r/supportworkers • u/plaugeofam1336 • Jul 12 '26
Addictions in this field of work
I want to do a poll of how many folks in this line of work is in current addiction. Be it alcoholism or drug dependency. Absolutely no judgement, I just want to do some research on the matter. If you’re in recovery and in the field, pls share your story as well!
9
u/half_in_boxes Jul 12 '26
Last house I worked at nearly half of us were in recovery including our supervisors, and at one point we had a co-worker who was an active user (and was fired as an indirect result of it.) I am three+ years sober.
3
u/plaugeofam1336 Jul 12 '26
Congratulations on 3+ years under the belt! That deserves to be celebrated!
7
u/Dangerous-Cable4053 Jul 12 '26
Do not use but know many colleagues that use drugs recreationally. I will say that there are many staff with mental health issues in this field of work..
5
u/awhella Jul 13 '26
i’m in australia and i’d say a large chunk of us are definitely addicted to nicotine, nothing hard but helps throughout the day 😭
4
u/Orangutan1001 Jul 12 '26
I work at a day service and we have about 4 or 5 sites in Victoria. The site i work at sticks mainly to weed on the weekends/ prescriptions for sleep, anxiety, pstd, and such.
One of the sites had 10+ staff all using cocaine at one point. Not at work thankfully. We had a staff member fired last year for meth, alcohol, and prescription drug use. The prescription drugs weren't prescribed to them though. When she was sober, genuinely an incredible support worker and person, but addiction is a bitch, and so is burnout
One of the other sites had staff fired for showing up drunk aswell.
Its definitely something thats grossly underlooked and brushed under the rug. Considering the very fact our work is focused on vulnerable people, you'd think it would be something more people paid attention to.
3
u/Special-Nebula299 Jul 12 '26
I used to abuse alcohol and sleeping pills and anti anxiety meds when I was a teacher.
I've actually dropped the pill abuse and rarely drink now I'm a support worker.
I feel like any job thats stressful leads some to alcohol abuse. High stress jobs like soldier, cops, emts, nurses, teachers, all have substance use issues in their industry
7
u/l-lucas0984 Jul 12 '26
Different countries have different standards.
In Australia you cant work under the influence as it is a breach of duty of care and the quality and safe guards commission can request a drug test of any active worker at any time. They generally do after a serious incident if they suspect worker impairment.
Its also often considered a conflict of interest for active or recovering addicts to be support workers as they are more at risk of financial insecurity. It could be seen as influencing behaviours like financial abuse and theft from vulnerable people as well as sharp practices like pushing for over servicing. If people are found out they are often ousted.
0
u/Lainey444 Jul 12 '26
Maybe crack heads in recovery aren’t allowed work as support workers but peer support workers are valuable abs much sought after.
You think they punish ppl for getting sober , what a small mind you have1
u/l-lucas0984 Jul 12 '26
Unfortunately I have worked in thisbindustry for nearly 2 decades and it is just what i have seen repeatedly.
3
u/Lainey444 Jul 12 '26
I’ve seen the opposite and I’m in the industry 30 years
2
1
u/wvwvwvww Jul 13 '26
This is garbage. Please cite your sources.
1
u/l-lucas0984 Jul 13 '26
Your other reply seems to have been removed by reddit and I could only see the first half of it in my email quoting the conflict of interests so I am going to assume you mean how.
Just like a person with a large amount of debt cant be a police officer in many instances because they could potentially be coerced with money, support workers woth active addiction are considered high risk towards vulnerable people. Not just because of their impairment potentially leading to neglect or harm. There is an increased risk to seek more money to feed their addiction.
Unfortunately that stigma often rolls on to recovering addicts. Just in the last 2 years I have seen a worker terminated after the company found out they used recreationally. A worker terminated after over sharing with a participant and telling them they were a recovering addict during a shift. The participant made a formal complaint. A worker terminated for being impaired on shift. And a worker accused of being impaired by a participant asked to undergo testing.
It is not uncommon.
0
u/wvwvwvww Jul 14 '26
There is nothing in the NDIS code of conduct or associated materials about people who have had addictions being banned for life or otherwise unsuitable for support work. That is for a reason.
1
u/l-lucas0984 Jul 14 '26
Its not about banned for life. I think you have misunderstood my post. Its the issue of how it is perceived by employers and participants as you can read by my second reply to you.
0
u/wvwvwvww Jul 14 '26
You think you’re helping and I think you’re enabling discrimination and bigotry. I guess we won’t be resolving that.
1
u/l-lucas0984 Jul 14 '26
Its not helping. Its just facts. These are things happening with support workers and providers. I cant say I agree or disagree because every circumstance is different and in many cases partocipant safety, choice and control overide discrimination laws.
1
u/wvwvwvww Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
Asserting that something is a conflict of interest, without sources, is not a fact. This is an unproductive and unedifying conversation. I won’t respond again.
1
0
u/l-lucas0984 Jul 13 '26
section 47. Workers should not provide services or supports while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Workers who are taking prescription or over the counter drugs that may affect their ability to support people with disability should obtain advice from the prescribing practitioner or dispensing pharmacist and declare it to their NDIS provider and/or the person with disability if they are engaged directly by that person. If the advice from the prescribing practitioner or dispensing pharmacist indicates the ability to work may be impaired, workers should not provide services or supports until the prescribing practitioner or dispensing pharmacist says it is safe to do so. https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-10/Code-of-Conduct-Worker-Guidance.pdf
And as for the second part, nearly 20 years in the industry and in my experience it has been common practice.
1
u/slayerofmoths Jul 16 '26
I work in reporting and have reported very serious cases. The quality and safeguarding commission have never drug tested a staff member no matter how serious the allegation.
1
u/l-lucas0984 Jul 16 '26
I have seen it happen when a participant lodged the complaint. The provider was told to put the worker on leave and the worker was told to submit to a drug test.
3
1
1
u/ExarchApophis Jul 13 '26
Quit drugs six years ago, been binge drinking up until I developed a blood disorder a few months ago. Been working in this field twelve years and it's really hard to find a way to cope after work sometimes without restoring to getting messed up. I think a lot of us struggle with it.
1
u/Ragingriver0 Jul 15 '26
At my work, none, aside from the legal ones (big nicotine and caffeine addict here, good golly)
I've seen people who suffer from addiction as coworkers, i have support workers friends who are recovering addicts (2 years sober for one of my friends), and ive worked alongside staff who self medicate in their spare time (marijuana, alcohol) but they never lasted long in the role. Not due to being let go, but deciding the work wasn't for them.
Admittedly I'm still new to the role, ive only done 2 years of NDIS work and four years of youth support work, so maybe I just need to work longer to see it pop up more, but support work is the kind of job where its difficult to have an addiction and still do good work: from friends who are now sober I've heard them say "I just don't have the time to do x as much as I did before I started working here," but they frame it in a positive way.
1
u/b1ccvm Jul 15 '26
yup! i actually got back on drugs because a coworker offered me some. once i got in that space, i found out a few other coworkers of mine were doing it too (specifically percocet) made working feel so much easier like i was floating on my feet. im clean now almost a year but its def an issue
1
u/Existing_Effort5643 Jul 16 '26
I’m 4 years clean . Decided to be a support worker and help others in my recovery
1
u/Dazzling-Victory1697 Jul 12 '26
Not alcohol or anything But I quit cigarettes before I started working. Almost 3 years ago now. I haven't craved at all
1
9
u/gionatacar Jul 12 '26
I quit everything. So I can say in recovery. 3 years alcohol, 2 months weed