How an addiction medicine doctor has used tirzepatide to transform his own life, and translate that experience to benefit his patients.
"Everything changed when I was prescribed tirzepatide in 2019."
At CASPR, we’re working to address the addiction crisis at scale by advancing breakthrough medicines, research, and policy. We have been particularly focused on the near-term possibility of GLP-1s (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound) to revolutionize addiction treatment. The scientific evidence is growing every month and the experiences that patients and providers are reporting are incredible.
Dr. Steve D. Klein, MD/PhD, is a 38-year-old addiction medicine fellow at the renowned Caron Treatment Center—a physician with an extraordinary journey of his own. A recovering alcoholic and former drug addict, Steve has celebrated over seven years of continuous sobriety. Now, he’s unlocking new levels of recovery with the help of GLP-1 agonists—innovative medications transforming the landscape of addiction treatment. Dr. Klein shares how these groundbreaking tools have deepened his own recovery in ways he never thought possible and are empowering his patients to achieve success in their recovery journeys.
If you’d like to tell your story, whether you are a patient or a provider, please reach out.
I grew up in a loving family on Long Island, NY, a 3-sport athlete who nevertheless always felt self-conscious about my weight. I vividly recall sitting at the counter, watching my mother make pasta and meatballs, and indulging in the joy of a home-cooked meal. I noticed that, unlike my brother and sister, I didn’t have an “off switch” when it came to food. But while my weight sometimes led to social awkwardness, it wasn’t yet a dominant factor in my life.
That all changed in 10th grade. One day at track practice, I released a shot-put that tragically struck my assistant coach, leading to his death. That event turned my world upside down. Food, alcohol, and drugs became something I used to fill the void within me. My relationship with my body began to deteriorate, and my life spiraled into substance abuse as well. Drinking until I blacked out and misusing my brother's Adderall became my means of survival.
As I advanced through life, I achieved many external milestones. I came out to my parents, graduated with honors, entered a prestigious MD/PhD program, and found a partner. But despite these accomplishments, I often felt like a spectator in my own life, disconnected from true fulfillment. My drinking, though seemingly under control to the outside world, became a way to numb the growing emptiness. When given the opportunity, I would always drink to excess. I longed for weekends when I had an extra day off to recover, always wanting to surround myself with people who drank the way that I drank. I thought I could keep this fine balance of control in check but that was challenged when a heartbreaking betrayal shattered the facade I had built. I descended into a cycle of unrestrained drinking and drug use. My weight spiraled further as I began using food as I had once used substances, consuming compulsively and destructively.
Everything changed when I was prescribed tirzepatide in 2019.
My turning point came after a frightening health scare. I stopped breathing in my sleep, jolting me into the realization that my life had to change. I entered AA with a new determination to rebuild my life. I started attending meetings daily, found a sponsor, and worked the steps.
Through this journey, I began reconnecting with myself and others. But while I made profound strides in my sobriety and relationships, my struggles with food and weight remained. I would lose weight, gain it back, obsess over exercise, and then fall into periods of inactivity. My relationship with food resisted the reconnection I was finding elsewhere in recovery, leaving a crucial area of my healing journey unresolved.
Everything changed when I was prescribed tirzepatide in 2019. This medication quieted the noise that had surrounded my eating and body image for so long. For the first time, I felt a sense of peace and control around food. It was as though a mental block had lifted, allowing me to approach my relationship with my body with the same tools and clarity that had been effective in my addiction recovery. Overnight, I no longer felt consumed by thoughts of eating, exercise, and body image. Mounjaro opened a door in my recovery that I hadn’t realized was closed.
I often see my role as helping patients buy time. With the growing data, these medications may be our best tools to date to harvest these precious days, weeks, and months.
Looking back, I now see the parallels between my struggles with food and my journey with substance addiction. Both followed similar cycles of relapse and remission, filled with countless attempts to stop, some made with solemn promises, others with fleeting resolve. But just as sobriety had given me a path to healing, this medication offered me a way to address my weight and food issues that had previously eluded me. Additionally, I saw some of the process addictions I wasn’t paying attention to fade away. My monthly trips to the casino stopped; the allure of the blackjack table and sports betting vanished without an effort or fight.
As an addiction medicine provider, I see the potential that medications like tirzepatide hold for helping others. I hear patients relay that shortly after starting the medications, they experience the quieting of noise in their cravings. The reconnection to one's body and health serves as a positive reinforcement loop for early recovery. I see the patients that I prescribe these medications thrive in early recovery and have more mental equity to devote to their recovery process.
I often see my role as helping patients buy time. With the growing data, these medications may be our best tools to date to harvest these precious days, weeks, and months. They represent an incredible tool that could change how we approach not only addiction recovery but also deeply rooted struggles with food and body image. For individuals who, like me, have battled both addiction and disordered eating, GLP-1 agonists offer a new and hopeful path. Free from the bondage of self-sufficiency, cravings, and futile cycles, I can allocate my precious emotional and mental resources toward my goal of self-alignment and authenticity.
In my career as an addiction medicine provider, molecular biologist, and researcher, I am interested in quantifying and elucidating the effect of these drugs on the molecular, cellular, and global levels. I am in the process of developing a research study at Caron Treatment Centers for the use of tirzepatide in early recovery from alcohol and opiate abuse. The aim is to localize and quantify the effect of these medications on the brain. Determining the exact mechanism and effect is crucial in understanding their impact, utility, and longevity.
Every day, I strive to nurture my own recovery while sharing its message with others. Though I may never fully repay the gifts I’ve received, I am dedicated to making the effort. Recovery has shown me that a life rooted in connection, integrity, and purpose is not just possible—it’s attainable for anyone willing to seek help and build new coping strategies. I believe these medications represent another powerful tool our discipline can offer, expanding the resources available to support lasting recovery.
Here’s another story of a doctor who is prescribing GLP-1s for substance use disorder:
We will be publishing more patient and provider stories soon. Please be in touch if you are interested in sharing your story.