Drug abuse rising among wealthy professionals

When we think of drug abusers, who do we usually think about? Chances are its young adults and the poor. But why is this? Not only are we shaped by society to believe that young adults often fail to understand the harm they're doing to themselves or that the poor turn to substances abuse as a way to cope with their difficulties, but statistics back these claims up as well.

It only takes a quick Google search to find proof. The National Institute of Medicine notes that young adults are the most likely to abuse prescription drugs, opioid pain relievers, ADHD stimulants and anti-anxiety drugs than any other demographic. And, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, "individuals whose lives are marked by poverty, illiteracy, malnutrition and other unhealthy environmentally conditions are also at a high risk for drug abuse."

Yet, did you know that a large population of wealthy adults also struggle with substance abuse? According to researchers Patrick R. Krill, Ryan Johnson and Linda Albert, who conducted a study on substance abuse and mental health conditions among American attorneys, there is reason to believe these professionals make up an underground society of people who quietly struggle with substance abuse problems.

"Little is known about the current behavioral health climate in the legal profession," Patrick Krill, JD, LLM, of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, and colleagues stated. Despite a widespread belief that attorneys experience substance use disorders and other mental health concerns at a high rate, few studies have been undertaken to validate these beliefs empirically or statistically. Although previous research had indicated that those in the legal profession struggle with problematic alcohol use, depression, and anxiety more so than the general population, the issues have largely gone unexamined for decades."

To conduct the study, Krill and his team sampled close to 13,000 licensed, employed U.S. attorneys located in 19 states. These professionals completed surveys that evaluated their usage of alcohol and drugs and associated symptoms such as depression, anxiety and stress.

The results were fascinating but daunting. Nearly 21 percent of participants revealed they were "harmful, and potential alcohol-dependent" drinkers. Younger lawyers those under 30 were much more likely to turn to the bottle than those who were older, and those working in the field for a short period of time were also more likely to become addicted to alcohol. Krill's research also revealed alcoholic symptoms were high in those who became addicted with 28, 19 and 23 percent of attorneys surveyed feeling depression, anxiety and stress, respectively.

If you know someone dealing with substance abuse, consider Fairwinds Treatment Center. Dr. M.K. (Khal) El-Yousef, specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of substance abuse by using a Dual Diagnosis approach. In using this tactic, Dr. El-Yousef and his staff of full-time psychiatrists, nursing professionals and licensed therapists work to first diagnosis the underlying reason behind a person's disorder. Upon understanding the cause, they can then treat the condition and its symptoms.