Personal reflection on restaurant workers’ substance use recovery: a narrative inquiry

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction Understanding substance use recovery still raises eyebrows in the American society. Scant research exists on first-hand recovery experiences partly due to substance use misconceptions and stigmatization. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of restaurant work environment on restaurant workers’ sobriety and substance use recovery through narrative inquiry. Restaurant staff spend majority of their workday serving patrons food and drinks including those containing alcohol. During substance use recovery, it is advised that individuals in recovery keep a distance from the substance from which they are recovering. However, this is not possible for restaurant workers who are in recovery. Methods For this study, we wanted to get lived experiences from restaurant workers on their recovery journey to gain a deeper understanding of how their workplace affects their substance use recovery. We conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with two participants who were in sobriety and in recovery. Participants shared their experiences on their substance use and how they navigate their greatest challenge. Results We found that the work environment has less impact on restaurant workers in recovery. Participants rather expressed more concerns about customer behaviors around them and their inability to connect with their coworkers through their usual drinking culture of bonding. Conclusion Restaurant workers in sobriety and recovery from substance use cope well in the restaurant work environment but are highly impacted by the loss of work relationships and the usual drinking culture of bonding.