The Psychiatric quarterly
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The issues discussed in this article introduce and examine topics related to physicians' health which are salient in their clinical usefulness or their heuristic value in planning future research. Physicians in general possess physical, emotional and intellectual strengths that are needed to face high stress and low social support. Physicians are also less likely to seek routine medical care. ⋯ These factors require rigorous investigation to establish their role. Clinical approaches and techniques discussed include the incubation period for a Substance Use Disorder, initial high tolerance, state dependent learning, and the signal properties of drugs. As recovery progresses it is postulated that it becomes increasingly important to deal with substitute addictions and family of origin issues.