CDAD-Dentist
Health & Wellness Committee
24-hour
Hotline: (800) 468-2004
About Alcoholism, Addictive Disease and the Recovery Process
About the Role of CDAD-Dentist Health & Wellness Committee
A/About Alcoholism, Addictive Disease and the Recovery Process:
1. Addiction is an illness, not a moral issue*. [click here to download PDF]
2. Addiction is more common among health care professionals than it is among the general population, with a prevalence variously estimated 8-13%.
3. Addiction is a progressive illness. Professional impairment is frequently one of the later signs of alcohol and other drug dependence.
4. Addicted health care professionals cling their "right" to practice despite significant impairment.
5. Addiction is marked by the use of psychological defense mechanisms, particularly: denial "I don't have a problem.", minimization "Everyone has a couple of drinks from time to time.", rationalization "You would drink too if you had my patient load.", and projection "It's this incompetent staff that drives me to drink.".
6. Addictive disease has a strong genetic heritability component making some individuals vulnerable to alcohol and other drug use.
7. Addictive disease is fostered by stressful environments: long hours, excessive professional demands, the demands of patients and staff, the pressure associated with the health care environment in general, combined with the ready availability of psychoactive substances.
8. Addiction is a disease of deceit, loneliness and broken promises.
9. Addiction to alcohol is the primary problem for both health care professionals and the general population.
10. Addicted individuals account for 50% of the spending on alcohol despite the fact they represent only about 7% of the population.
11. Addiction to drugs is increased in health care professionals because of their access to drugs and ability to write prescriptions for psychoactive substances. In addition to self-treatment, reasons for using among health care professionals are recreation and performance enhancement.
12. Addiction is an equal opportunity illness: intellect, education, wealth and power do not insulate an individual from addiction.
13. Addicted health care professionals benefit from "intervention", which is particularly successful with credentialed individuals. Intervention is a life saving event.
14. Addiction treatment is very successful: particularly with health care professionals, treatment works!
15. Addiction treatment is an ongoing process, not a one time event: "getting better" goes through stages of change ultimately leading to shifts in behavior. [click here for an overview of the Transtheoritical Model]
REFERENCES
*McClellan AT, Lewis DC, O'Brien CP, Kleber HD. Drug Dependence, a Chronic Medical Illness:
Implications for Treatment, Insurance and Outcome Evaluation. JAMA 2000;284:1689-95.
Friedman L, Fleming NF, Roberts DH, Hyman S. Source Book of Substance Abuse and Addiction. Baltimore:William & Wilkins;1996.p.73-85.
McAuliffe WE, et al. Psychoactive drug use among practicing physicians and medical students. N Engl J Med 1986;315:805-10.
Hughes PH, et al. Prevalence of Substance Abuse among US Physicians. JAMA 1992;267:2333-9.
Gallegos KV, Lubin BH, Bowers C, Blevins JW, et al. Relapse and recovery: five-to ten-year follow-up study of chemically dependent physicians-the Georgia experience. Md Med J 1992;41:315-9.
Morse RM, Martin MA, Swenson WM, Niven RG. Prognosis of Physicians Treated for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. JAMA 1984;251:743-6.
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B/About the Role of CDAD-Dentist Health & Wellness Committee:
1. Nation-wide surveys of BORIM and BORID indicate that 75% of disciplinary actions are a direct or indirect result of alcohol or other drug misuse. In Massachusetts, this figure is only slightly greater than 50% due to CDAD’s early identification efforts prior to involvement with the licensing boards.
2. CDAD promotes prevention by lecturing young colleagues in Massachusetts’ three dental schools about the risks factors and ravages of the addictive disease and other well-being problem issues.
3. In addition, the Dr. Frank Fitzgibbon and Dr. Leo Kiernan Memorial Educational Fund founded in 2001 by CDAD offers both an important prevention education function and outreach activity, directed to the students and faculty of those three dental schools. The Fund provided two dental students with a scholarship to attend and participate in the 53rd annual session held at the University of Utah School on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependencies, June 20-25, 2004. [Click here to download PDF]
4. CDAD is non-coercive and non-punitive: The aim of its program is 100% pro-active & therapeutic.
5. MDS, BORID, or any governing body is not privy to CDAD membership or activities.
6. CDAD maintains confidentiality and anonymity for dentists in recovery from alcohol and other drug dependence.
7. CDAD offers currently an average of 18 peer support group meetings per month in three distinct Massachusetts locations.
8. CDAD recommends Twelve Step Facilitation Therapy: participation of its members in appropriate Twelve-Step Programs, e.g. AA, NA, Alanon & ACA, is encouraged.
9. CDAD advises Individual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for its members, at least in their early stages of recovery.
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