The Link Between Working From Home And Addiction Problems
Working from home has increased drastically due to the COVID lockdown and a lot of people are continuing the practice indefinitely. Many employees say they would rather work from home because it's more flexible and they don't have to worry about the commute. A lot of businesses prefer it too because it saves them money on their overheads. However, there is a darker side to working from home.
Being at home all of the time can actually create more substance abuse problems and make addictions much worse. It's important that this is addressed if working from home is going to become more common. But why exactly does working from home make addiction problems worse?
More Opportunity
Obviously, working from home gives more opportunity to access drugs or alcohol. Employees are at home all day and can easily organize their work so they have downtime where they can drink or use substances freely. It is less likely that an employee will be caught than if they were working in an office. This means that people start drinking earlier during the day and their drinking becomes more regular.
Easier To Hide The Problem
It's much easier to hide an addiction problem when you work from home than in an office. People can turn their PC off, close their laptop and drink or use drugs without anyone knowing. This makes it possible for someone who is struggling with addiction problems to continue hiding their issues rather than face them head on. It's also much harder for other people to see the warning signs of an addiction when they don't meet you face to face in the office every day.
Mental Health Issues Caused By Working From Home
Addiction is often linked with mental health issues and really, it should be treated as its own mental health problem. However, working from home can make mental health issues even worse because it is very easy to feel isolated and alone. Working from home means that people don't get 'breaks' where they can see other people and socialize. This can cause feelings of loneliness and depression which in turn makes addiction problems worse.
Where To Turn For Help
If you feel that your alcohol or drug use is out of control and getting worse because you are working from home, you need to reach out to somebody for help. Check out some American Addiction Centers reviews to find a good support facility if the problem is particularly bad. However, you may also find that talking to a friend or family member and asking for support is enough to get a handle on the problem.
If you are concerned that stress from work is making things worse, speak to your employer. You might be able to work out a system where you have more frequent 'breaks' or even take some time off. You may also want to speak with your support network about helping you stay away from addiction triggers when you are at home.
The link between addiction and working from home is something we all need to be aware of as the world of work goes through this huge transition period.
