The opioid epidemic refers to the enormous surge in opioid addiction and overdose over the last several decades in the United States. Much of the epidemic has its origins in medical practice. Devastating consequences of the opioid epidemic include increases in opioid misuse and related overdoses, as well as the rising incidence of newborns experiencing withdrawal syndrome due to opioid use and misuse during pregnancy. Opioid overdoses accounted for more than 42,000 deaths in 2016, more than any previous year on record. An estimated 40% of opioid overdose deaths involved a prescription opioid.

Episode VI will explore the less than obvious connections between mental illness and substance abuse. We would like to assert that one, often overlooked foundational connection is, the unhealthy need that leads to the opioid use, which completely destabilizes a Healthy Mental decision-making process. Are we still in an epidemic in 2022? What are harm reduction policies and what have been their outcomes? Which populations are currently most affected? What can individuals, neighborhoods, communities, cities actively do to assist in solving this epidemic? What are good Samaritan laws? Are their signs that the tide is changing? What are the Trust factors in need of transforming that will lead to satisfactory resolutions?

Show Topics and Highlights

There is a lag between technology and knowledge and the criminal justice system

A physician's background beliefs may influence their decision making

My own efforts have been in getting new technologies into African American and Latino communities.

There's what we call an opiate, and then there's what we call an opioid.

Everyone has a genetic element that dictates what their response is to medications

Are doctors ever held responsible, legally?

What training are doctors getting on proper use of opioids?

We've had great difficulty in changing the dosage requirements, which is set by law in some places, and we find that when people get inadequate medication they may end up using drugs to get by

A lot of a prescriptive practices involve the patient being given responsibility of taking the medication correctly.

There is a huge importance in getting a support system around the patient

There's more training and information needed on the best ways to work with people and making sure you're doing right for that person

This is where health equity comes into play. Because it's not just about making things equitable. It's about what investments would have to go on to raise the value of care.

The number of African American physicians is actually about the same numbers as it was the 1960s. Same as for the Latino community.

Profound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute, a national community building organization whose mission is to establish pathways to lifelong learning and healthy communities at the local, national and global level.   MLPN.life

The Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com

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