Addiction

26 episodes

#5833: When GLP-1s Silence Hunger Cues

GLP-1s switch off hunger at the brainstem. For people with anorexia, that's not a side effect — it's the thing they came for.

addictionhealthcare-systemsnutrition-and-dietpublic-health

Oct 2

#5691: When the System Feels Rigged: A 180-Year Pattern

Life expectancy is stalling across the English-speaking world. History says that signal has appeared before — and what followed was reform or rupture.

twentieth-centurypublic-healthhealthcare-systemsaddictionelections

Sep 16

#5258: Vyvanse, Alcohol Withdrawal, and the Titration Problem

A listener's water-titration experiment with Vyvanse leads to a bigger question: can medicine model neurotransmitter systems in real time?

psychiatric-medicationaddictionsleep-and-circadian-rhythmadhd

Sep 11

#5186: Why the Last Milligrams Are the Hardest

Most drugs come in doses designed for stable use — not for the tiny steps safe withdrawal requires. Here's what's changing.

psychiatric-medicationaddictionhealthcare-systemsnutrition-and-diet

Sep 9

#5139: What Non-Internet Phones Reveal About Smartphone Addiction

Do internet-free phones prove the web is the addictive layer? The Haredi community offers a fascinating, if imperfect, natural experiment.

addictionadhdisraelhabits-and-behavior-changedigital-privacy

Jul 11

#4260: Rewriting Trauma: Psychedelics and Memory Reconsolidation

How psilocybin, MDMA, and ibogaine may help rewrite traumatic memories at the neural level.

stress-and-traumapsychiatric-medicationaddictionmemorytherapy-and-counseling

Jul 7

#4182: The Corner Store Loophole: Alcohol, Law & Addiction

Why corner stores can sell to visibly addicted customers—and what that does to the body.

adhdhealthcare-systemsaddictionpublic-healthisrael

Jun 27

#3927: How to Rewire Driving Fear in 10 Minutes

The science of why periodic drivers experience terror — and what to do about it.

addictionstress-and-traumatherapy-and-counselinghabits-and-behavior-change

Jun 24

#3880: The Safer Trap: Quaaludes and the Drug That Fooled Everyone

How a "safer" sedative became one of history's most dangerous cautionary tales in drug regulation.

addictionpsychiatric-medicationpublic-healthhistory-of-technology

Jun 19

#3733: What Number Do You Call When It's Not an Emergency?

CAHOOTS, STAR, and the fragmented landscape of mobile crisis teams that fill the gap between 911 and doing nothing.

public-healthhealthcare-systemsstress-and-traumaaddictionpolicing

Jun 19

#3731: How to Spot Life-Threatening Intoxication

The signs of dangerous CNS depression most people miss — and what to do before help arrives.

addictionhealthcare-systemspublic-health

Jun 13

#3524: The Glutamate Trap: Hangovers, Panic, and the Brain

Why alcohol, caffeine, and poor sleep create a perfect neurochemical storm — and what it reveals about anxiety.

addictionpsychiatric-medicationstress-and-traumanutrition-and-diet

Jun 12

#3496: The Digestive Ambush Inside a Bag of Gummy Bears

Why gummy bears wreck your gut—and what to eat instead. A harm reduction guide to treats.

nutrition-and-dietgallbladder-removalhealthcare-systemsaddiction

Jun 8

#3376: The Architecture of Childhood: Adult Children of Alcoholics

Why the COA movement isn't about preventing addiction — it's about healing the survival strategies you built in an unpredictable home.

stress-and-traumarelationshipstherapy-and-counselingaddiction

Jun 4

#3260: How 10,000 Lever Presses Predict Addiction Risk

How rat breakpoints predict human abuse potential — and whether we can replace animal testing.

addictionpsychiatric-medicationai-alignment

May 30

#3146: Why Youth Smoking Is Rising in Israel

Global smoking is down, but youth rates in Israel are rising. Here’s why.

public-healthaddictionisraelpublic-healthhealthcare-systems

Apr 29

#2533: Can Ibogaine Really Reset Addiction?

A deep dive into ibogaine's anti-addictive potential, cardiac risks, and the push for FDA-approved analogs.

sleep-and-circadian-rhythmpsychiatric-medicationaddictionstress-and-traumahealthcare-systems

Apr 27

#2484: The Alcohol-Depression Paradox: A Neurochemical Bridge

Why depressants worsen depression through rebound effects, not direct action — the real mechanism explained.

psychiatric-medicationaddictionsleep-and-circadian-rhythmmemorystress-and-trauma

Apr 19

#2321: Kratom’s Double-Edged Leaf: Science vs. Marketing

From ancient remedy to modern supplement, Kratom’s story reveals gaps between marketing, science, and global regulation.

psychiatric-medicationaddictionpublic-healthsanctions

Mar 28

#1639: Surviving a Room With a Paranoid Stranger

When you're trapped in a shelter or taxi with a volatile individual, "fight or flight" can be a death trap. Learn the art of de-escalation.

stress-and-traumaaddictionemergency-alertscivil-defensesituational-awareness

Feb 7

#534: Before the Pill: The Brutal History of Psychiatry

Before modern meds, doctors used ice picks and malaria to treat the mind. Herman and Corn explore the desperate, dark history of early psychiatry.

therapy-and-counselingaddictionstress-and-traumamedieval-world

Feb 3

#445: Beyond the Pill: The Science of Tapering Sleep Meds

Herman and Corn explore the science of tapering sleep meds, the "histamine rebound," and how to reclaim your natural rest.

psychiatric-medicationsleep-and-circadian-rhythmaddictionstress-and-trauma

Jan 31

#396: From Prozac to Plasticity: The New Science of Depression

Herman and Corn explore why we’re moving past SSRIs toward neuroplasticity, ketamine, and the gut-brain axis to treat depression.

psychiatric-medicationmemorytherapy-and-counselingaddictiondigital-privacy