Navigating the job market is challenging for anyone, but the journey can feel like an uphill battle for those in recovery from addiction. Let’s explore some tips to help you land that job and make a fresh start.

1. Explore Career Development Opportunities in Your Rehab Center

Your journey to employment can start right where your recovery did. Many rehab centers offer career development services, from vocational training to job placement assistance. Take advantage of these resources to set the stage for your job search.

2. Conduct an Honest Self-Assessment

Before diving into the job search, take some time to assess your skills, interests, and strengths. Knowing what you bring can help you target roles that align with your abilities. Consider taking online courses or workshops to fill in any skill gaps.

3. Master the Art of Resume Building

Crafting a compelling resume is crucial. If you have employment gaps due to your recovery journey, consider using a functional resume that focuses on your skills rather than a chronological work history. Be prepared to discuss your experience in a positive light, emphasizing what you’ve learned and how it makes you a stronger candidate.

A resume is your first impression on paper, and it needs to be a good one. Some rehab centers offer resume-building workshops to help you address employment gaps and highlight your skills. Utilize these services to create a resume that speaks to your strengths.

4. Know Where to Look

Some industries are more understanding and supportive than others when hiring people in recovery. Research companies are known for their inclusive cultures and don’t overlook job boards that specialize in opportunities for those with a history of addiction.

Don’t underestimate the power of your rehab center in your job search. Many centers have partnerships with local businesses and can help you find opportunities that fit your skills and background well.

5. Leverage Your Network

Your support network can be valuable in your job search. Groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) often have members who can provide job leads or offer advice on navigating the job market.

Contact friends, family, and acquaintances who might know of suitable job openings. Networking events and LinkedIn are also excellent platforms for making professional connections.

6. Prepare for Interviews

Interviews can be nerve-wracking, especially if you’re concerned about discussing your recovery. Many rehab centers and even halfway houses offer mock interviews and coaching to help you prepare. Use these resources to build your confidence and hone your interview skills.

7. To Disclose or not to Disclose?

When disclosing your recovery status, you may wonder what you’re legally required to share. The answer varies by jurisdiction and job type. Still, generally, you’re not obligated to disclose your medical history, including addiction recovery, unless it directly impacts your ability to perform the job.

Weigh the pros and cons carefully. If you choose to disclose, be straightforward but professional, focusing on how your journey has equipped you with unique skills and perspectives.

8. Consider Part-Time and Flexible Jobs

If you’re in early recovery or enrolled in an outpatient program. Consider part-time or flexible job opportunities that allow you to maintain a healthy work-life balance while focusing on your recovery. 

9. Know Your Rights

You have legal protections against discrimination based on your recovery status. Familiarize yourself with these laws so you can advocate for yourself if needed. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does offer specific protections for individuals recovering from substance abuse, including drug and alcohol addiction. 

Under the ADA, recovering addicts may be entitled to “reasonable accommodations” to help them perform the essential functions of their job. This could include schedule flexibility for attending AA or NA meetings, for example.

10. Never Stop Learning and Growing

The job market is ever-changing, and continuous learning is key to long-term success. Keep updating your skills and stay adaptable. Your journey doesn’t end when you get the job; it’s a new beginning.

Bonus: Focus On the Best Jobs for Recovering Addicts

When choosing a career path, consider roles conducive to your recovery. Jobs with a stable work environment, low stress, and a supportive community can be ideal. 

Jobs to Consider:

• Skilled Trades: Jobs in carpentry, plumbing, or electrical work often provide a stable work environment and the satisfaction of tangible results.
• Animal Care: Working with animals can be therapeutic and offers a lower-stress environment than many other jobs.
• Administrative Roles: Office jobs provide a structured routine without the high-stress environment of sales or customer service roles.
• Library Assistant: A calm environment and the opportunity to work independently can make this a good option.
• Non-Profit Organizations: The sense of purpose that comes from doing meaningful work can strongly influence recovery.

Jobs to Avoid:

• Bars/Nightclubs: The availability of alcohol or drugs can make these environments risky.
• High-Stress Jobs: Roles in finance, law enforcement, or emergency healthcare can be triggering due to stress.
• Sales Roles Involving Commission: The pressure to meet quotas can be stressful and destabilizing.
• Isolated or Unsupervised Jobs: Lack of a support network or accountability can be risky for some people in recovery.
• Competitive Fields: High-pressure, competitive environments can be stressful and not conducive to recovery.
  
  Remember, the road to employment may have challenges, but your recovery journey has already shown you have the resilience and determination to overcome obstacles. 

Cinderella syndrome (also sometimes referred to as a Cinderella complex or the Cinderella effect) is a psychological condition when a person has “an unconscious desire to be taken care of by someone else.” It was popularized in a book written by author and psychotherapist, Colette Dowling, in reference to the main character of the well-known fairytale — a princess who relies on being rescued by her prince to escape her miserable situation. 

Initially, the term only referred to women who had a fear of independence and felt that they needed a (usually male) savior.  Since then, Cinderella syndrome (and its many names), has been adopted by mental health professionals. It can now be applied to refer to anyone who believes that they can only find happiness through external sources, such as romantic relationships or material possessions. 

Why the Cinderella Syndrome is a toxic way of thinking

A “Cinderella complex” is a deceptively cute name for a highly toxic thought pattern. The reasons why this attitude is problematic are obvious. At its core, there’s a lack of willingness to take responsibility for one’s actions. It also discourages the individual from recognizing that they have agency and can change (and even improve) their situation themselves. 

The notion of waiting for the proverbial “white knight” or “prince charming” to come to the rescue is going to result in making poor choices, be they in love, work, amongst family, friends, or strangers — or perhaps failing to make any choices at all. 

How Cinderella Syndrome Can Impact Addiction

For the reasons outlined above, this syndrome is particularly detrimental when it comes to addiction recovery. The nature of this condition lends itself all too well to behavior that can either lead to a path of addiction or fuel it further.

Prone to unhealthy coping mechanisms

Someone with Cinderella syndrome either doesn’t believe they can manage their own emotions or simply lack the desire to do so. Instead, they place the responsibility for their physical, emotional, or psychological well-being on others. Naturally, this type of person is also likely to be prone to relying on other external coping mechanisms. 

For many, this means drugs or alcohol. They may think something along the lines of “Drinking will make all my problems go away” which ends up being a gateway to addiction.

Lack of motivation to modify behavior

A person with Cinderella syndrome always expects someone else to get them out of their situation. So in a circumstance like addiction, where it ultimately comes down to that individual’s desire and determination to make positive changes (something that someone with Cinderella syndrome severely lacks), they may have an exceptionally difficult time trying to recover.   

Instead of taking accountability for their actions or reflecting on the changes they could make to better themselves, they may think something along the lines of “Once I get the perfect romantic partner/job/physique, I won’t need to drink to feel happy.”  

As with the other scenario, this fairytale line of thinking puts the burden of responsibility on some external object or person to serve as the catalyst that prompts the change in some way. Perhaps filling some emotional void or something more practical such as financial assistance. In either instance, the individual is the recipient of some sort of action that “rescues” them from the situation, rather than them needing to make any meaningful change.

Leads to unrealistic expectations

Whether you’re placing expectations on someone or something beyond your control, odds are that you’re going to be disappointed. If you’re expecting someone or something to result in your “happily ever after,” then odds are you’re going to be even more disappointed. 

To someone with a Cinderella complex, they may only see two possible outcomes: success—or utter failure.​​ This lack of nuance sets a person up for disappointment and discouragement, serving as an emotional trigger that causes them to relapse. 

Shared Cinderella Syndrome and drug addiction characteristics

• Escapism: Looks for relief from unpleasant situations through distractions that may not be productive or healthy  
• Codependent: Being in an imbalanced relationship through which one or both partners base their self-worth on the other
• Lack of accountability: Tends to blame others and look outward for the cause of their misfortunes
• Self-sabotaging behavior: May consciously or unconsciously engage in behavior that sets them up for failure since “it wasn’t going to work anyways”
• Poor self-image: Lack of self-esteem or worth may stop them from seeking assistance
• Lack of control: Feeling powerless to create change; instead may rely on, or blame others when things don’t go their way

If you have a loved one suffering from addiction, you can’t just wish for a fairytale ending. For free addiction recovery support, find an AA group near you, today. 

Most of us can probably remember an instance where we wish someone had intervened to stop us from doing something we later came to regret–those of us who are battling drug addiction certainly can. But what if you had that ability to be that mitigating force for yourself? It’s possible — no time travel or superpowers otherwise required. All it takes is remembering four simple letters known as the HALT acronym. It’s an easy trick that can save recovering addicts a lot of future headache, heartache, and strife, without needing to rely on others. 

What does the H.A.L.T acronym stand for?

H.A.L.T. stands for hunger, anger, loneliness, and tiredness. These represent four states of being we find ourselves in when our basic needs are unmet. When they take hold, we may unwittingly engage in self-destructive behavior, which for someone in recovery, could mean the dangerous path to relapse. 

Hunger

Hunger is an essential aspect of survival. Yet having a rumbly tummy isn’t just unpleasant, it’s a serious mood killer. Being “hangry” is a very real thing as hunger is linked to crankiness, irritability, and mood swings. Several changes go on in the body that affect the mood centers of the brain that turn our mood for the worse, increasing negativity and causing symptoms of depression and anxiety, while also impairing impulse control. 

One potential cause is ghrelin, a hormone released when the stomach is empty (or perceives itself as empty) that signals the brain to rev up your appetite. Increased ghrelin levels have been shown to directly affect reward-seeking behavior and increase the need for immediate gratification–a pathway that also plays a role in the development of drug addiction.

Another reason why hunger can cause us to act in destructive ways is due to the release of cortisol, the fight-or-flight hormone, which can be triggered by ghrelin. Once the stress response has been initiated, primal instinct takes over causing major shifts in focus, concentration, and emotional response regulation. 

Anger

Anger is a normal human emotion, but it’s a powerful one that can override our brains and interfere with rational thought, a response known as an amygdala hijack. When this happens, the prefrontal cortex–the part of the brain that controls higher-level thinking, decision-making, and impulse control–takes a backseat, leaving us with a reduced ability to solve problems and make good decisions. 

It’s easy to see why this is a particularly bad place for a person in recovery to find themselves.  The feeling itself can be triggering and lead to relapse, but it can also overtake their desire to remain sober. Acts such as deep breathing or physically removing yourself from the cause of anger can help you regain control in the face of an extreme emotional response.

Loneliness

Humans are naturally social creatures and loneliness can be devastating to both our physical and mental health. For someone in recovery, loneliness can be especially detrimental because it’s often our relationships with others that serve as the main source of motivation and accountability. 

Tiredness

It’s well documented that being tired is going to significantly affect your cognition and decision-making. Research has shown that being sleepy causes similar impairments to that of being drunk. Rational decisions aside, the threat that being sleepy can have on relapse is even more fundamental. 

Fatigue affects the brain and can worsen mental health issues and more serious psychological disorders. Anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders can increase the likelihood of a person engaging in unhealthy behavior that increases the risk of relapse. 

What is the H.A.L.T. method?

The H.A.L.T. method is an ongoing practice in self-awareness. Individuals are encouraged to scan themselves for an unmet need and recognize if it’s coloring how they are thinking or feeling. These informal check-ins can range in frequency from once a day to every hour. 

It’s an easy tool for evaluating one’s physical and mental state and identifying the warning signs that something could be impairing their ability to make good decisions or react in productive ways. As important as it is to be able to recognize whether you’re hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, it’s perhaps more important to 1) understand why you feel that way (have you been skipping meals or perhaps ignoring phone calls from loved ones?) and 2) knowing how to deal with those stressors (like taking a short nap). 

One of the most challenging states to deal with is loneliness. Not everyone has a supportive family or friend group they can turn to. If you find yourself struggling to connect with others, consider attending a 12-step group near you. 

Hugging is a simple act, yet one of the most powerful gestures of love.

No one can deny the power of physical touch; it is a powerful way to connect with others. A comforting pat on the back, a loving embrace, the hand of a dear friend taking in yours when you’re scared. Touch conveys a range of emotions and provides support in times of need.

One type of touch that has compelling benefits is the hug. A hug is an expression of love, affection, and gratitude, and it has been shown to have various health benefits.

How Hugs Help Us Heal

As a natural human interaction, hugging is deeply ingrained into our instincts. We often long to share hugs with a loved one.

We may all understand its emotional power, but hugging has numerous benefits that extend beyond what we feel during one. Hugging can improve both physical and psychological well-being.

Hugging is gratifying and great for overall health. Here are some reasons why everyone should hug more often:

Physical benefits of hugging:

• Lowers blood pressure
• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Boosts the immune system
• Promotes feelings of happiness and well-being

Emotional benefits of hugging:

• Provides comfort and support
• Promotes feelings of love and belonging
• Improves communication and connection
• Enhances trust and intimacy

6 Ways Hugging Improves Mental Health And Helps You Heal

Hugs have a wide array of benefits. Due to the increased popularity of mental health awareness, we have seen more articles about how hugging can help improve mental health. Let’s talk about how hugs help heal and improve mental health.

1. Embracing a romantic partner reduces stress in women

A recent study found that women who hugged their romantic partners before being stressed showed a reduced cortisol response. Participants from a control group did not hug anyone before a controlled stress test and showed a greater cortisol response.

This was a small study with only 76 participants, and the male participants did not experience similar stress-reducing effects during the test. It did show that women benefit very much from short-term hugs before stressful social situations like medical examinations or stressful job interviews.

2. It helps you bond and express non-verbal emotions

Regarding communication and connection, hugging can be a way to express feelings nonverbally and connect with others on a deeper level. It can also enhance trust and intimacy in relationships, as it requires vulnerability and willingness to embrace someone physically.

3. Hugs release “feel good” hormones

In line with prior points, hugs release oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin. These are neurotransmitters that make you feel happy and relaxed and can even reduce pain and lower levels of depression. Think about the same feeling you get after an intense workout.

4. Hugs lower cortisol levels

Cortisol is a stress hormone. It increases sugars in the bloodstream and activates tissue repair. It peaks in the morning and diminishes throughout the day. However, certain foods and situations such as stress can trigger cortisol levels and cause cortisol spikes. 

Hugs reduce cortisol and help you calm down during stressful situations. As we mentioned earlier, it’s been confirmed for women, but it probably wouldn’t hurt to try as a man.

5. Hugs and long hugs may help prevent certain illnesses

A study found that feeling like you have a strong social support system and hugging are associated with reduced chances of catching certain illnesses. In particular, it may help reduce upper respiratory diseases and improve outcomes when you catch one.

During the study, participants provided information about their support system, how often they receive hugs, and how often they experienced daily interpersonal conflict. Participants with a better-perceived support system were less likely to get sick. Those with better support systems who did get sick had less severe symptoms than those with less perceived support.

Another study found that those who experience warm, loving physical contact with their partners may have better heart health than those who do not. The participants who held hands for 10 minutes and shared a 20-second hug with their partners experienced a more significant reduction in heart rate and blood pressure. Participants who sat in silence for 10 minutes and 20 seconds reduced their heart rate and blood pressure to a lesser degree.

6. Hugs can help reduce fears in people with low self-esteem

A study found that reassuring physical touch can help reduce anxiety about mortality in people with lower self-esteem. For the investigation, the experimenter handed questionnaires to a university campus.

When handing out questionnaires, they would sometimes touch participants on their shoulder blades for one second. Participants with lower reported self-esteem who were touched described feeling less fearful about their mortality than those who didn’t receive the touch.

Can Hugs Help You Heal?

Hugs are fundamental to showing love for those around us and have many health benefits. If you are recovering from some addiction, incorporating physical touch with loved ones may significantly contribute to your mental health.

All addiction issues have a significant mental health component, so anything you can do to improve will directly contribute to your recovery.

Words have power, and positive affirmations are a way to use them to your benefit. Positive affirmations are statements we repeat to ourselves to encourage and motivate. They can be particularly helpful for people in recovery from drug addiction as they can reinforce a positive mindset while also deprogramming negative thoughts and behaviors. Here are 5 positive affirmations for addiction recovery that are perfect for starting the new year:

1. “I am in control of my recovery and my life.”

In addiction recovery, the concept of ‘control’ can be a conflicting one. Anyone who has experienced addiction knows what it feels like to be powerless in the face of a craving; Alcohol Anonymous’ ubiquitous Twelve Steps are all about relinquishing control (and admitting that you might not have had any to begin with). 

Because of this, it’s common for people in recovery to leave treatment with a feeling of a loss of agency. In turn, this can make an individual more susceptible to feeling helpless in moments of hardship and put them at a greater risk of relapse.

It’s important to recognize that while addicted, you might not have had full control over your thoughts and actions in the past, but the new, sober you certainly does. This means taking ownership of your mistakes and setbacks but also taking pride in all the positive actions taken.

2. “I am strong and capable of overcoming challenges.”

Recovery is no picnic and there are going to be a fair share of hurdles your way. As you enter the new year, have confidence in your ability to face any and all challenges that come your way. 

Remember, overcoming challenges on your sober journey isn’t something you have to do on your own. You likely have the support of your friends and family, the comradery of your peer support group, and healthy new coping mechanisms from therapy. Know that you have all the resources you need to get through recovery rough patches.

3. “I am deserving of a fulfilling and satisfying life”

The persisting stigma around addiction can make it feel like there’s a wall between you and other people and that you don’t belong in the spaces you aspire to be. Whether those spaces are high education, a career you enjoy, or becoming a parent, addiction doesn’t make you ineligible for those major life milestones.

Recognize that you are only human and that making mistakes is an inevitable part of the human experience. Nothing you have done in the past warrants that you deprive yourself of a second chance and a new life that you can be proud of. 

4. “I am worthy of love, respect, and happiness.”

Addiction can often bring about feelings of guilt. This might leave you thinking that you don’t deserve forgiveness from friends, family, and peers, or deserve it when good things happen to you. Such thinking can lead to self-sabotaging behavior that isn’t just counterproductive, it can be harmful and put you on a path toward relapse. 

In addition to having your fundamental needs met (shelter, warmth, food), you are equally deserving to feel accepted and comfortable in your community.

5. “I am grateful for the progress I have made in my recovery.”

Gratitude is the act of being thankful. It means taking notice of both big and little things that we might otherwise overlook and take for granted. This positive emotion is linked to greater happiness, health, relationships, and overall well-being. 

Considering how bumpy the road to recovery can sometimes be, being able to appreciate the ups is really important to maintaining motivation to stay sober. Think about it. If all you think about are the missteps, backtracks, or failures, you’re going to get discouraged pretty quickly. Maintaining an attitude of gratitude will go a long way towards staying sober. 

How to use positive affirmations for recovery

Positive affirmations might seem cheesy at first, but repeating these positive phrases will help you eventually internalize them. You are what you tell yourself and this can help end those nasty negative thoughts. 

It can be helpful to write these New Year’s quotes for recovery down. Keep them somewhere highly visible such as sticky notes on your bathroom mirror or as the background of your mobile phone. Repeat these affirmations to yourself regularly, in the morning when you wake up and before you go to bed, but especially when you are feeling low or overwhelmed. 

Repeat these phrases in earnest and you could see amazing results. If you’re having a hard time picturing the new sober you, attend a local AA meeting to find living examples of people who were once in your same situation and have since come out on the other side. 

Drug abuse and addiction are pervasive issues that affect homeless populations at consistently higher rates than the general public. While it’s true that many people who are homeless struggle with substance abuse, the relationship between addiction and homelessness is not as cut and dry as most might think. 

Drug Addiction and Homelessness: Which Causes Which?

Homelessness is defined as an “individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence”. Neither the pathway to homelessness nor the one to addiction is a straight line, it’s cyclical and with numerous potential entry points. 

Addiction and homelessness have a pattern of dysfunction similar to that of co-occurring disorders (also known as dual diagnosis) where drug addiction and mental illness feed and worsen each other. Also like dual diagnosis, either can cause the other–here’s how: 

How Addiction Can Cause Homelessness

It’s most common for substance abuse to be the cause of homelessness, rather than the other way around. According to a 2008 survey of U.S. city mayors, drug use was the number one cause of homelessness in their cities. In another survey, two-thirds of individuals experiencing homelessness at the time self-reported that substance abuse was the main reason that led to being homeless.

Drug use can damage a person’s relationships with their friends and family. The lack of this support system can leave a person extremely vulnerable to the domino effect aftermath of drug use leading to job loss, which is then followed by financial instability and inevitably leads to a lack of shelter. And because getting out of homelessness is a lot more difficult than just finding employment, once a person has reached this point, it can be incredibly challenging to overcome.

How Homelessness Can Cause Addiction

Drug addictions often come about because a person uses drugs as a coping mechanism for dealing with stressful situations. Homelessness is an incredibly stressful situation (so much so that it’s been directly linked to higher rates of having a severe mental illness and lower levels of recovery). 

Regrettably, with no other support systems to turn to, many of the people experiencing homelessness will turn to drugs for relief from their problems. Drug abuse can make a person unemployable as well as ineligible for governmental assistance, leaving them socially stranded and without a lifeline. 

For those who fall through social safety nets, their new reality is one where drug abuse is rampant and sometimes a social expectation within the homeless community. Many who find themselves in this situation have little to no motivation to stop using drugs. Homelessness can be considered a chronic condition in its own right. Even if addiction didn’t land a person on the streets, drugs are all too effective at keeping them there. 

Other Potential Causes

When it comes to determining whether addiction caused homelessness or vice versa, it’s not a simple ‘either or’ situation. There are also numerous other conditions that could’ve been the primary factor in one or the other, or might have been an underlying factor in both.

Mental illness can play a major role as it can directly lead to an increased risk of homelessness and substance abuse. It’s estimated that over one-third of people experiencing homelessness have a mental illness. Of those, 25% have a serious mental illness.

There’s a significant overlap in the factors that can lead to both addiction and homelessness. 

Homelessness and Addiction Statistics

A common misconception about people experiencing homelessness is that all of them are drug users or addicts. Aside from being dehumanizing and insensitive, it’s simply not true. 

• There are an estimated 552,830 homeless people in the United States — approximately  0.2% of the population. 
• Over half had either a mental disorder or a co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders
• Homeless adults age 65 or older have a higher prevalence of unmet needs for substance use and mental disorder treatment compared with younger homeless adults
• People experiencing homelessness are at higher risk of overdose from illicit drug use
• 68% of men and 76% of women who are homeless and in substance use treatment reported experiencing a trauma-related event
• 38% of homeless people were dependent on alcohol and 26% abused other drugs compared to 15% of the general U.S. population

Getting Help for Homeless Individuals Struggling With Addiction

Government and private aid is often very limited and sometimes fails to reach the individuals who need their services the most. Peer-based support groups offer an always-free alternative for addressing substance abuse issues. Find the  AA group or NA group closest to you today. 

Sources:

https://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/addiction.pdf

https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/SAMHSA_Digital_Download/PEP20-06-04-003.pdf