The purpose of our podcast is to help families learn the truth about addiction and alcoholism so that they can take the right action to help the addict they love and to help themselves at this critical time in their lives. Exposing the truth about addiction and alcoholism also requires that we bust the myths surrounding both addiction/alcoholism and the recovery process.
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Q: Why does addiction have such a powerful ripple effect on the family? A: It turns out that the whole family becomes sick as a consequence of alcoholism or drug addiction striking any one individual in the family. Family members carry shame and guilt over their loved one’s disorder. At first, they deny the problem exists. Then they try to control …
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Q: Do interventions work? A: Yes and no. Interventions come in two categories: professional and family led. Even interventions conducted by professional interventionists may fail if the subject of the intervention refuses to “get on the plane”. Often this happens because the family has somehow failed in organising its own part, or the intervention …
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Q: Will an addict get the help he needs from a psychiatrist? A: It depends. There are two main factors involved. One is the fact that addicts will often lie to the psychiatrist if the addict is there for reasons other than having an honest desire to get clean. The active addict is an expert liar and has (he thinks) fooled everyone so far, and now h…
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Q: How knowledgeable are physicians about alcoholism and drug addiction? A: On average, not very. The fact is that fewer than 25% of physicians are given any course work in medical school on alcoholism and addiction. Recognition of this failure in light of the overdose crisis in the US which has now claimed over 108,000 lives in 2023 led to the Med…
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Q: Why do some people hate AA? A: It mostly comes down to the idea of a “higher power”, frequently expressed as “God, as we understand him”. The co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, Bill Wilson, was closely related to a Christian evangelical group during the 1930’s known as the “Oxford Group”. From their teachings stemmed the idea of a “higher power…
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Q: How important is AA? A: Alcoholics Anonymous is the world’s largest support group with 115,000 chapters worldwide and an estimated membership of over two million. Moreover, it is endorsed by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) as an accepted evidence-based behavioural therapy. It carries much weight among many practitioners and treatment…
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Q: Is Alcoholics Anonymous, aka AA, a proven recovery method? A: The scientific evidence, based on research conducted by the Recovery Research Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, emphatically proves that it is a cost-effective, evidence-based treatment that stands the test of time. AA is made effecti…
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In this podcast, we discuss the Four Agreements, a Buddhist-inspired way of thinking that can readily apply to anyone who aspires to live a spiritual life, free of the self-imposed burdens of addiction or alcoholism. We discuss the Four Agreements as follows: The First agreement: Be impeccable with your words. Second agreement: Don’t take anything …
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In this podcast, we discuss the power of toxic shame and its effect on the children in the family, including an addict or alcoholic. We learn that: Shame is known as a master emotion, overpowering ordinary, healthy feelings such as sadness or joy. Toxic shame is a debilitating feeling of worthlessness and self-loathing that can last a lifetime. The…
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In this podcast, we discuss the power of living in the now, of living in the moment as a means of attaining peace of mind for anyone living with the stress of an addict or alcoholic in the family. We discuss the following: Think about this day as the most important day of your life. Realise that a wandering mind is essentially an unhappy mind. Anci…
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In this podcast, we discuss the ripple effect of addiction on the family. We discuss the following: Hitting bottom is a family affair. Everything is not just fine. Addiction is not a choice. Detachment and inaction are two different things.Door SafeHouse Rehab Thailand
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In this podcast, we continue to explode the myths surrounding addiction. Example myths include: The shame and social disapproval associated with addiction. Stereotypes that perpetuate the myth. Addiction only happens to certain kinds of people. Addiction is a choice. Kids should just say NO.Door SafeHouse Rehab Thailand
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In this podcast, we do a quick Q&A on the myths of addiction and address other questions posed by our readers and listeners. These questions revolve around: The myth that addiction is a question of moral character. Why some people refuse to get help. Whether treatment works. Why people think that AA is a cult.…
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This podcast, is a story about a man named Tim and it demonstrates the power of perseverance. We learn that: Tim overcame a suicide attempt on the eve of his admission of powerlessness over his addiction. He saw his Stage 4 cancer lifted by the miracle of modern medicine, and his own determination to heal. Although he was high school dropout, he we…
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In this podcast, we discuss the deadly consequences of addiction and alcoholism: We learn that: Alcoholism and addiction are incurable and progressive, and often fatal if ignored. There is a serious undercounting of the societal costs in life and injury due to alcoholism, while there is better data on drug abuse effects. It is rare that an alcoholi…
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In this podcast, we discuss new ways of thinking and behavior that help with moving the alcoholic/addict toward treatment. We learn that: Family members need to unlearn their conditioned way of reacting to their beloved alcoholic or addict. The new way asks the family member to take a softer approach which will disarm the conflict. The approach is …
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In this podcast, we discuss the impossibility of escaping the here and now. We learn that: 1. It’s common for people to be constantly thinking about something other than the reality of the present. 2. There is a huge difference between planning for the future and living there. 3. There is ultimately much joy in living in the moment regardless of a …
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In this podcast, we examine why the truth is so elusive for family members of alcoholics and addicts. We discuss how people who have an addict or alcoholic in the family: 1. Deny the very existence of the disease. 2. Become too ashamed to admit the truth to themselves. 3. Ultimately need to confront the truth in order to heal.…
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You’ve probably heard the term “enabler”. It’s one that’s often charged with judgment and stigma. That’s because one feels accused of aiding and abetting addictive behaviour and it doesn’t feel at all fair because you do what you do out of love. More than a role, enabling is a dynamic that arises in specific scenarios. People who engage in enabling…
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Love has this wonderful ripple effect, emanating its warmth and power from you to your family and well beyond, and it seems miraculous in its infinite ability to heal. Think for a moment about unconditional love: loving someone regardless of what they look like, what they do for a living, how much money they have, or whether or not they are doing w…
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When you are talking to a full-blown alcoholic or addict or one who is both - and the list of cross-addicted people is growing – you might not be too surprised to learn that they speak an entirely different language than you do. An example: an addict is confronted by his mum who says that he has a big problem. The addict doesn’t hear that. He think…
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A well-known actress, comedienne and TV producer was once asked what made the essential difference in her highly successful life. For those old enough to remember Lucille Ball, she answered as follows: “All my young life, I was told I was a no-good show-off. My self-esteem hovered just above zero, until I was told by a good friend that my first job…
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It’s never too late to act, whether your loved one is now at the stage where an intervention is necessary, or you have a younger child who might fall prey to an addictive disorder and want to keep that kid safe. But you are not sure how. Shatterproof is an organisation 100% dedicated to preventing addiction, providing greater access to treatment, a…
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A friend said to me the other day that she feels like everything we do is becoming pathological. We eat a lot, so we’re a candidate for Overeaters Anonymous. We have sex with more than one person, we should join Sex Addicts Anonymous. We got drunk, so we should join AA. If I choose to call an addiction “repetitive behaviour that causes you and thos…
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There is still little understanding of the power of the substance fentanyl. Let’s start with some inconvenient facts. Drug overdoses claim more lives than breast cancer, gun violence or car accidents. Combined. They are the #1 cause of accidental death in the United States. According to the CDC, there were over 109,000 fatal overdoses in the 12-mon…
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Very recently, my ex-fiancé called me in a panic and sobbed that her son, my stepson really, was a raging addict and she didn’t know what to do. He and his wife have a two-year-old son who deserves better, while my stepson – let’s call him Jimmy – is snorting and smoking and injecting who knows what. He’s applied for a medical discharge due to join…
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It can happen at any time. The bell might ring, the alarm might sound, the light might flash any time of day or night. We might be half asleep or we might have our shoulder to the wheel, pushing with all our might. Awakenings happen all the time, to people all over this earth. For the purposes of this discussion, awakenings are of two types. The Da…
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You would be amazed at the negative self-talk I hear when the family of a drug abuser or alcoholic starts answering pointed questions. “Do you feel as if “this” is your fault?” Most say that they feel at least partly to blame “if only…” which suggests that they believed that they had any control over the trajectory of the disease, that if they had …
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Whether we like it or not, we are all susceptible to co-dependency - the need to control another person in our life. In this podcast, we offer the following insights on the various aspects of co-dependency, especially important when addressing what happens in families who are experiencing addiction at home. Signs of a sick relationship I highly rec…
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Whether we like it or not, we are all susceptible to co-dependency - the need to control another person in our life. In this podcast, we offer the following insights on the various aspects of co-dependency, especially important when addressing what happens in families who are experiencing addiction at home. You can't will this away Our Western cult…
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Whether we like it or not, we are all susceptible to co-dependency - the need to control another person in our life. In this podcast, we offer the following insights on the various aspects of co-dependency, especially important when addressing what happens in families who are experiencing addiction at home. No one is immune No one in the family is …
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Whether we like it or not, we are all susceptible to co-dependency - the need to control another person in our life. In this podcast, we offer the following insights on the various aspects of co-dependency, especially important when addressing what happens in families who are experiencing addiction at home. I'm only OK if you're OK Let's stretch th…
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Whether we like it or not, we are all susceptible to co-dependency - the need to control another person in our life. In this podcast, we offer the following insights on the various aspects of co-dependency, especially important when addressing what happens in families who are experiencing addiction at home. The illusion of control There's something…
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Whether we like it or not, we are all susceptible to co-dependency - the need to control another person in our life. In this podcast, we offer the following insights on the various aspects of co-dependency, especially important when addressing what happens in families who are experiencing addiction at home. Co-dependency - We've all got it Every pe…
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In this podcast, the producer of our podcast series, Tony, asks the following question: Do recovering people have to go to meetings their entire life? One way to look at the question is: "You have to go to meetings until you want to go to meetings and then you don't have to go to them anymore". What starts as an obligation turns into a desire. Taki…
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In this podcast, the producer of our podcast series, Tony, asks the following question: What freedoms are allowed in treatment? Treatment programs require a balancing of structure and the right level of freedom, so as not to signal license to behave irresponsibly. The freedoms that are allowed consist of the things that make a client feel at home, …
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In this podcast, the producer of our podcast series, Tony, asks the following question: Why is my loved one like this? Addiction often isn't recognised until it's too late to prevent it from taking hold. By the time it rears its ugly head, it has already caused confusion and anxiety. Family members will often attribute their loved one's behaviour t…
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In this podcast, the producer of our podcast series, Tony, asks the following question: Does treatment take into account cultural and social differences? Addiction is an equal opportunity predator. It strikes anyone and everyone regardless of race, social class, religion, gender, age or any other category of human you can name. It is said by AA tha…
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In this podcast, the producer of our podcast series, Tony, asks the following question: Does treatment address cross-addictions? Cross-addictions are becoming more common as a result of the increasing availability of cheaper and more potent street drugs such as fentanyl. The data shows that alcoholics are now much more likely to also be addicted to…
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In this podcast, the producer of our podcast series, Tony, asks the following question: What is the family's involvement in the treatment process? The family has been more severely affected by addiction than they realise. They need to understand that family dynamics have to change so that all in the family can recover. The family also needs to know…
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In this podcast... we confront and smash the following myth: Myth: Addiction is the addict's problem. Addiction is also society's problem, as is alcoholism. Half of the 30,000 vehicular deaths in the US every year can be attributed to drink-driving, and countless other deaths can be attributed to driving under the influence of drugs as well. Anothe…
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In this podcast... we confront and smash the following myth: Myth: The Twelve Steps are all about God. Although the word "God" actually shows up in the Twelve Steps themselves four times and twice more by referring to "him", AA principles nonetheless allow for a very broad conception of the "God" idea. At the very beginnings of AA, the co-founder, …
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In this podcast... we confront and smash the following myth: Myth: AA meetings are secret. Some AA meetings are known as "closed" meetings which are private (not secret) affairs open to those who would prefer to keep their membership private. The second type of AA meeting is called an "open" meeting which is open to the public. This is where an AA …
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In this podcast... we confront and smash the following myth: Myth: Rehabs are all work and no play. The point of rehab is to allow an addict/alcoholic to make a U-turn, to turn their life around to something approaching normalcy. Instead of a life tilted entirely to drinking and using, expending all their energy in pursuit of the high, now we seek …
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In this podcast... we confront and smash the following myth: Myth: You are to blame for their addiction. "You”, as the family member (say the mum), are as powerless over your loved one's addiction as they are themself. This concept is the hardest thing to accept. You have tried to control their behaviour, using every means at your disposal, from th…
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In this podcast... we confront and smash the following myth: Myth: All an addict has to do is just say no. This myth goes back to the 1980s when Nancy Reagan launched her "Just Say No" campaign, and the phrase has lingered in the lexicon ever since. The idea that an active addict retains the power of choice is a misguided illusion. They are in the …
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In this podcast, we answer the question... Be honest, do rehabs genuinely offer an aftercare service? There is a big difference between offering an aftercare service and actually having one in place that fully supports the person who has gone back home and is now faced with the challenge of dealing with the "real world". There isn't a single rehab …
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In this podcast, we answer the question... Is commitment to recovery a make-or-break deal after leaving treatment? By all means, yes. Those of us who have been practitioners of the principles of recovery pay attention to the wisdom expressed in the literature and read at the AA and NA meetings. A good example: "Some of us tried to hold onto our old…
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In this podcast, we answer the question... How important are Anonymous meetings? One of the myths about the AA or NA programs is that they are just about staying clean and sober. The programs are built around the 12-Steps, and only the first step mentions alcohol or drugs. The rest of the steps are all about character development that will make us …
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In this podcast, we answer the question... Will the treatment program prepare me for life after rehab? This is a question that is often asked by the family but is less frequently asked by the potential client. The client is looking for an end to their suffering; they want to know what you can do for them now. The family is looking at a bigger pictu…
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