One of the many sad side effects of substance abuse is the negative impact it can have on job performance.
As addiction really begins to take hold and users find it increasingly difficult to function, many even end up losing their job. Sound decision-making and responsible behavior very rarely go hand-in-hand with addiction which is one of the many reasons it ends up taking over.
Below we have highlighted some of the other ways that addiction may affect your job performance.
- Absenteeism – whether you’ve been out all night drinking and don’t feel well enough to go into work, you would rather go out and get a fix than go into the office or you’re feeling too guilty and ashamed to face anyone, alcohol and drug use often results in people taking more time off work than they should. Constant absences or late arrivals will eventually lead to dismissal – even if you have a very understanding boss.
- Performance – no matter what you do for a living, being drunk or high (or recovering from either of these things) is going to impair your job performance. This will have a negative impact on your productivity, you won’t be as efficient as you should be and you dramatically increase the likelihood of making mistakes.
- Opportunities for promotion – if you’re regularly calling in sick or you’re performing poorly at work, it’s highly unlikely that you will ever be considered for a promotion.
- Putting yourself and others in danger – some careers require a level of attention to detail that might be a matter of life or death. For example, surgeons, paramedics and police officers carry lives in their hands. If your job involves dealing with the public, mistakes resulting from impairment due to your addiction could result in something you regret for the rest of your life. It can also be very dangerous if you operate machinery for example or if you’re responsible for other people’s safety.
Why seek treatment?
Getting substance abuse treatment will better your life in every way, including with regards to your career. Being sober and clean at work gives you:
- More stamina – you will be able to get through projects faster and with more energy.
- Greater accuracy – you’re far less likely to make mistakes or forget something important when you have a clear mind.
- Better interpersonal skills – it’s hard to have quality interactions with people when you’re intoxicated.
- Better time management – sobriety helps you keep things in order as you go about your daily routine.
Substance abuse facts in Canada
Substance abuse is a growing problem in Canada. As more people are turning to drugs and alcohol, it’s having a dramatic impact on the nation.
- In 2016, 19% of Canadians aged 12 or older reported alcohol consumption that classified them as heavy drinkers.
- The highest proportion of heavy drinking for both sexes was among those aged 18 to 34. In this age group, 34.4% of males and 23.4% of females were heavy drinkers.
- The Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CTADS) reported that the prevalence of past-year use of cannabis among the general population was 12.3% in 2015, which is an increase from 2013 (10.6%).
- In Canada, there were around 77,000 hospitalizations entirely caused by alcohol in
2015–2016, compared to 75,000 hospitalizations for heart attacks in the same year.
- The most recent comprehensive cost study, conducted in 2002, estimated the total cost of alcohol-related harm to Canadians to be $14.6 billion per year. This includes the following annual costs:
- $7.1 billion in lost productivity due to disability and premature death
- $3.3 billion for direct health care costs
- $3.1 billion for direct enforcement costs
If you would like to find out more about substance abuse counselling and how this can help you get onto the road to recovery, please get in touch with Toronto Trauma and Addiction Counselling.
Substance abuse statistics sources – https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-625-x/2017001/article/54861-eng.htm
http://www.ccsa.ca/Resource%20Library/CCSA-Canadian-Drug-Summary-Cannabis-2017-en.pdf
http://www.ccsa.ca/Resource%20Library/CCSA-Canadian-Drug-Summary-Alcohol-2017-en.pdf
