Which Jobs Lead to Substance Abuse?

Substance abuse is attributed to a number of causes, some genetic and others due to societal aspects. High stress, long hours, and fatigue are commonly cited causes of substance abuse, in addition to remote supervision and easy access to substances. Sometimes, even boredom can cause one to abuse drugs, the use of which has attributed to about four billion lost work hours in the United States alone.

Americans consume 60% of the world’s illegal drugs, so it’s a domestic issue that many should be aware of. Whatever the trigger, substance abuse can lead to decreased motivation at work. Studies show that workers reporting illicit drug or alcohol use are more likely to skip work over two days in a month, while also using sick time leave three times more frequently than the average worker. They were also more likely to miss more than two days of work because of injury, the chance of which increases when under the influence of drugs or alcohol.