What Are Some Signs an Executive is Addicted to Drugs?
Executives are not immune to the ravages of addiction. Most of them live in a world where pressure is high to perform and they feel like they have to be on all the time. There is no breathing room for executives who run from one thing to the next until they burn out. Some will resort to using drugs or drinking as a means of getting away from it all and numbing the pain.
How it Happens
When an executive feels forced into a corner with work, family, stress, and other issues, they may not be able to feel they can get out easily. With the demands of everything they face, they may have concerns about how to get where they want to be without using drugs to cope. A few drinks may turn into binge drinking on a regular basis, or just once in a while. It may turn into substance abuse from using marijuana to loosen up after a day at work and then they cannot function without using the drug. Painkillers are also used to numb pain, which may start with actual pain or just emotional pain they are fixing.
Signs of Use
There are some telltale signs an executive has gone overboard and is abusing substances. Some of the ways an executive can be identified with addiction include:
- Lower quality of work and performance
- Grooming is less than normal
- Staff performance is weak (and growing weaker)
- Deadlines get missed with increasing regularity
- More often than not the executive is showing up for work late or not at all before and after the weekend
- Taking longer breaks, leaving earlier, or coming in later in the morning
How to Support
It is difficult to offer a helping hand to someone who is struggling with addiction. Words only go so far for people who are wrestling with mental and physical challenges brought on by addiction. Stress, burn out, overwhelm, and constant struggles with work can create a perfect storm at work. Rather than dismiss an executive, it can be beneficial to consider helping them locate addiction services and provide incentives to get back to work after rehab. Learning how to navigate life better in recovery, have boundaries and balance around work and life can help people get past the trauma and guilt to find a new perspective. Healing can happen in recovery for those who are provided the opportunity and are willing to take the risk.
The Palmetto understands executives and their needs in recovery. Our program provides a special focus for professionals including chiropractors, nurses, doctors, lawyers, and more who need help with addiction recovery. Call us to find out more: 866-848-3001.
