The oil industry is always a booming industry, and the reason for this is because oil is always in constant demand.

There is always a need for a great output of oil on a daily basis, and this implies that workers need to be on their toes continually so that they can meet up with the tough demands.

Of course, oil workers have good salaries to show for it, and this is what makes them leave comfortable lives.

The money which oil workers are paid, is sufficient for them to solve all of their family issues, without having to break a sweat.

However, one of the major downsides which comes with this job is, the oil workers face great amounts of stress, and this often leads to substance abuse and addiction in the long run.

Not all oil workers know how to relieve themselves of stress, and this is one of the reasons why a good number of them have issues abstaining from drug, alcohol and other forms of addiction.

The reason why they are addicted is because, they believe taking these substances helps them to cope effectively with stress.

With time, they discover they need greater amounts of these substances, and this increases their daily intake.

One of the most effective ways for an oil worker to relieve stress, is effective rest, and most of them deny themselves of this. They want to work for longer hours so they can earn more, and this takes a toll on their physical and mental health.

Oil workers need to understand that there is a good amount of rest which is needed for their body, and if they deny their bodies of this, there is a likely chance they will break down soon enough.

Another way oil workers can relieve themselves of stress, is to spend ample time with their loved ones; their family and friends.

This is important because, being in solitary is disadvantageous to their health, and they need the best moral and emotional support which they can get to help them move on.

If an oil worker understands that money is not everything, and they can spare themselves some hours to set other aspects of their lives straight, they would be good to go.

There are great rewards in the oil industry especially when it comes to the financial aspect. However, a good number of them just manage the routine of being an oil worker, and carry out whatever duty they have in their free time. Addiction is a usual feature for a typical oil worker for a good number of reasons.

One of the basic reasons why oil workers get addicted, is due to the fact that they are usually tired-out from the stress accrued at work. They spend more time than usual at work, and thus it has an adverse effect on them. However, the financial gains are only what keeps them going.

Oil workers barely have time to undergo any form of healthy recreation, and it has a detrimental effect on them in the long run. This is because the time and facilities which are needed to effect this, are not in place. The stress accumulated at work for oil workers is very stressful, owing to the fact that the oil industry is very demanding. Hence, there is a need for a high level of efficiency, commitment and skill from all workers.

The work schedule of a typical oil worker can be very tight, as they would be expected to follow a particular work pattern which would require them to give in their best, bearing in mind that time is not really a luxury. This stress makes the oil worker tired out, and then they seek ways on how to cool off the stress accrued over a long period of time.

This is what makes a good number of them to find solace in drugs or alcohol. At first, they seem like harmless substances because they aid them in putting off stress. However, with time, it is discovered that the frequency of intake of these substances is on the increase, and detrimental effects begin to set in.

There is much money in the oil industry, and this is what makes the oil workers strive more to ensure that they make more money. Hence, being hooked on certain substances aids them in going beyond their limits.

Addiction among oil workers in the oil industry, is one of its darkest secret.

Addiction and substance abuse problems have claimed and destroyed lives, so why is it that the need for treatment in oil workers is so often overlooked? It is no secret that living in Fort McMurray means frequently encountering substance abuse and addiction problems. There is not much to do in Fort McMurray, particularly during the cold, harsh winters, which turns people toward heavy drinking and drug abuse. There is an obvious need for addiction and substance abuse treatment among many of the workers, but all too often this need is neglected and swept under the rug.

It is very important that workers in Fort McMurray know that it is acceptable to seek help for their substance abuse problems. If they express these concerns to the right people, they will be met with support and community, not judgment.

In Fort McMurray, the demographic of oil workers is almost entirely male, and a very masculine culture is present in the oil sands. This is typical of the working population in an oil boom town. It is also typical of boom towns that this largely male demographic tends to expend their testosterone by overusing illicit substances and alcohol. This practice is so popular and common that it becomes part of the community’s culture and mindset, which is very much what has happened in Fort McMurray.

The overwhelmingly male presence in a boom town like Fort McMurray is largely instigating the substance abuse and celebrating it, which means that anyone who is drawing negative attention to substance abuse is behaving in a counter cultural manner. Anyone who is growing concerned about their own inability to manage their relationship with addictive substances will be going against the group to voice these concerns and speak out against substance abuse. Men in these communities do not want to be ostracized, so they try to follow the traditions and values of the group, but this is not a healthy practice for those who are being harmed by substance abuse and addiction.

Fort McMurray, Alberta represents the classic oil boom town story. Since the mid twentieth century, the Athabasca oil sands have been the site of incredible industry and prosperity. In the late 1800’s, it was estimated that the Athabasca oil sands were some of the most extensive in the entire world and preparations for an industrial mega-complex were underway. But it was not until the 1970’s that the Athabasca oil sands became known through out Canada as the country’s most lucrative source of employment. Since that time, with the exception of the occasional recession due to world market oil crashes, the Athabasca oil sands has been flooded with would be employees, seeking profitable oil work, and Fort McMurray has become the epitome of an oil boom town. Everything one would associate with a boom town is present in Fort McMurray; the good, the bad and the ugly.

The positive things that have come out of Fort McMurray are abundant. Canada’s economy benefits enormously from the operations of the oil sands, generating tens of billions of dollars into the national economy. The province of Alberta in particular thrives significantly because of the oil industry. Living in Fort McMurray and working in the oil industry has been a positive thing for many Canadian families. The oil industry has provided a good life and a good retirement for a great many Canadians.

The dark side of the boom town story is certainly present in Fort McMurray as well. Like every classic boom town in history, the money has rolled in faster than anyone has known what to do with it. This tends to become problematic to communities. An underdeveloped city in possession of too much money leads to trouble. There is not enough recreation to keep people occupied, and people become restless and turn to substance abuse and debauchery for entertainment. Fort McMurray is a major Hell’s Angels trade center with a serious drug and alcohol problem and a very high crime rate.

The substance abuse problems that plague Alberta’s oil industry are resulting in lives lost and torn apart. Young to middle aged men come to Northern Alberta with the honest intentions of working hard and making a decent living. But upon arrival, they are sucked into a vortex of drug and alcohol abuse, and mental disorders run rampant due to the harsh, restrictive conditions and the absence of healthy recreational activities.

Drug traffic is very prevalent near the oil sands because of the incredible amount of money workers have to spend on it. Drug gangs and individual dealers have a booming market of their own in towns like Fort McMurray, Alberta, which is the closest city to the oil sands. The availability of drugs is limitless, with cocaine (the “wealthy man’s drug”) being the biggest cash crop for dealers. It is estimated that a majority of the mental disorders found amongst oil workers can be tied to drug use.

The substance that is most abused amongst oil workers is a legal one: alcohol. As alcohol sales in Alberta are gradually privatized, the availability of alcohol increases along with cases of alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Sadly, this addiction is also the most under resourced one, with government funded rehabilitation services being heavily depleted and stretched beyond their means. Often, alcoholics will receive little more than a basic support group to help them with sobriety, when what they really need is inpatient rehabilitation.

Oil workers afflicted with addiction to drugs and alcohol should be receiving proper substance abuse treatment, even if they have to find it outside of Alberta. There are plenty of addiction rehabilitation programs in neighboring provinces that are eager to help the oil industry with its substance abuse problems. No paycheck is worth the destruction of the worker’s life. Addicts and families of addicts are encouraged to reach out for help before it is too late. With alcohol rehab Alberta, there is always an opportunity to improve one-self and seek counselling.

Alberta has run into a problem of depleted substance abuse treatment resources. It is becoming widely known that the oil industry of Northern Alberta has spawned a culture of rampant substance abuse problems. Oil jobs are incredibly high paying, but demand the worker to live in harsh northern conditions, usually in a work camp. This attracts a largely male demographic who find themselves living with little to no entertainment or recreation after their grueling work week, causing them to turn to drugs and alcohol for amusement.

The sale of alcohol in Alberta is becoming privatized, making a vast selection of liquor available to oil workers. The drug trade follows wealth, and is highly prominent through out Alberta, with a large presence in and around the oil sands. Illegal substances are more than accessible; they are routinely offered to oil workers.

The Alberta oil sands is notoriously a den of substance abuse and addiction, so much so that its rehabilitation treatment facilities are having to turn people away, put them on waiting lists or drastically shorten their programs. Throughout Alberta, whether someone is looking for a Calgary rehab program or an Edmonton addiction treatment center, they will find few facilities taking new clients. With the worker’s population and the availablity of addictive substances increasing simultaneously, the situation is becoming dire.

Government funded rehabs are maxed out and support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous are carrying a large part of the weight of Alberta’s addiction problems. However, they are only intended to be supplemental support and cannot offer the safe recovery environment that inpatient rehab offers. Because of this, most substance abuse problems do not receive the attention they need, or they go entirely untreated, putting many lives at risk. Addiction treatment facilities and rehabilitation programs across Canada want to help aid the addiction crisis in the oil sands of Alberta, and those who struggle with drug and alcohol substance abuse problems in the oil field are encouraged to reach out for help as soon as possible.