It is not unusual for co-workers to be some of the first people to notice when a person is struggling with addiction and recommend that they seek help. Being afflicted with addiction naturally has a negative effect on a person’s work performance, and it is very difficult for a person to hide their addiction in the work place. But what about people who work from home? Most people who work out of their houses do not have co-workers, and are frequently their own managers. For these people, the burden of fighting addiction falls on their shoulders that much more than it would if the person had workplace peers.
In today’s technological age, it is estimated that nearly 130-million people hold telecommuting jobs. Most large companies offer telecommuting positions and they are continuously increasing in popularity in the global job market. That is a large number of people working independently! Telecommuting has many benefits, but the individualistic nature of working this way can be a setback for people who are struggling with addiction. Co-workers and supervisors are people we are naturally accountable to. In the typical work environment, we are accountable to these people for 40-hours per week. When a person works alone, they are without this degree of peer support.
In addition, many people who work from home are managing their own business, which adds a huge amount of responsibility to an already solitary endeavor. Running a business can be overwhelmingly stressful, and sadly, many business owners turn to addiction and substance abuse to escape from work stress. Many people praise the working from home model, but it is undeniable that it is less social than the typical work model. For that reason, people who are struggling with addiction and working from home should take extra care to seek quality treatment and support for their condition to avoid irreversible life destruction. If you or someone you know is addicted and working from home, it is advised that you reach out to an addiction counselor or a professional rehabilitation facility for help.