The Role of Spirituality in Physician Recovery from Alcoholism

Abstract

Spirituality is a key component of healing. Physicians in the United States have incorporated mind, body, and spiritual connections into their practice, but around the world it has had varying levels of acceptance and utilization by the medical community. When physicians become patients, they also find support and comfort through spirituality, especially those with alcohol use disorders. Physicians who participate in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or 12-Step Facilitation (TSF) therapy and experience a spiritual awakening are likely to have a sustained long-term recovery. Those who participate in physician health programs with mandatory AA meeting attendance have high rates of total abstinence.

KEYWORDS:

• Spirituality
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
• Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF)
• physician health program (PHP)

Additional information

Notes on contributors

John A. Fromson

John A. Fromson is now at the Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts USA.