Addiction Talk Radio | Treatment, Research, Policy

Host of the podcast "Smart Drug Smarts," Jesse Lawler is a self-described pan-disciplinary enthusiast who has pursued better mental health from exercise, to special diet, to supplements and pharmaceutical agents.  He is not a physician or scientist, but is able to eloquently describe the interesting area of human performance -- mental performance.  We explore the world of "Smart Drugs," what they are, and who is taking them.  While this episode is not strictly related to addiction, there is overlap with self-experimentation: some of which is healthy, some of which is not.  Sit back and relax as we explore this interesting world in search of better mental performance.

Michael Duffy, RN is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration Service's (SAMHSA) Regional Administrator for Region 6, which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.  He has worked in the Behavioral Health field for the past 28 years as an Administrator, Consultant, Lecturer, and Clinician. His work with co-occurring disorders goes back as early as 1983, a time when drug treatment was in its infancy.  Mr. Duffy developed and implemented the model for intense outpatient addiction treatment that continues to be utilized in the state of Louisiana today. Mr. Duffy is a Registered Nurse and was a member of the National Consortium of Behavioral Health Nurses for 24 years. He served on the Board and was the chairman for the Criminal Justice Committee for the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD). He was appointed by the last three Governors in Louisiana to serve as the Director of Prevention and Treatment Services for the Office for Addictive Disorders. Under his leadership there was a 270% increase in funding as a result of enhanced Federal, State and Local collaborations.

Today, we feature part II of our interview with Sonny Mayo, who gives his history of addiction and recovery, and more great samples of music from Rock to Recovery. Sonny Mayo is a professional musician, performing with rock bands Sevendust, (hed)P.E., and Ugly Kid Joe.  Following a battle with addiction, he found music to be a central part of his recovery. Sonny joined fellow rock musician Wes Geer to form Rock to Recovery (R2R).  R2R provides a musical outlet for those in early recovery and is a means to explore sobriety.  In the course of 60-90 minutes, participants write, play, and record a song. This interview features several clips from Rock to Recovery groups, and will be split into two episodes to allow more time to experience these tonal creations.  More musical clips can be found on the R2R Soundcloud page.

Sonny Mayo is a professional musician, performing with rock bands Sevendust, (hed)P.E., and Ugly Kid Joe.  Following a battle with addiction, he found music to be a central part of his recovery. Sonny joined fellow rock musician Wes Geer to form Rock to Recovery (R2R).  R2R provides an musical outlet for those in early recovery, and is a means to explore sobriety.  In the course of 60-90 minutes, participants write, play, and record a song. This interview features several clips from Rock to Recovery groups, and will be split into two episodes to allow more time to experience these tonal creations.  More musical clips can be found on the R2R Soundcloud page.

Dr. Gary Tsai is the Medical Director for Los Angeles County Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC).  He discusses his priorities for substance abuse treatment in LA County.  One of the more concerning trends is the dramatic increase of opioid use, both prescription drug and heroin use. Dr. Tsai is promoting LA County's Al-impics, an athletic competition for those in recovery, including teams from various treatment agencies in the city.  Among the guests will be Actor Danny Trejo, Interventionist Candy Finnigan, and Boxer Mia St. John.   Details: Saturday May 30, 2015 8:30am-5:30pm Los Angeles Harbor City College 1111 Figueroa Place Wilmington, CA 90744 www.al-impics.com

Danny Trejo, well-known actor from films such as Machete and Desperado, discusses his amazing 46 years of sobriety.  After prison and substance abuse since childhood, Mr. Trejo found sobriety and became a drug counselor before becoming an actor. He has played many "bad guys," such as Tortuga in Breaking Bad.  But when playing a drug dealer or killer, he makes the poignant comment that "the bad guy dies."  He encourages young people to realize this, and to "play for the right team." He says, "There are those that want to make a difference, and those that just take up space." Among his upcoming movies is "Machete Kills Again... In Space."  We look forward to seeing his badness on the big screen and his philanthropy in real life.     Danny Trejo will be speaking at Los Angeles County's Al-impics, which will take place on May 30.

Rachel Gonzales, Ph.D. is a research psychologist who joined Azusa Pacific's Department of Psychology as an associate professor in 2011. She has extensive training in public health, developmental and health psychology, and addiction medicine/psychiatry. Her teaching and research integrate qualitative and quantitative research methods, with a focus on the application of behavioral and social-system-level theories to understand the etiology and maintenance of risky behaviors among diverse populations. Primary interests include tertiary prevention and disease management approaches, including wellness/health promotion; adolescent and young adult health. She is researching the recovery from substance use, taking a developmental social approach, and serves as the principal investigator on a five-year, NIH-funded grant to develop and test the utility of a mobile-based continuing care recovery support program (text messaging) for youth transitioning out of substance abuse treatment. She is also an affiliated scholar in the Integrated Substance Abuse Programs within the Department of Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Michael McCann is the Associate Director and Director of Research for Matrix Institute on Addictions. Mr. McCann is one of the founders of Matrix Institute, and contributed to the development of the Matrix Model.  He has implemented and directed many NIDA-funded research projects and CSAT-funded programs for Matrix. Mr. McCann trains and lectures on evidence-based behavioral interventions, pharmacologic treatments, methamphetamine and opioid dependence, and on the implementation of research findings into clinical practice. For more information, visit www.matrixinstitute.org

  Timothy W. Fong, M.D. is and Addiction Psychiatrist and Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA.  He is the co-director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program. The purpose of this program is to examine the underlying causes and course of problem and pathological gambling and to develop effective, evidence-based treatments. He is also the director of the UCLA Addiction Medicine Clinic, a teaching clinic that specializes in the treatment of all disorders of addiction. Finally, he is also the director of the UCLA Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship, which provides high-level training in addiction psychiatry. For more information, you may visit the UCLA Gambling Studies Program.