A recent article from the New York Post has made the argument that COVID-19, government benefits, and addiction are all contributing factors to a relatively low labor participation rate. But while addiction is in the headline, little detail is provided into why or how substance use disorders are impacting the workforce.

It’s true that substance use disorders can severely impact a person’s ability to maintain or gain employment. It’s also true that people who use substances on the job are at higher risk of injury or disability. But the characterization that addiction makes you unemployable is patently false, particularly when you find effective treatment options to help you start the path to recovery.

Substance Use, COVID, and the Workforce

Looking at the data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, it’s clear that labor force participation is substantially lower than it was 10 or 20 years ago. The most recent data shows that:

• In July 2024, labor participation was 62.7%
• At the peak of COVID-19 in April 2020, labor participation dropped to its lowest point at 60.1%
• In July 2014, labor participation was at 62.9%
• In July 2004, prior to the Great Recession, labor participation was at a high point of 66.1%

Despite slightly lower workforce participation when compared to one or two decades ago, the general trend is on the rise. More people are finding and seeking employment each year following COVID-19.

"People struggling with addiction aren’t drawing the workforce down; they are the workforce."

The most reliable source of data regarding the prevalence of substance use disorders in the United States, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), has changed its methodology such that statistics reported after 2020 are not comparable to earlier years due to changes in how substance use disorders were classified.

Yet, there has been an uptick in adults with substance use disorders between 2020 and 2023. In 2020, the NSDUH reported that 15.4% of adults had experienced a substance use disorder in the past year, compared to 18.0% in 2023.

Studies have shown that approximately 70% of all adults with substance use disorders are employed, making up 9% of the U.S. workforce and exceeding the national average. In a very real sense, people struggling with addiction aren’t drawing the workforce down; they are the workforce.

How Substance Use Affects Workers

People living with a substance use disorder still face a number of challenges in the workplace. Living with addiction can lead to experiencing challenges such as:

• Loss of employment due to substance use
• Higher rates of work-related injury
• Loss of motivation and productivity in the workplace
• Financial insecurity due to substance use
• Worsening physical or mental health symptoms due to substance use

People who are struggling with addiction can further avoid seeking treatment due to fear of work-related consequences, facing stigma from their coworkers, facing housing or financial insecurity that reduces their ability to seek out high-paying jobs, or being charged with crimes that prevent them from gaining employment in the first place.

“People struggling with addiction don’t need our derision or stigma. They need our unwavering support and help navigating their journey to sobriety.” - Austin Wynn, Founder & CEO of Never Alone Recovery.

All of this can quickly lead to a destructive cycle where people with mild substance use problems face greater and greater external challenges to gainful employment. This, in turn, can lead to worsening stress and the progression of the substance use disorder, creating further roadblocks to recovery.

How to Break the Cycle

As frightening as this cycle may seem, there is a way to help people with substance use disorders get the support they need to maintain their employment, improve their mental health, or get back into the workforce. Starting addiction treatment can help people break free from this downward spiral and start building healthier and more productive lives in recovery.

Substance use treatment works. The vast majority of people who have a substance use problem will achieve recovery, and seeking treatment is strongly associated with breaking free from addiction. There are dozens of evidence-based treatment options to help people learn to overcome cravings, break free from physical withdrawals, and find the tools necessary to live a happy and healthy life in sobriety.

Start Today With Never Alone Recovery

Don’t let the stigmatizing language from the NY Post interfere with you overcoming your personal challenges and achieving a lasting and healthy recovery. Reaching out to Never Alone Recovery by calling 866-788-8335 can put you in touch with addiction recovery consultants who can help you find an insurance-approved rehab or online support group.