Addiction Medicine Made Easy | Fighting back against addiction

Casey Grover, MD, FACEP, FASAM
  • 4.9 (66)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Monthly

Addiction is killing us. Over 100,000 Americans died of drug overdose in the last year, and over 100,000 Americans died from alcohol use in the last year. We need to include addiction medicine as a part of everyone's practice! We take topics in addiction medicine and break them down into digestible nuggets and clinical pearls that you can use at the bedside. We are trying to create an army of health care providers all over the world who want to fight back against addiction - and we hope you will join us. *This podcast was previously the Addiction in Emergency Medicine and Acute Care podcast*

  1. 2d ago

    Sugar: When The Kitchen Cabinet Is Your Drug Dealer

    Sugar is everywhere, socially approved, and often handed out as comfort, reward, and love. That’s exactly why it can be so hard to spot when it stops being “a treat” and starts acting like an addiction. I’m Dr. Casey Grover, and I sit down with Mike Collins, known as the Sugar Free Man, for a clear-eyed talk about what sugar addiction looks like in real people’s lives and why willpower is such an unreliable tool when cravings take over. We get into the recovery lens: triggers, cravings, relapse language, and the emotional roots of using sugar to self-soothe. Mike shares how his own family history shaped his relationship with sweets, how his coaching and meeting-based community grew during COVID, and why support groups can be the difference between “trying again” and actually changing behavior. We also talk about who shows up for help, why so many people seek weight loss or type 2 diabetes relief first, and how diet culture has often missed the point. Then we go deeper on the science Mike leans on, especially fructose. We discuss why fructose may be a key driver of cravings, how it’s processed in the liver, and why gut health topics like "leaky gut" get brought up in the sugar conversation. Finally, we compare moderation vs abstinence, how eating disorder treatment can clash with sugar-free protocols, and how finding healthier dopamine through exercise can support long-term recovery. If this conversation helps you see your own pattern more clearly, subscribe, share it with someone who’s stuck in the loop, and leave a review so more people can find the show. To learn more about Mike's work: https://sugaraddiction.com https://www.skool.com/no-sugar-nation/about To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

    47 min

  2. May 25

    I Get By (And Sober) With A Little Help From My Peers

    Peer support can feel like the missing link in addiction care, not because it replaces medicine, but because it makes recovery feel possible when someone is scared, ashamed, or shutting down. I’m Dr Casey Grover, and I sit down with Mark Ehrenkranz, a certified peer recovery specialist who does bedside work across a thousand-bed hospital, from the ED and ICU to behavioral health. Mark brings decades of recovery experience, plus the clarity that comes from having lived through relapse, depression, and the brutal way substance use disorder can hijack decision-making. We get practical about what peer recovery specialists actually do: building trust quickly, sharing just enough personal story to invite radical honesty, translating brain science into plain language, and helping patients move from crisis to a realistic next step. We also talk about the real-world barriers, including stigma in medical settings, limited funding for peer teams, and how different states handle certification and reimbursement. If you’ve ever searched for recovery coaching, peer recovery support services, sober support, or how to get help for addiction, this conversation maps the terrain with honesty and hope. We also go straight at the “one path” problem. AA helps many people, but it can feel dogmatic to others, so we discuss multiple pathways like SMART Recovery, CBT/DBT, secular and Buddhist recovery, online communities, and medication for opioid use disorder support spaces. Mark shares his “Navy SEAL Recovery” approach to nervous system regulation: one-minute diaphragmatic breathing, humming to stimulate the vagus nerve, and small doses of intentional discomfort to build resilience. If you care about compassionate, evidence-informed addiction treatment that respects individual fit, you’ll leave with tools you can use today. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find the show. To learn more about Mark's work: https://www.go-humans.com/ To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

    47 min

  3. May 18

    A New Way to Think About Addiction: The Stress Reducer Loop

    Your go-to stress relief can become the biggest source of stress in your life, and that’s where recovery often gets stuck. I’m joined by Dr Gary Sprouse, the “Less Stress Doc,” to unpack his deceptively simple framework called the Stress Reducer Loop: a substance or behavior lowers stress at first, then starts causing harm, which creates more stress, which drives more use. Once you see the loop clearly, it’s easier to replace shame with strategy. We also dig into why the way we talk about addiction matters. Dr Sprouse explains how the disease label can backfire for some people by making them feel broken, abnormal, and permanently marked, so they wait until rock bottom to get help. His alternative framing treats alcohol, opioids, smoking, shopping, even over-exercising as attempts at “treatment” for stress. That perspective keeps the conversation practical: how do we reduce stress, and how do we swap in a lower-harm stress reducer? From Suboxone as a safer replacement for fentanyl or heroin, to relapse mechanics like brain “tracks,” inhibition, deprivation, and dwindling “quit energy,” we translate addiction medicine into plain language you can use. We also cover concrete stress tools like setting boundaries, changing expectations, and “de-lumping” overwhelming problems, plus why past trauma can silently consume most of a person’s stress capacity. If this helped you see addiction, relapse prevention, and stress management in a new way, subscribe, share the episode with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find the show. To learn more about Dr. Sprouse's work: https://www.thelessstressdoc.com/ To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

    52 min

  4. May 11

    Whipped Cream With A Side Of Spinal Cord Damage

    Nitrous oxide can look like a harmless party trick until you understand how fast it can flip into a medical emergency. We dig into whippets and laughing gas from an addiction medicine perspective, including why the high hits within seconds, why people keep reaching for “just one more,” and how the same drug can functionally mimic ketamine, benzodiazepines, and opioids in the brain. That mix helps explain both its legitimate role in minor procedures and why it can be so addictive outside the clinic.  We walk through what clinicians and families often miss: standard urine drug screens do not detect nitrous oxide, the detection window is short even with advanced lab testing, and the clearest red flag may be a profound vitamin B12 deficiency in someone who should not have it. From there, the conversation turns to the real stakes of B12 inactivation: spinal cord degeneration, myelopathy, peripheral neuropathy, gait instability, weakness, bladder dysfunction, cognitive changes, and the uncomfortable truth that we often cannot predict whether nerve damage will be permanent. We also cover immediate dangers while using, including hypoxia and sudden unconsciousness, traumatic falls, frostbite and cold burns from direct canister inhalation, pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum, arrhythmias especially when mixed with stimulants, mental health destabilization, increased blood clot risk, and serious pregnancy risks.  Because there is no proven medication-assisted treatment for nitrous cravings, we focus on what we can do: treat co-occurring anxiety, depression, and trauma, use CBT and group therapy, push hard on vitamin B12 replacement, and apply practical harm reduction when someone is not ready to quit. We close with a vivid patient case that shows how smoke shop access and relapse can spiral into hospitalization and disability, and how recovery is still possible with the right support.  If you find this helpful, subscribe, share the episode with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find the show. To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

    34 min

  5. May 4

    Goodbye Benzos, My Old Friend: Benzodiazepine Tapering Done Right

    A benzodiazepine taper can feel like trying to land a plane in bad weather: the stakes are high, the instruments are imperfect, and speed is rarely your friend. We sit down with Dr. Rizzo to translate the ASAM benzodiazepine tapering guideline into real-world addiction medicine decisions, including what to do when a patient shows up on a very high dose of clonazepam and a sudden 50% cut has already happened. We dig into the practical details clinicians and patients search for: how fast to reduce dose, why “5% to 10% every 2–4 weeks” is often a safer starting point, and when switching to a longer-acting benzodiazepine like diazepam helps or hurts. We also separate physical dependence from benzodiazepine use disorder so withdrawal is treated with seriousness rather than stigma, and we talk candidly about the access-to-care problem when long-term benzo patients can no longer find a prescriber. We also cover special risks and settings: why older adults (65+) often need extra-slow tapers, why pregnancy requires careful coordination to avoid abrupt cessation, and when polysubstance use with opioids or alcohol should push care toward inpatient or residential support. Dr. Rizzo shares why phenobarbital can be useful in controlled detox settings, plus what actually improves success long term: CBT, treating underlying anxiety and insomnia with non-addictive medications, and building a plan patients can stick with. If this helps, subscribe, share it with a colleague or family member, and leave a review so more people can find evidence-based guidance on benzodiazepine tapering and withdrawal. ASAM Benzo Tapering Guideline: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-025-09499-2 To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

    51 min

  6. Apr 27

    What Happens in Residential Treatment: Inside The Place Rock Bottom Leads To

    Residential treatment gets talked about like a single thing, but most people have no idea what they are walking into until they arrive. I sit down with Rachel Docekal, CEO of the Hanley Foundation in Florida, to open up the “black box” of residential addiction treatment and partial hospitalization (PHP), from how programs are structured to what patients actually do hour by hour. We dig into what separates a quality rehab program from one that is all marketing. Rachel explains measurement based care, why repeat assessments like PHQ 9 and GAD 7 style tools matter, and how teams should adjust treatment based on data instead of vibes. We also address a hard topic: predatory rehab practices, including unethical pressure to relapse to meet ASAM criteria so insurance will pay again, and what ethical, patient centered care should look like instead. Then we get practical. We talk length of stay, why discharge planning must start on day one, and how step down care, sober living, family involvement, and alumni support can make the difference between momentum and relapse. Rachel also walks through a real residential daily schedule including medical and psychiatric care, cohort based groups, nutrition and fitness, and why many programs restrict smartphones to improve engagement and outcomes. If you want a clearer map for choosing a residential treatment center and building an aftercare plan that holds up in real life, press play. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a rating or review so more people can find the show. To learn more about Rachel's program: https://hanleyfoundation.org/ To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

    42 min

  7. Apr 20

    Why Pushing A Loved One Harder to Get Sober Doesn't Help

    Someone you love keeps drinking, using, or relapsing and you can feel your body tighten the moment you walk into the room. That tension makes sense, but it can also become part of the system that keeps addiction stuck. We sit down with therapist and family coach Jeff Jones, founder of The Family Recovery Solution and author of Rethinking Addiction, to unpack what actually helps families when a loved one is in active addiction or early recovery.  We get concrete with a classic scenario from the clinic: a middle-aged man with alcohol addiction and a spouse who loves him deeply but feels forced into constant pushing and correcting. Jeff explains why “help” can turn into pressure, how triangulation pulls doctors into the drama triangle, and how a simple 180-degree experiment plus journaling can reveal new options. We also talk boundaries as a way to create safety, calm the nervous system, and make better decisions, not as punishment or control.  Then we widen the lens to parenting teens and the added power dynamics families face, including why authoritative parenting (firm limits with connection) tends to work best. Jeff shares a powerful reframe from mediation: separate the addiction from the essence of your loved one, so you can hold consequences while staying anchored in love. We also cover structured family meetings, the idea that families move through the stages of change too, and why recovery is about building a life worth living, not only stopping a substance.  If this conversation helps, subscribe, share it with a family who needs it, and please leave a review so more people can find Addiction Medicine Made Easy. To learn more about Jeff's work: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/ To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

    46 min

  8. Apr 13

    An OB Addiction Specialist Explains Why Marijuana Is Not Benign In Pregnancy

    THC isn’t the same drug it was 20 years ago, and pregnancy counseling hasn’t caught up. We sit down with Dr. Nazanin Amadieh, a board-certified OBGYN who also trained in addiction medicine, to map what today’s high-potency cannabis means for conception, the placenta, fetal development, and the newborn period. If you’ve heard “it’s legal” or “it’s just a plant” as proof of safety, this conversation offers a clearer, evidence-informed way to think about marijuana during pregnancy without stigma and without hand-waving.  We dig into the endocannabinoid system, why fetal receptors show up as early as five to six weeks, and how cannabis exposure may affect implantation, placenta formation, and early brain development. Then we get practical about the outcomes clinicians track: miscarriage risk signals, the stronger association with low birth weight or small for gestational age babies, and what NICU admission can mean for families. Because so much research is dated and modern THC concentrations can reach levels older studies never measured, we also talk openly about uncertainty and why “no proof of harm” is not the same as “safe.”  Nausea and vomiting gets its own spotlight, including the tricky overlap between hyperemesis gravidarum and cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, plus the hot shower clue that can point toward CHS. We also cover breastfeeding and THC in breast milk, what parents should watch for, and why postpartum relapse to cannabis is common when anxiety and overwhelm hit after the first few months. If you care about maternal health, prenatal care, addiction medicine, or harm reduction, you’ll leave with better questions and clearer next steps.  Subscribe, share this with someone who’s pregnant or caring for pregnant patients, and please leave a review so more people can find the show. To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

    35 min
See All (182)

4.9
out of 5
66 Ratings

About

Addiction is killing us. Over 100,000 Americans died of drug overdose in the last year, and over 100,000 Americans died from alcohol use in the last year. We need to include addiction medicine as a part of everyone's practice! We take topics in addiction medicine and break them down into digestible nuggets and clinical pearls that you can use at the bedside. We are trying to create an army of health care providers all over the world who want to fight back against addiction - and we hope you will join us. *This podcast was previously the Addiction in Emergency Medicine and Acute Care podcast*

Information

You Might Also Like