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When Executives Become 'Ill-Suited' for Lifeby Meg Bolton
For over 25 years, The Menninger Clinic, an affiliate of Baylor College of Medicine, has helped professionals like Tim who have trouble managing their work and personal relationships due to psychiatric disorders and/or addictions. Menninger's Professionals in Crisis Program, which treats patients from around the world, is specifically designed to provide assistance to men and women in business ownership, upper management, medicine, sports, law, entertainment, education and other high-performance fields. "Our program is unique because we specialize in treating professionals who struggle not only with psychiatric illnesses but also addictions. These executives in crisis often share unique characteristics with other people in demanding occupations," said John O'Neill, a social worker in Baylor's Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Director of Menninger's Professionals in Crisis Program "Because the professional culture promotes perfectionism, the need for control, and denial of weaknesses, professionals often push themselves relentlessly to focus on their work at the expense of leisure time and personal relationships," said Dr. Efrain Bleiberg, Medical Director of the Professionals in Crisis Program and Professor of Psychiatry at BCM. "These characteristics often develop while professionals are attaining executive status. For example, the law student who sacrificed personal relationships in order to excel in school may be exhibiting similar patterns as an attorney, in his or her professional life and family obligations." When this unrelenting mind-set is applied to professionals' personal lives it not only threatens their well being, but also the status or recognition they have worked so hard to attain. "Self-medicating with alcohol and drugs can be an attractive way to manage stress day to day...This kind of abuse is often done with prescription drugs that are accessible to professionals..." "Patients are sometimes referred to the clinic by their professional board or regulatory agency," said O'Neill. "Other times they 'self-refer' or are brought by a family member, friend or colleague." Just as drugs and alcohol are prohibited in substance abuse programs, the Professionals in Crisis Program requires patients to give up all devices that are an integral part of their professional life. All electronic communication devices, such as cell phones, Palm Pilots®, Blackberries® and pagers are collected upon admittance. The computers in the Clinic's facility lack Internet access to ensure that patients will not check their e-mail. "Relinquishing the tools of their trade is often one of the hardest things for a professional to do," said O'Neill. "Without those, they have no opportunity to engage in the activities that made them feel in control." At the other end of the spectrum are professional athletes who tend to be younger than most high-profile executives, but also face stressors that jeopardize their feelings of control and integrity. "They are thrown into a new environment and are often unprepared for the new pressures and competition they face," said Bleiberg. "They are suddenly surrounded by great amounts of money, adoration, pressures and temptations for which they are little prepared." The Professionals in Crisis Program employs two treatment methods: one focuses on co-existing diagnoses (i.e., addiction with a psychiatric illness), and another that solely treats psychiatric or psychological issues. Upon admission, the program's multidisciplinary staff assesses patients for family history of depression or alcoholism, as well as significant "life events" that could be contributing to their condition. The team designs treatment programs specifically tailored to patient needs. For example, patients suffering from substance abuse may be placed on medical withdrawal schedules and counseling sessions. The Professionals in Crisis Program also treats addictions that extend beyond drugs and alcohol. "There is a whole spectrum of addictive disorders that are not associated with substance abuse," said Dr. Donna Yi, an addictions psychiatrist for the Professionals in Crisis Program and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at BCM. "Some of our patients suffer from disorders that include gambling, sexual compulsivity, financial or Internet addictions." Even if professionals are not struggling with addiction when they enter the program, they may have exhibited behaviors prior to admittance that places them at risk for addiction. "Self-medicating with alcohol and drugs can be an attractive way to manage stress day to day," said Yi. "This kind of abuse is often done with prescription drugs that are accessible to professionals, such as physicians who take medication samples or individuals who abuse prescription painkillers. After prolonged use, these behaviors may eventually become addictive." During the six to eight weeks of treatment, patients are immersed in a series of rehabilitative activities ranging from individual and group therapy to specialized skill building groups and family workshops. Patients are expected to continue treatment after they leave the clinic, and prior to their discharge, the treatment team works with them to design a comprehensive ongoing outpatient transition plan that they are expected to carry out on their own. "After treatment, professionals can use different approaches to handle stress and pressure, but further treatment is often necessary," said O'Neill. "We have to help them understand that recovery is a process and their stay at the clinic was just one step toward attaining the ongoing recovery that they are looking for." |
Patient CareWhen Executives Become 'Ill-Suited' ResearchEducationThe Responsibilities of Residents Coat Pockets Full of Knowledge Community ServiceAlumni & DevelopmentCollege News
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Volume 1, Issue 2, Summer 2005 |
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| Last modified: October 10, 2008 |
Tim: A 40-year-old investment banker, "Tim" has single-handedly built a name for himself in the financial world. The determined and ambitious son of a single mother, he earned his way through college with part-time jobs and academic scholarships. He climbed the career ladder with the same perseverance that earned him an MBA from a prestigious Ivy League business school. To many he is the image of success, but, lately, Tim has begun to show signs that all is not well.