Prescription Drug Abuse Among Doctors: Statistics & Treatment Options
Given the unusual, often arduous challenges facing doctors working during the COVID-19 pandemic, how to best cope with stress is necessarily one dimension of life each and every physician must address. While healthy choices are certainly available to help you adapt to today’s more intensified stress levels, it should come as no surprise that many doctors find themselves abusing prescription drugs “to cope.”
If you’re a physician who believes you have a substance use disorder, rest assured you’re not alone. Studies indicate that between 10%-15% of all U.S. doctors go through substance abuse at some point during their medical career (which is similar to the substance abuse rate for the general population).[1]
In which fields of medicine is addiction found to be most prevalent? According to a long-term study, doctors working in the specialties of anesthesiology, emergency medicine and psychiatry are reported to have the highest rates of substance abuse.[2] However, numerous factors contribute to medical doctors in all fields coming under the sway of addiction to substances, especially prescription drugs. Most notably, they have relatively wide-open access to drugs, which paves the way for self-medication and abuse.[3] A 2013 study published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, stated nearly 70% of physicians reported they abused prescription medicine “to relieve stress and physical or emotional pain.”[4] Among the most widely reported prescription drugs identified in this study were painkillers and antidepressants.
Indeed, the abuse by doctors of prescription drugs, particularly opioids and benzodiazepines, is more prevalent than one might imagine. According to an extensive, wide-sample study of substance use disorders in physicians, of those doctors enrolled in physician health programs, over 35% of them suffer from opioid abuse.[5]
In addition, the findings of a study by McLellan, et al, titled “Five-Year Outcomes in a Cohort Study of Physicians Treated for Substance Use Disorders in the United States,“ indicate that the rate of prescription drug abuse by doctors “is about 5 times higher than in the general population.”[6]
The “good news” is that substance abuse treatment options for doctors are not only available nationwide, but are different from those available to the rest of the population, in that they’re specifically designed to meet the needs of those in the healthcare professions. Fortunately, the majority of states have an independent physician health program catering to any doctor who desires to: a) recover from their substance use disorder, and b) be supported in their ability to continue or return to their working in the medical field. These programs typically provide advocacy and monitoring services, while you’re participating in drug, alcohol and mental health treatment. State oversight of such physician health programs ensures that doctors receive the necessary treatment and long-term monitoring required so they may be able to safely return to their practice of medicine.
Do these programs work? According to a national survey on the effectiveness of substance abuse treatment programs for doctors, the answer id a resounding “Yes!” Physician health programs were found to be more successful than alternative treatment options. Data showed:
- 78% of PHP participants remain substance-free, with no relapse, at the 5-year follow-up; and,
- 71% of PHP participants retained their license and employment at the 5-year follow-up.[7]
When provided with an appropriately designed treatment plan, physicians experiencing a substance use disorder may both recover from their dependence on prescription drugs and continue working and practicing in the medical field.
[1] Baldisseri, M.R. (2013). Impaired healthcare professional. Critical Care Medicine, 35(2 Suppl), S106-S116.
[2] McLellan, A.T., Skipper, G.S., Campbell, M., & DuPont, R.L. (2008). Five year outcomes in a cohort study of physicians treated for substance use disorders in the United States. BMJ, 337, a2038.
[3] Merlo, L., & Gold, M. (2008). Prescription opioid abuse and dependence among physicians: hypotheses and treatment. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 16(3), 181–94.
[4] Merlo, L.J., Singhakant, S., Cummings, S.M., & Cottler, L.B. (2013). Reasons for misuse of prescription medication among physicians undergoing monitoring by a physician health program. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 7(5), 349-353.
[5] McLellan, A.T., Skipper, G.S., Campbell, M., & DuPont, R.L. (2008). Five year outcomes in a cohort study of physicians treated for substance use disorders in the United States. BMJ, 337, a2038.
[6] Ibid.
[7] DuPont, R.L., McLellan, A.T., Carr, G., Gendel, M., & Skipper, G.E. (2009). How are addicted physicians treated? A national survey of Physician Health Programs. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 37(1), 1-7.
