The Experts Speak - An Educational Service of the Florida Psychiatric Society

Kellen Russoniello, J.D., Public Health Director, Drug Policy Alliance, offers the history and reason for its dangers, the reduction in overdose deaths but not the reduction in overdoses, Narcan, programs that reduce drug abuse and those that failed, the very real problems of program funding cutbacks, community attitudes towards sanctioned actions, contingency and other management involvements,, n...

Stuart Isaacson, M.D., neurologist, explains TD, the role of dopamine in psychiatric and then this treatment induced consequential movement disorder, proper diagnosis, how both psychiatric and neurologic treatments are very helpful, but he also weighs the risk-benefits of now the increasing use of antipsychotics for mood disorders. He further talks of the VMAT2 systems empowering the two new medic...

Rachel Earls, Ph. D., outlines the roles, science, and limitations of this powerful clinical tool for the selection of medication. This is a great guide on how an individual metabolizes many medications, and so it helps get proper doses for better efficacy and fewer side effects. It does not predict outcome, but significantly assists with treatment choices. She also speaks to the differences betwe...

Achina Stein, D.O., explains the many advantages when mixing these two concepts. Functional medicine has an extensive approach exploring for other causes of illness, including valuable searches for what are often not initially obvious infections or inflammatory states, the role of nutrition, toxin exposure, a detailed history of the illness, lifestyles, etc., and then using that data for directed...

Matthew Weiss, M.D., eye surgeon, clarifies the nature of this very common medical condition, the types of replacement lens used, the very significant vision and functional impairments from untreated cataracts, healing, Fuchs’ Dystrophy, that 3 million surgeries occur each year just in the USA, etc. A straightforward and essential summary about generally reversible condition that can otherwise mar...

Todd Sack, M.D., 15 years ago created the My Green Doctor program as a guide to setting a functional mindset, with easy but essential actions, in response to the needed behavorial changes that climate actions demand from all of us. He joins us again to detail this potent tool to reduce the climate change ordeal. It can also save money. June 2025.

Devon Dautrich, Ph. D., treats substance abuse in this age group. It is a candid talk of why these behaviors are new, or merely an extension of prior use, why interventions fail, the need to educate patients to accept their problem and the advantages following acceptance and change. Sometimes first treatments do not work, but with persistence, using good recommendations and hard work, very, very o...

Lisa Sanchez, Executive Director, Mexico Unido Contra Delincuencia (Mexico City), details substance abuse in Mexico, their harm reduction challenges and programs, use of the military in police roles, cultural realities in Mexico, gun and violence issues, drug supply-chain realities, the after effects on families, the impacts of political and social policy actions and events, etc. An open and clari...

Michael Dennis, Ph. D., reports interesting statistics as he talks about research into how to keep after care people in treatment, the role of reliable follow-up and after care, that early intervention can reduce drug use by 60%, of targeted interventions, the critical need for chronic care models, that hitting bottom is not always needed to start treatment, to train in the use of screening tools,...

Take a break from the serious. This 1943 radio show, in the production style of the 1940’s, overviews this widely loved food’s history. It’s 14 minutes long and matches the time to savor a generous portion of a nearly universal treat. Posted here March 2024.

In 1937, NBC aired this episode of the radio series ‘The World Is Yours.’ It is a theatrical style reporting of the history of several medicines. Interesting, educational, and an easy review of medical discovery and treatment. A lighter listening episode than our usual variety. Posted here February 2024.

Chris Pizzute is a music therapist at the Louis Armstrong Department of Music Therapy Center at the NY City Beth Israel and Mt. Sinai Hospitals. He explains the history and then the powerful roles, styles, and designs of music therapy. Entertainment and music psychotherapy both use music but in different contexts, of cultural inputs, how to help navigate through events and emotions, the ‘song of k...

Connie Siskowski, R.N., Ph. D., and a CNN Hero award recipient, works to help the millions of children who go home to be essential caregivers, and who therefore have special caring needs, miss a lot of normal adolescence, and so absolutely require help and acknowledgement. She started the American Association of Caregiving Youth to face this task. The efforts include integration with local schools...

Ivan Cichowitz, M.D., explains the FDA approved VNS science to treat depression. He outlines the history, process, and theory, that it is used very often with medications, its increasing insurance coverage, how to know when and if it should become a treatment option, etc. VNS is a strong additional utensil in the treatment of resistant depressions. Learn and ask about this very promising mechanism...

Todd Sack, M.D., without hesitancy, speaks to the needed but daunting challenge of changing individual CO2 footprints, age and generational differences, real and specific ideas on what to do that do require self-discipline and commitment, that ‘green’ can save money, the critical ‘ballot box climate change’, that positive undertakings and adjustments are occurring but perhaps not fast enough, to m...

Jay Kuchera, M.D., pain management, speaks to barriers to proper pain management, the ethical, clinical, political and regulatory domains, medication and treatment costs, CDC and other guidelines, the need for proper clinical management, how cultural acceptances of suffering differ and set expectations, that improper treatment evokes the disease of desperation, differences in pain management now v...

Tommy McGee, psychotherapist, addiction counselor, clergy, and black, takes us on a revealing tour of life in the black communities, how many black patients view the medical system, the barriers this produces in even approaching the system for prevention and treatment, insurance barricades, the role of the churches with this and other mental health problems, the need to ‘translate’ their culture,...

Fish biologist Dave Cannon candidly discusses his personal fears and emotions plus his professional responses to climate change, his preceptive ‘bush Alaska’ perspective, challenging our species to cooperately make real changes, solastalgia (loss of our homes), the need to commit with examples of personal changes to reduce our CO2 footprints, etc. Thought provoking, genuine, helpful.

Aldo Morales, M.D., psychiatrist and addictionologist, provides from experience a no-nonsense and balanced overview of cannabis use, issues with quality control of dispensary products, understanding addiction levels, the need for research and the topics being explored, worries if used in a still developing brain, the cannabis abuse disorder, etc. August 2023

Linda Reihs is an educator, author, and substance abuse counselor. She promotes non-drug use with ‘knowing’ and not just ‘saying no’, teaching resilience, parents’ and siblings’ roles, not getting help to needy students especially when they move into middle school, keeping kids on a good track, the experiential preventive mode, literature to create ego-building strengths, framing designs for each...

Two different systems for psilocybin use. Wired Magazine posted an excellent podcast, presented here. Many clinical and political concerns. Worth a careful listen and discussion. June 2023

Jeff Singer, M.D., senior fellow at the Cato Institute, who gave Congressional testimony, speaks to the fascinating Iron Law of Prohibition issue, the need to overcome old mythologies, nuances, and stigmas about the problem, etc. A very lively, pithy, yet necessary historical and contemporary offering of hard reduction and other key insights and thoughts. In conjunction with the Palm Beach County...

John Dyben, Ph. D., with a primarily psychosocial approach to addiction, but also of appropriate medication use, discusses that kids grow up and mature too quickly; of essential family and system treatments; that addiction is a chronic illness; of social-cultural message influences; to make ‘healthy’ the new norm; to connect to the whole person; the power of fellowship and conjoint family activiti...

Daryl Shorter, M.D., offers functional and pragmatic contexts of addiction, of what leads to successful remission, the key essentials of biological versus psychological origins, that all substance use is not always abuse, etc. April 2023

Sarah Kawasaki, M.D,, details mixing buprenorphine and fentanyl. The mere number of fentanyl overdoses, be it knowing or not knowing fentanyl was consumed, requires preparing for possible clinical dangers of too rapidly using buprenorphine. Definite protocols are used and are being studied. Important information.