What It’s Really Like To Practice Addiction Medicine

Have you ever wondered what it's like to practice Addiction Medicine? In this episode I speak about what we do in Addiction Medicine - both generally as well as how we do things in our practice on the Central Coast of California.

I share how our clinic treats substance use with low‑barrier access, kind care, peer support, and long‑acting injectables while partnering with therapists to address trauma and ADHD that often drive relapse.

I also review two cases that reveal how PTSD and undiagnosed ADHD change the treatment plan and the outcome.

Topics Discussed:

• What an addiction medicine visit includes
• Medications for alcohol and opioid use disorder
• The "three‑legged stool" of meds, therapy, and groups to treat addiction
• Levels of care and smooth transitions
• Dual diagnosis as the rule, not the exception
• Low‑barrier access through walk‑ins and telemedicine
• Person‑first language to reduce stigma
• Peer support as lived‑experience expertise
• Long‑acting injectables to boost adherence
• Mobile street medicine and carceral care partnerships

To contact Dr. Grover: [e-mail]