Addicted Pharmacists: Healing the ‘Medicine Man

Healthcare professionals are usually working in very stressful workplaces. Those of us who don’t have an inside view of the workplaces of these pharmacists, physicians, nurses, etc. don’t really have an understanding of the stressors involved in their careers. Besides working long hours, a high level of responsibility, skipping meals, and having few breaks, public and corporate scrutiny are taking a toll on the emotional and physical health of these healthcare professionals. Now the insurance companies have added much more stress by dictating the need for paperwork, referrals and reports at a much higher level than before.

Pharmacists are not much different than the regular population when it comes to handling stress. The only difference is that pharmacists have at their disposal a myriad of stress relieving medications, most of which are highly addictive. Studies show that approximately 11 to 15 percent of pharmacists are faced with alcohol or drug dependency problems at some time in their careers.

Some pharmacists may have come into the field with a predisposition to addiction. They also may be reacting to the stress of their careers by “medicating” with drugs or non-prescribed medications. They also have easy access to medications and the knowledge of how each one works. Pharmacists caught illegally selling medications face an instant license revocation. Those who have been found to be abusing drugs or alcohol have a second chance, by going to rehab and attending a 5 year monitoring program. There is hope for recovery and a healthy future.