Bella talks staying busy, managing cravings, racing thoughts, family, medication for alcohol use, outpatient treatment, finding support, and healthier coping skills.

Ed shares about alcohol use and social relationships, Xanax and anxiety, family dynamics, becoming a person that gets involved, and living beyond yourself.

Michael talks deep cleaning and nicotine, the role of firefighters in public health, his experiences with overdose response and how individuals navigate the healthcare system, and common substances and recovery resources in DC.

Tess talks vaping, weed culture, ketamine, big realizations, letting go of labels, expectations vs. realities of drug use, and being an extrovert.

Kevin talks high school behavior when the drinking age was 18, how substance use manifests in people with active minds, memories and insights about Brian, and how our current government and legal systems are complicit in the addiction crisis.

Joe talks his social work and substance use training, harm reduction and abstinence programs, making realistic goals, and working in community mental health.

Don finishes up our conversation talking about ego, understanding his personality, starting every day with an aim, and figuring out the truth.

Don talks about his experience in recovery, self-esteem, masculinity, the gift of alcohol, the secret of cocaine, and how substance use can be a low-level search for something greater.

Today’s episode is Amath: she talks growing up in rural Vermont, moving to DC, outpatient treatment, alcohol dependency, and how substance use and mental health are intertwined.

Eagle talks opium joints, his military service, altering our consciousness, and respecting and understanding the substances we use.