In 2014, I made a decision to turn my life around. I had struggled with addiction to alcohol and substance abuse for many years, and through the gift of desperation, I decided to do something different and reach out to the NC Caring Dental Professionals group for help. My life today is very different, and I feel very blessed to have found a new way to live, but if I told you my life was stress-free because I no longer use substances to feel a void, I would be lying.
I have been a Dental Hygienist now for over 23 years, my children are thirty and eighteen years old and I have reached the age where I am now receiving AARP materials.
I feel extremely blessed to be present today for my children and be a positive role model for them. I am greatly appreciative of my career and feel my health is good. But there are days where my back and shoulders feel they are going to simply break if I treat one more patient. My daughter may fail to always do her laundry, and my son has man-child issues. Marriage is marriage, you have your great and not so great moments. I still show up and suit up for whatever fire needs to be put out. I can deal with these things healthy today.
In the past, my ways of handling stress would absolutely involve a visit to the nearest watering hole to numb out my woes of the day. Today I don’t have to poison my body with toxins. I have learned coping mechanisms through working a program of recovery and having like-minded friends in my life. My choices usually involve prayer and meditation, music therapy, being in nature, and “healthy” retail therapy. My aches from being a hygienist are usually solved by stretching, exercising and massage treatments.
Being aware of my stress levels are key to what I feel I need to prioritize in my life. I feel most of us have caretaker syndrome and can feel a need to escape from people at the end of a long day. I have actually taken the long way home to decompress, or simply listened to a good playlist that may or may not involve singing my heart out. I have also learned to start delegating tasks when necessary and even find journaling helpful when life gets too heavy. I don’t have to use today and can face my stressors head-on.
Life is tough today but life was surely harder when I used substances to deal with it. The problems were still present and my bad choices magnified my problems. Let’s face it, hangovers and regrets are not a way to deal with life’s challenges. I am grateful for recovery and my faith in a God of my understanding to face whatever life throws at me. I have so many helpful tools now in my toolbox. Thank you NCCDP.
It wasn’t long ago that I remember that feeling in the pit of my stomach and the shaking of my hands that came when I thought of something I didn’t have control over. I had the same feelings when a relationship was going south and they just didn’t understand my heart, my side of things. The lists could go on and on. My life, my marriage, my relationship, My relationships with my staff and even my business. It came to the point that I started self-medicating myself to get to sleep. Then I made progress medicating myself to just function during the day to deal with my daily stress. I isolated myself at the office and at home at night, well except for my new sedative!
It was by the grace of God the things progressed quickly to the point that everyone around me saw my isolation, my change in persona and my lack of concern for things I used to care deeply about. I was the only one who couldn’t see the changes until it was brought to my attention when I got contacted by the Caring Dental Professionals, CDP.
Through the CDP I was able to get back the persona that I had lost! The love of life and relationships that no longer existed. I no longer had to isolate. All of this came from the time I took to learn the tools I needed to Live a full and productive life. I learned how to accept things as they were. I learned to be willing to listen to others that had been through and were going through the same things I was going through. ( I wasn’t alone or the only one!) I learned spirituality is the most significant part of life.
Acceptance helped me to lay down the need to control my environment. I learned that Willingness opened the door for me to ask for help, and I did just that! I developed a group of friends that I can and do talk about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING, (No more isolation) Lastly,
I learned that spirituality replaced my need to serve self! Spirituality helps me to practice acceptance and willingness with and open heart and mind! I learned that our God, our Father or our Higher Power loves us more that I/ we could ever love ourselves and spending time with him in prayer and meditation set the correct loving direction of day for me.
Through the CDP I found Sobriety. Through sobriety, I found all I spoke about previously! It has been almost 10 years since I found the gifts of sobriety and I’ve been through trials that without sobriety, acceptance, willingness, my support group of friends and God I would not be here in the healthy spirit I am today. It’s my prayer that ALL WHO NEED IT find sobriety. Sobriety is a gift and a blessing!
I have found the flow of life by taking one step at a time. I am most certainly in a place in my life where I am better able to deal with and cope with daily stresses of life.
Before sobriety I ran on cortisol and my body remained in a state of stress. Alcohol stole essential sleep, and my brain didn’t get proper rest and repair. I got a DUI and was introduced to life without alcohol and it helped me to realize that alcohol wasn’t healthy for me. I have a new perspective.
I can remember not knowing what life without alcohol could look like. It seemed like such a foreign concept that I could not imagine. I had always known life with drink. I can remember feeling afraid. I didn’t realize I was becoming reliant on alcohol, and as I drank more, my coping skills declined.
In recovery I am a healthier version of myself so I can handle everyday stress better physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I am happier, more content and more confident in myself. Since I put the drink down, I have developed life skills and skills to cope with life stress.
My life today is calm and grounded. I set intentions for my day. I give thanks at the end of each day and experience gratitude throughout the day’s moments. I am present and trustworthy. I exercise, eat healthy, pray and meditate. I prioritize time in nature alone. I give of myself and strive to do what is right in every circumstance. I live in reflection and a fair belief system. I participate in community and am accountable to others. I believe the healthy routines I have developed in recovery allow me to handle stress. My demeanor is calm. I don’t live in fear. In recovery I get adequate rest so my body is better able to handle the physical stresses of life. Recovery is emotional sobriety and spiritual connectivity.
I don’t have to check off a list of accomplishments to be able to say I did this or that because I don’t need to prove anything. Today I am enough. Today I know my opinion matters and I am perfectly fine exactly where I am. I do not have to prove anything to anyone. I have been freed of the bondage of self that used to have to prove myself worthy of others love and approval. Being in this solid mental, physical and emotional state gives me the foundation to face life head on eyes wide open ready for whatever is next. I remain in a present state clear of mind and free of guilt and shame. I do not desire alcohol to alter my state or emotions.
I am better able to look at situations open minded and offer my service non-judgmentally without need for approval. I don’t overextend myself either anymore. I have learned how to set boundaries and say yes to a reasonable load and when to say no when I have enough on my plate. I used to overdo it to prove to myself that I was enough. I lived in a state of frantic chaos ever trying to prove I was good or I was enough because I just didn’t believe I was. I had to put the drink down to finally realize my worth. Since I put the drink down I have become right sized. I understand humility and realize I am just not that important. The right sized perspective allows me to dial down my emotions and adjust my reactions appropriately. I tend to react less to stimuli.
A huge concept that helps me deal with life’s stresses is the understanding of impermanence. Grasping this concept was a huge steppingstone in my recovery walk. Prior to this understanding I lived in a state of extreme thinking- in always and never concepts. Today I wholeheartedly trust this too shall pass and that peace of mind is worth every struggle taken to get here.
People talk about balance and finding balance and striving to live in balance. Truth is before I put the drink down I had no idea what they were talking about. My life was a self-centered collage of anxiety-stricken ambitions rooted in a misguided core belief system. I had genuine intentions, but my belief system was so out of balance that even my best intentions were self-seeking. Today, in a recovery founded life, my intentions are genuine for peace and all sided on right. My motives and thoughts and therefore actions are pure and honest. Balance is obtainable.
The work of recovery cuts away ego like water cuts away rock. I’m not exposing my brain to alcohol, so my brain is very clear. I make secure and sound decisions. Driving is not stressful, for example, I’m not worried about my speed limit or my ability to drive safely. It’s so much more than putting down the drink.
I have made amends to the people I hurt. And because I did something about the people I hurt, I can enjoy peaceful sobriety. In recovery I realize my worth and also the value of those I love. Inside we know this, but somehow, we can’t Let Go and Let God. To let go takes faith that the outcome will be okay. When we have faith, we know our Higher Power believes in us and will guide us. When we have faith, we believe in ourselves. When we let go, we let go of our need to always be right. Letting go first takes place on the inside. Letting go allows us to change how we view what’s happening. Often, all we really need is this change of attitude. This is the beauty of faith: it allows us to see the same thing in different Ways. Today I believe in God also means I believe in myself.
I have a friend who was drinking and she didn’t get help. She also didn’t get a DUI. Fate would have it that she ended up having a stroke as a direct result of excessive unhealthy drinking. Today she can’t walk. She is bedridden with teenage children, She didn’t see the warning signs so I share this with you to tell you that I feel so incredibly blessed to have the perspective that I have today. I write today in hopes that this will not happen to you; that perhaps you will read this and realize alcohol is not healthy for you, before you get a DUI or stroke or worse.
In closing, I add that it has been my experience that the North Carolina Caring Dental Program is comprised of folks who are truly compassionate and caring. It is a program of support, guidance and understanding.
Recovery is full of many blessings, but I can truly say that one of the greatest for me is learning how to manage life stressors, big and small. Prior to recovery, that voice in my head was so active. I really don’t know how I was able to move through each day and think of anything productive, so active were my ruminating thoughts. I spent most of my time with “I should have, or I could have, or what if, or now what?”. It kept me anxious and physically ill. I looked for a way to ease my pain and found my answer in drugs and alcohol.
The first and most helpful tool to manage stress I have learned in recovery is working the 12 steps. Step 1 teaches me that I am POWERLESS over people, places, and things. I need to strive to practice acceptance in all things. This step also teaches me to stay in the present moment. By staying present, I cease to regret the past or worry over the future. I keep myself where my feet are and I don’t miss out on my blessings. As I have practiced this step, it has moved from my head into my heart. Somehow like magic, the ruminating thoughts have vanished, along with that constant voice in my head.
Step 2 tells me that there is a power greater than me, and along with Step 3, I can choose to let that power handle my will and my life. By turning over my will and my life to a Higher Power, I need not carry the stress of everyday life any longer. I have a dear friend who is at the ready to do this for me if I will only let them.
Step 4 helps me when resentments rear their ugly head and they always do. Step 4 teaches me to look at my part in the resentment. I have always found, after careful inspection, that I am usually the one who creates all my resentments. I set the wheel in motion. My biggest challenge is codependency. I refuse to take care of myself, I sacrifice myself in order to care for others. After a while I feel resentful. Am I entitled to this resentment? Each time I work this step on this issue, I come to the same conclusion, NO I AM NOT!
The second helpful tool to manage everyday stress I utilize is self-care. I try to eat the right foods and get good sleep each night. By remembering the basics of my program, working a 10th step each night helps me lie my head down and have a good night’s rest. I try to exercise, at least walk daily, although my physician tells me walking up and down the hall at the office doesn’t count! Finally, I leave room each day for joy in my life. I have hobbies I enjoy. I spend time away from the office with family and friends. I love to travel and plan yearly escapes with my favorite travel companion, my husband.
Finally, I know that my ability to handle life’s everyday stressors is directly correlated to my Spiritual Fitness. The farther I step away from my Higher Power, the more stress invades daily life.
Attending 12-step meetings on a regular basis, meeting with my Sponsor, talking regularly with others in my recovery network, and being of service are all ways I stay spiritually connected. If I find myself in the grips of fear, I have only to look behind me and count the ways my Higher Power has always provided for me, and I know that I have no reason to doubt that this moment of stress and worry will not be any different. There is a peace to knowing that I do not have to know the time or the why of any outcome, only trust that my Higher Power has my best interest at heart. This has always been the case when I look at my past. Who am I to doubt that it will not be the case for my future? Holding this belief close and staying spiritually connected dispels any stress I might encounter today in my everyday life.
“Our great men have written words of Wisdom to be used, When hardship must be faced; Life obliges us with hardship, So the words of wisdom shouldn’t go to waste.” -Fiddler on the Roof
In the last of my drinking years stress increased more and more. I felt my options for dealing with stress were becoming more and more limited. I was filled with shame, guilt and pain. The only option I could see was to drink the pain away. So I became a daily blackout drinker. To drink myself to death was the final option I saw for coping with the stresses of life.
Ask for help
In recovery, I have a choice of options now. I can ask for help-medical, physical and spiritual. I can take the suggestions of people brought into my life, both inside and outside the program. Just learning that I had a choice each day was huge. I did not have to drink. In recovery, I have learned that, good or bad, “this, too, shall pass.” While I still must deal with life on life’s terms, I was surprised to find that many of the stressors had diminished seemingly on their own. I no longer felt like a worthless alcoholic.
Own my mistakes.
Stop blaming others and turn the light on me. Where had I been at fault? When I quit trying to control the world and its occupants my serenity level increases.
Get out of my own head.
Get off my pity pot. Help someone else. Amazing how this works to make my problems lessen.
I want to be the first to admit that getting out these simple tools in the depths of life’s stresses is not my first thought. But neither is taking a drink. And for that, I’m grateful.
In 2025, cannabis use among our patients is becoming more commonplace in our dental practices. The cannabis of today is not the cannabis of the 1970s. Today’s cannabis has been genetically modified to get people high, very high! Issues with frequency of use, purity of product, amounts used, and consequences of their use are often not asked in healthcare settings, especially in some medical and dental offices. Also, how should we respond if a patient told us they used Cannabis today? Should we treat them today? If not, how long should we wait before treatment? Two or three hours, one day, three days, a week? What are the potentially detrimental effects if we treat them today? These concerns need to be addressed now before potentially detrimental events occur in our offices.
Why?
The reason is that the environment to legalize national and state recreational use has never been more favorable than now.
Is Cannabis really “safer” than tobacco and alcohol? Misinformation abounds in the public eye and on multiple media outlets about the safety of today’s Cannabis.
What do we really know about Cannabis in 2025?
Recent research reveals several concerning facts:
1 in 6 patients use Cannabis, with 35% of those using at levels indicating moderate to high-risk for Cannabis Use Disorder (i.e., addiction). (1)
In 2024, a report from 176,000 patients surveyed indicated that 40% use cannabis 1-2 times in the previous month, monthly 17%, weekly 25%, and 19% daily or almost daily. (1)
In the U.S., the modes of Cannabis use by the general public include: Vaping = 29%, Inhalation = 65%, and Ingestion = 64.7%. (1)
Most recreational users have used in the past to manage a symptom. Reasons for Cannabis use include: Mental health issues = 76%, Medical = 47%, Stress = 56%, Sleep = 56%, and Pain = 37%. (1)
Primary use of Cannabis in the U.S. Adult population is for recreational (non-medical) use (According to the NIH, 83% recreational use and Pew Research, 76% recreational use). (2)
In 2022, research indicated for the first time there were more Cannabis daily or near daily users (17.7 million) vs. daily or near daily alcohol users (14.7 million) (3)
Cannabis users used 15-16 days in the previous month, while median drinkers drank 4-5 days in the previous month. (3)
More than 40% of North American non-medical (recreational) cannabis users consume edibles (e.g., Gummies, brownies). (4)
Edibles have a long latency period and duration of action. (4)
Unfamiliarity with edible dosing can result in unintentional overdose. (4)
Psychiatric and cardiovascular complications are more likely with edibles. (4)
Any Cannabis Use (smoked, eaten, vaporized) has been associated with, as compared to non-cannabis users: (5)
Cannabis and tobacco have significant cardiovascular risk.
In 2002, 25.8 million people over the age of 12 used cannabis at least once during the year as compared to 2019 where 48.2 million people over the age of 12 used cannabis at least once during the year. (6)
In fact, on March 18, 2025, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reported that among individuals without significant cardiovascular morbidity under the age of 50, the use of cannabis is linked to adverse cardiac events, resulting in: (7)
6X higher risk of myocardial infarction (within one hour of use)
4X increase risk of ischemic stroke
2 X increased risk of heart failure
3 X increased risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction or stroke
The findings suggest cannabis as a novel and under-recognized risk factor for cardiovascular disease. (7)
Dentistry needs to start (if we aren’t already) asking patients on our Health Questionnaires if they use Cannabis. If they answer in the affirmative, it is incumbent on us to start a conversation about the potential issues that may surface about their health and events that may occur in our dental office. Legalization is not going away and it will eventually surface in North Carolina in one form or another. We must be ready as practitioners to address these issues and be constructively proactive, not reactive, in addressing these pending issues.
I would be interested in hearing about your experiences with patients using Cannabis products and how you are currently addressing them. If you would like to share with me anonymously or by your name, please share your experiences at: bclaytor@nccaringdental.com.
Thank you!
Bill Claytor, DDS, MAGD Executive Director, NCCDP
References
(1) Gelberg L, Beck D, Koerber J, et al. Cannabis Use Reported by Patients Receiving Primary Care in a Large Health System. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(6):e2414809. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.14809.
(2) Lin LA, Ilgen MA, Jannausch M, Bohnert KM. Comparing adults who use cannabis medically with those who use recreationally: Results from a national sample. Addict Behav. 2016 Oct;61:99-103. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.05.015. Epub 2016 May 17. PMID: 27262964; PMCID: PMC4915997.
(3) Summarized from an article in Addiction, Changes in Self-Reported Cannabis Use in the United States from 1979 to 2022, by Caulkins, JP (Carnegie Mellon University). Copyright 2024. All rights reserved.
(4) Cannabis Edibles Market Size, Share and, Industry Analysis By Component (THC Dominant, Balanced THC & CBD, and CBD Dominant), By Application (Confectionery, Baked Products, Beverages, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2025-2032; Region : Global | Report ID: FBI109312 | Status : Ongoing;Source: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/cannabis-edibles-market-109312.
(5) Shehata, S. A., Toraih, E. A., Ismail, E. A., Hagras, A. M., Elmorsy, E., & Fawzy, M. S. (2023). Vaping, Environmental Toxicants Exposure, and Lung Cancer Risk. Cancers, 15(18), 4525. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15184525.
(6) Journal of the American Heart Association: February 28, 2024. 2019 NSDUH from SAMSHA of the US Department of HHS.(7) Report published March 18, 2025, in JACC: Advances and being presented at ACC.25 in Chicago.
You have this friend/co-worker/boss who is acting strangely. Maybe you have smelled alcohol, or suspect they are under the influence of something but you’re just not sure. Perhaps they just seem angry or distracted more now than they used to. Maybe other people in your office have noticed it too, and you are all working together to compensate for this person’s work behavior. The longer the behavior goes on, the more it will progress. What you may be experiencing is dysfunctional family dynamics in the workplace, and your friend needs someone to be strong enough to make a tough call. If you are not sure of the signs, call us and we can discuss them with you.
Normally callers remain unknown to the person needing help. To take a call seriously, however, we will have to have somebody’s name. You can either provide your name and relationship to the professional needing help, or the name of a person whom we can contact who has first-hand knowledge about the situation and would be willing to discuss. It is also helpful if there is at least one other person who is willing to discuss this situation.
If your friend is suffering from addiction or alcoholism, this will not resolve itself on its own. People with this disease are initially not happy to be confronted, but proactively involving the NC Caring Dental Professionals (NCCDP) is the best way to get much needed help. NCCDP is an advocacy organization. Our goal is to get Dental Professionals the help they need while preventing a career from being destroyed or a professional reputation being damaged.
When you take the critical first step to secure help for your friend or co-worker, you will need to be prepared to provide some information. As obvious as it may seem, sometimes callers are hesitant to provide the name of the person they are calling about, but we can’t move forward getting your friend the help they need unless we first have his/her name. Please be prepared to give examples of why this person appears to need assistance. As stated before, you will also need to provide your relationship to this person and if possible referral to another person who can corroborate or elaborate upon your information. As much information as you can give is helpful for us to assess the urgency of your friend’s situation.
