Dr. Jason Giles shares his own story of addiction as a catalyst to helping others in their recovery journey.
A word from Dr. Giles:
The founding of Addiction Doctors stems from a deeply personal experience that changed the trajectory of my life. Twenty-five years ago, after realizing my dream of becoming an anesthesiologist, I became addicted to fentanyl—a drug that was then only available in hospitals. My habit escalated quickly, spinning my life completely out of control. Unable to stop on my own, in despair I sought help through California’s Physician’s Health Program, a specialized treatment plan aimed at supporting medical professionals with substance use disorders. In a humbling twist of fate, I left the OR and a job I loved to check into rehab.
The doctor became a patient.
It’s no exaggeration to admit that program was my saving grace, guiding me toward recovery and inspiring me to devote my career to helping others free themselves from addiction, but it wasn’t all rosy. Rehab afforded me valuable insight into some of the ways we doctors get it wrong when it comes to treating addiction. As I set out on a new professional path, I saw the need for a fresh approach, one that replaced the outmoded methods so prevalent in the field with a mix of cutting-edge scientific research and the kind of compassion and empathy that mostly characterized my experience in the Physician’s Health Program. Drawing on my own journey, I developed an approach that assumes by the time someone seeks help for addiction, they have suffered enough. My method uses every science-backed tool in the box to ease the discomforts of detox because I’ve been there, and I know how frightening and unpleasant it can be. I understand, too, how transformative a genuine, empathetic connection is at such a fragile time. Scientific rigor and compassionate care are equally important to my approach, and their combination has proved unbeatable in supporting patients through detox and stabilization.
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