Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant and “recreational” use turns into everyday use — even while on the job. There’s certain jobs that may have more employees using cocaine on the job due to heavy workloads and long hours or it may even be a “norm” among coworkers. Either way, a cocaine addiction doesn’t only negatively affect an employee’s work, but it consumes individual lives. How do you overcome a cocaine addiction and keep your job?

How Do I Know If You Have an Addiction?

Maybe you use cocaine in the bathroom at work, but don’t consider yourself “addicted”. Maybe that means you do a line in the morning before work to combat the hangover you have from drinks the night before — or maybe to you that means taking an afternoon bump before a big meeting. The truth is, if you’re depending on a substance in your everyday life, it’s a sign that the substance has control over you and you’re addicted. Unfortunately, your cocaine use will only continue to get worse, until you’ve reached rock bottom. It’s imperative that you seek help sooner than later to prevent yourself from losing not only your job, but your life. Cocaine abuse can actually cause a loss of productivity as it can cause rash decisions to be made by employees, anxiety, decreased work performance and more. Reach out to us today to learn more about when it’s time to get help for your addiction.

What Do Cocaine Withdrawals Look Like? 

If you’ve grown a dependence on cocaine, you may start to see signs of withdrawals when your high wears off such as:

• Slowed thinking

• Fatigue

• Restlessness

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Shakes or tremors

• Chills

• Inability to feel pleasure

• Suicidal thoughts (Suicide Hotline: 800-273-8255)

Withdrawals need to be monitored by a healthcare professional, so if you notice any of these symptoms, please reach out to us today.

How Do I Get Addiction Treatment & Keep My Job?

The only way to truly overcome your cocaine addiction is to seek residential addiction treatment, also known as rehab. A residential program typically lasts 30-90 days in which you live in the addiction treatment facility and receive a mix of treatment modalities to help you build a foundation for lasting recovery.

For some people, it may seem like the end of the world, to take time off from their work, especially if they feel they need to use cocaine to enhance work performance. According to the FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act), you’re legally allowed to take up to 12 weeks off from work to seek residential addiction treatment. Your job will still be there when you return to work and being sober will definitely improve your work performance (even if it may not seem like it now).

To take a leave of absence, approach your human resources representative. You don’t need to give specifics into why you need to take a leave of absence, and if you don’t feel comfortable talking to them about it, you can speak with your Employee Assistance Program and they will communicate your needs directly to HR. For more information on approaching HR about taking time off work for cocaine addiction treatment, click HERE.

How Will My Life Be Different if I Get Clean From Cocaine?

Getting clean and sober will better your work performance, your relationships, and your overall well-being. At Acqua Recovery, we’ll help you begin to work through the trauma or mental health issues that are fueling your addiction and give you the tools you need to have a happier life.

If cocaine use is normalized within your workplace, you seeking residential addiction treatment may start a trend among your coworkers after they see the positive changes recovery has brought you. Still not sure if you need addiction treatment? Give our caring admissions team — Matt, Brain, and Ashlee — a call today for a free over-the-phone assessment of your cocaine use.