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The last blog article I wrote titled “An Alcoholic at IBM” said that after I retired: “IBM has roughly 400,000 employees. With me gone, that means there are at least 39,999 people still there with alcohol or drug abuse problems.” Frankly, the problem–at IBM and elsewhere–is likely worse.
Because there are a number of factors contributing to white collar addiction in today’s society.
The facts support the danger, as does the logic. Personally, I’ve met hundreds of white collar workers with addiction problems. (In fact, I was in a room this morning with about 80 of them.)
And I know the dangers are real–because I lived it.
We are surrounded by addiction
We live in an addictive culture, and it is a valid question to ask, “Are we all addicted to something?”
The number of Americans with addiction issues includes about 12 million people with sexual compulsions, 15 million problem gamblers, and 16 million with food issues. Approximately 40 million have compulsive issues with anxiety and 16 million are affected by depression. Addictions with alcohol and drugs strike 37 million people and there are 43 million smokers.
“Life in the U.S. is so stressful that it is impossible not to become addicted to something.” (When Society Becomes an Addict by Anne Wilson Schaef)
States are legalizing marijuana at an alarming rate. The next epidemic may be hiding in plain sight with digital addiction. And our old standby, alcohol, remains as pervasive and dangerous as ever.
“While it is difficult to obtain accurate numbers of workaholics, compulsive spenders, TV and video game addicts, and other less well-known addictions, we can be certain that they are legion.” (The Huffington Post, “Is Everyone Addicted To Something?”)
Those with white collar addiction issues are no longer an isolated few; they are part of virtually every family and every company. Because we all have issues, and we are all addicted to something.
What we can do: Increase our awareness to the very real danger that, “Yes, substance abuse or even addiction could happen to me or someone close to me.”
We are encouraged toward addiction
Prescription drug abuse is now dangerously widespread, especially in upper and middle class America. These days, many doctors not only make meds readily available, they actually encourage us to take them!
Pharmaceutical marketing in the U.S. is enormous–by far the most advertising spending in the world–and drug lobbying is the largest of any industry by a huge margin.
There is no stigma to taking drugs for virtually anything, and they are easy to obtain. We take opiods for pain, sedatives to relax, tranquilizers for anxiety, antidepressants to feel better, and stimulants for energy, weight loss, and attention deficit.
“Someday, we’ll medicate human experience right out of the human experience.” (Dennis Lehane)
The proper use of these drugs is a blessing that helps millions, but an improper reliance on them is turning millions of people, especially white collar workers who can easily afford the cost, into a society of regular drug abusers.
What we can do: Get education to increase our health consciousness so we can make wise decisions that move us toward wellness rather than addiction.
We are not limited in our addiction
White collar workers often have high-pressure jobs that lead them to relish relaxation. Or they pride themselves on “working hard and playing hard” and using alcohol or drugs to blow off steam is commonplace. In some instances, partying even becomes part of the workplace culture.
Our discretionary income and lifestyle allow us to afford drugs and keep their use hidden. Since we seem to have it all together, we are given the benefit of the doubt by others. After all, addiction is for people who can’t deal with life, not us.
Right?
“Researchers found that by age 26, upper-middle-class young adults’ lifetime chances of being diagnosed with an addiction to drugs or alcohol were two to three times higher, on average, than the national rates for men and women of the same age.” (Development and Psychopathology Journal quoted in the Huffington Post).
It is ironic that our privileged situations, which should be a blessing, instead set the stage for our struggles with addiction.
What we can do: Connect to someone or a group familiar with how addiction works.
In white collar America, we are surrounded by addiction, we are encouraged toward it, and we are not limited in our pursuit of it. In Part 2 of this article, we will discuss even more startling factors contributing to the problem.
But there is hope, because there are things we can do. With the right awareness, education, and connection, we can live an effective and happy lifestyle, and we can prevent white collar addiction.
Question: Do you have the awareness, education, and connection to remain safe from addiction?
Next Right Steps: Get the STEPS Journey Blog to read Part 2 of “White Collar Addiction.”
