Substance use, including drinking and other drug use, is socially and culturally normative for many in the United States. For some, however, substance use can interfere with their functioning and well-being, a vulnerability potentially made worse by the stress and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic so familiar to many health care workers. In this interactive presentation, we will discuss strategies to recognize substance use concerns, spanning mild to severe impacts on one’s life, and review the myriad approaches there are to making a change.

Presenter: Brandon Bergman, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, Associate Director of the Recovery Research Institute in the Center for Addiction Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital, and a licensed clinical psychologist. His original research, funded by a K23 from the NIAAA, spans community-based addiction recovery support services, social technology, and the life stage of emerging adulthood. He completed his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Nova Southeastern University, and his psychology internship and addiction psychology postdoctoral fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.