Addiction & Recovery Conversations with Brett Lovins - Conversation with Dr. Mira Zein - Cisco’s Corporate Behavioral Health Director on the Disease Model of Addiction

Conversation with Dr. Mira Zein - Cisco’s Corporate Behavioral Health Director on the Disease Model of Addiction

10/25/22 • 36 min

Addiction & Recovery Conversations with Brett Lovins

I'm proud to work for Cisco Systems and honored that I got to share my story and have a conversation with Dr. Mira Zein as part of Mental Health Awareness Week. Dr. Zein is Cisco's Corporate Behavioral Health Director and someone that our company turns to in matters related to mental health. She and I recorded this in one take, completely improvised... we cover a lot of topics including: genetics, treatment, shame and stigma, and much more. I'm grateful to have had this conversation and grateful that she and the Cisco Benefits Team were cool with me sharing it on my podcast. If you want to learn more about substance use disorder, addiction and treatment, I can recommend Shatterproof.org.

Other useful links from Brett:

Sober Curious Consulting - Brett's Recovery Friendly Workplace consulting business.
Brett's YouTube channel
Washington Recovery Alliance - building the capacity of the recovery community to advance substance use recovery and mental health wellness by catalyzing public understanding and shaping public policy in Washington State.
Recovery-Ready Workplace Toolkit - providing information, tools, and resources to help employers from all sectors—government, for-profit, non-profit, and not-for-profit—effectively prevent and respond to substance misuse in the workforce from the Department of Labor.
Data on SUD in the US (2022) - from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). Link to my favorite PDF for statistics.
Addiction 101 - it’s not a moral failing—it’s a treatable illness. Get the facts about this misunderstood medical condition from my friends at Shatterproof.

Other useful links from Brett:

Sober Curious Consulting - Brett's Recovery Friendly Workplace consulting business.
Brett's YouTube channel
Washington Recovery Alliance - building the capacity of the recovery community to advance substance use recovery and mental health wellness by catalyzing public understanding and shaping public policy in Washington State.
Recovery-Ready Workplace Toolkit - providing information, tools, and resources to help employers from all sectors—government, for-profit, non-profit, and not-for-profit—effectively prevent and respond to substance misuse in the workforce from the Department of Labor.
Data on SUD in the US (2022) - from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). Link to my favorite PDF for statistics.
Addiction 101 - it’s not a moral failing—it’s a treatable illness. Get the facts about this misunderstood medical condition from my friends at Shatterproof.

Previous Episode

Megan Tweedy on Losing Her Brother, Jeff Meyer, to Overdose & the Fentanyl Crisis

Megan Tweedy lost her brother, Jeff Meyer, to a Fentanyl overdose Feb 20, 2022. Megan is a friend of mine, her husband is too... and so was Jeff. Jeff had lots of people who loved him. He lit up a room when he walked in, someone with whom conversation were easy and engaging, a guy who could make you belly laugh repeatedly. Lots of people miss Jeff. Since his passing, Megan has become an activist for Fentanyl education and overdose prevention. In this conversation, we'll touch on several aspects of the Fentanyl crisis. We hope you will learn some things in listening to our chat. Additional links to explore for more information and to obtain Naloxone/Narcan: Shatterproof.org and Stopoverdose.org.

Other useful links from Brett:

Sober Curious Consulting - Brett's Recovery Friendly Workplace consulting business.
Brett's YouTube channel
Washington Recovery Alliance - building the capacity of the recovery community to advance substance use recovery and mental health wellness by catalyzing public understanding and shaping public policy in Washington State.
Recovery-Ready Workplace Toolkit - providing information, tools, and resources to help employers from all sectors—government, for-profit, non-profit, and not-for-profit—effectively prevent and respond to substance misuse in the workforce from the Department of Labor.
Data on SUD in the US (2022) - from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). Link to my favorite PDF for statistics.
Addiction 101 - it’s not a moral failing—it’s a treatable illness. Get the facts about this misunderstood medical condition from my friends at Shatterproof.

Next Episode

Relapse Story - Jim Clague - 24 Years Sober and a Relapse

I have to be diligent, and stories like these are a great reminder of why. No matter how long I am sober, I have to know in my bones that I have this disease and I'll never be cured. I can never again drink safely, moderately, normally. Thank you Jim for sharing your story of being sober 24 years and what happened when you tested out what happened when you drank again.

Other useful links from Brett:

Sober Curious Consulting - Brett's Recovery Friendly Workplace consulting business.
Brett's YouTube channel
Washington Recovery Alliance - building the capacity of the recovery community to advance substance use recovery and mental health wellness by catalyzing public understanding and shaping public policy in Washington State.
Recovery-Ready Workplace Toolkit - providing information, tools, and resources to help employers from all sectors—government, for-profit, non-profit, and not-for-profit—effectively prevent and respond to substance misuse in the workforce from the Department of Labor.
Data on SUD in the US (2022) - from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). Link to my favorite PDF for statistics.
Addiction 101 - it’s not a moral failing—it’s a treatable illness. Get the facts about this misunderstood medical condition from my friends at Shatterproof.