Understanding The Challenges in Finding and Maintaining Employment When Dealing with Substance Use Disorder in Türkiye

The present article explores the employment challenges individuals who deal with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in Türkiye perceive. To do so, we conducted interviews with 18 individuals with SUD as well as 16 of their relatives. The findings of the study indicated four main groups of challenges faced by individuals with SUD: i) challenges in working at a job (e.g., symptom-related limitations), ii) challenges in finding employment (e.g., hiring discrimination), iii) job loss, and iv) limited institutional support. A particularly interesting insight was the common self-stigmatization with individuals viewing themselves as inadequate and incompetent, mirroring wide-spread stigmatizing narratives about SUD. Further, interviews with relatives revealed that relative’s shoulder significant financial and emotional burdens in supporting individuals with SUDs. The study underscores the need for institutional support, legal protections, and efforts to combat stigma to facilitate the successful employment and well-being of individuals with SUDs in Türkiye.