The voices of drug users are usually not heard in substance use policy discussions. Michael Galipeau, co-founder of the Rhode Island Users Union, describes the difficulties he has encountered in getting them heard and some of his unexpected allies.
Jon and Abby talk about Medication Assisted Treatment or MAT. MAT is part of a evidence-based approach to treating those with opioid and alcohol use disorders and is gaining wider acceptance by behavioral health care providers. But the practice is sometimes misunderstood by the public and even some members of the recovery community.
Shaleen Title, Commissioner of the Cannabis Control Commission, joins us to break down the recently enacted laws enabling medical and adult use marijuana in the Commonwealth.
As a global C-Suite level marketing star at 35yrs old, Annie Grace found herself drinking almost two bottles of wine a night. Her life had become a daily battle for sobriety. Her first book, "This Naked Mind", broke down how alcohol changes us physically and mentally and how she was able to find freedom from alcohol. Her latest endeavor, "The Alcohol Experiment", aims to change problem drinking by teaching why we drink more than we want, how to change the expectations of drinking, and how to shift your mindset to control your drinking - if not alleviate it all together.
70-80% of people who stop using drugs will experience a lapse or relapse during their recovery. Abby and Jon talk about relapse prevention and why a relapse can be the jarring event that reinforces long-term recovery.
Graphic novelist Jarrett Krosoczka (author of the beloved "Lunch Lady" series) joins us to talk about his profound new graphic memoir "Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt With Family Addiction." Kroscozka's memoir is a raw and honest portrayal of addiction through the eyes of a child, and shines a light on how love, family, and art helped him survive.