The number one drug problem in the United States today is alcohol and, though it might appear to be counterintuitive, people with higher education levels are more likely to drink than those who don’t. Alcohol is a depressive drug, and many people who suffer from alcoholism also suffer from depression. They often do not seek medical help because they think– What can my family doctor do for me? What can she do to relieve these feelings of depression that I have? I should be able to snap myself out of it. I just need to toughen up.
But those questions fly almost completely in the face of everything we now know about depression and alcoholism. What my family doctor can do for me might be something entirely different from the doctor at your family practice center. A family practice doctor can take the time to get to know you, to get to know your particular situation and stress points. If you struggle with alcoholism, your family medicine doctor can help you find the proper alcohol detox center where you can get the treatment you need.
Alcohol is not often thought of as being as dangerous a drug as other more conventional ideas of illicit drugs. This is largely due to the fact that alcohol is legal. The same might be said of prescription drug addiction. How can a legal drug be something one becomes addicted to? These questions, while understandable, are naively off target. Drugs of any kind can be helpful or hurtful; it all depends on the person.
Medical marijuana is a drug that has been receiving quite a bit of attention in recent years. There is a good deal of evidence surrounding its effectiveness in treating certain medical issues. If you listen to different people to you their stories about the success that medical marijuana has brought them or their loved ones battling disease, you might begin to ask yourself if it should become an option for your, should you ever find yourself in a similar position. My family doctor might have a completely different view than your family physician. That is why it is important to find a family doctor who will take the time to get to know and understand your health and health history.
Addiction is a disease that we are beginning to learn more about all the time. With our ability to see into the brain like we never have before, we are understanding the way that certain drugs and alcohol can affect our moods, our physical functions and our abilities to process these drugs. Addiction is similar for people but each addict is as unique as the complete person that they are. If you find that you are suffering from addiction in ay form, ask yourself–Should I see my family doctor? If you are in an emergency situation, by all means go to the hospital. If you have the ability and opportunity, having a visit with your family physician is a good idea. He can help you put a plan for treatment together that will draw on the experience the two of you have had in dealing with your health.
