For nearly 60 years, Michael Stewart's life was marked by violence from his childhood, addiction, suicidal thoughts, and a serious mental health issue.

Whether he was selling cars, getting put behind bars, or living on the streets, drugs and mental illness were two of the only constants in his life. For decades, Michael used for relief. "Drugs gave me the ability to open up and be more vulnerable than I had been before." The question was, could he figure out a way to be more vulnerable and survive without using?

The Episode Producer was psychiatrist, Mark Ragins. He is the author of a riveting account of mental illness and treatment called "Journeys Beyond the Frontier: A Rebellious Guide to Psychosis and Other Extraordinary Experiences." It's a terrific read. Find out more about him and where to get the book at markragins.com.

Part 2 of Michael's story will be out on March 19th - mark your calendar!

You can find clear overviews on dual diagnosis (mental illness and addiction) at:

• the National Alliance for Mental Illness, and
• National Library of Medicine.

Also check out research from the Treatment Advocacy Center (TAC), which found that 9 out of 10 people with schizophrenia and a drug use issue get *no* treatment for their drug use. In essence, treating only half of their problem. Even worse, another brief TAC did found that just 1 out of 8 people with schizophrenia and drug use issues got any treatment at all. How does anyone recover from an illness for which they receive no treatment? Links to the study and the brief are here and here.

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