Dr. Josh King welcomes you to another episode and a new season of The Beyond Addiction Show. There are plenty of memoirs about how substance use has impacted someones’ life, but Erin Khar’s memoir stands apart not only for her writing ability, but also for her vulnerability throughout the book; reading her book is an invitation to her life, her personal experiences, and struggles, accompanying her to the multiple trips to rehab until she finally walked herself out of substance use.

 

Today, Dr. King and Erin Khar are diving deep into the importance of finding the right treatment, because especially when it comes to therapy, one size does not fit all.

 

Key Takeaways:

[2:31 ] Erin talks about what it was like to write her book.

[5:28 ] Erin embraced the fact that she was going to be unlikable in some parts of the story.

[6:11 ] Specificity makes things look more universal; that is the reason why the details in Erin’s memoir make her a reliable narrator.

[7:10 ] Erin talks about her early experience with substance use.

[11:11 ] Erin explains how she dealt with her suicidal thoughts by using heroin.

[11:50 ] Erin’s parents sent her to therapy for the first time.

[13:35 ] Traditional models of treatment can facilitate a vicious circle for some people struggling with substance abuse.

[16:30 ] There is an ambivalence lying behind any addiction.

[18:01 ] There are belief systems that we create about ourselves from a very young age.

[19:58 ] When you are a drug addict, your whole life is organized around drug usage and you know how that is going to make you feel; changing that creates a terrifying fear of the unknown.

[21:30 ] How did writing a book help Erin?

[23:23 ] Erin talks about becoming a parent and how that changed her point of view about making mistakes.

[25:47 ] Erin talks about how her life changed when she stopped living with the stigma.

[28:14 ] Our justice system believes in maintaining a punishment for life even after serving time in prison.

[29:15 ] Erin talks about her experience in different types of treatment.

[34:15 ] Erin talks about the public health policy towards harm reduction.

[35:28 ] What does Erin think about rehabs?

[37:53 ] People do relapse, let’s normalize it!

[39:29 ] Erin explains why we need to reclaim the term recovery.

[43:16 ] How can a parent help their kids to learn how to regulate their emotions?

[46:16 ] Mental and physical health are just health!

 

Mentioned in this Episode:

The Beyond Addiction Show

Center for Motivation and Change

Center for Motivation and Change on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin

 

Email Dr. Josh King at beyondaddiction@motivationandchange.com or tweet him at @DocJoshKing

 

Learn more about Erin Khar

Strung Out: One Last Hit and Other Lies That Nearly Killed Me, Erin Khar