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Notes:
Polysubstance Use Disorder, which is also sometimes referred to as: polysubstance abuse and polysubstance addiction, involves the consumption of more than one drug at once.
“Polysubstance misuse often refers to misuse of multiple illicit drugs, it is also inclusive of prescription medications used in nonmedical circumstances.” (American Addictions Center, 2024) People with sometimes accidentally mix illicit drugs with prescription drugs. Other people intentionally engage in polysubstance misuse to experience greater effects from multiple substances. Oftentimes, users may have a preferred substance of misuse that they combine with other substances at times to enhance the primary substance’s effects. The mixing of different kinds of drugs is not a new phenomenon and continues to be a problem for generations, individuals, and families who are often seeking ways to cope with problems in their lives. In some cases, these drugs of misuse have contributing factors that have a genetic link to use and abuse of multiple drugs at the same time. As healthcare professionals, we must be aware of signs and symptoms of drugs that are commonly mixed and abused and utilize effective tools to assess, diagnosis, and treat individuals with polysubstance use disorders.
Course Goals:
Quiz: “What do you know about Polysubstance Use Disorder”
Experiential activities will consist of a role play of an initial intake interview of a poly substance use disorder client, use of videos, and case scenarios discussions will be utilized throughout the presentation.
Reference: https://americanaddictioncenters.org/polysubstance-abuse
Presenter:
Dr. Lucy R. Cannon is the CEO/Owner of LEJ Behavioral Health Services, LLC, a training and consulting company in Metropolitan Atlanta. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the states of Georgia and Alabama. She has the following certifications, LCSW, CCDP-D, and MATS. Dr. Cannon has been a clinician, supervisor, director, and consultant of mental health and co-occurring disorders programs in inpatient and outpatient healthcare organizations and psychiatric hospitals in various states in the United States and Camp Zama, Japan. She is an Adjunct Professor at Clark Atlanta University Graduate School of Social Work. She is also a Facilitator/Speaker for the United States Navy Reserve Command. She is a trainer for various local and national healthcare organizations.
She also serves on various healthcare organizations boards of directors, and advisory boards. She is an advocate for consumers with co-occurring disorders. She is very committed to educating students and training mental health professionals in the addiction and mental health fields.
For more information about trainings, contact TAADAS Training Director Maria Smith at maria@taadas.org.