Gabriele Fischer: Ending the stigma on substance use disorders (SUD) Artwork

EURO HEALTH Podcast

The guests of this podcast are carefully selected professors, doctors and others, so as they are experts in the health sector and discuss a range of complex topics which should be debated by the European politicians in Brussels. The world is swelled by crises in the health sector but just a few get properly elaborated on. The EURO HEALTH Podcast is here to change the narrative and provide valuable perspectives on issues which might seem obsolete but are equally important as others. Moderated by Jan Klusáček.

All Episodes

EURO HEALTH Podcast

Gabriele Fischer: Ending the stigma on substance use disorders (SUD)

November 13, 2024 • Health Podcast • Season 3 • Episode 6

Did you know that addictions are mental health disorders? Despite the link not being obvious at first glance, it is clear for scientists and medical professionals: people suffering from substance use disorders should be treated first and foremost as psychiatric patients. Patients, however, still suffer from stigma from the general population, especially when it comes to people who consume drugs, and from being a low priority on the policymakers’ agenda. We discussed it with Dr. Gabriele Fischer, one of the leading European experts on substance use disorders and their treatment.

Addictions can touch many aspects of people’s lives – it’s not only about illicit substances, but also addictions coming from licit substances, such as eating disorders and gaming addictions. These should not be underestimated and come not only with their costs for public health budgets, but also with their burden on society in general.

How are mental health disorders and addictions connected? Who are the population groups most vulnerable to developing substance use disorders, and what are the best prevention options? What are the most effective treatments? Are there differences between addictions to licit and illicit substances? What are policymakers doing about this, and what can be done to raise awareness on evidence-based solutions? Dr. Fischer will reply to these and other questions in this episode of the Euro Health Podcast!

🗣SPEAKER

Dr. Fischer is the Medical Director of the Addiction Clinic at the Medical University of Vienna’s Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy.

Her work focuses on mental health and addiction, and she is specialized in both substance-related and behavioral addictions. With a career in addiction treatment beginning in 1994, she brings extensive experience treating addiction and associated mental health issues, while also contributing to advancing research in this field.

Dr. Fischer is deeply involved in medical education and has published extensively on addiction. She has led multiple research projects, and has played a key role in developing treatment strategies for addiction disorders. Her international collaborations include work with the World Health Organization, the UNODC, and the Austrian Supreme Health Council, and she is a member of the Scientific Board of the European Union Drugs Agency.

🎙 EURO HEALTH PODCAST

Euro Health Podcast focuses on European health policy by giving voice to leading experts. The goal is to bring complex and evidence-based information, which could lead to a better Europe. Podcast is hosted by Jiří Svoboda.

👀 FOLLOW US

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/27oZmDwhNxNdWWW0IvqnVm?si=8e87042ce82d4a56

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/euro-health-podcast/id1573732306

X: https://x.com/EuroHealthP