Addicted health protessionals

Abstract

Through in-depth interviews, 55 formerly addicted health professionals (18 physicians, 12 dentists, 13 pharmacists and 12 nurses currently practising in the USA and Canada) provide information about their chemical dependence. The psychosocial factors that contributed to their addictive lifestyles are reviewed. Transcribed interviews indicate that contributing factors include professional pride which makes them feel immune, ignorance of addiction's developmental dynamics, a pervasive optimism about the benefits of drugs as a cure for patients' (and their own) ills, an attempt to manage stressful career demands with chemicals, and easy access to potent psychoactive chemicals. Professionals raised by emotionally impaired parents are especially at risk.