7383E The Treatment of Substance Use Disorders: General Principles of Harm Reduction-Spanish Audio Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The video covers a comprehensive training session on treating consumption disorders, with a focus on harm reduction principles related to opioid and stimulant use. Jenna Full, representing the Opioid Response Network (ORN), introduces the event and highlights ORN’s mission to provide technical support for organizations dealing with opioid use disorders. The highlight guest, Dr. Georgie Suzuki, a psychiatrist from Harvard Medical School, leads the session.<br /><br />Dr. Suzuki explains the neurobiology of substance use disorders and discusses the historical over-prescription of opioids, contributing significantly to the current crisis. However, there's a glimmer of hope as recent CDC data indicates a slight decline in overdose cases. Dr. Suzuki stresses that despite this decline, the situation remains critical due to substances like fentanyl.<br /><br />He elaborates on the chronic nature of addiction, comparing it to diseases like diabetes and hypertension, and highlights that substance use disorders often respond well to treatment. He also touches on the stigma associated with substance abuse, advocating for harm reduction approaches such as clean syringe programs and safe injection sites, which have shown to significantly reduce mortality and improve health outcomes.<br /><br />The session concludes with Dr. Suzuki emphasizing the importance of treating substance use as a chronic illness, the need for a supportive recovery network, and reducing stigma through careful language choice. The training aims to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of substance use disorders and effective harm reduction strategies.

Keywords

consumption disorders

harm reduction

opioid use

stimulant use

substance use disorders

fentanyl

stigma reduction

recovery network