Homeless, Addicted, and Arrested: How Sarah Overcame Trauma and Found Healing

Join Dr. Yalda Safai in this episode of Freud and Felons as she speaks with Sarah, who opens up about her difficult journey through addiction, untreated mental health issues, and repeated interactions with the criminal justice system.

Sarah recounts how childhood trauma and unaddressed pain led her to dependency on prescription pain pills, which eventually spiraled into homelessness and alcohol addiction. Learn all about the lack of effective support systems, the many barriers to accessing mental health and addiction treatment, and how these failures often result in cycles of incarceration and relapse. Sarah also reflects on her experiences in jail, the lack of follow-up care after release, and the importance of peer support and decriminalization for real change.

00:00 Struggles with health and homelessness

03:05 Developing dependence on pain medication

06:16 Feeling rejected by family

11:12 Struggling with painkiller addiction

13:14 Struggling to access treatment

18:35 Hospital visit and misunderstanding

21:40 Wishes for mental health support

25:03 Struggles with finding effective help

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Freud and Felons is not another true crime podcast - it's a journey into the psychology of devious human behavior. I'm Yalda Safai, a psychiatrist who works with inmates, sits through courtrooms, and, just like you, am fascinated by a good true crime story. Instead of "How", let's dive into the "Why" behind the crimes.

Why do upstanding citizens just snap one day and murder their spouses?

Why did Ted Bundy have so many fans?

What does the word psychopath truly mean?

Most importantly, why are YOU so obsessed with a good crime story?

Welcome to Freud and Felons.

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Produced by Through The Noise: https://www.getthroughthenoise.com/