Intervention: Help a loved one overcome addiction

It’s challenging to help a loved one struggling with any type of addiction. Sometimes a direct, heart-to-heart conversation can start the road to recovery. But when it comes to addiction, the person with the problem often struggles to see it and acknowledge it. A more focused approach is often needed. You may need to join forces with others and take action through a formal intervention. Examples of addictions that may warrant an intervention include: Alcoholism Prescription drug abuse Stre...
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Is ‘Nurse Jackie’ a good portrait of addiction in the medical profession?

‘Nurse Jackie’ returned for a final season on Showtime on Sunday night and once again received praise for its realistic portrayal of addiction. At the start of last season, I asked an expert about the chances that I’d ever receive care from an addicted medical professional and if I did, would she still be able to handle the job. The answer, from Lisa J. Merlo, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Florida who has studied the prevalenc...
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Doctors, medical staff on drugs put patients at risk

Anita Bertrand doesn’t remember much about the first time she stole narcotics she was supposed to administer to surgical patients. She doesn’t remember exactly when she installed the intravenous port in her ankle so she could inject the drugs more efficiently. And she doesn’t remember how many patients she may have put at risk before getting into treatment. But she remembers how easy it was to get away with it. “I was absolutely impaired, using narcotics while working. &a...
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