P.E. Moskowitz: Breaking Awake

In this episode, Therese Markow and P.E. Moskowitz discuss P.E.’s new book, Breaking Awake, which explores their lifelong struggle with trauma and mental health. They recount their near-death experience in Charlottesville in 2017 and their subsequent journey of self-discovery. P.E. critiques the reliance on SSRIs and other medications for mental health, arguing these provide temporary relief but do not address the root causes of trauma. They emphasize the importance of community and collective grieving in addressing societal stressors. P.E. also highlights the societal pressures that drive individuals to substance abuse and the need for systemic changes to address mental health issues.

Key Takeaways:

• Many people’s struggles with trauma are deeply personal, shaped by near-death experiences, substance use, and the long process of healing through writing and therapy.

• Medications such as SSRIs and Adderall can help, but they often fail to address underlying trauma or the broader societal causes of distress.

• Economic instability, lack of community, and global crises all contribute significantly to widespread anxiety, depression, and substance use.

• A “quick fix” culture often prioritizes fast solutions over long-term care like therapy, community, and systemic change.

• Healing and resilience are most powerfully nurtured in supportive communities, where collective action and shared experiences provide hope.

"If you experience [community], it makes it easier to fight, because all of a sudden you have something to fight for, not just something to fight against." — P.E. Moskowitz

Episode References:

• Breaking Awake: A Reporter's Search for a New Life, and a New World, Through Drugs. https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Awake-Reporters-Search-Through-ebook/dp/B0DV6K8G2X?ref_=ast_author_dp

• How to Kill a City: Gentrification, Inequality, and the Fight for the Neighborhood. https://www.amazon.com/How-Kill-City-Gentrification-Neighborhood-ebook/dp/B01MXXCDVV?ref_=ast_author_dp

• The Case Against Free Speech: The First Amendment, Fascism, and the Future of Dissent. https://www.amazon.com/Case-Against-Free-Speech-Amendment-ebook/dp/B07L2TP6HV?ref_=ast_author_dp

Connect with P.E. Moskowitz:

Website: https://moskowitz.xyz/

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Threads: @critically_speaking

Email: [e-mail]

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.