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Two Reasons Why Health Care Professionals Are at an Increased Risk for Substance Use Disorder
April is Alcohol Awareness Month and an appropriate time to talk about some of the reasons why health care professionals tend to be at an increased risk for alcohol (or substance) use disorder.
Stress
Health care professionals deal with a lot of stress and emotions in their day-to-day jobs. They are often required to make spur-of-the-moment decisions regarding their patients’ health and well-being. This stress may make them feel responsible for patient outcomes, which can greatly affect their mental state. This frequent pressure can weigh on them and may lead to alcohol or substance use as a way to cope.
Access to Medications
Medications are one of the primary tools used to treat and help patients recover from illness or injury. A health care professional’s knowledge of and easy access to medications can contribute to their use. They may divert medications from patients or from work and tell themselves, “Just this once,” or, “I won’t do it again.” However, the relief felt from taking the substances is short-lived, making them want more and putting them at risk of developing a disorder.
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