In a podcast conversation, Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, and Prof. Ishan Shivanand, a global authority on mental health, discusses the role of religious leadership in addressing the overdose epidemic in the United States and the world.
dr. Rahul Gupta (left) in conversation with prof. Ishan Shivananda (right) during a podcast dialogue on fighting the opioid epidemic
Millions of lives today are struggling with the opioid overdose crisis. The abuse of synthetic opioids, especially the largely manufactured illegal fentanyl and other stimulants, is becoming fatal worldwide. In 2019 alone, of the 600,000 deaths worldwide caused by drug use, nearly 80% were related to opioids, and 25% were caused by opioid overdoses, according to the latest statistics from the World Health Organization. And with the effects of COVID-19 still lingering, isolation and unrest are worsening mental health conditions — fueling drug addiction. If that’s not enough, traumatic events, lack of awareness and stigma surrounding addiction and mental health issues make people even more hesitant to communicate their challenges. However, religious leaders often become a beacon of hope for people in pain. During times of crisis, community members tend to seek guidance and comfort from religious leaders even before they turn to mental health professionals. Behind the scenes, religious leaders are doing tremendous hidden work building scientific resources with health professionals, dispelling misinformation through awareness, forming progressive alliances for policy change, and offering support through meditative techniques and resilient communities. Recognizing the same, recently on August 21 of this year, Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), together with Mayor Stephen Benjamin, Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, hosted a White House Roundtable of Representatives home with religious leaders to discuss efforts to combat the overdose epidemic in the United States. The meeting was organized as part of President Biden’s Unity Agenda call to action to defeat the crisis and save lives. In collaboration with Dr. Gupta and other prominent white House Representatives, faith leaders defined steps to eliminate stigma, prevent overdoses, support recovery, and reduce barriers to mental health treatment within their communities. Furthermore, they also explored opportunities to increase access to harm reduction, treatment and life-saving opioid overdose reversal medications, especially among the young and vulnerable. Among the religious leaders invited to the Round Table was Prof. Ishan Shivanand, founder of Yoga of Immortals, a non-pharmaceutical meditative intervention program. He is honored as an Acharya according to the Shiv Yog Sanatan Dharma philosophy. Recently, in a conversation with prof. With Ishan Shivanand via podcast, Dr. Rahul Gupta explains why he is working with faith leaders to address the overdose and substance abuse disorder epidemic in the US. In the podcast, he shares (paraphrased), “The question that is often asked is – why are you solving the problem?” “If you’re trying to prevent death, but also help people with addiction have a better life, better access, better things – you want to put yourself in their shoes. You want to understand what would help people. In a way, it’s called harm reduction — it’s meeting people where they are and helping them move forward.” Emphasizing the need for overdose work to be interdisciplinary, he elaborates on the role of religious leaders in addiction relief (paraphrased), “We can always incorporate data and science into religious leadership so we can help people and direct them to the right resources.” “It’s important to empower the people (faith leaders) who have the power to make a difference in so many people’s lives – and help them make better choices when it comes to addiction, mental health and challenges.” The contributions of religious leaders to preventive and promotional health care often go unnoticed. They collaborate with scientists, researchers and health professionals to design evidence-based meditative interventions to help prevent and manage addiction. What many still don’t know is that they are informed and equipped with scientific techniques and tools designed to alleviate addiction and mental illness. The podcast sets the stage for important conversations to build awareness about holistic approaches to managing the opioid epidemic. Join the Mental Health Matters podcast on overcoming the overdose epidemic between Prof. Ishana Shivanand and Dr. Rahul Gupta on Spotify or YouTube.
Disclaimer: Content produced by Vanyashree Chaudhary
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Source: newstars.edu.vn