Heroin Death Obituaries, Picky Eaters, Renée Fleming
Heroin Death Obituaries Guests: Denise Perkins, Executive Director of Broken No More; Liz Perkins, Addiction Awareness Advocate The medical examiner’s report released today shows music legend Prince died in April from an accidental overdose of a powerful pain medication called fentanyl. Nationwide, the CDC says the rate of people dying from an overdose involving opioids has tripled since the year 2000. Widespread use of prescription pain killers and the easy availability of cheap heroin are driving the epidemic. Americans young and old, male and female, rich and poor are falling victim to overdoses tied to opioids. Advocacy groups are rallying for better treatment options and legal changes that would treat drug addiction as a disease, rather than a crime. And you’ve likely noticed a shift on the obituary page of your local newspaper, too. More and more families are dispensing with vague references to a loved one having died “suddenly” or “at home” and writing the truth: He died of addiction; she died of an overdose. Learn more at about Broken No More here. Leisure and Stress Guest: Matthew Zawadzki, PhD, Assistant Professor and Health Psychologist at the University of California, Merced "Take it easy." "Lighten up." "Chillax." Most of us see the wisdom of a little leisure from time to time, right? A balance of work and play makes for better health and happiness in the long run – but it turns out that leisure activity also has immediate and measurable effects on the mind and body. Smiling and Stress Guest: Sarah Pressman, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology and Social Behavior at the University of California, Irvine If you’ve had your heart crushed or your ankle sprained, you may have been told to “grin and bear it.” Callous as it sounds, the mere act of smiling may actually have the power to conquer a bad mood or eliminate pain. Picky Eaters Guest: Dr. Nancy Zucker, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University Mealtime is all-too-often battle time in homes with children. Most of us probably consider it normal for a kid to turn his nose up at vegetables on the plate. You might have done the same when you were young. There is a point, however, when picky eating becomes a sign of deeper, more worrisome problems. Teens Finding Purpose Guest: William Damon, PhD, Professor of Education at Stanford University, Director of the Stanford Center On Adolescence, Co-author of “The Power of Ideals” “Millennial” is the generally-accepted term for the current crop of youngsters, but they’ve also been referred to as “Generation Me” or the “Selfie Generation.” They’re absorbed by their phones and their social media feeds and by themselves. That’s a gross generalization, of course, but those who fit the bill also find themselves lacking a sense of meaning or purpose. Renée Fleming Guest: Renée Fleming, Renowned American Soprano You might expect a woman with this voice – one of the most celebrated opera singers in the world – to have a snobbish streak when it comes to music. But Renee Fleming does not. And her latest endeavor proves it. She’s just accepted a three-year appointment with the Kennedy Center for the Arts where she will curate concerts “celebrating the full gamut of vocal expression” – jazz, pop, classical, singer-songwriter – everything will be fair game.