Addicted Doctors and Denial

physician addiction denial interventionThe prospect of holding an intervention for someone you care for is stressful. They are emotional events and they do require people to face things that make them uncomfortable. However, when you use the services of a reputable interventionist, the intervention will be a positive and productive turn of events.

In cases of substance abuse in the general population, sometimes an intervention is necessary and sometimes it is not, depending on the situation, but in the case of a high stakes position such as a doctor, it is a critical step towards getting the individual the treatment they require to recover. Intervention plays a vital role in confronting the addictive behavior of a professional physician.

Intervention is defined as the moment a confrontation takes place between an individual suspected of addiction and the party that wants them to be evaluated for addiction treatment. Because intervention can be highly stressful and emotional, it is best to prepare in advance with the help of a professional intervention specialist. The addict is highly likely to be in a fragile emotional state, and a mismanaged intervention can quickly eradicate this.

An intervention may take place just as the warning signs of addictive substance abuse are surfacing, or it may take place when the addiction is in a more advanced state, depending on the circumstance. Traditionally, the addict’s support system comes together in one location to share what they have personally experienced of the individual’s substance abuse problem, the intention being to break down the inclination towards denial.

The immediate transferal of the addict to the treatment center is vital because an addict is statistically the most volatile after an intervention has taken place. This is because the security of denial is no longer an option and the individual’s emotional state can be very fractured. After the confrontation takes place, the addict is taken to a rehabilitation treatment center where they can safely begin the process of recovery through medical and mental health care.