Stress Management
Our industry (culinary / hospitality) has a very serious issue with substance abuse as a stress management outlet. Best that we talk about that with the students so that they don't get trapped with unhealthy behaviors.
Dr. Read, I do agree with your comments. Unfortunately, finding local supports, or even convincing one's self or other individuals to seek guidance in that manner tends to be a bit challenging at times. But I certainly support having a councilor on staff. Regards.
Shayan, This is a tricky problem to solve and often times is best left to professionals. Some of us are lucky enough to have guidance councilors on staff. For those who do, it's often a good thing to call them in early. When they are not available, sometimes we can find local support groups for our students to consider.
Dr. Melissa Read
I definitely agree with the idea of addressing this issue with the students. But we must also offer some specific ways that one could prevent substance abuse. There are obviously many different scenarios but students need to be familiar with the most common causes of stress. Certainly, one's environment, whether workplace or home, has a lot to do with the type of stress and how to deal with it. Specific causes to consider among others include ineffectively dealing with peer pressure and life or home pressure. They must also be explained the importance of seeking help in the early stages and examine the risk factors if the abuse continues. Another way to prevent such abuse is to maintain a well-balanced between life and work.
Educating students on the issues of unhealthy behaviors is great. I also think it would be great to teach them healthy ways of relieving stress like working out, painting, cooking, etc.
Daryl, So true. It's great to be able to have an open dialog about difficult topics. It helps people identify others who are also struggling with similar issues and discover best practices that may help them overcome issues.
Dr. Melissa Read
I think that's a great idea to discuss substance abuse with students, and also share with coworkers who too might be dealing with such issues. I know in healthcare many substance abusers are "closeted" for fear of stigma, termination, loss of licensure, etc. Great point though!
