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Episode: 155 The Lady Buzzkill: Danielle B. on Alcohol, Cancer, and Who Gets Hurt | RMA 155 Danielle B. didn't quit drinking because she hit bottom. By every standard society uses, her drinking looked completely normal; a few nights a week, a high tolerance, no rock bottom, no trouble stopping. She didn't learn alcohol causes cancer until she was 40, and the word she uses for how that felt is duped. And angry. One reel in June went viral, and she's been talking ever since as Lady Buzzkill. Mike and Nat go deep with her on how little honest information about alcohol actually reaches people, and how much marketing reaches kids instead, including the beer logo that ended up on a box of crackers. Why modeling moderation doesn't protect children the way parents hope. Why calling alcohol a drug is apparently the most inflammatory thing you can say on the internet, and the hate she's gotten for saying it. Why comparing alcohol to sugar and hot dogs is a logical fallacy. Alcohol as a neurotoxin, as a parasite, and as the side effect of a poison rather than a state your body was built to enjoy. Plus the secondary harms nobody counts — roughly four in ten people killed in alcohol-impaired crashes weren't the one who chose to drink. WIW: Nat brings the mystery sound that rattled Milwaukee's South Side on Monday night. Residents miles apart heard it on and off for about two hours. One neighbor called it a robot alien screech; others swore it was a recording repeatedly saying "bad boy." Not a siren, not a train, not a tornado. Police, the Department of Neighborhood Services, and the county supervisor all received nothing about it. The source is still unknown. FIND DANIELLE B.: Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/TheLadybuzzkill Instagram — @Ladybuzzkill_ YouTube — Lady_Buzzkill LINKS: Mystery sound baffles Milwaukee residents (WISN 12) — https://www.wisn.com/article/robot-alien-screech-mysterious-sound-baffles-milwaukee-residents/73855194 Nat's WIW video — https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GahP8ifuT-0 NHTSA 2024 alcohol-impaired driving data — https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/Publication/813713 Surgeon General's Advisory on Alcohol and Cancer Risk — https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/alcohol-cancer/index.html Recovery in the Middle Ages is a podcast about finding lasting sobriety later in life. Mike and Nat are two middle-aged suburban dads covering addiction recovery news, 12 Step and alternative recovery paths, alcohol use disorder, and the research behind it all. This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Please SUBSCRIBE on your favorite platform, and leave us a 5-star review if you're enjoying the show. We're listener-supported. As little as $3 a month keeps the lights on: https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges Tell us your story and we'll share it on the show — [email protected] Nat: [email protected] Facebook page and private group — request to join and keep the conversation going. If you're in trouble with substance abuse, reach out. We neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, but the sheer number of AA and NA meetings makes that a good first step — maybe not the last step — on your road to recovery. https://www.aa.org/ · https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/

RMA 154 — Ole Miss, Presley Gerber, Methadone at the Pharmacy Season 7 · Episode 154 Two Ole Miss students were found dead with packaged kratom at both scenes and nothing confirmed by toxicology. Presley Gerber, Cindy Crawford's 27-year-old son, died of a suspected overdose hours after checking into a Santa Monica rehab. And MOTAA 2.0 — the bipartisan methadone bill — would let addiction physicians prescribe methadone and put it on pharmacy shelves in the 80% of US counties with no opioid treatment program. Mike and Nat try a new format this week, each building a separate outline and pitching stories cold. Then the lighter half: coffee raves, Brad Pitt drinking again after seven years sober, Elton John's non-alcoholic wine at 36 years, and a Lower East Side sober bar ranked ninth in North America. RITN: Elton John hits 36 years sober six months after launching his own 0% wine, and a James Beard winner puts a zero-proof mole negroni on the menu at one of North America's best bars. Sobriety stopped being the consolation prize. WIW: Over 100 people gathered above Ocean Beach in San Francisco to scream at the Pacific. Judged on volume, length, and style. The winner hit 121.9 decibels. First prize was a small megaphone. Attendees brought freshly cut fruit. Links Ole Miss student deaths and kratom — https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ole-miss-student-deaths-kratom-rcna599305 Students identified — https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/24/us/ole-miss-student-deaths-wwk Presley Gerber death investigated as overdose — https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/presley-gerber-son-cindy-crawford-dies-27-rcna598952 MOTAA 2.0 methadone bill (Markey/Paul) — https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sens-markey-paul-reintroduce-legislation-to-modernize-rules-for-treating-opioid-use-disorder ASAM on methadone access — https://www.asam.org/advocacy/national-advocacy/methadonetxoud The case against MOTAA 2.0 — https://filtermag.org/motaa-2-0-methadone-reform/ Elton John and sober celebrity brands — https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/celebrity/articles/13-celebrities-opened-sobriety-203000987.html NYC sober bar scene — https://millennialmagazine.com/2026/06/01/sober-curious/ Coffee raves and soft clubbing — https://grass.camp/en-US/blog/soft-clubbing-coffee-rave-run-rave-trend-2026 'Scream at the Sea' Competition Crowns a Winner — https://www.coasttocoastam.com/article/scream-at-the-sea-competition-crowns-a-winner/ Podbean tag field (separate box from the description — fill it) ole miss kratom, presley gerber, cindy crawford son, 7-oh, methadone pharmacy, MOTAA 2.0, opioid treatment, addiction recovery, sobriety, brad pitt sober, sober bars nyc, alcohol use disorder, recovery podcast Standing boilerplate — goes on every episode Recovery in the Middle Ages is a podcast about finding lasting sobriety later in life. Mike and Nat are two middle-aged suburban dads covering addiction recovery news, 12 Step and alternative recovery paths, alcohol use disorder, and the research behind it all. This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Please SUBSCRIBE on your favorite platform, and leave us a 5-star review if you're enjoying the show. We're listener-supported. As little as $3 a month keeps the lights on: https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges Tell us your story and we'll share it on the show — [email protected] Nat: [email protected] Facebook page and private group — request to join and keep the conversation going. If you're in trouble with substance abuse, reach out. We neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, but the sheer number of AA and NA meetings makes that a good first step — maybe not the last step — on your road to recovery. https://www.aa.org/ · https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/ Note: the first italic paragraph is new. It's what makes an episode page about Presley Gerber also turn up for "recovery podcast" and "sobriety later in life" — the traffic that actually subscribes. Put it on every episode from here on.

Episode: 153: What Fills the Hole? Last week, we asked whether America is genuinely getting sober or simply swapping one addiction for another. This week, we examine what people are using to replace drugs and alcohol. Nobody warns you that quitting leaves a hole — not a metaphorical one, a real five-o'clock-on-a-Tuesday hole where a thing used to go. Something is going to fill it. (Hehe). The only question is what, and whether you picked it or it picked you. So today: emergency rooms are seeing twice as many gambling cases since sports betting went online, and the industry says that's just better screening. Twenty-five companies are suddenly racing to build a pill for drinking, in a field that's had three drugs for decades. Half the guys we know who quit drinking now have a tin of nicotinein their pocket. And the non-alcoholic drinks business has figured out that the one thing its product can't do — make you feel something — is the thing people actually want, so they're putting THC in it. Four replacements. Some of them are fine. Some are the same deal wearing a different hat. We try to work out which is which. LINKS: Gambling ER visits for gambling disorders double after online sports betting — https://www.deseret.com/lifestyle/2026/09/16/sports-betting-gambling-addiction-disorder-emergency-room-visits-increase-study/ Prediction markets and the new gambling frontier — https://woub.org/2026/09/08/ohio-university-modern-science-gambling-addiction-prediction-markets/ Sports betting addiction statistics — https://gamblingharm.org/sports-betting-addiction-statistics/ The AUD drug pipeline 25+ companies, 25+ investigational therapies — https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/09/11/3360198/28124/en/alcohol-use-disorder-pipeline-insight-2026-examines-25-companies-and-25-emerging-therapies.html Shorter trials, more reliable results — https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/acer.70368 Nicotine pouches Nicotine pouch use surges — https://www.cdcfoundation.org/blog/Nicotine-Pouch-Use-Surges-Among-Young-People The evidence that pouches help smokers quit is limited — https://www.theexamination.org/articles/nicotine-pouches-smoking-path-data Sober September and what's in the glass Sober September, 2026 edition — https://sober.com/sober-september-offers-a-chance-to-reaffirm-your-sobriety/ Week in Weird Hard Mountain Dew's $1M Bigfoot Bounty — https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/09/16/3363360/0/en/hard-mountain-dew-puts-1m-bounty-on-bigfoot-this-fall.html Maine police: it was a guy in a costume — https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2026/09/02/bigfoot-sighting-was-just-a-man-in-a-costume/ This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Please SUBSCRIBE on your favorite platform, and leave us a 5-star review if you're enjoying the show. We're listener-supported. As little as $3 a month keeps the lights on: https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges Tell us your story and we'll share it on the show — [email protected] Nat: [email protected] Facebook page and private group — request to join and keep the conversation going. If you're in trouble with substance abuse, reach out. We neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, but the sheer number of AA and NA meetings makes that a good first step — maybe not the last step — on your road to recovery. https://www.aa.org/ · https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/

Episode: 152: Season 7: We're Back, and Nobody's Drinking Anymore  SEASON 7 IS HERE. After a long hiatus, Mike and Nat are back for National Recovery Month. We catch up on where we've both actually been, and Nat explains why he's becoming a Freemason — which, for a show called Recovery in the Middle Ages, feels overdue. Then: a non-alcoholic bottle shop opened one town over, so we brought some of it into the studio. NA beer goes down fine. The fake wine did something else entirely — it made us both uncomfortable in a way we spent a while trying to name. Why does one substitute feel harmless and the other feel like a near miss? We don't fully land it, but the conversation is worth having if you've ever stood in that aisle. That leads into the numbers. Gallup says the share of Americans who drink just tied its lowest reading since 1939 — real sobriety, or just substitution? A 340,000-person study rises from the grave to tell us wine is heart-healthy again, the same myth we buried in Episode 143, and we take it apart. And buried in the crosstabs is something nobody can explain: since 2023, drinking is down 12 points among Republicans and 11 among independents, while Democrats haven't budged. Mike thinks it's Ozempic. Nat isn't buying it. Welcome back, Monksters. WIW: The Syracuse Figure — upstate New York has a Bigfoot, and it's four foot nine. LINKS: Gallup, "Americans' Drinking Remains at Record Low" — https://news.gallup.com/poll/713534/americans-drinking-remains-record-low.aspx Wine vs. beer vs. spirits, ACC.26 — https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260808235008.htm GLP-1 usage by state — https://dataexplained.com/news/weight-loss-drug-usage-by-state-in-us/ PLOS One, health and political geography — https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0254001 This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Please SUBSCRIBE on your favorite platform, and leave us a 5-star review if you're enjoying the show. We're listener-supported. As little as $3 a month keeps the lights on: https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges Tell us your story and we'll share it on the show — [email protected] Nat: [email protected] Facebook page and private group — request to join and keep the conversation going. If you're in trouble with substance abuse, reach out. We neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, but the sheer number of AA and NA meetings makes that a good first step — maybe not the last step — on your road to recovery. https://www.aa.org/ · https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/

Episode 151: Ibogaine and Kratom-Born into the Blues In this week’s show, we tackle two of the most debated botanicals in the addiction space from completely different angles. First, things get personal (and combative) as we dissect a Facebook argument Mike recently had with hardcore kratom proponents, diving into the fiercely protective and often wild online culture surrounding the Southeast Asian leaf. We then pivot from internet drama to clinical science to unpack ibogaine. We explore the profound pharmacology behind this powerful West African root bark and its intense potential to essentially "reset" the brain's opioid receptors and abruptly interrupt severe withdrawal. Join us as we contrast the volatile community politics of kratom with the raw therapeutic realities of ibogaine. Also, new music from Nat to close out the show! Check out the world premier of Born into the Blues. RITN: Kash Patel, get your rear end to a meeting. WIW: More Bigfeet on the move. *This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.* Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite platform to get the latest episode delivered right to your devices as soon as it’s released. LINKS: We are a listener-supported podcast. If you like what we’re doing here at RMA and want to support the show, JOIN THE RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES PATREON  Our sole mission is to help other people achieve sobriety and become their best, most authentic selves. As little as $3 a month makes a big difference and helps us keep the lights on.  https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges As always, we thank you for your support.  RMA ON YOUTUBE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER  Facebook Page We also have a Facebook Group! Request to join the group. It’s a private space for continuing the discussion of what Nat and Mike talk about on the podcast. Hope to see you there. PLEASE leave us a 5 star review on I-Tunes if you’re enjoying the show and SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes.  Email: [email protected] [email protected] We all have a story. Tell us yours and we’ll share it on the show! E-Mail your story to [email protected] If you’re in trouble with substance abuse and need help, reach out. There are thousands of people who have put problems with addiction in their rear-view mirrors and you can be one of them. While we neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, the sheer number of available AA and NA meetings suggest that reaching out to those organizations would be a good first step, (but maybe not the last step), on your road to recovery.   https://www.aa.org/ https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/ Marijuana Anonymous (just in case): This Naked Mind

Episode 150: The Disease Model of Addiction We hear it everywhere-addiction is a disease. It’s the foundation of rehab, recovery culture, and even how people talk about themselves. But what if that idea isn’t as settled as it sounds? In this episode, we take a look at The Addictaholic Deconstructed by Doctor Nicole Labor and her persuasive case for the disease model. There’s real truth in it; brain changes, genetics, the feeling of compulsion; but we dig into where the argument starts to stretch. Does neuroscience actually prove addiction is a disease, or does it just show that behavior and learning leave a mark on the brain? We also get into the uncomfortable stuff most people don’t question: why the model seems impossible to disprove, why so many people recover without treatment, and why addiction, if it’s a biological disease, is so often “treated” with prayer and surrender in 12-step programs. There’s  a different way of looking at it: addiction as a learned, reinforced coping strategy that works… until it doesn’t. And what that shift means for how people recover, especially those who don’t fit the classic “rock bottom” story. If you’ve ever felt like the disease label helped you… or held you back… this one’s for you. RITN: Pity the poor restaurants who are closing because people aren’t drinking enough. WIW: Bigfoot spring migration in Ohio. *This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.* Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite platform to get the latest episode delivered right to your devices as soon as it’s released. LINKS: We are a listener-supported podcast. If you like what we’re doing here at RMA and want to support the show, JOIN THE RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES PATREON  Our sole mission is to help other people achieve sobriety and become their best, most authentic selves. As little as $3 a month makes a big difference and helps us keep the lights on.  https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges As always, we thank you for your support.  RMA ON YOUTUBE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER  Facebook Page We also have a Facebook Group! Request to join the group. It’s a private space for continuing the discussion of what Nat and Mike talk about on the podcast. Hope to see you there. PLEASE leave us a 5 star review on I-Tunes if you’re enjoying the show and SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes.  Email: [email protected] [email protected] We all have a story. Tell us yours and we’ll share it on the show! E-Mail your story to [email protected] If you’re in trouble with substance abuse and need help, reach out. There are thousands of people who have put problems with addiction in their rear-view mirrors and you can be one of them. While we neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, the sheer number of available AA and NA meetings suggest that reaching out to those organizations would be a good first step, (but maybe not the last step), on your road to recovery.   https://www.aa.org/ https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/ Marijuana Anonymous (just in case): This Naked Mind

Episode 149: Recovery 101-AI Sponsors, Real Life Problems We discuss AI, sober apps, mental health,  and navigating the vicissitudes of life. We basically shoot the shit for an hour and a half. Also, Nat shares some bad news, we have three RITN articles, and we engage in our usual hijinks. RITN: Nassau County bans 7OH WIW: Does DMT open a portal to the source-code of life? *This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.* Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite platform to get the latest episode delivered right to your devices as soon as it’s released. LINKS: We are a listener-supported podcast. If you like what we’re doing here at RMA and want to support the show, JOIN THE RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES PATREON  Our sole mission is to help other people achieve sobriety and become their best, most authentic selves. As little as $3 a month makes a big difference and helps us keep the lights on.  https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges As always, we thank you for your support.  RMA ON YOUTUBE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER  Facebook Page We also have a Facebook Group! Request to join the group. It’s a private space for continuing the discussion of what Nat and Mike talk about on the podcast. Hope to see you there. PLEASE leave us a 5 star review on I-Tunes if you’re enjoying the show and SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes.  Email: [email protected] [email protected] We all have a story. Tell us yours and we’ll share it on the show! E-Mail your story to [email protected] If you’re in trouble with substance abuse and need help, reach out. There are thousands of people who have put problems with addiction in their rear-view mirrors and you can be one of them. While we neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, the sheer number of available AA and NA meetings suggest that reaching out to those organizations would be a good first step, (but maybe not the last step), on your road to recovery.   https://www.aa.org/ https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/ Marijuana Anonymous (just in case): This Naked Mind

Episode 148: Recovery 101-Back to Basics In this episode we explore the foundational and advanced tools needed to build a lasting, fulfilling sober life. We start by dismantling the outdated stereotypes of the "bridge drunk" to embrace the nuance of the Alcohol Spectrum, while explaining why quitting in middle age offers unique advantages like a strong work ethic and immunity to peer pressure.  Also, Nat shares some good news, we read some reviews, and engage in our usual jijinks. RITN: Don’t feed convenience store booze to Cooper’s Hawks.  Is Zebra-striping even a real thing?  *This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.* Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite platform to get the latest episode delivered right to your devices as soon as it’s released. LINKS: We are a listener-supported podcast. If you like what we’re doing here at RMA and want to support the show, JOIN THE RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES PATREON  Our sole mission is to help other people achieve sobriety and become their best, most authentic selves. As little as $3 a month makes a big difference and helps us keep the lights on.  https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges As always, we thank you for your support.  RMA ON YOUTUBE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER  Facebook Page We also have a Facebook Group! Request to join the group. It’s a private space for continuing the discussion of what Nat and Mike talk about on the podcast. Hope to see you there. PLEASE leave us a 5 star review on I-Tunes if you’re enjoying the show and SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes.  Email: [email protected] [email protected] We all have a story. Tell us yours and we’ll share it on the show! E-Mail your story to [email protected] If you’re in trouble with substance abuse and need help, reach out. There are thousands of people who have put problems with addiction in their rear-view mirrors and you can be one of them. While we neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, the sheer number of available AA and NA meetings suggest that reaching out to those organizations would be a good first step, (but maybe not the last step), on your road to recovery.   https://www.aa.org/ https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/ Marijuana Anonymous (just in case): This Naked Mind

Episode 147: Social Media Addiction and En$h¡tification In this episode of Recovery in the Middle Ages, we dig into social media and the subtle ways it can take over our time, attention, and emotional life. Many of us have noticed that after putting down the drink, we picked up the phone, reaching for it when we’re bored, stressed, lonely, or just trying to take the edge off. We talk about how scrolling taps into the same reward loops that drive other compulsive behaviors, why it can be so hard to stop, and what it may be quietly taking from us in sleep, focus, and real-world connection. Can it be regulated? What does Joe Camel have in common with Mark Zuckerberg? Tune in to find out. Plus, other stuff. Why is everything falling apart? RITN: Phone are illegal in schools in New York *This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.* Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite platform to get the latest episode delivered right to your devices as soon as it’s released. LINKS: We are a listener-supported podcast. If you like what we’re doing here at RMA and want to support the show, JOIN THE RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES PATREON  Our sole mission is to help other people achieve sobriety and become their best, most authentic selves. As little as $3 a month makes a big difference and helps us keep the lights on.  https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges As always, we thank you for your support.  RMA ON YOUTUBE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER  Facebook Page We also have a Facebook Group! Request to join the group. It’s a private space for continuing the discussion of what Nat and Mike talk about on the podcast. Hope to see you there. PLEASE leave us a 5 star review on I-Tunes if you’re enjoying the show and SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes.  Email: [email protected] [email protected] We all have a story. Tell us yours and we’ll share it on the show! E-Mail your story to [email protected] If you’re in trouble with substance abuse and need help, reach out. There are thousands of people who have put problems with addiction in their rear-view mirrors and you can be one of them. While we neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, the sheer number of available AA and NA meetings suggest that reaching out to those organizations would be a good first step, (but maybe not the last step), on your road to recovery.   https://www.aa.org/ https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/ Marijuana Anonymous (just in case): This Naked Mind

Episode 146: The Journey of a Thousand Miles New beginnings. Time marches ever onwards and so do Mike and Nat. What have they been up to? Let's take a peek. Recovery is not linear and sometimes you stumble, but you pick up where you left off and forge ahead. What the heck am I talking about? Tune in to find out. RITN: Does drinking give you ass cancer? Does it make your guts leak? Yes, and yes. *This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.* Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite platform to get the latest episode delivered right to your devices as soon as it’s released. LINKS: We are a listener-supported podcast. If you like what we’re doing here at RMA and want to support the show, JOIN THE RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES PATREON  Our sole mission is to help other people achieve sobriety and become their best, most authentic selves. As little as $3 a month makes a big difference and helps us keep the lights on.  https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges As always, we thank you for your support.  RMA ON YOUTUBE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER  Facebook Page We also have a Facebook Group! Request to join the group. It’s a private space for continuing the discussion of what Nat and Mike talk about on the podcast. Hope to see you there. PLEASE leave us a 5 star review on I-Tunes if you’re enjoying the show and SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes.  Email: [email protected] [email protected] We all have a story. Tell us yours and we’ll share it on the show! E-Mail your story to [email protected] If you’re in trouble with substance abuse and need help, reach out. There are thousands of people who have put problems with addiction in their rear-view mirrors and you can be one of them. While we neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, the sheer number of available AA and NA meetings suggest that reaching out to those organizations would be a good first step, (but maybe not the last step), on your road to recovery.   https://www.aa.org/ https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/ Marijuana Anonymous (just in case): This Naked Mind

Episode 145: The Dog Days of Summer Recovery While the calendar insists August is just 31 days, for Mike and Nat it felt more like 31 years. From seizures on vacation to shoplifting Kratom from a Connecticut gas station—while en route to bring a family member to detox—the guys have been through the wringer. How did they keep their sobriety and their sanity intact? Tune in to find out. Plus, we dig into the latest news, stories, and assorted chaos—on a very special edition of Recovery in the Middle Ages. *This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.* Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite platform to get the latest episode delivered right to your devices as soon as it’s released. LINKS: We are a listener-supported podcast. If you like what we’re doing here at RMA and want to support the show, JOIN THE RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES PATREON  Our sole mission is to help other people achieve sobriety and become their best, most authentic selves. As little as $3 a month makes a big difference and helps us keep the lights on.  https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges As always, we thank you for your support.  RMA ON YOUTUBE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER  Facebook Page We also have a Facebook Group! Request to join the group. It’s a private space for continuing the discussion of what Nat and Mike talk about on the podcast. Hope to see you there. PLEASE leave us a 5 star review on I-Tunes if you’re enjoying the show and SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes.  Email: [email protected] [email protected] We all have a story. Tell us yours and we’ll share it on the show! E-Mail your story to [email protected] If you’re in trouble with substance abuse and need help, reach out. There are thousands of people who have put problems with addiction in their rear-view mirrors and you can be one of them. While we neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, the sheer number of available AA and NA meetings suggest that reaching out to those organizations would be a good first step, (but maybe not the last step), on your road to recovery.   https://www.aa.org/ https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/ Marijuana Anonymous (just in case): This Naked Mind

In this midyear news roundup episode of Recovery in the Middle Ages, Mike and Nat discuss the most significant addiction and recovery stories of 2025. From the federal crackdown on kratom’s potent opioid-like compound to San Francisco’s hard pivot away from harm reduction, we’re breaking down what these changes mean for people in and around recovery. We’ll also explore why New York’s overdose death rate just dropped like a rock, how Scotland’s first legal injection site is making waves, and why India’s rehab clinics are overflowing.  It’s our first episode since February so buckle up. We’ve got some personal updates and reflections on the last five months that will be of interest to one and all. *This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.* Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite platform to get the latest episode delivered right to your devices as soon as it’s released. LINKS: We are a listener-supported podcast. If you like what we’re doing here at RMA and want to support the show, JOIN THE RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES PATREON  Our sole mission is to help other people achieve sobriety and become their best, most authentic selves. As little as $3 a month makes a big difference and helps us keep the lights on.  https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges As always, we thank you for your support.  RMA ON YOUTUBE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER  Facebook Page We also have a Facebook Group! Request to join the group. It’s a private space for continuing the discussion of what Nat and Mike talk about on the podcast. Hope to see you there. PLEASE leave us a 5 star review on I-Tunes if you’re enjoying the show and SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes.  Email: [email protected] [email protected] We all have a story. Tell us yours and we’ll share it on the show! E-Mail your story to [email protected] If you’re in trouble with substance abuse and need help, reach out. There are thousands of people who have put problems with addiction in their rear-view mirrors and you can be one of them. While we neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, the sheer number of available AA and NA meetings suggest that reaching out to those organizations would be a good first step, (but maybe not the last step), on your road to recovery.   https://www.aa.org/ https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/ Marijuana Anonymous (just in case): This Naked Mind

Episode 143: Recovery in the News In this episode of Recovery in the Middle Ages, we run down the latest news from the world of recovery, giving our take on the headlines that matter to those on the sober path. We discuss the tragic passing of Melissa Trachtenberg, which may have been related to alcoholic liver disease. Then, we discuss The New York Times' long-overdue admission that red wine is not, in fact, the health elixir it was once hyped up to be—turns out, the “glass of wine a day” myth doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. Finally, we highlight a success story worth celebrating: Blac Chyna marks two years of sobriety, proving that transformation is possible and that the journey to recovery is as much about growth and self-discovery as it is about abstaining from booze.  Recovery in the News: Has Red Wine lost its Health Halo?  Michelle Trachtenberg, known for her roles in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Harriet the Spy," passed away at the age of 39.  Angela White, formerly known as Blac Chyna, recently marked two years of sobriety. She has been open about her struggles with alcohol and the positive changes sobriety has brought to her life The Week in Weird: Assemblyman Chris Rogers (D-Santa Rosa) puts forth bill number 666, in hopes of making Bigfoot the state cryptid of California. *This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.* Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite platform to get the latest episode delivered right to your devices as soon as it’s released. LINKS: www.soberliningsplaybook.com We are a listener-supported podcast. If you like what we’re doing here at RMA and want to support the show, JOIN THE RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES PATREON  Our sole mission is to help other people achieve sobriety and become their best, most authentic selves. As little as $3 a month makes a big difference and helps us keep the lights on.  https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges As always, we thank you for your support.  RMA ON YOUTUBE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER  Facebook Page We also have a Facebook Group! Request to join the group. It’s a private space for continuing the discussion of what Nat and Mike talk about on the podcast. Hope to see you there. PLEASE leave us a 5 star review on I-Tunes if you’re enjoying the show and SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes.  Email: [email protected] [email protected] We all have a story. Tell us yours and we’ll share it on the show! E-Mail your story to [email protected] If you’re in trouble with substance abuse and need help, reach out. There are thousands of people who have put problems with addiction in their rear-view mirrors and you can be one of them. While we neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, the sheer number of available AA and NA meetings suggest that reaching out to those organizations would be a good first step, (but maybe not the last step), on your road to recovery.   https://www.aa.org/ https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/ Marijuana Anonymous (just in case): This Naked Mind   ONE IN THE GOOSE TWO IN THE POOSE!

Episode 142: RMA, RFK and the San Patrignano Experiment In this episode of Recovery in the Middle Ages, we take a look at Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s plan to address addiction in America, which leans heavily on his personal recovery experience and the model of Italy’s San Patrignano rehab center. Kennedy’s proposal centers around creating “wellness farms” across rural America, where people struggling with addiction can live and work in therapeutic communities, focusing on organic farming and communal living as an alternative to incarceration. This approach is inspired by San Patrignano’s long-term, work-based rehab program, which has seen success for those who stick with it. But there’s a lot of pushback, as critics point out the lack of medically assisted treatment and the potential for coercive practices, which have plagued San Patrignano in the past. Kennedy’s skepticism toward pharmaceutical treatments like methadone and his promotion of alternative therapies like cannabis and psychedelics are also raising eyebrows, with many worried that his approach could undermine evidence-based practices that have proven effective in addiction treatment. Recovery in the News: A study on fruit flies has identified that acetylcholine, a brain signal integral to memory and motivation, plays a crucial role in alcohol-induced sleep disturbances.  A recent survey indicates that nearly half of Americans, particularly younger generations, plan to reduce their alcohol consumption in 2025, driven by health concerns and the rising popularity of non-alcoholic alternatives.  *This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.* Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite platform to get the latest episode delivered right to your devices as soon as it’s released. LINKS: www.soberliningsplaybook.com We are a listener-supported podcast. If you like what we’re doing here at RMA and want to support the show, JOIN THE RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES PATREON  Our sole mission is to help other people achieve sobriety and become their best, most authentic selves. As little as $3 a month makes a big difference and helps us keep the lights on.  https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges As always, we thank you for your support.  RMA ON YOUTUBE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER  Facebook Page We also have a Facebook Group! Request to join the group. It’s a private space for continuing the discussion of what Nat and Mike talk about on the podcast. Hope to see you there. PLEASE leave us a 5 star review on I-Tunes if you’re enjoying the show and SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes.  Email: [email protected] [email protected] We all have a story. Tell us yours and we’ll share it on the show! E-Mail your story to [email protected] If you’re in trouble with substance abuse and need help, reach out. There are thousands of people who have put problems with addiction in their rear-view mirrors and you can be one of them. While we neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, the sheer number of available AA and NA meetings suggest that reaching out to those organizations would be a good first step, (but maybe not the last step), on your road to recovery.   https://www.aa.org/ https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/ Marijuana Anonymous (just in case): This Naked Mind

Episode 141: The Return of RMA-Recovery in the News Edition It’s been a minute, we know — but Mike and Nat are BACK, rested, refreshed and ready to serve up a new episode packed with recovery bon mots, musings, and thought-provoking insights. This week we’re diving into the latest conversations around sobriety, cultural norms, and health, giving our take on three recent articles from The New York Times that challenge the narrative that drinking is normal and safe. First up: I Quit Drinking Four Years Ago. I’m Still Confronting Drinking Culture by Charles Blow. Blow reflects on his journey to sobriety, unpacking the emotional and cultural challenges faced when stepping away from alcohol. Why does society romanticize drinking while casting suspicion on those who abstain? Next: Alcohol Carries New Risks in Middle Age by Cari Blum. There are clearly heightened health risks associated with alcohol consumption in middle age, and new research reveals just how impactful booze in any quantity is on our health as we age. Finally: When It Comes to Drinking, There Are No Good Answers by Rachael Bedard. This article takes a hard look at the conflicting messages around alcohol consumption, from moderate drinking myths to the growing body of research linking alcohol with serious health concerns, including cancer and liver disease. After a long break, we’re back with sharper perspectives, plenty of laughs, and the same witty repartee that RMA is known for throughout the universe. Before I forget, this week’s Week in Weird is all about Drones and Orbs, and anal probing! Nat is an expert! *This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.* Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite platform to get the latest episode delivered right to your devices as soon as it’s released. LINKS: www.soberliningsplaybook.com We are a listener-supported podcast. If you like what we’re doing here at RMA and want to support the show, JOIN THE RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES PATREON  Our sole mission is to help other people achieve sobriety and become their best, most authentic selves. As little as $3 a month makes a big difference and helps us keep the lights on.  https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges As always, we thank you for your support.  RMA ON YOUTUBE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER  Facebook Page We also have a Facebook Group! Request to join the group. It’s a private space for continuing the discussion of what Nat and Mike talk about on the podcast. Hope to see you there. PLEASE leave us a 5 star review on I-Tunes if you’re enjoying the show and SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes.  Email: [email protected] [email protected] We all have a story. Tell us yours and we’ll share it on the show! E-Mail your story to [email protected] If you’re in trouble with substance abuse and need help, reach out. There are thousands of people who have put problems with addiction in their rear-view mirrors and you can be one of them. While we neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, the sheer number of available AA and NA meetings suggest that reaching out to those organizations would be a good first step, (but maybe not the last step), on your road to recovery.   https://www.aa.org/ https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/ Marijuana Anonymous (just in case): This Naked Mind