[MaisieC]

A couple of years ago when I was struggling with opiate addiction, my therapist recommended a really good residential detox and rehab facility. At the time I had a good job with good insurance which would have paid for the whole thing. I really wanted to go, and I knew my job would be OK if I were away for a few weeks. BUT...

I called Human Resources, and the woman I spoke to was APPALLED. She said that if I did that, it would be all over with for me. She said I shouldn't even have told her about my problem. If my employer found out why I was away on medical leave, my career there would be toast.

So obviously I didn't go. I really wish I could have. I was ready to do it, and I'm convinced it would have saved me years of misery, tons of money, and also, finally, my job...which I eventually lost because of my drug use. How ironic is that?

It's too late for me, of course, but I've wondered a lot about what I was told, and I'm interested in hearing other people's experiences of going into rehab and how they handled the workplace situation. My shrink told me that employers "admire" junkie employees who get straight in rehab, but my HR manager sang a different song. Wondering what it's like out there for other people.

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by MaisieC

A couple of years ago when I was struggling with opiate addiction, my therapist recommended a really good residential detox and rehab facility. At the time I had a good job with good insurance which would have paid for the whole thing. I really wanted to go, and I knew my job would be OK if I were away for a few weeks. BUT...

I called Human Resources, and the woman I spoke to was APPALLED. She said that if I did that, it would be all over with for me. She said I shouldn't even have told her about my problem. If my employer found out why I was away on medical leave, my career there would be toast.

So obviously I didn't go. I really wish I could have. I was ready to do it, and I'm convinced it would have saved me years of misery, tons of money, and also, finally, my job...which I eventually lost because of my drug use. How ironic is that?

It's too late for me, of course, but I've wondered a lot about what I was told, and I'm interested in hearing other people's experiences of going into rehab and how they handled the workplace situation. My shrink told me that employers "admire" junkie employees who get straight in rehab, but my HR manager sang a different song. Wondering what it's like out there for other people.

Maisie,

Your therapist was providing correct information for the most part concerning most company's policies. Most group insurance plans today treat pregnancy, mental illness including addiction, things that in years past that were treated differently are now all being treated as "any other illness."

There are still a few backward companies. Nothing we can really do about that except gripe and maybe a decision maker will hear us. But most employers today MUST treat employees the same once the employee is beyond any probationary periods.

There are also some businesses that operate in extremely dangerous environments. Their employees are subject to being exposed to extreme danger of one kind or another. Some companies get away with differentiating between those employees in the most dangerous jobs vs the office staff per say.

It's obviously too bad when a company has no benefits for someone trying to deal with the disease of addiction and their employer doesn't recognize it as such. There will always be idiots as well as money hungry people who won't put a penny on the line for anyone, let alone an addict. God bles.

[musicman48]

Originally Posted by Robert_325

Maisie,

Your therapist was providing correct information for the most part concerning most company's policies. Most group insurance plans today treat pregnancy, mental illness including addiction, things that in years past that were treated differently are now all being treated as "any other illness."

There are still a few backward companies. Nothing we can really do about that except gripe and maybe a decision maker will hear us. But most employers today MUST treat employees the same once the employee is beyond any probationary periods.

There are also some businesses that operate in extremely dangerous environments. Their employees are subject to being exposed to extreme danger of one kind or another. Some companies get away with differentiating between those employees in the most dangerous jobs vs the office staff per say.

It's obviously too bad when a company has no benefits for someone trying to deal with the disease of addiction and their employer doesn't recognize it as such. There will always be idiots as well as money hungry people who won't put a penny on the line for anyone, let alone an addict. God bles.

I have been a performer my whole life and have never had a "real" job.Though it is too late for you,I would think a Dr could write a generic "medical" leave of absence for rehab patients.That way your employer would not know you were entering rehab.This is just a thought.I could be wrong.

[Psyched]

Here at the psych-hospital where I work, we are part of large hospital network that includes us, the main medical hospital, and a nursing home. Our therapists write letter for patients all the time excusing them from work, school, etc because "they were under a dcotor's care" at the main hospital. I hate the stigma that our society has put on psych-care, including detox. You guys are right too in that it is none of an employer's business what type of care you've been receiving. We even have our phones show up as the main hospital number on caller id so our patients can have more privacy. Maybe someday we as a society will be able to view all illnesses the same so that we don't stereotype and ostrocize people for the problems they have. It would definitely be a nice idea.

[MaisieC]

I really wish I had been on this board at the time. I totally could have taken medical leave and not told anyone why. My ex-boss actually did the same thing, as did a former co-worker. I wish that HR person hadn't freaked out and had just told me how to handle it. It could have been so helpful. I would have learned a lot in residential rehab, which is something I would still like to do even though I'm clean...but probably will never be able to afford again.

And to think that the organization I was working for has a reputation for being extreeeeemely liberal...liberal to a fault! What a bunch of hooey.

Ah well, that's life. Just gotta be grateful to be here and to be OK.