Remote Work: Has It Had a Good or Bad Influence on Addiction?

Remote Work: Has It Had a Good or Bad Influence on Addiction?

 Society is entering the age of remote work. More individuals are working from home than ever as we prepare to welcome 2024. The question of whether addiction has been hindered or encouraged by remote work is an interesting one, though.

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 Maybe you’re not having addiction problems at the moment. Still, if you’re engaged in remote work, you’ll probably be interested in hearing what the prevailing theory is about how this new work model is impacting drug and alcohol use. Let’s talk about that right now.

 It’s Too Early to Tell

 One thing that is worth saying about remote work and addiction behaviors is that it’s a bit early to tell very much. Remote work was becoming popular before Covid-19 showed up, but it was nowhere near as prevalent as it is now. The pandemic caused the number of individuals working from home to skyrocket, as many business entities had to rethink their strategies.

 With more individuals working from home than was the case five or ten years ago, it will probably take some time to tell whether addiction is getting better or worse as a result. However, there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that if one thing is impacting the other, working from home more is probably making addiction problems worse.

 Addiction and Work

 Usually, if someone has a problem with drugs or alcohol, they will have a difficult time holding down a job. Sooner or later, they will go overboard with the behavior and be detected by a supervisor, their boss, or someone else who will pass word of the issue up the chain of command.

 It’s true that some people can disguise their behavior for years. These are called functional addicts. If someone is in this condition, though, it seems likely remote work will allow them to keep the problem concealed for a longer time.

 If No One Sees You, You’re Not as Likely to Get Caught

 If you’re experiencing a drug or alcohol problem, you’ll probably show up to work high or drunk at some point. You will indulge too much and say something foolish, pass out at your desk, or do something similar.

 If you’re working from home, you may never meet anyone for the company you work for face to face. Maybe you will do a remote interview when someone hires you, but that’s it.

 If you do all your work at home, and no one ever sees you in person, you might be able to embrace your addictions much more without anyone being the wiser. As long as the quality of your work doesn’t suffer, you might become a full-blown addict while still retaining your job.

 It remains to be seen whether this will continue to be the case as remote work keeps gaining traction.