Will Work Make or Break You After Cocaine Rehab?

Getting to work and maintaining a regular schedule 40-hour-a-week schedule is hard for everyone, and few really love to do it – unfortunately, it’s the one thing that almost everyone has to take on. When you attempt to get into a routine at a new job (or your old job) after cocaine rehab, it can be even more difficult. Why? Here are a few issues that often come up:

• Emotions. The period right after addiction treatment is a particularly emotional time, and many in recovery feel highly pressured to perform well during their first weeks on the job. Every little stressor can feel like a big deal.
• Problems at home. If you’ve had time away from a significant other or other family members, your return home can be bittersweet. Many of the old issues that were problems before cocaine rehab will resurface. It can make focusing at work even more difficult.
• Insecurity. It’s not uncommon to feel like you won’t be able to accomplish something you want to do or that something may be too hard or beyond your grasp. As you get more clean time under your belt and prove yourself each day, you’ll gain more confidence in yourself, but in the beginning, it can create complications as you try to learn a new job or get back on track at an old one.

When Work is Necessary After Cocaine Rehab

If people depend upon you to pay the bills or if you had to take out a loan to pay for cocaine rehab, then it’s necessary for you to get a job after treatment. This is the case for most people, but even those who are independently wealthy and don’t need to work in order to survive will still derive benefits from finding and keeping a job. It can be a crucial part of creating a new identity and life for yourself in recovery, one that doesn’t include cocaine addiction or relapse on any other drug. In other words, it can be a positive thing, no matter what the reason!

Finding a Job that Works for You After Cocaine Rehab

Though you may feel that you need to take whatever is offered to you, you can take steps to find a job that will serve you best in recovery. Here are a few tips:

• Be flexible. You may need to start a few levels below where you ultimately want to be, but paying your dues is a great way to advance.
• Consider school. Education may help you to command more money and better jobs.
• Don’t overwork yourself. Even if you can take on two jobs, working more than full-time in early recovery can be a relapse trigger.
• Avoid jobs that have you working around alcohol or those who abuse drugs.
• Be on time, follow the rules, and be prepared to work through problems logically.

Good luck!