Addiction is a major global issue. While it may be seen as ‘part of our culture’ to use alcohol or even recreational drugs to unwind and celebrate important milestones, substance abuse often goes unnoticed until it has already taken a toll on our relationships, safety, and mental health. Whereby, the Alcohol and drug foundation states that 1 in 3 adults drink alcohol at levels that put them at risk of alcohol-related disease or injury. In this episode, we’ll be unpacking how and why people become addicted to substances, and what we can do to help people overcome addiction.

Kenenth’s biography:

Dr. Kenneth Leonard is the Director of the Clinical Institute on Addictions, and Research Professor in Psychiatry at the University at Buffalo Medical School in New York. He is a member of multiple research journals' editorial boards and various research organisations specialising in alcoholism. Kenneth is internationally recognised for his research on the impact of substance abuse on relationships and has published more than 200 articles, including on the topic of alcohol's influence on domestic violence and child development, and the role of family in the prevention and treatment of addiction.

In this episode, we dive deep into answering the following thorny questions:

0:00 - Intro
2:30 - Why Kenneth started his research on alcoholism?
3:40 - What causes addiction?
5:55 - What is considered heavy and regular drinking?
8:10 - Who is susceptible to addiction? 9.50 - Why do people self medicate with drugs and alcohol? 11:28 - What is the first step to reducing our dependency on using substances?
13:53 - How to assess your level of addiction?
15:07 - Negative impact of alcohol on marriages and child development.
18:35 - Role of marriage and childbirth in reducing addiction.
20:25 - What are the advantages of children with secure attachment?
21:50 - How you social environment influences your level of addiction.
23:45 - How to build self awareness about your level of addiction?
25:40 - Why we should not protect our loved ones from the consequences of their addiction.
27:22 - Tips on how to approach people about their drinking.
29:15 - When should you approach them about their drinking?
34:55 - How many times do people need treatment before they recover?
35:37 - What are the treatment options out there?
39:25 - How to put a plan in place to prevent relapse
44:51 - Cold turkey vs gradual reduction 46.33 - What can you do if rehab hasn't worked
47:50 - Are there generational differences in substance abuse
50:00 - What to know about cannabis use
51:57 - what government policies can help with reducing substance abuse?
53:13 - What is the role of alcohol in domestic violence
56:12 - What is Ken's one wellbeing practice?

Learn more about Kenneth:
Website: www.buffalo.edu/cria
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UBResearchInstituteonAddictions?ref=hi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UB_RIA


Helpful resources:

Check Your Drinking Tool: https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/checkyourdrinking/index.html

Learn more about Clearhead:
https://www.myclearhead.com/