Can You Attend Rehab and Keep Your Job?

working man and rehabFor those who have managed to hold onto their jobs throughout addiction, maintaining employment and a steady income are often of primary importance. Many procrastinate on entering drug rehab because they are concerned that it will cause them to lose ground at work or lose their job entirely. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. Everyone’s situation is different and what will and won’t be tolerated at one’s place of business will depend upon a number of factors, including:

Should You Take the Risk?

If you are living with an active addiction, being proactive about the situation and enrolling yourself in drug rehab is recommended so that you can regain control of your health, relationships and career. If you wait for someone at work to say something to you about it, it may be too late for you to maintain employment with them. Similarly, if you fear that you will lose your job if you seek treatment, the fact is that your addiction will eventually cause more problems if you don’t seek help. A chronic disorder, it is impossible to control an ongoing addiction on your own. Eventually, it will become so intrusive that you will be unable to keep it from affecting your job.

What If You Lose Your Job?

It’s a possibility. It’s also possible that you will lose your life if you continue living with an active addiction.

The most important thing is not your short-term employment but your ability to regain control of your life, your mind, your body, and your health. Once you have stabilized in sobriety, you can worry about your career, and you’ll be better able to do so effectively.

What If Coworkers Discover You Went to Drug Rehab?

Anonymity is a part of drug treatment. Should your coworker or boss call the drug rehab where you are enrolled and ask to speak to you or ask if you are there, they will not even be given the information that you are in residence or that the person on the phone has ever heard of you. Your privacy is valued. However, it is not impossible that your employer will still find out or that others at work won’t just conjecture that you have taken a leave of absence in order to go to rehab. If you choose to discuss it when you return or divulge the reason for your leave to your employer, that’s up to you but you don’t have to answer to anyone unless continued sobriety is an issue specific to your industry and career. In that case, it is recommended that you speak to your employer about your situation as soon as possible if you wish to continue in the same career after rehab. The best thing you can do for your career is enroll in a comprehensive drug rehab program that will be able to help you overcome addiction. Contact us at The Oaks at La Paloma now to get started.