Finding Connection: Addressing Loneliness in People Living with Substance Use Disorder

Saturday, April 25, 2026

10:45 AM - 12:00 PM PT

Location: Coronado A-C, Level 4

Presenter(s)

Devin Oller, MD

Associate Professor of Medicine
UCSF Division of General Internal Medicine
San Francisco, California

Slides Handouts
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Irina (Era) V. Kryzhanovskaya, MD

Associate Professor of Medicine
UCSF
San Francisco, California
Sienna Kurland, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor of Medicine
UCSF
San Francisco, California

Non-presenting author(s)

JR

Jessica Ristau, MD

Dr.
UCSF
San Francisco, California

We know the opposite of addiction is connection, but addressing the crisis of loneliness in SUD-focused care settings can feel overwhelming—How do you even start the conversation? This workshop seeks to review evidence-based strategies for screening and managing loneliness, and to empower clinicians with practical skills to better help their clients with SUD find connection.

Learning Objectives:

Learners will be able to:

Identify common risk factors and validated screening tools for patients experiencing loneliness.
Demonstrate a brief intervention for loneliness, and describe barriers and facilitators to implementing this intervention in one’s own practice
Recognize strategies for institutional and community-based advocacy to improve the resources available to patients experiencing loneliness

Disclosure(s):

Devin Oller, MD: No financial relationships to disclose

Irina (Era) V. Kryzhanovskaya, MD: No financial relationships to disclose

Sienna Kurland, MD, MPH: United Therapeutics: Research Grant (includes principal investigator, collaborator or consultant and pending grants as well as grants already received) (Ongoing)

Jessica Ristau, MD: No financial relationships to disclose