Presentation offered to Jacksonville Health Council provides a brief overview of Addiction and the importance of identifying early intervention and referral for employees needing substance abuse treatment.

1. February 6, 2014
Addiction in the Workplace
Gina de Peralta Thorne, MS
VP of Marketing

2. What is Addiction?
a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation,
memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits
leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and
spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual
pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use
and other behaviors.
Addiction is….

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5. Heavy Alcohol Use
Defined as drinking 5 or more drinks on the same occasion on
each of 5 or more days in the past 30 days.

7. Illicit Drugs
• Marijuana/Hashish
• Cocaine (including crack)
• Inhalants
• Hallucinogens
• Heroin
• Prescription type drugs used non-medically

8. ADDICTION Is Not:
Misunderstanding and Myth
Judgment/ Moral Implications
ADDICTION IS:
A Brain Disease

9. Perceptions of Addiction
Corey Monteith Kurt Cobain
Billie Holiday

10. Addiction in the Workplace
• Abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs is costly to our
Nation, exacting over $600 billion annually in costs related to
crime, lost work productivity and healthcare.
• Almost 1/2 of Americans entering the work force have used
an illicit drug once in the past year.
• Many of these drug users are prominent citizens in our
communities.
They are business owners, doctors, civic leaders, parents and
neighbors.
Consider the profile of a regular cocaine user:
• Well educated [average of 14 years of education]
• Employed [77%] and well-paid [37% earn over 25K]
• 56% engage in illegal activity other than drug possession to
support the habit.

11. Signs of A Problem?
• Erratic behavior
• Uneven performance
• Chronic tardiness and unexplained absences
• Other warning signs:
– mood swings
– deteriorating relationships with co-workers
– a sharp increase in job-related accidents

12. What’s behind an Intervention?
• Gather all the facts
• Suspend judgment – what may be perceived as addiction could be
something else.
• As an employer – to protect the company and the employee
• Some companies have “zero tolerance” policy.
• Others support individual in getting help – investment in employee is
much greater than termination and re-training.
• Identify key stakeholders to participate in meeting with employee.
• Provide options (utilize EAP or HR to address the company policy)
• Offer treatment options to help with recovery.

13. Treatment Options
• Outpatient Treatment
– Individual counselors work one on one with patient.
• Intensive Outpatient Treatment (IOP)
– 4x plus a week but can live at home and continue to work.
– Typically in a group setting with some individual counseling
• Residential Inpatient Treatment
– Most offer detoxification services
– Group therapy
– Specialty Programs (Gender Specific/Food and Mood/Trauma)

16. Other Support Groups
12 Step Programs (Not treatment)
– AA
– NA
– Al-anon (for families and friends)
The Twelve-step program is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of
action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems.
As summarized by the American Psychological Association, the process
involves the following:
• admitting that one cannot control one's addiction or compulsion;
• recognizing a higher power that can give strength;
• examining past errors with the help of a sponsor (experienced member);
• making amends for these errors;
• learning to live a new life with a new code of behavior;
• helping others who suffer from the same addictions or compulsions.

17. Is Recovery Possible?
What does success look like?
Treatment + 12 Step + Aftercare Monitoring =
80% can maintain successful long-term recovery.

18. http://vimeo.com/user3484605/theanonymouspe
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19. Gina de Peralta Thorne, MS
Vice President of Marketing
Lakeview Health
1900 Corporate Square Blvd
Jacksonville, FL 32216
866-460-8416
gthorne@lakeviewhealth.com
www.lakeviewhealth.com