Sober Spill

Detoxing from home is more possible — and more dangerous — than you think. In this episode of Sober Spill, Dr. Ashwinii Hari-Kurapati, Assistant Medical Director of Outpatient Withdrawal Management at Mountainside, breaks down which substances can be safely detoxed at home and which ones require immediate medical care. From the alarming rise of gas-station kratom and "designer benzos" to...

Kratom is sold legally in gas stations, vape shops, and even adult novelty stores across the U.S. — with almost zero regulation or warning labels. In this powerful episode of Sober Spill, host Jana sits down with Patti Wheeler — film producer, mother, and founder of "A Beautiful Life Stolen" — to discuss the death of her 27-year-old son Wyatt and the making of her documentary, "Krat...

Can addiction be inherited? In this fascinating 60th episode of Sober Spill, leading addiction researcher Danielle Dick, Ph. D., breaks down the science of genetics, addiction risk, ADHD, anxiety, and the environmental factors that shape our lives. As Director of the world's largest addiction research center at Rutgers University and author of The Child Code, Dr. Dick explains why there is no...

What really happens during an intervention—and why do some save lives while others fail? In this episode of Sober Spill, interventionist Bob Reed shares powerful stories from more than 30 years of helping families navigate addiction, trauma, eating disorders, mental health crises, and recovery. From his own life-changing intervention at age 23 to successfully guiding over 2,000 families through so...

Celebrity makeup artist Amanda Gabbard has worked with icons like Trevor Noah, Al Pacino, Brooke Shields, Samantha Bee, and Charlie Sheen—but her biggest beauty secret is not makeup. In this episode of Sober Spill, Amanda shares what she has learned from decades behind the scenes, including the dramatic effects alcohol has on skin, confidence, aging, and overall wellness. From Dry January transfor...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Jana sits down with Hilary - Executive Director of End Kratom Addiction, co-founder of the first kratom-specific recovery community, and long-term kratom survivor. Hilary opens up about starting kratom at 21 as a "natural anxiety remedy" and spiraling to 100 capsules a day while working as a certified peer support specialist for substance use disorders — l...

In this episode of Sober Spill, host Jana sits down with Dr. Ashwinii Hari-Kurapati, internal medicine physician, for a clinically rich conversation about the rapidly shifting landscape of addiction medicine. Dr. Hari breaks down Mountainside's Outpatient Withdrawal Management Program and how it's allowing patients to detox safely from home without leaving their families or careers behind....

In this episode of Sober Spill, Isabel speaks with Candace, a licensed therapist, as she shares her story of growing up in a chaotic home shaped by alcoholism, instability, and having to grow up too fast. Raised in a home impacted by alcoholism, Candace struggled with anger, boundaries, and survival at a young age—leading to arrests and life-altering consequences. Candace opens up about the moment...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Jana speaks with Dr. Leah, a veterinarian specializing in hospice care, as she shares the unseen struggles and mental health crisis inside veterinary medicine. From burnout and grief to substance use and suicide risk, Dr. Leah reveals the behind-the-scenes emotional toll of caring for animals and their families. She also explores how pets can both support and compli...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Isabel sits down with CJ, founder of Dry Humor Bottle Shop, for a candid and emotionally layered conversation on growing up in a family impacted by alcoholism and how that experience shaped her own relationship with drinking. CJ opens up about navigating grief after losing her brother to addiction, the blurred lines of high-functioning alcohol use, and the moment sh...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Jana sits down with Sarah (a licensed mental health counselor and certified rehabilitation counselor at Mountainside) to discuss disability, identity, mental health, and addiction recovery. Sarah shares her experience growing up as a little person and how stigma, bullying, and feeling different shaped her understanding of self-worth and mental health. Jana and Sarah...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Isabel sits down with Erin Khar, author of Strung Out and founder of advice column "Ask Erin", to talk about how addiction can begin long before anyone realizes it. Erin opens up about hiding a $1,000-a-day heroin habit from her family and fiancé, what it was like to overdose with no Narcan, secretly relapse while collecting sobriety milestones, and how ha...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Jana Wu sits down with Dr. Nunes, a Columbia-trained psychiatrist with decades on the front lines of addiction medicine, for an intellectually expansive conversation. Dr Nunes breaks down the science of how our brains respond to substances and why some people are wired to become addicted while others aren't – and what the next generation of addiction treatment c...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Jana Wu sits down with filmmakers Jamie and Jason Neese, the creators behind the powerful documentary Kratom: Side Effects May Include. Known for their work on major projects like The Umbrella Academy and Dear White People, the Neese brothers explore the world of addiction and uncover the realities of kratom and how this widely available substance is impacting indiv...

What does it feel like to be addicted to something most people have never heard of — and feel too ashamed to even talk about it? In this raw and deeply personal episode of Sober Spill, Jana Wu sits down with Jarred, a kratom recovery advocate who spent eight years addicted to kratom powder. Jarred takes us through taking a "focus supplement" to the years of denial as his body slowly brok...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Isabel speaks with the Pietrosimone sisters, Kelly and Jamie, as they share their shocking story of “Operation Big Blow.” The sisters reveal how their lives spiraled experimenting with drugs, opioid addiction, and arrests leading to involvement in a federal drug investigation. Kelly and Jamie reveal the moments they wish they could take back, facing federal charges...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Isabel sits down with Justin to talk about how addiction slowly took control even when he thought he was managing it. Justin opens up about what it was like navigating addiction at a young age and the mindset that kept him stuck until the moment he realized he couldn't keep living the same way. This episode explores young people in recovery, relapse risk and reb...

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In this episode of Sober Spill, Isabel sits down with Melissa McGovern (aka The Sober New Yorker) to open up about the gray areas of drinking, pandemic grief, and the doctor's appointment that changed everything. After losing her best friend to alcohol-related illness, Melissa’s own bloodwork revealed dangerously elevated liver enzymes, high cholesterol, rising A1C levels, and a body under str...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Isabel is joined by Rachel Hechtman, founder of Sober in Central Park, to dive deep about the emotional journey of letting go of the party girl persona and the "The Rachel Pass Out" to finding five years of freedom in sobriety. Rachel shares her journey as a "sober entrepreneur" and travel host , proving that sobriety is anything but boring. This...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Jana is joined by Laura Cathcart Robbins, New York Times Bestselling author of Stash: My Life in Hiding, to pull back the curtain on her harrowing journey through Ambien addiction, high-functioning motherhood, and the "dark in the tunnel". Laura shares the raw reality of being the ""only one in the room"" as a Black woman in recovery an...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Jana is joined by Dr. Lipi Roy, physician and addiction expert, to break down what addiction really is — and why so many people still misunderstand it. Addiction isn't about willpower - Dr. Lipi Roy explains how substance use disorder affects the brain, why shame and punishment don’t work, and what evidence-based recovery actually looks like. This conversation o...

"In this episode of Sober Spill, Isabel sits down with Jamie Tall for a conversation on how recovery can be subtle, uncomfortable, and deeply personal during a journey of self-reflection and learning who you are after substance use. Jamie shares her personal growth, emotional honesty, and the quiet shifts that happen when you stop numbing and start paying attention. A grounded, relatable conv...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Isabel sits down with Abby for an honest conversation about sobriety, identity, and showing up authentically online. Abby shares what it’s really like navigating recovery in public, the pressure of being perceived, and how sobriety reshaped her relationship with herself and her audience. This conversation explores vulnerability, boundaries, and what it means to buil...

"In this episode of Sober Spill, Isabel sits down with Thuan Nguyen for an honest conversation about how recovery isn’t about having it all figured out — it’s about progress. Together, they explore how lived experience shapes perspective, the challenges of rebuilding trust with yourself, and what healing can look like beyond just sobriety. This episode offers encouragement for anyone navigati...