Just like everyone else, health workers can also come down with addiction problems, and if it is left untended to, there is a high tendency that the effects would be grave. In many developed countries, it has been studied that the rate of addiction among health workers is very high, as a good number of them struggle with a variety of substances which is dangerous to their health.

In similarity to other professionals, there are a good number of reasons why a health worker would either turn to alcohol or drugs, probably due to the fact that they are seeking measures in order to ensure that they remain active and alert all day long. It could also be due to the fact that they need something which would take their minds off certain painful moments.

Now, irrespective of the fact that the rate of addiction among health workers is very high, it is also known that they have a high rate of recovery.

Below are the usual signs of addiction among health workers:

• Frequent changing of jobs’
• Less preference of day shifts rather than night shifts
• Gloominess during the job
• Willingness to give narcotics to patients
• Unrest about extra time at work
• Regular bathroom breaks
• Financial and family stress
• Frequent errors in paperwork

One of the major reasons why health workers might be prone to addiction, is due to the fact that some of them could be tempted to use substances such as Fentanyl and the likes, because they have effortless access to them. They also have a good understanding of how these substances work, and they might feel compelled to give them a trial.

Now, it should be noted that health workers who are suffering from any form of addiction, are not only putting themselves at risk, they are also toying with the lives of the patients. At first, it is usually hard for a health worker to accept the fact that they are suffering from addiction. Later on, they usually come to terms with that fact.

It is advised that health workers who are suffering from addiction, should endeavour to find a treatment centre where they can receive good treatment.