John Makohen·Aug 29Why Heroin Stops Feeling Good Long Before People Stop Using ItEventually, heroin isn’t about getting high. It’s about avoiding feeling terrible. The brain gradually shifts from chasing pleasure to…
John Makohen·Aug 22The First Time Someone Uses Heroin Isn’t Usually the BeginningAddiction rarely begins with heroin. By the time heroin appears, the brain has often been shaped by years of stress, trauma, learning, and…
John Makohen·Aug 13Medication Isn’t Replacing One Drug With Another. It’s Replacing Chaos With Stability.The biggest myth about methadone and buprenorphine survives because most people misunderstand how addiction changes the brain. These…
John Makohen·Jun 8Polysubstance use: “I Was Not Out Of Control.” I Was Controlling Something You Could Not See.Withdrawal, trauma stress, insomnia, and shame drove my polysubstance use. This is the map from the inside, and it explains why danger…
John Makohen·Feb 19Understanding Methadone Treatment: Overcoming Stigma and Promoting RecoveryMethadone is not “trading one addiction for another.” It is a proven medical treatment that cuts overdose risk, stabilizes lives, and gives…
John Makohen·Jan 12Challenging the Dominance of Complete Abstinence: A Call for Inclusive and Effective Addiction…Abstinence can save lives. But when it becomes doctrine, it leaves people behind. Let’s build treatment that meets reality, not ideology.A response icon1A response icon1
Brooks Park·Nov 15, 2025The Authoritarian MedicineMy last stop as a counselor was working at a methadone/suboxone clinic. I worked with a wide range of individuals from all local…A response icon1A response icon1
InAINYF…Alcohol is NOT Your FriendbyJohn Makohen·Feb 3, 2025From Trauma to Triggers: How AA’s Culture Can Keep Survivors Stuck in PainWhy AA’s Culture Can Perpetuate Emotional Harm
