While the Alcoholics Anonymous 12 Steps program has been around since the mid-1930s, other new and developing concepts aim to tackle the increasing and exponential problems associated with addiction and how we view and treat it.
Dr Adi Jaffe is a recovered meth addict and drug dealer who, after being arrested and imprisoned, turned his life around by returning to school, retraining as a psychologist, and eventually obtaining a PhD. A Ted-Talker, author, podcaster, and high-profile spokesperson in the field of addiction treatment, Adi Jaffe runs IGNTD, a customised, personalised, virtual recovery program designed to help addicts find lifelong freedom from addiction.
While many academics have vilified Dr Jaffe, one thing we cannot ignore is the ongoing pandemic of addiction that is simply not going away. His controversial book The Abstinence Myth proposes that the abstinence model for addiction treatment is outdated and inflexible. Adi asks why would our medical, industrial complex, and society at large refuse to help those who cannot promise to abstain from the very substance to which they are addicted. Moreover, is there an alternative way to treat addiction that does not focus on consumption and sobriety but instead tackles the deep roots of trauma?
So is Adi Jaffe onto something? Is there a 12 Steps alternative to addiction treatment? You can find out the answer to this and much more in this incredible interview. For those new to the show, it's worth pointing out that our host and show creator, Martin, is himself a recovered alcoholic and cocaine addict, and his mother before him. Now four and a half years sober, Martin's journey to recovery was also a break from the norm. Having been introduced to the powerful and transformative psychedelic plant medicine, Ayahuasca, his healing path took him to far-off lands to learn ancient and Eastern modalities. And so, like Adi Jaffe, Martin is keen to shine a light on alternative approaches to addiction treatment that exclude the application of pharmaceuticals, instead focussing on ancient mindfulness practices and plant medicine.
This podcast episode is a big conversation between two recovered addicts and a yogi (Julia) who's dedicated years to helping people through the practice of yoga and meditation. We dive into the definition of addiction; society's labelling, stigmatisation, and identification of addicts; the power we have to heal ourselves; the 12 Steps and the program's limitations, and much more. It's worth pointing out that neither the show, its hosts, nor its guest, Dr Jaffe, overtly criticises AA and the 12 Steps. The organisation has helped millions and continues to do so to this day. The point of this conversation is to hear alternative truths about addiction treatment. And in a world where traditional rehabs have an average relapse rate of 50%, no one can deny that such conversations deserve to be heard.
Whether you're an addict, alcoholic, or in some way affected by these illnesses, this episode is an absolute belter, packed with practical utilities, stories, and the usual balance of lighthearted fun you get with a How To Die Happy conversation.
You can learn more about Dr Adi Jaffe by visiting https://www.adijaffe.com or the IGNTD treatment program here at https://www.igntd.com.
If you enjoy this episode, then please share it far and wide so that it might help others afflicted by addiction and alcoholism.
CONTACT US
Love or hate what we're doing? Got a topic you'd like us to cover? A guest you'd like to introduce to the show or a question for an upcoming guest? Whatever's on your mind, feel free to send us a voice message here: https://anchor.fm/howtodiehappy/message
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/howtodiehappy/message