Drug
g Free Workplace
p
Presented by
Secure Health Plans
Employee Assistance Program
Employee Learning Objectives
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Overview of a Drug
Drug--Free Workplace Policy
Impact of substance abuse in the workplace
Understanding addiction
Signs and symptoms of substance abuse
S ifi drugs
Specific
d
off abuse
b
Family and coworker impact
Confidentiality
How to get help
A Drug Free Workplace Policy
accomplishes two things:
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Sends a clear message that alcohol and drug use
in the workplace is prohibited
Encourages employees who have problems with
alcohol and other drugs to voluntarily seek help
Drug Free Workplace Act
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Signed into law by President Reagan in 1988
Denies government contracts with any business
that is not a Drug Free Workplace
Impact of Substance Abuse in the
Workplace
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Employee health
Productivity
D i i making
Decision
ki
Safety
Employee morale
Security
Organizational image and community relations
Ways that People Use Alcohol
and Other Drugs
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Experimentally
Socially/Recreational Use
Ab
Abuse
off chemicals
h i l
Addiction to chemicals
Abuse
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Usingg a substance to modifyy or control mood or state
of mind in a manner that is illegal or harmful to oneself
or others
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Potential consequences of abuse or addiction
include:
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Accidents or injuries
j
Blackouts
Legal problems
Poor job performance
Family problems
Decreased impulse control with an increase in risk taking
behaviors
Addiction
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Addiction is the compulsion to use alcohol and
other drugs despite adverse consequences. It is
characterized by repeated failures to control use,
use
increased tolerance and increased disruption in
all areas
areas.
Addiction can be thought of as loss of control
over the choice to abuse chemicals or other
mood altering behaviors.
Signs and Symptoms of
Substance Abuse
Abuse of alcohol and other drugs affects people:
• Emotionally and mentally
• Physically
Ph i ll
• Behaviorally
Emotional and Mental
Effects of Substance Abuse:
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Stress
Anxiety/decreased anxiety
D
Depression
i
Irritability/amiability
Ideas of grandiosity
Paranoia
Behavioral effects of
substance abuse:
Aggression
 Increased reaction time
 Slowed or slurred speech/rapid speech
 Excessive talking
g
 Limited attention span
 Poor motivation or lack of energy/excess
energy
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Physical effects of
substance abuse:
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Weight loss/weight gain
Sweating
Chill /f
Chills/fever
Smell of alcohol
Red eyes
Sluggish gait
Decreased coordination
Specific Drugs of Abuse
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Alcohol
Marijuana
Inhalants
Cocaine
Crystal Methamphetamine
LSD
Opi t —heroin,
Opiates—
Opiates
h r i oxycodone
d
Designer Drugs—
Drugs—Ecstasy, GHB
Alcohol
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Legal for those age 21 and over
Readily available—
available—in convenience stores,
grocery stores
stores, etc
etc.
Consumed by 103 million Americans annually
Works by shutting down brain function
Can cause damage
g to the bodyy byy shuttingg down
major organs, such as the liver
Alcohol True or False
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Is a liquid that dries you out
Helps you sleep
Is
I a depressant
d
that
h makes
k you feel
f l goodd
Is a sedative that excites the nervous system
Makes you a better dancer
Use is not a problem for most people
Abuse can mimic any mental illness
Alcohol Quiz Answers
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True--ingestion of alcohol dehydrates the body
True
False--it sedates the body but does not provide
False
true rest
True--alcohol turns off that area of the brain
True
li k d to inhibition
linked
i hibi i and
d worry
True--alcohol excites the central nervous system
True
which can lead to tremors during withdrawal
Quiz answers continued
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False--you just worry less due to lowered
False
inhibitions
True--more than 80% of the population can
True
drink without it becoming a problem
T -the
TrueTrue
h excessive
i use off alcohol
l h l can give
i the
h
appearance of mental illness due to the
i
impairment
i
off brain
b i ffunctioning
i i
Marijuana
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Can be a gateway drug
Contains a minimum of 60 psychoactive
substances
Five joints equals one PACK of cigarettes for
lung tar
lung
Decreases immune functioning
Impacts areas of the brain responsible for
memory,
y, learningg and attention
Cocaine and Crack
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7.2%
7 2% of all 12th graders have used cocaine in
some form
On average,
average people are in treatment EIGHT
times before real recovery begins
H
Heart
rate iincreases to 350
350--400 beats
b
per minute
i
while using crack
Combines with alcohol and becomes
cocaethlyene increasing risk of sudden death
Inhalants
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Includes gasoline, butane, glue, household
aerosols, and solvents
More physically dangerous than cocaine and
heroin
Single huff can kill instantly
instantly—
—death rate is 30%
among first time users
Becoming increasingly popular among
adolescents due to usually easy access
Prescription Drugs
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Legal if taken by a patient with a current
prescription and if taken for the dosage and
frequency prescribed
Increasingly popular—
popular—Oxycodone, Xanax,
Lortab Vicodin
Lortab,
Vicodin, etc
etc.
“Doctor Chasers”
Chasers”—
—go from doctor to doctor to
support their
h i addiction
ddi i ffor prescription
i i meds
d
Family and Coworker Impact
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For every person with addiction at least 5 other
people are affected negatively
Family members may begin to organize around
the behaviors of the person with addiction
Diffi l performing
Difficulty
f
i on the
h job
j b can sometimes
i
be caused by unrecognized personal problems—
problems—
i l di addiction
including
ddi i to alcohol
l h l and
d other
h ddrugs
Enabling
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Enabling: Action that someone takes to protect
the person with the problem from the
consequences of his or her actions.
actions
Unfortunately, enabling actually helps the
person to NOT deal with his or her problem
Examples of Enabling:
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Covering Up
Rationalizing
Wi hd i /A idi
Withdrawing/Avoiding
Blaming
Controlling
Threatening
Addictive manipulations
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Sympathy
Excuses
Apology
A l
Diversions
Innocence
Anger
Tears
Getting Assistance
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Addiction is treatable
Help is available
Although a supervisor may suspect that an employee
employee’ss
performance is poor because of underlying personal
problems, it is up
p
p to the employee
p y to decide whether or
not that is the case, unless the supervisor mandates the
employee to see EAP
It is the employee’s responsibility to decide whether or
not to seek help
Confidentiality
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An employee
employee’ss decision to seek help is a private
one and will not be made public
Conversations with EAP are private and will be
protected as such
If an employee chooses to tell a coworker about
his/her private concerns, that is his/her decision
When an employee tells his/her supervisor
something in confidence, supervisors are
g
to protect
p
that disclosure
obligated
What can EAP do?
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EAP can help employees decide what to do if
they have a problem with alcohol or other drugs
(i e treatment options)
(i.e.,
EAP can help an employee decide what to do if
someone in his/her family or workgroup has a
problem
Getting Help
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EAP
Support groups (NA, AA, ALANON)
S
Support
from
f
family
f il
Support from coco-workers
Exercise and diet
Spirituality
Treatment Resources
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Community hotlines (United Way
Way’ss 211,
211
Helpline Georgia)
Community mental health centers
Private therapists or counselors
Outpatient services
Inpatient
p
treatment and detoxification
Secure Health EAP
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If you have further questions about alcohol and
other drug addiction, please contact EAP at
(478) 314
314--2450.
2450
We can assist employees and their dependents in
dealing with addictions and other personal
problems.
Resources
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NIDA at drugabuse
drugabuse.gov
gov
Cocaine.org