Conventional narratives of the “opioid crisis” or “opioid epidemic” have often erased the profound impacts of alcohol use. While American drug overdose deaths topped 100,000 for the first time in the 2020s, CDC estimates for annual alcohol-related deaths nearly match that figure. Also noteworthy is the intimate connections between opioid use and alcohol use, with one of the leading risk factors for opioid overdose being the mixture of opioids with other depressants, including alcohol. We need a clearer picture of the real impacts of this legal and regulated drug, as well as a better understanding of the social factors that set alcohol use apart from that of other drugs. This three-hour training will explore the definition and impacts of alcohol use, recognizing the spectrum of use from abstinence to addiction. Specifically, we will examine the social determinants of alcohol use and seek to understand and challenge inequities (e.g. racial, gender-based, etc.) in treatment and recovery.
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
- Understand the impact of alcohol use and alcohol use disorder (AUD) on individuals and society
- Define AUD and describe the spectrum of alcohol use
- Identify at least 3 harm reduction and treatment options for people who use alcohol
- Gain perspective on experiences of people with AUD, actively or in recovery
- Understand the profound connections between societal alcohol use and the opioid epidemic
Topic: Massachusetts, Substances: non-opioid, Training
Audience: Employers/worksites, Providers, Substance Use Services, General Public
