5 Risk Factors—Besides the COVID Pandemic—That May Contribute to Addiction in Nurses

5 Risk Factors—Besides the COVID Pandemic—That May Contribute to Addiction in Nurses

The current COVID-19 pandemic, having increased the overall stress (and in many cases, trauma) of countless healthcare workers in the U.S., can be counted as one of a significant number of challenges facing nurses today. Given these present demands have wide-ranging effects on the physical, mental and emotional dimensions of nurses’ lives, it makes sense…

doctor struggling with being one of the many addicted professionals

The Dangers of Addiction Among Medical Professionals

Addiction can affect everyone. That even applies to medical professionals who have dedicated their careers to supporting people’s health and wellness. Addicted professionals need help just like anyone else struggling with addiction. An awareness of the unique dangers that present for medical professionals can help avoid addiction altogether or at the very least support in…

Controlled Substance Diversion—esp. Opioid Drug Thefts—in U.S. Hospitals on the Rise: Multiple Studies and Reports

A four-year study and a number of reports by healthcare organizations, including The Joint Commission (the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare), as well as an NPR report (Oct. 2020), point to a substantial increase in hospital drug thefts, tied to healthcare workers struggling with substance use disorders. According to a…

The ABCs of MAT—Medically Assisted Treatment—including Commonly Used Medications for Alcohol Use Disorder (Alcoholism)

The ABCs of MAT—Medically Assisted Treatment—including Commonly Used Medications for Alcohol Use Disorder (Alcoholism)

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol—either alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency/alcoholism—Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) may be the “game-changer” to consider. MAT is, in essence, the use of medications combined with behavioral therapies to help people recover from any substance use disorder (in this case, alcohol use disorder). Numerous research studies have…

patient beginning mental health treatment

Does Mental Health Treatment Come Before Addiction Treatment?

Many people struggle with mental health and addiction at the same time. In these situations, people have co-occurring disorders. At face value, it may seem best to treat mental health and addiction separately, and for decades, that was the norm. Practitioners would address a mental health disorder and move on to dealing with addiction after…

For Pharmacists Who Struggle with Addiction, a Recovery Network Set Up with You in Mind Can Help!

For Pharmacists Who Struggle with Addiction, a Recovery Network Set Up with You in Mind Can Help!

If you’re a pharmacist or a pharmacy student and feel you have a problem with drugs or alcohol (or both), know this: You are not alone. The fact is, addiction is an equal opportunity disease with no limits or conditions relating to one’s age, academic background, intelligence, race or profession. According to SAMSHA (Substance Abuse…

4 Activities You Can Add to Your Recovery Routine to Improve Your Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual Health

Often enough, those of us who strive to live a “clean-and-sober” life wonder to ourselves, “What more can I be doing to strengthen my recovery foundation?” And it’s actually a fair question to be asking regularly, especially if we’re in the first year of our recovery. Given how a substance use disorder had taken over…