You might feel like you’re living a double life. You drink or do drugs to help cope with trauma. Your close friends and family might not even know about your addiction. You’re not alone, though. Many first responders and people in intense careers struggle with alcoholism and addiction. Research tells us that 60 percent of American adults know someone who has been under the influence of alcohol or drugs at work.

You might wrongly think that you’ve got things under control and your job performance isn’t affected by substance abuse. That’s likely not the case. Realistically your organization is suffering because of your waning productivity, mistakes on the job and your frequent absences. And you never know who’s watching.

Put simply, rehab might be your saving grace, though it’s normal to have hesitation. That’s why we’re addressing some common questions:

Can I lose my job if my boss knows I’m in treatment?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects employees from being discriminated against because of a disability. Per this legislation, it defines what qualifies as a disability. For instance, people who struggle with alcoholism are considered to have a disability under this law.

However, it’s not always that simple. If your job performance has declined because of your drinking, your employer has the right to fire you as long as they have evidence that your performance was poor. Now for the good news: If you elect to go to a rehab program before your employer takes any disciplinary action, you can’t get fired for past errors or poor job performance.

People actively using illegal drugs are not protected by the ADA. Still, the act does shield those who’ve gone to a drug rehab program and aren’t not using or have a history of drug use but are in recovery. Your employer does have the right to test you for drugs. That’s why it’s a good idea to seek help at a drug rehab as soon as possible.

Will my job be held while I’m getting treatment?
The ADA extends protection to alcoholics and recovering addicts who chose to go to drug and alcohol rehab. Your employer is required to make reasonable accommodations, such as changing your work schedule so you can attend meetings and allow you to take a leave of absence for treatment.

How can Deer Hollow help me?
Making the decision to get treatment is overwhelming, but necessary to reclaim your career and your life. Choosing the best mental health center can mean the difference between maintaining the status quo or getting better. Call us today at (888) 593-5669 to learn how we can help facilitate the admission process so you can start your treatment as soon as possible. Hope is on the horizon!