Drug addiction can affect many parts of a person’s life including their work history and ability to get a job after being treated. Employers may require immaculate work history and criminal record that is nearly impossible depending on how a person’s addiction illness has played out. Many addicts end up homeless from their substance abuse or can end up in jail due to their use and simply possessing the drug they use. Simply getting rid of the substance abuse behavior many times does not create a straight path to recovery and restoring a person’s life. Finding and keeping a job can prove to be even more of a struggle for a recovering addict itself.
Federal statistics show approximately 22 million Americans are in recovery. The Recovery Research Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital in 2017 conducted a study which discovered that the rate of unemployment of people in recovery from addiction is 3 times higher than average unemployment rate. This can be discouraging for those on the road to recovery.
Researching Work and Sobriety
Research has shown that working helps keep people sober giving them a renewed purpose, but if finding that job is difficult, that recovery can turn into relapse. The situation isn’t hopeless for those who have had addiction impact their lives in more significant ways such as criminality and work history. Some companies are operating as a support system themselves and welcome the recovering addict. In New Hampshire, for instance, an employee owned company called Hypertherm which builds industrial machinery for heavy manufacturing plants has ingrained within its company environment an addiction assistance framework. This includes medical leave and financial assistance for those who may fall into relapse and offering extra pay for volunteering after-work programs for recovering addicts to stay sober. Employees find a purpose within the work itself which builds loyalty to the other employees and the ideal goal of being productive and staying sober.
Once sobriety is achieved, becoming stable both socially and financially becomes all the more important. While the statistics point to a greater challenge to overcome for addicts who are in recovery, it’s always helpful to have tools which can minimize these issues. Using resources to find recovery friendly workplaces can mean the difference between a relapse and successfully staying sober. Recovery friendly work sites help place workers into positions in which the employer helps contribute to the community affected by addiction, much like Hypertherm. Knowing the options available for assistance is half the battle.
Getting Drug Treatment for Opioid, Alcohol, or Heroin Addiction in Broward County
Addiction to substances like alcohol, opioids, heroin, or anything else is a serious illness that can lead to physical damage and even death. If you or someone you know is suffering from substance addiction or abuse in the south Florida area, the trained professionals at 1st Step Behavioral Health can help treat the underlying causes that lead to drug and alcohol abuse. Call us at (855) 425-4846.
