The Industries Where Employees Are Most At Risk Of Addiction

We all find our jobs stressful from time to time. It’s a fact of life and something that we almost expect. However, that doesn’t mean it’s ok and more and more people are suffering stress, depression and anxiety because of their role.

In the last 12 months, the phenomenon of “quiet quitting” has been prominent as people look to do no more than what’s in their contract in order to recapture a work-life balance and avoid the dangers that stress can bring, in particular addiction.

For generations workforces have turned to the likes of drugs and alcohol in order to cope with heavy work schedules, long hours and the stress of the role itself, and it’s had a huge impact on addiction statistics across the USA.

Cocaine abuse is particularly prevalent in industries, and studies have shown that some industries are more susceptible than others. But which are the industries in which employees are most likely to suffer from alcohol or drug usage?

Alcohol Abuse By Industry

Alcohol is widely abused across not only the USA but the world and is responsible for one in 20 deaths, so it’s perhaps no surprise that there is a large amount of workplace abuse.

Hospitality has long had a reputation for alcohol abuse, but interestingly the stats show that it’s more in manual labour where abuse of alcohol is at its highest, with 17.5% of people in the mining industry abusing alcohol, as well as 16.5% in construction.

.8% of those working in restaurants, bars and nightclubs, as well as the remainder of the hospitality industry suffer from alcohol abuse, while the art, entertainment and recreational sector (.5%) and the utilities sector (10.3%) make up the five industries that suffers most with the problem.

Drug Abuse By Industry

There’s a consistency with alcohol when it comes to drug abuse across industries, and this time the hospitality sector sits at the top of the pile with almost one in five (19.1%) of people working in it abusing drugs, and that correlates with the volume of workers entering drug rehab centers for treatment. The arts and entertainment sector also shifts into the top two, with 13.7% of employees using drugs, while those in high-powered office jobs and management are also more susceptible to drug abuse.

Construction makes the top five with around .6% of employees using drugs, in what is another damning statistic on the industry.

It’s certainly a worrying time for these industries, and more clearly needs to be done to support workers and ensure they are not turning to substances that can cause serious health problems in both the short and long term.

Tags: Employees