Get a free mental health assessment and find out what treatment options are most suitable for you. We Level Up Florida can help with inpatient primary mental health therapy. Depending on the extent of secondary behavioral disorders such as addiction we can first help assess your condition and thereafter guide you to suitable treatment options.
Most people who misuse alcohol, prescription drugs, or illegal drugs are employed. Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs and prescription drug misuse and abuse can negatively affect individual health and employment. We Level Up Florida aims to help employees and businesses by supporting sobriety and recovery through affiliate programs.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration [1]:
- 68.9% of the estimated 22.4 million illicit drug users, ages 18 or older, are employed full or part-time. Also, the same survey found that most binge drinkers and heavy alcohol users are also employed.
- Of adult binge drinkers, 79.3% (41.2 million people) are employed either full or part-time. Of adult heavy drinkers, 76.1% (12.4 million people) are employed.
Binge Drinking
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention [2] defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 g/dl or above. This typically happens when men consume 5 or more drinks or women consume 4 or more drinks in about 2 hours. Binge drinking is the most common, costly, and deadly pattern of excessive alcohol use in the United States.
Risks of Binge Drinking
- Unintentional injuries such as car crashes, falls, burns, and alcohol poisoning.
- Violence including homicide, suicide, intimate partner violence, and sexual assault.
- Sexually transmitted diseases.
- Chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, and liver disease.
- Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon.
- Memory and learning problems.
- Alcohol use disorders or alcoholism
Heavy Drinking
CDC defines heavy drinking as the average consumption of more than 7 drinks per week for women and more than 14 drinks per week for men in the past year.
Risks of Heavy Drinking
- Heart disease
- Alcohol poisoning
- Overdose (particularly if mixing alcohol with other drugs)
- Liver disease
- Certain types of cancers
- Permanent changes to the brain
- Premature death
Are You A High-Functioning Alcoholic?
Some people who abuse drugs or alcohol might qualify as “high-functioning,” or able to reach personal and professional success despite substance abuse. “High-functioning” does not mean healthy. Some people seem to be just fine even though they abuse alcohol. Moreover, experts call these people “functional” or “high-functioning” alcoholics.
A high-functioning person dealing with an Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) typically still works daily, has maintained relationships, and has experienced moderate to very little consequence related to their alcohol use.
Signs Of A High-Functioning Alcoholic
- Unable to control or stop drinking alcohol
- Had legal problems related to drinking, such as DUI
- Drink alone, hide drinking from others, or need alcohol before attending social events
- Become angry or defensive when others question their drinking habits
- Experience blackouts, or lapses in memory when drinking
- Use alcohol to cope with stress or negative emotions
- Experience withdrawal symptoms, such as shakiness, irritability, restlessness, trouble sleeping, and nausea—when they’re not drinking
Workplace Drug Abuse and Addiction Treatment
Disability laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), protect from employment discrimination qualified individuals with a disability and require reasonable accommodation of protected-status employees.
ADA ensures that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. This includes people with addiction to alcohol and people in recovery from opioid and substance use disorders. This is according to the National Library of Medicine [3].
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows leaving for eligible employees with serious health conditions. Leave for rehabilitation or treatment constitutes a serious health condition under the FMLA; thus, if an employee is otherwise eligible, in general, leave must be provided to an employee seeking leave in order to attend treatment.
Many businesses enroll in the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a national initiative of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD).
The EAP can point addiction sufferers and their loved ones toward community resources for emotional support and treatment. Twelve-step groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) can also provide accountability during recovery, so former users can get and stay clean.
An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a voluntary, work-based program that offers free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services to employees who have personal and/or work-related problems. This is according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) [4].
HIPAA, or Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, is a federal law that protects sensitive patient health information from being shared (disclosed) without a patient’s consent or knowledge. Regardless of why a person seeks treatment for their health, it is their right to keep information private. When you enroll in a rehab program, the intake specialist or admission navigator will usually provide you with the required information on HIPAA up-front.
Things To Remember If You Are Struggling With Addiction at Work
- As an employee, you are entitled to the same rights as anyone with a medical or psychological condition. Therefore, you are entitled to support from your employer, time off for counselling and rehab, and complete confidentiality.
- It is more costly for your employer to recruit and train someone new than it is to support you with your addiction.
- Your employer should treat your addiction the same as any illness, and provide the same level of support as they would for these, instead of disciplinary action.
- It is very common for those suffering from addictions to be able to beat the issue and return to their previous job and work performance when given the right support and aftercare.
Effective Primary Behavorial & Seconday Addiction Disorders Programs
Inpatient medical detox and residential primary addiction treatment may be available at our affiliated facility at Level Up West Palm Beach Rehab. For some primary behavioral health treatment clients, medical detox and or addiction rehab may be required first. If you have a co-occurring severe substance abuse diagnosis, please contact us prior to beginning inpatient mental health therapy. Treatment services may vary. Please call us for a free assessment to learn which treatment options are most suited for your individual needs.
Sources
[1] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration – https://www.samhsa.gov/workplace/toolkit
[2] Center for Disease Control and Prevention – https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db374.htm
[3] National Library of Medicine – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12380414/
[4] U.S. Office of Personnel Management – https://www.opm.gov/faqs/QA.aspx?fid=4313c618-a96e-4c8e-b078-1f76912a10d9&pid=2c2b1e5b-6ff1-4940-b478-34039a1e1174