Recovery Careers

Recovery Careers

The good news is, once you have a solid program of recovery, you can pursue any career that you want. There are recovering alcoholics and addicts in every career you could think of. Once you have a program, you can even work in industries that you may think recovering alcoholics and addicts wouldn’t be able to handle. I know people in recovery who handle prescription drugs all day as pharmacists or pharmacy techs. I know recovering alcoholics who work in liquor stores or tend bar in restaurants. Your recovery career can be anything you want it to be. That is part of the freedom of recovery.

Recovery Careers: Recovery Jobs vs. Recovery Careers

Recovery careers are not the same as recovery jobs. Usually, when someone talks about a recovery job, they are referring to the job they get when they are early in sobriety. It can be difficult to re-enter the workplace when you are first out of treatment. At first, learning to live without drugs and alcohol can be a full time job. Most addiction professionals suggest that you get a recovery job at first. This is a simple job that isn’t stressful. It is a job you take so you can pay your bills, not a recovery career. It is not a job that you will be doing for the rest of your life. A recovery job is simply a way to earn a modest living while you get back on your feet and reintegrate into society.

Recovery Careers: Careers in the Field of Recovery

Not surprisingly, many addicts and alcoholics in recovery tend to go into the addiction treatment field. When I was going through treatment, I was surprised at how many of the addiction professionals were former addicts and alcoholics. I do remember feeling sort of an implicit kinship with these people in particular because they had been where I had been. They understood me. You can study a disease like alcoholism in a classroom setting, but there’s nothing like having personal experience with addiction. It gives you a very good understanding of the disease and treatment of the disease.

This is why so many alcoholics and addicts seek this kind of recovery career. In fact, many treatment centers offer courses in addiction treatment for people who are seeking certification. A lot of the students are former patients of the treatment center who want to dedicate their lives to helping other alcoholics and addicts.

Obviously, before beginning this type of recovery career, you want to have a solid program of recovery and some time clean and sober. Some places require a year of sobriety, others want you to have two or more years before you can seek employment. Once you do have some time, there are ample ways to get into this recovery career. For most positions, you will have to have some kind of certification. Those intending to enter the addictions field need to be properly prepared. Also, each state has its own requirements for people working in this recovery career.

You can find most of the following careers available at Drug Rehab Treatment Centers:

• Addiction Specialist
• Behavioral Health Technicians
• Administrative Assistants
• Registered Nurse
• Licensed Nurse Practitioner
• Therapist
• Counselor
• Psychologist
• Psychiatrist
• Physician
• Life Coach
• Recovery Coach
• Nutritionist
• Dietician
• Chiropractor
• Hypnotherapist
• Acupuncturist
• Personal Trainer

If your loved one is in need of addiction treatment, please give us a call at 800-951-6135