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…
One in 13 working adults struggles with excessive alcohol use. People in every type of job face their own unique challenges, some of which lend themselves to unhealthy behaviors like drug and alcohol use. Professions that have high rates of addiction are unsurprisingly demanding jobs, where the hours are long, and the stakes seem high.…
The idea that addiction treatment could hurt your career is both wrong and toxic. For many people with a substance use disorder, it is the only way to ensure you not only keep doing your job but excel at it. In some cases, an employer or licensing board requires addiction treatment. In others, seeking treatment…
Alcohol is one of the most devastating addictions in our country. Yet, it doesn’t always get the proper coverage necessary. Of course, everyone is familiar with the opioid epidemic, and we give that a great deal of attention. However, people with alcohol use disorder may slide under the radar, especially if they are a functioning…
There is no denying the strong relationship between mental health challenges and addiction. No matter which problem appears first, they often co-exist in the same individual. This presents a unique situation when it comes to rehabilitation efforts. How can untreated mental health issues can lead to addiction? Furthermore, what can you do about this complicated…