The Negative Cycle of Excessive Work and Excessive Drinking
Work was becoming hectic for the young police officer. She was working ten to fifteen hours of overtime each week and she felt herself losing her grip on her life. What complicated the situation was the fact that she started going out and drinking with a group of fellow officers after her shift. What began as fun soon turned into excess and then into a negative cycle of feeling tired each morning she awakened for work, working long hours, and then going drinking after work. Clearly, she was in a rut. Through the encouragement of a fellow officer, she made an appointment with a therapist at the work-affiliated alcohol abuse center. Since her employee’s assistance program was affiliated with this alcohol abuse center, it was not only convenient but also quite affordable to seek guidance about her drinking situation. Since the staff at the alcohol abuse center was competent, supportive, and non-judgmental, she was able to get alcohol treatment that made sense to her.
After discussing her life, her work, and her drinking with her therapist, she realized that she was burning the candle at both ends with her excessive work hours and excessive drinking. Once she realized that she was digging herself into a rut, with the help of her therapist, she quit drinking and stopped working overtime. Not only did she feel better, but she noticed that she actually had more money now even though she was working far fewer hours each week.