Addiction is a more common condition than you may initially think. A study funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) – part of the National Institutes of Health – found that around 4 percent of Americans met the criteria for drug use disorder in the past year and about 10 percent have had drug use disorder at some time in their lives.
Of course, this is a serious issue with serious consequences. Substance use is indirectly and directly responsible for 11.8 million deaths each year and impacts even more lives in a negative way. While many people seek addiction treatment, many will find that their addiction impacts their ability to work.
This results in unemployment or an ongoing struggle to hold down a consistent means of income. People tend to automatically assume that this prevents them from being able to access addiction treatment services, but this isn’t always necessarily the case. Here’s some information on accessing addiction treatment, such as Drug Rehab or Alcohol Rehab, while unemployed.
The Impact of Addiction on Employment
As we briefly touched on above, working while being addicted to substances can be difficult. Drug use and alcohol misuse can make you unsuitable for work in certain sectors where sobriety is essential, such as driving roles, use of heavy machinery, roles with vulnerable individuals who need care and so much more.
Beyond this, most employers expect all staff to be sober while working in order to focus properly on their work and be productive, at the same time as reducing risk for themselves and others in the workplace.
Consequences of drug and alcohol use include lack of focus, disrupted sleep patterns (resulting in oversleeping and lateness), behavioral issues and temperament issues. It’s not too surprising, then, that addiction often results in joblessness.
The Impact of Unemployment on Treatment
Of course, drug treatment and alcohol treatment cost money, which can be scarce if you don’t have any income. This means that many unemployed addicts believe they cannot access addiction treatment or detoxification, as they don’t have the means to support the costs. This isn’t always necessarily true. Our addiction treatment center has measures in place to support your journey to recovery in spite of unemployment.
Seeking Addiction Treatment While Unemployed
The first step towards recovery is reaching out for help and assistance. Here at Robert Alexander Center, we’re here to take that call. Our team is on hand to listen to your needs and individual circumstances and can help to draw up a treatment plan to meet your requirements and budget.
We will be able to discuss insurance policies and how they can help, as well as lower cost modes of recovery, such as outpatient treatment. This can significantly reduce costs, as you won’t require accommodation and round the clock care factored into your expenditure.
As you can see, whether you’re seeking inpatient or outpatient care, unemployment shouldn’t put the brakes on your journey to recovery. Reach out for support and advice to get things started in the right direction!
