​How to Recognize and Respond to Addiction in All Its Forms—Without Shaming or Overstepping

It's not just drugs. 
Addiction wears a lot of outfits.
Sometimes it smells like vodka.
Sometimes it smells like stale coffee and skipped meals.
Sometimes it’s bingeing, restricting, gambling, scrolling, or working 80 hours a week to avoid feeling anything at all.
We tend to look for the obvious addictions: drugs, alcohol, maybe cigarettes.
But in the workplace—where performance masks pain--the signs are often quieter.
And the behaviors? More socially acceptable.

Addiction is Bigger Than We Think
At its core, addiction is about repetition:
A repeated behavior that’s hard to stop, even when it causes harm—physically, emotionally, relationally, or financially.
Here’s a wide-angle view of what addiction can look like, especially when someone is self-medicating or trying to regulate emotional distress:

Common (and often overlooked) forms of addiction:

• Alcohol or drug dependency
• Nicotine or vaping
• Prescription medication misuse (Adderall, Xanax, painkillers)
• Food-related addictions (binge eating, sugar dependence, starvation/restrictive cycles)
• Porn and sex addiction
• Gambling
• Social media and screen time
• Exercise addiction
• Workaholism
• Shopping/compulsive spending
• High-risk behaviors or thrill-seeking
• Relationship/codependency patterns
• “Productivity addiction”—compulsively filling time to avoid emotional discomfort

Many of these are reward-based behaviors, meaning they activate the brain’s dopamine system.
They offer temporary relief, focus, pleasure, or escape—but long term, they chip away at health, relationships, and self-worth.

How Managers Can Recognize the Signs—Without Making Assumptions
You’re not expected to be a clinician. But as a manager, you are in a position to notice patterns that affect performance, safety, or wellbeing.
Look for:

• Sudden mood swings, isolation, or increased irritability
• Changes in work quality, focus, or reliability
• Absenteeism or presenteeism (physically there, emotionally gone)
• Compulsive behaviors (working excessive hours, skipping meals, micromanaging, or constant multitasking)
• Signs of emotional dysregulation—overreaction, defensiveness, or flat affect

The key is to focus on observable behaviors, not labeling someone as “an addict” or making assumptions about their personal life.

What to Do: A Trauma-Informed Approach for Managers
If you’re concerned about someone on your team, here’s how to approach the situation with respect, confidentiality, and care:
✅ DO:

• Document specific observations (missed deadlines, withdrawn behavior, increased irritability)
• Stick to impact: “I’ve noticed [X], and I’m concerned about how it’s affecting your work and wellbeing.”
• Offer support, not judgment: “You don’t have to go through this alone—our EAP is here for confidential support.”
• Know your role: You’re not there to diagnose or fix. You’re there to connect people to help.

❌ DON’T:

• Ask personal questions like, “Are you addicted?” or “Is something going on at home?”
• Jump to disciplinary action without first offering resources
• Share the concern with other team members or make it part of office gossip
• Assume they’re not trying or don’t care—most people with addictive behaviors are doing their best to survive

Confidential Support Through the EAP
Your Employee Assistance Program is the bridge.
When in doubt, refer to the EAP:

• “This sounds like something our EAP could really help with—would you like me to connect you?”
• “Everything you share with them is confidential—they’re independent from our management team.”
• “They can support with mental health, substance use, nutrition, financial stress, and more.”

Even if someone doesn’t take the help right away, just knowing it’s there plants a seed.

Final Thought: From Judgment to Curiosity
Addiction isn’t always obvious. It doesn’t always smell like alcohol or look like a dramatic crash.
It can be functional. Quiet. Even praised in some work cultures.
But behind that overwork, restriction, or binge cycle, there’s often pain—and a need for real support.

You don’t need to have all the answers. You just need to notice, ask with care, and offer a path forward.
That’s leadership.
That’s how we heal workplaces.
That’s how we make recovery possible—one honest moment at a time.