What if addiction isn’t about drugs, but about pain? Beneath compulsive behaviors often lie histories of trauma, anxiety, and unmet emotional needs, hidden behind layers of stigma and misunderstanding. In medicine, addiction is still often mischaracterized as a moral failing rather than a treatable illness with deep psychological roots. In this episode, we explore the personal and professional evolution of Dr. Casey Grover, an addiction medicine physician who reframed both his own struggles and the way he cares for patients. Finally, we uncover how shifting mindset and language can transform both clinical outcomes and clinician well-being.💡 Check out our Free Resources specifically designed to address pain points in medical practice💡Guest bio:  Dr. Casey Grover is a board-certified physician in Addiction Medicine and Emergency Medicine at Montage Health, where he also serves as Chief of Staff. He is the Physician Champion for the Monterey County Prescribe Safe Initiative, a program focused on reducing opioid misuse through education, safe prescribing, and improved treatment access. In addition to his clinical and leadership roles, Dr. Grover hosts the podcast Addiction Medicine Made Easy, where he breaks down complex topics to make addiction care more approachable for both providers and the public.We Discuss:What is Addiction?When Food Becomes a Coping MechanismThe Stigma of AddictionThe Neurology of AddictionDivided Views on SobrietyWhy Some People Recover and Others RelapseThe Reason Some Brains Get HookedAddiction vs. Dependence — and Why Stigma Makes It WorseBuilding Trust with PatientsFrom Frustration to Compassion: Reframing Patient EncountersTrauma, PTSD, and Personal ReckoningThe Practice of Addiction MedicineMentioned in this episode:UnBurnable - Our Cohort-Based Burnout Prevention and Cure CourseAs physician coaches, my partner, Scott Weingart, and I have noticed a pattern: some doctors are thoroughly burned out, and some are on the path to burnout. Almost all were shortchanged in their medical training, having been molded into excellent clinicians but given virtually no tools for retaining joy and equanimity throughout their careers.

This course will teach you the hidden anti-burnout curriculum.The UnBurnable CourseNever Lame. Never Spammy. Always Fresh.If you’d like a few minutes of career-elevating curated kickassery delivered to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter. Sign up for our Newsletter5 Free Tools To Make Medical Practice EasierScripts for your least favorite conversations.
The quick and dirty guide to calling consults.
A 10-minute "Driveway Debrief" to switch off from work.
My favorite documentation templates.
Step-by-step guide for delivering the news of death.
Free Resources Link

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