“If you have a disease, you want to go to a doctor for it.” -Dr. Eric Morse, founder and CEO of Morse Clinics largely resulting from a lack of knowledge and understanding, according to Dr. Morse. North Carolina currently doesn’t offer training programs for any physicians in addictions. There is also an issue of countertransference, in which a medical analyst might have an emotional bias against their patient’s issue. That’s why Dr. Morse partners with the Governor's Institute to educate medical personnel and state of cials on addiction as a chronic illness, and the importance of treating it as one. A HEALTHY MINDSET When clients enter his clinics, they often experience high levels of guilt and shame. This can stem from believing their addiction is a personal fault or was a result of poor choices, rather than being a result of genetics and exposure like other medical conditions. Beginning to treat their illness with medication can help lift away some of this self-blame, empowering clients to get stabilized and begin dealing with underlying personal issues. While Dr. Morse believes counseling and 12-step
programs are effective processes for dealing with such issues, they need to be combined with medical treatment to create a holistic approach. This approach creates a healthier mindset so the patient can better handle the dif cult process of confronting their internal state. The process eventually leads to tapering off the medicine for most patients, though this could take several months or several years depending on the individual. Some patients may choose to stay on medication inde nitely, not wanting to risk their sobriety. “I encourage my patients to use the maintenance program for as long as they feel is right,” says Dr. Morse. “Some people think medicine is a crutch. Well if you break your leg, wouldn’t you want a crutch?”
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Not recommending treatment that has been proven as more
effective is close to malpractice. -Dr. Eric Morse
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