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Minds and Mics

Thriving After 15 Years of Heroin Addiction with Brian Pennie

Minds and Mics
Minds and Mics

Neuroscience researcher and author Brian Pennie reflects on his 15-year addiction to heroin and how he managed to not only survive those harrowing years but to come out of it and build a life he loves.

Show Notes

  • Anxiety and addiction
  • "The opposite of addiction is connection." Johann Hari
  • Awareness is the opposite of addiction
  • Awareness by Anthony DeMelo
  • Storytelling and “the grand self-deception”
  • The relationship between self-awareness, self-belief, and self-deception
  • Where does self-belief come from?
  • The importance of friendship and vulnerability
  • Surrender and peace of mind
  • Relational Frame Theory and the connection between language and emotion
  • The relationship between addiction and values (or the lack of values)
  • Curiosity as the key to recovery and thriving
  • Positive addictions
  • Transforming desire
  • Surviving vs thriving
  • Brian’s Dr. Dolittle Story
  • The importance of playfulness and humor


You can learn more about Brian and his work here:


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