Can I Return to Work After Treatment?
Working provides a sense of purpose. Of course, it helps pay the bills too. Once you reach a certain age, your life seems even to revolve around, or at least be impacted heavily by, the work you do. For so many, it can be the reason to get up each day. There will always be good and bad days, but work is usually something most people are somewhat motivated to do.
Work and Addiction
Addiction can create major disruptions at work. Substance use affects things like focus, motivation, and sleep. A lapse in any of one of these areas could cause you to become less efficient and effective at work. Imagine all three areas being impacted. You become less productive, less reliable, and less likely to advance. If your supervisors or coworkers don’t catch on immediately, they will likely notice that something is off eventually.
Despite the distractions and deficits that substances can create when it comes to work, many still manage to remain employed. However, this is usually temporary. Employment can serve as a barrier to seeking treatment at times. You may feel as if a leave of absence would surely cost you your job. Or, you may be afraid of what your superiors or coworkers would think if they knew you had an addiction. Maybe you are the breadwinner in your family, and your income is essential.
These are all very valid concerns. While using work as an excuse to avoid treatment could be justified with any of the reasons mentioned above, things will likely continue to spiral the longer you wait to get help. It is important to address your addiction as soon as you discover you have a problem. While leaving your job may seem like a huge hurdle and inconvenience, you can rest assured that it will seem like far less of a sacrifice when you experience the opportunities that await you in recovery.
Growth During Treatment
Let’s say, hypothetically, that you decided to seek treatment and take a leave of absence from work. Maybe you were promised a position when you returned, or maybe you put in your notice and quietly exited without disclosing why. Either way, returning to the workforce following treatment is possible.
Beginning something new following treatment can often be a good thing. Often, returning to old environments and surrounding yourself with the same people can bring back memories relating to your addiction, which could be detrimental to your progress.
Throughout treatment, you will engage in various programs to assist you in returning to life outside of treatment. There will be groups that help you with interpersonal skills such as communication and coping with conflict. You will also develop new life skills in reference to teamwork, networking, and collaboration, all of which can certainly come in handy when it comes to working during recovery.
Taking advantage of volunteer and experiential therapy opportunities throughout treatment can introduce you to skills and interests you may not have considered. For example, gardening or farm work is an excellent way to discover an interest you may have in planting, harvesting, or even cooking with fresh produce and herbs.
You can be introduced to programs that will even serve as a transitional opportunity during treatment. These programs are designed to help you build confidence, increase employability, develop new skills, and bridge the gap in employment that treatment can create.
Work After Treatment
By putting in work to discover your abilities and hobbies without drugs or alcohol, you will leave treatment with a better understanding of who you can be and what you can achieve moving forward. Take advantage of the opportunities to try something new. You may learn something about yourself!
If you choose to immerse yourself fully into the treatment process by keeping an open mind and participating in skill-building activities, you will leave feeling confident, resilient, and capable of taking charge of your life in recovery. Having a clear mind, a healthy body, and a renewed sense of self can make a tremendous difference when it comes to your career. You will have more confidence going in for interviews, feel better mentally and physically on the job, and feel more secure and settled overall.
Treatment can serve as an opportunity to heal, learn and grow. You can get your career back after rehab. Maybe, you will choose to pursue a brand new career path after some self-discovery and enlightenment you are sure to experience. Working is possible after treatment, and you can be successfully and happily employed in recovery.
Work is a huge part of life for most people. Whether it’s a Monday through Friday nine to five, or a nights and weekends gig, most adults spend a good percentage of their time at work. Leaving a job to seek treatment can be scary. The thought of losing out on income or leaving a job behind to get help for your addiction can be very intimidating. Try to look at treatment as an opportunity to improve in all areas of life. You will heal your body, mind, and spirit, allowing you to become the best version of yourself. At Enlightened Solutions, we focus heavily on self-discovery and learning to cope with conflicts and barriers that may be present in your life. We facilitate activities to help you advance your skills in various areas, which will leave you feeling more confident and capable. Call Enlightened Solutions today at (833) 801-LIVE.
