Rehab Doesn’t Have to Ruin Your Professional Reputation

The most common reason that people give for not wanting to go through drug or alcohol rehab is that they are afraid of the social or professional ramifications. Specifically, they are most afraid that entering any type of rehabilitation program will damage their careers in some way.

Studies have shown that about 8 million people in the United States have a drug or alcohol addiction for which they never seek professional help. Not only are these individuals damaging their physical and mental health, they are also putting their safety, and the safety of others, at great risk.

Ramifications of Seeking Help

Since so many people are afraid to seek help for their addictions, it is important to try to understand their reasoning. Many people believe that if they enter any type of drug or alcohol addiction treatment, they will either be ostracized at work or fired from their jobs. Even if they have insurance coverage that would pay for at least a portion of their addiction treatment expenses, these individuals are still reluctant to seek help because they are afraid of their employers’ reactions.

Researchers have discovered that people’s fears are often greater than the realities that would be facing them if they would only come forward and admit to needing help. For example, someone who is addicted to alcohol might feel so guilty and self-conscious about their problem that they are afraid if they come forward, others will judge them as harshly as they are judging themselves.

While it certainly is possible for people to experience negative reactions from coworkers or employers when it becomes known that they have some type of addiction, the reality is that most often the reactions of others are not nearly as bad as people anticipate they will be.

Why Addiction Treatment Is Important

A very important thing to remember is that your health is the most important thing in your life. Even in these tough economic times, your health and well being is still more important than a job. In addition, statistics have shown that people are actually more likely to keep their jobs if they enter treatment for their addiction than they are if they simply let their addictions go untreated.

Think about it: If you are addicted to drugs or alcohol, your life at some point is going to begin to unravel and, eventually, it will probably begin to spin out of control. If your addictions become the focal point of your life, you will probably wind up losing your job because of poor attendance or poor performance. As a general rule, people who regularly use drugs or abuse alcohol are much more likely to become chronically unemployed, as they will reach a point where they are simply no longer capable of holding down a job.

People who receive drug or alcohol addiction treatment, on the other hand, not only stand a better chance of keeping the jobs they already have, they are also far more likely to obtain better jobs after they have completed rehab. Even if you find it necessary to quit your job or take a leave of absence while you are going through treatment, you are likely to be able to find another job once you leave rehab.

Finding Support

Having a healthy support system is essential for people who are going through substance abuse treatment. Residential rehab facilities, outreach groups and extended care programs all offer patients therapy, support and a structured plan for getting their old lives started back up once rehab is complete. Once they are back at work or school, patients can attend their “maintenance” therapy sessions at night, if they need to.

It also tends to help patients when they are around others who are going through a similar experience. This is one reason why group therapy sessions are so important to recovery programs. Even though most patients require individual therapy as part of a complete recovery program, group therapy is an additional component that helps people to gain a new perspective on their own situation by listening to other people talk about their experiences.

If you are really worried about losing your job, your best option might be to enter an out-of-state addiction treatment facility so that there is less risk of people you know finding out about it. Take a leave of absence from work, or use sick or vacation time if you have enough available. It isn’t necessary that you tell your boss or coworkers why you need to take time off. Always remember that you are entitled to your privacy and that your treatment is nobody else’s business.