**Completely Updated in December/2016** Healthcare professionals are usually working in very stressful workplaces. Those of us who don't have an inside view of the workplaces of these pharmacists, physicians, nurses, etc. don't really have an understanding of the stressors involved in their careers. Besides working long hours, a high level of responsibility, skipping meals, and having few breaks, public and corporate scrutiny are taking a toll on the emotional and physical health of these healthcare professionals. Now the insurance companies have added much more stress by dictating the need for paperwork, referrals and reports at a much higher level than before.Pharmacists are not much different than the regular population when it comes to handling stress. The only difference is that pharmacists have at their disposal a myriad of stress relieving medications, most of which are highly addictive. Studies show that approximately 11 to 15 percent of pharmacists are faced with alcohol or drug dependency problems at some time in their careers.Some pharmacists may have come into the field with a predisposition to addiction. They also may be reacting to the stress of their careers by "medicating" with drugs or non-prescribed medications. They also have easy access to medications and the knowledge of how each one works. Pharmacists caught illegally selling medications face an instant license revocation. Those who have been found to be abusing drugs or alcohol have a second chance, by going to rehab and attending a 5 year monitoring program. There is hope for recovery and a healthy future.Please refer to the end of the book where there are several pages of Apps, Links, TedTalks, and YouTube Videos listed for your easy reference.
About the Author: Information about the Author: Dr. Richard Travis is a psychotherapist in Private Practice in South Florida. He received his first Master's Degree at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in Education. He received his second Master's Degree in Counselor Education at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. He received his Doctorate in Higher Education/Counseling Psychology at Florida International University in Miami, Florida. He has Specialties in Addictions, including State, National and International certifications. He has worked with several people in the healthcare industry who have been in Addiction Monitoring Programs, and currently facilitates several groups a month with professionals being monitored by state and federal agencies. Dr. Travis has taught classes with every age level of student in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Florida, including teaching graduate Social Work classes at Florida International University in Miami. He has also published several articles on the website Ezinearticles.com.