Episode 10: Dr. Paul Earley explains the idea of "many roads to a place of peace"

In this episode, Dr. Paul Earley describes how his own experience with addiction and recovery led him to a career in addiction medicine. He shares how addiction affected him and his work, along with the personal consequences of his illness. He also touches on misconceptions about addiction and those with addiction and emphasizes that addiction is a complex and complicated illness. Dr. Earley shares that there are “many roads to peace,” and he believes it is especially helpful to be around others who are also in recovery. He goes on to discuss the importance of developing gratitude and being helpful to others and the transformation in recovery from being self-centered to becoming other-centered. Dr. Earley talks about the need to combat the stigma related to addiction, including the significance of using person-first language, and the efforts ASAM has undertaken toward this end. He emphasizes that addiction is a chronic illness, like diabetes or hypertension, and should be treated as such, and the role genetics plays in one’s risk of addiction. By using the metaphor of wood kindling catching fire, Dr. Earley describes the way addiction works and how science shows the complexities of addiction and its effects on the brain. He discusses medications that are available to treat addiction and shares a meaningful story that demonstrates why he treats addiction. Lastly, Dr. Earley offers advice and insights to the next generation of addiction medicine professionals.

Dr. Earley has been an addiction medicine physician for over 35 years. He treats all types of addictive disorders and specializes in the assessment and treatment of health care professionals. Dr. Earley speaks and trains on topics of addiction, its treatment, and addiction among health care professionals. In addition, he trains therapists on the neurobiological basis of addiction and psychotherapy. In his travels, he has provided training in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Switzerland. Dr. Earley is the author of three books and numerous articles on addiction and its treatment and has contributed to the ASAM textbook Principles of Addiction Medicine, as the author of the chapter Physician Health Programs and Addiction among Physicians. He is one of the contributing authors of The ASAM Criteria®. Dr. Earley’s work was featured in the documentary series on addiction entitled Close to Home by Bill Moyers. Dr. Earley is a past president of ASAM and received ASAM’s Annual Award in 2015.

 

Links:

Textbooks (asam.org)

ASAM Criteria 4th Edition

Annual Award (asam.org)

Changing Lives | BillMoyers.com

 

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, you are not alone. Treatment is available and recovery is possible. Visit ASAM’s Patient Resources page for more information.