The Addiction and Mental Health Podcast

Adam, Samantha, and Michael bring on a special guest, Hussam Hamoush, PharmD (“H”), Co-Owner at Stonebriar Pharmacy. They dive into topics about the importance of a good pharmacy/pharmacist, medications, nootropics, and supplements’ effects on mental health. We also explore H’s mental health journey as a pharmacy student and pharmacist/pharmacy owner. Beyond Coffee: A Sustainable Guide to Nootropics, Adaptogens, and Mushrooms by Dan Engle, James Beshara, and Katherine Haynes https://www.stonebriarpharmacy.com/

Adam and Michael dissect Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), its origin, the 12 steps, and the involvement of God/religion as a part of the process. They chat about some of the issues that can come with including God as part of this program and the challenges that AA can present for people in need of recovery and healing.

Samantha, Adam, and Michael chat with Jack Lewis, a student in Northeastern University’s Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner program. Jack has worked as a Recovery Specialist at Northeast Addiction Treatment Center, a Mental Health Specialist at McLean Hospital’s Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Center, and an ABA therapist with children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder. Together they talk about the challenges, barriers, and myths around psychiatric wards, getting access to mental healthcare treatment, AA, and more.

Personal trainer, nutrition coach, and friend Chris Heskett dives deep into the science around nutrition and its effects on mental health. We talk about some of the misconceptions around exercise and the fitness industry and simple tools to help boost the benefits of exercising and eating healthy. Resources: Chris Heskett - @peakwellnesscoaching - chris@protect-and-provide.com - https://linktr.ee/chrisheskett18 Breath by James Nestor Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter Dirty Genes by Ben Lynch

Adam and Michael give Samantha a rundown of Alcoholics Anonymous and answer her questions about the program, its pros and cons, and what it’s like to be a sponsor. Resources: https://www.aa.org/find-aa

Adam and Samantha talk about their personal struggles with social anxiety in various contexts and how the pandemic, social media, and culture play roles in heightening those anxieties. Resources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7344490/ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/social-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353561

Adam, Michael, and Samantha discuss what to look for in a good therapist, keeping in mind the barriers many face when trying to access quality health care. They’ll walk through fears and anxieties around therapy and offer perspectives to help listeners overcome them. For more mental health and addiction-related content, check out adamfout.com

Adam and Samantha bring on life coach Adriana Bucci to talk about narcissism, narcissistic abuse, and how we repress our emotions in our body. They chat about some of the ways to recover and work through these intense emotions. Based out of Toronto, Canada, Adriana empowers her clients worldwide to heal from narcissistic abuse, emotional and mental abuse, toxic family dynamics, and so much more. Resources: Adriana Bucci Instagram: @letsgetyourshifttogether Website: letsgetyourshifttogether.com

Treatment centers have become the go-to solution for addicts and alcoholics who want to get better, but in our experience, treatment centers regularly fail to help their patients succeed after they've left. In this episode, we explore the problems with treatment centers, how they fail their patients, and what they can do to better serve their patients.

CW: mention of suicide Samantha goes into a deep dive with Adam and Michael about the linguistic side of mental health. Pulling from an award-winning seminar paper, Samantha will outline the ways society has depicted depression and the potential issues with framing this illness. For more mental health and addiction-related content, visit adamfout.com Resources: Black Dogs and Blue Words: Depression and Gender in the Age of Self-Care by Kimberly K. Emmons The Empathy Exams by Leslie Jamison Instagram: adamfout.recovery Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adamwfout Twitter: https://twitter.com/adamfout2