When you’re going through an addiction, trying to function as normal and hiding your behaviors from those around you might become the norm for you. As a result, lots of people go about their days without their colleagues or employers knowing what’s going on.
But when the time eventually comes for you to seek help and try to overcome your addiction, you’ll probably need to discuss it with your employer.
For example, if you’re attending an addiction rehab facility, you probably can’t do that while also being present in the office. So here’s how to approach that conversation with your employer.
Explain it as a Medical Condition You Require Treatment For
When talking to your boss about the need to seek help and treatment for your addiction, you should frame it as a medical condition that you need to be treated for in order to get better. And that’s not a lie either. Addiction is a medical condition and you should seek professional treatment for it, and your employer will understand it better if you explain it that way.
Emphasize Your Commitment to Your Work and Your Desire to Perform Well
It’s a good idea to really emphasize your commitment to your work and how much you want to perform well and give your all to the business in the long term. That way, your employer will know that you’re still committed even if you’re having to take a little time off in order to recover properly. That’s something that they’ll likely want to hear.
Don’t Try to Hide Things
Trying to hide the situation from your employer and giving them a fake excuse about why you need to take some time off work might be tempting. But it’s not going to help in the end and you could find yourself in a lot of trouble if they find out you’ve lied. In this situation, honesty is almost always the best policy.
Know Your Rights
It’s important to have a basic understanding of your rights before you have these conversations with your employer. Those rights will differ based on where you’re based and what the local employment laws say, but you should have the right to time off for medical reasons. And your employer likely won’t have the right to fire you.
Make a Plan for the Transition Back Into Work
You might also want to talk to your boss about transitioning back into work after your time off. That way, they can have one eye on your return and understand that this is not going to be something that drags on forever and causes problems for their business.
It’s not always easy to have these conversations with your employer. There might be a lot of shame and trepidation at their response that holds you back.
But keeping things quiet and doing nothing is only going to make your entire situation worse, and that goes for your health as much as your career. So make the most of the ideas above, and be sure to contact our team to learn more about our addiction rehab services.