The Injured Self, Addiction, and Our Call to Medicine

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Abstract
OUR CALL as physicians to the profession of medicine involves complex motives. It is probably safe to say, however, that for most of us, making people healthier, taking care of patients, or repairing them plays some part. As we attend to the injuries and dysfunctions of our patients, we also attend to our own. The healing traditions constantly challenge us and our patients to address the need for restoration and well-being. I believe that most physicians are motivated by idealism and commitment in choosing medicine, and that our choice is rooted in a desire to offer comfort and care to others. In fact, much of our stress and burdens, as well as our satisfactions, derive from this deeper personal and professional meaning in our lives. The substance-dependent physician is a casualty of life's human challenges and the special challenges of the profession of medicine. Addiction can best be understood, I