A Controversial New Way To Think About Addiction | Carrie Wilkens

About this episode

<p><em>New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.</em></p> <p>---</p> <p>Wilkens talks about the stigma around substance abuse, potential alternatives to abstinence, and the role of meditation in recovery.  </p> <p><br /></p> <p>Carrie Wilkens, PhD, is the Co-founder, Co-president and CEO of the <a href="https://cmcffc.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">Center for Motivation and Change: Foundation for Change</a>, a nonprofit organization with the mission of improving the dissemination of evidence-based ideas and strategies to professionals and loved ones of persons struggling with substance use through the <a href= "https://cmcffc.org/approach/invitation-to-change" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Invitation to Change approach</a>. She is co-author of the book, <a href= "https://beyondaddictionworkbook.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Beyond Addiction Workbook for Family and Friends: Evidence-Based Skills to Help a Loved One Make Positive Change</a> and <a href= "https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Addiction-Science-Kindness-People/dp/1476709475" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change</a>.</p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>In this episode we talk about:</strong></p> <p><br /></p> <ul> <li>The stigma around substance abuse</li> <li>Defining terms: addiction vs. substance use disorder and why it matters</li> <li>How substance use disorder affects our brain</li> <li>How to diagnose a substance abuse disorder</li> <li>Whether there is an alternative to abstinence</li> <li>How we all need to be thoughtful about the relationship we want with substances</li> <li>How and why a substantial percentage of people naturally recover without going to treatment</li> <li> The strategies to use if you have someone in your life who you think is on a destructive path</li> <li> What positive communication is and how to practice it</li> <li>How we live in a quick fix society and recovery from substance abuse disorder is a slow process</li> <li>What actually makes people change</li> <li>The role of meditation in recovery—for the patient and the family</li> <li>And the importance of taking care of yourself so you can take care of others</li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/carrie-wilkens" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/carrie-wilkens</a></p> <p><br /></p>