Addictions In the Startup World

Substance misuse of marijuana, alcohol, cocaine and more can cause serious health issues and complications both in a person’s personal and professional life. Substance misuse is especially prevalent in the corporate world, specifically in startup businesses. Many people in the startup world have a dependency on these substances. A dependency is a mental and physical reliance on a chemical substance.

In the fast-paced world of startups, many people rely on these substances to help them push forward and make their startups succeed. Unfortunately, the reliance on these substances leads to the formation of addiction that has long-term consequences on a person’s life. Below we’ll discuss the prevalence of addiction in startups.

• Drug Addiction In Startups
• Why Is Drug and Alcohol Addiction Common In Startups?
• What to Do If You Suffer From Addiction
• 1. Seek Emotional Support
• 2. Search for a Treatment Center
• 3. Address Your Mental Health
• Alcohol & Substance Misuse Treatments

Drug Addiction In Startups

Drug and alcohol dependecy continues to be an ongoing issue many people deal with daily. Substance misuse and dependence have skyrocketed in startups and areas where many startups reside, including New York and California. Many people in these areas rely on drugs and alcohol to help them keep up with the fast-paced culture of creating and growing a startup business.

This reliance on drugs and alcohol to meet performance standards and cope with the startup environment leads to substance misuse and addiction. Substance misuse offers expensive complications for startups and business owners. While many people take the substances to help them focus or maintain stamina, these drugs often have the opposite effect. Substance misuse leads to absenteeism, decreased productivity and more.

In more severe cases, a substance dependency can lead to injury, severe accidents and death. Addressing substance misuse in the startup setting ensures the well-being of all employees and lowers the risk of accident or injury.

Why Is Drug and Alcohol Addiction Common In Startups?

A startup’s culture and office environment directly influence the well-being of employees. In some cases, a startup may have a more relaxed alcohol and drug policy, which does not strictly discourage or prohibit substance use within the office. Additionally, those who work within the office can impact the company’s substance abuse tolerance.

For example, some research suggests that occupations and offices comprised largely of men may create a heavier drinking culture. Researchers found that men are almost two times more likely to binge drink than women, with approximately 22% of men binge drinking five times in a month. If a startup is predominantly men, it could leave them vulnerable to creating an “acceptable” substance abuse culture.

While substance abuse can happen anywhere, it is especially prominent in startups. Some of the most common reasons that dependencies develop in startups include:

• Stress: Workplace responsibilities and deadlines can lead to anxiety and stress in many employees. Unfortunately, some employees may seek to self-medicate through misusing substances or alcohol as a way to cope with ongoing workplace stress. Extreme stress, especially paired with mounting responsibilities or unsupportive management, may cause some employees to misuse substances as a way to cope with negative emotions.
• Long work hours: Similar to workplace stress, long work hours can increase anxiety or negative emotions, potentially increasing a person’s desire to self-medicate and misuse substances. If an employee feels overworked or they lack personal time, these factors may worsen stress and negative emotions. Self-medicating may take place for some employees to manage long shifts or a busy schedule. Additionally, employees may try to use stimulants to keep themselves awake and focused.
• Workplace alienation: The environment an employee is in daily plays a large role in the employee’s overall well-being. An under-appreciated employee or an employee who feels alienated or isolated may be more likely to develop a substance use disorder. Without a support system, feelings of isolation or loneliness often worsen negative emotions, such as workplace stress.
• Social culture: Many employees find it easy to bring alcohol or a substance to the workplace, especially if there is no clear rule against alcohol or drug use on office property. In some cases, an employee may find it easy to drink during lunch breaks or bring alcohol or a substance into the office or their workplace. Additionally, if coworkers partake in using drugs or drinking alcohol, it may influence other employees to participate.

What to Do If You Suffer From Addiction

Substance use disorder presents consequences that directly impact your personal and professional life. Seeking treatment as quickly as possible can help you receive proper treatment and increase the potential for life-long recovery. No matter how much time a person has misused alcohol or a substance, rehabilitation is still possible. If you or a loved one are experiencing alcohol or substance misuse symptoms, you may want to consider these steps.

1. Seek Emotional Support

One of the most important aspects of recovering from an alcohol or substance dependency is to seek emotional support. While this step is challenging, talking with a friend, family member or even a coworker you are close with can help you determine appropriate steps to take towards healing and recovery.

Speaking openly about difficult feelings or substance misuse provides a productive first step to addressing a dependency and seeking treatment. A close family member or coworker can help you find a treatment center that is right for your unique needs. Dealing with substance misuse can be challenging, especially alone. A support group is vital to helping you make progress and work through the challenges of overcoming addiction.

2. Search for a Treatment Center

Substance misuse disorders and alcohol dependencies are dangerous diseases with lives at stake. A treatment center teaches people about addiction and how it affects each aspect of their lives. Additionally, a drug dependency treatment program helps you break the cycle of dependency and determine the underlying issues that may contribute to substance misuse.

An effective treatment program helps you build healthy habits and practices to take with you after completing treatment. One of the most important steps is to create and establish boundaries. Following treatment, you will come across many people, places and situations that may pose a risk to sobriety. Learning to develop boundaries can help you lead a healthy life.

3. Address Your Mental Health

Mental health problems often occur alongside alcohol or substance misuse. In some cases, people may misuse a substance or alcohol in an attempt to self-medicate and ease negative emotions of an underlying mental health condition. Unfortunately, this path often worsens a person’s mental health and exacerbates negative emotions.

In addition to treating the medical aspects of substance and alcohol misuse, an important aspect of treatment is to address mental health. Common mental health concerns that often play a role in substance misuse include anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, trauma and more.

Alcohol & Substance Misuse Treatments

Gateway Foundation is a leading provider of evidence-based treatments to help patients recover from an alcohol or substance dependency. Our team of experts provides the highest level of care and specialized treatment modalities to meet the unique needs of patients. We offer trauma, diagnosis and family services to help you recover and get your life back.

Get started with a substance misuse treatment and contact us online today or call us at 877-381-6538.