The Dangers of Drinking After Work

Excessive alcohol use can make it harder for your body to resist disease, increasing your risk of various illnesses, especially pneumonia. Bone loss can lead to thinning bones and an increased risk of fractures. Alcohol can also damage bone marrow, which makes blood cells. This can cause a low platelet count, which may result in bruising and bleeding. Alcohol interferes with the release of glucose from your liver and can increase the risk of low blood sugar . This is dangerous if you have diabetes and are already taking insulin or some other diabetes medications to lower your blood sugar level.

The impaired judgment you have when drinking alcohol may cause you to think that you can still drive, regardless of your BAC. Drivers with a BAC of 0.08 or more are 11 times more likely to be killed in a single-vehicle crash than non-drinking drivers. Some states have higher penalties for people who drive with high BAC (0.15 to 0.20 or above) due to the increased risk of fatal accidents.

Alcohol intolerance

Alcohol use may worsen symptoms ofgastroesophageal reflux disease . After the initial treatment program, the employee may be in follow-up counseling and treatment for an extended period of time, possibly up to a year. This will most likely consist of outpatient counseling, AA meetings, and follow-up sessions with the EAP counselor. There is no clear line between the early and middle stages of alcoholism, but there are several characteristics that mark a new stage of the disease. Many of the pleasures and benefits that the alcoholic obtained from drinking during the early stage are now being replaced by the destructive facets of alcohol abuse. The drinking that was done for the purpose of getting high is now being replaced by drinking to combat the pain and misery caused by prior drinking. In the workplace, the costs of alcoholism and alcohol abuse manifest themselves in many different ways.

• This figure includes absenteeism, health complications, on-the-job injuries and other losses in productivity.
• Despite the relaxing effects you think alcohol may have, it is a depressant.
• So instead of dealing with what is stressing you out, you use alcohol to give you a short-term relaxation feeling.
• This is a result of the hippocampus, the region of the brain that is responsible for making new memories, not working well.

Alcohol is often used to relax and unwind after a long day, but when people bring alcohol to work, problems arise. Alcoholism in the workplace is a troublesome symptom of a drinking habit. Understand that the employee experience is more than free beer. According to Topia, a global talent mobility company, in 2020, HR leaders must look beyond the trend of offering lifestyle perks—today’s workforce wants more growth opportunities and increased skills. The pressure should be off HR to involve drinking in the everyday culture of the company. Coastal Detox is located in the city of Stuart on Florida’s treasure coast.

How Alcohol Impacts the Brain

Alcoholism in the workplace can be extremely costly to an employer. Drinking not only increases https://ecosoberhouse.com/ the possibility of employees getting injured, it can also lead to more on-the-job accidents.

• A recent 12-country survey found that 9% of employees are subject to some negative spillover effect, principally through having to cover for their co-workers in some way.
• Getting drunk after every stressful day, for example, or reaching for a bottle every time you have an argument with your spouse or boss.
• Drink only the amount you wrote down, and at the speed specified.
• It would be preferable to have already made an appointment for the employee with the EAP.
• No matter where you seek treatment, you will be surrounded by specialists and peers who will provide motivation and encouragement every step of the way.
• With permission of the client, the EAP counselor will keep you informed as to the nature of the problem, what type of treatment may be needed, and the progress of the employee in treatment.

These practices will undermine your focus on a safe, enjoyable workplace event with coworkers. Many employees follow the rule of two glasses of wine or two beers over an evening, and this generally works for employee safety and sobriety. While alcohol can act as a social lubricant and may provide “liquid courage” for people who are otherwise anxious or shy, Pagano warned against relying on it too much.

Long-Term Effects of Alcohol

Drinking while taking these medications can either increase or decrease their effectiveness, or make them dangerous. Alcohol use that turns into a use disorder develops in stages. Having repeated problems with work, school, relationships or the law because of drinking. Continuing to drink even if it causes distress or harm to you or others. Consume alcohol often, in large amounts or start early in life.

Therefore it is very important to recognize and treatalcohol abuseearly. Whether you choose to go to rehab, rely on self-help programs, get therapy, or take a self-directed treatment approach, support is essential. Risks of Drinking After Work Recovering from alcohol addiction is much easier when you have people you can lean on for encouragement, comfort, and guidance. Without support, it’s easy to fall back into old patterns when the road gets tough.

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In order to stay alcohol-free for the long term, you’ll also have to face the underlying problems that led to your alcoholism or alcohol abuse in the first place. Not all alcohol abusers become full-blown alcoholics, but it is a big risk factor. Sometimes alcoholism develops suddenly in response to a stressful change, such as a breakup, retirement, or another loss. Other times, it gradually creeps up on you as your tolerance to alcohol increases. If you’re a binge drinker or you drink every day, the risks of developing alcoholism are greater.

This tolerance is not created simply because the alcoholic drinks too much but rather because the alcoholic is able to drink great quantities because of physical changes going on inside his or her body. Once prepared, you should notify the employee of the time and place of the meeting. The meeting should be held in a private place away from distractions. It is important to calmly but firmly explain the problems with the employee’s performance, the specific acts of misconduct or troubling behavior, and the consequences of any misconduct or poor performance.

Employers and alcohol policies

Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Many people who consume alcohol for breakfast will do so with an empty stomach. This is extremely damaging for their health an increase the likelihood of developing alcoholic liver disease and alcoholic dementia. Some people who regularly work the nightshift like to have a few morning drinks with alcohol when they are finished their shift. While this is technically morning time they will be behaving in much the same way as if it were the evening. The bars that serve night workers can be busy and those who drink sensibly should be able to engage in this activity without it causing them too much harm. Some people find that drinking in the mornings impacts their ability to sleep.

Health unit personnel may be able to offer a medical judgment that, in their opinion, the employee is intoxicated. They may also be able to conduct a voluntary alcohol test, most likely an EBT. Unless the employee is in a job with specific medical or physical requirements, you cannot order the employee to undergo any type of medical examination, including an EBT. Examples of the types of jobs that may have specific medical requirements include police officers, certain vehicle operators, air traffic controllers, and various direct patient-care personnel. As a supervisor, you are responsible for confronting the employee. In most agencies, it is the employee relations or human resources specialist who actually prepares or drafts adverse or disciplinary action letters, including those involving a firm choice.

Performance Problems

However, if you consume alcohol to cope with difficulties or to avoid feeling bad, you’re in potentially dangerous territory. In the workplace, there is likely to be little or no obvious impact on the alcoholic’s performance or conduct at work. At this stage, the alcoholic is not likely to see any problem with his or her drinking and would scoff at any attempts to indicate that he or she might have a problem. The alcoholic is simply not aware of what is going on in his or her body.

• This reduces productivity, which in turn impacts business goals and objectives.
• Grandey added that employers may be able to use these insights to create healthier workplace environments.
• The World Health Organization recognised some time ago that this change in working practice could lead to a rise in alcohol consumption and provided advice on how to manage this.
• All Federal Employee Health Benefit Plans have some kind of coverage; however, that coverage is limited.
• The pressure should be off HR to involve drinking in the everyday culture of the company.