The gang’s all here this week! David, Paul and Nurse Betty are in the studio – and Russ is on the phone. We have a rich discussion about the impact of addiction on our health. Can addiction impact how we manage existing chronic illnesses, like Type I diabetes? Is there a link between chronic diseases and risky behaviour? How might PrEP help us work better with our GPs? 

We touch again on why stigmatisation is a problem for those with chronic illnesses related to addiction. And rejoice that there is now a cure for Hepatitis C. 

On the small screen, we recommend a great 2-part ABC Compass series on one person’s experience of having anorexia and a binge eating disorder. And suggest you see the Rocketman movie for a window into Elton John’s experience of addiction and recovery.

We reflect on the importance of normalising mental illness after reading the personal experience of Catriona Bisset. New Zealand’s Like Minds program also aims to end mental illness discrimination. We muse on the origins of addiction and mental illness, and Nurse Betty explains the belief of addiction specialist Dr Gabor Maté that all addiction comes from a place of pain.

We consider the impact of role models after reading an article discussing Australia’s worst suburbs for smoking rates. And we again discuss the opioid crisis in the US: the State of Oklahama is suing Johnson & Johnson alleging that deceptive marketing has contributed to the crisis.

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