You’ve worked hard to get where you are in your professional life. After years of school and paying your dues in your field, you have made a name for yourself and continue to climb the ladder. It’s a difficult road to get where you are, but if you are juggling addiction and mental health issues, it makes the journey seem nearly impossible.
Taking Care of Business
Trying to control your drinking and drug use and rein in your mental health on your own is a fool’s dream. The truth is your drinking and drug use is controlling you and affecting your mental health. If you’re trying to hide this, you’re probably not. Everyone else can see what’s going on and you’re on thin ice at work and in your personal life.
Realizing that your problems stem from your addiction and mental health issues gets you closer to the answer. Getting the right treatment for both issues is the only way to get your career and your personal life back on track.
Know Your Rights
You might have many concerns about getting help. However, the pros of getting help outweigh any con that you might come up with. If taking time off is your issue, read your company’s policy on a medical leave of absence. It’s important to learn about the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). These two acts protect you. You don’t have to continue keeping up the façade.
You’re living a double life. You go to work and have a family and friends. But the other side is darker. You drink or do drugs to get through your day. You even sneak in a buzz or high in the middle of your work day to get you past the grind. You’re not alone, though. Many professionals struggle with alcoholism and addiction. Surveys show that 60 percent of American adults know someone who has been under the influence of alcohol or drugs at work. Even drug abuse among healthcare professionals is becoming commonplace. Chances are, someone knows that you do.
You might think you have things under control and that your job performance isn’t affected by your drinking and drug use; think again. Looking at the big picture, your company is suffering because of your decreased productivity, mistakes made at work and your frequent absences. If the company is losing so much money on you, chances are you are going to lose your job if you don’t get help soon.
Remember that most employers provide health insurance for their employees. Health insurance will pay for drug rehab in most cases. So why not go to rehab while you still have a job, instead of trying to pay for rehab while unemployed?
This article will answer the following questions:
Will I lose my job if I go to rehab?
Will my job be held while I’m getting treatment?
How will I pay for bills and living expenses if I go to rehab?
What is FMLA and how does it work for me?
Answers to Your Questions and Concerns
We understand that you have concerns and fears about going into to drug rehab. But you risk losing everything–including your job—if you don’t seek help for your alcohol or drug problem. Don’t let fear stand in the way of getting better. The following questions are common roadblocks standing in the way of treatment and success; let us give you peace of mind.
Can I lose my job if my boss knows that I’m an alcoholic or addict and need treatment?
This is a big concern for many professionals in the same predicament. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects employees from being discriminated against because of a disability. Under this act, it defines what qualifies as a disability. People who struggle with the disease of alcoholism are considered to have a disability under this law.
Here’s where it gets technical: If your job performance has declined because of your drinking, your employer has the right to fire you as long as they can prove that your performance was poor. If you choose to go to an alcohol rehab program before your employer takes any disciplinary action, you can’t get fired for past errors or poor job performance.
People actively using illegal drugs are not protected by the ADA. The act does protect someone who has gone to a drug rehab program and is not using or has a history of drug use but is in recovery. Your employer has the right to test you for drugs. So it is in your own best interest to seek help at a drug rehab as soon as possible.
Will my job be held while I’m getting treatment?
The ADA provides protection to alcoholics and recovering addicts who chose to go to drug and alcohol rehab. Your employer is required to make reasonable accommodations, such as change your work schedule so you can attend AA/NA meetings or allow you to take a leave of absence to attend alcohol and drug rehab. Read on to see how the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) can protect you from losing your job while in treatment.
Won’t my career or skill set suffer if I get out of the “game?”
You might think that your skills will diminish while being away from work. The reality is that your career and abilities improve when you go to rehab. When you go to a treatment center, you start your treatment at detox. Your body is cleansed of the toxins from alcohol and drugs and your health and cognitive functions improve, making you sharper.
When you complete rehab, you work on your addiction issues and other mental health issues that have probably taken up much of your thought and energy. Addressing all these issues clears your mind and makes you a better employee. You find that your productivity will increase as well as your drive to work harder and longer.
How will I pay for bills and living expenses if I go to rehab?
Alcohol and drug rehab is a big added expense on top of your bills and general cost of living. However, there are ways you can continue receiving income while you are in rehab. Using accrued vacation time lets you get a paycheck while being away in treatment. If your employer offers short-term and long-term disability, you might be able to use this while in rehab.
Rehab is a valuable investment that changes your life. If you choose not to receive treatment, your job performance will continue to decline and your employer may terminate you.
What is FMLA and how does it work for me?
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allow eligible employees to take an unpaid leave of absence while having their jobs protected. You are allowed 12 weeks of medical leave in a 12-month period. If you choose to enter an inpatient drug rehab program, the FMLA law protects you from being terminated.
How can I get FMLA and short-term disability approved while I am in rehab?
If you decide that you need to go to drug and alcohol rehab, call Recovery Connection and complete your free clinical assessment. Next, we will verify your insurance coverage and qualify you for treatment at one of the nation’s leading rehab centers. We explain all of your insurance coverage and any deductibles you need to meet. After everything is set, we arrange travel to and from your rehab. After you arrive at rehab, the physician there will contact your employer and explain that you are taking FMLA. Your employer will not know you are in drug and alcohol rehab, only that you are in the hospital for private medical reasons. If you have short-term disability insurance, you will be qualified and can start receiving pay.
Recovery Connection always recommends going to alcohol and drug rehab before things get worse at work and you lose your job and health insurance. Admitting that you have a problem and then making the decision to go to rehab is the first and hardest step to your recovery from addiction. It takes courage to admit you need help. Recovery Connection is here for you when you decide to take that first step. Call Recovery Connection 24/7 at 866.812.8231.
Won’t my reputation suffer because I choose to go the drug and alcohol rehab?
If you decide to tell your coworkers, you might think people are going to think poorly of you or treat you differently. But chances are your coworkers are going to appreciate you more. You give your co-workers peace of mind by choosing to go to rehab to address your alcohol or drug problem. Your decision to get treatment shows that you recognize your alcohol and drug problem was getting in the way of work. You might even see that you are respected more because of your decision.
If you think that coworkers are treating you differently or gossiping, you can approach your human resources representative. However, keep in mind that when you go to treatment, you are going to gain more confidence and your self-esteem will grow. Look past the negativity and use it as fuel to reach your professional goals. Don’t let idle talk or people’s ignorance stand in the way of your well-being and success.
If you choose to not tell your coworkers, that is your decision. However, being honest with yourself and living a life of self-acceptance is one of the most important changes you must make in recovery. You will learn in the 12 steps that only a life of complete honesty will reward you with complete recovery from addiction.
How can Recovery Connection work for me?
Making the decision to get treatment is frightening, but necessary to salvage your career and your life. Choosing the best alcohol and drug rehab can mean the difference between lasting sobriety or relapse. Having someone help you navigate through the available rehab centers and get you through the admission process is key. Call us today and we can help facilitate the admission process so you can start your treatment as soon as possible. Don’t leave your career and your life to chance. Call 866.812.8231 anytime, seven days a week or fill out the form to have us call you.
As summer winds down, flocks of college students migrate back to their sleepy college towns and nest in their new dorm rooms for the next school year. The routine of going to class, studying, completing projects, having internships and extracurricular activities and maintaining a social life becomes overwhelming and stressful for students. Many students have a hard time balancing it all and turn to alcohol and drugs to help them get through. But they risk losing it all.
Looking at the Risks
It’s common to see college students drink heavily to let loose. However, there are so many dangers that these students risk every time they take a drink.
Serious risks and consequences of drug and alcohol use:
Academic problems
Injury
Alcohol poisoning
Assault/sexual abuse
DUI
Developing an addiction
Death
Another growing problem among college students is the misuse of prescription stimulants, like Adderall or Ritalin. These drugs are meant to treat people with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, students are taking these drugs to help them focus more and study longer. Young adults are faking symptoms to get a prescription from doctors or they are simply buying them off other students. Although, they think they these drugs are giving them an edge academically, they are actually causing great harm.
Physical and mental effects of stimulant abuse:
Insomnia
Mood swings
Depression
Psychosis
Heart problems
Tips for Your Well-being During the Semester
There are the temptations to drink or use drugs to help cope with stress or to help with a heavy load of classes. However, think twice before drinking or taking a pill. The risks outweigh the benefits and there are other things you can do to help you through.
Make a healthy schedule/routine and stick to it.
Get enough sleep, exercise and eat healthy.
Use resources on campus such as counseling services or tutoring services.
If you or someone you know is misusing drugs or alcohol, call Recovery Connection for options on how to get into a detox center or drug and alcohol rehab near you. We recognize that it helps to talk to someone with experience in your situation. That is why Recovery Connection’s addiction specialists have a personal knowledge of drug addiction and recovery through detox and rehab. Call us 24/7 and learn how easy it is to be free of addiction and the misery of chemical dependence.
From dangerous to plain disgusting, people have been finding bizarre and obscure ways to get high for centuries. It makes you wonder how people come up with these ideas. Learn about the strange ways some people get high. It’ll shock you!
Society looks at the lives of Hollywood actors with awe. You might imagine star-studded parties, red carpets and working on incredible films to be a wonderful part of these stars’ everyday lives. However, some actors don’t revel in the limelight and have trouble dealing with the lifestyle. For actor Wes Bentley, fame and fortune were too much to handle and he fell into the dark world of drugs. His climb out of addiction has breathed life into his stalled acting career.
Descent into Chaos
Wes Bentley captured audiences with his performance in “American Beauty.” At 21, his career seemed to be full of possibilities. However, the stress of expectations made him search for an escape. He found it in heroin and said he got addicted in a matter of days. For the next decade, Bentley’s life and career nosedived into chaos.
Bentley gave up many roles and opportunities to work with directors he admired just to get high. He was arrested for possession, in debt with the IRS, lost his best friend Heath Ledger from a prescription drug overdose and went through a divorce. Life couldn’t have been further removed from the glitz and glamour of stardom.
Rise to the Top
Bentley turned his life around and has been sober for four years now. He was able to get the help he needed for his addiction. He resurrected his career with a starring role in the 2012 blockbuster “The Hunger Games” and has more movies on the way.
You see your loved one struggling with alcohol and drugs and it is so difficult. You just want to be the best significant other, spouse, parent, sibling or friend. You help them with rent money or paying bills or you have even bailed him or her out of jail. That’s what family and friends do, right? You might think that’s love and friendship, but it’s actually contributing to the problem.
More Than Just Having a Big Heart
This comes as a shock to you. You don’t intend to be codependent or enable your loved one. You certainly don’t want to make the situation worse. If you’re not sure if you are codependent and enabling your loved one, there are questions you can ask yourself.
4 questions to see if you are codependent:
Do you feel guilty when you don’t help your loved one or do as they say?
Do you feel like you don’t have a choice when it comes to helping your loved one?
Does “bailing out” your loved one from a problem make you feel needed or important?
Do you feel like your loved one and their addiction issue is more important than you and your problems?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then you are showing codependent behavior. This type of behavior leads to enabling. It’s a difficult thing to realize and accept but the sooner you see the situation for what it is, the quicker you can take action.
Tough Love
Saying no and not helping your loved one every time doesn’t mean you are a bad person. Without your help, they will find their options dwindling and treatment is the only way to get their lives and loved ones back. You need a chance to heal just as much as your loved one.
For a more detailed list of the top ten indicators for coedependent behavior, see Recovery Connection’s article: Top 10 Indicators of Codependency.
The effects of drugs on the brain are damaging and our infographic shows you why. Drugs trick the brain. Before you pick up that drug again, know what you’ll be doing to your body’s powerhouse: the brain. Read our infographic, Your Brain on Drugs, and you may change your mind about using.
