Most people have known someone who struggled with an addiction at some point in their life. Whether the addict had issues with drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, or another compulsive behavior, many of us have witnessed just how hard it is to break the addictive cycle. The nature of addiction is extremely complex and multifaceted and has roots that are both genetic and environmental. It is so possible for someone to be what is referred to as a functioning addict. An individual referred to as such has a serious dependency on their particular compulsive behavior, but he or she manages to hold down a job and maintain their lifestyle in such a way that the only people who know about their compulsions are the ones they choose to inform about their addiction in the workplace.
While it is fairly easy to suss out someone whose dependency on drugs has made them dysfunctional in a workplace setting, a functional addict can be much harder to identify. There are many physical symptoms of drug use that can make it obvious that someone is high at work. Unresponsiveness, extreme highs or lows in behavior, dilated pupils, red eyes, shaking, and secretive behavior can all be outward indications that someone is using drugs while at work. However, functional addicts are significantly more careful about concealing their use from coworkers and friends who do not know about their dependency. Identifying them as drug users takes a bit more legwork. However, if you suspect that someone may have a serious issue with drugs outside of the workplace and feel the need to step in for either professional or personal reasons, there are a number of ways that functional addicts can be identified.
Major mood swings that tend to be random and, in general, depressive or angry are a symptom that some addicts experience when not high. A general countenance of anxiety or nervous behavior like pencil tapping or leg shaking is categorically symptoms of early withdrawal. The individual in question may look sick, tired, or drained despite not being high because of time spent using the drug while not at work. Many functioning addicts are somewhat socially withdrawn in the workplace and tend not to befriend coworkers or socialize with them outside of the workplace because they do not feel like continuing to conceal their dependencies when they are off the clock. Occasional and unexplained absence is also a core characteristic of a functioning addict at a workplace. If these behaviors are present, and they also appear to get worse over time, there is a significant chance that the person in question is a drug user.
In an open state, there are no laws that state an organization should or should not require employee drug testing. For the sake of remaining consistent in policy, when a policy is formulated, it must clearly state the conditions of drug testing for employees at a workplace. While some employers choose not to include the option to test employees, others consider drug testing contingent for employment and/or require continual or random drug testing. If the option for random drug testing is available, requesting that an employee suspected of drug use be tested is wise for the sake of the employee and the business. The consequence of a positive test remains at the discretion of the business.