As an adult, you will have to work to live safely and comfortably in the world. Food, water, warmth, and shelter all cost money. When you have a substance use disorder (SUD), or an addiction, it can be hard to work for an income while managing your SUD. Through a substance abuse program, such as the ones provided by Lighthouse Recovery Texas, you can maintain your career as you recover from SUD.
The Necessities of Work
The majority of Americans must work to survive. Unfortunately, for some, this involves working with a chronic disability. Work is required for an income. An income is required to meet your basic needs, including being able to afford groceries or a safe place to live.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), two-thirds of adults with SUD must also maintain a job. In other words, more than half of those with SUD cannot put work on hold to participate in a full-time treatment program. Nonetheless, full-time treatment programs are often necessary for individuals with severe SUD or co-occurring mental health disorders.
Working With an Addiction
Unfortunately, stigma still exists against people with SUD. Even though SUD is considered a health disorder, people still get judged for living with addiction. Due to the stigma that someone with SUD faces, it can be hard to show up to a workspace and accomplish tasks, let alone exist without feelings of guilt or shame.
When you are exposed to long-term substance abuse, your brain undergoes extreme chemical changes. As a result, you may experience lower self-control, impaired decision-making and judgment, as well as difficulties with other executive functioning. Further, working with an addiction can become extremely hard, as the littlest stressor can cause you to relapse. However, your brain can heal with time and treatment. With the right support, you can increase your ability to work in recovery.
Can You Work While Attending a Substance Abuse Program?
A stereotype of addiction treatment is that you must live in a treatment facility while you receive care. While some treatment programs require individuals to reside at the treatment facility, not all treatment programs do. Lighthouse Recovery Texas offers different levels of treatment to support you in your healing journey.
Some people need more intense levels of treatment, providing greater accountability and monitoring. In those cases, you most likely cannot work and attend treatment at the same time. However, It is possible to work and attend a substance abuse program for healing if you have a safe and supportive home environment and can manage sobriety without monitoring.
Substance Abuse Programs That Support Working Adults
Different treatment facilities offer various substance abuse programs. Lighthouse Recovery is committed to helping all adults struggling with substance abuse, regardless of their time constraints or individual needs. We offer three different programs you can attend that allow you to maintain your job roles:
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
While this program sounds especially intense, a partial hospitalization program (PHP) is simply a structured day program. It is a four-week program, requiring 30 hours of treatment participation per week. In PHP, you will participate in therapy and skill-building courses at the treatment facility. Once these sessions are completed for the day, you can tend to your other personal responsibilities outside of the facility. This will include going to work.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
Compared to PHP, an intensive outpatient program (IOP) is a more flexible program. At our Dallas IOP, Lighthouse Recovery offers different group meeting times, so you can make treatment fit into your busy schedule. When you participate in IOP, you are only required to attend three group therapy and one individual session a week. These programs last about 12 weeks.
Similar to PHP, an IOP is a great option if you cannot take time off work. Treatment sessions are offered both during the day and during the evening, for different work schedules.
Recovery Coaching
This resource is typically for individuals who have already established their sobriety. Recovery coaching provides you with additional accountability and support in recovery.
The first year of sobriety is the hardest, so having a support system is essential to success. People can often rely too heavily on their loved ones for support during the early years of recovery. With a recovery coach, you can receive support from someone who has been through the program and has first-hand experience recovering from SUD. This can be crucial for preventing relapse.
Returning to Work After Completing a Treatment Program
When you return to work after treatment, it is important that you are prepared. You should be aware of the risks you will be facing, as well as the possible temptations or work-related triggers that may lead to relapse. It is important to have relapse plans in place for high-risk situations, such as getting asked to get drinks by a co-worker. Additionally, relieving work stress and workload can prevent relapse.
When you return to work after completing a substance abuse program, it can feel alienating or foreign. It can feel like you have a big secret. However, that is not the case. Your recovery is not a secret, yet you are allowed privacy. You are never under obligation to tell anyone about your addiction if you do not want to. There is no shame to be had in SUD, just as there is no shame in having other mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression.
Have you been wanting to commit to addiction recovery but work keeps getting in the way? Are you able to get sober, but struggle with stressors and triggers at work? You do not need to struggle at work alone anymore. The staff at Lighthouse Recovery Texas have personal experience with addiction recovery, fostering first-hand knowledge and support for all clients seeking recovery. With our holistic approach to healing, we will work together to heal not only the symptoms of your substance use disorder but also address the driving factors of it, such as trauma or a co-occurring disorder. Call us today at (214) 396-0259 to learn more about how we can help you recover.
