Alcoholism has the power to cause major disruptions in many areas of your life. One of these areas is the damage it can do to your career. Many a career has been waylaid due to the disease of alcoholism. What about you? Are you losing your job due to alcoholism?

If you sense that you are on borrowed time with your employer, it isn’t too late to get the help you need. Employers are used to arranging for employees to get time off to receive Treatment at a rehab program. Not only will you then get the support and help you deserve, you will save your career and your income. To learn what you can do if you think you are losing your job due to alcoholism, read on.

Do You Have an Alcohol Use Disorder?

It might be hard to even consider that you might be an alcoholic. It’s true that an alcohol use disorder starts slowly, but then steadily worsens as chronic drinking ensues. Alcohol use disorder is staged as mild, moderate, or severe, based on the number of symptoms you have. These are the symptoms:

• Planning your day around drinking or recovering from drinking.
• Memory lapses or blackouts.
• Needing to drink more and more alcohol to achieve the desired effects.
• Lying to your loved ones about how much you drink.
• Looking for any reason to engage in drinking.
• Ignoring your responsibilities.
• Losing control of how much you drink, not able to stop once you start drinking.
• Having hand tremors in the morning.
• Trouble at work, such as excessive absences and a decline in productivity.
• Attempt to cut back or stop drinking but cannot.
• Withdrawal symptoms commence when the alcohol wears off.

Are You a High-Functioning Alcoholic?

Some alcoholics are able to function well at their jobs and conceal their disease from others, including employers. These people are referred to as functional alcoholics. They have the ability to function at a high level, despite their alcohol use disorder.

In time, however, the disease will take its toll and begin to impact relationships, work performance, and health. When this occurs, it can start to threaten their job security, and they may find themselves losing their job due to alcoholism.

How Drinking Impacts Work

Having an alcohol problem can cause a range of problems at work, and for your career in general. Some of the ways alcoholism impacts your job include:

• A decline in job performance.
• Being consistently late to work.
• Excessive absenteeism.
• Missing important meetings.
• Becoming less social at work.
• Having noticeable hand tremors.
• Begin neglecting appearance and personal hygiene.
• Avoiding work-related social functions.
• Facial bloating.
• Rapid weight gain or loss.
• Mood swings or moodiness.
• Being caught drinking on the job.

What Can You Expect During Detox?

After the intake interview and assessment, you will learn if you’ll need to begin recovery with detox and withdrawal. If you need detox prior to rehab, it should be done under the care of a trained team. Attempting alcohol detox on your own can present serious, even life-threatening, health risks.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms vary in severity depending on various factors. These include the duration of the drinking problem, the level of consumption, and the presence of a coexisting mood disorder. Other factors that may impact detox are additional substance issues, age, and general health status.

Withdrawal symptoms begin within 6-12 hours of alcohol secession and might include:

• Nausea and vomiting.
• Profuse sweating
• Shaking
• Hand tremors.
• Racing heart.
• Fever
• Elevated blood pressure.
• Headache
• Irritability
• Agitation
• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Disorientation or mental confusion.
• Psychosis
• Seizures
• Coma

Your Treatment Options: Outpatient or Inpatient?

By completing detox, you are now ready to enroll in a treatment program to learn how to sustain sobriety. Treatment is an essential step in the recovery process. It helps you to break down the old thought patterns that kept you in the addiction cycle.

The treatment process takes time and patience, as you are taught to replace dysfunctional patterns with healthy ones. In rehab, new coping methods and recovery tools are introduced and practiced that help prepare you for life after rehab.

There are two different types of alcohol recovery rehabs to consider:

Outpatient rehab. An outpatient program is a good fit for someone with a new or mild alcohol use disorder. These programs, called IOP or PHP, allow you to reside at home during the treatment period. The level of outpatient care is based on your alcohol addiction history and unique treatment needs. Most outpatient programs are 3-4 months in duration.

Inpatient rehab. An inpatient or residential, program will provide housing during the treatment process. This level of care is best for treating moderate to severe alcohol use disorder, as they provide 24-hour support. These are highly structured programs that feature a wide range of therapies and education. The average stay in rehab ranges from one to six months.

How Alcohol Use Disorder Is Treated?

Treatment programs are designed in such a way that all the elements work together to help you achieve a sober lifestyle. The more engaged you are in the treatment process, the better the results in the long term. Here is what to expect in rehab:

• Psychotherapy. These talk therapy sessions use evidence-based models, such as CBT and DBT, to guide you toward making needed changes.
• Group therapy. Small group discussions that are led by a clinician provide a safe, supportive space for sharing and learning from others.
• Education. You’ll learn about how alcohol affects the brain and how addiction develops, which can help deter relapse. Classes also include planning strategies to prevent relapse. This entails noting your triggers and planning needed actions to help you avoid relapse.
• Holistic activities. Holistic methods are an important piece of the recovery plan. These activities teach you how to regulate stress by learning how to relax. They include yoga, massage therapy, mindfulness, equine therapy, art therapy, journaling, and daily exercise.
• Recovery groups. Many rehabs incorporate the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program into the overall treatment program.

Capo by the Sea Evidence-Based Treatment for Alcoholism

Capo by the Sea is a leading addiction treatment provider that uses the most current treatment modalities for the disease of alcoholism. We also offer pet friendly options and a couples program. If you fear you are losing your job due to alcoholism, give us a call at (888) 561-2114.