Alcohol and drug addicted physicians: the scope of the problem.

Alcoholism and drug addiction are occupational hazards in the practice of medicine. Reports from Canada, the U.S. and U.K. show a higher incidence of these problems in physicians than in the general population. This article reviews some characteristics of addicted doctors, including their backgrounds and reasons for starting the habit. The need for treatment to start as soon as the problem is discovered is emphasized. The prognosis for both alcoholism and drug addiction is good if the conditions are diagnosed early and treated vigorously.