Counseling case study: addressing stress, drug use, and career dissatisfaction

John 3

Case example: John

Counselor: You say that you are currently experiencing stress. What is currently your biggest life stressor?

John: Definitely my job. I wish DJ-ing paid as much as my day job, and provided me the security that my day job offers me.

Counselor: What is so stressful about your job at the computer company?

John: Everything depends on me. The hours are long, and if I screw up, the whole system could crash. Plus, it's difficult to balance my hours as a tester with my work as a DJ. I stress out about work and I stress out about doing the work that makes life meaningful.

Counselor: You said before that one of the ways that you cope with stress is through drug use.

John: Yeah, but not a lot. Just some marijuana to unwind after work sometimes and some cocaine to make it through the night as a DJ, if I have been working long hours.

Counselor: So you take stimulants that can make you jittery to get through the night and then a depressant to bring you down when you feel nervous and anxious after a long day?

John: Yeah.

Counselor: Would you say that your use of one drug feeds your need to use the other?

John: You could say so.

Counselor: How much does your drug use cost per week?

John: It varies [gives total dollar amount].

Counselor: You say that you are stressed about money, yet you are spending X amount of dollars per week on your drug habits. Do you think there is a discrepancy between your desire to be financially stable and your use of drugs to work and the fact that you engage in recreational drug use?

John: Possibly. I guess I just have this 'make money while you can' mentality because the industry I work in is so volatile. I have been let down so many times before.

Counselor: It's difficult to make a commitment to a job and then see a company go 'bust' despite your best efforts.

John: I'm a control freak, and seeing so many companies go under that I busted my butt for makes me feel really out of control.

Counselor: Does that make you feel afraid to make a change?

John: Possibly. I'm just not sure what changes I need to make are necessary.

Counselor: What are you doing to foster change in your life?

John: I'm not sure. I don't want to be a professional DJ but I don't see myself working as a tester and being happy about it in five years.