The alcoholic psychologist: Issues, problems, and implications for the profession.

Abstract

This article discusses the problem of alcoholism in the profession of psychology. Alcoholism, a major health problem currently being addressed by other professions, has unique features,, manifestations, and ramifications for psychologists. Salient aspects of alcoholism in psychology include etiological and motivational factors, characteristic behaviors, and specific risk factors in the work environment of psychologists. Alcoholism, conceptualized as a deeply embedded permanent addiction not resolvable by conscious, planned effort, constitutes a special dilemma for psychologists who hold a strong belief in the powers of the mind and in the capacity to comprehend and alter behavior. Current efforts to effectively and humanely deal with alcoholism within the professions, modeled on the self-help principles of Alcoholics Anonymous in combination with professional treatment, are examined, including the present efforts in psychology to deal with distressed psychologists. An advocacy role for the American Psychological Association to assist in the development of a peer-collaborative network for psychologists in recovery is suggested. Further implications and recommendations are offered.

Psychology Supervisors' Training, Experiences, Supervisory Evaluation and Self-Rated Competence

“…The cumulative incidence of problems was roughly comparable with other estimates of rates of impairment (4.6%) among interns in APA-accredited internships (Boxley et al, 1986) and impairment due to alcoholism (6%) among practicing psychologists (Thoreson, Nathan, Skorina, & Kilburg, 1983). The incidence of problems was lower than psychologists' self-reported incidence of problems associated with distress or impairment (Brodie & Robinson, 1991).…”

Impairment: Implications for the Counseling Profession

“…Since the first APA forum on impairment, some unnerving statistics have surfaced that substantiate the need to address the problem of professional impairment. A conservative estimate is that 6,000 psychologists suffer from alcoholism or drug abuse (Thoreson et al, 1983). The rate of death by suicide of female psychologists is similar to that of female physicians-four times the suicide death rate of White women in general (Roeske, 1986).…”

“…In 1981, the American Psychological Association (APA) held its first open forum on impairment at its annual convention. The most frequently mentioned problems relating to impairment among psychologists were identified at this forum as physical and emotional handicaps, alcohol and chemical dependencies, sexual intimacies with clients or students, mental illness, and suicide (Thoreson, Nathan, Skorina, & Kilburg, 1983). Psychologists have defined impairment as "interference in professional functioning due to chemical dependency, mental illness, or personal conflict (Laliotis & Grayson, 1985, p. 84).…”

Postgraduate clinical psychology students' perceptions of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy stress management intervention and clinical training

“…Elevated stress may compromise well-being and lead to mental health problems in CPTs. For example, high stress has been related to a range of psychological problems in health professional trainees (e.g., anxiety and depression in medical students, Ogden & Mtandabari, 1997), and qualified professionals (e.g., substance abuse in psychologists, Thoreson, Nathan, Skorina, & Kilburg, 1983). In addition to mental health problems, excessive stress can impair cognitive functioning (e.g., decision making, Klein, 1996) and impede the building of strong relationships with clients (Enochs & Etzbach, 2004).…”