Back from the Abyss: Psychiatry in Stories

Bright and Shiny and Exciting: An Adderall story

January 31, 2020 Craig Heacock MD Season 1 Episode 18
Back from the Abyss: Psychiatry in Stories
Bright and Shiny and Exciting: An Adderall story
Show Notes

Life is much better on Adderall, until it's not.

In this episode, Dr. H and Dan Ronken, a Boulder-based psychotherapist and addiction specialist, explore the double edged sword of stimulants.  Using Dan's ADHD and addiction story as a launching point, they explore questions including:  Do stimulants make us smarter and more productive? What is the saliency circuit and why is it so relevant here? Are some stimulants safer than others? Can they safely be used by people in active addiction or in recovery? What behavioral strategies are helpful with ADD? Can you ever get that same dopamine rush without drugs? They then transition to the question of whether ketamine therapy is safe for people in recovery.

Dan Ronken
https://www.inclusionrecovery.com

Dan's Youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/danronken

Dr. H
https://www.craigheacockmd.com