EP 1:10 Medically Assisted Sobriety with Dr. Mark

The AfterMeth: Gay Men Recovering from Crystal Methamphetamine Addiction

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Dr. Dallas Bragg interviews Dr. Mark Morris about medical-assisted sobriety and supporting friends struggling with addiction. They discuss the importance of personalized treatment and the need for an open mind in exploring different approaches to sobriety. They also touch on the challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community in finding supportive treatment options. Dr. Morris emphasizes the value of medication-assisted treatment, but highlights the importance of combining it with therapy, coaching, and a strong support network. They also discuss the barriers to accessing treatment, such as cost and lack of knowledgeable healthcare providers.
Takeaways
Personalized treatment is crucial for addiction recovery, and different approaches may work for different individuals.
Medication-assisted treatment can be effective for alcohol and opioid addiction, but research on its efficacy for meth addiction is limited.
The LGBTQ+ community may face additional challenges in finding supportive treatment options.
Combining medication-assisted treatment with therapy, coaching, and a strong support network can increase the chances of successful recovery.
Access to treatment, including medication-assisted treatment, can be hindered by cost and a lack of knowledgeable healthcare providers.
As a teen, Dr. Mark discovered that alcohol allowed him to function in a straight marriage. Over the years, he added marijuana and sometimes other substances like benzodiazepines. When his children were teens themselves, they arranged an intervention that led Dr. Mark to rehab and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
After his divorce, Dr. Mark met his husband, whose story matched his own in many ways. They remain close to their families. Dr. Mark's former wife has since become a friend, while his husband's former wife has passed away.
Dr. Mark's AA sponsor is straight, but they have maintained their relationship over the years. His home group is One-to-One in St. Petersburg, and he attends meetings every week.
Sobriety has led Dr. Mark into humanitarian work in Haiti and with uninsured people in Tampa. He is interested in all approaches to achieving sobriety, especially as they relate to gay men and women, including medication-assisted recovery, although he has never worked professionally in addiction medicine.
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