Substance Use and the Social Worker

In celebration of meeting and then surpassing the 7,000 viewed mark on my blog, I thought I would tackle an edgier topic for this post.

I have been aware of social workers using substances to cope with their stressful jobs since university.  Then, when I entered the work force I heard rumours of past and current employees misusing substances.  However, as with suffering from mental health issues, substance use in the workplace of social work is still taboo.

I am by no means an expert in this field since I specialize in working with children.  I have limited experience in counselling and it did not include assisting helping professionals.  So all I can offer is my  personal view of why some social workers may find themselves in this precarious position.

Being a social worker comes with it's fair share of challenges.  We are given an incredible amount of power and responsibility, however we do not always have the decision making authority we would like.  In a sense, we are trapped between our clients and management and neither the one can we make happy.  We are exposed to very stressful and sometimes dangerous situations where our emotional, mental and/or physical health is put at risk.  The bleak and unimaginable becomes a part of our daily lives and it can be rare for us to have positive or encouraging interactions with our clients.

Some social workers burn out and instead of taking a leave of absence they resort to external coping mechanisms like alcohol or drugs.  Internally they are unable to cope with the stress and pressure and they need an escape.  Substance use becomes a necessary act for the person so they can continue to function.  The substance use may occur at home, or it could blur into working hours.  Using during lunch or breaks becomes the norm and additional secrecy is added when the person tries to conceal the substances in their office.

It becomes a game of cat and mouse with the addicted person.  They do not want to need substances to function, however the fear of stopping is too great.  They are afraid of getting caught, however their addiction overrules their rational thinking and they continue using no matter how risky it is.  But then someone finds out - a coworker or supervisor and the person must face their demon.

At that point the social either walks away from their job, gets fired, or is supported by their employer into receiving some sort of addictions treatment.  Yet, if the social worker is also experiencing mental health or physical issues then all the reasons why they became addicted to a substance must be explored.

There are substance misuser's in every profession.  However, particularly in the helping professions like social work will you find those who become so overwhelmed with their work situation that they turn to drugs or alcohol to numb their pain.  I cannot condone their actions since in an altered state, these social workers could cause great harm to their clients through impaired decision making.  I do believe we should support our fellow social workers by approaching them in a respectful and caring way that we are concerned about them.  And if you do not feel comfortable speaking to a social work colleague about this issue, then find a compassionate higher up who can advise this social worker of the treatment services that are available through your employer.  Since in the end you may be saving not only their career, but also their life.

As always,

Patti