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Substance Abuse: The Family Connection

Recorded on 5/7/2006
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  • Harborview Medical Center
  • UW Medicine

PROGRAM DETAILS:

Do you know someone who has a problem with alcohol or drugs? How do you recognize it? In this Patient Power program you’ll hear from Dr. Dennis Donovan and Dr. Richard Ries, top substance abuse experts from the Seattle area. Dr. Donovan is director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute at the University of Washington. Dr. Ries is a professor of psychiatry and director of the addictions division at the University of Washington, and on staff at Harborview Medical Center.

The program begins by addressing the genetic connection to alcoholism and substance abuse. Because someone in your family is affected, does that put you at higher risk? Both Dr. Ries and Dr. Donovan discuss the family connection and how the disease can be prevented. Dr. Ries details exactly what is going on in the brain when one consumes alcohol and how the effects are different for everyone. The discussion then leads to the rise of prescription medication abuse. Dr. Ries talks about how it is a more difficult problem to recognize due to the fact the medication may have been prescribed by a doctor.

The doctors go on to talk about seeking help through counseling and support groups, and other options such as drug therapy. You’ll hear a detailed explanation of the program available at the University of Washington that aids those dealing with substance abuse to let go of their dependency on drugs and alcohol. This program is an excellent resource in helping one to understand what substance abuse is and, most importantly, the best options for treatment.

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EXPERTS & GUESTS:
Richard Ries, M.D.
Director of Outpatient Psychiatry, Harborview Medical Center
Dr. Richard Ries is Director of Outpatient Psychiatry, Dual Disorder Programs, and the Chemical Dependency Project at Harborview Medical Center as well as Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Washington Medical School in Seattle, Washington. He also serves as Associate Director of the University of Washington Addiction Psychiatry Residency Program. Dr. Ries is board certified in psychiatry and certified... more >

Dennis Donovan, Ph.D.
Director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, UW Medicine
Dr. Dennis Donovan is the Director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute and Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle. His research interests are in cognitive-behavioral approaches to substance abuse and its treatment, relapse prevention, patient-treatment matching, assessment of addictive behaviors and treatment-seeking behavior among substance abusers. Dr. Donovan holds... more >

TRANSCRIPT:

  1. Introduction
  2. The Role of Genetics
  3. Preventing Abuse
  4. The Effects on Individuals
  5. Drug Therapy
  6. Seeking Help and Support
  7. Prescription Drug Addiction
  8. Treatment for Dependency
  9. Progress