The intersection of addiction and work: Adam’s story
Published July 29, 2025
Adam Burg was always a hard worker.
“It was a shiny exterior to the world: the career, a relationship, doing well financially. Internally, I was miserable,” he said. “I was showing up to work hungover every day for years, drifting through my own life. I thought my performance was good, but in retrospect I can see I was not showing up as my full authentic self.”
Before 2021, Adam didn’t talk about his drinking with anyone.
“This was my biggest secret in the entire world for a long time,” he said. “I was able to build a career and go to grad school with my drinking progressively getting worse. My biggest fear was that people would learn about my drinking, and I’d lose my reputation.”
That time of Adam’s life was full of fear and resentment. He remembers watching his peers who seemed to float through life with carefree attitudes.
“They seemed to have this confidence that I wanted but couldn’t get,” he said. “I was full of fear, and so alcohol and other drugs were a very natural thing for me. It was the way I handled the world for a long time.”
Adam’s drinking continued to get worse. He found himself in stressful or high-pressure work environments with only one coping skill at his disposal.
“I was so stuck in this sense of self and my two extremes: workaholic and alcoholic,” he said. “The only way I could counter my shame about drinking was to work really hard. So, I had no work-life balance. I had no social circle, and my world was very small."
A lifeline at work
Adam vividly remembers hearing about peer coaching for the first time.
An ambassador for Face It TOGETHER, who was less than a year into their own sobriety, came to the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and gave a presentation. The Chamber is one of several workplaces that partners with Face It TOGETHER to offer peer coaching as a mental health benefit.
"It felt like this ambassador was talking directly to me and about my experience,” he said. “And while I wasn’t yet ready to get help, it opened the door to me taking the pamphlet and thinking that maybe I could someday get help and get sober.”
That day, like so many other days, Adam was hungover, and he wondered if his coworkers could tell. He didn’t raise his hand when the presenter asked who in the room knew someone with addiction. But he took a brochure and held onto it until he was ready to call, months later.
“That was the first time I was talking with someone specifically about drinking and my struggle,” he said. “I just remember there was a kindness and understanding. Addiction feels like you’re the only person experiencing it. You’re like, ‘No one else in the world can possibly feel what I feel. They can’t possibly understand what I’m going through.’ That’s the first time I talked to someone who could understand my experience and approached it with compassion.”
Calling Face It TOGETHER marked Adam’s entry point for talking openly about his past, and he went on to seek help from an addiction counselor and 12-step groups as well. It was also the first time he realized HR was there to help, not punish.
“It’s not going to hurt your employment, it’s not going to be harmful to you, it’s not going to hurt your reputation. It’s protected information,” he said. “I could have been fired. And if that had happened, I would have fully understood why. Looking back, I see how my addiction affected not only my performance, but also my relationships with colleagues and my overall well-being. It’s a humbling reminder of how serious the intersection of addiction and work can be.”
Even though Adam has moved on to Senior Policy Advisor at Foster Graham Milstein & Calisher, he hasn’t forgotten how meaningful the Chamber’s support was.
“Our incredible HR leader guided me to additional resources, and my bosses were kind and compassionate when I needed them most,” he said. "My colleagues were incredibly supportive and patient with me, even though they didn’t know all the details.”
Years after that presentation, Adam still remembers how unique and approachable the workplace partnership was. It felt like his employer wanted to help, no strings attached.
“Even though I no longer work for the Chamber, I will always be deeply grateful for the support I received,” he said. “That support set me on the path I’m on today: taking it one day at a time and marking nearly three years sober.”
Living a life of recovery, and talking about it
After about a year of wellness, Adam started sharing his story on LinkedIn. Being open has helped him process his own shame, and he’s heard from many others who relate to his journey.
“I want to let people know it’s very common and it’s OK and there’s help out there if you’re willing to seek it,” he said. “The number of people who responded, pulled me aside to talk about it – it’s astounding. There’s this desire to talk about it, but still stigma.”
Adam said he’s only gotten positive feedback from being candid about the role alcohol previously played in his life. He never could’ve imagined the support and camaraderie he’d receive in the days when he was still hiding.
“I never thought I would get sober. It felt so impossible until I saw other people who had done it,” he said. “Since sharing my story, I’ve had people in the Capital building pull me aside and talk about someone they know or themselves. There is still a very strong drinking culture in the world.”
Adam still loves working. He loves what he does. And he loves approaching work and life with intentionality and authenticity.
“I feel like such a different person. My work life balance has dramatically improved. I’m probably working as hard as I’ve ever worked, but I don’t wear it the same. My recovery and my relationships are my priority,” he said. “Recovery makes me better employee, son, partner than I ever was when I was drinking. There’s a whole big life to be lived.”