Addiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addiction

A lot of people think addiction begins with a bad decision. We start earlier—at the moments when consent was stolen, trust collapsed, and silence felt safer than speaking. Carly sits down with us to map the real terrain: childhood sexual assault, a near-rape behind a high school bonfire, military harassment that exploited rank, and the long slide from alcohol to meth, from oxy to heroin. The story is raw and specific, and it asks a bigger question we should all be wrestling with: what if addiction isn’t the disease, but the way we cope with the ones we don’t treat?We walk through the culture of the OxyContin generation, the false safety of pills, and why heroin often follows when access dries up. Carly explains how meth’s euphoria and laser focus quieted a mind on fire, and why boundaries—not willpower—became the non‑negotiable tools of her recovery. We dig into homelessness, the dangerous logic of abusive relationships, and a nuanced view of sex work as both survival and, at times, chosen agency. It’s complicated on purpose; real lives are.What stands out most is the timeline. She got clean from heroin years before she learned relationship sobriety. That difference matters to anyone supporting survivors or working in addiction medicine: cravings don’t exist in a vacuum, and trauma doesn’t disappear at discharge. We talk about “playing the tape forward,” spotting red flags early, and building safety that might look extreme to outsiders but keeps a survivor alive and growing.If you care about trauma-informed recovery, sexual assault, military harassment, homelessness, sex work, and the real mechanics of healing, you’ll find honesty here you can use. Listen, share with someone who needs to hear it, and leave a review so others can find the show. Your feedback helps us keep having the hard conversations that save lives.To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

I sat down with a room full of high school seniors to talk to them about party culture in college. College freedom can be thrilling—and unforgiving. As an ER physician turned addiction specialist, I pull back the curtain on campus party culture with real stories, clear limits, and life-saving tactics to be used the first weekend of college. From Narcan basics and Good Samaritan protections to the truth about binge drinking, this conversation lays out what actually keeps college students safe when nights get loud and fast.We start with the numbers: what high-risk drinking is, why “I can hold my liquor” isn’t a flex but a warning sign, and how body size and sex change BAC more than most people realize. Then we walk through the pressure cookers—Greek life hazing, pre-gaming, shotgunning beers, beer bongs, keg stands, and jungle juice—explaining why compressing 10 drinks into an hour is the exact scenario that leads to blackouts, injuries, and assaults. I teach simple, effective steps: eat first, alternate drinks with water, stick with sealed beverages you open yourself, and never leave your cup behind. We talk candidly about consent, spiked drinks, and why half of campus sexual assaults involve alcohol.The episode also tackles cannabis in 2026: today’s THC is a different drug than what parents remember. We unpack potency, “greening out,” rising rates of cannabis-induced paranoia and psychosis, and how frequent use intersects with attention, grades, and graduation. Along the way, I share ER-tested guidance for handling alcohol poisoning—when to observe, when to call 911, and how to position someone safely—as well as how to spot early signs of alcohol addiction in college students and get help through campus health services.If you’re a senior heading to college, a parent, or a mentor, this is a clear-eyed playbook for staying safe without sitting out. Subscribe, share this with a student you care about, and leave a quick review—it helps more people find practical, judgment-free advice when they need it most.To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

Hypnosis and moderation rarely share the same sentence—until you understand how your brain decides to drink. We sit down with Australian clinical hypnotherapist Georgia Foster to unpack a practical, science‑aligned approach to reducing alcohol that starts by changing state, not shaming behavior. Georgia explains why the amygdala’s fear and urgency often override the best intentions, how the inner critic fuels that cycle, and what it takes to bring the prefrontal cortex—the calm, planning center—back online when it matters.You’ll hear how two common patterns show up in overdrinking. The perfectionist white‑knuckles through the week, then binges on relief because there are no references for slow, present drinking. The pleaser says yes to keep the peace, struggling to stay alcohol‑free in social settings. Georgia shows how hypnosis creates new “future references” by rehearsing success in the alpha‑theta window, the natural state between wake and sleep. By pairing imagined events with emotions like confidence, ease, and clarity, the brain encodes a different blueprint—so at a wedding, work dinner, or solo evening at home, choice feels obvious and safe.We also dig into mindless home routines, the difference between emotional and habitual drinking, simple tactics like “drink one, water one,” and why many people discover they don’t even like what they were pouring once the inner critic quiets down. Georgia shares who responds fastest to hypnotherapy, when to seek additional support, and why building self‑esteem is central to long‑term change. Along the way, we talk about privacy, digital programs, and her goal to help one million people drink less by replacing shame with skill.If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who could use a gentler path, and leave a quick review—your words help others find evidence‑informed help and start their own change.To learn more about Georgia's work: https://shop.georgiafoster.com/To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

What if addiction isn’t a failure of willpower, but a failure of the brain systems that make willpower possible? In this episode Dr. Brenda Fann (who has been on the pod before) interviews me about addiction as we provide a clear, compassionate walk through what addiction really is, why it grips so hard, and how families can help without enabling. You’ll hear a physician’s lived experience of losing a spouse to alcohol use disorder, the science behind cravings and executive function, and the practical steps that move people from chaos toward stability.We unpack the three C’s—cravings, compulsive use, and continued use despite harm—and translate them into everyday red flags partners and parents can actually spot. We explain how early exposure reshapes the adolescent brain, why withdrawal makes “just quit” dangerous advice, and what truly counts as a standard drink. From insomnia fueled drinking to masking trauma with stimulants, we explore how substances solve short‑term problems while creating long‑term damage—and how targeted treatment reverses that math.Then we get tactical. Think of recovery as a three‑legged stool: medication to steady the biology, therapy to build skills and face trauma, and peer support to restore connection and motivation. For families, the parallel path matters: Al‑Anon or Nar‑Anon, counseling, and firm but fair boundaries. You’ll learn conversation starters that lower defenses (“Help me understand what you need from the alcohol”) and a simple rule for avoiding the “villain” role while still holding the line. We also break down the data on teens, vaping, and the myth that teaching kids to drink at home protects them—it doesn’t.If you’re ready for a roadmap that blends medical insight with human kindness, this conversation delivers. Subscribe for more evidence‑based guidance, share this episode with someone who needs it, and leave a review so others can find real help faster.To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

In the case of an overdose, a person stops breathing long before most of us realize what is happening. That is why our mantra is simple and urgent: call 911 and give naloxone. We walk step by step through recognizing an opioid overdose, using nasal naloxone in under a minute, and staying safe while you help. You do not need a medical degree to save a life; you need a clear plan, Naloxone, and the courage to act when someone will not wake up.We break down how opioids shut down the brain’s breathing center and why unresponsiveness plus poor breathing should trigger immediate action. You will learn the key visual cues, when pinpoint pupils help and when mixed drugs blur the picture, and why naloxone is still a smart move even if alcohol or other substances are involved. We also confront stigma head-on, separating withdrawal management from life-saving priorities, and share a powerful ER story where Naloxone rescued a patient from an overdose in minutes.Fentanyl demands new habits. We explain why it often takes multiple naloxone sprays, debunk fears about casual skin contact, and outline a compact PPE kit—mask, eye protection, nitrile gloves—to protect against airborne powder or accidental transfer. We cover re-overdose risks when naloxone wears off, the critical role of EMS observation, and practical tips on storage, expiration, and keeping naloxone in your glove box or bag. Along the way, we highlight Good Samaritan protections that reduce fear of calling for help, so more people step forward when it counts.If you care about harm reduction, community safety, and giving people a second chance, this guide is for you. Hit follow, share this episode with a friend who should carry naloxone, and leave a quick review so more people learn how to act when seconds matter.To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

The story we’ve been told about cannabis—safe, simple, and mostly benign—doesn’t match what we’re seeing at the bedside. Two ER-turned-addiction doctors pull back the curtain on how high-potency products can quietly undercut psychiatric meds, complicate procedural sedation, and nudge recovery off course even when everything else looks better. This isn’t a panic piece; it’s a practical guide to staying safer and getting more from treatment.We start with psychiatry and a pattern that’s easy to miss: chronic cannabis use can upregulate ABC transporters along the gut, liver, and blood-brain barrier, pushing certain antipsychotics and mood meds out of cells faster and blunting their effect. What looks like “noncompliance” may be pharmacology. We talk through which agents lean on these transporters, which alternatives may perform better, and how to have a stigma-free conversation that protects trust while fixing the plan.Then we roll into the procedure room. Heavy cannabis use can decrease sensitivity to propofol and other sedatives by altering GABA activity and endocannabinoid tone, often requiring higher doses and tighter monitoring. Add a lesser-known risk—post-propofol hypersalivation in frequent users—and disclosure becomes a safety tool. We share exactly what to tell anesthesia, what clinicians can prepare for, and how to keep airways protected without surprises.Finally, we examine the “Cali sober” idea through data, not dogma. Large cohort studies link cannabis use to higher rates of alcohol recurrence and new substance use disorders over time, especially with potent concentrates. We cover why potency and pattern matter, how cannabis can dampen the gains of CBT, MI, and contingency management, and what a realistic harm reduction path looks like when abstinence isn’t the first stop. Throughout, we keep language careful—reported use, not admitted; return to use, not relapse—because words shape trust.If you care for patients, care about someone in recovery, or care about your own health, this conversation offers a clear framework: ask better questions, match meds to biology, and align goals to protect progress. Subscribe, share with a colleague or friend, and leave a quick rating to help others find the show. What did you learn that changes your practice—or your plan—today?Link to State by State Alternatives to California Sober: https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/local-alternatives-to-california-soberTo contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

Helen Dugdale, clinical psychologist and author of Put Insomnia to Sleep, explains how anxiety trains the brain to stay awake and why alcohol, cannabis, and OTC sedatives fail to restore true rest. Short practical tactics include CBT-I basics, EMDR for trauma-linked insomnia, caffeine timing, screen swaps, and tiny habit hacks for busy or resource-limited lives.

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.If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick rating. Your support helps more people find evidence-based paths out of addiction.To Learn More about Net Recovery: https://www.netrecovery.netOne of the studies Joe referenced in our interview: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1510428/fullTo contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

Dr. Mark Reimach, an addiction psychiatrist and ketamine clinic clinician, explains where ketamine helps most. He covers its use for depression, anxiety, PTSD and acute suicidality. He contrasts IV vs nasal approaches, outlines induction and maintenance protocols, and discusses safety, addiction risk, and how ketamine pairs with psychotherapy and medication management.

Parenting can sharpen joy and stress at the same time—and for moms and dads in recovery, that edge can test every habit that keeps sobriety strong. We sit down with Sarah Benton, licensed counselor, addiction specialist, and author of Parents in Recovery, to unpack how families can protect recovery without sacrificing the warmth and wonder of raising kids. From morning routines to packed weekends to those birthday parties where wine shows up next to the cupcakes, we get practical about limits, language, and the lifestyle choices that prevent burnout.Sarah explains why “recovery first” isn’t selfish—it’s the foundation that keeps everything else standing. We explore the high-functioning myth, where substances quietly enable overloaded schedules, and what happens when you remove the “checkout” at day’s end. Expect candid talk on right-sizing commitments, navigating the dip of post-acute withdrawal, and building a toolbox that actually works: therapy, meetings, peer support, and simple rituals for rest. We also dive into partner dynamics, from two parents in recovery to mixed households, and the education and respect that make those setups sustainable.Prevention gets the spotlight too. Genetics raise the stakes, and delaying a teen’s first drink past 15 meaningfully lowers risk. We share how to start honest conversations by middle school, present family history without shame, and set boundaries around alcohol and cannabis in social spaces. You’ll hear real-world scripts, ways to model “social battery” limits at home, and strategies to swap FOMO for intention. By the end, you’ll have a clear map for turning recovery into a steady family culture—one that keeps parents connected and kids grounded.If this conversation helped, follow the show, leave a quick review, and share it with someone who needs a practical, hopeful roadmap for parenting in recovery.To learn more about Sarah's work:www.bentonbhc.comwww.waterviewbh.comTo contact Dr. Grover:ammmadeeasy@fastmail.com