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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Frontiers in Psychiatry

Substance use among helping professionals: rationalization and negotiation of professional identity

  • Gabriel Kwun Wa Lee1
  • Gloria Hongyee Chan2
  • Yiu Tsang Andrew Low2
  • T. Wing Lo2
  1. 1City University of Hong Kong
  2. 2Saint Francis University
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Abstract

Introduction: Given the scarce research on the drug use situation among helping professionals and the existing organizational structures that may affect them, this study explores how helping professionals in Hong Kong make sense of personal drug use and negotiate professional identity.

Methods: Narrative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 helping professionals. Interviews were conducted in Cantonese, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English, prioritizing semantic equivalence for colloquialisms. Culturally specific terms were retained in parentheses with brief explanatory notes where needed. An interpretivist, reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken using NVivo.

Results: Drug use served coping, social and/or sexual functions. Participants managed cognitive dissonance through compartmentalization, normalization and critiques of illegality, and by reframing lived experience as strengthening rapport and credibility with clients.

Conclusion: While their drug use may not have directly caused impairment, their rationalization of behavior instead of disclosing it and seeking professional support suggests underlying organizational and institutional issues. Anticipated workplace sanctions and professional impairment discourse fostered concealment and delayed help-seeking. Therefore, rather than adopting a zero-tolerance governance approach, establishing clear practice-related thresholds and providing confidential, harm reduction-informed workforce supports may better protect these professionals’ wellbeing and ensure service quality.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{lee2026substance,
  title = {{Substance use among helping professionals: rationalization and negotiation of professional identity}},
  author = {Gabriel Kwun Wa Lee and Gloria Hongyee Chan and Yiu Tsang Andrew Low and T. Wing Lo},
  journal = {Frontiers in Psychiatry},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1953018},
  url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1953018/full},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Substance use among helping professionals: rationalization and negotiation of professional identity
AU  - Gabriel Kwun Wa Lee
AU  - Gloria Hongyee Chan
AU  - Yiu Tsang Andrew Low
AU  - T. Wing Lo
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/26
JO  - Frontiers in Psychiatry
DO  - 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1953018
UR  - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1953018/full
AB  - Introduction: Given the scarce research on the drug use situation among helping professionals and the existing organizational structures that may affect them, this study explores how helping professionals in Hong Kong make sense of personal drug use and negotiate professional identity.  Methods: Narrative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 helping professionals. Interviews were conducted in Cantonese, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English, prioritizing semantic equivalence for colloquialisms. Culturally specific terms were retained in parentheses with brief explanatory notes where needed. An interpretivist, reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken using NVivo.  Results: Drug use served coping, social and/or sexual functions. Participants managed cognitive dissonance through compartmentalization, normalization and critiques of illegality, and by reframing lived experience as strengthening rapport and credibility with clients.  Conclusion: While their drug use may not have directly caused impairment, their rationalization of behavior instead of disclosing it and seeking professional support suggests underlying organizational and institutional issues. Anticipated workplace sanctions and professional impairment discourse fostered concealment and delayed help-seeking. Therefore, rather than adopting a zero-tolerance governance approach, establishing clear practice-related thresholds and providing confidential, harm reduction-informed workforce supports may better protect these professionals’ wellbeing and ensure service quality.
SN  - 1664-0640
ER  -