"What a day!!!! I need a drink!!" These are common exclamations among nursing professionals who work in increasingly complex, distressed healthcare and educational environments. Although often said in jest, the reality of nurses "having that drink and more" is sobering. In fact, the Kentucky Nurses Association reports that 1 in 7 nurses will experience a problem with alcohol or other substances in the course of their career.1
Stress, depression, and the short-term, soothing effects of alcohol can be a lethal combination for nurses-lethal to health, career, and family relationships. There are approximately 10 states in the United States that do not have peer assistance programs for nurses who have turned to alcohol and other substances as a life management tool. The American Nurses Association has vigorously advocated for an "alternative to discipline" approach for nurses who are willing to confront their problem and enter programs of intervention. Peer assistance programs offered by state nursing associations are especially helpful because the Mental Health Parity Act related to inclusions in employee health benefits does not apply to benefits for substance abuse or chemical dependency.
The special features of this issue of Holistic Nursing Practice explore holistic approaches to 2 prevalent health problems-depression and alcohol abuse. The Innovations feature documents that depression has been on the rise over the past few decades, especially for adult women. The Herbals and Nutritional Supplements feature reports that more than 18 million individuals in the United States have problems with alcohol abuse. Depression and alcohol abuse are common comorbidities because one feeds on the other, and together they take an enormous toll on the health of individuals, families, and communities. Despite the fact that pharmacologic approaches to both depression and alcohol abuse dominate the available range of treatments, holistic interventions such as exercise, light therapy, and sleep deprivation therapy can either alone or in combination with pharmacologic treatments. Furthermore, focusing on the health of the liver through good nutrition, vitamins, minerals, and botanicals-to name just a few holistic interventions-not only can repair the liver damage associated with alcohol abuse but also can bolster the body's resistance.
So, at the end of a harried day, there are strategies available to avoid the proverbial "funk" and to nurture the body and soul. Those of us who care for and teach others every day need to pay closer attention to meeting our own needs, managing our own morale, fortifying our bodies, and encouraging our patients and students to practice healthy living!!
Gloria Ferraro Donnelly, PhD, RN, FAAN
Editor-in-Chief
REFERENCE