Work Hard Play Hard: The Truth About Alcohol and Drugs in the Banking Industry

Industries With the Most Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and other substance abuse can negatively impact the U.S. workforce through lost productivity, workplace accidents and injuries, employee absenteeism, low morale, and increased illness. In fact, U.S. companies lose billions of dollars annually because of employees’ substance abuse and related problems. Studies show that the rate of substance abuse varies by occupation and industry. 

What exactly classifies as substance abuse? According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), illicit drugs include marijuana, cocaine and crack cocaine, inhalants, hallucinogens, heroin, or prescription-type drugs taken nonmedically. The NSDUH defines heavy drinking as drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion on five or more days in the past 30 days. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), these are the industries in order from most substance abuse to least:

• Construction
• Service occupations, except protective services
• Transportation and material-moving workers
• Installation, maintenance, and repair workers
• Sales occupations
• Entertainers, sports, media, and communication professionals
• Production, machinery setters, operators, and tenders
• Executives, administration, managerial, and financial/banking professionals
• Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations
• Office and administrative support workers
• Protective service occupations
• Education, health, and related occupations

If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, call WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab today at (877) 640-7820 to learn how we can help.

Most Abused Drugs in the Banking Industry

You may know that alcohol and drugs in the banking industry are quite common. In fact, the banking industry is notorious for being a high-stress job where people need to “blow off steam” with drugs and alcohol. In the 1970s, cocaine and marijuana were hugely popular within the financial industry. Then, in the 80s and 90s, alcohol and drugs in the banking industry moved towards Ecstasy and Ritalin. Nowadays, alcohol is the most popular substance that gets misused in the banking industry. 

Studies show that alcohol and drugs in the banking industry are linked back to the high levels of stress that come with the job. Plus, the banking industry has a long reputation for encouraging the use of alcohol while socializing with clients, so it’s no surprise that alcohol is the most prevalent drug used in the industry. 

Learn about the impact of marijuana legalization here:

The Legalization of Marijuana and the Negative Impact

Substance Abuse and Addiction in Executives

While you may not expect high net-worth (HNW) individuals to struggle with alcohol and drugs, according to Resources to Recovery, young white-collar professionals have a two to three times higher risk of developing a substance use disorder than young adults in lower-income professionals. Further, studies show that an estimated 15 of the 250 top executives may suffer from addiction to alcohol or other drugs. Other studies show that 10% of top executives are drug- or alcohol-impaired. If you or a loved one struggles with addiction, you may notice signs of addiction that include: 

• Declining job performance
• Missing important meetings
• Hand tremors
• A decline in appearance and hygiene 
• Being consistently late to work
• Mood swings or moodiness
• Social isolation or social withdrawal
• Avoiding work-related functions
• Excessive absenteeism 
• Discussing financial problems at work
• Facial bloating
• Rapid weight gain or weight loss
• Manic spells of hyper-productivity 

Executive Rehab for High-Networth Individuals

If you are a high-net individual that struggles with drug or alcohol addiction, consider seeking help from an executive rehab program at an addiction treatment center. Executive rehab allows you to maintain your high-level position at work while also receiving addiction treatment. This type of inpatient treatment offers a flexible treatment schedule and provides the right resources for recovery. At WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab, you can receive customized addiction treatment to help you achieve sober living and maintain your executive status. 

 

If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.