A person suffering from addiction often loses control of their drug use. While they may start in complete control, as the addiction worsens, they will feel cravings and urges often and feel compelled to use drugs during much of the day. This can be especially dangerous for people who feel compelled to use drugs while working.
Dangers of Drug Use in the Workplace
Drug use in the workplace can have many detrimental effects. Besides putting the user in danger, those around them can also be affected. Drug or alcohol use in the workplace can lead to dangerous work accidents that can put many people in harm’s way. This can also lead to expensive medical costs for any business.
A person using drugs at work will likely be unable to perform up to their expectations and could slow down those around them as well. It can negatively affect the mental health, stress, and morale of a business’ employees.
What Drugs Are Most Commonly Abused at Work
While any drug can be abused in the workplace, it is more likely that someone uses drugs that can be easily concealed, leaves no residue, and does not leave them incapacitated. For these reasons, drugs like heroin and fentanyl are less likely to be used in the workplace than prescription opioids like Oxycontin.
Alcohol is one of the most commonly used drugs in the workplace. Alcohol can be hidden in things like water bottles or other containers that make it seem like a person is drinking something else. Small flasks can also be hidden so a person can sneak drinks when no one is looking or in private areas such as a bathroom.
Stimulants such as cocaine or amphetamines like Adderall are also commonly used in the workplace. Stimulants have the ability to significantly boost a person’s energy levels and ability to focus, leading some people to depend on these drugs to complete their work. An individual may be addicted to the specific drug or use the drugs to recover from the effects of using depressants outside of work, such as heroin.
Substances commonly abused in the workplace include:
- Alcohol
- Cocaine
- Marijuana
- Amphetamines, such as Adderall, Concerta, or Ritalin
- Prescription opioid painkillers, such as Oxycontin, Vicodin, Percocet
- Codeine (cough medicine)
- Anti-anxiety medications, such as Benzodiazepines
Receiving Treatment While Holding a Job
Warner Park Recovery Center has recently implemented an evening program designed to give treatment access to professionals who may otherwise not have availability during the daytime. This program is available for people dealing with a substance use issue or mental health disorder.
The program offers three group meetings per week, from 5:30 to 7:30 in the evening. Group meetings can be accessed virtually through our TeleMed options. Although many will take advantage of the virtual support, we suggest that each client attend in-person meetings at least once per week. In-person sessions often encourage higher levels of participation which is beneficial to long-term sobriety.
The evening program is the right fit for people looking to get their challenges under control before it becomes serious. Whether a person is dealing with substance use or mental health challenges, work can often cause stress and anxiety, leading to these issues becoming more serious. Our evening program can help people build coping strategies and healthier behavior so that the stresses of everyday life do not lead to severe addiction or mental health obstacles.
Evening Programming in Woodland Hills, CA
At Warner Park, helping people through treatment is our primary goal. We believe that this evening programming will allow many people to seek help who may have otherwise felt unable. This program is beneficial for those whose jobs may make it difficult to find time for treatment and individuals who may feel that their substance use or mental health challenges are mild but fear them becoming more severe over time.
Seeking treatment while maintaining a job can be a challenging process. It may feel difficult to fulfill your obligations at home, work, and in treatment simultaneously. However, you must put your own mental and physical health above all else.
Treatment as a preventive measure can be crucial in avoiding severe mental health challenges in the future. Work doesn’t always stop after you leave work, as self-care can be just as important, if not more so, than anything you accomplish at your job.
Let Us Help You With Addiction Treatment
At Warner Park Recovery, we’re here to help individuals and families by providing exceptional addiction treatment options. We’re a dual diagnosis (mental health combined with substance abuse treatment) program that offers partial day, intensive outpatient, and traditional outpatient levels of care. We regularly treat patients from the Woodland Hills, Calabasas, Topanga Canyon, The Valley, and Thousand Oaks areas. If you are looking for help with addiction treatment, please give us a call to learn more about our professional services!
