Alcohol is one of the most popular drugs in Australia. A range of factors may influence dependence on alcohol including; psychological, biological, social and environmental factors. Alcohol dependence is often associated with depression, particularly for women.
Alcohol dependency is characterised by:
- tolerance for alcohol changing, for example when a person needs increased amounts over time to get less effect with repeated use
- withdrawal symptoms such as negative withdrawal symptoms like sweating, shaking, cravings or use of alcohol to relieve withdrawal symptoms
- continued consumption of alcohol despite experiencing its ill effects such as showing a lack of control or compulsive behaviour.
In severe cases, alcohol related brain injury (ARBI) is caused when drinking too much alcohol harms or destroys cells in various areas in the brain. The resulting damage may leave the person with a range of impairments.
The World Health Organization estimates that alcohol causes a net harm of 4.4 per cent of the global burden of disease, and that the beneficial effects of alcohol are small compared to the detrimental effects. Alcohol causes a greater health burden for men than for women. Neuropsychiatric disorders, mainly alcohol use disorders, constitute the category linked to most alcohol-attributable burden of disease; unintentional injury is the second most important category.
Symptoms and characteristics
Symptoms of severe alcohol dependency and ARBI which can affect performance in the workplace include:
- memory loss, confusion, poor planning and organisation, hallucinations and impaired ability to learn new information
- poor co-ordination which can lead to accidents especially with regard to operating machinery or driving vehicles.
Workplace solutions and adjustments
Not all people with alcohol dependency will need accommodations to perform their jobs and many others may only need a few accommodations.
Maintaining concentration can often be an issue for people with alcohol dependency. Some strategies to help overcome this include:
- regular breaks
- reducing distractions in the workplace
- providing a private work space
- breaking down the person’s work role into smaller tasks.
Maintaining adequate levels of stamina and dealing with stress during the working day can also be an issue. Some strategies to help overcome these problems include:
- encourage more frequent breaks
- allow flexible work scheduling
- break down bigger tasks into smaller, more achievable tasks.
Planning and organisation can often be difficult for people with alcohol dependency. The following strategies may be of assistance in the workplace:
- establish goals with the employee
- use an electronic organiser
- provide clerical support
- encourage use of a calendar and set reminders
- use a “To Do” list.
For more information about specific job requirements and suitable solutions for the workplace see the links below:
References
Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing 2011, Guidelines for the treatment of alcohol problems, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, Canberra, viewed 7 April 2011, http://www.alcohol.gov.au/internet/alcohol/publishing.nsf/Content/33F1F1299AD53EA3CA257693001776BE/$File/tre2.pdf.
Batiste, L.C. 2010, Accommodation and Compliance Series: Employees with Alcoholism, Job Accommodation Network, online, viewed 7 April 2011, http://askjan.org/media/alcohol.html.
Better Health Channel 2009, Alcohol related brain impairment, Victorian Government Department of Human Services, Melbourne, viewed 7 April 2011, http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Alcohol_related_brain_damage?OpenDocument.
Mental Health Council Inc. 2006, Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace – an e-learning course, University of Melbourne, Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Canberra.
Nick Crofts 2007, “This country’s biggest drug problem is alcohol”, The Australian newspaper, Sydney, viewed 3 February 2011, http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21275448-23289,00.html.
Youth Central 2010, Dealing with alcohol dependence, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, viewed 3 February 2011, http://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/ViewPage.action?&repositoryName=&siteNodeId=515&CurrentFolderID=1966&ItemID=12700&BackToFolderID=1966.