In this episode, I speak with Dr. Timothy Hall about the intersection of methamphetamine use and HIV in the LGBTQ+ community, particularly in men who have sex with men. Dr. Hall explains how methamphetamine use can influence HIV transmission as well as health outcomes for those who are HIV positive and how new HIV medications that can be taken every few months instead of daily may improve medication adherence for those struggling with a methamphetamine addiction. He also discusses the...

In this episode, I talk with Dr. David Goodman-Meza about the infectious disease complications associated with intravenous drug use. We discuss some of the most common infections seen in people who inject drugs (PWID), including Hepatitis C, HIV, skin and soft tissue infections, infective endocarditis, vertebral osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, and meningitis. Dr. Goodman-Meza goes on to explain the challenges PWID face in trying to get treatment for these infections and how he became...

In this episode, I speak with Kristina Canfield, M.ED. about collegiate recovery programs. Kristina is the Executive Director for the Association of Recovery in Higher Education (ARHE), the sole organization exclusively representing collegiate recovery programs and communities. Kristina explains how collegiate recovery programs came about, their benefits for students in recovery, and how ARHE can provide education, resources, and community connection to those looking to establish a collegiate...

Welcome back. In this episode, I speak with Dr. Kenneth Saffier, family physician and addiction medicine specialist. Dr. Saffier serves as the Medical Director for Bi-Bett, a substance use disorder treatment center serving Alameda, Solano, and Contra Costa counties in California. He is also the past president of the Medical Education and Research Foundation for the Treatment of Addiction. Dr. Saffier will explain the principles and practice of motivational interviewing as it relates to...

Seatbelts for when you speed down a slick highway, cholesterol medication when you have a difficult time controlling your diet — these are tools we use to protect ourselves from our imperfect behaviors. Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies designed to reduce the negative consequences of risk behaviors, centered around accepting people where they are at.  In this episode, Dr. Daniel Ciccarone talks about the principles and goals of harm reduction as it relates to substance use, what...

In this episode, I talk to Dr. Snehal Bhatt about the use of psychedelics in the treatment of substance use disorders. Dr. Bhatt was one of the principal investigators for an exciting study demonstrating the ability of psilocybin to reduce heavy drinking in patients with alcohol use disorder.  He reviews the history of psychedelic use in medicine, discusses their future therapeutic potential, and goes over the results of his psilocybin trial.  Dr. Bhatt is the Chief of Addiction Psychiatry...

Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay, and thank you for coming back. In this episode, I talk to Dr. Noel Vest about his journey through addiction, incarceration, and, ultimately, recovery. Dr. Vest discusses the early influences on his drug use, his first experiences with drugs and alcohol, and how his addiction landed him in prison. He goes on to describe his path to recovery through education in prison and beyond and explains how finding one’s passion and committing oneself to a cause can...

In this episode, I discuss addiction in the LGBTQIA+ community with Dr. Brian Hurley, Medical Director of the Division of Substance Abuse Prevention and Control for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and President-Elect of the American Society of Addiction Medicine Board of Directors. Dr. Hurley reviews the data we have on the prevalence of use disorders in sexual and gender minorities, what risk factors might predispose individuals to the development of an addiction, and why...

Medical professionals bear an enormous responsibility taking care of patients and are often held to a higher standard than other members of society. However, they are human and are therefore also susceptible to the development of addiction, especially given the stresses they are placed under. In this episode, I speak with Dr. Michael Sprintz about substance use disorders in healthcare professionals. Dr. Sprintz is triple board-certified in anesthesiology, pain medicine, and addiction medicine...

In this episode, Colonel Christopher Perry, M.D. discusses the prevalence of substance use disorders in military personnel, which substances are most commonly misused, and how addiction is managed in those actively serving. He reviews the importance of screening for and treating use disorders, especially given the high rates of suicide in this population. Dr. Perry is the Chief Medical Officer for Madigan Army Medical Center on Joint-Base Lewis McChord, Washington. He has extensive...

An estimated 50 million adults suffer from chronic pain in the U.S., which can interfere with their ability to work, take part in normal activities, or enjoy life. The treatment of chronic pain is complex, even more so if a person struggles with a coexisting substance use disorder. In this episode, I speak with Dr. Gregory Rudolf about the various treatment options for chronic pain, the problem of opioid-induced hyperalgesia in patients on long-term opioids, and how a holistic approach with...

In this episode, Dr. Jadene Wong discusses Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, also  commonly referred to as Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS), which describes the withdrawal symptoms an infant experiences after exposure to opioids in the uterus. Dr. Wong reviews which factors increase the risk for developing withdrawal, how to diagnose NOWS, and why avoiding bias while maintaining the mother-infant dyad is essential in treatment. Dr. Wong is a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics...

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Jackman gives us an overview of addiction in Rural America. He compares the rates of substance use and overdose deaths between urban and rural areas and reviews what factors might contribute to the development of use disorders in rural communities. Dr. Jackman also discusses the unique challenges rural areas face in obtaining treatment and how we can draw upon the strength and resiliency of their people to overcome some of these barriers. Dr. Ryan Jackman is a...

In this episode, Dr. Helena Hansen talks about how she became involved in researching the role of race in addiction and drug policy. She discusses the impact of unequal drug criminalization and mass incarceration on communities of color and how media portrayal and treatment of use disorders have differed between racial groups. She also explains the importance of a comprehensive, culturally responsive treatment approach to addiction. Dr. Hansen is a psychiatrist and anthropologist and serves...

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Michael Fingerhood, Associate Professor of Medicine and Public Health at Johns Hopkins University and Chief of the Division of Addiction Medicine at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Dr. Fingerhood explains why older individuals may develop a use disorder and how it can go unrecognized due to preconceived impressions of the elderly. He also reviews how to screen patients in a nonjudgmental way to identify individuals who use substances but may not be...

In this episode, Dr. Mishka Terplan gives an in-depth review of the most commonly used substances during pregnancy and their effects on the expectant mother and fetus. He explains how to screen for addiction during prenatal visits and stresses the importance of treating addiction as a disease, with medication if needed, to improve health outcomes for both mother and baby. Dr. Terplan is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine who works at the Friends Research...

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Veronika Mesheriakova, Assistant Professor in the division of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine at UCSF and the medical director of the UCSF Youth Outpatient Substance Use Program. Dr. Mesheriakova has vast knowledge of and experience in the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders in adolescents. She lends her expertise in this interview to discuss the most commonly misused substances, the risk factors that predispose a teen to developing an...

In the final installment of my drug facts series, I discuss sedative-hypnotic and anxiolytic drugs with Dr. Christopher Blazes, Director of the Addiction Psychiatry fellowship at Oregon Health and Science University. Dr. Blazes is triple board-certified in psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and emergency medicine and has published and lectured extensively on benzodiazepine use. In this episode, he reviews the most commonly used drugs in the sedative-hypnotic class of medications, the risks...

For the sixth part of my drug facts series, I speak with Dr. Itai Danovitch, Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Cedars-Sinai. Dr. Danovitch provides an in-depth summary of the physiology of cannabis and reviews both its beneficial and harmful effects (including use disorder), and how these effects differ based on the population using. He also discusses the different state policies regarding legalization of cannabis and why it might be time to...

In the fifth installment of my drug facts series, I speak with Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, Professor of Pediatrics in adolescent medicine at Stanford University and the founder of the Tobacco Prevention Toolkit, an online curricular aimed at reducing and preventing youth tobacco use. Dr. Halpern-Felsher discusses the unique harm nicotine poses to teenagers, especially in the era of electronic cigarettes. She reviews the different methods of nicotine delivery, the available treatment options...

In the fourth part of my drug facts series, we cover cocaine with Dr. Kyle Kampman, addiction specialist and professor of psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Kampman gives us a fascinating look back at the history of cocaine, reviews the ways in which cocaine is commonly misused, and explains intoxication, withdrawal, and the effectiveness of contingency management in the treatment of cocaine use disorder. Dr. Kampman has had extensive...

In this bonus episode, I speak with Dr. Adam Leventhal on the convergence of two public health crises - addiction and the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Leventhal reviews the challenges faced by those who struggle with substance use disorders during these difficult times and explains how an all-hands-on-deck approach is needed to solve the addiction crisis, both now and post-pandemic.  Dr. Leventhal is the Founding Director of the Institute for Addiction Science and public health expert at the...

In the third installment of my drug facts series, I talk about methamphetamine use with Dr. Jonathan Buchholz, Program Director of the Addictions Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Washington and Medical Director of Inpatient Psychiatry at the VA Puget Sound. Dr. Buchholz discusses the epidemiology and physiology of methamphetamine use disorder, how amphetamines are commonly used and misused, and the most effective ways to treat a methamphetamine addiction. Learn more about Dr....

In part two of my drug facts series, I speak with Dr. Marc Schuckit, distinguished professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine. Dr. Schuckit has spent decades researching the genetic and environmental influences in alcohol use disorder. In this episode, he gives us an overview of the risk factors for developing an alcohol addiction, what treatments are currently available, and what measures can be taken to prevent this condition in susceptible individuals. Check out Dr....