Society & Culture Episodes

We sit with the raw truth of losing someone to addiction and the extra burden of shame that families carry in silence. Katie Rizzo shares how she uses poetry and community to keep Nicholas’ story alive while pushing back on stigma and broken systems. • Nicholas’ anxiety, addiction, and the five to six year family battle • Shame around overdose death and why secrecy protects the problem • Al‑Anon as a tool for families and the idea of being a loving witness • ICU withdrawal, relapse realities, a...

We talk with Dr. Larry Smith about how addiction can start young, hide behind achievement, and keep us trapped through an inner voice that promises relief while stealing our lives. We also lay out the daily practices that keep him sober for 26 years and why purpose and connection matter more than chasing the absence of cravings. • His first experience with alcohol at age 11 and the sudden shift from euphoria to shame. • How prescription drugs and weekend drinking evolved into substance abuse. •...