My stress-induced drug problem

Pediatric News,  Jan, 2006  by Steven H. Farber

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In the mid-1980s, I was under a lot of stress from a divorce and trying to build a busy medical practice.

Back then, it was not uncommon for drug company reps to come in and leave 100 bottles of Xanax in the office.

I started taking 3-4 mg a day, sometimes more. It didn't faze me unless I missed a dose. If I did, I would go through a kind of withdrawal. Taking Xanax brought me temporary peace of mind and the ability to deal with stress on an artificial level.

It got to the point where I needed more and more. I couldn't leave home without a bottle.

The drug started to interfere with my thought processes, my capacity to remember to answer pages in a timely fashion, and my ability to be in top shape both physically and mentally so I could deal with patients' problems.

I used Xanax for more than 2 years before some very understanding fellow physicians and other colleagues noticed that something wasn't quite right. They sat me down and talked to me.

Because of their intervention, I sought help from a local church, from a counselor, and from friends who were members of a 12-step program.

There are at least two factors that predispose physicians to some form of substance abuse. One is their relatively easy access to drugs. The other is a sense of isolation that's easy to fall into.

We need to seek healthful outlets for stress, such as getting regular exercise, eating properly, trying to get a decent amount of sleep, and seeking help both spiritually and from our family.

Dr. Farber, 54, is a cardiologist who practices in the Woodlands, Tex. He is also the author of "Behind the White Coat: Intimate Reflections on Being a Doctor in Today's World" (White Coat Publishers, 2002). A Web site related to the book (www.behindthewhitecoat.com) contains an online forum for physicians.

COPYRIGHT 2006 International Medical News Group
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