221. Ryan Rogers: Gas Station Opioids, Faith-Based Recovery, and Honest Therapy

What this episode covers

My friend Ryan Rogers returns to the podcast for our third conversation. He's an addictions counselor in Texas, host of Reality Therapy, and now the author of two books — The Woke Mind and his new release, The Carpenter's Recovery, a Christian guide to 12-step recovery. We start with what's being called "gas station heroin": a chemical called 7-OH, extracted from kratom, that's roughly thirteen times stronger than morphine and sold legally next to the 5-Hour Energy drinks at the checkout counter. Ryan walks me through how legal loopholes have produced a generation of accidental addicts, including church kids and high-conscientiousness adults who'd never touch illegal drugs. I share my own "little old lady" story — how my elderly mom was given a 10mg THC gummy by her stoner massage therapist — as a warning to anyone navigating this new landscape with vulnerable elders. From there we go into cannabis-induced psychosis, cannabis use hyperemesis disorder, fentanyl displacing heroin, and what's actually working in addiction treatment. Ryan explains why he wrote a Christian recovery book and why naming Jesus in AA meetings still gets people shut down. We close on the state of the therapy field: woke ideology, AI psychosis, the rise of niche experts over licensed therapists, and why "live your truth, king" is the worst possible response to a client telling you they're about to relapse.Follow Reality Therapy podcast | Follow Ryan on X @ryanmcrogers[00:00:00] Start[00:02:06] Gas Station Heroin: What Is 7-OH?[00:05:55] Kava, Feel Free, and Designer Drugs[00:11:25] How 7-OH Hits the Opioid System[00:14:30] The Little Old Lady THC Gummy Story[00:25:30] Methadone vs. Suboxone for Detox[00:35:56] The Carpenter's Recovery: A Christian Approach[00:40:32] Why AA Pushes Back on Christianity[00:48:15] Reality Therapy and the State of the Field[00:53:42] AI Psychosis and the Future of Therapy[00:58:40] Tough Love and "Live Your Truth, King"[01:04:30] Honoring Who Teenagers Are BecomingROGD REPAIR Course + Community gives concerned parents instant access to over 120 lessons providing the psychological insights and communication tools you need to get through to your kid. Now featuring 24/7 personalized AI support implementing the tools with RepairBot! Use code SOMETHERAPIST2026 to take 50% off your first month.PODCOURSES: use code SOMETHERAPIST at LisaMustard.com/PodCoursesPRODUCTION: Looking for your own podcast producer? Visit PodsByNick.com and mention my podcast for 20% off your initial services.MUSIC: Thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude & permission.ALL OTHER LINKS HERE. To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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