Question: I am an alcoholic and drug addict. I have been to rehab and detox and all that stuff a bunch of time. Nothing works for me. Should I go to Peru to try a treatment program based on Ayahuasca? It is supposed to work really well but it is pretty intense.

Kent Kinzley Says...:

Research it well, and ask them for references you can contact.

Good luck!

Question: Is using melatonin as a sleeping aid OK for someone who is a recovering drug addict. I have terrible insomnia but I never want to take a chance with downers because that’s one of the things I used to really love to take – among a lot of other things. Is there any abuse risk with melatonin. If there is, can you recommend a natural sleeping aid that is not going to be a problem for someone very prone to addiction?

Kent Kinzley Says...:

It helps to regulate your circadian rhythms, which in turn can help regulate your sleep patterns. It is not so much an aid to sleep onset or sleep maintenance as prescription sleeping medications are. Since it naturally occurs in your system, there is less chance of addiction and overdose, though you should follow the directions on the bottle. Also, you can increase your own levels of melatonin by getting more sunlight, since that is the way it produced in your system. Low levels of daily sunlight will usually mean you'll have low levels of melatonin. Conversely, the more daily sunlight you're exposed to the higher levels of melatonin you will have in your system.