Why Professionals Need Help?

"Doctors have a higher rate of addiction than the general public!" This is simply not true. What is true, however, is that due to certain occupational hazards of prolonged corporeal and emotional stress doctors are apt candidates for chemical dependencies. Professional pride may play a significant role in a reluctance to admit the need for help. Those closest to you: family members, colleagues and staff become confused as to how to deal with the situation and this bewilderment may lead to a "Conspiracy of Silence," threatening not only the well-being of the depressed or chemically dependent person's life, but also that of their patients.

What are the Warning Signs?

If you can answer yes to one or more of the following questions, you may be in need of our help.

1. Are you experiencing problems coping with patients or the normal stress of busy practice?
2. Do you become easily depressed, angered or abusive?
3. Do you consume more than a moderate amount of alcohol or is your drinking considered "out of control"?
4. Do you self prescribe any medications?
5. Are you experiencing any sexual problems: impotency or affairs?
6. Do you find yourself slowing down or overtired?
7. Do you constantly place a precedence for work over personal and/or family needs?
8. Are you experiencing financial or legal problems: malpractice suit, divorce, DUI?

How Does The Process Begin? Response begins immediately once a referral is received. The referral can be a self-referral or from a concerned family member, significant other, staff person, colleague and/or hospital administrator. The next step is to collect pertinent information to effectively evaluate the situation and once completed, a decision is made how best to proceed.

Services provided by MPAP are:

1. Intervention: MPAP staffs and facilitates a group of concerned persons to confront the referral and to identify appropriate resources for evaluation of needs.

2. Referral: To a treatment program know to be skilled in working with the distressed practitioner.

3. After-Care: MPAP assists with guided reentry of the professional back into the workplace and/or community, offers education for family members and assists with relapse prevention.

4. Monitoring: MPAP keeps records of random drug testing to verify the participant's continued recovery.

5. Advocacy: MPAP advocates for the participant with licensing boards, insurance companies, hospital committees and other governing agencies.