Economic changes might be leading American workers to substance use. According to a new study published by Substance Abuse Counselor, 69% of Gen Z and 68% of millennials turn to substances on a weekly or daily basis to deal with work-related stress. What’s more, 1 in 3 millennials and 1 in 4 Gen Zers reported increased substance use because of layoffs and AI adoption.
Workers aren’t just using substances to relax in their free time. Thirty-four percent of the surveyed workers reported using substances on the job. Much of the substance use seems to be flying under the radar at work, as just 11% said their employers were aware.
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The study’s authors draw a link between substance use and new problems facing today’s workers, and stress the need for changes at the workplace.
“We wanted to run this study because the challenges facing today’s workers are not that of the past. You have technological breakthroughs and more and more people pining over the same jobs. The economic pressures aren’t going away & neither are the workplace stresses. Our culture quite often looks to substance use as a coping mechanism, and the data around that is pretty alarming,” the study says.
Beyond the potential physical and physiological effects of substance use, there is a considerable economic consequence as well. Sixty-one percent of surveyed workers reported spending at least $50 each month on substances due to work and financial stress. Close to 1 in 5 Gen Z workers spend over $200 a month on substances due to job stress.
Younger generations are more concerned with work-related substance use and its possible consequences. For example, 58% of Gen Zers and 45% of millennials believe employers should be legally liable for workplace-induced substance issues, compared to 29% of baby boomers. Thirty-three percent of millennials reported feeling that substance use had negatively impacted their career progression, compared to just 9% of boomers.
“We wanted to raise awareness about these issues & encourage the adoption of healthier, and more supportive workspaces. By looking to substances to help loosen the grip of workplace stress, you’re creating a ripple effect that impacts not just yourself, but the entire workplace, not to mention your long-term career goals and personal life,” the study says.
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