Episode 2: Defining and Destigmatizing Addiction скачать в хорошем качестве

Episode 2: Defining and Destigmatizing Addiction

In the second episode of “Changing the Narrative,” experts Maia Szalavitz and Dr. Sarah Wakeman delve into the pervasive stigma of addiction and the need to dispel widespread misinformation about substance use, treatment, and recovery. The diagnosis of addiction is far too often misconstrued and conflated with dependence in the United States. This confusion, coupled with the persistent use of outdated language in political, medical, and media settings, creates significant barriers to treatment, worsening outcomes for individuals who use drugs. Additionally, misinformation, such as the false narrative that medications for opioid use disorder merely replace one addiction with another, perpetuates stigma and prevents widespread adoption of life-saving treatments as the overdose crisis rages on. Addiction, like any other disease, has a great prognosis when individuals receive compassionate care. Meeting people where they are with understanding and support saves lives. ​​Join us as we explore these critical issues and work to shift the conversation around addiction toward one of empathy and evidence-based care. Panelists: Sarah Wakeman, MD, Senior Medical Director for Substance Use Disorder at MassGeneral Brigham, Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School Maia Szalavitz, Author of Undoing Drugs: The Untold Story of Harm Reduction and the Future of Addiction, Contributing Opinion Writer for the New York Times Please visit Changing the Narrative (https://www.changingthenarrative.news/) for more information.