Alcoholism in the workplace is more common than many realize. Suffering alcoholics are terrified to speak up for fear of losing their jobs, facing stigma, or being labeled a liability. I’ve lived both extremes of employer response. One company, after I returned from self-admitted detox, gave me an ultimatum to move across the country or take a severance package. They had the resources to support me but chose to “pick the dead leaf off the tree and flick it into the yard.” The message was clear that my life was not worth their investment. I understand that business is priority, but what is a humane response? The result was devastating. Without a supportive environment and being discarded from my job after starting the road to recovery, I relapsed, drinking escalated, my confidence crashed, and I was left trying to hide a disease that was killing me. That experience is exactly why so many people stay silent and keep drinking. They don’t believe their employer will have their back, and they will be picked from the corporate tree and discarded.

My next employer proved how different the story can be. When I told them I needed help after hitting my bottom, they took action. They gave me a flexible schedule to go to detox and then attend IOP, addiction therapy, and daily meetings. Executives stood beside me at company functions to make sure I felt comfortable, even ordering me a Coca Cola the moment I walked in. When I graduated from IOP, they sent flowers to my home to tell me they were proud of me. That kind of compassion changed everything. Their belief in me helped me to believe in myself. It strengthened my loyalty, improved my morale, and helped me stay sober. Employer support is the difference between a life unraveling in silence and a life rebuilt with hope. In the workplace, compassion is a lifeline.

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