What are Get Well Jobs in Addiction Recovery?
Individuals in addiction recovery are usually advised to acquire get well jobs once they are ready to get back into the job force and society. But what does a wellness job even mean and what is the difference between a job and a wellness job?
Individuals in addiction and substance abuse treatment centers are removed from their daily stressors and put into a safe enwevironment where they can heal and learn skills that help them cope without the use of drugs and alcohol.
When someone in recovery is in the process of discharging and stepping back into society things can become overwhelming and shell shocking quickly. Jumping right back into a career or a demanding job can be detrimental to someone’s recovery and may lead to relapse. Addiction specialists and professionals advise that recovering individuals ease back into society by working a job that is not as taxing or rigid. These are get well jobs.
Get well jobs are jobs that don’t require too much of your emotional energy and are flexible enough to work with your recovery program. An example of a wellness job could be working at a coffee shop or a pizza parlor.
Finding a wellness job can be an exciting and positive experience because perhaps this may be the first time an individual has ever worked. However, this can also be difficult for some because often times recovering individuals are eager to support themselves again or get back to their previous career.
Let’s say someone was a CEO of a big company and took time to recover from an addiction at a treatment center. Going to work at a grocery store will most likely be a difficult thing to adjust to since they are not used to jobs like that and perhaps it does not financially support them.
Wellness jobs don’t necessarily mean that you have to work a minimum wage paying or part-time job but it does mean that recovering individuals need to work a job that will be supportive to their recovery.
Wellness jobs should possess the following traits:
- Regular and reasonable work hours
- Routine tasks and requirements
- Proper working conditions
- Clear expectations
- Opportunity for growth
- Flexibility
These traits can exist in a number of jobs. In the previous example of the CEO, that individual could perhaps come up with a way to integrate himself back into his job. Perhaps he could work part time rather than full time and hire an assistant to work side by side with him for extra support.
Addiction treatment centers and mental health professionals can help individuals find wellness jobs through job placement programs or by job counseling. Furthermore, job counseling or guidance can perhaps be found in an AA program and by networking and asking for advice from other people recovery.