While many Americans struggle with mental illnesses like anxiety and PTSD, most of them do not seek treatment from a qualified professional. The ripple effects of unaddressed mental illnesses can be devastating. For example, depression increases the risk for many types of physical health problems, particularly long-lasting conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Lost productivity…
Though alcohol is legal, culturally acceptable and easily obtainable, that does not make it safe to consume. Tragically, alcoholism is a leading cause of disability, illness and death in America, costing billions of dollars per year. Organ damage such as cirrhosis is one potential health complication associated with alcohol abuse, but one recent study published…
It has long been known that drinking in excess has a negative effect on your body and can decrease brain and liver functioning, but a recent study found that even consuming one alcoholic beverage a day can increase the aging of your brain. Your brain naturally ages over the years through the loss of tissue…
Alcohol is so culturally acceptable and widely used that many people underestimate its potential for abuse. However, despite its somewhat innocuous reputation, alcohol is a substance that can have wide-ranging consequences on health and behavior. For instance, binge drinking has emerged as one of the most prevalent public health problems in the United States. Understanding…
In October 2017, opioid addiction—mostly due to indiscriminate prescription of painkiller medications—was declared a public health emergency in the United States. By March 2020, an even bigger health emergency—the global pandemic of COVID-19 infections—had taken public attention away from opioids. Within a year, however, it became clear that the new health crisis was fueling the old.…
As the holidays approach, with family gatherings and office parties planned for the upcoming weeks, it is even more important to understand the effects of alcohol consumption. Binge drinking is of particular concern to professionals in the medical, legal, and aviation fields. Recent research has found that there are gender differences in binge drinking as…
You live in a stressful world and you work in a stressful job. On top of all of that, the pandemic of the past year has added stress to your everyday life. During Stress Awareness Month, take the time to understand your stress and how it can affect your mental and physical health. Your chronic…
For as long as humans have experimented with opium poppies, cannabis, or fermentation, addiction has been a public health concern. Thousands of years later, researchers have begun to uncover genetic answers to the central question of substance abuse: why do some people develop a strong dependency, while others drink or smoke casually? Scientists from Aarhus…
Burnout is a term coined in the 1970s to describe an extreme state of exhaustion. Professionals are particularly susceptible to burnout, which usually results from prolonged periods of severe stress. Executives, pilots, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, lawyers, and members of the clergy have extremely stressful jobs as they are under constant pressure to meet deadlines and…
People have their own reasons for turning to drugs and alcohol. Some are predisposed to addiction from an early age, while others suffer injuries or mental health issues that make addiction more likely. Healthcare professionals, just like everyone else, face their own individual challenges. However, there are also job-related factors that help explain why doctors…