Drugs can be ally in reducing opioid addiction, related deaths
Newswise — Psychiatrist Dr. Larissa Mooney specializes in general adult psychiatry and addiction psychiatry. She is an associate clinical professor at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, where she serves as Director of the UCLA Addiction Medicine Clinic and teaches principles of evidence-based and integrated treatments for patients with addictive and co-occurring mental health disorders to psychiatrists in training. Dr. Mooney is a member of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) Executive Board of Directors and conducts clinical trials research at UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs. Her interests include development of pharmacological and behavioral treatments for addiction and advancement of substance abuse training for health care professionals.
“Drug overdoses have exceeded traffic accidents as the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S; addiction to opioids, including prescription opioids and heroin, is a driving factor in this epidemic. Increase in prescription opioid sales in the U.S. in recent years has been associated with a rise in opioid misuse, addiction, and overdose deaths. The majority of new heroin users in the U.S. started after initially misusing prescription opioid medications.”“FDA approved medications are available to treat opioid addiction, including buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone. Use of these medications significantly reduces risk of opioid relapse and overdose. Furthermore, use of medication treatment for opioid addiction is associated with reduced healthcare burden and criminal justice-related costs.”
Fighting opioid addiction needs a system-based approach
Psychiatrist Dr. Karen Miotto is a clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Bio-behavioral Sciences and the Director of the UCLA Alcoholism and Addiction Medicine Service. A nationally known addiction specialist, she has published many professional papers and book chapters on substance abuse and pain management for addictive diseases. Miotto is passionate about the subject of opioid addiction and the need for a system-based approach, in which everyone – doctors, patients, families, communities – work together.
“We need better access to treatment on many levels – including provider availability and insurance coverage.”
Alternative approaches to pain relief should be explored
Psychologist Suzette Glasner-Edwards is an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. For the past 17 years, Dr. Glasner’s research, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse has focused on: (1) Understanding the learned aspects of addictive behaviors, (2) Developing and testing behavioral treatments for addictions and related psychiatric and medical conditions, and (3) Understanding the “key ingredients” of psychotherapy, or how psychotherapy helps people to change their behavior. Three evidence-based treatment approaches that have been the focus of her research studies: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), and mindfulness based treatments.
“We’re hoping that consumers of medicine will be more cautious about their own pain management, and will ask their doctors for alternatives to opioid medications, about the risk of addiction and overdose, and about the signs of addiction. We also hope they seek out behavioral and alternative medicine approaches to pain control (e.g., acupuncture, mindfulness meditation, and psychotherapy).”
Patients should ask their own questions
Anesthesiologist Dr. Christine Lee is an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine of UCLA. She is board-certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine and completed both a fellowship in pain manage and a residency in anesthesiology at UCLA.
“Patients should ask questions if their doctors want to prescribe opiates. Key questions to ask include: Is an opiate necessary? What are the risks? What are the benefits? How long should I take this? Are there alternatives? What we hope to accomplish by using an opiate? How will you know when we've met our goal? Most important, it’s important to have a conversation with their physician.”
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