October 17, 2018
Q: I think I need help with an addiction issue, but I don't want my employer to know. What should I do?
A: Unfortunately, many people are in this position. In my last career, people were afraid to get help for addiction because they didn’t want to lose their jobs. Even if treatment services were offered through their EAPs, they were worried it would get back to our employer.
I’ve been in that position and I know how scary it is. I was afraid I’d lose my job or even my kids.
I got well from alcohol addiction on my own because I was too afraid to talk about what I was going through. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
At the time, I just wanted to be heard by someone who understood what I was experiencing. I wanted someone to tell me, "I understand what you’re feeling and you’re not alone. How can I help?" I wanted someone to walk alongside me and say, "Let’s do this."
That’s one of the reasons I applied to be a coach for Face It TOGETHER. I knew I’d fit in and I knew my past wouldn’t affect the future of my job here. I also wanted to be a part of a program that’s personalized to each individual. We really are client-guided.
No matter how alone you may feel, there’s still hope. All Face It TOGETHER coaches are peers who’ve been where you are – loved ones too. We can also help you find other forms of support, like treatment or community resources, if you need them.
We try to be as non-disruptive to your life as possible. There are many people who don’t need to go away for 30 days or more to get better – we’ll work with your weekly schedule. You can keep your job, be with your family and stay involved in the community.
If you’d like to learn more about our confidential coaching, please reach out to us. You’re not alone. Let’s do this.