Lesson 1Timeline follow-back, standard drinks, cocaine use metrics, polysubstance explorationThis lesson covers timeline follow-back methods, standard drink measures, cocaine use indicators, and mapping multiple substance patterns over time to gauge risks, aid diagnosis, and track treatment progress using real-world examples from clinical practice.
Timeline follow-back interview techniqueDefining and calculating standard drink unitsCocaine quantity, purity, and route metricsDocumenting polysubstance patterns over timeUsing metrics to monitor treatment responseLesson 2Psychiatric history and symptom review techniques for mood, anxiety, psychosisThis lesson teaches thorough psychiatric history taking in addiction settings, covering mood, anxiety, psychosis, and sleep issues, with focus on spotting substance-related symptoms, using quick screening tools, and checking daily functioning and dangers.
Eliciting past and current psychiatric diagnosesScreening for mood and anxiety in substance usersRecognizing psychosis and substance-induced statesAssessing sleep, cognition, and functional impactUsing brief validated psychiatric screenersLesson 3Social determinants: housing, employment, legal issues, insurance and accessThis lesson tackles assessing social factors like housing, jobs, legal troubles, insurance, and care access, showing how to weave these into treatment plans, advocacy efforts, and links to local community support services.
Housing stability and living environmentEmployment, income, and financial stressorsLegal involvement and criminal justice issuesInsurance coverage and care access barriersLinking patients to social and legal resourcesLesson 4Detailed substance use history: quantity, frequency, pattern, routes, binge/withdrawal signsThis lesson guides gathering detailed substance histories—starting when, amounts, how often, methods, bingeing, withdrawal signs, past treatments—and spotting tolerance, loss of control, matching DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorders.
Chronology of first use and progressionAssessing quantity, frequency, and routesIdentifying binge and high-risk use patternsScreening for tolerance and withdrawal signsLinking history to DSM-5 SUD criteriaLesson 5Medication, medical comorbidity, and over-the-counter/substance replacement historyThis lesson reviews collecting histories on medications, co-existing health issues, over-the-counter drugs or substitutes, spotlighting interactions, liver and heart risks, pain care, and effects on medication-based treatment choices.
Current and past prescribed medicationsMedical comorbidities relevant to addictionOver-the-counter and herbal substance useNicotine, cannabis, and self-directed replacementDrug–drug interactions and safety concernsLesson 6Working with limited collateral and building engagement with marginalized patientsThis lesson shares ways to manage scarce background info and connect with sidelined patients, using motivational chats, harm minimisation, trust-building, and tackling distrust, shame, and system hurdles for ongoing care.
Assessing reliability of self-report dataUsing motivational interviewing micro-skillsHarm reduction framing in early encountersBuilding trust amid stigma and mistrustPlanning follow-up with unstable contactLesson 7Step-by-step addiction-focused interview flow (presenting complaint to collateral history)This lesson maps a step-by-step addiction interview from main concern and substance details to medical, mental, social, and background info, stressing order, adaptability, and time handling in varied clinic setups.
Clarifying presenting complaint and goalsSequencing substance, medical, and psych historyIntegrating social, legal, and functional domainsStrategic use of collateral and recordsTime management in brief clinical encountersLesson 8Trauma, intimate partner violence, and safety screening (suicide, homicide, child protection)This lesson details trauma-aware screening for past hurts, partner abuse, suicide, violence risks, child harm, focusing on safety plans, required reports, records, and teamwork with protection and crisis services.
Principles of trauma-informed questioningScreening for intimate partner and family violenceSuicide and homicide risk assessment stepsIdentifying and reporting child abuse or neglectSafety planning and crisis resource linkageLesson 9Structured opening, consent, and establishing rapport in trauma-exposed populationsThis lesson centres on starting interviews, gaining consent, and building rapport with trauma-affected folks, via teamwork, non-judging talk, firm limits, and cultural respect to build trust and avoid re-harm.
Structuring the opening minutes of the visitExplaining purpose, limits of confidentialityObtaining informed consent for sensitive topicsUsing empathic, nonjudgmental languageCultural humility and managing power dynamics
