Executive and Professional Addiction Treatment Services
The disease of addiction and alcoholism doesn’t discriminate – they affect all walks of life. Even business leaders, corporate executives, lawyers, pilots, and medical professionals find themselves struggling with drug or alcohol abuse. While these individuals are important to local and corporate businesses as well as the overall functioning of society, they are also under immense stress and high demands. Excess stress, demanding positions, and long hours may subsequently lead to drug or alcohol abuse.
Drug and alcohol rehab programs for professionals provide a unique level of care in an environment tailored to meet the specific needs of professionals.
Drug and Alcohol Abuse Among Professionals
People in professional positions have a lot of responsibilities, which leads to a lot of stress. It might seem normal, and even encouraged, to kick back with a few drinks after a long day. However, repeated abuse of any substance can lead to addiction – especially if someone is drinking or using to cope. Once addicted, it can be hard to stop using a substance without the help of an executive rehab program.
Lawyers
The American Bar Association reports that “as many as one in five lawyers has a drinking problem.”
This is two times the national average. [1]
Attorneys experience problematic drinking and alcohol dependence at significantly higher rates than the average American, with men being more at risk than women. Similarly, studies found that lawyers experience higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress – all common mental health issues that increase one’s risk of developing alcohol use disorder. [2]
The negative effects of alcohol abuse among lawyers are far-reaching, as attorneys represent and influence many facets of society – from social and economic issues to civil and criminal cases. There is a significant need for professional rehab programs for lawyers due to the vast need for resources and awareness of alcohol abuse among attorneys.
Executives & CEOs
While the rates of drug and alcohol abuse among CEOs and executives is difficult to gauge, experts report that this group of individuals have high rates of alcohol and prescription medication abuse. When looking at characteristics that make a good CEO, many of them are comparable to those of people who abuse substances. For example, risk-taking, strong drive, and obsessive nature. [3] Alcohol and prescription drug abuse make it difficult for many people to function normally, however, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism suggests that nearly 20% of all alcoholics are educated and high functioning with good income. [4] High functioning alcoholics or addicts are more prone to being in denial about their addictions. Therefore, there is a high need for proper education and addiction resources among the corporate world.
CEOs often find themselves in social settings that involve alcohol, stressful positions that they seek relief from, or even biological or environmental predispositions to substance use disorders. Due to the high functioning attributes of many of these individuals, some may question whether or not a person needs treatment. However, even high-functioning alcoholics and addicts need help and can benefit from executive drug and alcohol rehab programs.
Pilots
Pilots may fly for long hours, feel stressed due to the safety obligations of their job, and search for a way to cope by abusing drugs or alcohol. The Federal Aviation Administration looked at figures over a period of 15 years to examine drug use among civil aviation pilots using positive toxicology findings and found that the most commonly used drugs include marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, opioids, and other prescription drugs. However, illicit drugs or prescription drugs accounted for 11% of all pilots who were involved in an aviation accident. [5] Operating such machinery as pilots do while under the influence poses a great risk to themselves and others.
Although pilots are at risk for addiction and alcoholism, rehab programs for professionals that are job-focused and evidence-based are proven to have high success rates and even higher airline pilot retention. In fact, 87% of pilots who suffer from alcohol use disorder return to work after completing a rehab program for professionals. [6]
Doctors, Nurses, and Medical Professionals
Studies have found that nearly 10-12% of physicians develop a substance use disorder at some point in their careers. Alcohol, opioids, and stimulants are, respectively, among the most commonly abused substances by doctors, with 13.9% having a history of intravenous drug use and 17% previously attending a treatment program. [7] Stress at work and the availability of narcotics may contribute to substance abuse among medical professionals and staff.
Sadly, impairment among medical personnel inhibits their abilities at work, puts others’ lives at risk, and subjects them to possible medication diversion – something that often leads to detrimental legal and social consequences. With the help of evidence-based treatment and a comprehensive rehab program for professionals, doctors, nurses, and healthcare – personnel can get the treatment needed to return to work and remain sober.
Other Professions
Drug and alcohol abuse among any profession, from public safety and human resources jobs to the entertainment industry and more. It’s common for professionals to strive for high standards, experience stress or anxiety on the job, and struggle to maintain a healthy work-life balance. As a result, some turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with the demands of their job. Something that may begin as a way to unwind and relax after a long day can rapidly transform into an uncontrollable addiction that starts to interfere with one’s job performance and mental health.
What is Executive Drug and Alcohol Rehab?
Executive drug and alcohol rehab programs are separate from the programs that non-professionals participate in. Instead, drug and alcohol rehab programs for professionals put a heavy focus on learning skills and obtaining necessary resources to maintain sobriety while still completing one’s job and performing at full capacity.
The best executive drug and alcohol rehabs provide a number of key aspects that are important when it comes to treating professionals. These components include privacy and anonymity, access to phones/computers for business-related concerns, medication-assisted treatment, job-oriented life skills, and treatment from highly trained and licensed medical professionals. Most importantly, professionals who receive treatment should be equipped with the resources and skills needed to stay sober. Executive drug and alcohol rehab programs may consist of both inpatient and outpatient rehab.
Inpatient Executive Rehab
Inpatient rehab programs for professionals provide patients with a supportive and private environment while receiving the highest level of care. During residential treatment, patients begin to examine the underlying issues or traumas that have exacerbated their addiction. Individuals work with licensed therapists to start the healing process. Learning about addiction, understanding recovery concepts, and applying these tools to everyday life is a core part of the treatment process. Similarly, inpatient executive rehabs treat all facets of recovery, including mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
Outpatient Rehab for Professionals
When patients complete residential treatment and return to their offices and homes, they are exposed to people, places, and things that may feel overwhelming or difficult to deal with. However, participating in outpatient rehab for professionals as part of a comprehensive treatment plan can help maintain sobriety and support the overall health of professionals.
Both intensive outpatient programs (IOP) and outpatient programs (OP) involve clients working with a primary therapist to reinforce the tools they learned in treatment. Patients practice applying these principles to their lives as they continue to strengthen their recovery. Outpatient programs meet in group sessions twice a week and individual sessions once a week, but treatment can be tailored to meet the specific needs and goals of each patient.
Professionals should remain in treatment as long as they are able to and it is deemed clinically appropriate that they do so. Completing one’s treatment plan to the satisfaction of their primary therapist is paramount in ensuring that the individual is armed with the information and resources needed to maintain their sobriety.
What Treatments are used at a Rehab for Professionals?
At Defining Wellness, our team understands the stress that professionals are under when they come to our program. We also have a thorough understanding of how the mind and body are affected by addiction, so we provide professionals with all of the tools needed to succeed in treatment. Our program focuses on biotechnology and therapy to heal the brain and treat the underlying causes of addiction so that people can recover.
Professionals who attend our drug and alcohol rehab program will have access to our Wellness Lab, where we use evidence-based technology to work with each client to understand how their brain processes information and regulates emotions. Our specialized equipment is designed to aid the brain as it heals while promoting emotional regulation, making for an effective, individualized treatment plan for each and every patient.
Our trusted clinical team is certified and licensed in a wide range of treatment modalities, including:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Motivational Interview (MI)
- Psychotherapy
- Trauma counseling
- Expressive arts therapy
- Music therapy
- Psychodrama
- Cognitive processing therapy
- Hypnotherapy
Licensed therapists at our drug and alcohol rehab for professionals also specialize in psychoeducational workshops, family therapy, marriage counseling, and more. Our clinical team works closely with patients in group and individual settings and our treatment modalities are tailored to best meet individual needs.
Furthermore, we help professionals learn how to cope with workplace stress and the demands of their job by cultivating behavioral changes. We utilize an evidence-based approach that treats the whole patient – from biotechnology and therapy to holistic wellness and biopsychosocial assessments.
Rehab for Professionals at Defining Wellness
Defining Wellness Centers uses an experiential approach to treating addiction using a trauma-informed care framework. We believe that healing happens when people heal old wounds, connect to others, and gain a support network. Our treatment plans use a variety of expressive and therapeutic techniques to find what works for each person.
If you or a loved one is looking for an executive rehab program, contact our addiction specialists today to learn more.
References:
- https://www.americanbar.org/groups/lawyer_assistance/resources/alcohol_abuse_dependence/
- https://journals.lww.com/journaladdictionmedicine/Fulltext/2016/02000/The_Prevalence_of_Substance_Use_and_Other_Mental.8.aspx
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2013/08/06/why-the-brains-of-high-powered-people-may-be-more-prone-to-addiction/#3d735f2e3736
- https://www.news-medical.net/news/2007/06/29/27074.aspx
- https://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2000s/media/200810.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8476372
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2704134/
