Doctors Abusing Prescription Medication
Lisa J. Merto, PhD, MPE, from the University of Florida, Gainsville says the information gathered in a recent study “lend[s] ‘unique insights’ into the reasons why doctors abuse prescription medications.” Published in the October edition of the Journal of Addiction Medicine, Merto and her co-authors not only unearthed five leading causes of physician prescription medication abuse, but also make some important recommendations for physician education.
Researchers talked to 55 physicians in substance abuse recovery on the condition that they remain anonymous. During their interviews, they found there were five common reasons why doctors abuse prescription medication and drugs; the first three reasons come under the heading “self-medication”:
- Physical pain. Like many who start on the path of abusing prescription drugs, doctors began taking drugs to relieve chronic pain following physical trauma or surgery;
- Emotional pain. Doctors are sometimes self-diagnosing anxiety or depression and using drugs to relieve symptoms;
- Stress relief. Doctors are not immune to personal or professional stress;
- Recreational use. Like other addicts, doctors can abuse prescription and other drugs to get high;
- Manage withdrawal symptoms. As their addictions spiral out of control, doctors use drugs to assist them as they stop using or to manage withdrawal sypmtoms.
The study “provides additional evidence that health care professionals who misuse prescription drugs may represent a special population of substance users, who may use substances for various reasons and may require different methods of prevention and intervention to be most effective,” Dr. Merlo and coauthors write.
The percentage of physicians that abuse drugs is about the same as the general population. However, they are more likely to abuse prescription drugs as they have greater access to them. The physician health programs around the country are very successful at helping doctors recover and stay clean, long-term.
Dr. Merlo and colleagues add, “All physicians should learn the signs of substance abuse and the procedure for intervening with a colleague suspected of substance-related impairment.”
For more information on prescription medication abuse:
https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/prescription-drug-abuse/DS01079
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