We all know the clique vision of business professional drowning his stress in a glass of whiskey on the rocks. That vision is only getting more vivid and frequent as alcoholism is at an alarming rise among business professionals.
Healthcare experts have called for urgent action to be taken to tackle the issue of rising levels of alcoholism among high-profile professionals, including doctors, dentists, vets and lawyers.
Researchers suggest that up to 24% of lawyers will suffer from alcoholism at some point during their careers. The British Medical Association has estimated that one in 15 doctors will develop an addiction problem at some point in their lives. As well, they are three times more likely to develop cirrhosis of the liver than the general population.
The term Functioning Alcoholic Is proving to not be so functional. Alistair Mordey, the Program Director of a substance abuse clinic in Chiang Mai, Thailand, said that demand for treatment from doctors was growing at twice the rate of any other occupations.
Mordey said: “We are seeing a lot of professionals coming in, particularly from London. They are in workplaces where you really wouldn’t want them to be.”
Mordey added: “Health professionals are generally not good at seeking help for themselves, mainly because they see it very much as their role to help others. There is also immense shame, a stigma still attached to a perceived weakness like addiction.”
Sierra by the Sea works with clients from all walks of life, the business professional is a common client. High energy and driven are common characteristics among entrepreneurs, professionals and alcoholics. Often our clients come into recovery not wanting to lose all they have built in their professional lives to the disease of alcoholism.
