Carrie Bates is director of strategic growth and advocacy at Caron Treatment Centers.
For corporate communicators, few situations are more complex or more sensitive than recognizing signs that a CEO or senior executive may be struggling with addiction or mental health challenges.
These leaders shape culture, strategy, public trust and organizational performance. When they falter, the ripple effects touch every corner of an organization. Communicators often find themselves at the intersection of concern, confidentiality and credibility, expected to protect the organization while remaining deeply human and empathic to the struggles of their business leader.
What should communicators do when an executive at the top appears to be struggling?
Recognizing the difference between stress and something more
The earliest signs of addiction or mental health challenges in leaders are rarely dramatic. More often, they’re subtle shifts that are easy to rationalize away, especially when the individual has a history of high performance.
Persistent mood changes, erratic behavior, frequent unexplained absences, missed meetings or a sudden increase in work-from-home days can all be indicators of a behavioral health crisis. In some cases, concerns surface at social or professional gatherings through inappropriate comments, visible intoxication or excessive alcohol use at retreats or sales meetings.
What distinguishes normal workplace stress from deeper behavioral health concerns is consistency and context. Stress ebbs and flows, but impairment remains steady or escalates. When an executive’s behavior becomes increasingly unpredictable or sharply misaligned with their established professional persona, it’s worth paying attention.
Communicators should also be alert to an often-overlooked red flag: normalization. Long-time employees quietly warning newcomers about what to expect from a leader may signal an organizational blind spot, one that allows impairment to continue unchecked.
Why senior leaders can be especially vulnerable
Addiction is often called the great equalizer; it doesn’t discriminate by title or income.
Still, senior executives face unique risk factors. The pressure of constant decision-making, public scrutiny, financial responsibility and accountability for entire organizations can create chronic stress. Add the isolation of leadership, where vulnerability can feel like a risk, and you’ve got the perfect storm.
Executives are not necessarily more likely to develop addiction, but the stakes are higher and the warning signs easier to miss. Too often, help is sought only after a negative incident, such as a DUI, forces the issue into the open. That reality makes proactive culture-building even more critical.
Creating psychological safety before a crisis
The safest and most effective way for employees, including communicators, to raise concerns starts long before a crisis arises. Psychological safety is foundational. If team members fear retaliation or exposure, they will stay silent.
But policies alone are rarely enough. In many organizations, only a small fraction of employees use HR or Employee Assistance Programs, largely due to mistrust or confidentiality concerns. Leaders must talk openly about mental health and wellness, and then back it up with action.
Small signals matter when changing a corporate culture. For example, offering mocktails at work events and modeling inclusive, nonjudgmental behavior all reinforce that it is safe to seek help.
For communicators, this groundwork is essential. It ensures that when concerns about an executive arise, there are trusted pathways through HR, legal and other senior leadership where patterns can be documented and addressed responsibly.
Managing internal conversations and rumors
When a leader is absent or behavior becomes a topic of speculation, the tension between transparency and privacy intensifies. The best practice is clear: Confidentiality must come first. There should be no discussion in the workplace about anyone receiving treatment unless that individual chooses to share their story.
HR can and should communicate operational facts — that someone is out and responsibilities are covered — but nothing more. In this case, avoiding speculation is not secrecy; it’s respect. When leadership consistently honors privacy, it sends a powerful message that the organization can be trusted, encouraging others to seek help if they need it.
Communicating externally with compassion and credibility
If concerns become public, communicators play a pivotal role in protecting both personal dignity and organizational reputation. The guiding principles are compassion, brevity and discretion.
If the individual is not public-facing, silence is often the most respectful option. If they are, any statement should be factual and supportive without unnecessary detail. A simple message acknowledging awareness of the situation, affirming support and reiterating focus on the organization’s mission can be enough. Defensive or speculative language erodes trust, while measured empathy reinforces organizational values of integrity, accountability and care.
Handled well, external communication can model a culture that treats mental health and recovery with dignity rather than stigma.
Normalizing mental health at every level
Being proactive matters. Organizations that integrate wellness into everyday culture are far better equipped to navigate leadership challenges than those only reacting in a crisis. Sharing EAP resources during stressful periods and openly reinforcing confidentiality and non-retaliation also helps reduce stigma.
Leadership behavior is the most powerful signal of all. When executives visibly prioritize well-being, they reshape culture in ways no policy ever could. Communicators can amplify these moments, helping embed mental health as a core organizational value.
The role and responsibility of communicators
Communicators occupy a uniquely sensitive position. They are often among the first to notice inconsistencies and the ones expected to manage the narrative. It’s crucial to remember that communicators deserve the same safety, support and confidentiality as any other employee. They should not be pressured to protect a reputation at the expense of human dignity or their own well-being.
Communicators help set the tone for the entire organization. When they reinforce that mental health challenges are treated with care, not gossip or shame, they contribute to a culture where everyone, regardless of title, is allowed to be human.
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