In a work environment where breaks and meals are few and far between, customers are drinking excessively, and late night hours are the norm, it might not come as a surprise to find that the hospitality industry is ranked among the highest in the U.K for heavy drinking, illicit drug abuse, and substance use disorders leading to further mental health matters , depression, severe anxiety and sadly suicide.
The world has been hit with sad news that Anthony Bourdain has lost his personal struggle with mental health matters.
The eloquent, urbane and eminently watchable Anthony Bourdain made no secret of his past struggles with addiction. A heroin addict for several years, he had written about use of marijuana, cocaine and other substances during his roller-coaster career as a chef in New York kitchens.
It is a sad statistic that a growing number of chefs are using drugs or alcohol to help “come down” from the adrenaline rush of that stressful syndrome.
Do you hear yourself saying this, “I don’t sleep a lot. I party a lot. But, at the same time, I work a lot. I never miss work because of my addiction.”. This is a rising problem with drug addiction
Or do you hear yourself saying this, “I often find myself having wind-down drinks after service”. This is sadly the spring-board for many into full-blown alcoholism
Signs Of Substance Abuse Within The Hospitality Industry
It’s estimated that one in four professionals has personal knowledge of a work colleague using drugs on the job. No matter what happens, beating addiction is the most important step right now, and it might even save your life. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction in the hospitality industry, contact us to learn more.