Our guest for this episode has built a unique online addiction treatment program that features many modalities because – as we know – recovery isn’t a one-size-fits-all proposition. Dr. Daniel Hochman, a psychiatrist and founder of SelfRecovery.org, shares a platform that weaves together science, behavioral change and self-knowledge to sustain not only sobriety, but a multi-dimensional journey through the rest of life.
Our conversation deconstructs both the “what” of addiction and the arguably more important “why” that drives so many of us to seek relief from things beyond our own understanding. Dr. Hochman and I also take a look at the many ways treatment options have opened up in recent years. The impacts of trauma informed care, availability of effective medicines, and a more nuanced understanding of neurobiology are just a few of the developments that have extended the reach and efficacy of addiction treatment. The pandemic-inspired growth of online support has also been a game-changer for the recovery community, extending meaningful conversations beyond geographic boundaries.
Dr. Hochman’s Self Recovery combines his years of expertise with an approach designed to meet people where they are. Learn about the tools, exercises, classes and online community forum that his framework offers in a private, flexible way. The level of self-accountability and agency you create may initially be about sobriety, but Self Recovery’s core mission is holistic – to provide the tools that enable not only ongoing recovery, but also a rich, vibrant, connected and rewarding life beyond.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction.
01:13 Why Dr. Hochman became interested in treating people with addictions.
03:12 How John defines addiction.
03:32 Dr. Hochman’s definition of addiction focusing on the how and why.
06:37 How neurobiology and psychology drive addiction.
11:49 Dr. Hochman describes recovery is a slow process of changing relationships to the object of our addiction, and how we relate to the idea of pleasure.
14:38 Why it’s important to pay attention to how we find pleasure.
15:16 Why a hobby is so helpful to a person’s recovery.
19:44 Progress made with how addiction is thought about and treated.
21:15 Trauma is not always a pathway to addiction.
22:27 More secular options for people seeking treatment.
23:00 Medications becoming more widely available to help people with addiction problems.
23:52 John describes the progress he has seen with the understanding of and treatment for addiction.
28:16 A discussion about the difficulty of measuring treatment outcomes.
33:46 Why Dr. Hochman created Self Recovery.
36:42 How Self Recovery works.
39:26 The importance of a recovery community for many, but not all people.
41:00 People like Self Recovery because it’s private – they can do it on their own.
43:24 Importance of an exit plan for people in recovery.
47:40 In Self Recovery people are accountable to themselves.
48:30 Final thoughts
Links
Self Recovery Website
Self Recovery YouTube Channel
Dr. Hochman’s Linked-In Page
Dr. Hochman’s Appearances on YouTube
Sober Nation
Discovering Nicole
Women’s Health Weekly
Med Circle
