Workplace Stress and Substance Use
An interesting new article from the UK website, The Recovery Trust, addressed the impacts stress has on an individual’s use of drugs and alcohol. It is common knowledge, with extensive research backing it up, that people use substances as a way to cope with life’s problems – a form of self-medicating. Additional research has shown that the brain’s way of regulating stress is to release cortisol (stress hormone) which is also linked to “problematic substance use.”
With the insecurity of today’s workplace including changing technology and economic uncertainty, it is no wonder that workplace stress is a major risk factor regarding substance use disorders and mental health disorders. Workplace stress from high demand jobs and low control over work issues is a primary risk factor for depressive disorders. This severely impacts productivity and increases absenteeism affecting the employer’s bottom line.
Organizations are encouraged to make sure that the mental health and wellbeing of their workforce is an essential objective in their work environment.
How does your organization address substance use and mental health problems in the workplace?