Addiction is a Brain Disease-Slides

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Andrea Yatsco, Ph.D., highlights that addiction is a brain disease characterized by chronic and relapsing features that necessitate a medical model approach for effective treatment. The Opioid Response Network (ORN), funded by SAMHSA, offers critical resources and technical support to communities in combating opioid and stimulant use disorders through prevention, treatment, and recovery programs.<br /><br />Addiction alters brain circuits related to reward, motivational behaviors, and decision-making, often resulting in compulsive drug-seeking behavior. Opioids bind to specific receptors, releasing large dopamine quantities, which reinforces these addictive behaviors by manipulating the brain's reward system.<br /><br />Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) bear similar recurrence rates to other chronic medical conditions like Type I diabetes and hypertension, requiring ongoing management akin to treating long-term medical conditions. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT), such as Methadone, Buprenorphine, and Naltrexone, is crucial in stabilizing brain chemistry and reducing withdrawal symptoms, cravings, and recurrence of use.<br /><br />Stigma surrounding SUDs severely impacts individuals’ likelihood to seek and remain in treatment. Increasing awareness and adopting person-centered, trauma-informed approaches can mitigate this barrier. Featuring prevalence data, the document encourages efforts by justice systems to integrate identification and treatment strategies for SUDs among incarcerated individuals, noting significant overlap between substance use and criminal activities.<br /><br />Ultimately, providing access to MOUD in incarceration settings is beneficial for reducing overdose mortality post-release and improving public safety, and is recommended within the justice system. Successful outcomes are contingent on broader understanding, legislative support, and integrated cooperation between healthcare and criminal justice systems to address this pervasive public health issue effectively.
Keywords
addiction
brain disease
Opioid Response Network
substance use disorders
medication-assisted treatment
stigma
trauma-informed approaches
justice system
MOUD
public health