2023 Conference Program Book

AM WORKSHOPS Workshop Descriptions

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Meditation and Medication: A Mindful Middle Path for Addiction Treatment and Recovery Dr. Zev Schuman-Olivier, MD Assistant Professor in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are first-line treatments that reduce risk of overdose and save lives. Stopping MOUD abruptly can lead to relapse and overdose. Yet, taking medication during recovery can bring up strong feelings among individuals taking MOUD and their families and recovery community peers. Feelings about the role of MOUD can be impacted by stigma against addiction and mental health disorders. Cultivating mindfulness while taking MOUD may be a middle path for accepting the role that it plays. Mindfulness with medication can be a self-compassionate and skillful choice, developing skills for self-regulation needed for recovery to help bring the brain back into balance. This presentation will describe the mechanisms of mindfulness in self-regulation and addiction recovery and will include several brief mindfulness practices. Medication Assisted Recovery, Harm Reduction and Health Equity Nicole Gastala, MD Medical Director, Substance Use Prevention and Recovery Division of the Illinois Department of Human Services Harm reduction is an effective approach to addressing the public health epidemic involving substance use as well as infectious disease and other harms associated with drug use. SAMHSA defines harm reduction as a proactive and evidence-based approach to reduce the negative personal and public health impacts of behavior associated with alcohol and other substance use at both the individual and community levels. Harm reduction is critical to keeping people who use drugs alive, as healthy as possible, and is a key pillar in the multi-faceted Health and Human Services' Overdose Prevention Strategy. Harm reduction services include, but are not limited to, evidence-based practices such as syringe exchange, naloxone distribution, and fentanyl testing strips.

14