Brenda - Addiction & Mental Health Resources

April 23, 2025

Categories

Beating Alcohol Addiction Through Evidence-Based Treatment

This documentary follows Mike Pond, a therapist managing his alcohol addiction. He was only ever offered one treatment after losing his practice, his house, his family, and becoming homeless: Alcoholics Anonymous. This abstinence-based treatment approach did not work for him, so he started looking for other ways to heal himself and others. Mike is an advocate for “compassionate, evidence-based treatments” and feels that “harm reduction, or any positive change, offers clients the best chance of beating addictions.”

April 23, 2025

Categories

UK Drinking Culture: A Royal Hangover

This documentary provides insight into the United Kingdom’s reliance on alcohol and the history of their binge drinking culture. In comparison to other countries, binge drinking is more socially acceptable in the UK. Unfortunately, they spend about 21 billion pounds every year because of this problem, with about 1.6 million people being dependent on alcohol. Russell Brand used to be one of them and you’ll hear his speech on this topic, including his own experiences with substance abuse.

April 23, 2025

Categories

Vodka: Friend & Foe of the Russians

This documentary delves into the drinking culture of Russia, with a focus on the country’s deep-seated dependence on vodka. The film takes viewers on a tour of both legal and illegal alcohol distilleries, highlighting the differences in manufacturing and distribution requirements between the two sectors. By showcasing the production of counterfeit alcohol and the stores that sell it, the documentary sheds light on the dangers of this illicit market.

April 23, 2025

Categories

Cocaine White Gold (National Geographic: Drugs, Inc)

This episode of Drugs, Inc shows how cocaine makes it way from a Peruvian farm crap and travels 4,500 miles to reach its users. In the USA, over four million people regularly use cocaine. This powerful stimulant is worth more than gold, and every year Americans spend over $37 billion on the drug. Los Angeles, California, is one of the USA’s largest coke markets.

April 23, 2025

Categories

How Cannabis Affects the Brain & Body (Huberman Lab)

In this episode, Dr. Andrew Huberman discuss cannabis (aka marijuana), including the biological mechanisms underlying its effects on the mind and body, its known medical applications, its impact on libido, creativity, hunger, hormones and more. He also covers the known adverse health consequences of chronic and even acute (one-time) use and the factors that determine if cannabis is helpful or harmful.

April 21, 2025

Categories

The New Zealand War on Drugs – WASTED with Guyon Epsiner

Guyon Epsiner unpacks the “war on drugs” through the substance many in New Zealand consider most harmful – methamphetamine. He talks with police, Australian politicians, treatment providers and the Drug Foundation, but most importantly he speaks to people who’ve had personal experience with the drug and takes time to dig into their individual circumstances.

April 20, 2025

Categories

New Zealand Drinking Culture – PROOF with Guyon Epsiner

Follow Guyon Epsiner, an award-winning journalist living in New Zealand, as he talks with several individuals who provide insight into the effects of alcohol and drinking culture, specifically the associated harms felt by community members. He even speaks to someone from the alcohol industry who tries to argue for the potential benefits of alcohol. This documentary, however, can see through this and dives into the predatory nature of these companies, such as how poorer communities are riddled with liquor stores, and how the harms that communities endure are ignored.

April 20, 2025

Categories

The Lois Wilson Story: When Love Is Not Enough

This movie features Barry Pepper as Bill Wilson, the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, and Winona Ryder as Lois Wilson, who subsequently created Al-Anon. It was written by William G. Borchett who was close friends with Lois. The novel and film “describe in compelling detail Lois’s comfortable beginnings, her attraction to a clever and persistent young man, her years of despair as drinking claimed an ever-increasing part of Bill, her joy when he sobered up, and her frustration as AA came to dominate Bill’s life”

April 20, 2025

Categories

Britain’s Drink Problem (UK Drinking Culture)

Adrian Chiles wants to “know why this multi-billion pound industry [Britain’s alcohol producers] is allowed to regulate itself – make up its own rules.” He discusses with others, both professionals and average people, the profound impact that alcohol is having on the country. This includes the rising number of alcoholics needing a liver transplant, the community’s confusion around ‘a standard drink’, and the hard-to-read designs that the alcohol industry uses for their warning labels.