Shows / In Recovery
In Recovery
If you have a heart attack, you go to the hospital. Kid is sick? Call the pediatrician. So why do the rules change when it comes to addiction? When you or a loved one needs immediate help, it’s hard to know where to go or what to do. Start here. Join Dr. Nzinga Harrison, a physician board-certified in psychiatry and addiction medicine, who believes in a comprehensive, compassionate approach to treating addiction. Whether it’s heroin, pain pills, alcohol, meth, food, sex, or anything under the…
Episodes
In RecoveryRoy Wood Jr. on Fatherhood, Vulnerability, and Joy | Introducing Squeezed
When his son Henry was born in 2016, comedian and author Roy Wood Jr. asked himself: what kind of father do I want to be? That question led him to reflect on…
In RecoveryHow to Stop Losing Our Loved Ones to the Opioid Crisis | Introducing Last Day
To listen to the rest of this episode, search for Last Day wherever you listen to podcasts. When Nadia Bowers's sister Sasha died of fentanyl overdose in 2015…
In RecoveryListen to: Un-Addiction
We're dropping in your feed today to share Dr. Nzinga's new show, Un-Addiction. Is addiction hereditary? Can stress or trauma cause addiction? Can I lead a…
In RecoveryListen to this: One Congressman’s Battle With Debilitating Anxiety (with Rep. Adam Smith)
In an eye-opening and powerful episode, In The Bubble host Andy Slavitt talks to Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), one of the most powerful members of Congress, about…
In RecoveryFrom Bad to Worse: COVID’s Toll on a Top Child Care Center
We are excited to share another Lemonada Media show you will love. It's called No One Is Coming to Save Us and it tackles the American child care crisis. No…
In RecoveryListen to This: After 1954
The team at In Recovery wanted to share with you a preview of another Lemonada Media series that they know you’ll want to tune in for. The 1954 Supreme Court…
In RecoveryHow Do I Live Presently and Die Gracefully? with Alua Arthur
As a holiday bonus, the team at In Recovery wanted to share one of their favorite podcasts of 2021 with you. New Day from Lemonada Media is a podcast with a…
In RecoveryDr. Nzinga Revisits Last Day S1, Ep 6: The Magic Formula
Opioids are killing more people than ever. In 2020, overdose deaths in the U.S. spiked nearly 30% to a record high -- the sharpest annual increase in 30 years…
In RecoveryIt’s Been 7 Weeks Since Her Overdose
Beth’s daughter Brittany was 14 months sober when she turned 29 and was kicked off her insurance, ending her stint at the one treatment program that addressed…
In RecoveryFrom Delta Fear to Vaccine Rage - Your COVID Mental Health Questions Answered
This was supposed to be an episode about languishing –– a mental health term that came into the spotlight in COVID that means feelings of emptiness…
In RecoveryI Haven’t Relapsed…Yet
It’s easy to recognize when the people close to us are going through a hard time, but recognizing that in ourselves is a different story. In our final AMA of…
In RecoveryWhen Online Attacks Get Personal
After criticisms on Twitter turned into a mob of personal attacks, Amanda Jetté Knox sunk into one of the deepest spirals of her life. She checked herself into…
In RecoveryAccepting a Terminal Diagnosis
The best way for Dr. Paul Kalanithi to process his terminal diagnosis was to write a book about accepting death. His wife, Dr. Lucy Kalanithi promised Paul…
In RecoveryHealing Trauma
We’re often taught that trauma is something that happens to us, but psychiatrist Dr. Alauna Curry explains that trauma is something that happens within us…
In RecoveryIs It Time to Leave?
This week Nzinga answers two listener questions about setting boundaries in long-term relationships with partners who are working through addiction. Plus, one…
In RecoveryNot Guilty for Reason of Insanity
Not guilty for reason of insanity is a full acquittal of criminal charges. Does that mean it’s a get out of jail free card? Turns out it's much more…
In RecoveryChaos is the Drug
What happens after your question is answered on the show? One of our listeners decided to follow up to push back on part of Nzinga’s response. He and Nzinga…
In RecoveryRaised in Recovery
This week Nzinga catches up with activist and Pod Save the People host DeRay Mckesson and his dad, Calvin. Last year DeRay, his sister TeRay, and Calvin were…
In RecoveryCan You Be Addicted to Relationships or Fortnite?
In this round of listener questions, one friend asks about serial monogamy and the pattern she sees in her female friends of hanging on to relationships. A…
In RecoveryThe Truth About Sex Addiction
Often when we hear about sex addiction, it’s used to excuse or justify bad behavior. In the last couple of years we can look to stories like Jeffery Toobin…
In RecoveryThe Real Risk Factor for Addiction
During a small retreat, six people in recovery discovered the way their childhood trauma played a part in the addictions they had. The retreat and the…
In RecoveryAsk Me Anything Is Back!
One woman’s family seems to be addicted to chaos, but she’s not sure if that counts as an addiction. Plus, a man is curious about the similarities between…
In RecoveryThe Health Care System Doesn’t Care About Health
What started out as chronic pain for David Smith’s father, ended in a fatal opioid overdose. In the years that followed, David lost a brother and sister to…
In RecoveryOne Alternative To Policing That Could Work
Representative Leslie Herod knows what it's like to have a family member struggle with addiction and incarceration. But she also knows that this is more a…
In RecoveryAnxiety is the Missing Stage of Grief
Over the last 14 months, everyone in this country has experienced some type of loss. But as a nation, we’re not always great at talking about our grief. So…
In RecoveryI Spent My 14th Birthday In Rehab (with Georgia Hardstark)
Georgia Hardstark quit meth on her own when she was 14 years old. Today, she thinks about this youthful willpower in her moments of self doubt, which she still…
In RecoverySeason 2 of In Recovery: Coming Soon
In Recovery Season 2 premieres on 4/26! Let’s face it, 2020 was rough for everyone. Suddenly, we're all in a state of mental recovery. So, join Dr. Nzinga…
In RecoveryBonus: A Voicemail from a Ten Year Old
During our second AMA episode, a listener called in concerned about her ten-year-old brother, Oliver, because he couldn’t stop talking about drugs. Well, we…
In RecoveryHow Do We Survive the Holidays?
The intersection between addiction and the holidays can be challenging. Even more so when you add a global pandemic into the mix. So Nzinga is ending Season 1…
In RecoveryAm I Overreacting?
Alicia called in about her husband's gambling and asked one of the more common questions about uncommon addictions –– is he in denial or am I overreacting?…
In RecoveryBeauty in the Grit
Air proudly identifies as a Black woman in long term recovery. Today, that’s a source of strength, but that wasn’t always the case -- she says she felt…
In RecoveryReplay: Racism is an Addiction
As we get ready to gather, in person or virtually, for one of our country’s more complicated holidays, we return to an episode about racism in the United…
In RecoveryLet's Talk About Meth
Overdose deaths from methamphetamine use have been surging in the US, not unlike opioids. But meth isn’t talked about as much. In this episode, Nzinga brings…
In RecoveryAsk Me Anything #2
Lately, it seems like we are looking for answers everywhere about everything. Luckily, Nzinga is here to answer more listener questions about all things…
In RecoveryEverybody Vapes
When Sergio started vaping, it didn’t seem like a big deal. After all, he was surrounded by people vaping and drinking at school. But lately, this casual habit…
In RecoveryDon’t Read The Comments
Nzinga often talks about how we’re all addicted to something. For Nora McInerny, host of the podcast, Terrible Thanks For Asking, it’s reading the negative…
In RecoveryNzinga Harrison Recommended Listening: Last Day Season Two
We open Season 2 of Last Day with a tale of two Kevins. One is Sergeant Kevin Briggs, also known as the guardian of the Golden Gate Bridge. The other is Kevin…
In RecoveryFinding Your Higher Power
Dave from Dopey podcast joins Nzinga to talk about 12 step recovery. Dave recently celebrated five years sober (yay!), which he largely credits to his 12 step…
In RecoveryAsk Me Anything
It’s our first ever “Ask Me Anything” episode! This week, Nzinga answers a range of listener questions. A mom wants to know if her daughter has to be ready for…
In RecoveryCan You Do Recovery Alone?
It’s (still) a global pandemic, and we are (still) doing a lot of things alone. In this episode, Nzinga talks about how recovery doesn’t have to be one of…
In RecoveryActually, Weed Is Addictive
In a single state, let’s say California, you can walk into a dispensary and buy weed legally while down the block your neighbor is still in prison for a weed…
In RecoveryWhy Is Latinx Mental Health So Ignored?
Every community does mental health differently - some, more than others. For the Latinx community, which has largely ignored issues of mental health and…
In RecoveryMental Health, Misdiagnosed
Mental health can be murky. How do you know the difference between depression and just feeling sad? What happens when you’re diagnosed with depression and…
In RecoveryHow to Find Personalized Treatment
In 2011, Gary Mendell's 25 yr old son, Brian, died by suicide after struggling with addiction for a decade. As Gary was supporting Brian through his recovery…
In RecoveryEnd the Cycle of Extreme Diet & Exercise
Tamika Bickham has always loved stories. She used to be a TV News Reporter, and now has her own media company to tell other people’s stories. But what is the…
In RecoveryHow Do I Talk To My Kid About Drugs?
It can be hard to get a teenager to talk about anything, period. So when it comes to talking to teens about drugs and addiction? Yikes. River, a teacher, wants…
In RecoveryAll Therapists Are Not Created Equal
Nzinga has mentioned therapy as a possible solution in every single episode. But that’s easier said than done. There are so many potential barriers: time…
In RecoveryThe Road Out of Self Harm
Selina was 11 years old when she first started cutting. It was her way to cope with the immense trauma she’d already experienced in her young life. Now, as an…
In RecoveryThe Way to Forgive Family
Becca’s step-sister Mindy left home when Becca was just 8 years old. Despite Mindy’s annual appearances and promises to get sober, she always left again. Now…
In RecoveryPractical Ways to Avoid Pain Meds
When Nicole showed up for a routine colonoscopy, she was shocked when the anesthesiologist planned to give her fentanyl. She reflects on how close she felt to…
In RecoveryWhat to Do if Your Partner Uses
After years of relapses, Brent thought his partner was sober...until he found his meth pipe. Nzinga talks one-on-one with Brent to strategize how to be…
In RecoveryHelp for Parents With Troubled Kids
When someone in your family is dealing with an addiction disorder, it’s hard not to feel every painful emotion all at once -- anger, guilt, rage, sadness…
In RecoveryLet's Define Alcoholism
Is alcoholism less serious than other addictions? Is my husband’s drinking out of control or am I just being a nag? What should I expect when my fiance leaves…
In RecoveryAre You Addicted to Work?
Something happens when you’re under a tight deadline, or serving during the dinner rush, or studying for a big exam. Your thoughts and emotions quiet down, and…
In RecoveryA Look at ADHD's Link to Addiction
This week we’re looking at the ways ADHD and addiction are linked. Nzinga answers listener questions about ADHD medication, parenting a kid with ADHD…
In RecoveryAddicted to Screens
How do we know when our screentime has crossed the line? From being stuck at home during COVID-19 to the incredible activism happening all over the world, it’s…
In RecoveryRacism Is An Addiction
As people gather to protest the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmed Arbery and so many Black people before them, Nzinga takes the opportunity to talk…
In RecoveryWhy We Stress-Eat
Stress and anxiety are at an all-time high, and for many of us, nothing is more soothing than a warm chocolate chip cookie or a fresh loaf of sourdough bread…
In RecoveryCompulsive Masturbation
Oh, yes, we are going there! A listener left a voicemail about masturbating so frequently that it began to disrupt her academics, her social life, and her…
In RecoveryThe Triumph of Pregnancy in Recovery
Cindy is a mother of three who was using opioids during each of her pregnancies. She knew it wasn’t healthy for the babies, but she didn’t know how to safely…