OSU set to host virtual Addiction Medicine Conference

ALL OF US DURING THEPANDEMIC... AND MANY ARESTRUGGLING TO COPE WITH THESTRESS.

FOR THOSE WITH ASERIOUS ADDICTION... IT CANFEEL LIKE AN UP-HILLBATTLE... BECAUSEISOLATION... CAN BEDANGEROUS FOR RECOVERINGADDICTS.THAT'S WHY ORGANIZERS FOR O-S-U's ADDICTION MEDICINECONFERENCE SAY THIS EVENTCOMES AT A CRUCIAL TIME.

2WORKS FOR YOU BRADY HALBLEIBJOINS US WITH HOW THEY HOPETHE EVENT WILL HELP MEDICALPROFESSIONALS STATEWIDE.BRADY?THAT'S RIGHT.

ADDICTIONEXPERTS TELL ME THE OPIOIDCRISIS HAS TAKEN A BACK SEATTO THE PANDEMIC FOR FAR TOOLONG.

IN FACT, THE PANDEMICHAS MADE THE PROBLEM A LOTWORSE.

AS A RESULT,ORGANIZERS HOPE TO BRINGAWARENESS NOW.

AND AVOID ANADDICTION CRISIS AFTER THEPANDEMIC.Dr. Jason Beaman PanelMember and Chair Dept.

OfPsychiatry and BehavioralSciences OSU 00:07:27:14 -00:07:30:18 "Really, thepandemic has been horriblefor addiction." It may be atough pill to swallow... ButAddiction MedicineConference panel member, Dr.Jason Beaman, says... thepandemic has onlyexacerbated the addictioncrisis.

Dr. Jason BeamanPanel Member and Chair Dept.of Psychiatry and BehavioralSciences OSU 00:07:44:12 -00:07:50:10 "I think a lotof people are turning todrugs and alcohol as atherapeutic relief option."That goes for recoveringaddicts who depend onin-person meetings, therapyand most importantly, socialsupport.

Dr. Jason BeamanPanel Member and Chair Dept.of Psychiatry and BehavioralSciences OSU 00:07:53:07 -00:07:59:18 "The mostimportant thing you need inhealing from addiction iswhat we call socialconnectivity." Somethinghard to come by in the timesof social distancing.

Whilesocial connectivity goesdown, the risk of addictiongoes up.

Dr. Jason BeamanPanel Member and Chair Dept.of Psychiatry and BehavioralSciences OSU 00:08:07:14 -00:08:15:19 "It's beenreally horrible for thosepeople that are battlingaddiction that they're notable to connect with thepeople that they used to."In Oklahoma, the opioidepidemic has improved andthere are 20 percent lessopioid prescriptions from2018.

But there's been asignificant increase infentanyl and heroin.

That'swhy this year's conferencecomes at a crucial time.

Dr.Jason Beaman Panel Memberand Chair Dept.

OfPsychiatry and BehavioralSciences OSU 00:09:34:04 -00:09:47:12 "We want ourphysicians to be equippedwith the tools that theyneed around the state to beable to recognize and treatany addictive problems thatthey may come across intheir practice." This year'sdiscussion will focus on:Addiction in Native America,Addiction and the Law,Addiction Medicine, and the"state of addiction" acrossOklahoma.But, treatment andmitigation will be a commonthread.

Additionally, Dr.Beaman says opioid addictioncan affect anyone.

Dr. JasonBeaman Panel Member andChair Dept.

Of Psychiatryand Behavioral Sciences OSU00:11:25:10 - 00:11:34:23"Mother teresa taking thesemedications long enoughwould get addicted.

It hasnothing to do with theperson but everything to dowith that person's brain."IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOWIS STRUGGLING WITHADDICTION, YOU CANFIND OUT MORE INFORMATION BYCALLING 1-8-HUNDRED6-6-2-HELP.

WE'VE ALSOPROVIDED A LINK TO THENATIONAL HELP HOTLINE ON OURWEBSITE AT K-J-R-H DOT COM."Now, your 2 Works for YouFirst Forecast."