“Safe and Effective Management of Pain and Addiction” will be presented on Tuesday January 22, 2019; from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm; by Carl Christensen, MD, Ph.D., D-FASAM; and Mark A. Weiner, MD, D-FASAM. The Institute of Medicine estimates around a 100 million Americans suffer with chronic pain, and it’s estimated that about 10% of our population has or has had a substance use disorder. Both chronic pain and substance use disorders are major public health challenges, and treating concurrent pain and substance addiction is especially challenging. Common prescribing practices intended to provide relief of acute and chronic pain can trigger relapse in people with substance use disorders and have also fueled an epidemic of opioid misuse, addiction and overdose death. People with pain deserve relief, and the good news is there are strategies for acute and chronic pain management that are safe and effective for people at risk of or in recovery from substance use disorders. This presentation will discuss various methods of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic pain management and their relative risks and benefits, and describe creative approaches to effective pain relief for people in recovery from substance use disorders.   

“Trauma, Chemical Use and Addiction” will be presented on Tuesday January 29, 2019; from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm; by Tana Bridge, PhD, ACSW, LMSW, ACTP; Professor, School of Social Work, Eastern Michigan University.  Current research highlights a strong relationship between substance use, substance addiction and trauma. This presentation by an award-winning trauma expert will review events involved with trauma exposure, trauma specific symptomology, the impact trauma has on the brain and on coping and subsequent substance use, and how to aid individuals struggling with trauma and substance use disorders.

LOCATION: St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Education Center Auditorium (ground floor,) 5305 Elliott Drive, Ypsilanti, Michigan.   

WHO’S IT FOR: People interested for any reason, personal or professional – ALL ARE WELCOME! 

ADMISSION:  Admission is FREE and open to all.  No registration is required.  A certificate to document attendance can be provided on request. FREE CE credit for addiction professionals is provided.

SPONSOR: The series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit organization that provides a continuum of treatment and recovery support services for people with substance use disorders.  

FURTHER INFORMATION: For information, please contact Dawn Farm:

Phone: (734) 485-8725.

E-Mail:  info@dawnfarm.org.

Web site: http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-series.