What if opioid withdrawal could visibly ease in 20 minutes and cravings could drop to near zero within days? We sit down with Net Recovery CEO Joe Winston to unpack a wearable neuromodulation device, FDA-cleared for managing opioid withdrawal, that adapts to real-world drug trends and may restore a person’s ability to choose. Joe traces an unexpected journey from aerospace and AI to building a handheld system that translates complex waveform expertise into accessible care—and shares how rigorous trials and peer-reviewed data convinced skeptics.

We dive into how the device works: gel electrodes behind the ears deliver patterned stimulation that dynamically shifts based on daily assessments of opioid, sedative, and stimulant withdrawal. As supplies change—think xylazine-adulterated fentanyl or emerging veterinary sedatives—the team retools waveforms to meet the moment. The results are striking: measurable relief within an hour, average treatment of three to four days, and early evidence that many patients reduce use of opioids and psychostimulants for months post-treatment, even without medication. That renewed agency becomes the catalyst for aftercare, longer residential stays, and more consistent engagement.

Access and scale matter as much as science. We explore delivery in jails where Medicaid interruptions worsen withdrawal, residential programs, and new office-based addiction treatment designed for privacy and minimal life disruption. We also tackle safety and harm reduction—falling tolerance raises overdose risk if someone returns to old doses—and clarify patterns of lapse versus relapse observed in follow-ups. Beyond clinics, Joe lays out a bold public-health vision: statewide jail deployments measured against overdoses, all-cause mortality, and re-arrest. It’s a practical, humane plan to meet people where they are and move addiction care forward with data, transparency, and stories of real recovery.

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To Learn More about Net Recovery: https://www.netrecovery.net

One of the studies Joe referenced in our interview: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1510428/full

To contact Dr. Grover: [email protected]