The Curbsiders Addiction Medicine Podcast

Tackle smoking cessation by offering your patients evidence-based treatment options. We discuss pharmacotherapy, mindfulness, and practical tips on how to manage short-acting nicotine replacement therapy to help your patient stop smoking. We are joined by Dr. Panagis Galiatsatos from Hopkins (@Panagis21).

Integrate motivational interviewing into your busy practice, and learn the basic principles of cognitive behavioral therapy. This episode highlights common psychosocial interventions for individuals with substance use disorders. After this episode, you will feel empowered to connect patients to these evidence-based resources. We’re joined by Dr. Carla Marienfeld, MD from UCSD, @DrMarienfeld who gives us practical ways to counsel patients on these interventions, as well as bring them into the busy clinic setting. 

Dr. Deepika Slawek, an internist and addiction medicine specialist at Montefiore Medical Center, dives deep into cannabis use disorder. She emphasizes the importance of partnering with patients to explore their motivations for cannabis use. The discussion highlights harm reduction strategies and the complexities of cannabis dependency, particularly in relation to mental health. Dr. Slawek shares insights on effective communication and the need for empathy in treatment, making it clear that addressing cannabis withdrawal is vital for successful recovery.

Challenge stigmatizing terms and level up your patient-centered language! Learn how to create an inviting environment to discuss substance use and substance use disorders (SUDs), how our word choices directly affect patient care and a three-step approach to taking a comprehensive SUD History. Let’s RIP-TEAR it up with our expert, Dr. Jeanette Tetrault from Yale University (@jtetrault17).

With this buprenor-FINE episode, you’ll become a master at office-based treatment of opioid use disorder with buprenorphine. We’ll cover the efficacy of buprenorphine, a guide to starting it, and what to think about when continuing therapy in a person-centered way. We’re joined by Dr Christine Soran, (UCSF) the medical director of the oldest buprenorphine clinic in the country - The OBIC in San Francisco.

Decrease your anxiety managing sedative-hypnotic use disorders! By the end of this episode, you will have practical tips on how to discuss benzodiazepine use, plan a taper, and support your patient throughout the process. We’re joined by Dr. Ximena Levander, @XimenaLevander (OHSU).

Dr. Paxton Bach, Co-Medical Director at the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, delves into stimulant use disorder. He discusses the intricacies of stimulant consumption and effective patient communication. Key topics include recognizing signs of 'overamping,' managing stimulant intoxication in emergency settings, and the role of contingency management in treatment. The conversation highlights harm reduction strategies and the importance of a supportive environment for patients on their recovery journey.

Get comfortable treating alcohol use disorder (AUD). In this episode, we discuss the diagnosis of AUD strategies to help patients develop therapeutic goals and options for pharmacotherapy. We are joined for this episode by Dr. Alyssa Peterkin (BU), an internal medicine and addiction medicine physician who encourages us to venture into offering pharmacotherapy for AUD as it is vastly undertreated. By the end of this episode, you will be naltrex-owning meds for AUD!

Step up harm reduction strategies in your clinical practice! We discuss partnering with patients who use substances and methods to keep patients safe and healthy. Dr. Kim Sue (@DrKimSue, Yale University), the National Harm Reduction Coalition Medical Director, joins us. We discuss safer injection practices, stimulants, alcohol, nicotine use, and more!

Master the management of ambulatory alcohol withdrawal! We discuss the pathophysiology of alcohol withdrawal as well as the triage and treatment of this disease in the ambulatory setting. We’re joined by our bird-loving guest Dr. Stephen Holt (Yale University), an addiction medicine and internal medicine doc who teaches us a set of practical pearls that you won’t want to miss out on!