The DSM-5 no longer includes the diagnostic category of polysubstance dependence, but in clinical practice, psychiatrists still commonly encounter patients who use more than one substance—and can be a challenge to diagnose and treat successfully.
To help clinicians who are working with such patients, the August issue of Psychiatric News includes a special report on “The Art of Treating Complex Substance Use Disorders.” Authored by a team of specialists at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, this report details some of the complex biological interactions that occur when substances are mixed—including adulterants like fentanyl that are often taken inadvertently.
The special report also offers tips on identifying which substance might be the “primary” or “gateway” substance that should be prioritized in treatment. The report also discusses some of the pharmacotherapies that may be useful for multiple substances as well as the instances when combination therapy to target one substance use disorder may be beneficial.
In addition to the special report, the latest issue of Psychiatric News—now available online—features the following:
- Continued recaps of the 2024 Annual Meeting
- The second in a series of articles from the APA’s Women Psychiatrists Caucus offering guidance and support to women psychiatrists.
- The debut of a new column exploring the intersection of psychiatry with popular culture and media.
Check out these stories and more!
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Psychiatric News Editor in Chief Adrian Preda, M.D., wants to increase the presence of members in the newspaper. Submissions are invited for both personal experience/opinion pieces such as Viewpoints or Residents’ Forums as well as articles related to clinical topics. Letters to the Editor are also invited.
Article descriptions and submission guidelines are posted here. For additional information, contact editor@psych.org