It is said that approximately 70% of people struggling with addiction at any given time are able to hold down a job. Of course, that doesn’t always last. Substance use disorder is a chronic and progressive disease that only gets worse and worse without treatment. But, if you feel that drinking or drug use is starting to affect your work, you might feel like it’s a Catch-22: You need to get addiction treatment in order to keep your job, but taking time off to get treatment will cause you to lose it. It’s not really that simple, though. You have rights when it comes to being a worker with high-functioning alcoholism, and options like an intensive outpatient program (IOP) can help.
First of all, it’s important to note that in most cases, your employer cannot fire you for seeking treatment for addiction. Substance use disorder is a disease that is protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and is also a justifiable reason for taking leave through the FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act). Your employer can fire you if your addiction is interfering with your performance, though, so it’s important to be proactive and get help before it’s too late.
However, taking thirty, sixty, or ninety days off of work for rehab isn’t your only option for getting clean and sober. There are many kinds of addiction treatment for professionals, including intensive outpatient programs (IOP). These programs allow you to live at home and go to work in between several weekly treatment sessions. You’ll get the same kind of clinical care as people in residential addiction treatment, but will be responsible for yourself outside of treatment hours. For people who are high-functioning alcoholics with a safe and stable home life, this may be an appropriate option.
Some intensive outpatient programs are even virtual, making it easier than ever to fit in addiction treatment around your daily life. Country Road Recovery Center offers a virtual IOP, for example, that includes group sessions, one-on-one counseling, and other aspects of our normal in-person treatment. You’ll heal the underlying causes of your high-functioning alcoholism and learn skills for coping better in life without alcohol.
If you think you are a high-functioning alcoholic and you don’t need help, consider rethinking that. First, heavy drinkers often think that they’re successfully hiding their drinking; when, in reality, it’s an open secret to everyone around them. Second, alcoholics who are high-functioning usually don’t stay that way for very long. Substance use disorder is a progressive disease and it will get worse over time. It’s only a question of how long it takes.
You don’t have to continue to walk that tightrope any more. Stop the exhausting cycle of drinking, hangovers, and brutal days at work by getting help through virtual IOP. Start a new road in recovery by calling our team today. You’ll be amazed at where it takes you.