Why A Corner Office Is the Best Place to Hide an Addiction
In the business world we measure everything. You look at quarterly margins and team sizes to see if someone is doing well. But as a dually licensed LPCC and LICDC, I have seen the same exact story play out every single week. People use their massive career success to cover up a massive personal disaster.
We call it the high functioning illusion. It is a dangerous lie that tells you if your work life is booming then your personal life must be totally fine. High achievers use their job titles like a shield. I used to see this all the time when I ran a specialty recovery group for business professionals. The internal dialogue usually sounds like someone telling themselves they cannot possibly be an addict because they just closed a huge deal. They look at their paycheck and their awards as hard proof that nothing is wrong.
The reality is that chemical dependency does not give a damn about your tax bracket. Eventually the substance stops being a choice. It does not matter if it is the alcohol you use to come down from a brutal 12 hour shift or the stimulants you take to power through the morning. Taking those substances becomes a biological necessity just so you can feel normal.
I know how scary it is to drop that crutch because I have been there. I got sober in April 2020 right when the entire world was shutting down and stress was through the roof. Back when I played college football the entire mentality was about playing through the pain. You tape it up and you get back on the field no matter what. I see that exact same locker room mentality in the executives I treat today. When your whole life is about grinding it out and producing results it feels impossible to admit you are struggling. One of the biggest fears executives have when they enter recovery is losing their edge. They genuinely believe the constant stress and the sleepless nights and the drinking are the secret sauce to their success.
As a clinician I have to help people separate their ambition from their disease. The alcohol and the pills did not build your career. You built it. Your intelligence and your grit got you where you are today. You hit those milestones in spite of the substance and definitely not because of it.
Real high performance is not about white knuckling through a morning meeting with a terrible hangover. It is about operating with a totally clear mind. It means learning how to handle a market shift without needing a drink the second you walk out of the building. Getting sober did not dull my edge at all. It actually sharpened it. Entering recovery does not mean you have to give up your ambition. Tearing down the high functioning illusion gives you the chance to lead with real authenticity. Getting clinical help is not a liability for your career. It is the best investment you can make for your long term performance.
To learn more about challenging an addiction of any kind no matter what your age, race, socioeconomic status, job title is, please feel free to give us a call at The Behavioral Wellness Group. We have individual as well as Intensive Outpatient Program options to help you move forward toward healthy success.
John Fioritto, LPCC, LICDC
Dual Diagnosis IOP Director
The Behavioral Wellness Group
8224 Mentor Ave #208 Mentor OH 44060
P: 440 392 2222 #881 F: 440 565 2349
P: 843 278 0008 F: 440 565 2349
jfioritto@behavioralwellnessgroup.com
www.behavioralwellnessgroup.com