How to welcome back a colleague who is in recovery

It can be awkward or difficult to welcome back a colleague who has been absent for reasons related to mental health. These issues, historically, have been taboo, and are loaded with stigma. It is hard to know how to act toward a colleague who has returned from treatment for a mental health issue. Do I ask about it? Do I pretend that nothing happened? Do I say that I hope they are feeling better? Usually, none of these options feels right. This difficulty is particularly true when colleagues return from being treated for problems with drugs or alcohol. The stigma in our society against people suffering from addiction is rampant and deadly. I have experienced such stigma myself and have written about it here. Many people view “addicts” as morally impaired and deserving of scorn and derision, and not worthy of compassion and care. Fortunately, as our society comes to understand addiction as a brain disease, and as a medical problem much like diabetes or cancer, our unhelpful attitudes about addiction are starting to change. Addiction has nothing to do with a lack of morals or character, and people certainly shouldn’t be blamed for having an addiction any more than you would blame them for having cancer. But prejudices fade slowly. Even progressive people with the best intentions can still have implicit bias toward people suffering from substance use disorders who are returning to their workplace. What can I do to support my coworker? A good first step toward successfully s...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Addiction Behavioral Health Mental Health Workplace health Source Type: blogs