codependent and chemical dependent nurses - page 2

[NEW] Finish the Toon Caption Contest! Win $100.

I recently attended a seminar about the prevelance of drug and alcohol abuse among nurses. the speaker (a recovering alcholic drug abusing nurse manager, currently clean and sober psych case... Read More

  1. by micro
    Aug 6, '02
    Occupation: a just a nurse contemplating the nature of my career..... Joined: Oct '01; Posts: 2,344; Likes: 21
    i think codependency is an overused, overrated, psychobabble term.........
    but who am i...........

    but do not label me just because I care.............

    micro

    and please no psychoanalyzing here......I do the enough of the questions for the whole of you.......

    I question everything.......

    part of being human is caring about the other humans and the other beings in this world...........

    but keep on threadin' all
  2. by obtnt
    Aug 14, '02
    Occupation: L&D RN CCE MOM Joined: Apr '02; Posts: 40
    Nurses are also exposed to drugs at their disposal, a temptation some can't overcome. It has to start somewhere, but the simple fact that a nurse has exposure to narcotics everyday makes it part of the problem. Doctors too, are in this category and have extremely high rates of abuse. It's not just nurses.
  3. by teeituptom
    Aug 18, '02
    Occupation: ER RN Specialty: ER,ICU,L&D,OR,ETC ; Joined: May '01; Posts: 5,588; Likes: 566
    Howdy yall
    from deep in the heat of texas


    Guess what, I dont do drugs, I dont do alcohol, but I am addicted to golf.



    doo wah ditty
  4. by Jamesdotter
    Aug 18, '02
    Occupation: Retired Specialty: 38 year(s) of experience in Women's health & post-partum ; From: OR, US ; Joined: Aug '02; Posts: 567; Likes: 176
    Thanks, NurseCheryl, for the definitions.

    I'm not codependent either. And I rarely drink and don't use.
  5. by nurse deb
    Aug 20, '02
    Occupation: Stay-At-Home Mom Joined: Aug '02; Posts: 34


    Hi,
    I believe there's a large percentage of medical professionals that are chemically dependent. We have high-stress positions, we're understaffed, and we deal with life and death situations daily. I think there should be more seminars and treatment programs for persons in the medical field. I don't know about the co-dependency thing?

    Thanks Jerrie for speaking up and being so honest. Congratulations on four years clean and sober!! Keep up the good work....


    Debbie
  6. by sjoe
    Aug 20, '02
    Occupation: Retired Specialty: 15 year(s) of experience in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg ; From: US ; Joined: Aug '02; Posts: 2,246; Likes: 48
    If you include caffeine, it probably IS true that 35% of us are chemically dependent. If you include chocolate, it may be WAY higher.

    Co-dependence, of course, is one of those subjective terms like "needy," where everyone gets to have his/her own definition. A word, like "love," with no clear denotation, but abundant connotations. By my definition, for example, most nurses I have dealt with are more than a little co-dependent. They don't take care of themselves well enough and over-extend themselves serving the neuroses of other people. IMHO. Other people use different definitions.

    And you can't very well expect a seminar speaker such as you describe MINIMIZING any such categories. "Chemical dependence and co-dependence are to be found in very few health care providers, so I guess you shouldn't be paying me to stand up here and talk about it." Oops.
    Last edit by sjoe on Aug 20, '02
  7. by pebbles
    Aug 20, '02
    Joined: Jan '02; Posts: 562; Likes: 128
    Nobody said we were including caffeine and chocolate!!!!!!
  8. by sjoe
    Aug 20, '02
    Occupation: Retired Specialty: 15 year(s) of experience in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg ; From: US ; Joined: Aug '02; Posts: 2,246; Likes: 48
    "Don't you reach for the honey, without smokin' the hive," Pebbles.

    I quote from the original post..."35% of all nurses are chemically dependent."

    Caffeine and chocolate aren't or don't contain chemicals on which people can become dependent? I beg to differ (though my original comment was intended as light-hearted), as does every pharmacologist in the land.
    Last edit by sjoe on Aug 21, '02
  9. by BBnurse34
    Aug 25, '02
    Occupation: Level II Nursery RN Joined: Aug '01; Posts: 265; Likes: 3
    35%..scary
  10. by Brigitasha
    Aug 28, '02
    Occupation: RN Joined: Aug '02; Posts: 4
    In response to Biscuit_007: addiction is a disease process not a character flaw or "weakness". It has been recognized as a disease since 1956 by the AMA and 1960 by the APA.
    I believe nursing is in line with the general population.
  11. by ohbet
    Dec 9, '03
    Joined: Jun '01; Posts: 430
    Im not sure I really know what co-dependency is,but from what I do know maybe Jesus had codependency issues.
    Lets say someone is co dependent,what are they supposed to do about it?
  12. by teeituptom
    Dec 10, '03
    Occupation: ER RN Specialty: ER,ICU,L&D,OR,ETC ; Joined: May '01; Posts: 5,588; Likes: 566
    Who ressurected this old thread, thought it died out long ago.

close