Steve Martorano  0:00 
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The Behavioral Corner

Hi, and welcome. I'm Steve Martorano. And this is the Behavioral Corner; you're invited to hang with us, as we've discussed the ways we live today, the choices we make, the things we do, and how they affect our health and wellbeing. So you're on the corner, the Behavioral Corner, please hang around a while. 

Steve Martorano 0:32 
Hi, everybody, welcome to the Behavioral Corner. It's me again, Steve Martorano, your host, and guide. I hope you know what we're doing here. We hang on the Corner and, and run into very interesting people and talk about stuff that affects your behavioral health. So the Behavioral Corner's really a podcast about everything. Sit back, we got the second in what I hope will be one of your favorite episodes on the program. Our underwriting partners are a great resource, not only financially, but because of the people that work for them. And we call upon them very often. In this case, two of my favorite folks from Retreat Behavioral Health, Grace Shober and Maggie Hunt. Both have been very successful, and key players with Retreat. And they're with us in their role now -- their new role, I crown them "The Movie Mavens." They join us to talk about the job Hollywood does, in general, in depicting the very serious issues associated with substance abuse disorder. Nothing new for Hollywood, they've been doing it for a long time, more so now than ever, because the problem is so much larger. Just the other evening, I stumbled upon a great movie from the 40s called Lost Weekend. Which is a harrowing description of alcoholism. If you have not seen it, by the way, I know it's 1940 something. But it is an unbelievable portrayal of a man sliding down into a real abyss. So they've been doing it for a while. They're doing it a lot. Now, we decided we bring the ladies in here and be the Siskel and Ebert of reviewers and take a look at some of the popular stuff that deals with the issues of substance abuse disorder in general, and some more specific. And we decided to begin this by talking about the sensation of cable television HBO's Euphoria, which just this past week or so, concluded season two. It's the depiction of life in a high school, in some unnamed Southern California community. In general, it's about their lives, as individuals, and as a group, but specifically the issue of substance abuse through the character of Ruby or Rue. I think you're going to get a review, unlike any you've ever heard, because Maggie and Grace have been there and done that and come out the other side. So they know what they're talking about when they look at a movie and say, "That's nonsense," or "That's great." So, incidentally, is a fair warning okay, spoiler alert. I don't think we're gonna give away specific plot points that will spoil this for you if you've not yet seen it. But we're going to talk about events that occur in this thing. So if you haven't seen it, you want to just, you know, come back later and look at this, then you're forewarned. But we're going to talk about Euphoria, which I personally am having a great time watching. Okay, let's get right to it. General impressions, one at a time. Do you love Euphoria? Do you like Euphoria? Or do you hate Euphoria? Mag, go ahead.

Maggie Hunt 3:33 
I did really enjoy the show. I enjoyed the show for other reasons, the drama of it all. I was also in need of a good show. I saw it as a typical HBO show. I like HBO but they always are pretty raunchy in what they add to television. But yeah, but I mean, I liked it. I'm sad that season two is over, although I did like season one significantly better. But uh, yeah, I mean, I definitely liked the show and would recommend it -- I recommended it actually to a staff member on our executive team, Christina Mariano and she is loving the show right now currently. But I have definitely my critiques and the reason I love it is not necessary for what it was portrayed for, but just really like the drama and the shockingness of it all really.

Steve Martorano 4:22 
We're gonna get to the soap opera nature of it because it really is one of the grand soap operas I've ever seen. Grace, how do you how did you -- how do you judge it in general?

Grace Shober 4:31 
Here's the best part about this podcast is we can like there are different views, you know, on each show. I don't like to use the word "hate." I would say that it was super painful for me to finish that entire thing. I watched it because we were reviewing it and things like that. So I didn't get through it. I thought it was it. I thought it was terrible. I would never, ever recommend that to anybody. And that's my personal opinion. I think, as the whole time, I was like watching it, I was thinking to myself the like if you like this...love this show, is there something wrong with you? That's like how I felt, because, for me, it was just like, I put my headphones in to listen to it. I didn't want anybody else to hear it like around me and I just thought it was unbelievably terrible.

Steve Martorano 5:25 
Well, you know what I have had that feeling I have, I remember vividly leaving the theater after seeing Pulp Fiction, which everybody generally, you know, praises. And it is it's a great movie. But I remember looking at the suburban crowd that I was a member of pouring out of the theater, you know, "Oh, how about this? And "How about that?" and I was overwhelmed by this is not a good thing, that all these people thought that was entertaining. You know, it was so I get what you're saying. I'm interested. And we'll get we can get into this at some other point. But there's a sharp divide between you, Maggie thinks it's helpful for people in the field. To take a look at this and Grace said you wouldn't recommend this to anyone. I certainly both, you know, incredibly valid positions. So it is not entirely about substance abuse. But the central character to the hub around the wheel is the character of Rue, and we're going to get into her story, which is why we're here in more specifics in a bit. But let's...let's take some time and talk about the other kind of soap opera stuff. Gracie, I know how you feel very strongly about this. Is there anyone in that cast - any character that you can root for? Or that you feel sympathetic towards? Or is there any -- who your favorite characters -- if you have any?

Grace Shober 6:43 
I don't have like really fav... I would say like, favorite character although, Maggie and I talked about this. The drug dealer they have Fez or whatever. I think he's a funny character. I kind of liked him. But the one that I like really just I think that I was like rooting for the most is Gia because she is struggling with Rue, her sister, being such a mess, you know. And for Rue's mom, and for Gia, those are like the two people throughout the show that I thought were portrayed something that was like, relevant to the substance abuse community and like all that kind of stuff -- anybody else I could take or leave. I just didn't you know, I didn't like any of them. Even Rue to be honest. I mean, she was okay. She's a great actress. It doesn't take away from the fact that she's a great actress. You know, I could kind of take her to leave her to. The mom and Gia were the two that I really connected with the most.

Steve Martorano 6:45 
Yeah, the Gia character is heartbreaking. And that actress, probably not going to be noticed. It's a shame. Yeah, she...the way she suffers silently.

Grace Shober 7:51 
Suffer in silence. Yep. 

Steve Martorano 7:53 
Have the ring of truth. I'm guessing. Right? Siblings, just sit back and go, "I hate you." "I love you." "What are you doing?"

Grace Shober 8:02 
That's what I felt like...I felt like it was...I was thinking about my brother and sister during the whole thing. And I was like, everything else, like you said seemed so glorified and like all that. And then you have Gia, who I like, kind of like was thinking about my brother and sister. And I'm like, they are falling to the wayside totally. You know, because of everything that I was going through and everything that Rue was going through. She was falling to the wayside, so yeah.

Steve Martorano 8:27 
I mean, it's a great...one of the great depictions of collateral damage from this disease that I've ever seen. I mean, just..just a wonderful character. Maggie, who do you like?

Maggie Hunt 8:37 
Love Fezco, and I love Lexi.

Steve Martorano 8:41 
I gotta jump in here, now. What am I to conclude from two folks who had serious substance abuse problems in their youth, when they come on and say, "Oh, I really like the drug dealer."

Maggie Hunt 8:55 
Because, I do feel like he was also -- so like, I think back to like, you know, the kids who I grew up with, and like, the kids that I bought drugs from, and like, they definitely thought they were so you know, bad. And like, they, you know, that, oh, you know, the tone of voice that they would use and the language that they would use and like, you know, "Yeah, homey, you know, I feel you." You know, like so the all of that just that brought me back. So he was like one of you know, the best characters and then in the second season, you know, he starts to change and you see this change in him. Not that he wants to, like, stop selling drugs. But Grace, I also had talked about, like his response, you know, I would have loved to go to a little convenience store and bought some drugs at a carnival, you know, right from the place or go to a convenience store. 

Grace Shober 9:42 
How realistic is that?

Maggie Hunt 9:44 
I did like him hit that like the tone of voice that he was the attitude that he had.

Steve Martorano 9:50 
He's in a movie called North Hollywood, which is about skaters and an actor whom I wasn't familiar with, and he's the same guy in he's not a drug dealer, but he is the same guy. So he has a limited range. But he's got that Fez guy down, pat.

Grace Shober 10:06 
Well, think about the fact that he liked there were so many times that he refused to sell things to Rue because he knew that she was like, different than other people who are just doing it to have like, a party or to have like a fun time and like, I've never come across a drug was like "Not selling to you." You know, like...

Steve Martorano 10:21 
Okay, that was my next question. Does Hollywood often go down, you know, the prostitute with a heart of gold is another phony Hollywood construction? I think -- not that there aren't -- but there's, you know, go-to thing and I'm watching this and I'm going he's got a relationship with her. And we're supposed to sit here and believe he has our best interests at heart. This is nuts. Right? Do you agree? That's crazy, right? 

Grace Shober 10:46 
Yeah.

Steve Martorano 10:47 
So when we focus on what these...for folks that are watching this and don't have this disease in their lives and are wildly entertained by this stuff. Here's what we're trying to tell you. Yeah, it's fun. But be careful -- guys like him don't exist. 

Grace Shober 11:01 
No.

Steve Martorano 11:02 
They do not exist in the real world. The guy sells you drugs: He doesn't give a damn about you. Okay? It's great. It's an absolutely great point. Well, I think he's great, too. But you know -- go ahead, Mag.

Maggie Hunt 11:16 
Oh, I was just gonna say all of them so one of the things that really is annoying about the show overall, is that they're all beautiful actors and actresses. We want to watch beautiful actresses and actresses do anything do like yoga, you know, have heart attacks, all these things. So like, when it comes to like addiction and like substance use disorder in mental health, like, of course, we want to watch that. Of course, we're like, drawn into that as a topic and idea. And they're all like, beautiful. So you know...

Grace Shober 11:45 
Give us a little grunge, you know?

Steve Martorano 11:47 
Yeah, it was the irony of getting our information from theatrical sources. People think that the history that they see in movies is completely accurate. And they think as you guys just said, that these depictions must be close to the truth. Look how good these people are. So it's an irony he can't get around. Unless you have, you know, you understand that you're watching a movie. It said it's called the willing suspension of disbelief. You can't enjoy a Superman movie unless you believe a man can fly. Well, you can't watch a story about substance abuse, unless the actors are pretty good at trying to depict it, but they get it wrong sometimes. Listen with one more thing about the drug source guys. They did a clever thing though. They took the arch...archetype, a drug pusher, and split him in half. Fezco is the guy who cares about Rue and his protege, the maniacal Ashtray is utter, in fact, he's completely...I mean, I'm sure there are maniacs running around that are 12 and 13 years old. But that's what they did. They wanted to have the character who sells the drugs be somewhat more human. So they split, they made two characters, a crazy guy who's a maniac, and Fezco, who's just, after all, providing a service. Okay, so you guys are out of high school a few years for sure. I am out of high school like my high school had dirt floors. Okay, so that's how long ago it's been since I've been in a high school setting. And I look at this as a, you know, depiction of high school. High school is a fertile ground for Hollywood. They've made some wonderful movies about high school. And they've made this movie about high school. How does it stack up to your way of thinking with regard to those kids and what they're doing in high school? Does it bear any resemblance to the truth, Grace, what do you think?

Grace Shober 13:54 
Well, I'll be honest with you, there's a lot of high schools I don't remember. Um, but the stuff that I do, absolutely not. Because none of my friends -- first of all, we didn't look like that, you know, like everybody's so like, hot and all that kind of stuff in the show. We never threw parties like that. Those parties were over the top ridiculous. If we did throw a big party, the cops would come almost immediately, you know, like the whole thing. I don't remember at all and I have to say for sure that this is not how it was -- the whole thing was unbelievably sexualized. I do not in any way, shape, or form, remember being like, my friends being like, "Oh, you didn't do that yet, so...? And then being so excited when that happened, and like this whole thing. I couldn't relate to any of that high school stuff at all. 

Steve Martorano 14:42 
Yeah, I agree with you about hyper-sexualization. Maggie, does it have any ring of truth to anything you can imagine? 

Maggie Hunt 14:49 
No, and I also think it was a little bit scary because I think about like, let's say this is what high school is currently like. I have kids in those kinds of grades them like how am I going to protect them from school? 

Grace Shober 14:59 
Gotta homeschool, Mags, homeschool

Maggie Hunt 15:00 
For my high school like there were definitely beautiful people but not you know, I mean, like the body shapes and they, you know, and I don't know, like the first season when it kind of took each character. I always like a backstory like about somebody. But I think about the Kat, the one who was like doing those sexual things, you know, like on the internet, which they paid heavy attention to in the first season and not at all in the second season. I think that that is especially something that I never experienced in high school. I do remember feeling like, kind of like what Grace said, like, at a certain age like, Oh, you didn't have sex? Oh, you didn't do this yet? Or you did do this and then we're gonna judge you that you did do this. So I do...I do remember feeling some of the pressures that they're talking about. You know, in a sense, I can remember some of those.

Steve Martorano 15:17 
Well, it's a great point, because we'll get into the controversy. It is a very controversial television program. It is aroused a lot of feelings about, you know what they're doing here. And we'll get into that a little bit later. But the charge has been that they glorify drugs, drug use, and the drug life. We'll discuss that in a minute. But it's interesting that they have missed the point you just raised. If they're glorifying anything, it's sexual promiscuity. In fact, dangerous sex. Sex that no 16 - 15-year-old person should ever even be engaged in. Just very, very sexualized aggressive sex and they don't get...and isn't interesting, you don't get criticism for that. Nobody's...nobody's saying they shouldn't be doing that. Great point, though. It is it absolutely a point. So, oh, and incidentally, with regard to high school life, just this one thing, and it's not giving too much away, season two, season two is finale is basically a two-parter. We're in one of the characters who writes a play for the high school who wants to do Oklahoma. Makes sense. Makes sense to Oklahoma. But not that crowd. So she writes this play, and it is, I'm telling you, it's worth the price of admission to watch this play. It's the most outrageous high school play. It probably would have cost $2 million to stage it alone. I thought that was fun. What did you think of it, Grace?

Grace Shober 17:21 
I just felt like what Maggie was saying earlier with season two like if I absolutely was forced to watch a season again, it would be season one. So like season two, I felt kind of bored. And I felt that show like you just said it's like so outlandish. Like it would have been shut down immediately. Do you know what I mean? Like some of the stuff that was going on with like we were doing, you know, ph to young again, and into the woods, and, you know, high school and stuff like that. So I also agree with Maggie and I didn't think about her at the moment. I did kind of like Lexie, too, because she was also kind of like this, like, you know, more realistic character. I felt like. But here's why I didn't like in that show she got all offended when her sister came up and was pissed off. And it's like, and her sister said, and Cassie said she was like, you can do all this. And then it's bad that I'm upset. It was like she absolutely put all her stuff out there and humiliated everybody, and then was shocked that people were upset. You know, so like, at that moment is when I was like, I don't like her. Do you know what I mean? I just felt like it was so unrealistic for high school. No way. Would any teacher sit back and allow -- I mean, where was every teacher...

Steve Martorano 18:25 
That said -- let's get views on that. Because that's the other thing that strikes me about this is the total, not total, but almost absence of any authority figures at all. For kids involved in their behavior. The cops should be more involved in their lives. We never see -- we rarely see cops. And we sure don't see adults. We do not see adults anywhere. You're right. Whoa, somebody had to read the script, didn't they? I mean...

Grace Shober 18:51 
If anything, it does show the danger of trying to be your kid's best friend. Because that's what all these parents were doing. They were letting them get away with everything. There was like no parental supervision. "Oh, yeah. Come drink at our house. Yeah, you can have a party here." And then this is like the crap storm, if you will, that like came of all these kids lives. So like you blame the kids like during the show. But then you think about you're like, "This is really a lot of the parents' fault." You know, that nobody was involved. Like...

Steve Martorano 19:19 
A great moment that makes that point clear. is I guess it's Cassie who's involved with her best friend's boyfriend and it's a whole train wreck. And she's an emotional basket case to begin with. And her mother's reaction during that one meltdown. The mom who's you know, always drinking and just thinks is, you know, it's fun. When she says, Oh my God, you need an exorcism. When you have an emotional crisis as a young woman, and that's your mom's advice. You're in deep trouble. But Mag there are no adults in this. They've wiped them out. And clearly, that's something people have to be careful of. You know, watching.

Maggie Hunt 19:56 
Even Rue's mom, you know, the first time I went to treatment I was 18 years old. I just had graduated from high school about three months before then. And so when I got out of treatment, I was still like a child. And my mom was still taking me places. And I wasn't allowed to sleep over anybody's house, I had to be home. Like, you know, sometimes I obeyed the rules. And sometimes I didn't, but like, the precedent that she set and the boundaries that she said, were not any like, "Oh, go ahead," you know what I mean? And, and she would, she would draw, you know, she would drug test me. So I feel like they were starting to like, kind of go on the lines a little bit, but they still just like, let her do pretty much whatever she wanted, you know what I mean? And they tried to kind of show how the mom was, you know, you shut your phone off. Where are you that kind of stuff? But...

Steve Martorano 20:38 
Yeah, well, you know, what, again, they consolidate a lot into one or two people. And that leads us to Rue, who is the central character, this young girl ravaged by drugs, this second season, she's going down that dark road that you guys know very, very well, although they even hedge a little bit of that. Give me your impressions of, of Rue, Grace. Is there any...anything you see in that characterization that strikes you is true or false?

Grace Shober 21:11 
Yeah, I mean, again, we were talking about this earlier. And I had seen it, but she's like, wait until you see this part. Like when she has an unbelievable meltdown. You know, about her mom taking those pills, which, like, by the way, whatever happened was that you know what I mean? Like you our 10,000 bucks. Um, and so I was just, like, curious about what happened there. But, um, yeah, like that one scene, in particular, I thought was like, the only scene throughout the entire show that showed actually what it's like, you know, like, the other stuff is like, you know, you can act that and you can this and that, but when she used her whole body to like, slam through that door, I was like, "Oh, my God," you know, a Mags, we're talking about her like, we were both like that, you know, we're both like, nasty. And then we're nice. And then we're like, the sour patch kids like, we're sweet and sour, sweet and sour. And so that whole scene was was really -- it was realistic for me.

Steve Martorano 22:03 
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, again, the actress is amazing. She does more with her face and her mouth, in particular, the way she can express herself. I can't explain it very well. You have to look at it. She just has a great sense of how to use her...her they call it their instrument -- their body she -- her face says so much. Maggie disgust -- what would you -- what was it a Jolly Rancher when she's trying to open up the...Grace's already upset. You hated that scene, didn't you Grace? You both did right?

Maggie Hunt 22:35 
I was sitting on my couch. I'm watching on my TV -- like what is happening? Like what? You know, she's trying to, I guess what they're trying to say is she was shaking from her withdrawal, and that she couldn't open the wrapper of a Jolly Rancher. And I'm like sitting there. Just flabbergasted. Like, this is what...you know what I mean...like show something. I'll show reckless life. Do you know what I mean? Shows like so, you know, there was, you know, some things that they talked about that were good. Like what Grace said, but the wrapper part. I was like, open the wrapper. Like...

Steve Martorano 23:04 
If I understand what you guys are saying about. She's trying to open up this candy. And she's having a hell of a time and she's shaking and snot is all over the place. And when you said, "Please wait a minute." When you are really stressed out, and borderline dope, sick. You're looking for sugar, you would have no trouble opening that wrapper. You put the thing in your mouth without even opening if you have to. You hated it too, right, Grace, you thought it was just like...

Grace Shober 23:31 
It was unbelievably frustrating. I was just like, what are they doing? Like the amount of time energy they spent on that Jolly Rancher if they like put that into something else, because like, I'll tell you right now like I've walked miles when I'm dope sick. You know, I walked miles, which is dope. If you're like on a mission to do something, you're not going to sit there and you're not going to waste 10 minutes of your life trying to open up a Jolly Rancher. It's just not gonna happen. And I was just like, Maggie, like, warned me about that scene. I'm like, oh, and I saw it. I was just like, I was so angry during the whole thing.

Maggie Hunt 24:03 
There were a couple of things, though, about Rue's recovery, that I thought Grace would like a lot more. One of the things is that when she was going to meetings, she didn't tell them that she relapsed and that she was like being secretive about it, but then outed herself. Like I can't tell you how many people come to meetings, but like, don't want to let like the group of people down. So they like don't tell them that they relapsed, but then like a couple of months later, you know so so in that sense, it shows that like, not everybody gets it the first time, you know, in a 12 step program. I felt like I also felt like it showed similarities for people. 

Grace Shober 24:39 
When we're talking about Rue more and more specifically there are like a couple of scenes. Like I didn't like the sponsor to be honest with you, um, I didn't like love. I think like every time they showed at a meeting, it was just tough because she was like standing up there. And they pretty much tell the same story over and over and over. She stands up there and they'll just like it's almost like a flashback like every time, but I thought there were definitely parts. There was one part in particular where she was at Fezco's house and had to like hide in his grandma's room. And that bottle of pills, like start talking to her, like she could almost see it was talking to her. And that I thought was interesting. Because unless you actually -- like they had to do that you have to show the bottles like moving like they're talking because otherwise, you don't understand. So like that theatrical part is fine. And I relate it with that. So I'm like, there are so many times, it's like, there are things that are just going to tempt you no matter what. And so like, there were some good spots, but nothing that hit me quite like the interaction that big blow-up she had with her mom and her sister.

Steve Martorano 25:41 
Well, you know, again, we're back to that scene with the candy wrapper is a, I believe a function of her ability to do that. And if you're the director and writer, go, we're gonna go knock people's socks off with her trying to open a candy wrapper and look how good she is at it. I love it when Grace rolls her eyes. Do you know what it's like? I've always said this, you know when you see a courtroom drama or a medical show, and you're loving it, you should stop and go, "I wonder what a nurse or a doctor thinks of this or a lawyer." They must be rolling on the floor. Just thinking how silly this is. Just a couple more things about Rue's story. I know. There's this the special, which is her and her sponsor, in a diner on Christmas Eve, and she is at the brink or at least one brink. She's threatened suicide, she expresses worthlessness. And our sponsor comes to try to bring around. Maggie with your experience. How do they play that scene? He's much older, he's a male, she's young, and a woman. Does that dynamic work in a sponsor context.

Maggie Hunt 26:42 
So more recently, I would say that, especially with different sexualities, and different genders and things like that, I would never recommend that for anybody, I would always say, you know, to keep the same-sex sponsor, but it's hard to say that now because with gender transitions and gender identities and sexuality and all that kind of stuff, you can't really close that in now. There was a time that I have sponsored a male person who was gay, and it worked, because he wouldn't want to have talked about this same stuff with somebody who was heterosexual because he felt like they would have judged him and I didn't judge, you know what I mean? And I didn't judge him. So in that sense, the way that that was set up, it made a little bit of sense.

Steve Martorano 27:22 
Grace, have you had the experience of being a sponsor for someone or had a sponsor at some point?

Grace Shober 27:27 
Oh, yeah, I mean, Mag has been my sponsor for the past, like seven years, or whatever. But yeah, I've sponsored a bunch of people, I've had one of the same sponsors for the past almost seven years, too, I would have recommended that for Rue. Because I think it was like, kind of unclear like she was bisexual. So it was like, it could have gone kind of, either way, I think what I would have suggested more so would be like, if she felt more comfortable with a man, maybe a younger man, you know, if that's really what she felt, but I think it is best if you can to unless you are unless you're you know, gay or bisexual, maybe more so gay, I think that you can then go to another gender to sponsor you. But otherwise, I think it's, it's safer to stay with the gender that you are.

Steve Martorano 28:12 
That's a great point. It is a fraught relationship, a sponsor, and someone in active use. And I don't know whether people think it's just something anybody can do. Or you pick a number, and that's your sponsor. But I think it's something that you guys have said has to be carefully approached under the right circumstances, so you don't do more harm than good.

Grace Shober 28:34 
There are things that I like to tell Maggie that I would never feel comfortable telling the guy you know what I mean? So it's just, I guess it depends on comfortability, but like also a time and like maybe super early recovery, and one of my sensor recovery, that I would have gone for a male because my mind wasn't on like being sponsored. Do you know?

Steve Martorano 28:51 
I think maybe just this one point about Ali, who's is named the older sponsor, you know, Rue has apparently been shattered by the death of her father when she was 14. It is characterized, I think, I can say this as the central issue in her life that's caused her to spiral out of control. So maybe he's supposed to represent the father figure that she lost. On this final note about Rue's story. Again, they make a very big point, that the death of her father at 14 is the trauma that set her down this path. Is that too simple? A depiction of how somebody becomes a substance abuser, Grace?

Grace Shober 29:30 
Definitely. It's something you can put your finger on and be like, this makes sense why they're an addict, you're an alcoholic. So it's like it's definitely part of the puzzle, but it's not the whole puzzle. There are so many different things you know, that lead to somebody being an addict or an alcoholic, that sometimes like the thing that's just the most shining bright in your face is what you want to like, blame all of it on. So I think it's definitely part of the puzzle, but it's not the entire reason why. 

Steve Martorano 29:58 
Yeah, Maggie, you agree with that? 

Maggie Hunt 30:00 
Yeah, I was gonna say I think it's a huge stereotype though too. There are some people who don't necessarily have any significant trauma before they used it. You know, what I mean? Maybe they're feeling so much physical pain, but they don't know how to quiet that. So they like to take substances and then they become addicted. Do you know what I'm saying? Like by taking it every day and building tolerance. So it's not always just this one specific situation is that set me off into the addiction of this. But of course, it has to leave Rue is her mom is a single mother and you know, this traumatic experience, but it doesn't always have to be that way.

Steve Martorano 30:31 
It's kind of a typical Hollywood stop, just reveal what the cause is what the mystery is. Over father died. It's too easy. Maggie Hunt and Grace Shober from Retreat Behavioral Health. They are our Moving Mavens. They've joined us, to sum up, season two of Euphoria. We're not going to do season three. Maybe we will, maybe we won't. But there are so many other things. We're going to be taking a look at it down the road. But I do you want to end with this: With regard to what you've seen now of this series, which as I said at the beginning, is a big phenomenon. It's 3 million people. I think it's probably the most-watched show on certainly on HBO. We've talked about what it gets wrong in terms of, you know, accuracy. But do you think it in any way glorifies drug use? Maggie? 

Maggie Hunt 31:15 
Oh, yeah, absolutely. 

Steve Martorano 31:16 
You do think it does?

Maggie Hunt 31:16 
Oh, yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think it makes it absolutely look cool. It's these cool pretty girls and boys in high school. They're having these drinking and drug parties. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. 

Steve Martorano 31:26 
Grace?

Grace Shober 31:27 
I think so too. Yeah. I mean, again, we talked about it glorifying the sexualization, more of everybody in the show, but definitely, yeah, I mean, Rue is the only one that really, really made a whole lot of consequences. Everybody else is having a great time. Do you know?

Steve Martorano 31:40 
She's sort of like the straw man here. We don't want to, let's make sure somebody gets screwed up. 

Grace Shober 31:44 
Yep. 

Steve Martorano 31:45 
Well, then I know the answer to my final question. Your children are not high school-aged yet. 

Grace Shober 31:51 
Almost.

Steve Martorano 31:51 
If they were, you wouldn't let them watch the show, would you? Will you advise against it because...

Grace Shober 31:58 
I wouldn't even tell my kids when they were like, Oh, what do you watch? And recently, I wouldn't even tell them the name of it, because I don't want them looking it up. I don't want my son will be in high school next year, and there's no way.

Steve Martorano 32:10 
Yeah, I've mentioned to a few of my younger friends who are starting out, don't have children. I said, "Well, don't watch this program because you won't have kids if you watch this program."

Grace Shober 32:21 
And the funniest thing is, too, I said to Mags, "Look, I'm not a prude. She's not a prude. We've lived a life." And there's like hectic things that went on in it. But still, I was like, "Ewww." you know? So like, no, no, absolutely not. 

Steve Martorano 32:33 
Alright, so there you go, friends. You can see why I picked these two women because they just kicked her on the most popular show in America because they know what's real and what ain't real, because they're The Movie Mavens. Guys, thanks so much. We're gonna do this every month, right? 

Grace Shober 32:50 
Yeah. 

Maggie Hunt 32:51 
Yeah.

Steve Martorano 32:51 
So you just you know, in between that and the next time, just throw some ideas on it on a movie you want to do. And we'll all watch it together and do The Movie Mavens again, 

Grace Shober 33:02 
Sounds good.

Steve Martorano 33:02 
Grace Shober. Maggie Hunt. Thanks, guys. See, you know, I hate to use a cliche, but I'll see you at the movies.

Retreat Behavioral Health 33:09 
Retreat Behavioral Health has proudly been serving the community for over ten years. Here at Retreat, we believe in the power of connection and quality care. We offer a comprehensive holistic and compassionate treatment from industry-leading experts. Call 855-802-6600 or visit us at www.retreatbehavioralhealth.com to begin your journey today. 

The Behavioral Corner 33:49 
That's it for now. And make us a habit of hanging out at the Behavioral Corner and when we're not hanging follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter on the Behavioral Corner.