Let's Talk Addiction & Recovery

Returning service members and military veterans often confront trauma and other mental health challenges, and when they don't receive help, it often ends in tragedy—with more than 6,000 military veterans dying every year to suicide. Army veteran and psychologist Dustin Brockberg, PhD, sheds light on the issues, speaking with host William C. Moyers about the tough emotional realities, mental health challenges and support opportunities for veterans and their families.

Rabbi Schusterman used to view addiction as a "moral failure," and he admits that his opinions were manipulated by stigma. Now he sees the opportunity to completely change the narrative, and he's leading a movement among faith leaders to dismantle that stigma. Alongside Chris Thrasher from the Clinton Foundation, Rabbi Schusterman sits down with host William C. Moyers to discuss: How can faith leaders interrupt the opioid epidemic, where does hope come in and what does "hope" really mean?

Addiction affects men and women differently, and women's stories often involve very specific kinds of trauma. To learn more about these differences (and how to respond to them), host William C. Moyers spoke with author, advocate and expert Stephanie Covington, PhD. Listen in and learn about the different kinds of trauma, the benefits of specialized services and the latest developments in gender-responsive care.

Beyond the statistics related to addiction, there are precious human lives that need and deserve help. But only 10 percent of the addicted population will ever receive treatment. How can we help the other 90 percent? One answer: the Lazarus drug, which reverses the effects of opioid overdose. Host William C. Moyers talks with Ginny Atwood Lovitt and Chris Thrasher, who are working tirelessly to distribute this medication as quickly and widely as possible.

The family can recover together. Without a reliable system in place, though, the family will default to negativity, often digging up the past and reliving old memories. That's why expert interventionist Debra Jay co-created Structured Family Recovery, where family members all join the same team to uplift the positive and work toward shared recovery. In this episode, Debra Jay and host William C. Moyers explore the inner workings of the family recovery team and why it works so well.

In the expert opinion of Dr. Stephanie Covington, it's unwise to ignore trauma when treating addiction and co-occurring disorders. In fact, a failure to address PTSD will leave a person vulnerable to relapse and re-traumatization. In this episode, host William C. Moyers and Dr. Covington chat about the intersection between trauma and addiction, the high frequency of their combination and the best approaches for treating both.

The pandemic has had profound effects on every student and educator, and has demonstrated the inviolable need for close relationships. Angela Jerabek, founder and executive director of the BARR Center, sits down with host William C. Moyers to discuss the greatest strengths, liabilities and lessons for education systems around the country. And, as we reframe our ideas of school and learning, she considers where we should go from here.

Best-selling authors and interventionists Jeff and Debra Jay share their profound wisdom on the process of getting a loved one sober. They sit down with host William C. Moyers to discuss the new edition of their best-selling book, Love First: A Family's Guide to Intervention, and share the essential lessons behind its prevailing theme—united against addiction, the family becomes a wonderful resource for lasting change.

"If we can see good, then goodness will come," believes Peter Hayden, PhD. So he founded a safe, culturally informed treatment center for the Black community that also provides housing, job opportunities and cultural training. Tune in for this brilliant conversation among old friends, as host William C. Moyers and Dr. Hayden investigate the importance of trust between patients and providers, and discuss how to lay the bedrock for healing and recovery within communities of color.

Early in his National Hockey League hall-of-fame career, goalie Grant Fuhr realized his cocaine use had crossed the line. He needed help. But was he ready to face the underlying causes? Listen in as Fuhr talks with host William C. Moyers about the soul-searching work of addiction rehab and what it took to get himself back in the game. "There's nothing easy about asking for help," says the five-time Stanley Cup champ. "But treatment definitely works, and recovery is a phenomenal thing."

As more states legalize recreational marijuana, the availability of high-potency cannabis products raises the potential for health risks—including addiction. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with Hazelden Betty Ford "addictionologist" Vic Vines, MD, about health implications of high-potency marijuana. Like any addictive substance, marijuana can be used by some people without major consequence. For others, dependence can develop along with mental health issues and cognitive impairment.

Parenting involves navigating a multitude of issues, even when everything's running smoothly for a family. Add a major stressor—like the challenges of early recovery—and it doesn't take much for family interactions to deteriorate. Listen in as family systems research scientist Kate Gliske, PhD, talks with host William C. Moyers about parenting skills that foster positive interactions. Pro tips: Teach through encouragement. Set effective boundaries. Focus on quality connections with your kids.

Studies indicate that members of the LGBTQ+ community experience substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders at twice the rate of the general population. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with clinician Princess Drake, PsyD, about related risk factors including historical trauma and the fear of "not being accepted for who you are." Drake discusses the importance of person-centered, culturally competent addiction treatment and inclusive peer recovery support communities.

Words can hurt, and words can heal—especially words used by health care professionals concerning substance use and mental health disorders. Listen in as psychiatrist Stephen Delisi, MD, talks with host William C. Moyers about the power of choosing person-first language to reduce bias, stigma and shame (internalized stigma) around the disease of addiction. Quite literally, the difference between using the term "alcoholic" or "a person with alcohol use disorder" can be life-changing.

Even before the stress and isolation of pandemic life, troubling mental health trends started to surface among America's young people. Of all age sectors, emerging adults (ages 15-23) are experiencing the biggest upsurge in symptoms of depression and anxiety. What's going on? How can parents best help? Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with psychologist Tim Portinga, PsyD, about the influence of peers, technology, school and substance use—and the importance of face-to-face family time.