Pre-Addiction: A New Way to Think About Prevention |
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Dear Friends,
The concept of pre-addiction has been highlighted recently as a way to identify and intervene in the early stages of addiction before unhealthy use becomes a full-blown substance use disorder. This is the same model of care the medical community uses to prevent other chronic diseases. Measures such as knowing one’s family history, getting regular checkups for markers such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and/or high glucose levels, taking medications, and changing one’s diet, can prevent the progression of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease BEFORE experiencing life-threatening problems such as strokes and heart attacks.
For many years, our team at the U-M Addiction Center has been doing the foundational work on pre-addiction. Our researchers continue to find and examine the genetic, neurobiological, behavioral, and environmental risk factors for addiction, to deepen our knowledge and understanding of how to prevent and treat this disease. Our clinical care team offers compassionate care for individuals by using evidence-based models of successful recovery. As our team continues to bring new knowledge and ideas to the field, it is our hope that public health policies and treatment efforts will renew their focus on those with pre-addiction to prevent the worse outcomes of addiction.
If you have concerns about the role of alcohol and/or drugs in your own life, now is the time to talk to your doctor and learn more about your options. We’ve compiled a number of resources to help you on your journey. There are many paths to recovery – explore and discover what works best for you.
Sincerely,
Professor & Director, U-M Addiction Center
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In this podcast, Dr. Megan Martz discusses her research and how she uses innovative technology like brain imaging to study the dynamic and cyclical nature of brain activity and behavior in substance use disorders. Listen here
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Allison Lin, M.D. and Erin Bonar, Ph.D. received funding for a new study that will use multiple technology-driven approaches to virtually engage patients in alcohol use disorder treatment outside of clinics and in their preferred locations. Learn more
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A new, free resource for providers was just released by the National Institute of Alcohol and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The Core Resource on Alcohol was created with the input and guidance from practicing clinicians, including Drs. Anne Fernandez, Allison Lin and Jessica Mellinger. Learn more
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Joanna Quigley, M.D. co-authored a policy statement on the recommended terminology for substance use disorders in the care of children, adolescents, young adults, and families. Learn more
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Anne Fernandez, Ph.D. received major grant funding from NIAAA to help patients reduce alcohol use before and after surgery to reduce surgical complications. Learn more
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Study shows both types of virtual care kept VA patients from dropping out of medication-based treatment for opioid use disorder. Learn more
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We are excited to announce Dr. Maureen Walton received the 2022 Michigan Institute for Clinical & Research (MICHR) Outstanding Mentorship Award. MICHR selects individuals who meet the highest standard for clinical and translational research mentorship. Learn more
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New T-32 Post-Doctoral Fellows |
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Dr. Carol Lee is a doctor of social work who comes to us from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research focuses on alcohol and substance misuse intervention implementation and adaptation, particularly among emerging adults from marginalized communities.
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Dr. Omid Kardan is a neuroscientist who comes to us from the University of Chicago. His research focuses on the relationship between physical environmental factors, functional brain architecture, and cognitive and psychiatric outcomes.
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We will be holding another We Can Be Heroes event on October 19th, 2022 at the beautiful Capitol Theater in Flint, MI. Learn more & reserve your free tickets here.
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The Science of Addiction podcast is a 3-part series featuring experts from U-M Addiction Treatment Services. Listen to our experts as they help listeners better understand what we know about addiction today. Learn more
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U-M Addiction Center experts share their expertise on the uses and effects of cannabis. Watch the video here. |
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The U-M Addiction Center resource guide includes free online support groups, 24-hour helplines, and other important recovery and mental health-related resources. Learn more
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