feature Let’s Talk About Addiction A frank discussion and a help hotline for DCs There are unusual challenges and unique considerations when you are a doctor who has an addiction. You may be concerned about losing the ability to practise in your chosen field and risking the reputation of your practice. “ Dr. Ronald M. French graduated from Cleveland Chiropractic Col-lege Los Angeles. He spent the next eight years working for many different chiropractors, learning dif-ferent techniques and treatment styles before opening his own office in 2008. He is now the doctor and owner of French Family Chiropractic located at the beautiful beach of Ventura, California. S uccess in life is the result of good judgment, good judgment is the result of experi-ence, and experience is often times the result of bad judgment.” My name is Ronald M. French. I graduated from Cleveland Chiropractic Col-lege in the year 2000. I had a drug and alcohol addiction spanning 20 years and have seen how its involvement can make a huge impact on one’s career and life. I hit rock bottom and got help in August 2009. In August 2010, I had a year of sobriety and a 12-step study under my belt. In September 2010, I felt I received a special gift: the gift of sobriety. The clarity and shifts in my life led me to wanting to give back and help others with similar problems. To be able to share my pitfalls, and embrace them for the stumbling blocks that they were, gives me an overwhelming feeling that I can overcome anything. The confidence gained from recognizing that I now hold the power that drugs and alcohol used to hold over me is one of the most satisfying and exhilarating feelings I have ever had. It’s a feeling that I hope can be shared by those who have fallen victim to drug and alcohol abuse but can recognize early enough the inevitable path of destruction that will follow should the abuse continue. THE POWER OF SUPPORT PROGRAMS Until I entered my recovery program I did not realize that powerful resources and sup-port systems existed. I simply thought that these programs were a waste of time. The truth is, drugs provided an empty, surface-level feeling of instant gratification that I held on to for 20 years. But, I entered a program and it helped me to go deeper into myself and realize that my choices stemmed from deeper-seated issues with myself. Everyone has their reasons, con-scious or subconscious, for hooking on to these addictions, and, without being judgmental, this program allowed me a forum where I could do the work to better myself. www.canadianchiropractor.ca Ronald French, DC 42 • CANADIAN CHIROPRACTOR | OCTOBER 2012
Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor October 2012: Page 42
