"What is music? It's community; it's love; it's expressing yourself, opening up your heart, opening your mind to other people and ideas. I think music, compassion, and understanding towards addicts and young people will bring a better outcome," - Bob Forrest.
Bob Forrest’s “Don’t Die” Podcast: The Importance of Humor And The Strength Not To Die
"What is music? It's community; it's love; it's expressing yourself, opening up your heart, opening your mind to other people and ideas. I think music, compassion, and understanding towards addicts and young people will bring a better outcome," - Bob Forrest.
Getting To Know The Speakers
The "Don't Die" podcast was created by Bob Forrest and co-hosted by Chuk Davis and Mike Martt. All three men have been subjected to the trauma and struggle of addiction, in turn, having a greater understanding of the support other addicts need. The simple purpose of this podcast is to bring greater public awareness to addiction and the necessity to stop it.
Forrest grew up in a dysfunctional household and had an abnormal childhood. At the age of 13, Forrest found out that the person he believed to be his sister was, in fact, his biological mother. This discovery deeply affected his emotional development. His biological mother developed borderline personality disorder at a young age and has now moved to Oklahoma under the witness protection program. Forrest does not diminish or stay blind to his childhood; he has worked through it and uses his experiences to help others.
"Now it doesn't hold me hostage, I'm free, this is who I am, I kind of a mess, but I'm doing alright," - Bob Forrest.
It Starts With Humor
"Clinicians like myself and Mike are able to enjoy life and know the truth, the suffering that addicts go through, and sometimes you laugh about it because it's too depressing to not laugh about it," - Bob Forrest.
In true humorous fashion, this episode starts off with Forrest telling a story about how he lost his iconic hat in the costume aisle of his local Target. Making his daughter Sydney laugh by modeling a taco hat, Forrest misplaced his gray hat he has had for over 20 years. Now, telling this story at the Ohana Festival in Dana Point, he has since replaced his gray hat with a navy blue to match his bright red hair and colorful clothing. This story breaks the ice for the intense information to follow, but there is an underlying tone of humor and lightheartedness throughout the rest of the discussion.
The WHY
According to Forrest and his clinician research–around 100,000 kids died last year [2021] from drug overdoses, and another 100,000 will die this year [2022]. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the suicide rate in females has gone up 400%, people from the ages of 17-24 report feeling high anxiety that disrupts daily living, and 75% of kids can not go to work or school because of heightened depression and anxiety. These are statistics Forrest, Davis, and Martt are fighting to decrease.
"There's great people getting Narcan and fentanyl testing kits into the hands of addicts, making awareness about this horrible plague on our society that no one knows about because we're so concerned about Khloe Kardashian's baby," - Bob Forrest.
There are many Don't Die podcasts across the country, and the hosts of the show in Milwaukie are the true "kings" of the "Don't Die" movement, stated Forrest. Forrest traveled to Wisconsin and spoke with the governor about the "Don't Die" movement and the need to make Narcan accessible to addicts. The Don't Die podcast has acknowledged the work of Seattle's homegrown organization, Project RED, and their fight to get Narcan into the hands of addicts and others in need.
Forrest also spoke at Princeton University alongside politician and lawyer Chris Christie. Forrest was skeptical at first because of their disputing political views, but they both had similar viewpoints on assistance with addiction. Christie and Forrest both spoke upon the notion that insurance companies need to financially cover Narcan and other test kits, establishments need to supply said kits, and they should become more accessible to addicts and to those who may have an accidental run-in. When it comes to addiction and the death of young people across the nation, political affiliation simmers out.
"When a child dies, it doesn't matter what political party they are, or their beliefs, both republican and democrat kids die," - Bob Forrest.
Fentanyl test kits and Narcan should be made available to people in schools, restaurants, counselors offices and placed near designated fire extinguisher stations, possible bus stops, or in any other establishment that can bring immediate help.
Back in 2007, Forrest had noticed that the kids that were in his counseling meetings one week, would not be in attendance the following due to an overdose. The speakers cumulatively agreed that an addict does not comprehend the idea of 'if you're here tomorrow or not'– it's not something that is a prominent thought.
Bob Forrest's Story
Forrest has been homeless, convicted to jail, medically inept, and left for dead. How did he survive and move past the darkness?
"We have this gallows humor about addicts; we love addicts, we want to help. We get frustrated; you get at your wits end, then you grow a new wit. You have to have a sense of humor to deal with addicts," - Bob Forrest.
Keith Morris, one of Forrest's close friends, would allow him to sleep on his couch, use his shower and give me money for food. Until one day Morris and his roommate Louie packed up and left without informing Forrest. Insulted, Forrest was left to fend for himself out on the streets.
Just eight days after leaving rehab, Forrest overdosed in a cab, and the driver left him on the sidewalk outside of a Pink's Hotdog Stand in La Brea, California. Luckily, nurses from Cedar Sinai were at the nearby bus stop and saved his life. After being let go from the hospital, Forrest remembered he had the rest of his drug supply in his jacket pocket and proceeded to indulge himself in the hospital restroom. By doing that, the hospital staff took him against his wishes to the CPC Westwood Rehabilitation Center– a fully locked down facility. Three days of stay extended into 14. Within those 14 days, Forrest created many ceramic trucks in his therapeutic art class.
Forrest's work with therapy was difficult as well. His advisor, Dr. Drew, assisted with choosing the correct therapist. After leaving his first therapy consultation before the session even started, Forrest found his therapist on the third attempt. Dr. Roland Kim was one of the leading therapists in Los Angeles and kept two appointments open for "charity cases," one of those being filled by Forrest. Upon meeting Forrest, Kim said, "You must be Blue Cross, Blue Shield, but I'm game if you're game," unsure if their relationship would be a productive fit. From then on, Kim has pushed, tolerated, and empathized with Forrest and has given him "no bullshit" guidance. The late Gloria Scott also helped with Forrest's recovery and became the drug counselor with the most influence on him.
The Importance Of Understanding
"How come America doesn't know about this? That children are dying." - Bob Forrest.
Forrest co-created a recovery center called Oro House, that provides meetings, treatments, and support for addicts of all ages. This center mainly treats those of the younger generation, and through his help, Forrest has become one of the leading chemical dependency counselors in Southern California.
On the other hand, Chuk Davis has been in the clinician field for 15 years, working with WaveLengths Recovery. Throughout his time working with addicts, he has noticed that Oxycodone, prescription pills, and fentanyl have become hugely popular among young kids. Both he and Mike Martt can not stress enough the importance of Narcan and Fentanyl testing kits.
Davis brings up an experience of his own during the live podcast session that he had shared with Martt. "We were talking about a mutual acquaintance that was smart enough to know not to do fentanyl or not to play with that stuff that isn't here anymore. It becomes so common, but the pain doesn't stop, that's what's so horrible; you think you'd get used to it, but you don't," - Chuk Davis.
Project RED
Another organization that Forrest and the Don't Die podcast support is Project RED. Project RED, standing for Reduction, Education, and Distribution, is an initiative that brings awareness to the growing rates of drug overdoses and brings greater availability to Narcan and Fentanyl test kits. Their main distribution focus are restaurants, bars, strip clubs, entertainment venues, and any other community-based establishment. Created in Portland, Oregon, Project RED has partnered with artists, bands, venues, and other organizations to provide Narcan and test kits to large-scale establishments. Overdose training is provided to the staff and offered to those outside the organization. With mobile services for education, training, and delivery of said prevention supplies to less acknowledged communities.
Their work has been recognized by Eddie Vedder and Vitalogy Foundation–Project RED was brought onto Pearl Jam's North American Tour of 2022. The tour included the organization's stop at this year's Ohana Festival in Dana Point, California.
"I just see a person trying out, having fun, maybe having some problems, overcoming their trauma, whatever slings and arrows life handed you, but beyond that, you're like Led Zeppelin, you're cool with me, I'm cool with you," - Bob Forrest.
The Farewell Motto: Don't Die
Forrest has developed a farewell motto of "don't die" that he says to all his patients after every meeting. This way, it puts it in their heads to be more conscious of their actions after they leave the designated safe space. Those working at said rehab picked up the motto as well, and it became so popular that Forrest decided to make it the title of his podcast.
Forrest hosts a training program every Saturday on how to properly administer Narcan to a victim. One of his friends, David Segal, lost his daughter to drugs and has put much of his own money into developing a 3-shot Narcan that would be distributed to the first responders in Las Vegas.
When concluding his thoughts about the mentality addicts should develop to overcome oppression, Davis summarizes that - the word and feeling of "shame" serves no purpose; there's no way out of it. Guilt, on the other hand, has a means to become something else - if you hurt someone, you naturally feel bad. Shame should not be in our vocabulary because then we're still in the victim mentality, that gives more reason to stay apathetic.
Key Takeaways
- What you can do if you're sober–is get involved in local organizations, such as Project RED, and work to get Narcan in the hands of establishments and in the hands of addicts.
- Becoming educated and bringing understanding to addicts and the younger generation will create a stronger support system for those struggling.
- Laugh - as they all said, laughter is one of those helpful tools that one can use to reduce anxiety and get through depressive times. It will bring joy into your life, even if it's only for that moment.
- Listen to Bob Forrest's "Don't Die" live on the ground at the 2022 Ohana Festival.
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Getting To Know The Speakers
The "Don't Die" podcast was created by Bob Forrest and co-hosted by Chuk Davis and Mike Martt. All three men have been subjected to the trauma and struggle of addiction, in turn, having a greater understanding of the support other addicts need. The simple purpose of this podcast is to bring greater public awareness to addiction and the necessity to stop it.
Forrest grew up in a dysfunctional household and had an abnormal childhood. At the age of 13, Forrest found out that the person he believed to be his sister was, in fact, his biological mother. This discovery deeply affected his emotional development. His biological mother developed borderline personality disorder at a young age and has now moved to Oklahoma under the witness protection program. Forrest does not diminish or stay blind to his childhood; he has worked through it and uses his experiences to help others.
"Now it doesn't hold me hostage, I'm free, this is who I am, I kind of a mess, but I'm doing alright," - Bob Forrest.
It Starts With Humor
"Clinicians like myself and Mike are able to enjoy life and know the truth, the suffering that addicts go through, and sometimes you laugh about it because it's too depressing to not laugh about it," - Bob Forrest.
In true humorous fashion, this episode starts off with Forrest telling a story about how he lost his iconic hat in the costume aisle of his local Target. Making his daughter Sydney laugh by modeling a taco hat, Forrest misplaced his gray hat he has had for over 20 years. Now, telling this story at the Ohana Festival in Dana Point, he has since replaced his gray hat with a navy blue to match his bright red hair and colorful clothing. This story breaks the ice for the intense information to follow, but there is an underlying tone of humor and lightheartedness throughout the rest of the discussion.
The WHY
According to Forrest and his clinician research–around 100,000 kids died last year [2021] from drug overdoses, and another 100,000 will die this year [2022]. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the suicide rate in females has gone up 400%, people from the ages of 17-24 report feeling high anxiety that disrupts daily living, and 75% of kids can not go to work or school because of heightened depression and anxiety. These are statistics Forrest, Davis, and Martt are fighting to decrease.
"There's great people getting Narcan and fentanyl testing kits into the hands of addicts, making awareness about this horrible plague on our society that no one knows about because we're so concerned about Khloe Kardashian's baby," - Bob Forrest.
There are many Don't Die podcasts across the country, and the hosts of the show in Milwaukie are the true "kings" of the "Don't Die" movement, stated Forrest. Forrest traveled to Wisconsin and spoke with the governor about the "Don't Die" movement and the need to make Narcan accessible to addicts. The Don't Die podcast has acknowledged the work of Seattle's homegrown organization, Project RED, and their fight to get Narcan into the hands of addicts and others in need.
Forrest also spoke at Princeton University alongside politician and lawyer Chris Christie. Forrest was skeptical at first because of their disputing political views, but they both had similar viewpoints on assistance with addiction. Christie and Forrest both spoke upon the notion that insurance companies need to financially cover Narcan and other test kits, establishments need to supply said kits, and they should become more accessible to addicts and to those who may have an accidental run-in. When it comes to addiction and the death of young people across the nation, political affiliation simmers out.
"When a child dies, it doesn't matter what political party they are, or their beliefs, both republican and democrat kids die," - Bob Forrest.
Fentanyl test kits and Narcan should be made available to people in schools, restaurants, counselors offices and placed near designated fire extinguisher stations, possible bus stops, or in any other establishment that can bring immediate help.
Back in 2007, Forrest had noticed that the kids that were in his counseling meetings one week, would not be in attendance the following due to an overdose. The speakers cumulatively agreed that an addict does not comprehend the idea of 'if you're here tomorrow or not'– it's not something that is a prominent thought.
Bob Forrest's Story
Forrest has been homeless, convicted to jail, medically inept, and left for dead. How did he survive and move past the darkness?
"We have this gallows humor about addicts; we love addicts, we want to help. We get frustrated; you get at your wits end, then you grow a new wit. You have to have a sense of humor to deal with addicts," - Bob Forrest.
Keith Morris, one of Forrest's close friends, would allow him to sleep on his couch, use his shower and give me money for food. Until one day Morris and his roommate Louie packed up and left without informing Forrest. Insulted, Forrest was left to fend for himself out on the streets.
Just eight days after leaving rehab, Forrest overdosed in a cab, and the driver left him on the sidewalk outside of a Pink's Hotdog Stand in La Brea, California. Luckily, nurses from Cedar Sinai were at the nearby bus stop and saved his life. After being let go from the hospital, Forrest remembered he had the rest of his drug supply in his jacket pocket and proceeded to indulge himself in the hospital restroom. By doing that, the hospital staff took him against his wishes to the CPC Westwood Rehabilitation Center– a fully locked down facility. Three days of stay extended into 14. Within those 14 days, Forrest created many ceramic trucks in his therapeutic art class.
Forrest's work with therapy was difficult as well. His advisor, Dr. Drew, assisted with choosing the correct therapist. After leaving his first therapy consultation before the session even started, Forrest found his therapist on the third attempt. Dr. Roland Kim was one of the leading therapists in Los Angeles and kept two appointments open for "charity cases," one of those being filled by Forrest. Upon meeting Forrest, Kim said, "You must be Blue Cross, Blue Shield, but I'm game if you're game," unsure if their relationship would be a productive fit. From then on, Kim has pushed, tolerated, and empathized with Forrest and has given him "no bullshit" guidance. The late Gloria Scott also helped with Forrest's recovery and became the drug counselor with the most influence on him.
The Importance Of Understanding
"How come America doesn't know about this? That children are dying." - Bob Forrest.
Forrest co-created a recovery center called Oro House, that provides meetings, treatments, and support for addicts of all ages. This center mainly treats those of the younger generation, and through his help, Forrest has become one of the leading chemical dependency counselors in Southern California.
On the other hand, Chuk Davis has been in the clinician field for 15 years, working with WaveLengths Recovery. Throughout his time working with addicts, he has noticed that Oxycodone, prescription pills, and fentanyl have become hugely popular among young kids. Both he and Mike Martt can not stress enough the importance of Narcan and Fentanyl testing kits.
Davis brings up an experience of his own during the live podcast session that he had shared with Martt. "We were talking about a mutual acquaintance that was smart enough to know not to do fentanyl or not to play with that stuff that isn't here anymore. It becomes so common, but the pain doesn't stop, that's what's so horrible; you think you'd get used to it, but you don't," - Chuk Davis.
Project RED
Another organization that Forrest and the Don't Die podcast support is Project RED. Project RED, standing for Reduction, Education, and Distribution, is an initiative that brings awareness to the growing rates of drug overdoses and brings greater availability to Narcan and Fentanyl test kits. Their main distribution focus are restaurants, bars, strip clubs, entertainment venues, and any other community-based establishment. Created in Portland, Oregon, Project RED has partnered with artists, bands, venues, and other organizations to provide Narcan and test kits to large-scale establishments. Overdose training is provided to the staff and offered to those outside the organization. With mobile services for education, training, and delivery of said prevention supplies to less acknowledged communities.
Their work has been recognized by Eddie Vedder and Vitalogy Foundation–Project RED was brought onto Pearl Jam's North American Tour of 2022. The tour included the organization's stop at this year's Ohana Festival in Dana Point, California.
"I just see a person trying out, having fun, maybe having some problems, overcoming their trauma, whatever slings and arrows life handed you, but beyond that, you're like Led Zeppelin, you're cool with me, I'm cool with you," - Bob Forrest.
The Farewell Motto: Don't Die
Forrest has developed a farewell motto of "don't die" that he says to all his patients after every meeting. This way, it puts it in their heads to be more conscious of their actions after they leave the designated safe space. Those working at said rehab picked up the motto as well, and it became so popular that Forrest decided to make it the title of his podcast.
Forrest hosts a training program every Saturday on how to properly administer Narcan to a victim. One of his friends, David Segal, lost his daughter to drugs and has put much of his own money into developing a 3-shot Narcan that would be distributed to the first responders in Las Vegas.
When concluding his thoughts about the mentality addicts should develop to overcome oppression, Davis summarizes that - the word and feeling of "shame" serves no purpose; there's no way out of it. Guilt, on the other hand, has a means to become something else - if you hurt someone, you naturally feel bad. Shame should not be in our vocabulary because then we're still in the victim mentality, that gives more reason to stay apathetic.
Key Takeaways
- What you can do if you're sober–is get involved in local organizations, such as Project RED, and work to get Narcan in the hands of establishments and in the hands of addicts.
- Becoming educated and bringing understanding to addicts and the younger generation will create a stronger support system for those struggling.
- Laugh - as they all said, laughter is one of those helpful tools that one can use to reduce anxiety and get through depressive times. It will bring joy into your life, even if it's only for that moment.
- Listen to Bob Forrest's "Don't Die" live on the ground at the 2022 Ohana Festival.
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