Physicians and nurses deal with the reality of illness and death on a daily basis. What is abstract and theoretical to most is a part of normal daily reality for those who work on the front lines in the medical field, and unsurprisingly this can exact a significant psychological toll. Many speculate that the high levels of stress doctors and nurses experience because of their frequent exposure to physical trauma and serious illness could leave those who work in these occupations particularly vulnerable to the lure of mind-altering substances.