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October 22, 2020|Street Clinics - Podcasts

Dr Hardik Solanki – Talking Addictions


The basics of addiction and substance abuse and how a GP can help.

Here’s the link to the full podcast

Here’s a dashing photo of Dr Hardik Solanki…

Here’s the transcript:

Floyd Gomes: 

Okay, welcome, everyone. Thanks for tuning in. You’re listening to street clinics. And that’s our cheesy intro. And yeah, so today we’ve got Dr. Hardik Solanki. Welcome.

Hardik Solanki: 

And we have got Dr. Floyd Gomes.

Floyd Gomes: 

Thank you. Thank you. It’s always nice to be introduced, hopefully in the affirmative. So yeah, look, Hardik, thanks for joining.

Hardik Solanki: 

My Pleasure

Floyd Gomes: 

Yeah, and look, I mean, I did talk to you a couple of weekends ago, actually. And we were talking about this topic. And it took me so much away that I thought apart from a doctor, audience, let’s bring it out there to a public audience. And that’s the topic of something you’re interested in here. Trading patients who have addictions. So, do you wanna let everyone know what it is? You do? And indeed, why you do it?

Hardik Solanki: 

Yeah, pretty sure. You know, halfway through the conversation, I was thinking you’re going to, you know, want me to talk about addiction of riding motorcycles. But yeah, let’s talk about addiction in general. So, I do have a special interest in addiction medication, especially for you know, people who are struggling with opioid andto some degree, non opioid addictions like alcohol, or marijuana, or benzodiazepines, as well. So we do see a fair bit of patients struggling with addiction at our Hastings clinic. And we sort of, you know, worked out that there was a lot of community demand for the services. And another interesting thing is that the second base of operation for Frankston and Mornington, area, alcohol and drug services besides Frankston is Community Center in Hastings. So there you go, there is a bit of need for assistance with addiction related issues in the community. And that’s why, you know, we have been helping quite a lot of people with this issue in the area,

Floyd Gomes: 

Sure, and doctors lanky, can you elaborate to the listeners, what do you actually do to help them?

Hardik Solanki: 

So first of all, it’s important that we understand what exactly addiction is. So addiction is, you know, anything that you do, you know, continue to do, or keep doing over and over again, despite knowing for the fact that, you know, it’s harming you in some way shape or form. So, basically, what we do is, you know, we help patients, you know, work out, why they are addicted to something, we try and get to the bottom of you know, what exactly is happening in their life that you know, and they can’t, you know, stop doing this harmful behavior and work out a way or a strategy that they can overcome this sort of an issue. So, it depends on you know, what type of addiction it is. So, there are, you know, addictions which are classified majorly into two categories, one is physical dependence and another one is non physical dependence type. So, what do you mean by physical dependence, so, there are certain things that, if you, you know, keep using over a long period of time, your body becomes accustomed to it, and you feel like you cannot survive without that. So, things like, let’s say, coffee. A coffee can cause physical dependence. Nicotine can cause physical dependence. Alcohol can cause physical dependence, and a lot of opiates can cause physical dependence. And my wife keeps telling me that tim tams also cause physical dependence. So, she’s a doctor, so I think I should listen to her advice.

Floyd Gomes: 

Yes.

Hardik Solanki: 

I enter on the other side, we have got, you know, non physical dependence, medication medications or behaviors, things like you know, gambling, or, let’s say, marijuana, smoking pot, or benzodiazepines. So, we have a quite a different approach of, you know, treating addictions in different ways, depending on what type of addiction it is. So for example, a lot of us know that we helped a lot of smokers quit smoking, by giving them nicotine replacement, it can be in terms of patches, can be in terms of you know, oral medication or nicotine laced chewing gums. On the other hand for things like opiates, we do have opioid replacement therapies in form of oral medications, sublingual films, and nowadays even injectable medications and for non opioid. Sorry for non physical dependence type of addictions we have got other ways to help patients overcome their problems as well, which mostly relies on cognitive behavioral therapy, working out what other mental health issues that a person is struggling with and such other related things.

Floyd Gomes: 

You mentioned that headache during COVID mental health has been very important topic. All these lockdowns have affected people in other ways, gender generally for the negative. And what have you noticed then about addiction during this time? Has there been a link to that increasing mental health problem with increasing addictions?

Hardik Solanki: 

Yes, so I believe so. With my experience with you know, seeing patients in community, especially during, you know, COVID lockdown period where, you know, we are all basically stressed, for one reason or the other. If it is because of you know, the current restrictions, or maybe, you know, someone in the family is adversely affected because of loss of job or a family member being unwell, or other situations, we all have been to a certain degree been quite affected, there haven’t been many other avenues for us to sort of, you know, help ourselves in current restriction scenarios, such as you know, a lot of people have missed their physical therapy sessions for chronic pain, like seeing a physiotherapist or the chiropractor, or whoever. And all those things have sort of, you know, led to patients feeling quite stressed. And in those scenarios, especially when there is you know, nothing much else to do, other than, you know, sit at home and maybe watch some TV, a lot of people have fallen prey to doing activities, which are more self gratifying, whether it is you know, indulging in their addiction, or maybe, you know, eating too much. And I guess, you know, all these things have sort of changed us quite a bit.

Floyd Gomes: 

You don’t have much to do, I suppose he kind of stuck at home. That can happen, isn’t it?

Hardik Solanki: 

Yes.

Floyd Gomes: 

Yeah. So really stuck.

Hardik Solanki: 

Yep. So, unfortunately, Iso kilos is a real problem. And so is, you know, sort of, you know, Iso drinking or, you know, Iso playing video games, or, you know, Iso, you know, other forms of substances you abuse is also quite real.

Floyd Gomes: 

And, Dr. Solanki, you know, before we wrap up here, can you just let everyone know, why have you chosen to be involved in this space? What’s, what’s your purpose here? It’s always good to understand. What is it?

Hardik Solanki: 

So, my past experience in my life, growing up back in India, I did notice, you know, quite a lot of harmful effects of addiction in and around my family. I have had, you know, people in my extended family who have struggled with alcoholism, and seen how it has sort of, you know, adversely affected their life. And that always made me sort of, you know, be a bit more sympathetic about, you know, people struggling with these issues. And when I came over to Australia, especially started working here in Hastings, I noticed that there was a significant amount of addiction issues on top of the mental health issues. There were and that sort of, you know, harped me back to my times back in India as well. And that’s why I decided that, you know, I think this is something that I can you know, help my community with and can be a very rewarding experience once you can help someone get over their addiction.

Floyd Gomes: 

Well, thanks for that Hardik. I can see working with you obviously I can sense your passion in that and yeah, I’d say that if anyone has any issues with addiction. Yeah, come on down to Hastings and see Dr. Solanki he’s certainly in a position to guide you and if he can’t directly help you there are different services that we can help you get in touch with. So yeah, look thanks, everyone for listening. I’d like to thank our guest speaker again today Dr. Hardik Solanki for Atticus Health in Hastings. Thank you.

Hardik Solanki: 

My pleasure.

Floyd Gomes: 

And great and yeah, look, that is it. That is Street Clinics another e isode. We will see you next t me. For now take it easy

 

If you need any help with beating addictions, or know someone who does, feel free to book in to see/ talk to Dr Solanki at Atticus Hastings – 03 5979 7777

You can learn more about Dr Hardik Solanki by clicking here.

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