Mike Marino, PhD 

Addictions - From Heartbreak to Hope and Healing
(Suggested for Gala - Fundraising Events)

It would be unusual to find a person whose life or family has not been touched by addictions in some way. Over the past few decades we've seen the availability and potency of illicit drugs explode in America. Meth labs are routinely discovered in affluent neighborhoods and our borders have become lethal drug war-zones. And, addiction reaches far beyond just drugs and alcohol. Along with the good things, the Internet age has also brought untold devastation to millions as they spend fruitless hours and dollars on online pornography and gambling. The end result, of course, is that lives and families are shattered. 

In this presentation, through personal stories and observations, I help the audience understand what's behind addictive behavior, what treatment is effective and what is not. Unfortunately, much of the treatment for addiction today focuses on the addiction. Addiction is not the problem - it's the symptom. If you wash your hands 400 times a day (and I've treated people who do) you do not have a hand washing problem - you have an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) problem. The hand washing is just the symptom. You can chain an addict to a fence for a month and they will get sober. Stopping the addictive behavior is part of the solution, but not the whole solution. The real key to long-term sobriety is uncovering what's driving the addiction.

Why do people abuse substances and harmful behaviors and ultimately find themselves addicted? Is it living the "sweet party life" as we see so many high-profile celebrities do? Is it fun? That's what many who struggle with addiction would tell you and that's what it may look like from the outside. The truth is - that's a lie, it's a fantasy. Having buried many friends who died from their addictions and having treated thousands of addicts, I can confidently say the addiction train has only three stops - misery, prison and the graveyard.  In this moving presentation we'll look at real life stories of those who made it and, sadly, those who didn't. The truth is, lasting recovery is possible with professional treatment. We'll discuss the biological, psychological, social and spiritual components of treatment and how each audience member can truly help change a life, a family and their community.