines), dropped out of high school, then clawed his way through community college to Berkeley, volunteering at the Berkeley Free Clinic and falling in love with medicine.He explains anesthesia's demands (no pain, no memory; muscle relaxants; airway control), the human connection of pediatric anesthesia, and the hope-work of pain management. In 1999, curiosity and stress led him to divert fentanyl: he edited paper records, carried a 2 mL syringe for a month, then IV-used with sterile technique. After a six-week gap he used again, convincing himself he could “handle it.” Use escalated to daily “after work,” leaving him in daytime withdrawal. The department chair paged him about missing fentanyl; instead of punishment, he offered help and a path into California's 5-year diversion program (treatment, meetings, testing). Giles detoxed cold turkey, went to AA (first meeting mostly doctors), found he wasn't unique, and built long-term sobriety (nearly 26 years by his telling), learning service and vulnerability through treatment feedback groups.With sobriety he finished residency, married, had a son, worked in cardiac anesthesia and pain, and then moved into addiction treatment (Malibu), where his science and lived experience met the work. He and Dave range widely: purpose/mission as a recovery engine; Bill W., boomerangs and ants; truth-serum myths; Halsted (cocaine→heroin), Freud letters, Hitler's amphetamines/opioids (book Blitzed), kratom (mixed withdrawal profiles), benzos vs. opiates (benzo withdrawal = fear), intraoperative awareness & memory, Suboxone vs. abstinence (cast/training-wheels framing), fentanyl's dominance (counterfeit pills; heroin now rare), and whether fentanyl appears in non-opioid street drugs (he says he's seen it). ALL THAT AND MUCH MORE ON A BRAND NEW EPISODE OF THAT GOD OLD DOPEY SHOW! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Why are pain patients treated like criminals, while people on Suboxone are celebrated as brave survivors?This isn't just stigma, it's a system. One that quietly rewrote the rules of who deserves compassion... and who gets discarded.In this video, we introduce a lens called Critical Drug Theory, based on Critical Theory, which helps explain how power, identity, and moral narratives shape public policy. It's a way to understand why people with addiction are often seen as victims in need of care, while stable pain patients are labeled as privileged or problematic, even when both need medication.We break down how these narratives gained power, how they've influenced opioid policy, and why the system was rigged to treat pain relief as dangerous, but daily addiction treatment as virtuous.This video gives language to something many patients have felt but couldn't name. It's not political, and it's not a conspiracy. It's just the truth about how we got here and who got hurt along the way.
While doctors are prescribing fewer and fewer opioids, there's one that's not going away – buprenorphine, often known by its brand name of Suboxone. Compared to other narcotics, it's harder to abuse. It's far less dangerous than the synthetic street drugs. And it reduces the risk of overdosing. But it's still an opioid that is very hard to get off of. The number of Tennesseans prescribed these opioids as addiction treatment jumped by 40% in just five years. As we look this week at all sides of a philosophy known as “harm reduction,” today we focus on access to the opioids meant to get us out of the opioid crisis.GuestsLeslie Cole, MD, addiction physician, Springfield, Tenn.Josh Draper, program manager, Sumner Prevention CoalitionTracy Frame, PharmD, professor of pharmacy practice and director of the Flourish Mobile Clinic, Belmont UniversityChap Cuthbert, community response peer support, Mental Health Cooperative
Sarah opens up about starting opioids at 20, a rapid slide to heroin, pregnancy on methadone, jail, and the drug court program that helped her turn it around. After a later Xanax relapse during COVID, she did the work—therapy, structure, and service—and is now certified and working as a counselor at a maintenance clinic. This candid conversation with Wendy Beck and Rich Bennett shows what sustainable recovery really looks like—and why hope matters. Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction Guest Bio: Sarah is a Harford County native, mom, and recovery professional. After entering opioid use at 20 and escalating to heroin in 2012, she experienced jail and drug court, achieved long-term abstinence from opiates and cocaine (since Sept. 27, 2016), overcame a benzodiazepine relapse in 2020–2021 (clean since Nov. 4, 2020), earned her Peer Recovery Specialist credential and ADT approval, and now counsels patients at a medication-assisted treatment clinic. Main Topics: · Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction· Starting opioids at 20; rapid progression from pills to heroin (2012)· Pregnancy on methadone, stigma, and learning MAT safety· IV use, crack/cocaine, legal consequences, and visible decline· Jail detox and entry into Drug Court; Judge-led accountability· Long-term sobriety from opiates/cocaine; COVID-era Xanax relapse and dangers of benzo withdrawal· Therapy, boundaries, routines, fitness, and gratitude as core recovery tools· Working in recovery: peer support vs. clinicians; women-specific needs; mom guilt and shame· Maintenance meds (methadone/Suboxone): misuse stigma vs. real stability· Parenting conversations about peer pressure and openness with kids· Burnout prevention for recovery workers (self-care, phone boundaries, weekly therapy) Resources mentioned: · Donate to Rage Against Addiction · Center for ASend us a textDonate HereRage Against AddictionRage Against Addiction is a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting addicts and their familiDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showRate & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow the Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast on Social Media:Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett Facebook Group (Join the conversation) – Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast group | FacebookTwitter – Conversations with Rich Bennett Instagram – @conversationswithrichbennettTikTok – CWRB (@conversationsrichbennett) | TikTok Sponsors, Affiliates, and ways we pay the bills:Hosted on BuzzsproutSquadCast Subscribe by Email
Dr. Chad McDonald is the Chief Medical Officer at InterCommunity (a not-for-profit, addiction and behavioral health leaning FQHC-LA in the Greater Hartford, CT area), where he has the privilege of helping people find hope and healing through recovery. Initially a family physician by training, Dr. McDonald became board-certified in Addiction Medicine after witnessing the impact of substance use disorders on people close to him. Today, he works alongside a dedicated team providing compassionate, whole-person care for individuals and families across Greater Hartford.In addition to his clinical and leadership work, Dr. McDonald serves as Connecticut's Physician Addiction State Champion with the Opioid Response Network and is an appointed member of the Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC), where he advocates for using health IT to reduce barriers to care and strengthen recovery supports.Dr. McDonald believes that recovery is possible for everyone and that access to care should never be out of reach. For anyone ready to begin their recovery journey—or for loved ones seeking help—InterCommunity offers medical detox, residential rehab, and outpatient programs. Learn more at https://www.intercommunityct.org/ ----Across the Web----
Adam and Dr. Drew discuss a drawing featuring Adam's phrase “Don't Put Your Sombrero On My Keys” and the resulting racism allegations, explaining the joke's intent. Drew shares troubling news he received, then they take calls about America's addiction to altered states and the new injectable Suboxone.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Fentanyl vs. Heroin: "Trash high"—no legs, not the same rush, felt grateful when heroin disappearedFirst Shot: A friend made him do it for free—"Misery loves company"—then couldn't stopOD Stories: OD'd twice in one day—once behind the wheel on FDR, once after snorting Bronx bags, woke up in hospital, ripped tubes out, lied about asthmaMom's Heart Attack: 4 days after OD, mom has a heart attack from stressHustles: Selling weed, flipping Suboxone, scamming friends, "like a credit card"—balances, fronts, jugglingJam Band Scene: Heavy on acid, ketamine, nitrous, Calvin Klein (coke + K), LSD handling mishap at Camp Bisco led to paranoia for a weekMethadone Clinic Madness: Working in the clinic, finding crack pipes, wild characters, hustles in the waiting roomRecovery Pivot: Got clean after the ferry breakup, went to White Deer Run, cut methadone taper on day 3, Old Testament-level detox, started working the 12 steps, counselor Heath changed his lifeWorking in Treatment: From the methadone clinic to Ascendant, saw the whole spectrumWriting: Wrote Slingshot Diaries in Maryland, self-published hundreds of copies, found purposeReflection: Raw honesty, doesn't glorify but doesn't hide it either—“thank God for grace and mercy”
This week on Dopey! In one of the possibly most powerful and emotional episodes of Dopey ever, Dr. Nzinga Harrison returns to the show to tell a story she's never shared before—despite being around the show for over five years. Her older brother, Kofi (aka Debo), has spent the last 30 years in prison for a triple homicide he didn't commit. This episode is about injustice, resilience, heartbreak, and family—and how one letter from the foreman of the jury might change everything.
This week on Dopey! Rejoice Lenny from the Beach is Free! Lenny from the Beach returns from being locked away! Hear all about his time away in Long Island's Jail System and then upstate for more time incarcerated before SHOCK treatment! Hear all the ins and outs of institutional living and the nature of incarcerated recovery! PLUS a crazy meth fishing voicemail and Dopey emails! All that and more on this brand new version of the good old Dopey Show!Patreon: www.patreon.com/dopeypodcastMargaret Cho/Dopey Love/Live Tickets: https://publictheater.org/productions/joes-pub/2025/d/dopey-podcast-live/Here is what AI Says: