Substance Awareness & Support: What HR & The Workplace Can Do

Substance misuse has been on the rise for some time now and many individuals nonetheless discuss substance use in methods which can be stigmatising. In fact, there are a large number of explanation why we, or these we care about, flip to alcohol, medicine and/or prescription treatment. However, this stigmatisation can imply that individuals with a substance use dysfunction (SUD), or a problematic use of a substance really feel disgrace and negativity, which may forestall them from in search of remedy or could adversely have an effect on their restoration. 

On the flipside, sure substances, resembling alcohol, are glorified in some  cultures. Drinking is seen as a socially acceptable exercise and is the norm. This signifies that we should recognise that as a result of consuming is so prevalent in lots of cultures that when individuals don’t drink or are discussing being sober, alcohol-free, or ‘dry’, they’re typically met with questions, as an alternative of acceptance or help for his or her alternative.

It takes braveness to confess you have got an issue and much more braveness to ask for assist. At Spotify, we purpose to help those that do. We present training, instruments and assets to assist Spotifiers recognise unhealthy relationships with alcohol or prescription treatment, in order that they will get assist to make behaviour modifications earlier than it turns into substance abuse. And for many who could already discover themselves with an SUD, we’ve got assets too. 

It’s necessary that HR professionals don’t have a look at substance misuse / abuse issues as a stand-alone matter. It’s extremely intertwined with psychological well being as the explanation for turning to substances could be a coping mechanism, which can hurt an individual’s bodily and psychological well being in each the brief and long term.

Below is a non-exhaustive listing of causes for substance misuse:

• Social Glorification: many social gatherings are centred round alcohol which may typically make it tough to say no, even when somebody desires to.
• Peer Pressure: a tradition which normalises alcohol and medicines to the extent that these selecting to not take part really feel alienated.
• Self-Medication: utilizing substances to quickly cut back or deal with tough ideas and emotions.
• Grieving: after loss substances can be utilized to alleviate bodily and emotional ache.
• Reducing Stress: utilizing substances as a approach to uninteresting the physique’s pure fight-or-flight response
• Thrill Seeking: rising the extent of dopamine within the physique.
• Boredom: turning to substances to flee the sensation of boredom.

When substance abuse is seen within the office, it’s possible that it’s been happening for a very long time – the office is usually the final place it reveals up at. 

Last September, we launched a world Substance Awareness & Support Program. The program addresses using alcohol, medicine and prescription treatment and focuses on creating consciousness across the matter and offering help for many who wish to make a change.

We launched this system in two phases. The first was centred round understanding why somebody may flip to substances. The thought was to create curiosity to immediate individuals to take a look at their relationship with substances and the way they converse, act, and affect others. The second part launched in December as using substances elevated throughout festive seasons. 

As with any help, it’s essential to maintain on reiterating this system and help out there. This September we’re taking the following step of this system, increasing the main focus to incorporate prescription treatment. We’ll present alternatives for individuals to know prevention, restoration and help.

We need our office to be a spot the place our staff really feel supported and secure, and that they will ask for assist after they realise they’ve an issue. By serving to Spotifiers to know the underlying causes for somebody to develop into depending on substances, our staff can higher help themselves and others, and with easy modifications in language, dangerous stigma and negativity round SUD could be lowered or averted.