About

Petros Levounis, MD, MA, MS, serves as professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, and is the chief of service at University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey. He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Stanford University, where he studied chemistry and biophysics, and he received his medical education at Stanford University School of Medicine and the Medical College of Pennsylvania. During medical school, he earned an MA degree in sociology from Stanford University. He trained in psychiatry at Columbia University, where he graduated with the National Institute of Mental Health Outstanding Resident Award, and completed his fellowship in addiction psychiatry at New York University. Dr. Levounis has written numerous articles and monographs, and has lectured extensively on addiction topics throughout the United States and abroad. He has been interviewed by all major television networks. His recognitions include being a Betty Ford Scholar, receiving a U.S. State Department Speaker and Specialist Award, and being an honorary member of the World Psychiatric Association. He has published thirteen books, including the self-help paperback "Sober Siblings: How to Help Your Alcoholic Brother or Sister-and Not Lose Yourself" and the textbook "Substance Dependence and Co-Occurring Psychiatric Disorders," with translations into multiple languages.

Research topics

• Psychology
• Computer Science
• Political Science
• Medical education
• Family medicine
• Clinical psychology
• Medicine
• Psychotherapist
• Psychiatry
• World Wide Web

Selected publications

• Evaluation of a Pilot Medical Student-Resident Liaison Program in Psychiatry

  Medical Science Educator · 2025-05-05

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Objective: As psychiatry residency programs grow increasingly competitive, innovative mentorship models are needed to support medical students' academic development. This study evaluates the Medical Student Resident Liaison (MSRL) Program, implemented in the academic year 2023-2024, aimed at connecting medical students to psychiatry-related scholarly opportunities, including research, teaching, and networking. Methods: Eighteen participants completed surveys assessing changes in knowledge, interest, project access, and confidence in their residency applications. Additionally, a focus group interview with medical students provided qualitative insights, analyzed through thematic analysis to identify key experiences and areas for improvement. Results: =0.039). The focus group identified key benefits of the program, such as enhanced access to research opportunities, networking, and autonomy in project involvement. Conclusion: The MSRL program effectively enhanced students' academic growth, confidence, and engagement with psychiatry. It serves as an adaptable model for addressing limited faculty availability and increasing interest in psychiatry residency. Implementing structured mentorship programs as early as the first or second year of medical school may further enhance student preparedness, particularly if coupled with faculty-led networking opportunities. As previous research indicates, residents' unique position in mentorship is associated with better medical student outcomes, and we advise the implementation of the MSRL program to all interested specialties. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-025-02404-w.

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• 2024 Annual Meeting: Presidential Address

  American Journal of Psychiatry · 2024-07-01

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• My Presidential Theme Is Concluding but Far From Ending

  Psychiatric News · 2024-04-18

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Back to table of contents Previous article Next article From the PresidentFull AccessMy Presidential Theme Is Concluding but Far From EndingPetros Levounis, M.D., M.A.Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A.Published Online:18 Apr 2024https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2024.05.5.21Over the past year, my presidential theme has been "Confronting Addiction From Prevention to Recovery." This initiative has focused on four of the biggest areas in addiction medicine—three persistent and one emerging: vaping and tobacco, opioids, alcohol, and technological addictions. Each of these issues has been addressed in quarterly educational campaigns in which expert members of APA have created resources aimed at the general public and physicians alike.The members of the presidential initiative working group have done a fantastic job in framing the four topic areas in informative and relatable ways. The working group is led by Smita Das, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., chair of the APA Council on Addiction Psychiatry, and includes council members Tauheed Zaman, M.D. (tobacco/vaping), Lief Fenno, M.D., Ph.D. (opioids), and Jeremy Kidd, M.D. (alcohol) and APA member James Sherer, M.D. (technology). Their expertise and enthusiasm for this initiative have been invaluable and are a huge reason why we have been so successful in disseminating evidence-based messages.To date, we have released more than 80 work products supporting each of the four campaigns encompassing webpages on Psychiatry.org, blogs, webinars, op-eds in major news publications, social media events, animated explainer videos, special reports in Psychiatric News, and more. Most of these are available in both English and Spanish, ensuring that a wide swath of the population are able to read and relate to evidence-based information on substance use disorders (SUDs) and the behavioral addictions.One project of which I am particularly proud is a pair of educational resources highlighting what physicians and the public should know about addiction. The Top Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Addiction and Top Ten Things Every Physician Should Know About Addiction are a product of collaboration between APA and the American Society of Addiction Medicine, as well as our partners at the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry and the American Association of Family Physicians.At press time, the Top 10 campaigns and other resources, along with the newswire releases promoting them, had gotten approximately 3.8 billion impressions, representing a vast audience This is a massive amount of visibility for resources that reflect what psychiatrists and others who work in the mental health field do daily to confront addiction, all with the core messages that substance use disorders are treatable, that recovery is possible, and that treatment works when patients can access it.Collaboration among professions and open exchange of ideas are essential components of our work on addiction. I am delighted to see how enthusiastically our colleagues at these allied organizations have responded to requests to share knowledge and resources. The convening of allied organizations in the summer of 2023 was a great example of this collaboration and led directly to the creation of the "Top 10 Things" and the repository of SUD resources that are easily accessible.This is my 12th and final presidential column in Psychiatric News. What an incredible year it has been! From testifying and advocating to Congress to presenting and collaborating with colleagues around the world, I have had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The work we have done will continue beyond my presidency. Together, our knowledge, compassion, and spirit will continue to advance people's mental health and well-being and help humanity flourish. ■ ISSUES NewArchived

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• Special Report: Is Social Media Misuse A Bad Habit or Harmful Addiction?

  Psychiatric News · 2024-03-21 · 1 citations

  articleSenior author

  Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Clinical & ResearchFull AccessSpecial Report: Is Social Media Misuse A Bad Habit or Harmful Addiction?James Sherer, M.D., Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A.James Sherer, M.D., Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A.Published Online:21 Mar 2024https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2024.04.4.5AbstractMany youth are spending hours each day on social media platforms, but it's how and why they are using social media that determine whether their use is problematic.Last year, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released an advisory report to call attention to a major public health problem apparent to many of us in the psychiatric community for years: the negative impact of social media on youth mental health.Getty Images/iStock/DrAfter123While acknowledging that social media offers positive benefits to youth, the advisory warned that these platforms expose children to inappropriate or harmful content and can exacerbate negative feelings related to self-esteem, body image, and social standing.Further, social media itself can be detrimental, as emerging evidence is showing that excess or unhealthy use of the platforms can alter brain physiology in a manner that bears some resemblance to the changes observed with substance use disorders. The dopamine rush that occurs as someone racks up likes on a tweet can potentially be addictive.Two decades ago, the fascination with Blackberry mobile devices among many business professionals led to the rise of the "Crackberry" meme. As digital communication continues to become even more embedded in everyday life, the language of addiction is no longer employed lightheartedly; social media addiction—or more broadly pathological social media use—is a serious and pressing problem, especially among our youth.When Is the Line Crossed?Social media addiction is a concept that seems intuitive but can be difficult to define. Most people can probably name the big social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, but may be less clear on what criteria define these programs as a collective.One common definition is that social media are websites and/or apps that promote networking with others via the sharing of content; that content can encompass almost anything that can be shared digitally such as photos, videos, songs, recipes, opinions, comments, personal messages, and so on. What determines whether usage is pathological is how that content is consumed. When does the consumption of social media cross a line to be considered addictive? This too can be difficult to define as there is no recognized set of diagnostic criteria. As of DSM-5-TR (2022), gambling disorder is the only behavioral addiction diagnosis included in the manual. (Internet gaming disorder is listed in "Conditions for Further Study," and some provisional criteria are noted.)By itself, time spent on social media does not tightly correlate with the risk of addiction. Someone can spend eight hours on social media on a slow weekend day without much issue. Excess social media use during school hours isn't ideal, but it may not be a problem if academics or socializing don't suffer. Rather, the engagement level of the user is more relevant; mindless link jumping or passive scrolling are riskier behaviors than actively posting or sharing photos.Many individuals may have a serious social media habit, but only a small subset reach the threshold of having a clinically debilitating disorder. True pathological use requires that the desire to be on social media impairs functioning to the point that multiple aspects of daily life—school, friends, diet, sleep—are affected. Our goal as mental health professionals is to identify and manage social media addiction before the consequences become too severe.Suggested Screening ToolsThough there are no official diagnostic criteria to guide us, researchers have developed and validated several tools that can screen young people for problematic social media use. Some popular ones include the following:Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale: This tool, originally developed as the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale, consists of six statements, each related to a core domain of addiction: preoccupation, mood modification, conflict, tolerance, withdrawal, and relapse. Patients respond to each statement on a Likert scale of 1 to 5, with a score of 24 or above generally considered a warning of potential addiction. Straightforward and quick to administer, this is an ideal tool for children and adolescents.Social Media Disorder Scale: This measure includes nine yes/no questions, each based on one of DSM-5's proposed criteria for internet gaming disorder. These include symptoms related to the six addiction domains as well as consequences like family problems or job loss. A positive answer to five of the nine questions signals a potential disorder.Social Media Addiction Scale: This scale is a more comprehensive 41-item Likert-based assessment that focuses on four of the six addiction domains (it has no tolerance or withdrawal queries). Though time consuming, this test can provide greater insight into severity as there are score cutoffs for mild, moderate, and severe social media addiction.The rapid evolution of social media apps will likely necessitate that these screening tools are updated and revised regularly. Whatever the method of assessment, any potential signs of social media addiction should be followed with a structured interview to confirm the problem and understand what is driving the behavior.Bergen Social Media Addiction ScaleAs with other behavioral use disorders, there are multiple routes by which social media use can convert from habit to addiction, and these can inform treatment.The cognitive-behavioral route: Here, excessive social networking is the consequence of users with maladaptive thinking (perhaps due to other conditions like major depression) who see social media as a means of relief or gratification.The social skill route: This is commonly initiated by people who gravitate to social media due to problems with self-esteem or self-presentation that impacts their real-world interactions. These same problems with the "self" make such users more vulnerable to social media overuse.The socio-cognitive route: Addiction is initiated by the continued social media use of someone with inflated self-efficacy toward social media (he/she believes it can help with any problem) coupled with reduced self-regulation to use social media in moderation.Clinicians should also be on the lookout for pathological, nonaddictive social media use. This occurs when social media behavior may not meet a screening cutoff, but online behavior is clearly driving the development of internal (for example, loneliness) or external (for example, cyberbullying) problems.A good starting point for an interview is to ask patients which sites they use and the time allocated during the day, night, and weekends. One might then follow up by asking patients how they use their social media time:Are they actively posting content or are they passively scrolling?Are their accounts named or anonymous?Does their online persona reflect their offline selves or is there a mismatch?It is also useful to ask about patients' specific goals with their usage. For example, if an individual is continually scrolling through exercise or fad diet videos, it's possible the problematic social media use is an attempt to cope with body dysmorphia. If a patient is always browsing due to FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), then the problem may reside in anxiety or self-esteem issues.While a clinical interview is designed to understand the causes and harms of social media addiction, psychiatrists should also ask patients about any positive aspects of their social media use to get the full picture. As clinicians, we tend to focus on the negative side of behavior, but social media can be a positive force. Many LGBTQ youth across the globe are growing up in homophobic environments and use social media to find friendship, solace, validation, and more. Given their adverse life experience, they are vulnerable to developing a social media addiction, but this creates a scenario where their interactions are both causing some problems and solving others.Since treatment for social media addiction typically involves regulation of social media access, appreciating the full risk-benefit profile of each patient can optimize this regulation.Setting Treatment GoalsAs commonly understood, social media has been around for only two and a half decades, and our clinical management of social media addiction is very much a work in progress. While best practices for more established addictions including gambling disorder may offer some guidance, some tenets of substance use disorder care, such as encouraging abstinence, are not feasible with social media use. Rather, we seek to promote healthy social media use while managing potential underlying causes of misuse.What is healthy use? There is no magic standard of having someone limit their use to X hours a day on no more than Y number of platforms. Rather, the goal is to have patients be able to use social media in a way they can self-regulate. Child and adolescent patients will inherently struggle more with self-regulation, given that a certain amount of executive function is age dependent.Self-regulation by youth who are misusing social media will take time, as children and adolescents are still developing their impulse control mechanisms. A practical approach is to start with external regulation enforced by parents and/or others in guiding roles such as coaches or counselors. The regulation typically involves some form of contingency management, such as a social media contract. Set amounts of social media time are granted when conditions are met; for example, after all homework is completed. All use should also be stated with a purpose—"I want to connect with some friends"—to minimize passive browsing.While empowering patients to regain control of their social media habit, clinicians should aim to address underlying and/or comorbid problems that contribute to the addictive behavior. Though there is no "gold standard" approach, cognitive-behavioral therapy can be appropriate for many patients, particularly when a cognitive dysfunction like maladaptive thinking may be a root cause. Psychodynamic psychotherapy—in which therapists help patients communicate their inner feelings—can also be useful as many people who misuse social media struggle with different personas.Adjunct medications may be useful, but the evidence is thin. Emerging data suggest that bupropion might be effective for internet gaming disorder, which many professionals see as a close cousin to social media disorder, given the social aspects of today's online games. Pharmacology for addictive behavior should be considered a short-term option, although maintenance medications can be useful in managing co-occurring psychiatric disorders like depression.Finally, we should not forget the value of lifestyle interventions. Encouraging youth with social media problems to take up hobbies such as sports, hiking, reading books, or journaling can help keep idle hands busy and readjust brains to appreciate non-instant gratification. Let's turn that FOMO into JOMO (the joy of missing out).What Can Parents Do?Unfortunately, our clinical time with patients is limited; parents are on the frontlines of keeping their children with a social media problem on the right path. While we can help develop a contingency management plan, parents need to monitor their child's social media use and other areas of concern (for example, schoolwork) to make sure the plan is followed.There are steps parents can take to keep the home environment a healthy space. As part of a social media hygiene plan, they should designate certain activities or zones as tech-free; for example, no social media at dinner, when driving, and before bed. These should be shared ideas that parents commit to as well as good role models.Passive Social Media Apps More Risky Than Apps Encouraging ConnectionWhile keeping youth busy with nondigital activities is encouraged, parents can also guide their kids toward more productive digital hobbies; perhaps someone who posts incessant TikTok videos can be tasked with making a longer-form video project. This way the child can develop valuable audio and visual skills while remaining close to a technology that is found enjoyable.All this effort may seem daunting, but if available, family-based therapies are an option. These psychoeducational sessions can help parents set and enforce limits while fostering the child's autonomy.Appreciating the Scope of the ProblemBeyond helping our patients control problematic social media use, psychiatrists need to be part of the discussion about addressing this problem on a broader scale, for the scale seems to be tilting in the wrong direction.One recent analysis that used the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale as a guide suggested a global social media addiction prevalence of 5% using a strict cutoff (total score of at least 24 and a score of at least 4 on each of the six questions). Using just a total score of 24+ raised the prevalence to 8%, while using a score of 18+ raised the prevalence up to 25%. The pool of people who may be on the cusp of an illness could be tremendous.Based on what we have seen in my clinical practice, these prevalence numbers are not surprising, and they also mirror the realities that parents and teachers are reporting to me.Some other data specific to today's youth are also striking if, again, not surprising:The average teen is on social media over three hours a day, and over one-third of teenage girls reported "feeling addicted" to their social media accounts, according to the surgeon general's advisory.51% of teens admit they are on social media too much, and more than three-quarters of these teens say it would be hard to give up social media, according to a 2022 survey from Pew Research.In 2021, nearly 40% of tweens (ages 8 to 12) reported using social media at least once, and 18% said they used it every day. Many of these tweens were logging on to social media apps that are rated for teens or older, according to Common Sense media.As noted, just spending "too much time" on social media may not be a danger. Still, the prolonged and largely unfettered use of social media among tweens and teens is concerning from a health standpoint. The adolescent years are a critical period of brain and body development. Adolescence is also a period of high susceptibility to external pressures, such as those that can be found in social media feeds. Unhealthy social media use can adversely impact brain development and has been associated with risks of depression, sleep problems, disordered eating, and even attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.Our clinical experience has also shown that the younger someone develops a problem, the more likely it becomes a persistent and severe problem. Identifying and managing problematic social media use in youth is thus an important component of pediatric mental health care.Need for Policy SettingOne clear goal in our field is to ensure continued, high-quality research on the etiology, presentation, and treatment of social media addiction and related technological use disorders; we need to continue to build the evidence base that will support the inclusion of these disorders in DSM and ICD.Those of us who work in addiction psychiatry should also educate our colleagues in other areas of medicine, especially those who regularly see pediatric patients, about the nuances that distinguish general social media excess with social media addiction. Potential problems need to be identified early, but with psychiatrists and psychotherapists already in short supply, we need to save our resources for those who really need them. We should also strive to educate the public when opportunities arise; it's actually a golden opportunity in that we can easily reach people affected by pathological social media use where they are—on these platforms. Many younger psychiatrists are becoming savvy social media influencers and could be a key asset.In the long run, though, it is vital that we develop measures that can limit the potential harm that social media can bring to youth. In recent years, we've heard several tech CEOs state that they don't let their children use social media—that should say something about the risks these sites pose.On the plus side, the people with policy power have started to take notice. In 2023, 35 states and Puerto Rico introduced legislation related to social media use by children; 12 states successfully adopted measures, which ranged from establishing task forces to incorporating more digital literacy in school curricula to requiring companies to verify the age of all state residents. There are significant logistical challenges in enforcing a social media ban, and it's possible banning these sites will add to their allure and encourage youth to use them more. We believe social media should be available but regulated.There are steps that parents can take now to protect their children, but time limits and other parental controls set on devices can do only so much. We need these platforms to put more safety and privacy measures in place, either via encouragement or enforcement. In this country, TikTok has an "under 13" mode that limits certain features and advertising, which is a good first step. However, this feature doesn't address that adolescents are also at risk for social media harms.Logging OffIt's amazing to think that social media is still in its infancy, given that it has become engrained in our social fabric, especially among today's youth, who were born in an online world. As these tools are increasingly becoming mainstays in how we live, work, and play, the potential for abuse will only grow. However, our society has made significant progress in addressing other addictions that were accepted norms, as evidenced by dramatic declines in smoking over the past few decades. If psychiatrists and other mental health professionals get motivated, we can prevent social media addiction from getting out of hand. ■References"The Surgeon General's Advisory on "Social Media and Youth Mental Health"APA's patient and family resource on internet gaming"Clinical Psychology of Internet Addiction: A Review of its Conceptualization, Prevalence, Neuronal Processes, and Implications for Treatment""Development of a Facebook Addiction Scale""The Social Media Disorder Scale""Development of the Social Media Addiction Scale""Social Networking Addiction: Emerging Themes and Issues""Social Networking Sites and Addiction: Ten Lessons Learned""A Systematic Review of Pharmacological Treatments for Internet Gaming Disorder""Prevalence of Social Media Addiction Across 32 nations: Meta-analysis With Subgroup Analysis of Classification Schemes and Cultural Values"The Pew Research report, "Teens, Social Media, and Technology 2022,""The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens, 2021""Social Media and Children 2023 Legislation"James Sherer, M.D., is a private practice psychiatrist and the director of an inpatient psychiatric consultation service at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center. He is also an assistant professor of psychiatry at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine in Nutley, N.J.Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A., is APA president and professor and chair of psychiatry and associate dean at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. He is also the chief of service at University Hospital in Newark, N.J. Sherer and Levounis are co-editors of Technological Addictions (2021), which is available from APA Publishing; APA members may purchase it at a discount here. ISSUES NewArchived

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• Celebrating the “B” in “DEIBA”

  Psychiatric News · 2024-01-18

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Back to table of contents Previous article Next article From the PresidentFull AccessCelebrating the "B" in "DEIBA"Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A.Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A.Published Online:18 Jan 2024https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2024.02.2.28National Black History Month is an opportunity for us to collectively celebrate and reflect on the essential role that Black and African Americans have played in the history of our nation. Mental health care and, in particular, the profession of psychiatry have benefited from the contributions of luminaries like Solomon Carter Fuller, M.D., Chester Pierce, M.D., Clotilde Bowen, M.D., Bebe Moore Campbell, and many others whose lives and work have raised awareness of mental health and have advanced our field. Without their contributions, psychiatry would be decades behind where we are now.As we celebrate their legacy and accomplishments, we reflect on the fact that equity is not shared by all Americans today and that there is still a great deal of progress and growth to be made. By embracing the principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Anti-racism (DEIBA), psychiatry is strong and maximizes our impact on the mental health of our nation. APA is committed to fostering and growing diversity in the psychiatric workforce and investing in cultural competency for psychiatrists. For the past 50 years, through our SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program, APA and the APA Foundation have not only contributed to workforce diversity but also developed educational and experiential opportunities to enhance cultural competency. Americans make up a broad tapestry of cultural heritage, and having a workforce that reflects that diversity—and can relate to it—is powerful. Importantly, culturally competent care makes patients feel that their concerns are being heard, understood, and taken to heart, and at the same time also results in well-documented positive health outcomes.This is part of the reason that "belonging" was recently added as a core component of the DEIBA journey at APA. As psychiatrists, we know the healing effect of making a patient feel seen and heard. Patients who know that their psychiatrist is invested in their well-being is far more likely to keep up with their treatment and seek help if they need it. People who experience the authenticity of belonging trust us and work with us to achieve great medical outcomes.Similarly, we make our trainees, medical students, and even undergraduate aspiring doctors from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds feel that there is a place for them in our profession and association. Even more importantly, we embrace the bidirectionality of cultural humility toward a true sense of belonging for all. The Future Leaders in Psychiatry Program (FLIPP), a new program introduced by APA's Division of Diversity and Health Equity, is one example of the work that APA does to invite college students from different cultural backgrounds, expose them to the rewards and challenges of psychiatry, and provide them with mentorship from leaders in our field. Engaging with students at this early stage in their careers builds mentor/mentee relationships that last for years.Our Association is stronger when all voices are heard at APA as well. APA's minority/underrepresented caucuses are some of the most active and involved in the Association, and their exceptional work often translates into invaluable resources that we share with our patients, the public, and our partners in the House of Medicine. When members from different backgrounds truly "belong" in APA and come together to speak with one voice on behalf of psychiatry, people listen. ■ ISSUES NewArchived

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• Advancing Psychiatry by Advocacy

  Psychiatric News · 2024-03-21 · 1 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Back to table of contents Previous article Next article From the PresidentFull AccessAdvancing Psychiatry by AdvocacyPetros Levounis, M.D., M.A.Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A.Published Online:21 Mar 2024https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2024.04.4.38APA serves as psychiatry's voice on the national stage. In practice, that means that APA leaders and staff are constantly working with lawmakers in Congress and our coalition partners to advance policies that support the mission, vision, and values of our Association, our patients, and the health and mental health of the general public. APA's advocacy doesn't stop with our efforts in the nation's capital. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Many of the issues on which APA advocates at the federal level originate in local communities that APA members serve, and our individual voices are essential as we work to advance psychiatry throughout the United States and abroad.Our rapidly changing health care landscape demands that today's psychiatrists be adept at advocacy and skilled in communicating complex psychiatric concepts to members of their community and lawmakers alike. Each of us knows just how essential it is to expand and diversify the psychiatric workforce, why we need to increase the number of residency slots for psychiatry, and why it is crucial that mental health parity is rigorously enforced. The trick of advocacy is communicating these concepts to people who may not understand at first and helping them appreciate how they and their constituents can benefit from our work.In 2023, I flew to Washington, D.C., to represent APA with our allied organization partners called the "Group of Six" in a series of meetings with members of Congress. The Group of Six is made up of allied organizations that share an interest in seeing that primary care and mental health care are always front and center in the minds of our lawmakers. Joining me on this trip were leaders from the American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Physicians, American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Osteopathic Association. We advocated in support of specific legislation, such as the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act (HR 2474), and other bills that promote access to health care and address physician workforce shortages. Face time with lawmakers is invaluable as it puts a human face on issues that seem esoteric and confusing for people who aren't physicians or health care policy experts.One recent advocacy success involved APA working with a government agency, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which adopted several quality measures in the CMS Quality Payment Program developed by APA in collaboration with the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA). These outcome measures are focused on assessment of function and suicide, including a measure for suicide safety planning. APA members who collaborated with NCQA members on making these measures clear and effective laid the groundwork for our advocacy work on the Hill.As psychiatrists, we are experts in the connection between mind, body, and brain. It falls to us to speak up not just for our profession, but for our patients and their families as well. There are many ways to get involved, and we don't have to do it alone. APA and its district branches (DBs) and state associations (SAs) are great sources of likeminded people and support. DBs and SAs often have existing relationships with local community leaders who can be crucial allies in making progress on an issue. Trainings are available from APA staff to help anyone who is interested in getting involved in advocacy but may not know where to begin. To find out how you can get involved in APA advocacy, please visit APA's Advocacy Action Center on Psychiatry.org or contact APA staff at [email protected]. ■ResourcesInformation on "How to Meet a Lawmaker Training"APA's Action Center ISSUES NewArchived

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• Next Phase of Addiction Psychiatry Presidential Theme: Technology

  Psychiatric News · 2024-02-23

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  Back to table of contents Previous article Next article From the PresidentFull AccessNext Phase of Addiction Psychiatry Presidential Theme: TechnologyPetros Levounis, M.D., M.A.Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A.Published Online:23 Feb 2024https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2024.03.3.47The capstone to my yearlong public education and awareness campaign on addiction is a focus on technology and the technological addictions. Technology is a major part of our daily lives, and most of us are attached—if not glued—to our phones and tablets. Professional well-being, social connection, entertainment, love, family coordination, and routine life logistics seem to be inextricably linked to the virtual world. Because of how ubiquitous the use of technology is in our day-to-day lives, it can be difficult to recognize when the line has been crossed into a bona fide behavioral addiction.In 2024, we recognize seven technological addictions: internet gaming, cybersex, social media, internet gambling, texting and emailing, infobesity, and online auctions and shopping.Advances in technology, like more widespread access to high-speed internet, have made internet gaming, social media, and other technologies with an addictive potential more accessible to a greater swath of the population. In addition, many technologies, especially games and social media platforms, are designed to encourage repeated or prolonged use. As the use of various media increases in our society, so too are the rates of their associated addictions. Roughly 160 million American adults play some type of internet-based games, while internet gaming disorder has a prevalence of 3.05%, comparable to that of obsessive-compulsive disorder.Like other behavioral addictions, such as non-internet-related gambling and sex and substance use disorders, technological addictions lead to functional impairment. The warning signs of technology addiction are similar to those of substance use disorders: Continued use of technology despite knowing it can have adverse consequences on relationships or physical health; lying to friends, family, or loved ones about the frequency of using technology; and constantly thinking about technology use or having cravings to use. These are all red flags that technology use may have evolved into a mental health problem.There are many screening tools already in use for technology addiction, but no one single tool is recommended by APA at this time. Psychiatrists and mental health professionals who treat people with technological addictions borrow from our expertise in evaluating substance use disorders when screening for a technology addiction.Our goal with this campaign is to socialize the warning signs of technology addiction and strategies to manage technology use in a healthy way to the public and our members alike. Over the next three months leading up to our Annual Meeting, APA will feature information and resources on the broad category of technology addiction as well as the most prevalent associated subcategories. Together, we can promote a healthy relationship with technology so that it can be a force for good in our lives.Stay tuned for more information on my presidential campaign on technology and the technological addictions and be sure to check out the Annual Meeting sessions on the intersection of emerging technologies with mental health. See you in New York City, my hometown, this May! ■ResourceInformation about Annual Meeting sessions is posted in the "Session Search" tool. The next issue of Psychiatric News will include a special report on social media addiction. ISSUES NewArchived

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• Technological Addictions: The New Frontier in Addiction Psychiatry

  European Psychiatry · 2024-04-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Introduction Addiction to video games, cybersex, internet gambling, social media, texting and emailing, and online auctions can be as addictive as substances. These technological addictions have real-world ramifications and lead to the loss of jobs, money, and loved ones. As technology becomes integrated into many facets of modern life, the appreciation of such addictions has become increasingly challenging. This session will explore the addictive potential of technology and discuss the legitimacy of technological addictions as psychiatric conditions worthy of medical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. Objectives 1. List five forms of Technological Addictions as they appear in the scientific literature of 2023. 2. Describe the psychology and culture surrounding Internet Gaming addiction. 3. Distinguish between normal use and addiction. Methods Lecture and discussion Results 1. Research on the phenomenology and nosology of these illnesses helps us further elucidate the distinction between problematic and nonproblematic use of technology, especially in children and young adults. 2. Another area of new research involves emerging technologies. By the time clinicians get a firmer grasp of today’s ailments, the technology of tomorrow—such as virtual reality and smart devices powered by artificial intelligence—will be commonplace enough to bring about a host of new problems. Conclusions Though data on the prevalence of technological addictions are sparse, most people use computers, tablets, and smartphones regularly with great benefits and no serious adverse consequences. We will need to be ready to guide our patients, our colleagues, and the general public on how to best handle technology with an eye on maximizing its enormous potential for fulfillment, gratification, and happiness while minimizing its significant risks for dissatisfaction, misery, and despair. Disclosure of Interest None Declared

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• Addiction Psychiatry Presidential Theme: Alcohol

  Psychiatric News · 2023-11-27

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Back to table of contents Previous article Next article From the PresidentFull AccessAddiction Psychiatry Presidential Theme: AlcoholPetros Levounis, M.D., M.A.Petros LevounisSearch for more papers by this author, M.D., M.A.Published Online:27 Nov 2023https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2023.12.12.38With the holiday season quickly approaching, half of our yearlong presidential campaign on addiction psychiatry is complete. This quarter, our focus shifts to alcohol use disorder (AUD), one of the most prevalent illnesses in America. According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 28.6 million adults had AUD in 2021, in addition to an estimated 894,000 adolescents aged 12 to 17.Rates of AUD are greatly underreported as some who have symptoms consistent with AUD may not realize there is a problem and others who do may be too ashamed to reach out. Like other mental health and substance use disorders, not knowing that treatment is available and how to get it are a major barriers to getting people the help they need.At the same time, awareness campaigns around AUD seem to have improved the public’s knowledge about what constitutes problem drinking. In APA’s most recent Healthy Minds Monthly Poll conducted in concert with Morning Consult, Americans were able to identify three of the most problematic symptoms of AUD, namely an inability to stop drinking once started (39%), being unable to limit or reduce the amount one drinks (37%), and drinking that impacts relationships (37%).Unfortunately, public knowledge about the availability and effectiveness of treatments for AUD is still relatively low. Good news: Community-based support like 12-step programs are well known among the general public and have been helpful for millions, literally, around the globe. Not so good news: Other safe and effective interventions, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy; motivational interviewing; and, when necessary, medications like naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram, are largely unfamiliar to both patients and providers.Helping patients and their families learn about, appreciate, and embrace AUD treatments is the major objective of this segment of our campaign. APA, our member psychiatrists, patient groups, and our partners in SUD treatment continue to explore opportunities for collaboration so that we can pool our resources and maximize our collective impact. Last month, APA, American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, American Society of Addiction Medicine, and American Academy of Family Medicine jointly released the “Top Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Addiction” and the “Top Ten Things Every Physician Should Know About Addiction.” I couldn’t be happier that the small group we convened at APA headquarters in July has now completed a major, trans-organizational product that helps move the needle on addiction treatment in a very concrete and powerful way.I consider myself lucky to have had the support of both our members and the APA administration in undertaking this yearlong effort to increase public education and professional collaboration on addiction issues during my tenure as APA president. If you would like to support future presidents interested in similar endeavors, I encourage you to participate in APA’s 2024 election.Voting in APA elections is an excellent way to help chart the future of our organization and have a direct impact on what issues our Association prioritizes year to year. The full slate of candidates for 2024 was just released (see pages 8 and 9). Please visit APA’s election page to read candidate bios and identify candidates whose platform aligns with your values as a psychiatrist and personal vision for the future of APA. ■ResoucesTop Ten Things Everyone Should Know About AddictionTop Ten Things Every Physician Should Know About AddictionInformation on APA’s 2024 election, candidates, and guidelines. ISSUES NewArchived

  PublisherDOI

• In Confronting Addiction, Older Adults Often Fall Through the Cracks

  Psychiatric News · 2023-09-21 · 1 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Back to table of contents Previous article Next article From the PresidentFull AccessIn Confronting Addiction, Older Adults Often Fall Through the CracksPetros Levounis, M.D., M.A.Petros LevounisSearch for more papers by this author, M.D., M.A.Published Online:21 Sep 2023https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2023.10.10.31The addiction prevention efforts that APA has undertaken to date as part of my presidential initiative on addiction have largely focused on adolescents in middle school or high school, as this is often the age when experimentation with substances begins to occur. There’s logic to this, of course, as early intervention often has the best outcomes for people with substance use disorders (SUDs) and other mental disorders. However, as the American population ages, we cannot afford to compound an already devastating substance use crisis by overlooking the needs of older Americans.Projections from the U.S. Census Bureau estimate that by 2034, adults aged 65 or older will outnumber children for the first time in American history. The Census Bureau also projects that by 2060 nearly 1 in 4 Americans will be an older adult. In the coming years, psychiatrists will treat more and more older adults with SUDs. The 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recorded a stark increase in SUDs among older adults, with over 4 million adults aged 65 and older dealing with an SUD in 2021, a fourfold increase from just under 1 million in 2018.These numbers portend more pressure being put onto an already overstressed addiction treatment system, and yet we still don’t truly understand the full scope of the problem. Older adults remain an undersampled and undertreated population when it comes to SUDs. Recognizing the signs of SUD in an elderly person can be difficult, primarily due to psychiatric and other medical comorbidities, which often present with symptoms that overlap with substance use symptomatology. Older adults are also prescribed a greater number of medications than younger people, increasing the risk for prescription misuse. A further complication is the lack of a validated universal screening tool for SUDs in older adults.As leaders in mental health and SUD treatment, psychiatrists work to improve the recognition of SUDs in the older adults in our care. Implementing universal screening protocols such as Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for alcohol use is one step in the right direction. Addressing regulatory and policy barriers that prevent patients from accessing the full spectrum of treatment services they need is another.Most older adults are covered under Medicare, but since it is not subject to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), it does not cover all SUD treatment settings and provider types. APA and our member psychiatrists continue to advocate for access to all the treatment services that older patients need. Increasing Medicare coverage to include SUD treatment could even lead to more programs specifically tailored to that age group.Expanding Medicare to cover these services and working to improve our screening and treatment protocols carry a cost, which would be minimal compared with the cost of failing to address the needs of a rapidly growing segment of our population.We owe it to our patients to ensure that they have access to high-quality care for mental disorders, including SUDs, throughout the entirety of their lives. ■ ISSUES NewArchived

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Sean X. Luo

  Columbia University

  36 shared

• Najeeb Hussain

  Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

  24 shared

• Yu-Heng Guo

  Philadelphia VA Medical Center

  24 shared

• Daniel Lache

  Philadelphia VA Medical Center

  24 shared

• Eric Y. Drogin

  24 shared

• Nicole Guanci

  24 shared

• Erin Zerbo

  Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

  21 shared

• Edwin A. Salsitz

  Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

  18 shared

Education

• M.D.

  Medical College of Pennsylvania

  1994

• M.A.

  Stanford University

  1989

• M.S.

  Stanford University

  1986

• B.A., Chemistry and Biophysics

  Stanford University

Awards & honors

• National Institute of Mental Health Outstanding Resident Awa…
• Betty Ford Scholar
• U.S. State Department Speaker and Specialist Award
• honorary member of the World Psychiatric Association