What is it really like to live with mental illness, addiction, or both at the same time? In his new book, "Profiles of Mental Health Courage," Patrick J. Kennedy delves deeply into the reality of 12 courageous individuals' lives who came forward to share their profoundly personal experiences, some of whom are public figures whose stories are now told for the first time. Join me to learn more about how Patrick J. Kennedy, former congressman and co-founder of The Kennedy Forum, is working to transform the accessibility of scientifically based mental health and addiction treatment, both in practice and public policy.

The rise in teen overdose fatalities is a concerning trend that is largely driven by counterfeit pills laid with highly potent and lethal doses of opioids such as fentanyl. These pills are accessible to young people via social media for as little as $15, and too often lead to a tragic outcome the very first time a teen takes one. In this episode, I explain how teens are accessing these pills on social media, who is at risk, and what parents can do to protect them.

Given the spread of potent and potentially deadly opioids such as fentanyl, the dangers of youth experimentation with drugs are more serious than ever before. Young people and parents alike are often unaware of the risks of substance use. In this episode, I review some of the risk factors for drug use among young people, as well as the "buffers," including things that parents can pay attention to and do to reduce the likelihood that their teen will start using substances at an early age. I also discuss the impact of teen substance use on the developing brain and why early initiation of substance use is especially harmful to young people.

Does alcohol have health benefits? This has been a topic of scientific debate and the answer may surprise you. In this episode, I discuss the accumulation of scientific studies that led many people to believe that moderate alcohol use could be protective against various chronic diseases, and some more recent, population based research that not only challenged this notion, but shed light on for whom (or which subgroups of the population) this could be the case. I also touch on what it means to drink moderately, and how to measure your alcohol consumption accurately.

Understandably, discussions about problematic alcohol use have taken a backseat as the opioid overdose crisis made headlines several years ago and continues to impact our country in profound ways. That said, many people don't realize just how common alcohol use disorders are, and considering the fact that there are 7 times more people affected by alcohol use disorders than opioid use disorders, drinking is the "unofficial" public health crisis that needs both attention and innovative solutions. In this episode I discuss our understanding of alcohol misuse and addiction, how much alcohol is "too much," and why women are especially vulnerable to developing problematic alcohol use and alcohol-related health problems.

Can the experience of stigma be tied to adverse outcomes - including mortality - for people who are fighting a chronic illness? Gary Mendell, Founder and CEO of Shatterproof, shares his personal story about the loss of his son, Brian, who suffered from mental health difficulties and addiction.

The genesis of Shatterproof was the outcome of Gary's quest to make sense of the unfathomable. Join me in this heartfelt and informative discussion with Gary about how he came to understand stigma as the core struggle that led to Brian's death, how this informed the mission of Shatterproof, and what Gary and his team are doing to change the public's attitudes and understanding of addiction as a treatable chronic illness.