08/31/2026
Work stress is pushing a huge number of younger workers to reach for something stronger than caffeine. A new survey by SubstanceAbuseCounselor found that more than 60 percent of Gen Z and millennials are using drugs or alcohol weekly—or daily—to get through their jobs.
Millennials are also spending more than any other generation, with some shelling out over $300 a month on substances to keep up. This growing pattern reveals how intense work pressure is shaping day-to-day habits—and emptying wallets in the process.
“This isn’t just about burnout,” Rebecca Turley, Content and Research Coordinator at SubstanceAbuseCounselor, told VICE. “It’s about workers pushed to the edge by economic uncertainty, and AI, tariffs, and recession panic aren’t helping.”
