Laurence M. Westreich, MD

The sharply decreasing perception of risk and easy accessibility of cannabis has many patients turning towards it, despite the potential negative effects.

Clinical traditions are important, but they can become ossified as the “right way to treat addiction.” So, we need to turn a sharp, skeptical eye on treatment models.

Addiction and mental health treatment has fallen increasingly into the justice system for underserved and indigent patients. How do we bring state-of-the art treatment to this population in desperate need?

How does the diagnosis and treatment of substance use disorders fit into the general practice of psychiatry? Dr Laurence Westreich, President of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, addresses that question in this podcast.

Public concern about the use of anabolic androgenic steroids by athletes and others has led to enhanced testing for these drugs as well as an improved understanding of their medical and psychiatric effects. This article reviews the pharmacology of these compounds, the prevalence and effects of their use among athletes, and the basics of steroid testing, and it concludes with treatment recommendations. Even though athletes may use other illicit substances, such as stimulants, human growth hormone, and erythropoietin, this article focuses only on anabolic androgenic steroids. Review articles on the psychiatric effects of the other performance-enhancing substances are available elsewhere.1,2