Is It Unprofessional to Quit Drinking If You Work in Alcohol Treatment?

When I worked in alcohol treatment a colleague once told me it was unprofessional to want to stop drinking.

They said not wanting to drink signalled weakness rather than a personal choice.

They argued that wanting to avoid a hangover because it made me feel anxious the next day showed mental fragility and questioned wether I should be supporting others.

At the time my drinking was typical for someone in their early twenties. Weekend nights out with friends, no drinking in the week or the night before work.

Yet I was told that if my mental health suffered after a night out, the issue was me ~ not the alcohol.

They suggested that experiencing negative consequences like hangxiety meant I had a bad relationship with alcohol, which was a conflict of interest.

More recently in a professional meeting, someone expressed a similar view and seemed surprised to hear that I stopped drinking while working in alcohol treatment.

I’ve always believed this type of work should encourage us to reflect on our relationship with alcohol. Not shut that reflection down.

These comments show how deeply normalised alcohol is in the spaces meant to question it.

If this sounds wild / far fetched, it’s worth asking why do people still feel unable to be open with their employer about being sober curious?

I’m sharing this because many in our community have said they’ve faced similar stigma in work after choosing to stop drinking, and worry that their employer finding out they’re sober curious might hold them back professionally.

Have you seen this kind of thinking in your industry? Should employers be more supportive and inclusive around alcohol?