SAMHSA: The Science of Addiction and Recovery—A Father’s Perspective

This session, hosted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), explores the science of opioid addiction and withdrawal for direct service providers, equipping them with knowledge to better support fathers in recovery. The session is presented from a “user” perspective by fathers in recovery. It will provide an accessible and easy to understand evidence-based look at how addiction impacts the brain and hijacks the reward system, the challenges of withdrawal and long-term abstinence for persons with opioid use disorder (OUD), the impact of subcultures and stigma on treatment and recovery, and the role of trauma and mental health in sustained recovery.