5 FAQs About Substance Use in the Workplace

We spend half our waking hours at work, so it’s no surprise that our workplaces can impact both our mental health and substance use. 

In this episode of 5 FAQs, we’re joined by Marsha Nicholas, Mental Health & Addictions Consultant.  Together we dive into a fascinating chat about mental health, substance use, and addiction in the workplace. 

THE 5 FAQs WE WILL ANSWER:    

1. What are the differences between substance use and abuse?  
2. What types of treatment can be implemented on an individual level to support those struggling with addiction at work?  
3. What types of treatment can be implemented on an organizational level to support those struggling with addiction at work?  
4. How can leaders better support their teams when they are struggling?  
5. What does the future of supporting those struggling with addiction in the workplace look like? 

Learn more about EHN Canada and starting your own mental health treatment journey at ehncanada.com.

To learn about how EHN Guardians supports Military, Veterans and First Responder communities, click here: ehnguardians.ca.

Transcript

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (00:07)
Hello there, my name is Jonathan Friedman and you are listening to 5 FAQs by EHN Canada. This is the show where we scour the internet for the most frequently asked questions about mental health and addiction and ask an expert for their answers to them. Today it is my honour and my pleasure to introduce my special guest, Marsha Nicholas. Marsha is leading the development of a psychological health and safety policy at Agnico Eagle Mines Limited. Her role as a mental health and addictions consultant merges over six years of psychotherapy experience with a passion for workplace mental wellness.

She's crafted educational materials and facilitated training that underscores her commitment to enhancing psychological resilience within the mining sector. Marsha, how are you doing today?

Marsha Nicholas (00:48)
I'm great. Thank you so much for having me.

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (00:51)
I'm so excited to have you on the show, Marsha. And I do have so many questions, but before we get into them, I'd love to learn a little bit more about yourself and your journey into the field of mental health care. Of anything you could have chosen, why this?

Marsha Nicholas (01:06)
So was really interesting. I was actually in school to be a lawyer. And then just some personal life things happened. And I had enough credit, so I was able to graduate, which I did. And then I ended up starting my career as a youth worker and really started. no way. OK, yes. So then I started supporting a young.

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (01:25)
Me too.

Marsha Nicholas (01:32)
individual who was struggling with addictions. Really unfortunate upbringing and then I just kind of became really interested in how people kind of resort to different ways to help manage some of the things that have

occurred throughout their life. so, yeah, so then I started working for a public health agency. And then from there, more clinical work in the hospital setting, detox setting, and then moved up to leadership role.

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (02:09)
Very, very cool.

Gotta love the youth worker start. Amazing. Well, thank you for sharing that. And are you ready to dive into the internet's biggest questions about substance use in the workplace? Amazing. Let's do it. So our first question is, what is addiction and how does it impact people at work?

Marsha Nicholas (02:12)
Yes, yes.

Yes, let's do it.

So addiction really is a compulsion to engage in a rewarding stimulus. So people continue to engage in this rewarding stimulus, even though it's negatively impacting their lives. Some might use substances to cope with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD. And they continue to use these substances because they provide a temporary relief from the symptoms.

But what some people forgot to recognize is that the substance use can worsen mental health conditions and this typically leads to a cycle where someone's substance use increases and their mental health further declines. And then of course there's also some underlying factors that are at play and these factors will make someone more susceptible to mental illness and problematic substance use as well. And these can include stress, trauma, and

and even genetics. Substance use can significantly impact productivity and performance in the workplace. And you often see higher rates of absenteeism, lower job performance, and reduced productivity as well. especially in safety-sensitive professions, you'll see what really becomes concerning, especially in the mining industry, is judgment can be impaired.

So which can lead to an increase in accidents. It can also cause a lot of conflicts within the workplace, and which will also decrease morale and impact team dynamics. And then there's also a cost to the employer. So rates of short-term and long-term disability claims go up. And then you see an increase in turnover and possibly even some legal liabilities.

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (04:25)
Do you think, it would be fair to say, and I'm sure it's not in all cases, mental health addiction, it's a fingerprint, everybody's journey is unique, but do you think in a lot of cases, somebody who's struggling with substance use is someone who's also struggling with maybe some anxiety or maybe some feelings of loweness or maybe some feelings of trauma, some mental health as well?

Marsha Nicholas (04:32)
to do.

Yeah.

So throughout my entire career, have not seen anybody who hasn't had a mental health concern of some sort, whether it be an inability to manage stress, inability to manage symptoms of anxiety, depression. It's a way to kind of self-medicate a little bit. And you often you sometimes hear it referred to like alcohol as liquid courage. Sometimes people have social

society and they'll have a couple drinks to kind of loosen up a little bit. And I'll talk about this, I'm sure, as the podcast goes on, about even just the normalization of alcohol consumption in the work environment and in work culture.

really lots of times you'll see people going home after work, having a drink to kind of wind down as well. it's kind of become a little normalized in society and in our culture.

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (05:50)
It's a part of the system in a lot of ways. Hey, like, you know what? I want to get closer to my coworkers after work. Let's stop by the bar, grab a couple of drinks or it's been a long day. I'm going to go home, have dinner, maybe have a glass or two of wine to sort of like settle into the evening, right?

Marsha Nicholas (06:07)
Absolutely, yeah. you know, they see all these happy hour events so people often times after their shift at work, they'll go swing by a local pub for happy hours and deals on drinks and food. Yeah, it's just kind of become part of part of culture.

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (06:26)
I think that's a really interesting segue into our next question, is, what are the differences between substance use and substance abuse?

Marsha Nicholas (06:36)
Yes, yes,

I love this question. So this really kind of speaks to the different levels of interaction with drugs and alcohol. So substance use really refers to the consumption of alcohol, prescription drugs or illicit drugs. And some might use substances in social settings or have legitimate medical reasons, but generally maintaining control and can stop or reduce when they wish.

So this doesn't lead to significant impairment in daily functioning or problems in relationships or responsibilities. So no real negative consequences. Now on the other hand, substance abuse, this refers to the consumption in a way that's harmful or dangerous. So this typically leads to some of those negative consequences such as maybe some issues with health. You'll notice some relationship concerns.

maybe there's some conflicts, maybe you're noticing some work performance issues, and even legal issues. So when you think of drinking and driving or substance use and driving, so those kind of legal issues as well can really come into play. And you can also interfere with daily functioning. And abuse may lead to an increase in tolerance, so you find you have to drink more, you have to use more substances to get the same effect.

And then even withdrawal symptoms, which can be really, really painful and difficult for a lot of people to manage. So oftentimes you'll you'll notice people are like, my gosh, I need to have a drink in the morning just to kind of normalize myself. But then really the major difference is that substance use is controlled while abuse is problematic and leads to the negative consequences that may require intervention or treatment and really kind of

being able to distinguish what that difference is, is extremely important.

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (08:37)
So a key feature and a key difference between the two is control. Substance use and having a drink, we all know that if we're gonna have a beer, it's not a healthy choice to go and have a beer, but it can be controlled in a way. I can go and I can have a beer in a week. But substance abuse is different because it's a lack of control. know, once I have one drink, I can't necessarily stop at that point.

Marsha Nicholas (09:03)
Yeah, yeah, and that's really the key difference here, right? Is being able to recognize and be able to kind of stop or reduce when needed and really kind of paying attention, like is my consumption, is my use causing negative impacts in my life?

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (09:28)
love that, and thanks for sharing that Marsha. We've spoken kind of about the definition of substance use. We have a better understanding of what addiction means and what it can mean in the workplace. What are some of the treatments that we can implement on an individual level to support those who are struggling with addiction in the workplace?

Marsha Nicholas (09:49)
So within the workplace, I'm really fortunate to work in an environment where we have several programs in place. So substance abuse programs, I feel, are extremely important and helpful for individuals who are struggling. So offering these paid treatment options and paid time off work to help support someone who is struggling. Regularly monitoring and checking in with employees to implement early intervention should someone

further support once treatment or once the treatment program has been completed is also really helpful. Encouraging employees to participate in aftercare programs. Research suggests that participating in these aftercare programs reduces reoccurrence by upwards to 70%. So that's huge. And then when you think about the cost that's associated with that as well, like that's...

is really helpful to one, the individuals who...

struggle and have a substance use disorder, but also the companies who are helping support their employees. Employee assistance programs as well are extremely important because they offer counseling. Oftentimes they offer case management and treatment referral services, various resources for managing addictions as well. A lot of the EAP programs too will have apps and even assessments on these apps where someone can actually

usually go in and do a little assessment and kind of, you know what, maybe I'm, maybe I am kind of struggling a little bit. Let me see what that looks like. If employers can offer flexibility and work arrangements, that is really helpful as well. Because what if somebody is able to work remotely and then attend treatment or attend support groups? Creating a supportive and safe environment as well is really important so that this kind

of really allows employees to have confidence that if they're looking for help, if they want help, and they go to say HR, their manager, that they're assured that that information is confidential. Having an open door policy as well, so encouraging an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing their concerns with their managers or HR without fear of judgment and repercussions.

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (12:20)
So taking a look at all the different resources that a company might offer or might refer to or associate with an employee assistance program, for example, and how they can refer to different treatment resources, but also more on an organizational level when we're looking at having those like, they seem like little things like having an open door policy.

Or sometimes in a conversation with a team, you're like, oh, everything is confidential in this room. But really, that's what creates that safe space and creates that ability for an employee or a team member to feel safe in that moment, to have that conversation with you.

Marsha Nicholas (13:00)
Yeah, I think oftentimes we don't realize how those little things can make such a big difference to someone who is kind of struggling. It's really important for us to create that environment so people are comfortable coming forward and not suffering in silence.

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (13:21)
Totally, I love that. So if you were to give like an actionable thing that somebody could do as a leader with their teams to make like, to start bridging those gaps and having those conversations, or whether it's about substance use or not to sort of create that safe space, what would you recommend?

Marsha Nicholas (13:39)
So I would really encourage leaders to really foster that psychologically safe workplace culture. So really normalizing the conversation, really showing some vulnerability. Because that really is so important for leaders to kind of share some of their own personal stories when it's appropriate to kind of humanize.

humanize these issues so people feel safe. you know what, like my my manager has has some personal stories. Someone in my manager's family, know those kinds of things. And I have to say when I first started

really in this particular role, I was going around and speaking to various groups and that happened. And it was so, it was just really impactful in that moment to have someone in leadership role share their own personal journey a little bit, because it really provides that platform for others to feel safe in order to do so as well.

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (14:51)
Totally. And I think there's sort of a...

double-edged sword or a slippery slope with it where I know when I was becoming a child and youth counselor and when I was working as a coach, you don't really wanna always jump in and share your story. You wanna like have that space, like you wanna always have those active listening skills available, you wanna create that space where people feel like they can talk to you. But for creating comfort and warmth, there's a great opportunity that arises.

to share your stories if you feel safe and comfortable to do so. That can help open things up for your team.

Marsha Nicholas (15:30)
Yeah, absolutely. Really having that visible support from leadership is extremely important. Leaders should openly discuss mental health and substance use because it really demonstrates a commitment to these issues. So really blocking the talk, right?

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (15:46)
Amazing. You mentioned this concept before of psychological safety. And I know that's not on our list, but I think that's a really important topic. What is psychological safety specifically in the workplace?

Marsha Nicholas (15:58)
So it's really, it's having this environment where people feel comfortable discussing various things without fear of repercussions. really feeling comfortable speaking up if they don't like something or they have their own ideas about something. Being able to...

to just really speak openly and not have that fear. I think oftentimes people don't feel like they're able to because they're scared. They're scared what others might think. They're scared that, you know what, if I talk about this, then I'm not gonna be promoted. I'm gonna be unfairly treated. So really kind of showcasing and encouraging people to be more open, be more inclusive.

I think that's really what it speaks to.

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (16:54)
That's really great and really helpful. Thank you so much, Marsha. Our last question today is, what do you think the future of supporting those struggling in the workplace looks like? What are some of the emerging trends you're seeing? Yeah, I'd love to hear.

Marsha Nicholas (17:11)
Yeah, so I think what we're going to see is a lot more proactive approaches. think traditionally we've been more reactive in the workplace. So I think by implementing more programs, more training in mental health and how fostering this culture of psychological safety will help promote well-being and ultimately increase productivity. So we're going to see support programs, specifically employee support, employee peer support programs.

I think it's really crucial for people who have lived experience and really who are within the workplace can kind of connect. There's that opportunity for that deeper connection to be like, okay, so this person has experienced this and you kind of have that bond because you're in the workplace. We'll see some more, I think, paid time off, employers be willing to financially support.

treatment options. I mean, I think it's no secret that the wait times for mental health support, if you're looking for publicly funded treatment, it can be lengthy. So if employers are willing to support individuals to attend these programs, they can typically get in a little bit sooner and then be back to work sooner.

I also feel the more we talk about it, normalize mental health and addiction, the less likely people will wait to get support. And earlier interventions will ultimately help people stay in the workplace.

We'll see more awareness campaigns. think, you know, especially today it's Bell Let's Talk Day. So we'll see these kind of things promoted more in the workplace. We have Mental Health Week. November is a big one. So all kinds of things like that where people are talking about it, bringing awareness to various topics with regards to mental health and addiction. That's kind of what I'm thinking and I'm seeing, yeah.

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (19:17)
That's fantastic.

It makes me feel hopeful. I think that's really great. I think there's, I think something small that I'm going to take away too is the idea of talking about mental health in the workplace. Even it could be sharing my own story. It could be, you know, working to create that psychologically safe space, but really just talking about mental health more.

you're creating that space for people to also either listen more and say, hmm, I wonder if that's kind of me, or also start exploring things on their own or start to more questions about what's available to help.

Marsha Nicholas (20:02)
yeah, all of that is extremely important because we need to know what's available for support. And some of the literature I've been reading is that a lot of employees don't really know what's available within their workplace. So really being able to promote those programs or initiatives is crucial.

So hopefully we'll start seeing that a little bit more. I'm relatively optimistic that that's going to start happening because if we wait and really just continue on this reactive path, then it's ultimately at the end of the day, we're going to have far less productivity and far more absenteeism in the workplace.

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (20:49)
Thank you so much for sharing that Marsha. It's been an absolute pleasure to have you on the show. If you were to leave the listeners with one piece of advice with starting their own journey with mental health, with exploring or understanding their addiction, what would you tell them?

Marsha Nicholas (21:05)
I would really encourage people to don't be afraid to speak up. There is no shame in asking for help. It takes tremendous courage in order to do so. then oftentimes if one person is able to do that and see that, you know, why this person is asking for help and support, then...

maybe others will do the same. So I'm hopeful that the more that we kind of move on, the more that that's going to happen.

Jonathan Friedman (He/Him) (21:36)
Thank you so much, Marsha. And for our listeners out there to listen to even more episodes of Five FAQs you can check it out on your favorite streaming platform like Spotify or Apple Podcasts to name a couple. And to learn more about EHN Canada, you can begin your own recovery journey at ehncanada.com. Marsha, thank you so much and we'll see you next time.

Marsha Nicholas (21:56)
Thank you so much. It's great to be here.