My Addiction is Affecting My Career - What Do I Do?

Life isn’t always predictable or perfect. From time to time, mistakes are made, difficulties are experienced, and misfortunes are suffered. All of these trials and tribulations can lead to harmful outcomes that need to be addressed in order to sustain our well-being.

This is very much the case with addiction. Becoming addicted to a substance doesn’t make you a bad or lesser person; It just means you’ve fallen into a suboptimal habit that needs to be confronted. Not just for the betterment of your health but also for those who care about you.

It’s important to remember this is always possible, and the journey is always worth taking.

Often, the best way to realize you have a problem is to see it affecting areas of your life you previously had control over. If you’ve noticed that your addiction is affecting your career, you may be wondering what may be next.

In this post, we’ll discuss this topic at length. We will provide you with important, responsible next steps. Note that there are no shortcuts to the best outcome; there is only that which works and that which doesn’t. We aim to provide you with the former and a pathway to achieving it.

1. Be Honest

Any kind of positive first step to recovery first requires accepting you have a problem.

Without that, any lasting care or recovery steps you take will be half-hearted or not fully applied. It’s not easy to admit this, but it will make the most difference. 

You’re not a bad person for requiring support. It takes a lot of courage and strength to admit this to others and to seek help. You will endlessly thank yourself for this step later on down the line.

2. Discuss This With Your Employer

Secondly, it’s important to be candid with your employer. If you’ve noticed your addiction affecting your work, professional relationships, and your ability to be present on the job, then you need to focus on resolving the addiction. 

Otherwise, you’re never sure how misdirected attention could affect others. In particular, jobs that involve workplace hazards. Hiding the addiction and causing a workplace hazard helps no one.

This will help your employer decide their own next steps. Though it is scary, your employer can decide from suspension to a full, confidential HR review. Note that they are under essential confidentiality regulations pertaining to your health, so this won’t “expose you” to others. 

At this point, they may help you access employee assistance programs. Medical leave may also be on the cards. If you work a job where regular employment protections might not apply to you (such as a freelancing career), then it’s always healthier to have time off to recover than it is to continue struggling and letting the problem develop.

3. Rest on Your Support Network

If you have a support network, it’s helpful to make sure you leverage it. You may move back into your parent’s house, ask for help from a friend, or simply spend more time with those who mean the most to you.

Losing a job or taking a step back can be difficult. Despite this, it shows you’re willing to make a change. If you have a support network to help you—even if that just means driving you to appointments—then that’s a wonderful resource to have.

Don’t worry if you have no support network. A complete recovery is still possible to benefit from. Recovery programs, community support centers, and rehab courses can and will give you all of the support you need to make that positive change in your life.

4. Understand That Your Career Can Wait

No career will ever be thriving and successful while you’re trying to manage an active addiction. It’s very common to burn the candle at both ends. Overextending yourself can cause you to suffer sleep deprivation, heightened stress, and, of course, the negative side effects of your substance use.

While it may feel frustrating to put a pause on your career, note that bowing out gracefully for a time is much better than bottling up your problems. 

Truthfully, an active addiction cannot be a secret for long. It’s always best to minimize the impact addiction has on your career. Then, return when you’re in a much better place.

A good way to think about this is as recovery being your “career” for now. After all, what is a career for? It helps to develop yourself, your skills, and to seek a better quality of life through growing salary ranges or opportunities, and to build a professional reputation. All of that can benefit from being clean and having control of your life. As such, searching for a clean pathway out of addiction may be the best career decision you’ve ever made.

One last point: Temporarily suspending your career to seek treatment may seem like a move that can prevent you from ever returning back. 

But just imagine—you’ve already held a career for some time despite struggling with this problem; just think of how empowered and effective you could be with a sober and clean mind.

5. Seek Help With a Suitable Rehab Facility

Act now with the treatment options available from Jackson House Addiction Treatment & Recovery Centers. We can better structure the recovery process for you.

From helping you determine the healthiest treatment pathway, undergoing counseling, learning new coping strategies, and managing withdrawals, we have unlocked the recovery process for countless clients. We are confident that we can curate a treatment plan for you that is both safe and effective.

6. Contact Jackson House Today

At Jackson House Addiction Treatment & Recovery Centers, we understand the challenges that come with altering your lifestyle for recovery. However, it’s important to recognize that pursuing the care you need is a temporary process that can help you set up positive life habits.

Our range of inpatient and outpatient services is second to none. We have helped hundreds of clients in your exact same situation.

Why not contact our friendly team today? You can call our admission line at (866) 396-3655 today, or use our contact form and one of our staff will be in touch.