The following article is found in the latest Journal of the American Medical Association. It was written by Clinton B. McCracken, PhD Baltimore, Maryland, clinton.mccracken1@gmail.com

Health care professionals and physicians in particular have rates of substance abuse that are equal to and often exceed those observed in the general public.1-2 These estimates may even be low, as many studies rely on self-reported data. Health care professionals presumably use drugs for many of the same reasons as those of the general population. Nonetheless, given the intelligence, years of education, and high levels of achievement found in this group, the relatively high incidence of substance abuse may be somewhat surprising. Ease of access to drugs is commonly cited, particularly with respect to the high rates of drug abuse among anesthesiologists3; however, given the complex nature of addiction, the underlying causes are assuredly myriad.

One possible contributing factor that may receive insufficient attention is the ability of highly educated professionals to intellectualize their drug use, minimizing in their mind the potential disastrous consequences, both personal (eg, the possibility of death or serious harm due to factors such as overdose or toxicity, among others) and professional (ranging from a tarnished reputation to a ruined career). This intellectualization is particularly insidious because due to its very nature, it prevents the person from realizing the scope of the problem, or even admitting a problem exists. Thus, it is related to, yet distinct from, the phenomena of rationalization and denial. Rationalization and denial are universal components of substance abuse and unaffected by education or training.4-5 By contrast, intellectualization actually relies on advanced education and training, particularly with respect to the effects of drugs and addiction, also incorporating confidence in one’s intelligence and abilities, and no small measure of arrogance, to provide the illusion of control or mastery. The end result of this intellectualization is the manifestation of hubris that produces blindness to the devastating consequences of drug abuse and addiction.

Here, I draw on my experience as a drug abuser who for years maintained a relatively successful career as a basic biomedical scientist studying the neuroscience of addiction and compulsion to present a cautionary tale regarding the extreme dangers of intellectualizing drug use. No matter how well versed one may be in pharmacology or the addictive process, the fact remains that severe problems due to drug abuse can arise almost instantly, and no matter how in control one may believe himself to be, these problems can lead to tragic and irreversibly life-altering consequences.

To read the full article please read the following PDF Intellectualization of Drug Abuse

We all strive to be successful. However, it is important to consider our personal definition of success. At what point does perfectionism turn from adaptive to maladaptive? If you are a perfectionist, it is likely that you learned early in life that other people valued you because of how much you accomplished or achieved. As a result you may have learned to value yourself only on the basis of other people’s approval, which may leave you vulnerable to criticism and negative thoughts about yourself. At what point is the desire to be perfect an unrealistic goal?

Recent research on perfectionism suggests that the desire to be perfect can rob you of your sense of personal satisfaction and may even cause feelings of inadequacy or severe emotional difficulties. Perfectionism can lead to unhealthy comparisons to others, feeling like other people are “better” than you or “doing a better job” than you. It may be difficult to relax because anything less than an all out effort is deemed worthless. Perfectionism can lead to excessive worrying about whether you are doing enough, and one mistake can be viewed as failure.

Although many successful people have adaptive and healthy perfectionistic traits, one can encounter three major problems if these are taken to the extreme:

• Everything seems important. You may not be able to prioritize your efforts and therefore not be able to decide what to do – as a result, nothing is accomplished

• You may not know how to pace yourself. You may believe that total effort is needed on every task, which is unsustainable over time, making you susceptible to burnout

• Your self-worth is primarily tied to your achievements. This can lead to insecurity because you may not know how to value yourself day-to-day.

Ways to develop “healthy” success

1. Realize perfection is an unattainable illusion.
2. Set up step-by-step realistic expectations for yourself and become a “healthy” striver. Healthy strivers tend to set goals for themselves based on their wants and desires rather than in response to external expectations. Their goals are usually one step beyond what they have already accomplished. They tend to take pleasure in the process of pursuing the task rather than focusing on the end result or achievement.
3. Confront your fears and ask yourself, “What is the worst that can happen?” and “Do I set up unrealistic expectations for myself?”

Sources:

Darnell, Dan: “Perfectionism: What it is and ways to deal with it” http://campushealth.unc.edu Perfectionism-UIUC Counseling Center

http://www.couns.uiuc.edu/brochures/perfecti.htm

New research suggests that as threatening as they may feel, antagonistic relationships can often enhance social and emotional development more than they impede it. http://nyti.ms/9zhq7C

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/05/17/pesticides.adhd/index.html?hpt=Sbin

This article I found on the NY Times offers helpful relaxation tips for those of us on the go.   http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/business/06YOGA.html?ref=nutrition