Get Real With Robin!

Ep. 28 Breaking the stigma of addiction

Addiction. It can take many forms. Drugs, prescription medication, alcohol, sex, gambling, the list goes on. Addiction can tear apart families and leave so much destruction in its wake.

During the COVID pandemic, this tragedy has gotten worse. In some communities, overdose-related emergency calls are up as much as 40% and 42 states reported increases in overdose deaths during the pandemic.

And it’s not just overdoses taking lives: In 2018, more than 175,000 deaths in the U.S. were related to alcohol and other drugs. That makes substance use the third largest cause of death in the nation.

Co-Host Donna Alexander

Donna has had her own dealings with addiction, having experienced her first drunk at the young age of 11 and her first DUI at 19. She has been sober since 2008 and has gone on to help others by not only sharing her story but she is actively involved with their recovery journey as the Community Outreach Director for Crossroads for the past 10 years. She is also the co-host of Recovery On Air, a podcast that gets real about breaking the stigma of addiction.