There is an inaccurate perception of addicts in our culture that depicts them as lower class and highly incapable. The classic picture of an addict is one with a scraggly appearance who cannot hold a job and appears to be physically unwell. While this type of addict does exist, this perception gives the errant impression than an addict cannot exist among the upper class. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Addicts can be found in every well-to-do hot spot in North America.

As you walk around your local country club, chances are you are passing at least several addicted socialites. Country clubs are meeting places for the upper echelon of society. Always equipped with a bar to enable alcoholics, country clubs may have the reputation of being incredibly refined, but upon closer inspection, one can see members who reveal an alcohol or drug habit. There are even a number of country clubs in recent years that have been discovered to have sex rooms.

Golf clubhouses are another common meeting place of white collar addicts. A lot of people who are casual on the subject joke that golf and alcohol were meant to go together. The truth is, it is not exactly a joking matter. Golf is a sport that commonly attracts alcoholics, particularly men. Golf is a very social sport for men but it doesn’t require intense athletic activity, so drinking can occur even while golfers are teeing off. Once a game is finished, a golf clubhouse is available that serves even more alcohol, which is where golf playing men and women tend to gather socially. The presence of the upscale bar is certainly a draw to white collar addicts.

Lastly, yacht clubs are another venue well-attended by white collar addicts. Owning a yacht is an enormous sign of social status, and a bar on the yacht and in the yacht clubhouse are essential. In the same way a golf clubhouse draws the presence of white collar addicts, yacht clubs do as well.

Our society has created an archetype for what an addict looks like: disheveled, often homeless, grayed, staggering and slurring words or maniacal. There is a stigma and a stereotype assigned to what North American society thinks of as an addict, but amazingly, some of the most addictive behavior is found in high society, where people project the image of having everything together. Nothing could be further from the out of control person the term addict draws to mind, yet wealthy, influential people such as CEOs, high power attorneys and physicians are some of the most likely people to struggle with addiction. This disorder is often found among the one-percent who hold the majority of the wealth in North America.

Due to how passionately this level of society tends to protect their image, cases of addiction at the white collar level tend to be swept under the rug. Wealthy families and members of the community would prefer that information about their addicted family members not become public knowledge. For those who are high-profile working professionals, the addiction tends to be hidden even more diligently. A doctor’s license can be revoked if information about their addiction leaks. Similarly, attorneys and CEOs can be reprimanded or required to step down if their addiction becomes public knowledge. Their desire to conceal it often leads to elaborate efforts to keep it hidden, such as lying about how they spend their time and money.

The desire to conceal addiction at this level of society is so great that often the importance of caring for it is overlooked. The fact of the matter is, it does not matter how prominent a person is in society or how much money they have or how valuable they are to their company. Addiction can strike any demographic, and when it does, the addicted person needs to know that addiction treatment is a viable option for them.