Hi Reader, This week on The Addicted Mind +, Eric and I dive into something that I think a lot of us in recovery wonder about: Can anything good really come out of the things that hurt us the most? We talk about a powerful idea called benefit finding—basically learning to see the real growth that can come from the struggles we’ve faced. Not by ignoring the pain or sugarcoating anything, but by holding two truths at once: what you went through was painful and you grew because you fought your...

Hi Reader, Here’s a little secret: your brain loves winning — even the tiny stuff. Finishing the dishes, showing up for a meeting, saying “no” when you needed to — those moments light up the same reward pathways that major milestones do. This is why celebrating small wins in recovery isn’t just feel-good fluff — it’s neuroscience. Every time you recognize a small victory, your brain releases a little dopamine hit, reinforcing positive behavior and wiring you for long-term success. The trick...

Hi Reader, This week on The Addicted Mind Podcast, I sat down with Dr. John Gallagher — a licensed clinical social worker, addiction counselor, and criminal justice professor — to talk about something we don’t often dig into: drug courts. Dr. Gallagher has spent over 25 years working where addiction and the justice system meet. In this episode, we explore how drug courts work, whether they actually help people recover, and where the system still falls short. It’s an honest and eye-opening...