Drug and alcohol misuse and addiction are an epidemic in the U.S. According to the Surgeon General's report "Facing Addiction," nearly 21 million Americans suffer from a substance use disorder and only one in 10 receives treatment. Drug and alcohol misuse has a negative impact on business and industry, ranging from lost productivity, absenteeism, fatalities and theft to increased health care and legal and worker's compensation costs.
According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, workers with alcohol problems were 2.7 times more likely than workers without drinking problems to have a work-related absence, and analyses of workplace fatalities showed 11 percent of victims had been drinking. Seventy percent of the estimated 14.8 million Americans who use illegal drugs are employed. The most commonly abused substances are alcohol and marijuana, but prescription drug abuse is increasing. Additionally, there has been an increase in the use of dangerous synthetic cannabinoids, also called synthetic marijuana, because it does not show up on most standard drug tests. This drug can destroy physical and mental health from the very first use. Immediate effects of synthetic marijuana may include vomiting, confusion, hallucinations, psychotic behavior, rapid heart rate, reduced blood flow to the heart and, in some cases, heart attack.
The good news is a range of effective strategies and services is available to identify, treat and manage substance use problems and substance disorders. A good starting place is a brief, early intervention. Screening and Brief Intervention, given by a respected care provider such as a nurse, nurse educator or physician in the context of usual medical care (for example, a routine medical exam or care for an injury or illness), can educate and motivate many individuals who are misusing substances to understand and acknowledge their risky behavior and to reduce their substance use. Screening and Brief Intervention can be an end in itself or may result in a referral to more intensive treatment.
According to "Facing Addiction," "The goals of substance use disorder treatment are similar to those of treatments for other serious, often chronic, illnesses: reduce the symptoms of the illness, improve health and social function, and teach patients to monitor their condition. Substance use disorder treatment can be provided in inpatient or outpatient settings, depending on the needs of the patient, and typically incorporates a combination of behavioral therapies, medications and recovery support services. However, unlike treatments for most other medical illnesses, substance use disorder treatment has traditionally been provided in programs (both residential and outpatient) outside of the mainstream health care system. The intensity of the treatment regimens offered can vary substantially across program types."
One common type of treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In CBT, individuals learn to identify and correct problematic behaviors by applying a range of different skills that can be used to stop drug abuse and to address a range of other problems that often co-occur with it. Methodone, buprenorphine and naltrexone pharmacotherapies are also used for opioid addiction. After treatment, recovery support is essential to maintaining wellness.
Recovery support services can be effective in promoting healthy lifestyle techniques to increase resilience skills, reduce the risk of relapse, and help those affected by substance use disorders achieve and maintain recovery. Individuals who participate in substance use disorder treatment and recovery support typically have better long-term recovery outcomes than individuals who receive either alone. Further, active recovery and social supports, both during and following treatment, are important in maintaining recovery.
By encouraging and supporting treatment, employers can dramatically assist in reducing the negative impact of alcoholism and addiction in the workplace while reducing their costs.
For more information, contact the Bay Area Council on Drugs and Alcohol at info@bacoda.org or (800) 510-3111.
