Shows
Addiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionHow To Use Naloxone Like a Pro with Dr. Reb Close (Rebroadcast)Addiction medicine specialists Dr. Casey Grover and Dr. Reb Close share essential information about using naloxone (Narcan) to save lives during opioid overdoses. They discuss how naloxone administration differs between hospital settings and community response, emphasizing that having this medication readily available is crucial in today's world of fentanyl-contaminated street drugs.• Naloxone should be as normalized and common as fire extinguishers in homes and workplaces• In medical settings, naloxone can be carefully titrated to prevent precipitating severe withdrawal• In community settings, the protocol is simple: administer nasal naloxone, call 911, wait for help• Only 4% of naloxone...2025-07-2829 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionKetamine: The Good, The Bad, and The UglyDr. Casey Grover explores the complexities of ketamine, examining its medical benefits, potential for addiction, and growing presence in both therapeutic and recreational settings.• Originally developed as a dissociative anesthetic for surgery that doesn't suppress breathing• Now recognized for treating treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, and suicidal ideation• Can reduce suicidal thoughts as quickly as 90 minutes after administration• Also effective for severe pain, alcohol withdrawal, and certain emergency situations• Recreational use has increased dramatically with seizures up 350% between 2017-2022• Creates a trance-like "K-hole" state that users seek for altered perception and relaxation• Long-term use can cause...2025-07-2134 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionWhen Mental Health Meets Primary Care: Transforming Addiction TreatmentIn this episode, Dr. Casey Grover explores how integrating behavioral health and addiction services into primary care settings can transform healthcare delivery and dramatically improve access to treatment. Dr. Grover speaks to psychologists Patti Robinson and Jeff Reiter about their work creating integrated primary care practices and clinics. • Healthcare in the US is siloed, forcing patients to navigate separate systems for physical health, mental health, and addiction• Mental health specialization creates artificial barriers when generalist counselors could help many addiction patients• Integrated care places behavioral health providers in primary care settings with same-day, brief (15-30 min) ap...2025-07-1446 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionTreating Opioid Withdrawal—With the Ear???Discover how stimulating specific points on the ear can dramatically reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms through an FDA-approved device called the ST Genesis. Shelley Halligan, President of Speranza Therapeutics, explains the science behind percutaneous nerve field stimulation and its remarkable effects on patients struggling with addiction.• The device works by targeting cranial nerves in the ear to activate the parasympathetic nervous system• Small electrical pulses delivered continuously for five days can significantly reduce withdrawal symptoms• Clinical applications include shortening the waiting period before starting Suboxone treatment• The technology may help prevent precipitated withdrawal, a major barrier...2025-07-0742 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionA Deep Dive into Urine Drug TestingUrine drug testing provides critical insights for addiction treatment, helping clinicians understand what substances patients are actually using and how the drug supply is rapidly changing. Matthew Rutledge, founder of MD Labs, shares his expertise on testing methodologies, detection capabilities, and emerging trends in substance use.• Different drug test types include basic immunoassay cups (similar to pregnancy tests), which detect drug shapes but can have false positives/negatives• Liquid and Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry provides highly accurate substance identification down to nanogram levels• Developing tests for novel substances takes 2-4 months, requiring standards and valida...2025-06-3043 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionThe High Functioning Patient with AddictionToday we speak with Dr. Samantha Harte about her experience living as a high-functioning person with addiction and how perfection masks internal struggles. She shares her journey from overdosing on cocaine as she was accepted into her doctoral program to becoming an author and recovery coach helping others find authentic healing.• High-functioning addiction often hides behind external success and achievements• Control and perfectionism become secondary addictions that receive cultural reinforcement• Traditional recovery approaches can face resistance from high-achievers who struggle to admit powerlessness• Dr. Harte discusses writing her book "Breaking the Circuit" after losing her sist...2025-06-2347 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionBreaking the Ice: Treating Methamphetamine Use DisorderDr. Casey Grover explores the history, neuroscience, and treatment approaches for methamphetamine use disorder, highlighting how methamphetamine releases more dopamine than any other known substance.• Methamphetamine was widely used during World War II by German, Japanese, and Allied forces to enhance performance• Modern meth production shifted from ephedra to P2P method, creating cheaper, more potent meth with worse psychiatric effects• Meth causes dopamine release up to 1,400 ng/dL of dopamine compared to cocaine (400), sex (200), and food (150), severely damaging reward centers• Many methamphetamine users have undiagnosed ADHD and are inadvertently self-medicating• Effective medications include bu...2025-06-1637 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionWhat Every Doctor Should Know About Addiction: Buprenorphine, Naltrexone, and MoreIn this episode, we discuss the fundamentals of treating opioid and alcohol use disorders with medication-assisted approaches. We review how to understand addiction as self-regulation with substances and how healthcare providers can leverage familiar medications alongside specialized treatments to help patients recover.We also discuss• Addiction fundamentally involves helping patients shift from self-regulating with substances to self-regulating without them• Distinguishing opioid dependence (physical brain chemistry changes) from opioid use disorder (psychological addiction)• Buprenorphine as a partial agonist that blocks other opioids, reduces cravings, and decreases overdose risk by 70%• Three FDA-approved medicati...2025-06-0954 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionWhat I Learned About Addiction from Matt Butler’s Prison ConcertsThis episode is an interview with Matt Butler, a singer-songwriter who has performed in jails and prisons across America for a decade. He shares how music creates transformative spaces for healing in correctional environments.• Matt's musical journey began after writing songs for a documentary about recovery high schools• Music penetrates emotional defenses faster than conventional approaches, allowing inmates to be vulnerable• Songs like "Good Friday" and "Time to Be a Man" directly speak to experiences of addiction and incarceration• Hypervigilance in prison environments makes trauma processing nearly impossible• Music temporarily changes the atmosphere, allowing e...2025-06-0248 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionAn Overview of Psychiatric Medication (and How They Can Help Patients with Addiction)Dr. Casey Grover breaks down psychiatric medications and their role in addiction treatment, explaining how different medications work, when they're most appropriate, and which ones to avoid. He provides a practical overview based on his extensive experience treating patients with substance use disorders.• Psychiatric medications get developed through research on brain receptors and undergo rigorous testing before FDA approval• Medications often have "off-label" uses that weren't originally intended but provide benefits in certain situations• Antidepressants like SSRIs and SNRIs serve as the foundation for treating depression in people with addiction• Using non-addictive options like hydroxyz...2025-05-2633 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionFentanyl High: A Teen Filmmaker's Fight Against the Opioid CrisisKyle Santoro, a 19-year-old filmmaker, created the documentary "Fentanyl High" to explore teenage psychology behind substance abuse after witnessing overdoses at his high school. His film takes a peer-to-peer approach to addiction education, removing stigma and creating spaces for vulnerable conversations about why teens turn to substances.Kyle and Dr Grover discuss his experiences making the film and what he has learned through making it:• Kyle began the project after a classmate overdosed in a school bathroom and administrators never acknowledged the incident• Traditional school responses to substance use often involve punishment and...2025-05-1942 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionSobriety is a Team SportTom Barnum, former Michigan State linebacker and NFL player, shares his remarkable journey from addiction to finding joy in sobriety through his team-based approach to recovery. He is the author of the book "Sobriety is a Team Sport"We discuss:• Addiction recovery requires admitting the problem is beyond personal control• Tom identifies the three paths for people with addiction: sobriety, jail, or death• AA meetings provide essential human connection that helps rewire the brain's dopamine system• Forced sobriety through court mandates or fear tactics rarely works long-term• Recovery groups create unique bond...2025-05-1229 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionThese Shots Save Lives - Using Long Acting Injectable Meds for AddictionDr. Casey Grover interviews fellow addiction medicine physician Dr. Jason Giles to explore how addiction specialists approach treatment using long-acting injectable medications as tools for recovery.We discuss:• Dr. Giles shares his personal journey from anesthesiology to addiction medicine after developing his own dependency on fentanyl• Addiction as a disease of executive functioning that impairs decision-making ability• Recovery requires building new neural pathways - learning to manage emotions without substances• Long-acting injectable medications (Sublocade, Brixadi, Vivitrol) , and how these medications reduce cravings and provide protection while patients develop new coping skills• The proces...2025-05-0548 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionHow One of My Patients Quit KratomDr. Casey Grover shares his clinical experience treating Kratom Use Disorder through a detailed case presentation of a 38-year-old man who struggled to find medical professionals knowledgeable about kratom addiction.• Many healthcare providers lack knowledge about kratom, causing delays in patients receiving proper treatment• Kratom creates opioid dependence similar to traditional opioids, leading to withdrawal symptoms when stopping• The convenience of buying kratom at smoke shops contrasts sharply with the barriers of traditional medical care• Patients often use kratom to self-medicate underlying conditions like anxiety, ADHD, or pain• Effective treatment involves addressing opioid dependence...2025-04-2817 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionHot Showers and Horror Stories: Scromiting and Cannabinoid Hyperemesis SyndromeCannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS), also known as "scromiting," is a debilitating condition characterized by severe nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain that affects heavy cannabis users. Dr. Casey Grover explains this increasingly common syndrome caused by high-potency cannabis products, which paradoxically improves with hot showers and proves challenging to treat with conventional medications.• First identified in 2009 and named "scromiting" to reflect the combined screaming and vomiting patients experience• Cannabis potency has increased dramatically from 1% THC in the 1970s to 25-30% THC in today's products• Patients experience cyclical episodes of diffuse abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting lasting 24-48 ho...2025-04-2131 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionCan You Overdose on Cannabis? The Answer is Yes (Update from 2023)The cannabis available today is dramatically stronger than what existed in previous decades, with THC levels climbing from 1% in 1970 to 25-30% in 2025, creating serious risks particularly for young people who don't understand appropriate dosing. Dr. Grover shares how cannabis has been deliberately bred for higher potency and how new extraction techniques have created products with astronomical THC levels, leading to dangerous situations like young people consuming 60 times a reasonable dose.• Cannabis potency has increased from 1% THC in 1970 to 25-30% THC today through selective breeding• Modern extraction techniques allow THC to be added back into products, creating conc...2025-04-1431 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionTrauma Therapy Explained with Dr. Jessica CooperTrauma is a crucial aspect of addiction treatment, often serving as the underlying cause for substance use. In this illuminating interview with trauma therapist Dr. Jessica Cooper, we explore the mechanics of trauma therapy and how it helps people heal from devastating experiences.• Breaking down trauma therapy into three essential phases: establishing safety, processing memories, and reconnection/integration• Understanding how childhood trauma creates patterns that can lead to re-traumatization in adulthood• Exploring the "fawn" trauma response (people-pleasing) alongside the better-known fight/flight/freeze responses• Examining the differences in approach between single-incident trauma vs. complex, repeated...2025-04-0753 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionLaughing Gas Addiction Isn't Funny (Update from 2024)Exploring the growing problem of recreational nitrous oxide use and its serious medical complications, including paralysis and permanent nerve damage. I share personal patient cases and investigate how this addictive substance is readily available in smoke shops and even on Amazon with minimal warning labels.• Multiple patients experiencing serious neurological complications from recreational nitrous oxide use• Personal investigation revealing easy access to nitrous oxide on Amazon marketed for whipped cream making• How nitrous oxide depletes vitamin B12, leading to potential spinal cord and peripheral nerve damage• Examination of labeling issues with commercial nitrous oxide products...2025-03-3126 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionSaving Two Lives: How I Manage Opioid Addiction During PregnancyJoin me, Dr. Casey Grover, as I provide a comprehensive guide to treating opioid use disorder during pregnancy, examining evidence-based approaches that protect both mother and baby through critical periods of care. The statistics are sobering - opioid use disorder in pregnancy has more than doubled in recent years, with overdoses now a leading cause of pregnancy-associated death.• Two major medical societies (ACOG and ASAM) recommend treating with methadone or buprenorphine rather than attempting medication-free withdrawal• Buprenorphine shows slight advantages over methadone for pregnancy outcomes, but the best choice is whichever medication keeps the mother sober...2025-03-2431 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionLessons Learned From the Front Lines of Addiction MedicineThis episode provides a deep dive into the complexities of addiction medicine learned from seeing patients in my practice. Through real patient cases, I highlight the importance of tailored approaches to addiction that consider both the physiological and psychological aspects of recovery.We discuss• Insights into demographics of substance use in a rural setting • The effectiveness of dual medication therapies for alcohol use disorder • The link between trauma and substance use disorders • Emerging concerns surrounding kratom as a public health issue • The significance of managing co-occurring ADHD in addiction treatmentTo contact Dr...2025-03-1719 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionCould N-Acetylcysteine Be the Key to Beating Cannabis Use Disorder?This episode delves into the role of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in treating cannabis use disorder, exploring scientific studies and their findings. Listeners will gain insights on the efficacy of NAC, its potential in addiction treatment, and practical considerations for use.• Overview of cannabis use disorder statistics and the need for treatment options • Explanation of N-acetylcysteine and its mechanism of action in addiction • Review of clinical trials evaluating NAC's effectiveness in reducing cannabis use Subscribe, share your thoughts, or leave a review!To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com2025-03-1019 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionHow I've Come to Understand PTSD In My PracticeTrauma plays a pivotal role in the journey of addiction, with many individuals using substances as a means to cope with unresolved issues. Addressing PTSD is crucial for effective recovery, as understanding the link between trauma and addiction can empower individuals toward healing. In this episode we discuss:• Trauma and its historical context in PTSD understanding • Description of brain responses to trauma and the feedback loop • Big T and little t traumas and their cumulative effects • The connection between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adult illnesses • The importance of a trauma-informed...2025-03-0336 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionWhy the Teenage Brain is Wired for AddictionUnderstanding the teenage brain’s vulnerability to addiction can help parents and educators guide youth more effectively. This episode explores the brain's development, early drug use risks, emotional impairment, and effective prevention strategies drawn from successful programs like Iceland's. Key points:• Teenage brains develop until around age 26, with the prefrontal cortex being critical for decision-making • Early substance use increases the risk of developing addiction • Social and emotional learning is impaired by drugs and alcohol • Nick Sheff's story highlights the long-term effects of early addiction • Dopamine plays a crucial role in pleasure, survival, and addiction ris...2025-02-2413 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionStories From My Patients That Teach Me About AddictionCan personal stories of struggle and resilience reshape our understanding of addiction? The answer is YES! My patients teach me about addiction all the time!Join me, Dr. Casey Grover, as I share the powerful stories of three patients whose experiences challenge society’s perceptions of addiction. Their journeys highlight the need for understanding over judgment and the vital role healthcare providers play in supporting those in need. This episode is a heartfelt call to action. Byy raising awareness and extending support, we can improve addiction treatment and break the stigma surrounding this complex issue. Lis...2025-02-1717 minAddiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addictionUnderstanding Trauma: How I Found Out that My Brain Stores Trauma on the Left SideThis podcast episode delves into the groundbreaking concept of dual brain psychology and its implications for understanding trauma and addiction. Dr. Fred Schiffer shares his insights on how different hemispheres of the brain process trauma and the methods developed to facilitate healing through dual brain dynamics.• Explanation of split brain studies and their significance • Distinction between the functions of each brain hemisphere • Insights on how trauma resides in different sides of the brain • Connection between cravings and brain hemisphere activity • The cumulative effect of trauma and its relation to addiction • Gender dynamics and patterns in t...2025-02-1045 min