Episode 10 - Michael pt. 1: Drugs, Voices and the Great Escape

For nearly 60 years, Michael Stewart's life was marked by violence from his childhood, addiction, suicidal thoughts, and a serious mental health issue. Whether he was selling cars, getting put behind bars, or living on the streets, drugs and mental illness were two of the only constants in his life. For decades, Michael used for relief. "Drugs gave me the ability to open up and be more vulnerable than I had been before." The question was, could he figure out a way to be more vulnerable and survive without using?The Episode Producer was psychiatrist, Mark Ragins. He is the author of a riveting account of mental illness and treatment called "Journeys Beyond the Frontier: A Rebellious Guide to Psychosis and Other Extraordinary Experiences." It's a terrific read. Find out more about him and where to get the book at markragins.com.Part 2 of Michael's story will be out on March 19th - mark your calendar!You can find clear overviews on dual diagnosis (mental illness and addiction) at:National Alliance for Mental Illness, and National Library of Medicine. Also check out research from the Treatment Advocacy Center (TAC), which found that 9 out of 10 people with schizophrenia and a drug use issue get *no* treatment for their drug use. In essence, treating only half of their problem. Even worse, another brief TAC did found that just 1 out of 8 people with schizophrenia and drug use issues got any treatment at all. How does anyone recover from an illness for which they receive no treatment? Links to the study and the brief are here and here. Let us hear from you! Tell us your reaction to this episode. You can leave a text or regular old confidential voice message at (424) 240-9302. If you have a detailed story, it's even better to email us an audio message to [email protected] out more about this episode and the Brain Stories documentary series at www.BrainStoriesProductions.com.This show is a copyright of Brain Stories Productions and the SamoBé Corporation. The use of this episode or any of its content in any form or way for Artificial Intelligence, its development or training is copyright infringement, and expressly prohibited without prior written agreement.