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Anyone ever drink themselves out of a career?

Old 07-20-2013, 04:48 PM
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Originally Posted by newman23 View Post
...Weird seeing as when I started the position, I was still drinking and this wasn't really happening. I did well and excelled. Over time, this sluggishness and cloudiness of my mind became more and more of an issue.
This is exactly my story. As I aged the fog became more and more of an issue to the point I couldn't shake it unless I had about 4-5 days of sobriety. Really sad thing. It is when it really started to become apparent that I needed something more than to "cut back a bit" or "learn to control myself".
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Old 07-20-2013, 05:52 PM
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The rooms of AA are full of stories like this, as well as losing your house, car, wife/husband, etc. Alcohol - its a helluva drug.
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Old 07-21-2013, 05:54 PM
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I lost a job in an industry I was in for 10 years because of one particularly hungover morning. My boss saw that something was off about me and asked repeatedly "what are you on?" I was in rough shape: balance was off, difficulty focusing and speaking. My dad came to get me at work that day and I never returned (note that I was in my 30's when this happened - horribly embarrassing to have to call your dad to rescue you).

Recently, I very nearly lost the job I have now because I was drinking at work and was getting worse and worse with it. I finally had to come clean to my boss and tell her that I have a problem with alcohol, even though I knew it could end badly. The good news is that I'm still employed and making her aware has helped me stay sober - I know that if I relapse and begin drinking at work again, she'll know it immediately. There's no more hiding.
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Old 07-21-2013, 07:35 PM
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It wasn't drinking but drugs, and yeah...I lost a nursing career. I slid further into addiction he!! (NOT recommended). Was able to get a felony as a first offender, thus no felony on my record. My license shows "lasped" as the nursing folks and DEA (both of whom I was reported to) didn't follow through.

It's a loong time later, but I have a ton of good references from jobs I did here and there. I have a new degree and certification in another area of healthcare. I work as a caregiver for alzheimer's patients and though it's hard, nothing NEAR the money I made as an RN, I'm grateful for it and have made more contacts. I also volunteer for a job...more references.

I used to be terrified of explaining my nursing career. I was impatient that things didn't happen out a lot faster than I thought. Now I know that things have happened like they were supposed to.

Most people get back on track faster than I did (in recovery over 6 years), but I had to get over the shame to move forward, take baby steps at minimum wage jobs, to find my strength again.

You're not alone, and many people have gone through this only to find something better and appreciate recovery. Hang in there It really isn't the end of the world, it just feels like it for a while.

Hugs and prayers,

Amy
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Old 07-21-2013, 08:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Impurrfect View Post
... I work as a caregiver for alzheimer's patients and though it's hard, nothing NEAR the money I made

... I also volunteer for a job...more references.
Same here, except I was never in the health care field before recovery. Sometimes I think working for Alzheimer's patients is the worst job in the world, sometimes I think it is the best job in the world.

I also volunteer for a job...Hospice.
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Old 07-21-2013, 08:55 PM
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I lost my previous job because of my drinking and mental instability. I wasn't fired exactly, I took a really long medical leave when I was in rehab, and it extended over the amount of time the company allows. But if I hadn't gone to rehab I'm positive I would've been fired sooner or later.
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Old 07-21-2013, 10:29 PM
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I drank myself INTO a career. It was a job I loathed. Had me flying all over the world away from my family and the pressure was almost indescribable.

I say INTO because I was in such a daze and was self medicating so badly that I just never faced the truth and managed my way out of it. I just kept turning up, getting on airplanes and reporting to the narcissistic animal that was my boss. That job almost killed me (with a little help from the drink of course), They seemed to think I was doing a great job even though every day was hell. A classic case of self-medication.
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Old 07-21-2013, 10:30 PM
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Originally Posted by MentalRC View Post
I lost a job in an industry I was in for 10 years because of one particularly hungover morning. My boss saw that something was off about me and asked repeatedly "what are you on?" I was in rough shape: balance was off, difficulty focusing and speaking
are you me? this resonates with me. i never want to go back there.
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Old 07-21-2013, 10:38 PM
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yup
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Old 07-21-2013, 11:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Deluxe View Post
I drank myself INTO a career. It was a job I loathed. Had me flying all over the world away from my family and the pressure was almost indescribable.

I say INTO because I was in such a daze and was self medicating so badly that I just never faced the truth and managed my way out of it. I just kept turning up, getting on airplanes and reporting to the narcissistic animal that was my boss. That job almost killed me (with a little help from the drink of course), They seemed to think I was doing a great job even though every day was hell. A classic case of self-medication.
Oh yes, been there!

I drank and drank to keep myself from noticing that my really great job had turned into a pressure-cooker with no real positives. Terrifying. Anytime my instinct started to chime in that maybe this wasn't the best way to be spending my time... I bludgeoned it over the head with a fifth of whiskey.
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Old 07-22-2013, 05:53 AM
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Originally Posted by Deluxe View Post
I drank myself INTO a career. It was a job I loathed. Had me flying all over the world away from my family and the pressure was almost indescribable.
This is me as well. I worked as an international consultant. However, they are almost all either divorced multiple times, alcoholic, or both. A perfect fit for me at the time. I spent so much time being away from my family, making promises about "when I got back", and then failing to fulfill any of those promises. Unfortunately, once you are known, then getting jobs is easy - and easy is one thing alcoholics like.
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Old 07-22-2013, 06:00 AM
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Originally Posted by jazzfish View Post
This may not be directly related to alcoholism, but it is becoming a huge issue for me. Due to my drinking, my mental skills and work ethic plummeted over the last decade. I went from being a high functioning alcoholic to being a non-functioning alcoholic. For several years, I coasted from job to job based on my formerly good reputation eventually screwing over the last several employers through shoddy work performance (or non-performance). I now find myself in the position of having no recent job references. I am completely at a loss as to how to overcome this situation which is creating a while lot of "what's the point?" towards my sobriety.

Has anyone else ever gone through this? How did you make it through sober and how did you get back on track?
I went to school for MANY years to do what I did as a job. Through drinking and drugs, I lost it.

When I got sober, I focused on the fact that if I did not find contented sobriety, I would kill myself or end up in jail, so I embraced it as my #1 priority no matter what. The job worries had to be cast aside.

The career/job thing worked itself out. I really didn't have to put my hands on it much. I am now where I am needed and I love my job. (and it is TOTALLY different than my last career).

I heard that everything I put in front of my sobriety I will lose. This has been true for me 100% over the almost 20 years of me trying to get sober. (I was always trying to manage/fix job or marriage over sobriety and it failed EVERY time).

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