I struggle everyday with the decision I made to recover loudly and publicly share my story of addiction and recovery as a female, entrepreneur, director, wife and mother. The stigma and shame are real, I just have to keep reminding myself of the reason why I am doing this, which is so that other founders and executives with 'Hidden Habits', don’t suffer in silence and get the help they need when they need it, by someone who’s walked the same path.
Here is why.
As a founder and director with lived experience of addiction and recovery, and now a Recovery Coach Professional helping other executives reclaim their lives, I've experienced first hand how addiction doesn't discriminate. It affects professionals, founders, and executives just as much as anyone else, if not more. High-stakes environments often come with higher risks, making addiction an all-too-common issue among us.
Why Are We at Higher Risk of Addiction?
The risk of addiction among professionals, founders, and executives is well-documented, influenced by our unique personalities and the demands of our roles.
Here are some key risk factors:
Personality Traits
We often exhibit traits like competitiveness, perfectionism, hyper-focus, and a desire for novelty-seeking and excitement. These qualities, while beneficial in many ways as founders and executives running businesses, can also make us more prone to risk-taking behaviours and experimentation including substance use. Oh, look the next new shiny thing I can get a dopamine hit from and obsessed about!
High-Stress Levels
The workload and responsibility that come with our positions can lead to chronic stress. We often bear the weight of entire organisations, investors, financial stresses, decision fatigue, relationship conflict at work, and that was before the pandemic came along.
The impacts of the pandemic had a significant impact on many founders and executives as the demands increased, revenue initially dropped, forced isolation on top of the anxiety of living through lockdowns and Covid risks. These can push us towards unhealthy coping mechanisms.
And they did, as we saw the highest rates of alcohol and drug deaths on report in 2021 and a spike in individuals accessing recovery support.
Social Isolation
Despite our often-extensive networks, the pressures of leadership can lead to a sense of isolation. How often do you have the real conversations about your life with business associates?
When our coping strategies are found in alcohol and substances and not talking to people we trust about the reality of our lives we become event more isolated.
High functioning
As founders and entrepreneurs, we are the queens and kings of problem solving, more dopamine hits and hyper focus when we can see a problem we want to solve.
Unfortunately, when we are still highly functioning despite daily alcohol or substance use, it’s almost impossible to realise we have a problem ourselves.
Until the pain of our addiction outweighs the pleasure. By then our health, relationships, career and reputation are all on the line!
I found that despite some close friends knowing I was using drugs daily for 3 years, no-one sat me down to say that they were worried about me as I was high functioning, from the outside had it all!
I may have been high-functioning but I certainly wasn’t performing at my best.
Access to Resources
Financial stability and access to resources can make it easier to obtain substances and afford a £1000 a month habit. The normalisation of "work hard, play hard" in professional circles can also blur the lines between we are having fun, and the party continuing for one, for days when everyone else has left.
Coping Mechanisms
Stress is toxic to human brains and bodies, contributing to mental health problems, heart disease, digestive problems, sexual problems and even fertility issues. No wonder humans have an instinctual drive to relieve stress.
Whether it be through exercise, food, talking about our problems, engaging in our hobbies, laughing with friends, meditation or using the relaxing effects of alcohol and other substances, all of these coping strategies work. The ease of taking a substance for instant relief is of benefit to the brain in the short term and provides the motivation to engage in that behaviour.
It takes a lot more motivation to go to the gym, go for a walk, meditate for 30 minutes, arrange to have fun with loved ones if it isn’t already a regular habit in your life. No-one wakes up one day and decides to become addicted to anything, the journey to addiction often starts with a need to get away from stress, boredom, pain, or towards something, motivation, heightened focus and productivity at work, staying awake longer, enjoyment, spiritual connection, relaxation.
Addiction tips the balance over to the point where the pain, suffering, stress and other negative impacts are caused by the substance and our obsession with it, but we don't to reach rock bottom to get help.
Poor Mental Health
As founders we are unique in that we must be a jack of all trades, but also exceptional in those trades. Constantly learning as we go, persistent rejection, mental exhaustion, never switching off and always trying to work out the next problem that will help to scale our businesses.
Chronic stress, burnout, anxiety, and depression are common in high-pressure roles. These mental health challenges can both contribute to and exacerbate problematic substance use in executives and founders like us.
Consequences of Addiction for Professionals, Founders, and Executives
The consequences of addiction are far-reaching and can impact every aspect of our lives including the ability to save our careers, our health, and our relationships:
Health Impacts
Our addictions can lead to a range of physical and mental health problems that ultimately can result in death, from chronic illnesses to severe mental health problems including suicide. Suicide rates increase significantly in people who are stuck in addiction.
Family Impacts
Our loved ones often suffer alongside us. The strain of addiction can cause financial stress, emotional distress, and can have a profound impact on children and partners. Being a partner to a founder or executive can be hard enough with the demands of our jobs distracting us from family life, but when family time is then distracted with an addiction, there are no winners here.
Career Consequences
Addiction impairs our performance and decision-making abilities despite how high functioning we think we are, putting our businesses and careers at risk. The potential for career derailment is significant, whether due to diminished capacity, public scandal, or legal issues.
Reputation Damage
Our professional and personal reputations can suffer, affecting relationships with colleagues, clients, and partners. This can lead to a loss of trust and opportunities.
I struggle everyday with the decision I made to recover loudly and publicly share my story of addiction and recovery as a female, entrepreneur, director, wife and mother. The stigma and shame are real, I just have to keep reminding myself of the reason why I am doing this, which is so that other founders and executives like me, don’t suffer in silence and get the help they need when they need it, by someone who’s walked the same path.
The Path to Healing and Success
Given these significant risks, it is crucial for professionals, founders, and executives struggling with addiction to have access to discreet, tailored support and recovery programmes. My RestorePro Signature Programme is designed to address the unique challenges faced by professionals like us.
Addiction among professionals, founders, and executives is a serious issue that requires tailored solutions. By recognising the unique risks we face and seeking out relatable, specialised support, we can achieve long-term recovery, protect our careers, and maintain healthy, fulfilling lives that we love.