How to Support a Peer Who's Struggling with Substance Use

If you're watching a peer, someone you've worked beside for

years, and something's off. They're irritable, they're late,

and maybe they're not as sharp as they usually are. And you

suspect it's more than just a rough patch. But how do you

bring it up? How do you support them without sounding like HR or

worse, without blowing up their relationship? Today, we're

talking about how to support a peer who's struggling with

substance use. Because it's more common than we like to admit,

and your response could make all the

Welcome to Surviving Your Shift, your go-to resource

for building strong, peer support teams in high-stress

professions. I'm your host, Bart Leger, board-certified in

traumatic stress with over 25 years of experience supporting

and training professionals in frontline and emergency roles.

Whether you're looking to start a peer support team, learn new

skills, or bring training to your organization, this show

will equip you with practical tools to save lives and careers.

Welcome back, and let's be real. Substance use in the

first responder culture isn't new. It's been around for a long

time. We might joke about it, downplay it, or pretend it's no

big deal, but we've all seen it. Maybe even lived it. Some folks

unwind with a few drinks after shift and never miss a beat. But

for others, that coping strategy starts to take over. One drink

becomes four. A sleeping pill turns into a habit. way to

unwind turns into a way to function. And for a lot of first

responders, especially the ones who've seen hard stuff over and

over and over again, it becomes a silent way to survive. But

here's the thing. It doesn't stay silent forever. Eventually,

it starts to show up. It starts to show up in how they talk, how

they work, in how they show up, or sometimes don't. And if

you're on a peer support team, or even just a concerned

co-worker, you're going to feel that nudge. The moment where you

wonder, should I say something? Today, we're going to talk

through what that moment looks like. We'll cover how to

recognize the signs, how to start a conversation without

judgment, when to bring help, and what to do if you're the one

struggling.

I want to start with why this matters. First responders

deal with a unique kind of pressure. It's not just the

calls. It's the trauma, the sleep deprivation, the

hypervigilance, the family strain, and the silent

expectation to be fine. And when those things pile up, a lot of

folks turn to something that helps them turn it off. That

might be alcohol. It might be pain pills from an old injury.

It might be stimulants to stay sharp after sleepless nights.

And because it's so common and so easy to hide, it's often

overlooked until it's not. The peer support role exists to

create a space where someone doesn't have to hit rock bottom

to get help. We want to catch people early. We want to come

alongside, not drop the hammer on them. But that only works if

we're paying attention and if we know how to handle it well.

So what are we looking for? What are the signs that

something deeper might be going on? Well, sometimes it's obvious.

They're missing shifts. They show up smelling like alcohol,

or they're nodding off in the corner.

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That means you listen and you validate and you let them talk,

but you also don't cover for them. You don't make excuses or

turn a blind eye if their safety is on the line. And you don't

keep secrets that could harm them or others. peers support is

about creating a safe space for honesty. And when someone trust

you. And when someone trust you to open up. That's sacred ...

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we're on the peer support team. Maybe people come to you for

help. But behind the scenes you're self-medicating. You're

using to sleep, to cope, to shut it all off. Can I just say thank

you for being honest? Thank you for still showing up. But you

don't have to carry it alone. And you don't have to pretend.

You're not a failure. You're just a human who needs care.

Just like the people you've supported. Please talk to

someone. Take a step and reach out. There is help and there's

hope.

effective in the long run. Substance use doesn't have to be

a shame-filled topic in your department. Let's break that

silence. And to help you with resources, I'll include links to

vetted first responder treatment facilities in the show notes.

It's obviously not a complete list, but it's a start. And if

you're building a peer support program or want to strengthen

the one you have, this is a vital conversation your team

needs to be equipped. Visit stresscaredoc.com to schedule a

consultation or find training options that can help your your

team respond to substance use with compassion, with clarity

and with care. Thanks for joining me on Surviving Your

Shift. These conversations are easy, but they do matter. You

don't have to be perfect. Just be present and willing and

trustworthy. I'll see you in the next episode. Until then, God

bless and have a great day.