There are many high stress jobs that lead to mental health issues and addiction. Many of those jobs are in the transportation industry. The U.S. Department of Transportation has strict policies for the testing and treatment of safety-sensitive transportation employees in aviation, trucking, railroads, mass transit, pipelines, and other transportation industries. These industries have put Employee Assistant Programs in place specifically to help workers who need treatment for any mental health issues and addiction problems. In these transportation fields, it is important for employees to be safe so that people using the transportation are also safe. Employers understand the importance of offering treatment for substance abuse in these fields, especially in a confidential, safe, and free environment.
Addiction and Flight Attendants
For flight attendants there are many stresses that can influence their mental health and also lead to addiction. Many flight attendants have to trade a constant sleep schedule for their livelihood. They are constantly waking up and sleeping at odd hours of the day to fit the flight schedules. Many flight attendants resort to using sleeping pills to try and get sleep when they can. Other flight attendants may also turn to alcohol, prescription sedatives, or other more illicit sedatives. Constantly being sleep-deprived can lead to a lot of stress and a big urge to self-medicate. Another big stressor for flight attendants are critical incidents at work. Flight attendants that have been through severe turbulence with or without injuries, being physically assaulted during a flight or layover, evacuation of an airplane, an accident or disaster, fire on board, hijacking, terrorism, a medical emergency in flight, or a death in flight or on layover. These are all stressful situations for anyone but constantly being in risk of these situations can cause even more stress and of course the likeliness of it happening increases. Another thing is that these don’t have to directly happen to the flight attendant, if one of their coworkers or friends has been through one of these situations, it can be enough to cause emotions of fear or PTSD. Even just remembering incidents like September 11th, can remind flight attendants of the danger they are constantly in. Most flight attendants experience anxiety, dependent personality disorder, and depression. Many female flight attendants feel as though they cannot balance their job, being a partner, mother, and community member which all create more stress, anxiety, and depression. Going days on end without a day off, not being able to see their significant other or their children, and trying to catch up on sleep while battling jet lag and rude passengers is enough to stress anyone out.
Mental Health, Alcohol Addiction and Flight Attendants
Studies have been done that show that most flight attendants in substance abuse treatment were admitted for alcohol dependency. Alcohol is a depressant that many people use when they are trying to relax and fall asleep. However, some flight attendants may use their work locations as a way to get drugs for cheap or legally in other countries. Some flight attendants take painkillers to reduce pain they may have from the job or other injuries, anti-anxiety medication for stress, amphetamines to stay awake, alcohol to relax, or cocaine to enjoy their time in an unknown city. Many flight attendants are afraid to seek help for their mental health issues or substance abuse in fear of losing their job. The Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program (FADAP) is there to help flight attendants get the help they need without losing their job.
Treating flight attendants is often about treating the addiction and the underlying issues such as teaching them how to handle their stress in a healthy way, or teaching them how to cope with their depression and anxiety. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is a government research agency that works to improve the safety and health of America’s workers. They are part of theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the NIOSH suicide and alcoholism were some of the highest reasons for death amongst flight attendants. Getting the right professional treatment can help flight attendants lead a healthy sober life. It is important to identify the root cause of the addiction and teach new options to deal with the stress, anxiety, depression, and other underlying issues. Following rehab, professionals recommend that recovering addicts participate in support groups. Wings of Sobriety is one group specifically designed for flight attendants, and the moderators are all flight attendants with recovery experience. If you or someone you know needs help, Recovery Ways has worked with the FADAP and helped many flight attendants through their recovery.
Addiction and Flight Attendants: Get Help Now
Suffering with addiction as a flight attendant can be a very serious issue. Your job has a unique set of challenges, and the addiction treatment facility you choose should be able to provide personalized treatment for fight attendants. If you are ready to make a change Recovery Ways, the premier Utah drug rehab, can work with you and your EAP to find you the best treatment options available. Please call 1-888-986-7848 or contact us here.
