The Addicted Mind Podcast

Content note: This episode includes discussion of childhood abuse, domestic violence, and a suicidal crisis. If you’re struggling, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). It’s free, confidential, and available 24/7.

For so many of us, staying quiet was how we survived. When a childhood is shaped by violence, abuse, and chaos, silence becomes a kind of armor. And that armor often follows us into adulthood, into ...

Maybe someone you love is starting treatment for opioid use disorder and their doctor mentioned buprenorphine, or a monthly shot, and you're thinking, Wait... isn't that swapping one opioid for another? Or maybe you're the one struggling, and the idea of withdrawal feels so terrifying that treatment doesn't feel possible. Those fears make so much sense. And a lot of what we've been told about these medications is confusing, outdate...

Maybe you've watched someone you love do something that makes no sense, something that's clearly hurting them and everyone around them, and you've asked, "Why would anyone choose this?" Or maybe you've asked that question about yourself. It's such a human question. And the answers we come up with, the stories we tell about addiction, end up shaping how we treat people who are struggling... including ourselves.

In this episode I sit ...

In this episode of The Addicted Mind, host Duane Osterlind is joined by Joanna Conti, founder of Conquer Addiction and the Vista Research Group. Driven by her personal journey navigating her daughter’s severe alcohol addiction, Joanna set out to solve a major gap in the addiction treatment industry: the lack of hard, verifiable outcome data.

Joanna shares how her background in software and engineering led her to launch Vista R...

In this episode of The Addicted Mind Podcast, host Duane Osterlind speaks with actor, playwright, and recovery advocate Ned Van Zandt. Ned shares his life story—from an exotic childhood traveling the world to studying under Olympia Dukakis and working alongside high-profile actors and musicians in the 1970s. He candidly details his descent into hard drugs while living at New York's iconic Chelsea Hotel, his first 13-year stre...

In this episode of The Addicted Mind, host Duane Osterlind speaks with orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. David Hanscom about his book, Calm Your Body, Heal Your Mind. They explore the deep physiological connection between chronic pain, anxiety, and addiction, outlining how regulating the nervous system can lead to genuine, lasting healing.

Key Takeaways

• The Problem with Chronic Surgery: A vast majority of spine surgeries for non-struc...

In this episode, host Duane Osterlind welcomes physician, trauma-informed coach, and author Dr. Frank Spinelli for an honest conversation about trauma, addiction, and the root causes of shame. Dr. Spinelli shares his personal story—from surviving childhood abuse in the Boy Scouts and helping law enforcement bring his abuser to justice, to experiencing a profound breakdown during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Together...

The more we learn about the addicted mind, the more we uncover the deep connections between trauma, mental health disorders, and addiction. Today, we’re taking this exploration personal, guided by the experiences of Janet Whitney—a Licensed Family and Marriage Therapist, a mother, and a woman who has walked a challenging path alongside her daughter.

Meet Janet Whitney!

Janet Whitney is a Licensed Family and Marriage Thera...

In this episode, host Duane Osterlind sits down with David Sichel —entrepreneur, founder of Blue Shirt Media, and creator of Sober Transport. David shares his personal journey through addiction, multiple relapses, and long-term recovery, alongside how those experiences led him to innovate within the treatment ecosystem. The conversation explores how AI voice agents and text-based re-engagement tools can support overworke...

Download:   The 4 Essential Boundaries Worksheet

Are you constantly saying "yes" to everyone else's needs while your recovery takes a backseat? In this eye-opening episode of The Addicted Mind Plus, host Duane Osterlind and Eric Osterlind dive deep into the four fundamental types of boundaries that can revolutionize your recovery journey. Many people struggle with feeling selfish about setting boundaries, but as this episode re...

In this powerful episode of The Addictive Mind, host Duane Osterlind sits down with Christian Struthers to discuss his incredible journey from an ego-driven lifestyle of addiction to surviving a catastrophic, near-fatal car accident. Christian shares how a simple shift in perspective saved his mental health, how a German Shepherd named Millie helped him heal, and how he turned his trauma into a mission to give back.

Key Takeaways Fr...

Download:   Self-Disclosure in Recovery Worksheet

Ever feel like you're carrying a secret that's too heavy to share? In this powerful episode of The Addicted Mind Plus, hosts Duane and Eric Osterlind explore why sharing our authentic stories is crucial for lasting recovery. They dive into how keeping parts of ourselves hidden can actually deepen our isolation, while taking careful steps to share with trusted others can create p...

In this episode of The Addictive Mind Podcast, host Duane Osterlind sits down with Dr. Brody Miller, a brain rehabilitation researcher and author of Brain Rescue. Dr. Brody shares his incredible journey from suffering a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and deep addiction to uncovering the life-changing power of Neuroplasticity.

They dive into the invisible link between brain trauma and substance abuse, how mindfulness physically ...

The Addicted Mind Podcast: How a Little Becomes a Lot with Eric Zimmer

In this episode, Duane welcomes back Eric Zimmer, host of The One You Feed podcast, behavior coach, and author of the new book, How a Little Becomes a Lot: The Art of Small Changes for a More Meaningful Life.

Eric shares his profound journey from being a homeless heroin addict facing 50 years in prison to building a deeply meaningful life in long-term recovery. To...

Download: Setting Healthy Boundaries Worksheet

Have you ever found yourself lying awake at night, replaying that moment when you said "yes" but every fiber of your being was screaming "no"? In this transformative episode of The Addicted Mind Plus, hosts Duane and Eric Osterlind dive deep into one of recovery's most overlooked yet crucial components: setting healthy boundaries. 

They explore why boundaries aren't walls that ...

Welcome to the Addicted Mind Podcast. Today, we are delighted to bring you the wisdom and expertise of Dr. Adina Silvestri, EdD, LPC as she talks about her research on women seeking addiction treatment.Dr. Adina Silvestri is a licensed Professional Counselor in Richmond, Virginia and the founder of Life Cycles Counseling. One of her specialties is helping women that are struggling with substance abuse recover from shame to find hop...

Download: Growth Mindset Worksheet

Ever felt like feedback in your recovery journey hits you like a punch to the gut? You're not alone. In this eye-opening episode of The Addicted Mind Plus, hosts Duane and Eric Osterlind dive into why criticism can feel so painful during recovery and share game-changing strategies to transform those tough moments into opportunities for growth. Drawing from cutting-edge research in neuroscience...

In this episode, host Duane Osterlind sits down with Dr. Muhamad Aly Rifai, a dual-trained internist, psychiatrist, and addiction medicine specialist with over 25 years of clinical experience. Together, they dive deep into a rising public health concern—Kratom and 7-OH products—and unpack the complex neuroscience of how substance abuse alters brain architecture.

Dr. Rifai shares insights from his book, Hijacked Mind: How...

Ever wonder why two people can experience the exact same event but walk away with completely different emotions? 

In this fascinating episode of The Addicted Mind Podcast Plus, hosts Duane and Eric Osterlind dive into the science of optimism and reveal how our attention shapes our reality. They explain that optimism isn't about ignoring negative experiences or forcing positivity – it's about training our brain to process ...