Addiction ruins life. Abusing alcohol, illegal substances, or prescription drugs are enough to end your career in a flash and leave you with nothing.
Rehab is where the real hard work begins, but only if it’s effective. Getting drug or alcohol treatment from Recovery Delivered also means addressing the root cause of addiction. This increases the chances of remaining sober during and even after rehab. Read on to learn how to save your career and life while in rehab.
Table of Contents
Improve Your Self-Esteem
It will be hard to get better if you don’t feel good about yourself and your life. Believe that you are worth saving, that you deserve to live a happy life, and that you can do anything you want with your life.
Start by identifying what makes you feel bad about yourself, then work on improving those areas. For example, if you have low self-esteem because of a lack of education or experience in your field, then getting an education or gaining expertise will improve your confidence.
Have Goals
While in rehab, have goals. You should know what you want to accomplish and how you will get there. You can set short-term goals to help you get on the right foot. For example, if you want to drive by yourself after rehab, then set a goal of driving around the block within two weeks of getting out of rehab.
You can also set long-term goals to keep you motivated throughout your recovery. For example, if you want to return to work within six months after leaving rehab, ensure that this is one of your long-term goals so that it helps motivate you throughout your recovery process.
Focus on Living a Healthy Lifestyle
You’re probably not thinking about your career when you’re in rehab. You’re focused on getting better and getting out of there. But what happens when the time comes for you to get back into the real world? How do you ensure your recovery isn’t just a blip on the radar but something that lasts?
It all starts with living a healthy lifestyle. Ensure every aspect is healthy. That includes your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. While rehab is an opportunity for growth and healing, it isn’t permanent. Ensure you have access to resources that will help you stay on track after leaving, like the support groups.
Will You Lose Your Job If Your Employer Knows You Suffer from Substance Abuse Disorder and You Need Treatment?
If you are an employee struggling with addiction, you need to understand that there are laws in place that protect you from being discriminated against by your employer.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination. Under this law, employers cannot discriminate against employees based on their disability or perceived disability. In this case, addiction is a disability.
When it comes to substance abuse treatment, an employer cannot fire or refuse to hire someone because they are seeking addiction treatment. Many companies have policies in place that encourage employees to seek help if they need it.
However, there are some exceptions to this rule. If an employee’s job performance has been affected by their addiction (such as missing work), then the employer may be within their rights to terminate employment.
Will You Maintain Your Job while Seeking Treatment for Substance Abuse?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects addicts from losing their jobs. Under this law, employers must make reasonable accommodations, like changing the work schedule to attend Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings.
Can You Use FMLA to Attend Rehab?
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that guarantees certain employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year. Yes, you can use FMLA to go to rehabilitation. If your employer offers both short-term disability and long-term disability, then you can use FMLA to go to rehab.
You need to be eligible for FMLA. If you’re not eligible for FMLA, you won’t be able to use it while in rehab.
If you’re dealing with a life-threatening crisis like drug or alcohol addiction, getting help can save your life. Rehab is a chance to rebuild and begin living your life for yourself again, not for someone else or something else. Done correctly, with help from professionals, you can learn how to address these problems and learn from them properly. When considering a treatment center for addiction, know the available treatment and which will be best for your situation.
