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If you are concerned about yourself or someone else, do not wait until there is a problem that may threaten your/their career, license, or their life.
If you are thinking about suicide or experiencing a mental health crisis, call 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline immediately.
In an emergency, dial 911 from your phone immediately.
An emergency is any situation that requires immediate assistance from the police, fire department or ambulance.
Signs and Symptoms of Addiction in Healthcare Professionals
Community
- Isolation and withdrawal from community: friends, peers, coworkers
- Unreliability and unpredictability in community and social activities
- Embarrassing behavior at club or parties
- DWI, other legal problems
Employment
- Numerous job changes
- Frequent unexplained geographic relocations
- Unexplained intervals between jobs
- Indefinite or inappropriate references
- Overqualified for job
- Reluctant to let family be involved
- Reluctant to do pre-employment physical exam
Family
- Withdrawal from family activities, unexplained absences from home
- Fights
- Inappropriate caretaking by spouse
- Psychological distress in family members
- Affairs/separation/divorce
Physical/Emotional
- Deterioration in personal hygiene
- Deterioration in clothing and dressing habits
- Multiple physical signs and complaints
- Numerous prescriptions and drugs
- Frequent visits to physicians and dentists
- Accidents
- Emotional crises
Office
- Hostile, withdrawn, unreasonable behavior to office staff and patients
- Complaints by patients about behavior
- Abuse of animals
- Over or under sedation of patients during surgery
- Absence from office – unexplained or due to frequent illness
- Coming in on days off
Obvious Signs
- Alcohol on breath
- Gait problems
- Slurred speech
- Track marks