Opioid Use Disorder, A View From the Other Side-Recording - Opioid Use Disorder, A View From the Other Side

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Dr. Keith Radbill presents a comprehensive CME lecture on opioid use disorder (OUD), emphasizing understanding the patient’s perspective. He underlines the significance of post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS)—a prolonged phase of emotional and psychological symptoms such as apathy, insomnia, cravings, and mood swings—that greatly challenge sobriety and are often underrecognized. Dr. Radbill details the DSM-5 criteria for OUD diagnosis, highlighting that most patients fall into the severe category. He stresses the importance of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), particularly buprenorphine and methadone, noting their life-saving potential and the removal of prescribing barriers like the DEA waiver to encourage wider use. Behavioral therapies alone are shown to be insufficient, with high relapse rates without medical treatment. PAWS symptoms can be mistaken for psychiatric illnesses, complicating treatment. The lecture shares Dr. Radbill’s personal story battling addiction and engaging with recovery through medication and 12-step programs, exemplifying the chronic, relapsing nature of OUD. He advocates for long-term treatment models, combining medication and behavioral support, akin to managing other chronic diseases like diabetes or hypertension. The talk urges healthcare providers to prescribe confidently, approach patients with empathy, and recognize that prolonged recovery efforts are essential to successful OUD management and relapse prevention.

Keywords

Opioid Use Disorder

Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome

PAWS

DSM-5 Criteria

Medications for Opioid Use Disorder

Buprenorphine

Methadone

Behavioral Therapies

Relapse Prevention