By Glenn Cohen, founder and CEO of Beach House Center for Recovery

Nobody is immune to addiction—not even entrepreneurs. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 21.5 percent of Americans aged 12 and older battled some type of substance abuse issue in 2014 (the most recent year for which data is available). In addition, 70 percent of all Americans who use illicit drugs are in the workforce, according to data cited by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

In other words, there’s a good chance that one or more of the people who work for you or with you struggle with substance abuse.

In my case, I was fortunate to be introduced in young adulthood to the spiritual principles of recovery, including the healing power of love and connection. But not everyone is as lucky: Whether it’s drugs or alcohol or both, addiction is sometimes based on family history and genetic heredity, sometimes triggered by environmental factors, but always dangerous and destructive to the addicted individual and his or her family, friends and coworkers. (more…)