Why Most Employers Understand Someone Needing To Attend An Alcohol Treatment Center
If you have recently made the decision to seek treatment for your alcohol abuse problem, you may be worried that your boss will not approve your plan. You may even be concerned about the possibility of losing your job or being denied any future job promotions due to your substance abuse problem and your decision to enter a rehab program. Your decision to take this important step may have been strongly influenced by your realization that your misuse of alcohol has affected your job performance in a negative way. You now accept the fact that you need help in dealing with this serious problem, but at the same time, you fear losing your job and being turned down for another one.
Although your fears and concerns are understandable, you should be aware that working people with substance abuse issues have a much stronger chance of keeping their current jobs while getting treatment for their drinking problems than those who disregard treatment. Alcohol abuse is a common problem today among individuals of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life. In general, many people, including bosses, are favorably impressed when a friend, acquaintance or coworker seeks treatment for alcohol abuse.
If your problem is overindulgence in the use of alcohol and difficulty controlling your drinking habit, you are a substance abuser rather than an addict or alcoholic. However, alcoholics who suffer from addiction to alcohol often are not able to realize and admit their addiction and need for clinical intervention. Excellent professional treatment plans are now available for the treatment of both alcoholism and alcohol abuse, but they are different types and plans of treatment. Successful treatment for people who overuse alcohol, admit their problem and seek help in overcoming their problem often involves a short-term substance abuse treatment program.
Your Boss and Coworkers May Already Know About Your Overuse of Alcohol
Your employer and the other staff members you work with every day may very well already know about your problems with alcohol misuse. Many executives, department managers, supervisors and HR employees are trained to recognize common signs of a staff member’s overuse of alcohol. They can easily detect and interpret revealing behavior of a coworker with a drinking problem such as the following:
• Frequent late arrival at work or secret lunch dates with fictitious friends
• Lack of interest in socializing with friends and coworkers
• Alcohol withdrawal signs like anxiety, irritability or heavy perspiring
• Extreme mood swings
• Evidence of morning alcohol indulgence such as alcohol-tainted breath
• Habitual heavy drinking during times of financial difficulties
• Inability to control the amount of alcohol consumed each day
Your Boss or Supervisor May Have Taken an Interest in You
Believe it or not, your boss or supervisor at work may have taken an interest in you and found out more than you would like him or her to know about you, including your habitual tendency to overindulge in alcohol. However, rather than snooping in order to discover your faults, this person may want to help you learn to overcome your substance abuse issues. Perhaps, if you were transparent and revealed to this individual your battle with overuse of alcohol, he or she would be very supportive in encouraging you to seek help in solving your substance abuse problem.
Employers and Job Supervisors Understand the Need to Seek Substance Abuse Treatment
Many employers and job supervisors in the workplace today are quite sympathetic to the need for an employee to seek treatment for substance abuse. They will be supportive of your plans and even applaud your efforts to resolve this chronic personal problem. These leaders at your place of employment know that the stress and strain of modern-day, fast-paced and demanding lifestyles can easily lead to the long-term misuse of alcoholic beverages. Rather than being critical of your decision to seek help for this serious personal issue, these company executives and managers will be pleased and relieved to learn of your new commitment to resolving your problem with alcohol overuse.
Human Resources Counselors Assist with Employee Substance Abuse Issues
If you are uncomfortable revealing your alcohol problem to your boss, departmental manager or job supervisor at work, you should discuss this issue with a Human Resources counselor for your company. These individuals are trained to help employees deal with overwhelming and personally harmful problems like substance abuse, and they can assist you with your plans to attend a rehab program at an alcohol abuse treatment center in your vicinity. These experienced professional counselors will help you understand that there need not be any derogatory stigma attached to participating in alcohol abuse treatment and rehabilitation programs.
Explore Your Company’s Drug and Alcohol Abuse Policy and Be Transparent
The majority of employers today have provisions to help and protect their staff members who need and seek treatment for alcohol or drug abuse problems. If not, your employer may encourage you to take a sick leave from work so you can receive treatment and then return to your job. Most modern employers have positive reactions to their staff members who reveal a personal problem with substance overuse and actively seek help in overcoming this serious issue.
If you are a good worker and valuable employee who contributes steadily to the company’s smooth operation and success, your employer will be quite interested in keeping you on the staff. Even from a practical standpoint, it will cost the company more to hire and train a new worker to fill your job position than to grant you the necessary time away to benefit from effective drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation. Following treatment, you can return to your job ready to continue being a valuable asset to the company.
Be Confident That Your Job Is Secure Despite Your Alcohol Problem
When you are open and truthful about your overindulgence in alcohol usage and your strong desire to overcome this problem, your boss, manager or supervisor will be willing and eager to secure your position so you can return to it after treatment. Since substance abuse has become a widespread problem both domestically and globally, the best employers everywhere are constantly embracing new policies to enable their staff members to seek professional assistance through reliable treatment programs. These company leaders are also encouraging their employees to seek good treatment while reassuring these workers that their current jobs will be waiting for them following treatment.
Conclusion
Most modern employers today have understanding and sympathy for a staff member who needs and desires to attend an alcohol treatment center. These well-informed company leaders are pleased when an employee reveals having a problem with substance abuse and the desire to overcome this problem. If you are an employee who overuses alcohol and wants to seek professional treatment, be open and truthful with your employer so that he or she and your company HR counselors can work with you. In this way, you will be able to attend and benefit from a good rehab program and return to your job afterward as a valued and respected employee.
Our highly experienced and compassionate counselors are available 24 hours each day to assist you, a family member or friend who has a problem with alcohol abuse in getting started with a successful treatment program. Contact us today at 866-754-9113 for further information and help. We are waiting for your call.