Dr. Jason Giles

Dr. Jason Giles

Addiction medicine physician · Author · TEDx speaker

Hello, I'm Dr. Jason Giles, and I'm fired up to end harmful addiction in America.

For the last two decades, I've been on the front lines, helping more than 25,000 people on their journey of recovery from drug, alcohol, and other addictions. Beyond direct patient care through our growing medical practice, I'm a TEDx speaker on addiction and have been featured on many high-profile podcasts, including an interview with David Duchovny on his show Fail Better. I'm also the author of a soon-to-be-published book that offers a new way of looking at addiction: Good Compass, Bad Map.

Portrait of Dr. Jason Giles Portrait of Dr. Jason Giles

Story

Before I was an addiction doctor, I was an addiction patient.

After medical school, near the end of my training as an anesthesiologist, I needed help for my own addiction. Fortunately, I was surrounded by people who recognized the signs and helped me onto the road to recovery. I went to treatment and returned to the OR, but I wanted to learn more about addiction and help people with the same problem I had.

Two decades ago, I changed specialties and became an addiction medicine doctor. Since then, I've played a role in the recovery of more than 25,000 people and their families, written two books on addiction, lectured on addiction at USC, UC Davis, UC Berkeley, and Dartmouth, appeared on national news including CBS, ABC, Fox, and the BBC, and served as an addiction medicine expert witness in jury trials.

The Idea

Good Compass, Bad Map

The things we drink, smoke, and take to relieve loneliness, anxiety, boredom, shame, and grief work at first. We feel better, and that's why we use them again.

Each of us has a compass. It points toward safety, belonging, and freedom from pain.

Each of us also has a map: the routes we've learned to get there. A drink, a pill, a bet, or a phone can become one of those routes.

Most people think compulsive behavior is about weakness of will, but it's usually about strength of habit. The same brain that learned the old route can learn a new one.

Watch my TEDx talk if you want to learn more. And if you're still curious about the compass and map idea, get my new book.

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Dr. Jason Giles speaking on stage at TEDxColumbiana

TEDxColumbiana

Addiction Is Like Having a Great Compass but a Bad Map

Coming soon

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Conversations

Where you can hear me

David Duchovny and Dr. Jason Giles recording Fail Better
Fail Better with David Duchovny
From "Junkie Doctor" to Addiction Specialist
Host: David Duchovny · Lemonada Media
Listen
Feel Good Podcast
Getting to the Root of Food and Other Addictions
Host: Kimberly Snyder
Listen
The Resilient Mind
"Just One More Time": The Lie That Almost Killed Me
Host: Simba Nyazika
Listen
Transcendence Talks
The New Map of Recovery: Rethinking Addiction
Host: Kristy Crabtree
Listen
I Love Being Sober
Why You Do Not Have a Broken Brain
Host: Tim Westbrook · Camelback Recovery
Listen
The One Day at a Time Recovery Podcast
How a Physician Overcame Fentanyl Addiction and Found Recovery
Host: Arlina Allen
Listen

More conversations

  • Outsmart Your AddictionsThe Art of Paying Attention · Ryan PeltonListen
  • The Future of Addiction Medicine: Psychedelics, AI, and Rewriting Your StorySex, Drugs, & Soul · Kristin BirdwellListen
  • Interview with Addiction Medicine ExpertDoctor Vs Comedian · Dr. Asif DojaListen
  • Addiction, Redemption, and the Power of Saying YesBS Free MD · Drs. May and Tim HindmarshListen
  • Provider's Perspective: Breaking the Stigma Around AddictionThe Doc Lounge Podcast · Stacey DoyleListen
  • Healing Addiction NowBIOptimizers Awesome Health Podcast · Wade LightheartListen
  • Best Practices for Addiction TreatmentThe Med List · Donna BartlettListen
  • Addicted to Fentanyl, SavedMed School Minutes · Kaushik GuhaListen
  • These Shots Save Lives: Using Long-Acting InjectablesAddiction Medicine Made Easy · Dr. Casey GroverListen
  • "It Always Comes Back to You"Avoiding the Addiction Affliction · Michael McGowanListen
  • Conversation with Dr. Jason GilesThe Kennetic Hour · Kennon MasonWatch
  • Addictionologist in Los Angeles, CaliforniaMeet The Doctor · Eva SheieListen
  • Addiction Medicine: A Doctor's JourneyMed Nation · Dr. Lanier and Dr. FarnenListen
  • Pain and AddictionThe Back Doctors Podcast · Dr. Michael JohnsonListen