Members of AIR agree with the American Medical Association (AMA) definition that chemical dependency is a primary, psychosocial, and biogenetic disease. The symptoms of the disease are cunning and baffling as is the disease itself.
Although there is no cure for addiction, there can be lifelong remission contingent on:
- Prompt detection
- Intervention
- Treatment,
- Adherence to aftercare program involving 12-step groups, peer support groups, and carefully timed re-entry into the anesthesia profession.
- Re-entry must be structured with tools such as back-to-work contracts.
There are recovering anesthetists working as disciplined professionals all over the country today, who are grateful to be in recovery.