Alcohol & Security Clearances
This is a brief account of one client’s struggle with alcoholism.
Too Many Sick Days
It starts slow…long days and sleepless nights. Joe already suffered from stomach ulcers, something we attributed to physical symptoms, job related stress and chronic alcohol use. Prior to seeing me he was taking sick leave approximately 3-4 days per month. By the time he stepped foot in my office it had gone from bad to worse, tallying 7-8 per month and had caught leadership’s eye. Alcohol was stealing what little quality of life he had left.
Job Stress + Alcohol = Liability.
Poor Performance
The stress of missing work meant Joe was forced to do double time and make up lost hours. This nearly impossible demand created by addiction meant he was now considered a liability, and a large investment the company may lose. Poor work in the intelligence community is a larger reflection of the company than the employee. Why? Because intel work is a “team endeavor,” where trust is everything.
After being verbally counseled about his attendance and attempts to hide his increasingly evident alcohol abuse, leadership had to evaluate whether Joe was worth the retention risk. After all, this is cyber defense and while he is exceptional the mission is what matters.
Preserving Your Investment
After realizing how severe the situation had become Joe chose to seek treatment over losing his security clearance. He was considered a “high risk employee,” who was luckily one of the most valuable and well-trained in the company. Employees who have specialized training, degrees or certifications, and military experience are often valued at $350,000 or more.
Positive Outcomes
Treatment of addictions like alcohol are possible when we find the “right recipe.” To surmise that any clinician or EAP can provide the necessary care to such a specialized audience is like asking a general practitioner to perform heart surgery. Hopeful but unrealistic.
Expertise is an Investment.
Companies that acknowledge this one aspect can find long-term solutions saving them countless dollars in sick leave, short-term disability, and even life insurance policies. Employees can expect increased job satisfaction, healthier lives at work and at home, the ability to manage job fatigue, and increased team support. A win-win for both employees and companies.
Nearly 6 months later, Joe had managed to decrease his job stress by using what tools he developed in therapy. We discovered Sleep Apnea (a lack of oxygen while sleeping) was one cause for heavy alcohol use at night and increased healthy outlets (ex. Jiu-Jitsu) resulted in a “sharper version of my old self.”
Resilience: 1
Alcohol: 0
