Let's Talk Addiction & Recovery

As anyone who has searched for addiction treatment knows, there's no shortage of options, approaches and specialty programs available. What's missing are quality standards that consumers can use to determine the most effective care for their situation. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with addiction recovery expert Joe Lee, MD, about what consumers need to know—and should expect—when considering treatment providers and programs.

Learn where to find help if your family is faced with addiction. Just as the alcoholic or addict needs help to get well, families need support to heal from the harm of addiction. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with therapists Sarah Schwalbach and Julia Edelman about the importance of addiction recovery support for families. They will discuss the recovery process, rebuilding trusting relationships, relapse prevention and helpful resources.

Addiction is defined as a disease of the body, mind and spirit, but the spiritual aspects of recovery often take a backseat to treating the physical and psychological symptoms. Listen in as noted psychiatrist and addiction recovery expert Marvin D. Seppala, MD, talks with host William C. Moyers about spirituality and healing: practicing honesty, humility and compassion; leaning on others for help; experiencing positive emotions (joy, love, awe); and living with greater purpose and meaning.

Learn how addiction to alcohol or other drugs hijacks the brain and why people in active addiction continue drinking or using substances despite devastating effects. Recovery expert Marvin D. Seppala, MD, joins host William C. Moyers to discuss the disease of addiction in easily understandable terms: the role of dopamine in the brain's reward center; effects of alcohol and other drugs on the brain, liver, heart and mental health; genetic and other risk factors for addiction.

Vaping nicotine rather than smoking the drug is widely promoted as a safe way to wean off cigarettes, but the popular practice is exposing a new generation to risky substance use. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with youth addiction and recovery expert Joseph Lee, MD, about the difference between vaping and smoking, types of vaping devices used for nicotine and other drugs, and the harmful health effects of vaping—especially for teens.

With the best of intentions, families can fall into unhealthy roles when attempting to cope with a loved one's alcohol or drug addiction. Enabling, denying, blaming and preoccupation are common coping behaviors. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with therapists Sarah Schwalbach and Julia Edelman about how addiction affects the family system, what it means to "detach with love" and why helping a loved one who has addiction starts with getting help for yourself.

Two different types of activities—substance use and compulsive behavior—increase dopamine output, producing a "feel good" sensation that can trigger and reinforce addiction. Host William C. Moyers talks with recovery expert Brenda Iliff about cross addiction (addiction interaction disorder), the condition of replacing one problematic substance or behavior with another. Iliff explains why addictive behaviors around food, sex or gaming thrive in secrecy and where to find recovery help and support.

Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with psychologist and recovery author Allen Berger about the dynamics involved when the "addict self" takes charge as addiction takes hold and the importance of self-awareness in sustaining long-term recovery. As scientific research reveals the effect of addiction on brain function related to judgment, motivation and perception, recovery experts are also taking a closer look at the role of substance abuse in personality development and emotional health.

As scientific research reveals the effect of addiction on brain function related to judgment, motivation and perception, recovery experts are also taking a closer look at the role of substance abuse in personality development and emotional health. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with psychologist and recovery author Allen Berger about the dynamics involved when the "addict self" takes charge as addiction takes hold and the importance of self-awareness in sustaining long-term recovery.

As anyone in recovery from alcohol or drug addiction can attest, life's challenges don't magically disappear once you get clean and sober. But you can learn to respond to life's difficulties in healthier ways by developing emotional sobriety. Listen in as psychologist and author Allen Berger discusses the how-to of emotional sobriety with host William C. Moyers: What emotional sobriety is, why it's so important to "feel your feelings" and how to more fully embrace the ebb and flow of life.

Listen in as psychologist and author Allen Berger discusses the how-to of emotional sobriety with host William C. Moyers: What emotional sobriety is, why it's so important to "feel your feelings" and how to more fully embrace the ebb and flow of life. As anyone in recovery from alcohol or drug addiction can attest, life's challenges don't magically disappear once you get clean and sober. But you can learn to react to life's difficulties in healthier ways by developing emotional sobriety.

America's older generations are increasingly at risk of developing substance use disorders. Listen in as Brenda Iliff, executive director of the Hazelden Betty Ford treatment center in Naples, Florida, joins host William C. Moyers to discuss the growing prevalence of addiction among older adults. She describes how age-related issues can hasten problematic drinking or drug use and offers helpful advice about initiating a conversation if you're concerned that your loved one may need treatment.

Some of the most promising approaches to the nation's opioid epidemic are being forged in courthouses, correctional institutions, hospital emergency rooms and town hall meetings in communities across the country. Jordan Hansen, manager of clinical strategies and programming for the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, joins host William C. Moyers to report on several successful efforts at the local level to effect change, advance addiction recovery and build a healthier tomorrow.

When Linda P. was prescribed Percocet to relieve her debilitating migraine headaches, the powerful opioid drug quickly became her go-to remedy for all of life's struggles. Listen in as Linda tells host William C. Moyers why shame kept her trapped in addiction for years until she was able to ask for help. Linda also discusses why a medication-assisted treatment program along with a combination of inpatient and outpatient rehab proved the best path for her in finding lasting freedom from opioid addiction.

While a "cure" for alcohol and drug addiction remains elusive, clinicians are getting closer to understanding how to help more people successfully reclaim their lives from the chronic disease. John Driscoll, senior vice president of recovery services for the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, joins host William C. Moyers to discuss evidence-based rehab advancements and core elements of effective treatment designed to help patients learn how to successfully manage the symptoms of their disease.