In Recovery

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 heard from Oliver after he listened to the episode, and we loved his response so much that we called him up. Take a listen to this short and sweet bonus ep.   Please note, In Recovery contains mature themes and may not be appropriate for all l...

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 of In Recovery by answering listener questions. We hear from a woman who is worried about the toxic environment that will come with her wife’s return from rehab, even if her drinking won’t. Another listener asks about how to cope with so muc...

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? When it comes to the more subtle or nuanced addictions, it can be easy to second guess our concern or convince someone they are overreacting. Which is exactly what happened for Alicia. So, Nzinga helps her answer this question and gives her too...

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 uncomfortable in her skin since the day she was born. In an intimate and vulnerable conservation with Nzinga, Air shares how she’s learned to take the moments of discomfort and uncertainty and use them to connect with herself, her community, and he...

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 States. Nzinga takes the opportunity to talk about how racism biologically and psychologically impacts our black and brown communities. Yes, this kind of chronic trauma leads to increased substance use disorders. But even more so, this episode ex...

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 on Eleanor Health Clinic Manager Jack Register to talk about why meth has been prominent in certain communities and why there is less publicity over the rise in numbers. Plus, Nzinga lays the groundwork on how meth impacts our brains, behavio...

Lately, it seems like we are looking for answers everywhere about everything. Luckily, Nzinga is here to answer more listener questions about all things addiction. One man wants to know how he and his partner can find healthier coping mechanisms, especially in the wake of election stress. Another woman asks how she can use her own addiction experience as a cautionary tale for her 11-year-old broth...

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 feels a lot like an addiction, and he’s not sure how to stop. This week, Sergio and Nzinga talk about what makes vaping so addictive, what to do when you feel like a party pooper, and how to stop spending the equivalent of 6 Chipotle Burrit...

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 things strangers say about her online. Whether it’s the comments section, Amazon reviews, or the depths of Reddit, Nora seeks it out. So Nzinga and Nora talk about the root cause, the benefits, and how Nora can find what she’s looking for elsew...

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 Berthia, an Oakland native who drove to that bridge on March 11, 2005 with the intent of ending his life. This week, we tell the larger story behind a moment of intervention—what led up to it and what happened in the 15 years since. We’re al...

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 community. But, there are parts that haven’t always felt “right” for him. This week, Nzinga and Dave dig into all of that and break down his fascinating experience getting and staying sober. Please note, In Recovery contains mature themes an...

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 treatment. Another woman asks if she's addicted to toxic relationships and emotional uproar. And what is the best way a daughter can get her 77 year old mother into a treatment program during COVID? Answers to these questions, and more, in...

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 them. Even for Evan, a 22 year old who knows that his partner and family will be devastated if they find out, and feels like treatment options are out of the picture while he’s on his parents' insurance. In this episode, Evan and Nzinga talk one...

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 possession charge from a decade ago. Weed, like most topics we talk about on this show, is complicated. One caller wants to know if something can even be addictive if there is no physical withdrawal, while another wants to know how to set bou...

Every community does mental health differently - some, more than others. For the Latinx community, which has largely ignored issues of mental health and addiction, a facility exists in Washington DC where community members can access medical, mental health, and addiction treatment all in one place. On this week's episode, Nzinga sits down with Angie Castro, a mental health professional from La Cli...

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 anxiety, but it’s actually something else? On today’s show, we find out. Nzinga’s answers questions about the relationship between mental health, addiction, and medication from two listeners, one with bipolar and the other with borderline person...

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, remission, and relapses, he realized that, unlike other diseases, there was no real place to go for help. No huge foundation funding research. No 5k’s. So in the wake of Brian’s death, Gary created it himself. This week, Nzinga talks to Gary...

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 real story that drives Tamika to jump between extremes in nearly every aspect of her life? This week, tune in to an intimate conversation with Nzinga and Tamika as they get to the root of Tamika’s behavior, then answer listener questions abou...

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 to know how to talk to her students about addiction, without stigmatizing people who have addictions. And Suzanne, who works in a treatment center and has two teenage sons of her own, is curious why no one talks about difficult emotions and...

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, money, stigma, shame, and confusing insurance jargon. Plus, once you’re there, what do you actually say? This week, Nzinga and president-elect of the Georgia Psychological Association, Dr. Kamieka Gabriel, talk through 5 different scenarios of s...

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 adult, she wants to know how self harm fits into the world of addiction. Nzinga and Selina have an intimate, one-on-one conversation about trauma, recovery, and Selina’s own words of wisdom to others in her position. Please note, In Recovery...

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, Becca is in her early 20’s and isn’t sure what to do about her anger towards Mindy. Another listener, Katie, had a parent that enabled her brother's substance use for over 40 years. Now that her parent has passed, Katie is left wondering how...

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 losing the sobriety she fought so hard for. Can you refuse opioids as a patient in recovery? What other options are out there for treating chronic pain? And does “all-natural” really mean “all-safe?” Nzinga answers these questions and more a...

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 supportive while also working through his fears for his partner’s life. Another listener says, “The only infidelity I fear is heroin and fentanyl” and hopes to set healthy boundaries between her and her partner as they both go through recovery. And...

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, helplessness. Today we hear from a father who is trying to get his son to accept therapy and a mom who is at the end of her rope trying to break the cycle of her daughter’s alcoholism. So, what can a family do? This week, Nzinga answers question...