In a widely viewed conversation several years ago, Joe Rogan and Jordan Peterson discussed Peterson’s experience with benzodiazepine dependence and withdrawal. The exchange brought significant public attention to the challenges some individuals face when discontinuing medications like Xanax.

But how closely did that conversation align with clinical evidence?

In this episode, clinical psychologist and addiction scientist Dr. Suzette Glasner examines what Rogan and Peterson accurately captured about benzodiazepine withdrawal — and where important nuance may have been missing. Drawing on research, clinical guidelines, and what is known about protracted withdrawal, suicide risk, and physical dependence, this episode informs cultural narrative with clinical science.

Watch the full episode here:

Episode Breakdown

00:00 How Long Does Xanax Withdrawal Really Last?00:34 Why Xanax & Ativan Became So Popular02:00 The Hidden Cost of “Quick Relief”02:43 Jordan Peterson’s 2-Year Withdrawal Battle03:50 The Truth About Short-Term vs. Long-Term Use05:00 Why Stopping Benzos Cold Turkey Can Be Dangerous05:24 Protracted Withdrawal: Why Symptoms Can Last Years06:17 Anxiety, Depression & Rebound Symptoms Explained07:10 Akathisia, Psychosis & Misdiagnosis Risks09:00 Can You Die From Benzodiazepine Withdrawal?10:09 Tapering Off Benzodiazepines11:00 Who’s Most at Risk for Severe Withdrawal?12:37 How Long Does a Safe Taper Actually Take?14:34 Xanax + Alcohol & A Final Message of Hope

Listen to Episode 43 now to learn how evolving science, media influence, and public perception intersect in the ongoing conversation about anxiety and its treatment.

📩 Questions or topic suggestions? Email AskDrGlasner@gmail.com

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In this in-depth conversation, Aaron Prager — son of Dennis Prager and host of American Recovery on PragerU — joins addiction scientist and clinical psychologist Dr. Suzette Glasner to share his most detailed account yet of his struggle with severe addiction and the transformation that followed.

Aaron reflects on how addiction to alcohol and methamphetamine progressively took hold of his life, eroding his sense of purpose, isolating him from his family, and leading to psychosis, deepening depression, and despair. What began as experimentation evolved into a life-threatening physiological dependence — the kind that carries a significant risk of mortality.

Though he wrestled with and at times rejected religion throughout his upbringing, Aaron describes how his eventual return to faith and spirituality became central to his recovery. Beyond survival, he speaks candidly about the internal shift that occurred during recovery: confronting his own flaws, developing humility, and building an honest relationship with himself and a God of his understanding.

This conversation explores not only addiction and near-death experience, but personal transformation — the process of awakening, self-reflection, and rebuilding a life rooted in responsibility, faith, and family.

You can find Aaron here:

X: https://x.com/theaaronprager

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaaronprager

You can watch or listen to the full episode on The Dr. Suzette Glasner Podcast here.

I hope that this episode helps you understand how addiction can unfold, the deeply personal nature of Aaron’s recovery journey and how this can be different for every person who is confronting addiction, and importantly, the fact that people do see the other side of even the most severe addictions like Aaron’s.

Thank you for listening and. for being part of this community.

⸻

Have a question about today’s episode? Or a question you’d like me to cover in a future episode?

Email: askdrglasner@gmail.com

In this episode, Dr. Suzette Glasner addresses the core question that will be evaluated by the jury in the Los Angeles-based case initiating trial proceedings against defendants Meta and Google : are the features of social media apps designed to get kids and teens hooked? The case involves an individual identified by the initials "K.G.M." who is now a young adult, alleging that she became addicted to social media as a child and this had detrimental effects on her mental health, worsening depression and leading to suicidality. You can watch or listen to the full episode on The Dr. Suzette Glasner Podcast here.

K.G.M.'s is the first of over 1,000 cases that have been filed against a variety of social media companies to go to trial.TikTok and Snap, Inc., the parent company for Snapchat, settled for undisclosed amounts in advance of the trial initiation. Dr. Glasner explains the neuroscience underlying obsessive and repetitive behaviors around social media, and how the design features of the most commonly used apps can shape these behaviors among children and teens, given their psychology and the stage of brain development they are in. . Rooted in scientific facts about child and teen psychology and behavior, Dr. Glasner provides a factual picture of the impact of "sticky" design features that make it hard to disengage from social media on child and teen screen behavior, the effects of excessive social media use on well-being, and the state of the science on addiction to social media.on, and why some people take longer than others to achieve long-term stability. If you or someone you love is using social media excessively this episode offers clear, evidence-based information about problematic use of social media and how today’s apps can make it difficult for kids and teens to put them down. Thank you for being here and being part of this community.⸻ Have a question about today’s episode? Or a question you’d like me to cover in a future episode?

Email: askdrglasner@gmail.com