My assistant and I have worked together for about 7 years and have become very good friends. Last Wednesday she came to me and asked for the afternoon off because she had a dr. appt. I asked her if she was okay and she tuned up and told me that she thought that she had a xanax addiction. That she has been taking 7 or 8 pills pd since the fall. I was floored and probably didn't handle the situation the best I could of. I went home and searched for anything about xanax addiction and was horrified about what I found.
On Friday when she was going to the Dr., she told me that she has decided to quit using it on her own, that since she had enough foresight to think she had a problem she thought she could handle it. I highly disagree. I have been around addiction enough to know that now that now she is regretting telling me and is trying to deny her addiction I also think that if she told me that she is using 7 to 8 pills pd she is probably using more. From what I have also read Xanax addiction is very hard to kick and that the stress and anxiety will come back 10fold during the withdrawl period.
Today, she came to work all happy because she didn't take any today. She told me that she did take some on Sunday, but by Monday at 8am she kicked the habit. She also told me that she thought I was hyper sensative about xanax and exagarrated her use because my son is in a rehab (doing wonderful!) for bars (samething?) and xtacy.
Yes, I might be hyper sensative, but during my son's use I learned everything I could about this and am scared for her.
She basically runs our business and while I don't ever think that she would steal or anything from us, I do know that an addiction can make you do things that you never thought you would do just to support the habit. I really haven't figured out how to handle this situation, but I told her that all checks / withdrawls from now on will have to be approved. What I am thinking about doing since she is convinced that she can kick this on her own is telling her that I am taking over these responsibilities until I know she is clean. Not because I don't trust her, I don't trust the addiction and mainly her denial. Then in 1 month, if she test clean I will give her back her responsibilities. If she test dirty then she either had to go to a rehab, dr. whatever for professional help to kick this.
Any ideas? She is a great girl who is sharp as a tack, just has had a rough time lately in her personal life and it really got her down.
Thanks, sorry for rambling!
B
On Friday when she was going to the Dr., she told me that she has decided to quit using it on her own, that since she had enough foresight to think she had a problem she thought she could handle it. I highly disagree. I have been around addiction enough to know that now that now she is regretting telling me and is trying to deny her addiction I also think that if she told me that she is using 7 to 8 pills pd she is probably using more. From what I have also read Xanax addiction is very hard to kick and that the stress and anxiety will come back 10fold during the withdrawl period.
Today, she came to work all happy because she didn't take any today. She told me that she did take some on Sunday, but by Monday at 8am she kicked the habit. She also told me that she thought I was hyper sensative about xanax and exagarrated her use because my son is in a rehab (doing wonderful!) for bars (samething?) and xtacy.
Yes, I might be hyper sensative, but during my son's use I learned everything I could about this and am scared for her.
She basically runs our business and while I don't ever think that she would steal or anything from us, I do know that an addiction can make you do things that you never thought you would do just to support the habit. I really haven't figured out how to handle this situation, but I told her that all checks / withdrawls from now on will have to be approved. What I am thinking about doing since she is convinced that she can kick this on her own is telling her that I am taking over these responsibilities until I know she is clean. Not because I don't trust her, I don't trust the addiction and mainly her denial. Then in 1 month, if she test clean I will give her back her responsibilities. If she test dirty then she either had to go to a rehab, dr. whatever for professional help to kick this.
Any ideas? She is a great girl who is sharp as a tack, just has had a rough time lately in her personal life and it really got her down.
Thanks, sorry for rambling!
B