Trapped: Understanding Addiction
Trapped: Understanding Addiction
Ahana Wokhlu
Trapped: Understanding Addiction explores the medical aspects and social implications of addiction. In this podcast, I’ll talk to experts about the science behind addictive behavior, how various substances affect the brain and body, how addiction impacts specific populations uniquely, and how our views on addiction and treatment have evolved. I will also speak with people who have had first-hand experience with a substance use disorder and get their insight on what it’s like to live with this condition.
Episode 28: The Intersection of Methamphetamine Use and HIV - Dr. Timothy Hall, UCLA
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 potenti...
Apr 16, 2023
36 min
Episode 27: Infectious Complications of Injection Drug Use - Dr. David Goodman-Meza, UCLA
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 interes...
Apr 8, 2023
50 min
Episode 26: Collegiate Recovery Programs- Kristina Canfield, ARHE Executive Director
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...
Mar 30, 2023
30 min
Episode 25: Motivational Interviewing - Dr. Kenneth Saffier, Bi-Bett
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 substa...
Jan 14, 2023
30 min
Episode 24: Harm Reduction - Dr. Daniel Ciccarone, UCSF
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, ...
Dec 9, 2022
43 min
Episode 23: Psychedelics as Addiction Treatment - Dr. Snehal Bhatt, University of New Mexico
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 Psyc...
Nov 24, 2022
34 min
Episode 22: From Prison to PhD - Dr. Noel Vest, Stanford University
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 lea...
Aug 8, 2022
43 min
Episode 21: Addiction in the LGBTQIA+ Community - Dr. Brian Hurley, LA County DPH
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 ...
Jun 17, 2022
24 min
Episode 20: Addiction in Healthcare Professionals - Dr. Michael Sprintz, Sprintz Center for Pain and Recovery
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...
Jun 1, 2022
59 min
Episode 19: Addiction in the Military - Colonel Christopher Perry, M.D., Madigan Army Medical Center
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 experience ...
May 16, 2022
24 min
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