I once worked with an alcoholic. Let's call him Jarred. A bright man, energetic, lots of fun. But he could never make it to work on time. He didn't keep appointments. Sometimes he would just disappear for days. Eventually we had to part ways. We just couldn't get any work done. I never saw him drink, but I knew he had an alcohol problem and there was nothing I could do to stop him. He had to do it himself.

So about six months ago, it was with great relief that I learned Jarred was now in therapy and taking a drug to curb his alcoholism. I had heard of therapy but not the drug. So as I did more research I found that there are drugs on the market being prescribed to alcoholics every day, helping them to curb or fight their cravings for a drink. Addiction experts say it's a baby step towards solving a big problem, but at least pharmaceutical companies are headed in the right direction.

Now a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association has found that a drug usually prescribed to severe migraine sufferers or epileptics can actually help alcoholics curb their consumption within 14 weeks. (Link to CNN.com story)

The drug is Topamax. The study found that alcohol-dependent patients who received the medication had fewer heavy drinking days, fewer drinks per day and more days of continuous abstinence than those who received a placebo. In many cases patients on Topamax had a significantly higher rate of achieving 28 or more days of continuous non-heavy drinking and 28 or more days of continuous abstinence. But there were side effects.

Many patients had problems with concentration: They were very confused while taking the medication. Others complained of tingling, dizziness, itching. But a positive side effect was weight loss. Unlike the other drugs designed to treat alcoholism, Topamax actually caused the patients to lose weight. And that's important. Dr. Peter Martin, director of the Addiction Psychiatry Training Program and the Vanderbilt Addiction Center in Nashville, Tennessee, finds many of his alcohol-dependent patients are either overweight or diabetic because alcohol has a lot of calories. He feels any drug that can help them fight their addiction while keeping their weight down is a plus.

For now, Topamax has not been approved by the FDA for use in alcoholism, but that approval may be just around the corner. The manufacturer hopes the drug will help those heavy drinkers who would rather see their doctors to help them with their addiction, instead of going into expensive rehab centers. Physicians say these drugs bring new hope of fighting an addiction that at one time seemed hopeless.

I haven't heard how Jarred is doing since he acknowledged that he is an alcoholic. I can only wish that with therapy and the help of these new medications, he will be able to find peace and a new direction in his life.

Know of someone who's using therapy and prescribed drugs to help them fight their alcoholism? Tell us about it.

As a neurosurgeon, I have long been fascinated by the real link between the mind and the body. I guess intuitively we have known for some time that there is an obvious connection, but now scientists are putting more energy and resources toward studying it than ever before. From time to time, I blog about things I've found particularly interesting in this arena, and a story today caught my eye.

There is a negative relationship between workplaces stress and your heart health. Ok, so you already knew that one. But, researchers in Canada decided to take it a step further. They studied nearly a thousand men and women who returned to work after having a heart attack. They were followed for the first six weeks after their return, and then again two years later. They found that people who reported chronic job strain were twice as likely to have another heart attack. Twice as likely! Now, in case you're curious (I was) as to what constitutes job strain, the researchers specifically defined it as high psychological demands with low decision control.

Adding more evidence to the link between workplace stress and heart health was another study that more heart attacks and cardiac events occur on Monday, as compared with any other day. And, apparently, it's not just the workplace that can have a negative impact on your health. While marriage can be good for your health, it is important to be more specific. It's more accurate to say a "good marriage" can be good for you health, and a bad marriage can be awful for your heart. In fact, another study showed hostile, angry relationships can boost the risk of heart disease by 34 percent, as compared with people who are on good terms with their spouse.

No question, stress and the associated effects of cortisol and high blood pressure can be a killer. We are seeing more evidence than ever about this relationship. On the other hand, being able to mitigate stress and the perception of stress can be significantly advantageous. Do you have any of your own stories of the mind/body relationship?

A voice from the hallway said, "Hold the elevator."

We did. On reflection, perhaps we made the wrong choice.

A man with weepy eyes and a runny nose got on. Sneezing, he looked like death warmed over.

A few days later, my throat was scratchy, my body achy and I was sneezing constantly. I looked like death warmed over... but wearing fuzzy slippers.

Now I have no way of knowing for sure whether the elevator "germ man" got me sick. And before my mom calls, let me say I know it is not nice to call people names, but it is hard to be compassionate when you feel dizzy every time you stand up. Fortunately, the fever has passed. But my opinion is still the same: I am sick (yes, pun intended) and tired of people coming to work ill when they should be at home recuperating.

You might wonder why I am downright evangelical about this topic. I use to be just like the "germ man." My conversion happened a few years back when I developed a pinched nerve in my neck. A supervisor made me feel guilty for calling in sick. (Apparently MY pinched nerve was an inconvenience for HER.) So, high as a kite on pain pills, I worked. And I seethed. Perhaps it was the influence of the drugs, but I had an epiphany: Sick days exist for a REASON. From that point, I vowed to stand my ground when I was sick.

Staying home when you are sick is not only the best thing for you, but also your company. According to a study released last year, "presenteeism" is a growing concern for businesses. When people come to work sick, they are less productive and are likely to infect co-workers. Interestingly, the study also found that companies with low morale also have more ill workers showing up for work.

With flu and cold season quickly approaching, I want to know what you think. Is "presenteeism" a problem at your office? Do you feel obligated to work even when you are sick? And if so, why?

I look forward to reading your responses. In the meantime, I need to grab some disinfectant. I just heard someone sneeze.

"Don't tase me bro!"

After University of Florida student Andrew Meyer was subdued last month at a Senator John Kerry event, (Watch Video) CNN and other media outlets played the video over and over again. And we were all fascinated by CNN's own correspondent/anchor Rick Sanchez getting Tasered a few years back. (Watch Video) In a classic report, Sanchez stands ready in front of police officers, gets Tasered, and his knees buckle. Just a few seconds later he continues with his report. For good or bad, I can't help but stare when someone gets Tasered. More importantly, I can't help but wonder how safe could a Taser be?

Law enforcement uses Tasers to immobilize people. Taser devices use compressed nitrogen to shoot two probes at a speed of over 160 feet per second at a range of 15 to 35 feet. An electrical signal sends a current through the probes rendering the immediate loss of a person's neuromuscular control for the duration of the impulse. "Typically a Taser can pack 50,000 volts, when it actually makes contact with a person 1,200 to 1,300 volts pulse through the body," says study author Dr. William Bozeman. A shock of just a half a second causes intense pain and muscle contractions. The manufacturer says that recovery is instantaneous, and long-lasting side effects are rare. This new study contends that most injuries are related to the fall to the ground, not the actual electrical current of the Taser itself.

A new study out of Wake Forest University School of Medicine finds that Tasers are relatively safe. Tactical physicians (doctors who work with SWAT teams) looked at 1,000 cases of law enforcement use of Tasers in six locations around the country. They found that 99.7 percent of the cases had mild injuries, such as scrapes or bruises, or no injuries at all. In the study, only three people suffered severe enough injuries to be sent to the hospital. Of those, two had injuries from falling immediately after being Tasered. The third person was admitted to the hospital two days after being Tasered, but researchers says it is unclear whether the hospitalization had anything to do with being Tasered. It's important to note that the new study followed patients only if they had to be hospitalized or needed follow-up care from initial injuries. There was no long term follow-up with all of the patients. The study was funded by the National Institute of Justice, but researchers say that the study was independently designed and conducted.

Amnesty International points out more than 245 people in the United States have died, many from cardiac arrest after being shocked with Tasers. Amnesty and other groups call for more investigation into how dangerous these devices may be. The Wake Forest researchers acknowledge that there have been roughly 270 people who have died in police custody after being Tasered, but they say that there is no clear evidence that the deaths can be attributed to Tasering or other causes.

Do you think tasers are safe? Have you or anyone you know ever been Tasered?