Addiction Recovery

The problem of abuse of controlled substances and addiction to prescription drugs is wide-spread in the United States. People who abuse and/or are addicted to prescription medications come from all walks of life. Health care professionals are in that group. These are people are entrusted with our well-being, yet health care professionals are as likely as any other person to become an addict.

Even though the vast majority of DEA registered practitioners follow all the rules and regulations regarding controlled substances, there are some drug-impaired health care professionals on the job right now. They have access to controlled substances and some will abuse these drugs for reasons such as relief from stress, self-medication, or to improve their alertness and their work performance.

If you are a health care professional and you suspect a colleague is abusing or diverting controlled drugs what are your responsibilities? Your main responsibility is to the public - the people who you are caring for. As a health care professional, it is your obligation to protect the society from drug abuse. Also, as a health care professional, you have a responsibility to prescribe medication appropriately.

How can you tell if a colleague is drug impaired? The signs of addiction are the same for any co-worker, but it is particularly important to watch for the signs in fellow health care professionals as they are responsible for caring for you. Things to watch for are:

• An increase in absenteeism
• The addicted individual may spend a lot of time near a drug supply
• The person my be absent from work for long periods of time and come back with improbabl3 excuses
• They may take frequent long trips to the bathroom or frequent to the stockroom where drugs are located
• They may suddenly become unreliable in keeping appoin Read the rest of this entry »

There are several factors associated with the practice of dentistry that can lead to substance abuse. Dentists:

• Are most often in a single-practice setting
• Feel isolated in their practice
• Are usually the owners of the practice
• Have very little supervision from colleagues
• Have perceived demands by patients for perfection, empathy and availability

Also, if employees suspect drug abuse, they may be very reluctant to approach the boss about it the problem. Employees may justify their silence by saying their boss works really hard and they deserve some concessions. They may feel the dentist is a good person and they don’t need to be hassled by interfering employees.

The percentage of dentists who are addicted to alcohol is the same as in the general population - about 14 percent. It is the same for drug addiction - about 7 percent. Dentists are human beings first and dentists second. Addiction is a human disease.

Dentists tend to become addicts for a number of reasons. Dentists:

• Are dissatisfied with their career choice
• Struggle with the fear of causing pain
• Have low professional esteem
• Have obsessive-compulsive and perfectionist behavior
• Have a need to be in control while feeling out of control
• Frequently have difficulty in interpersonal relationships, especially if they fear rejection

The reasons a dentist becomes a drug or alcohol abuser are many. Fortunately, addictive disease is a treatable disorder. The outcomes with health care professionals including dentists are particularly good. Resources for assistance include:

• Dentist well-being programs
• Peer support networks
• Specialized treatment programs

These measures are used as alternatives to discipline agreements with Read the rest of this entry »

Drinking alcohol is a very big problem in many social groups, such as college age kids. If you don’t drink than you are considered ‘not cool’, so most kids give in to drinking alcohol just so they can fit into the cool crowd. As the years go by, there are many other social circles to be a part of, each also pressuring you to drink alcohol.

While you may think the best thing to do is drink like everyone else, maybe knowing the health risks involved with alcohol will help you realize you are better off on the outside looking in.

The first thing to keep in mind as you read on is the longer that you indulge in this unhealthy drink the more it will effect your health.

There are a lot of ways that alcohol will affect your health.

The first health effect of alcohol is a hangover. When you have had too much alcohol then you can count on having a hangover. Drinking more than your limit of alcohol will cause you to experience things like headache, nausea, vomiting and body aches. These problems are normal conditions of a hangover. Contrary to popular belief no amount of coffee will cure a hangover. The only cure for a hangover is time and sleep, as your body tries to repair the damage you have done through impairment.

Weight gain is another side effect of alcohol. Have you ever heard the phrase ‘beer belly’. This came about because beer has a lot of calories and when you drink a lot of beer you will gain weight. Weight gain can also cause other problems like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Can drinking cause you to get sick more? The answer is yes. This is because alcohol weakens your immune system. That makes you susceptible to getting sick more frequently. With a weak immune system you can catch whatever is going around, whether it is just a cold or whether it is the flu, Once you have it you will make Read the rest of this entry »