Toxic Exposures: What Psychiatrists Must Face in a Changing World with Dr. Sugden

In this episode of the Climate Psychiatry Alliance Podcast, psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist Dr. Steven Sugden explores how psychiatry must adapt to the realities of a rapidly changing world.

We discuss how traditional models of addiction — including the brain disease, learning, and psychodynamic frameworks — offer insight not only into substance use but also into modern exposures like ultra-processed foods, climate-related stressors, and disrupted lifestyles.

Drawing from clinical experience and a holistic understanding of how environment, behavior, and health intersect, Dr. Sugden explains why these factors deserve greater attention in psychiatric practice and recovery models.

Highlights from this episode:

• A walkthrough of the three major models of addiction and how they apply to both substance use and behavioral patterns
• How junk food and ultra-processed foods may represent the first addictive exposure in early life
• The impact of heat exposure on emotional regulation, impulsivity, and psychiatric vulnerability
• How rising global temperatures and pollution are degrading food quality and deepening health disparities
• Why psychiatrists must expand their role to include advocacy, prevention, and environmental awareness in clinical care

This conversation challenges us to broaden the lens of psychiatry, acknowledging that many drivers of mental distress come not just from within, but from the world we live in.

🎧 Available now on all podcast platforms
 🌿 Learn more or support the CPA: climatepsychiatry.org