Addiction, Survival Mode, and the Work of Recovery with Dr Sarah NasirAddiction, Survival Mode, and the Work of Recovery with Dr Sarah Nasir
Families Navigating Addiction & Recovery
Jeff Jones and Dr Sarah Nasir talk through addiction as a chronic condition, survival mode, and the impact on families while outlining a three-phase medical approach to recovery. Their conversation focuses on compassion, boundaries, and how parents and loved ones can care for themselves alongside the person struggling.
1:06:45•6 Nov 2026
Addiction, Survival Mode and Finding Balance with Dr Sarah Nasir
Episode Overview
- Addiction is described as a chronic disease, with the body’s chemistry changing over time and needing stabilisation as part of recovery.
- Dependence and addiction are differentiated by the compulsive drive to use despite risks and responsibilities.
- Families are urged to approach loved ones with curiosity and support instead of accusation and shame, especially when addiction is suspected.
- Parents are encouraged to regulate their own nervous system, set healthy boundaries and recognise their adult children as independent beings.
- Dr Nasir outlines three phases of medication-assisted treatment for opioids: induction, maintenance focused on life stability, and a gentle taper.
“You can’t control others. You can control yourself.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This conversation between host Jeff Jones and Dr Sarah Nasir gives a detailed, down-to-earth look at addiction, survival mode, and what genuine recovery work can look like for both individuals and their families. Dr Nasir, a dual board-certified family and addiction medicine physician and methadone clinic director, explains addiction using a chronic disease model.
She breaks down the difference between dependence and addiction, describing addiction as "a push and a drive to do it regardless of your safety, your responsibilities" and stresses how wildly different it can look from person to person and life stage. You’ll hear her talk about the nervous system, dopamine, and why seeking dopamine isn’t bad in itself—it’s part of how human brains work.
The issue, she says, is when substances hijack that system and keep people stuck in reactive survival mode. Jeff brings the family perspective, highlighting how parents often focus on trying to control their loved one’s behaviour, while Dr Nasir keeps reminding that "you can’t control others. You can control yourself." The episode is especially useful for parents who feel torn between wanting to protect their child and recognising that their adult child is now an independent person.
Dr Nasir speaks tenderly about the parent–child bond, how deep it runs, and why learning to "become an asset, not a liability" sometimes means stepping back, regulating your own nervous system, and letting natural consequences do some of the teaching. She also outlines her three-phase medical approach to opioid addiction: induction (stabilising withdrawal safely), maintenance (building a stable life while on therapeutic medication), and taper (a slow, careful reduction, like taking the stairs rather than jumping off the balcony).
If you’re part of a family affected by addiction and wondering what’s yours to carry and what isn’t, this episode offers a clear framework, compassionate language, and plenty to reflect on. What might it change if your first focus was healing yourself?
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