Correlation between Mental Health and Substance Use Outcomes in a Sample of Tradespeople

Mental health and addiction are closely linked — especially in the construction industry, where stress, long hours and injuries can play a role. In this study, we explored the connection between mental health challenges and addiction among skilled tradespeople, focusing on how anxiety and depression symptoms affect recovery, work, and overall wellbeing.

We wanted to understand this correlation to:

1. Promote mental health and prevent addiction and relapse
2. Support a culture shift and guide policies that promote a healthier, more stable workforce — improving retention and productivity.

Who Participated

• A hundred (100) trades workers participated while attending De Novo’s 35-day Residential Addiction Treatment Program and for 3 months after graduation.
• Participants were men aged 25–44.
• Many had been living with anxiety or depression for years before seeking help.

Key Findings

1. Mental health challenges and work absenteeism
• Anxiety and/or depressive symptoms were linked to higher rates of work disability and absenteeism.
• Workers facing unemployment or disability were at higher risk of severe depression.
• Those with anxiety symptoms often took a break from work after treatment before returning — and this break was linked to maintaining sobriety.
• 100% of participants who took a break after treatment and then returned to work showed no depression symptoms.
2. Not addressing mental health increases relapse risk and financial burden
• Workers who did not address mental health challenges reported 112% higher spending on drugs than those who did any kind of mental health treatment.
• They were also more likely to relapse compared to those receiving treatment for anxiety or depression.
3. De Novo’s residential program improves mental health
• Before treatment, most clients said their mental health and substance use were making each other worse.
• After one month at De Novo, most reported the opposite — better mental health was reducing cravings and triggers, and sobriety was improving their mental health. At the end of the study, 100% of those who reported this positive cycle were sober.
• Before treatment, most experienced anxiety all or most of the time. After 35 days, the majority experienced anxiety only sometimes or not at all — showing the program reduced both severity and frequency of symptoms.

Why this matters for the trades

• Most of the time, anxiety and/or depression symptoms appear first and substance use begins as a coping mechanism.
• Without treatment, both problems grow, leading to absenteeism, relapse, and lower productivity.
• Addressing mental health alongside addiction not only leads to better recovery outcomes, less relapse, and lower substance-related costs to the worker, but also builds a stronger, healthier, and more productive workforce for Ontario’s construction industry.

Outcomes

De Novo will continue to provide integrated care for mental health and addiction to promote long-term wellbeing of skilled tradespeople. These findings support inform industry leaders and community partners in developing strategies that promote wellness, stability, and productivity, building a safer, healthier, and more resilient construction industry.

How to cite this data: De Novo Treatment Centre. (2023). Correlation Between Mental Health and Substance Use Outcomes.https://denovo.ca

This Employment Ontario project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.

Ce projet Emploi Ontario est financé en partie par le gouvernement du Canada est le gouvernement de l’Ontario.

Special thank you to our project supporters: