two women hugging and smiling celebrating with two men watching and smiling full of happiness with a sunny background, new episode of Harvesting Happiness about addiction with Johann Hari & Noah Levine

Unpacking Addiction: Transformative Approaches that Educate and Heal Humanity

Original Air Date Wednesday, August 18, 2021

The journey of our lives can be pockmarked with disappointment and trauma, as well as contentment and joy. It is the nature of our existence. Learning to cope with trauma and unmet needs without the use of addictive behaviors and substances can be trying and cause anxiety and depression. Often, what we cling to first to ease our pain may be the very thing we need to recover from later. Ultimately, internal work is the key to physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual recovery.

To bring to light natural and expansive methods of addiction and trauma recovery, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two former addicts who transformed their lives and healed themselves through natural practices.

Johann Hari shares the research he unearthed about the underlying causes of anxiety and depression while writing his book, Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression — And the Unexpected Solutions.

And, Noah Levine recounts the trauma at the base of his addiction to substances and the mindfulness practice that led him to heal himself and others by way of his Refuge Recovery program.

Tune in:

Lisa Cypers Kamen · Unpacking Addiction: Transformative Approaches that Educate and Heal

Meet Our Guests:

Unpacking Addiction: Transformative Approaches that Educate and Heal Humanity with Johann Hari & Noah Levine

Johann Hari is the New York Times bestselling author of Chasing the Scream, which is being adapted into a feature film. He was twice named Newspaper Journalist of the Year by Amnesty International UK. He has written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and others, and he is a regular panelist on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher.

Book: Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression — And the Unexpected Solutions

Johann Hari — Transformative Approaches:

Why Johann wrote his book, Lost Connections, and what his research revealed. {1:39}
If humans are social animals, why are there so many lonely people? {7:24}
Johann shares the underlying causes of anxiety and depression, the antidepressant effect of the natural world. {12:43}
A Kaiser Permanente study revealed the link between childhood trauma and anxiety and depression. {20:02}

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Noah Levine is the founder of the Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society, with two centers in Los Angeles and over twenty affiliated groups in North America and Europe. He is the author of the national bestseller Dharma Punx and Against the Stream. He leads meditation groups and workshops nationally as well as in juvenile halls and prisons. Levine holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology and has studied with many well-known and respected teachers in both the Theravada and Mahayana traditions. Levine lives in Los Angeles.

Book: Refuge Recovery: A Buddhist Path to Recovering from Addiction

Noah Levine — Transformative Approaches to Healing:

Noah shares his journey with suicide attempts, detox, and recovery while in jail. {27:24}
Healing addiction through mindfulness in Buddhism is based on the four noble truths and the eight-fold path. {31:30}
Refuge Recovery is a book, practice, and process. {37:35}
Noah attended meditation retreats with Jack Kornfield which led to formal training and his empowerment process. {41:09}

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Shareables:

“There are 9 reasons for anxiety and depression, and only two of them are biological.” @johannhari101 on @HHTalkRadio Share on X “There are more Americans who have no one they can turn to in a crisis.” @johannhari101 on @HHTalkRadio Share on X “Refuge Recovery is meant to be practiced in a peer-led community.” @RefugeRecovery on @HHTalkRadio Share on X “True happiness comes from relating to pain wisely, not from escaping it.” @RefugeRecovery on @HHTalkRadio Share on X

Grab More Joy Below:

Are We Happy Yet? Eight Keys to Unlocking a Joyful Life — A boot camp manual for greater emotional fitness. Happiness waits for no one and sometimes we all need support. What is getting in the way of your happiness right now?

H–Factor: Where is Your Heart? — Lisa’s documentary film explores the journey of human happiness. Emotions are contagious and happiness is a universally desired state. We tend to forget we all have the freedom to be happy or the liberty to be miserable each day.