While exacting statistics regarding addicted physicians are sometimes challenging to arrive at, one study by the Mongan Institute for Health Policy at Massachusetts General Hospital—which surveyed over 2,000 doctors nationwide across multiple specialties—found that 17% of physicians have encountered a doctor who is impaired by substance abuse or has a substance use disorder, causing problems…
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Given the recent unprecedented spike in U.S. drug-related fatalities—statistics show in 2020 over 93,000 people died because of drug overdoses, with 75% of those deaths involving an opioid—a study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA, part of the National Institutes of Health/NIH), published by the Journal of the American Medical Association Open Network…
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Most of what we hear at recovery meetings (whether at a treatment center or 12 Steps meetings) is people sharing their “experience, strength and hope” about the recovery process, expressing it in their own words and from their own points of view. And generally speaking, there’s value that can be derived from the majority of…
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While enjoying a recent Zoom 12 Steps meeting, I was impressed with the insight a fellow shared when he said the following: “When I started my new job at a hospital on their maintenance crew, at first I felt sour about having to walk the perimeter of the hospital property early each morning checking for…
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According to research published online Feb. 14, 2022 in the British journal Evidence-Based Mental Health (EBMH)—which included a 10-year follow-up study—amphetamine abusers were six times more likely to have psychosis than non-users.[1] However, in addition, the study indicated of those amphetamine abusers who entered addiction treatment (during deferred prosecution), more than one fourth (26%) were…
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According to research published online Feb. 14, 2022 in the British journal Evidence-Based Mental Health (EBMH)—which included a 10-year follow-up study—amphetamine abusers were six times more likely to have psychosis than non-users.[1] However, in addition, the study indicated of those amphetamine abusers who entered addiction treatment (during deferred prosecution), more than one fourth (26%) were…
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Fentanyl, a powerful opioid used as a pain medication and, together with other medications, for anesthesia, has come under increasing scrutiny in recent times… and for good reason. According to a recent analysis of data collected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drug-related deaths where fentanyl was found to be involved doubled…
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Where can physicians struggling with chemical dependency issues (a.k.a. substance use disorder, addiction to alcohol and/or drugs) go to get addiction treatment in a confidential setting, without jeopardizing their medical licenses, coworkers support and patients’ ongoing trust? When a medical doctor or other professional healthcare worker becomes chemically dependent on alcohol and/or drugs, most states…
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A significant number of doctors, nurses, and physicians are likely to struggle with addiction at some point in their careers. As such, medical professionals struggle with alcohol abuse and addiction at rates that are similar to, or slightly higher than, the general public. There are certainly a wide-ranging set of problems associated with having a…
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“The only constant in life is change.” – Heraclitus In the past week, three separate people in my recovery network have told me they’re facing a variety of “significant challenges” in their lives: One says his teenaged daughter has recently begun talking about an out-of-state college she wants to attend (she’d never previously brought up…
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