Intervention for Professionals
Professionals trusted with our well-being are the last people we suspect of drug addiction. And yet they are at least as likely as anyone else to abuse alcohol and other drugs. Many doctors, lawyers, and other licensed professionals suffer from alcohol and chemical dependencies and studies show that licensed professionals have the highest incidence of depression of any occupation. As many as one-fourth of surveyed lawyers exhibit symptoms of clinical depression, more than twice the incidence in the general population. The American Bar Association has estimated that nearly one-fifth of all U.S. lawyers suffer from alcohol or substance abuse, more than three times the incidence in the general population; An American Medical Association survey of more than 100 medical centers reported that 1-1.5% of doctors were abusing alcohol or other drugs.
What does it mean to be a doctor or lawyer AND an addict?
Substance abuse disorders affect lawyers, physicians, pilots and other professionals just as they affect the general population—advanced training does not grant immunity to substance abuse, but neither does it result in excessive risk. In fact, a study by the American College of Physicians found that while one in six physicians will become chemically dependent during their careers, 80% will fully recover after seeking treatment, according to G. Douglas Talbott, FACP, founder of the Talbott Recovery Campus in Atlanta, GA.
It's no surprise that some doctors look to drugs for support, said Dr. Talbott. Taxing responsibilities, intense patient relationships, exhausting hours, and easy access to drugs are a potent mix. There's also what he calls the “M.D.-eity syndrome.” “Physicians have an attitude of omnipotence, powerfulness, and uniqueness,” said Dr. Talbott. “It's the attitudinal complex drilled into every resident, a sense that something like addiction can't happen to them.”
The most commonly abused substances among resident physicians are alcohol, marijuana, and benzodiazepines—primarily hydrocodone/acetaminophen, known by the brand names Vicodin and Lortab— according to Dr. Talbott. Among anesthesiologists, the medication most commonly abused is fentanyl, a narcotic that works much faster than morphine to provide pain relief, according to Dr. Booth. “But, like other drugs of the same class, it is addictive and over time, larger doses are needed to achieve the same effect,” he said. Many doctors become chemically dependent after self-diagnosing and self-treating in an attempt to save time and money, according to Daniel H. Angres, director of the Rush Behavioral Health Center in Downers Grove, IL. If they are predisposed to addiction, however, these actions could only serve to accelerate dependency. Other physicians may have a difficult time recognizing addiction due to inadequate training about drug dependency, according to Dr. Talbott. “The majority of residents don’t understand how it [addiction] progresses,” he said.
Airline pilots, nurses, physician’s assistants and other licensed professionals are also susceptible to the disease of addiction. "According to the Federal Aviation Administration," says physician/author Joseph Pursch, "20% of the fatal aircraft accidents in general aviation in 1971 involved alcohol. A study of naval aviators hospitalized at Bethesda Naval Hospital's neuro-psychiatric service between 1960-1970 indicates that 22 percent were diagnosed as having chronic alcoholism and that 54 percent were heavy drinkers."
Once most professionals are in recovery, however, they can move forward with their careers. Requirements vary, but most states allow physicians, lawyers, pilots, nurses and others in approved recovery programs to remain licensed. These programs allow for retention of personnel and training assets as well as provide a “vicarious learning” process to other individuals who may want to seek help for alcohol and drug problems. Professional programs for doctors, pharmacists, lawyers, dentists, nurses, pilots and others have enjoyed enormous success rates for long-term recovery.
How does addiction affect the body?
Addiction is a complex brain disease characterized by compulsive, at times uncontrollable, craving, seeking, and use that persist even in the face of extremely negative consequences. Not only will the addicted person miss the habit terribly, but he or she will also experience disagreeable withdrawal symptoms, which vary from habit to habit. Examples of common addictions are alcoholism, drug addiction, problem gambling, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders and smoking.
Scientific research has led experts to conclude that addiction is a disease, a chronic illness like diabetes or hypertension. In 1956 the American Medical Association declared alcoholism to be a disease and in 2001, Alan I. Leshner the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the NIH defined addiction as a “chronic relapsing brain disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use.”
Today, scientists and physicians overwhelmingly agree that while use and even abuse of drugs such as alcohol and cocaine is a behavior over which the individual exerts control, addiction to these substances is something different. Scientists have begun to understand why addicted people may sacrifice everything that's important to them -- their jobs, their families, their homes -- in the quest for a fix. Signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug abuse among professionals include:
• tendency to isolate
• preference for working alone to avoid being caught
• irritability with peers, making mountains out of mole hills
• decrease in productivity as the disease progresses
(Once noted for doing incredible amounts of work in a short period of time, they now are taking more time in performing simple tasks.)
• lateness and tardiness for work
• odor of alcohol on breath
• frequent intoxication at social functions
• isolation from social functions to drink alone
• morning hangovers
• slurred speech
• illegible writing in charts, if usually neat
• falling asleep or exhibiting severe fatigue while on-the-job
• prefer shifts where there is less supervision
• may exhibit rapid mood swings (irritable with patients one minute, then calm and jovial the next)
• make frequent trips to the bathroom
• experience frequent job changes in past 5 years
• have unexplained lapses between jobs
• choose positions where supervision is less likely
• exhibit dilated or constricted pupils
Help! I have a loved one that needs help with his or her addiction.
Although a small percentage of people are able to recover from addiction without help, the majority of individuals need assistance. With treatment and support, many individuals are able to rebuild their lives.
Many individuals have approached their loved one regarding his/her addiction, with no success. It may be helpful when talking with your loved one, to have a third party present that is professionally trained and knowledgeable about addiction.
Addiction Intervention Resources moves your family out of crisis and assists in addressing your loved one’s addiction.
CLICK HERE to read more information on addiction-related crisis interventions or call our National Call Center 800.561.8158