Supporting Truckers Through Mental Health and Substance Abuse with Scott Busby, Praesum Health

Your mental health as a trucker is just as important as your physical health behind the wheel, but it often gets overlooked or pushed aside due to shame, fear, and a litany of other emotions that we often want to hide. 

As the first episode of Season 5, we could not have come out of the gate with a more important topic. Zac and Chelsea speak with Scott Busby, Director of Admissions at Praesum Healthcare, a leader in mental health and drug & alcohol treatment services along the East Coast. 

They discuss Praesum's programs that cater directly to truckers, including an intricate support system in person and online, the mental health challenges truck drivers face, and the interconnection between substance abuse and mental health. Scott shares some real-life stories from truckers and comments on the importance of employer support.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The unique mental health challenges truck drivers face and the specialized resources available to help

• How interconnected the nature of substance abuse and mental health is, how it illustrates how drivers can fall into the trap of addiction and what steps they can take to recover

• The importance of understanding medication effects and the need for better education to prevent accidental violations

• Employer support and the steps you can take to ensure you get the help you need

Resources:

Praesum Healthcare: https://www.praesumhealthcare.com/ 

Scott Busby’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-busby-6a9044bb/ 

Scott Busby’s email: sbusby@praesumhealthcare.com 

Reach Scott via phone: 561-884-3869

Safe Harbor Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/safeharbormentalhealthsupportnetwork 

Connect with Zac, Chelsea, and HandledNow:

HandledNow’s website - www.handlednow.com

HandledNow’s Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/handlednow1 

Zac’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-elsts-981953108/ 

Chelsea’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-faulkner-6673288b/ 

Jump into the conversation:

00:00 Welcome to Drive Season Five

01:00 Introduction to Scott Busby, Praesum Healthcare

07:02 Truck drivers' unique challenges and personal reflection

09:21 Providing comprehensive mental health care with dignity

13:59 Normalize second chances, support for employees' well-being

18:21 Supportive community providing mental health education

22:56 Perception of truck driving and changing attitudes

28:42 Media diversity is needed to avoid bias

30:09 Diverse treatment options for addiction recovery available

35:36 Stigma around mental health is improving

36:42 Encouraging conversation and support for mental health

40:57 Adapting to mental health treatment is challenging

44:14 Dealing with safety-sensitive issues in employment

48:26 Medical industry lacks education for medication effects