The more commonly used substances and activities can be amongst the most addictive-even when compared to some of the most harmful of habits.

People who deal with trauma often turn to substances to cope with the intense flood of emotions that they face. This caller’s traumas and subsequent addictions led her into what is considered to be one of the worlds most vulnerable lifestyles.

Some highly intelligent people lack the emotional strength needed to handle their traumas. Not to mention, highly intelligent people can easily spot the hostilities of our world. In this episode, we discover how an intellect can end up as a slave to a substance.

Perfection is unattainable for some addicts, especially when the monster is let out of it’s cage 3 times a day.

Many substance abusers often escape into the only world in which they feel comfortable—the inner self. In this episode, the caller knows first-hand that very few people can live a healthy life with only themselves in their world.

Pain is at the root of all addictions. A person needs to find the cause of the pain so that it can be treated. However, as this caller explains, sometimes the treatment can be just as harmful as the pain that it’s supposed to defeat.

When people talk about addiction, stereotypes are often mentioned. Many people imagine down-and-out or rock-bottom moments that we see portrayed in media. In reality, there is a very good chance that someone who struggles with addiction is a high functioning addict, much like this episode’s caller.

Just like a drug addict who chases a chemical induced high, this episode’s caller got high off of hormones.

Policymakers in North America increasingly recognize that drug use should be treated as a public health issue instead of a criminal issue. This caller’s story begs the question- what about drug dealing?