Recovery in the Middle Ages - Two Middle-Aged Suburban Dads Talk About Recovering From Addiction to Drugs & Alcohol.

Episode 126: An Attitude of Gratitude-The RMA Thanksgiving Special! Just in time for Thanksgiving, RMA brings you a special episode focused on gratitude. As we approach the festive time, it's important to remember the role of gratitude in our recovery journey. In this episode, we do a deep dive into understanding the power of thankfulness and its transformative impact on our mental and emotional w...

Episode 125: Recovery News Roundup: Sober Companions, Xylazine Alert, Poly-Addiction Trends and the West Coast Monkster Mash! It’s an extended version of Recovery in the News!  We kick off the discussion with an look into the concept of sober companions and their growing importance in the journey towards sobriety, (if you have enough money). The conversation then shifts to a critical analysis of x...

Episode 124: A Monkster's Tale: Zed's Journey from Cannabis to Clarity This week Mike and Nat welcome Zed to the podcast to tell his story of his weed and alcohol addiction, and his recovery through the 12 steps. Zed began smoking weed and drinking in college and things quickly got out of hand. A speeding arrest, coupled with the impending arrival of his first child, became Zed's turning point tow...

Episode 123: RMA Interview: Dave Smith-The Dharma of Addiction and Recovery   This week Mike and Nat welcome Dave Smith to the podcast to discuss Buddhism, recovery, and the dharma of your life.   Dave is an internationally recognized Buddhist meditation teacher, addiction treatment specialist, and published author. His background is rooted in the Insight Meditation tradition and he was empowered...

Episode 122: Recovery 101-Sober October and Other Scary Recovery Concepts   It’s back to basics this week, as Mike and Nat talk about how to have a successful Sober October and how to use the popular challenge as a way to springboard forward into a more lasting recovery.   Also, Nat is back from Dopey Con IV and he gives a full report, and Mike takes the Fear City tour of the Lower East Side with...

Episode 121: Recovery Gold-Hoarding Your Addiction  Mike and Nat dig deep into the recovery topic token bag and pull out some conversation starters. Is there a positive way to look at self-centeredness? Do you need faith and spiritual awakenings to recover? How is the recovery journey like the plot of the Hobbit?    We also catch up with Ryan and read a listener email. All this and more on a searc...

RMA Episode 120: Fentanyl Fall-Drug Policy and More! An RMA News Special Last week, a tragic incident occurred at a daycare center in New York, where a child died due to a suspected fentanyl overdose after being exposed to the drug concealed within the facility. Meanwhile, across the country in Oregon, the state grapples with the repercussions of passing Proposition 110. This legislation effective...

RMA Episode 119: Recovery Boys-An RMA Back to School Special! This week Mike and Nat do an in-depth review of the Netflix special Recovery Boys. Recovery Boys is a Netflix documentary directed by Elaine McMillion Sheldon. The documentary, which was released in 2018, follows the journey of four young men as they attempt to rebuild their lives and recover from opioid addiction. The film primarily ta...

RMA Episode 118: Painkiller Review-A Kick in the Sacklers   And we’re back! Season 4 kicks off with a discussion of the Netflix docu-drama Painkiller. Does the world need another re-telling of the Oxy-Contin story? Tune in to find out.   PLUS, we listen to some hotline voice-mails, talk about what we did on our summer vacations, and share the sad story of the Long Island cocaine Chihuahuas.   AND...

RMA Episode 117: The Highs and Lows of Pharmaceutical Meth: A Candid Dive into “Take Your Pills'"   In this week’s episode of the Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast, Mike  and Nat dissect the thought-provoking Netflix documentary, "Take Your Pills." This 2018 documentary delves into the world of Adderall and other stimulants, exploring their widespread use for ADHD and their potential for abuse b...

RMA-Episode 116: Allan B-From Chaos to Clarity in Long-Term Sobriety In this week’s episode of the "Recovery in the Middle Ages" Mike and Nat continue the Meet a Monkster theme and have a sit-down with Allan B, the Grand Wizard of  Monksterhaven. Allan's vivid anecdotes of coming of age in the mid-late 1970s paint a compelling narrative that bridges the gap between the chaotic punk rock scene on t...

RMA-Episode 115:  From Monkster to Master: Unraveling the Kratom Knot with Charlie X In this week's episode of Recovery in the Middle Ages, hosts Mike and Nat interview Charlie X, a long-time participant on the Monkster Discord and host of the Kratom Sobriety Podcast.  Charlie opens up about his journey towards recovery from alcohol use disorder, he discusses the challenges he faced along the way...

RMA-Episode 114:  Bouncing Back: Chris Herron's Memoir "Basketball Junkie," and Queen Liz of Monksterhaven Joins Us!  This week, hosts Mike and Nat are thrilled to have a chat with Liz S, our longtime listener and the first guest on our new segment, “Meet a Monkster”. Plus, we take a deep dive into the addiction memoir, "Basketball Junkie." Liz S, has been an active and supportive listener of RMA...

RMA-Episode 113: From Addiction’s Trance to Recovery’s Dance: A Discussion of Alcohol, Addiction and Public Policy with Grant Boyken   Grant is back! Join us as the OG Monkster and creator of the popular website, soberliningsplaybook.com , shares his insights on the current public policy issues surrounding drug and alcohol addiction, and catches us up on what’s been going on in his life.    In thi...

RMA-Episode 112: Is Addiction a Conscious Choice?  Do we choose to use? In this week’s episode of RMA,  Mike and Nat delve into the complex and often contentious debate surrounding addiction: Is it a choice?  A disease? Something else? They'll explore the arguments on both sides, drawing on scientific studies, insights from addiction research, and a close read of Maia Szalavitz’s latest New York T...

RMA-Episode 111: From Frazzled to Balanced: A Guide to Finding Serenity in Sobriety In this week’s episode of Recovery in the Middle Ages, we explore Nat's harrowing tale of experiencing a seizure on his journey to Washington, prompting an urgent evaluation of his diet and stress levels by his doctor. Join us as we delve into practical tips and tricks for managing stress in recovery, optimizing yo...

RMA-Episode 110: Fentanyl Follies: The Not-So-Funny Side of Misguided Drug Policies In this action-packed episode of Recovery in the Middle Ages, we delve into the perplexing world of recent legislation that's beefing up criminal penalties for fentanyl dealers. But are these laws actually helpful, or are they just a rehash of the failed War on Drugs? We'll also discuss public policy on addiction i...

RMA-Episode 109: Xanax Shenanigans: A Prescription for Disaster This week on RMA, we review the 2022 documentary film Take your Pills: Xanax, currently streaming on Netflix.  We also dive deep into the world of Xanax and benzodiazepine abuse, discussing the history, widespread use, and the challenges presented by aggressive pharmaceutical marketing and overprescription of these drugs.   Please rem...

We will be back next week!

RMA-Episode 108 Show Notes:   RMA-Episode 108: Jiva G's Journey: Bhakti Recovery and the Power of Spiritual Transformation. Hare Krishna! In this week’s episode of Recovery in the Middle Ages, Mike and Nat are joined by Jiva G, creator of the Bhakti Recovery movement. Jiva shares her story of growing up in New York in the punk rock era, her addiction, recovery, and spiritual transformation, as wel...

RMA-Episode 107 Show Notes: RMA-Episode 107: To Live and Die in LA-This week Mike and Nat review the recovery memoirs The Los Angeles Diaries and This River by author James Brown. Plagued by the suicides of both his siblings, and heir to alcohol and drug abuse, divorce, and economic ruin, James Brown lived a life clouded by addiction, broken promises, and despair. In the first two books of his rec...

RMA-Episode 106 Show Notes:   RMA-Episode 106: The Mysterious Disappearance of Beau Mann. Beau Mann, the 38 year-old founder of Sober Grid, disappeared from a Los Angeles neighborhood on November 30, 2021 and hasn’t been seen since. Mike and Nat go over the case and discuss what is known about Mann’s movements in the hours prior to his disappearance. Sober Grid, the company Mann founded, combines...

RMA-Episode 105 Show Notes:   RMA-Episode 105: Skid Row Recovery. If you find yourself using drugs in a place like the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, a guy like Scott Mannheimer is someone you want in your corner. Kensington is a notorious skid row, where it is common to find addicts shooting up in broad daylight, hunched over in a stupor or passed out on the streets. Needles, syringes a...

RMA-Episode 104 Show Notes:   RMA-Episode 104: It’s Time for Dopey! This week Dave M., host of the popular Dopey podcast, sits down with Mike and Nat at Peachtree Studios to talk about drugs, addiction and dumb shit. They also talk about recovery, podcasting, the Grateful Dead, podcasting and life after addiction.  Don’t miss it!   Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite platf...

RMA-Episode 103 Show Notes:   RMA-Episode 103: Crack is Wack! This week Mike and Nat travel the rocky road and discuss Bill Clegg’s memoirs, Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man, and Ninety Days. Literary agent Bill Clegg was talented, successful and secretly addicted to crack. His 2010 memoir Portrait of the Artist, describes the highs and (mostly) lows of living with a crack addiction in New Yor...