Grief, Phish, Fentanyl & Truth with Theresa Solsten

About this episode

Theresa Solsten discusses her sister's fentanyl poisoning and the stigma surrounding addiction and grief.

🔥 Pondoff’s Anonymous – Show Notes 🎙️ Episode Title: Grief, Phish, Fentanyl & Truth 🎧 Guest: Theresa Solsten Who this episode is for: - Those addicted to drugs and/or alcohol - Families grieving someone lost to overdose — or what we’re calling it now: poisoning - Anyone carrying shame in silence - Men who’ve never been told they’re allowed to feel - Anyone who’s ever made a mess of their life - Phish fans and the Phish-curious --- Theresa is back. And this one goes deep. Eight years ago, her sister Michelle died from fentanyl poisoning. Not a moral failure. Not a statistic. A poisoning. We talk about why language matters. Why “overdose” carries stigma. Why “poisoning” tells the truth. Most people who die from fentanyl never intended to die. They thought they were buying something else. They were wrong — and it cost them everything. Theresa shares: - Discovering her sister was using - Taking her to her first meeting - Clean time that ended quietly - The secrecy addicts build out of fear - The isolation of grieving someone society still judges “People choose isolation because they’re trying to feel safe.” That line hits. Addiction isn’t just self-destruction. It’s fear…

People in this episode

Hosts: Chris Pondoff, Jeff Allen, Zoë Mendenall

Guest: Theresa Solsten

Topics covered

• grief
• addiction
• fentanyl
• mental health
• support systems
• emotional safety

Keywords

• fentanyl
• addiction
• grief
• support systems
• Phish
• emotional safety
• shame
• isolation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Phish

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