The iconic Buddhist monk and spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hanh famously said, “Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously; our eyes can still see the beautiful sky; our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones.” While this message is important for everyone, it is extremely pertinent when it comes to treatment for professionals facing substance abuse and addiction.
What Does Rehab and Addiction Treatment for Professionals Look Like?
The reality is that professionals have certain obstacles that are unique to their addiction recovery experience. This sometimes includes navigating stigmas in the workplace, balancing work and recovery life, and avoiding triggers in professional settings. The good news is that there are many means, methods, and modalities that can help to overcome substance abuse and gain the necessary coping skills for recovery.
Rehab and addiction treatment modalities for professionals are generally the same for professionals as they are for other individuals in recovery. This includes modalities like psychotherapy, experiential therapy, and holistic healing methods. However, while the treatments are the same, the process and trajectory can look very different.
Addiction treatment for professionals with substance use disorder (SUD) will often allow for some type of connection to day-to-day life while the process is going on (dependent on the specific situation). It will also have a specific focus on addressing substance abuse and its underlying traumas that may be professionally related.
What Kind of Professionals Are Treated at Profound Treatment?
There is no discrimination when it comes to professionals and addiction recovery. Professionals from all walks of life can benefit from the drug rehabilitation plans that are offered here at Profound Treatment. The following are just a few examples of the types of professionals who have achieved long-term success at Profound Treatment, including those struggling with substance abuse:
- Lawyers
- Accountants
- IT technicians
- Individuals in the financial sector
- People in the publishing field
- Real estate agents
- Athletes
- Police officers and those in the fire department
- Health care workers
- Mental health care workers like psychiatrists and therapists
- Pilots
- CEOs
As one can see, the list is extensive, and these are but a few examples. Essentially, anyone who may face consequences for missing work may qualify for our treatment for professionals.
Why Professionals and Executives Need Rehab
Many people don’t realize just how prevalent drug and alcohol addiction and dual diagnosis currently are in the U.S. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “7.7 million adults have co-occurring mental and substance use disorders. Of the 20.3 million adults with substance use disorders, 37.9% also had mental illnesses,” and “Among the 42.1 million adults with mental illness, 18.2% also had substance use disorders.” These are not insignificant numbers, and they include many of the professionals who were previously discussed.
Just because an individual is successful in their career does not mean they are immune to facing substance addiction. The reality is that substance use disorder issues do not discriminate. It is also true that many professionals will face addiction triggers in their workplace after recovery.
According to the peer-reviewed journal Current Psychiatry Reports, “It has long been known that addictive disorders are chronic and relapsing in nature. Recent estimates from clinical treatment studies suggest that more than two-thirds of individuals relapse within weeks to months of initiating treatment.” Also, “For 1-year outcomes across alcohol, nicotine, weight, and illicit drug abuse, studies show that more than 85% of individuals relapse and return to drug use within 1 year of treatment.” When professional-focused treatment is utilized, these relapse statistics can go down exponentially.
This is why we focus on relapse prevention during our drug rehabilitation, specifically curated for those with high-stress work environments who may have unique hurdles to cope with during sobriety.
When to Seek Rehab and Addiction Treatment for Professionals
Professionals can often be the last to know that they are struggling with addiction issues. This is because they can be so focused and driven that the consequences of their addiction are often overlooked.
However, this oversight can only go on for so long. Many professionals, only know it is time to seek addiction treatment when their business begins to suffer, their family life becomes tumultuous, and physical symptoms of substance dependence start to become too obvious to overlook.
Signs and Symptoms of Substance Use Disorder
While the signs of drug or alcohol addiction are always unique to the individual, there are some universal signs and symptoms that are often present. The following are just a few of those substance abuse signs and symptoms:
- Losing interest in activities once enjoyed
- Isolating away from loved ones
- Not being able to stop drinking or using once started
- Trouble with sleep cycles, including sleeping too much and not sleeping enough (insomnia)
- Changes in appetite
- Having anxiety, or feeling overly worried, or “stressed out”
- Having feelings of loneliness, sadness, and depression
- Experiencing suicidal ideations
As one can see, these signs and symptoms can be very serious. This is why reaching out for more information and professional help from a physician as soon as symptoms related to substance abuse appear is vital. Doing so can mean the difference between short-term side effects and long-term consequences.
There is little doubt that professionals face many specific obstacles when it comes to addiction treatment and recovery. This includes facing certain stigmas in the workplace, navigating recovery and professional responsibilities, and making sure that a business remains running smoothly while one is away taking care of what is most important – themselves! If you are a professional or have a loved one who is struggling with issues of addiction and/or co-occurring disorders, we can help get you on the positive path toward long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about professional-specific recovery, please reach out to Profound Treatment today at (310) 340-2609.
(310) 929-9546
